Schedule

Becoming elite demands precision, mental strength, and a strong support system. This year’s Athlete Engineering Summit focuses on the theme ”Becoming Elite,” offering insights and practical applications across three pivotal areas:

  • Precision training and team dynamics
  • Mental fortitude and recovery optimization
  • Innovative technology and brand building

The format for this year’s summit will be modified to emphasize interactive learning sessions for the entire audience and additional networking.  The experts presenting will include sports team coaches, health and safety managers from industry, human performance trainers from the military, along with engineers, data scientists, and wearable and human performance technology experts. Combining practitioner experience with applied research across all sectors is the foundation from which Athlete Engineering was built.

This summit’s theme and topics intentional target health and safety experts from all sectors because, as the last three summits have demonstrated, we still have a lot to learn from each other. Athlete Engineering Summit 2025 will empower all attendees to walk away with actionable steps.

Free Dinner Events (limited space so register early) – Tuesday, April 15th at Dudy Noble Field for MSU Baseball versus Southern University; and Tuesday, April 16th at 5:30pm to 9:00pm at the Scoreboard Club in the north section of Davis Wade Football Stadium.
NSCA ClinicTuesday, April 15, 2025Register for NSCA Clinic: https://www.nsca.com/events/state-and-regional/2025-mississippi-state-clinic/
9:00-10:00AMRegistration
10:00 – 10:15AMZack GillenOpening Remarks
10:15 – 11:15AMScott Shipman, Victor Hoffmann, Michael MydloIntegrating Expertise and Technology: A Panel Discussion on Training Implications and Athlete Development
11:15 – 12:15PMColin KlattFinding a Way to Serve: Air Force Pilot Optimization
12:15 – 1:00PMLunch
1:00 – 2:00PMDavid Abernathy, Chad SmithCoaches Guide to Train Fast, Hard, and Heavy
2:00 – 3:00PMJeremy CarterThe Next Generation Strength and Conditioning Coach
3:00 – 3:15PMBreak
3:15 – 4:15PMEric McMahonCareer Development in Strength and Conditioning for Students
4:15 – 4:30PMZack GillenClosing Remarks
6:00 – 9:00PMNETWORKING EVENT: Baseball social dinner event at Dudy Noble Field on MSU campus
Located in the Lofts at the north side of Dudy Noble (see the Attending page for location details). Please park in or near the Barnes and Nobles Parking lot and follow the signs and support staff to the event location.		Join us for our big networking event at the Mississippi State University baseball stadium as the Bulldogs take on Southern University. Food and drink will be provided as you will have access in the Lofts and the stadium to watch the baseball game. Tickets are limited so sign up soon.
While spaces are limited, anyone may attend this special dinner event by selecting to attend when registering for the AE Summit.
DAY 1Wednesday, April 16, 2025 @ The MillLocated at 600 Russell St. Starkville, MS 39759 (1st Floor)
8:30 – 9:00AMRegistration, Continental Breakfast, & Networking Time
9:00 – 9:45AMWelcome to the Athlete Engineering Summit 2025: Becoming Elite – Dr. Reuben Burch (Mississippi State University), Andrea Hudy (University of Connecticut), & Terry Prentice (Mississippi State University)The event will kickoff with an update from the Athlete Engineering Institute on what attendees will learn over the course of the two day event as well as what human performance projects partners will see from Athlete Engineering over the next year.
9:00 – 9:45AMAE Summit 2025 Introduction Panel Session: – Dr. Reuben Burch (Mississippi State University), Nick Zimmerman (Mississippi State University), Ted Lambrinides (Sports Science Consultant), & Andrea Hudy (University of Connecticut)
TOPIC: The Mission of Becoming Elite and How We All Play a Role		Attendees will hear from experts across all fields about what being an elite athlete means across all sectors. Speakers will speak about what it takes to become elite and touch about all the roles needed in the ecosystem of an elite athlete.
9:45 – 10:30AMSPEAKER 1: Joel Turner (Mind IQ)
TOPIC: Becoming an Elite Problem Solver		Attend a session focused on solving the Mental Game Equation in high pressure situations.  Understanding the science of how we do what we do is essential for peak performance in various disciplines.  Experience the definition of Confidence and how to blueprint the pathway to becoming Elite.  Learn how to leverage the ultimate skill of the human being to achieve mental game mastery.
10:00 – 10:30AMNetworking Break
10:30 – 11:00AMPanel Session 1 – Yusuf Boyd (VALD), Damon Darsey, David Saucier (Mississippi State University), & Marci Hoppa (Mississippi State University)
TOPIC: Utilizing a Sports Mindset to Create a Pre-assessment for Industrial and Tactical Athletes: VALD Demonstrations of Technology on Stage		Learn how the Athlete Engineering Institute partnered with MSU Athletics to assist the Mississippi Highway Patrol in creating a pre-assessent protocol for all new cadets entering the program. See how concepts defined for elite sports athletes added the new generation of highway patrol men and women.
