AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF BIOMECHANICS
An affiliate society of the International Society of Biomechanics
ANZSB EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The current elected executive serving from December, 2024 until handover at the next ABC
A/Prof Tim Doyle
President
Associate Professor Tim Doyle is a leading researcher in biomechanics and physical performance, specialising in neuromuscular biomechanics, injury prevention, and physical preparation for both athletic and tactical populations.
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In addition to his academic roles, Dr Doyle is the President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Biomechanics (ANZSB) and chairs working groups for Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA). He holds multiple professional accreditations, including:
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Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach – Australian Strength and Conditioning Association
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Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist – National Strength and Conditioning Association
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Level 2 Sport Scientist & Exercise Scientist – Exercise & Sports Science Australia​
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To contact the President, please email tim.doyle@mq.edu.au
Dr Karen Mickle
President-Past
Dr Karen Mickle is a Lecturer in Biomechanics within the discipline of Exercise and Sports Science at the University of Newcastle. She also holds an ESSA Sports Science (L2) accreditation. Her research focuses on lower limb biomechanics with a specific interest in structure and function of the foot, footwear and running.
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To contact the President-Past, please email Karen.Mickle@newcastle.edu.au
A/Prof Claudio Pizzolato
Secretary / Treasurer
Dr Claudio Pizzolato's research mission is to further develop computational models of the human neuromusculoskeletal system to enable the next generation of neurally-connected bionic devices. Neural interfaces, such as myoelectric and brain-computer interfaces, will become integral part of modern life, revolutionising how humans interact with bionic devices, a main pillar of Industry 5.0. Neural interfaces, powered by the computational models Dr Pizzolato is developing, will advance the frontiers of knowledge to transform and revolutionise human movement and rehabilitation, and allow to further explore fundamental scientific questions on natural human neuromusculoskeletal biomechanics.
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For any membership enquiries, please contact Claudio at austnzbiomech@gmail.com
A/Prof David John Saxby
Communications Officer
Dr Saxby's areas of expertise are musculoskeletal biomechanics, orthopaedics, ACL injury, and computational modelling. He was a 2021 ARC DECRA Fellow, and has established a highly productive and dynamic research program focused on the mechanistic study of the interactions between human skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems, and their generation of motor function (e.g., movement, force, and control). He is a leader with the Australian Centre for Precision Health and Technology (PRECISE).​
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For communications enquiries, please contact David at austnzbiomech@gmail.com
Dr. Julie Choisne
NZ Representative
Julie is an Aotearoa Research Fellow in musculoskeletal modeling at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (New Zealand). Julie's research is concentrated in three areas: 1) Personalized medicine for children, 2) musculoskeletal modeling using statistical shape models and 3) Finite Element modelling for surgical planning. Her work is committed to use engineering principal and methods to answer specific clinical questions with the overarching goal of improving early diagnosis and personalized treatment for better recovery.
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To contact the NZ representative, please email j.choisne@auckland.ac.nz
Dr Samantha Birse
Early Career Researcher Representative
Samantha is a Lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science (Biomechanics and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation) at the University of New England in Armidale NSW. Samantha was awarded her PhD in 2024 exploring the use of nonlinear dynamics to analyse game play effects in elite youth basketball players, and her current interests are moving to apply these methodologies to other youth athletes.
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FFor any ECR-related enquiries, issues or events, please contact Samantha at sbirse@une.edu.au
A/Prof Laura Diamond
President-Elect
Laura Diamond is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, Associate Professor, and Deputy Director of the Australian Centre for Precision Health and Technology (PRECISE), Griffith University. She is a trained biomedical engineer (Dalhousie U, Canada) with a PhD in biomechanics (U of Melbourne) leading a research program focused on development and application of novel technologies to understand and treat the biomechanical mechanisms of musculoskeletal and orthopaedic conditions. Laura's research program has attracted >AU$14M in grant funding and resulted in >90 scientific papers/book chapters and 2 patents. Laura has an extensive community engagement portfolio and is an advocate for participation of schoolgirls/women in STEM.
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To contact the President-Elect, please email l.diamond@griffith.edu.au
Ayden McCarthy
Student Representative
I’m a 3rd-year PhD candidate at Macquarie University, with a submission date of June, 2025. My research focuses on optimising performance and physical screening strategies in a military environment with a machine-learning approach. I hold a Master of Research from Macquarie University and a Master of Exercise Science from Edith Cowan University. I’ve presented at numerous conferences including ISBS, ACSM, ICSPP, and ANZSB national/regionals, sharing insights on biomechanics and machine learning. Alongside my research, I teach within Macquarie University’s Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science program, covering a range of subjects. Beyond academia, I play tennis and have coached the sport for over a decade. My experience through sports, exercise science, and academia has made me passionate about leadership, and I look forward to making a meaningful contribution to our society.
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For any student-related enquiries, issues or events, please contact Ayden at ayden.mccarthy@hdr.mq.edu.au
