Schedule
The theme of our 2023 conference will be: “Speaking the Same Language.” Regardless of the vertical we work in (sports, industry, military, medical, or academic), we all face similar issues and opportunities in human performance, but we don’t always know how to communicate between sectors to share what we know. Therefore, we may be spending unnecessary time on a problem that another vertical has already mastered. By hearing from experts across these sectors who have successfully found solutions that impact all of us in human performance, attendees will learn:
- Commonalities across all sectors and shared concepts,
- The pros and cons of treating every vertical like a sports team, and
- How technology is only one of many solutions available when creating a culture of fitness and performance awareness.
These experts 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.
“Building from the discussion at the 2022 summit about the importance of being multilingual, we want the 2023 event to highlight what many of us in the human performance space suspect: we are all solving variations of the same problem. Determining the measure of success is the main difference and that difference is based on where we work,” Associate Director of Human Factors & Athlete Engineering at CAVS and Associate Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Reuben Burch said. “When we use the term multilingual at Athlete Engineering, we are saying that our engineers understand what strength coaches are asking for. We know how to talk to the Air Force about test flights, to industry about repetitive motion tasks, to the medical center about telehealth technology challenges, and to academics about writing winning grant narratives. We want to grow beyond being a multilingual research team to being the team who teaches human performance experts across all sectors how to communicate with each other. At the 2023 Athlete Engineering Summit, we will move past simply being interpreters to becoming the venue where everyone walks away speaking the same language.”
The summit will feature discussions focusing on how concepts, cultures, technologies, and different courses offered in the Athlete Engineering Certificate program can bring impact to the four athlete personas: sports, industry, tactical, and at-risk athletes. In addition to nationally-recognized keynote speakers and panels of experts, attendees will have ample opportunity to network with professionals, enjoy delicious food, and see human performance technology in action.
| Limited Special Dinner Event – Tuesday, May 9th at 5pm – 9pm at Dudy Noble Field. Tickets to be purchased separately from the summit registration on the registration page. $75 per ticket includes food, drinks, a ticket to attend the MSU-Memphis baseball game, and an armband for tailgate and stadium access. |
| PRE-EVENTS | Tuesday, May 9, 2023 |
| 10:00 – 11:00 | MEETING: Tactical Athlete Leadership Board (TALB) – Annual in person meeting hosted by Kevin Forbes (Booz | Allen | Hamilton) TALB members may select this free option to attend when registering for the AE Summit. This meeting will be hosted at The Communiversity (the same location as the AE Summit). |
| 12:00 – 4:00 | FREE WORKSHOP: Wearable technologies, data management, and data analytics on human performance – Dr. Mark Derriso (Air Force Research Laboratory) Learn from the Chief Engineering of Human Performance of the Air Force Research Laboratory regarding the steps the Air Force has taken to implement wearable technology and data use at their large tech training facilities. All current and future users of wearable technology at large installations will benefit from this workshop. Anyone may attend this free workshop. Attendees can select this free option when registering for the AE Summit. This meeting will be hosted at The Communiversity (the same location as the AE Summit). |
| 4:30 – 9:00 | NETWORKING EVENT: Baseball special dinner event at Dudy Noble Field Join us for our big networking event at the Mississippi State University baseball stadium as the Bulldogs take on the Tigers of the University of Memphis. Food and drink will be provided as will access in out and of the stadium to watch the baseball game. Tickets are limited so sign up soon. Anyone may attend this special dinner event. Attendees may select to pay an additional $75 when registering for the AE Summit. |
| DAY 1 | Wednesday, May 10, 2023 |
| 8:30 – 9:30 | Registration and Networking Time |
| 9:30 – 10:00 | Day 1 Welcome and Conference Opening – Matt Wyatt |
| 10:00 – 10:50 | Day 1 Intro-Session – Dr. Bill Burgos (Mississippi State University), Dr. Ted Lambrinides (Pro Sports Consultant), Dr. Megan Stewart (Milwaukee Brewers), & Dr. Reuben Burch (Mississippi State University) – Military and Industry are Borrowing from Sports, How Can We All Speak the Same Human Performance Language? : panel Attendees will learn from NFL, NBA, and MLB human performance experts regarding where similarities between all human athlete verticals begin and end. Across industry, military, and sports, people have been working diligently to solve the same problems. This panel will kickoff the discussion about how we can all learn from each other more effectively. |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Summit Keynote – Dr. James Reilly (NASA & Booz | Allen | Hamilton) – The Space Athlete: The Challenges of Human Performance on the International Space Station In this keynote, attendees will hear from a former NASA astronaut who was responsible for numerous missions both inside and outside of the International Space Station. This talk will cover the challenges experienced in space regarding health, safety, recovery, and the mindset needed to perform in the most hostile environment. |