11:00 – 11:30AMSPEAKER 2: Zachary Gregg
TOPIC: Marginal Gains – Getting Better %1 at a Time Using a Focus on Nutrition, Supplementation, and Hydration 		Many athletes unfortunately experience a career ending injury, but most don’t use that setback as motivation to become an elite performer in a completely new sport. Learn from an elite cyclist who uses his knowledge of nutrition, supplementation, and hydration to incrementally recover and increase performance.
11:30 – 1:00PMLunch
1:00 – 1:30PMSPEAKER 3: Julien Blin (Upside Global Org)
TOPIC: Today’s Technology for the Elite Athlete		Hear from the human performance technology expert as he previews what’s new and worth paying attention to in the human performance space. These technologies will be discussed from the aspect of sports, military, and industry; many of them will be available in the vendor lobby for demonstrations.
1:30 – 2:15PMPanel Session 2: Scott Dembowski (Performance Physical Therapist)
TOPIC: Building an Elite Operator Culture and Program		Military special forces has adopted human performance training methods from sports programs to elevate their most elite. Learn from the creators of these special forces programs including how they built out elements of both the training process and the culture. 
2:15 – 3:00PMSPEAKER 4: Scott Dembowski (Performance Physical Therapy) & Ron Stinger
TOPIC: Training to Become an Elite Operator		After learning how the elite tactical athlete programs were established, hear from special operators who went through these programs including the pros and cons of these new military programs.
3:00 – 3:30PMNetworking Break
3:00 – 3:45PMSPEAKER 5: Col Trena “Hak” Savageau (U.S. Air Force)
TOPIC: Building the Modern Elite Pilot Athlete Human Performance Team		Col Hak Savageau is recognized as a fighter pilot human performance leader. She will speak to the audience about the new, modern team of human performance experts needed to bring pilot athletes to an elite performance level for the great power competition.
4:00 – 4:30PMNetworking Break
4:30 – 6:00PMFIGHT NIGHT DEBATES: Justin Foster, Ted Lambrinidas, Andrea Hudy, Dave Bollwinkel, Keith D’Amileo, Spencer Tatum, Julien Blin, Eric McMahon, Nick Zimmerman, and more.Take part in an open discussion amongst numerous human performance leaders from all sectors as they debate critical elements of what elite means to them. Join us for a fun interactive session covering topics such as: which sports require the most complex training and why; what’s harder to train for–a professional sport or a military operations; what is the most important variable to track injury mitigation; what is the single best technology to use in human performance training; who is the most important expert in the ecosystem of an elite athlete; and more.
5:30 – 9:00PMNETWORKING EVENT: Social dinner event at the Scoreboard Club at Davis Wade Stadium
Located at the north side of Davis Wade Stadium (see the Attending page for location details). Please park in or near the Barnes and Nobles Parking lot and follow the signs and support staff to the event location.		Join us for a networking dinner event at the Mississippi State University’s David Wade Stadium.
While spaces are limited, anyone may attend this special dinner event by selecting to attend when registering for the AE Summit.
DAY 2Thursday, April 17, 2025 @ The MillLocated at 600 Russell St. Starkville, MS 39759 (1st Floor)
8:00 – 8:30AMDay 2 KickoffThe audience will learn about a research project taking place between the Athlete Engineering Institute and the Columbus Air Force Base regarding how to insert new technology into an elite military environment.
8:30 – 9:15AMSPEAKER 6 – Dave Gotto (INTO Technologies)
TOPIC: Importance of Marketing and Branding “Elite” 		Part of being an elite athlete is having an elite brand. The brand matters and for all the organizations looking to borrow from what the sports world has learned, branding of their culture, the words they say, and the technology they use is a critical component. Learn from one of the leading experts in sports technology branding for how to build recognition for your technology, program, or organization.
9:15 – 10:00AMSPEAKER 7 – Jim Hurt
TOPIC: When the Elite Get Injured		Regardless of sector, being an elite athlete means an increased risk of  injury. Athletes need elite doctors and physical therapist who understand how to help in recovery and getting back to baseline prior to the injury. Hear from experts in the orthopedic and physical therapy space who work with injured elites.
10:00 – 11:00AMBrunch
10:15 – 11:15AMPanel Session 3 – Keith D’Amelio (Organizational Consultant), Ndamukong Suh (NFL)
TOPIC: What Becoming and Remaining Elite Means at the Highest Level		Ndamukong Suh and Jack Riggins have achieved and sustained at the most elite levels for sports and military respectively. Hear as they discuss what it meant to get to their level, the challenges of staying elite, the most critical people in their journey, and what moving on from sport and service means for them.
12:00 – 12:30PMClosing Remarks

All times are Central Standard Time.