| 12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch and Networking Time |
| 1:00 – 1:50 | Breakout Sessions I sponsored by Booz | Allen | Hamilton |
| A: | Dr. Adam Petway (University of Louisville) – Data Science in Sports Ecosystem: an Athlete Engineering Certificate course review In this session, attendees will learn more about the Mississippi State University Athlete Engineering Certificate program. Dr. Petway literally wrote the book used by the NBA for human performance; this talk will cover the material discussed in his two course series that he teaches for the Athlete Engineering Certificate program. |
| B: | Dr. Phillip Desrochers & Dr. Aaron Windor (Charles River Analytics) – Translating Human State Assessment to Ecologically Valid Settings This session will focus on translational science and what’s being done to move research out of the laboratory and into field-based work. Attendees will learn about analytics, hardware, software, user interfaces, and other components needed to build human performance technology that survives the real world. |
| C: | Mark Ronay (Liquid Wire) |
| D: | Dr. Gregg Steinberg (Austin Peay State University) – Emotional Toughness Training In this session, attendees will learn the 5 key components to emotional toughness (Awareness, Confidence, Overcoming anxiety, Focus, and Motivation). Given in this session will be entertaining stories as well as simple but effective strategies so that attendees will be able to become emotionally tough for any situation in your life. |
| E: | Justin Foster (The Excelling Edge) – How to Integrate Neuorcognitive Technology into Athlete Training In this session, attendees will learn practical strategies for integrating neurocognitive technology to transform the way athletes and operators see, decide, and execute. |
| 2:00 – 2:50 | Day 1 Afternoon Keynote Sponsored by Ledsreact – Dr. Keith D’Amelio (Elite Performance Consultant) |
| 3:00 – 3:50 | Breakout Sessions II sponsored by Booz | Allen | Hamilton |
| A: | Dr. Mark Derriso (Air Force Research Laboratory) – Engineering Human Performance, Assessment and Management: an Athlete Engineering Certificate course review In this session, attendees will learn more about the Mississippi State University Athlete Engineering Certificate program. Dr. Derriso developed the standard used by the Air Force Research Laboratory for assessing human performance and readiness of our men and women serving their country in the Air Force. This talk will highlight the course he teaches for the Athlete Engineering Certificate program. |
| B: | Dr. Ted Lambrinides (Pro Sports Consultant) – Professional Sports Teams Technology Selection Processes and Challenges Attendees in this session will learn from one of the primary consultants in the professional sports field regarding the process used to make human performance technology decisions as well as the hurdles technology implementers face in the pro athlete environments. |
| C: | Jesse Wright, (Balance The Bar), Dr. Joe Bielitzki (Arteria Technology), & Craig Gile (CoolMitt) – Thermoregulation Advances: Unlocking Performance Potential: Panel In this session, attendees will hear former DARPA Program Manager Joe Bielitzki, former Director of Performance Science of the Philadelphia 76ers Jesse Wright, and CoolMitt™ Founder Craig Gile discuss the transformative performance benefits athletes, military, and industrial workers can attain through leveraging glabrous skin surfaces. They will cover DARPA’s investment in vasocooling technology to accelerate the body’s natural ability to transfer heat. |
| D: | Brock Anderson (Ergo-ology) – Sport vs. Industrial Athlete: Physical Demands and Successful Risk Control Methodologies Attendees of this session will learn how Industrial professionals turned to Olympic competition and professional sports to redefine the definition of front-line associates. The phrase “industrial athletes” is a description born out of similarities in human performance and the stress-response generated by a physically demanding task. Yet, there are still enormous differences between today’s finely tuned athletes and the broad mix of employees who occupy the workaday world. While athletic coaches and corporate health professionals share a common goal, maximizing performance and minimizing injury, they take two very different approaches based on the similarities and differences in each athlete’s environment and task requirements. This presentation will compare and contrast these two settings and uncover best practices to managing risk and improving performance, all while pointing out several practices in one setting may not be advantageous in the other. |
| E: | Cara Dienst (Booz | Allen | Hamilton) – Beg, Borrow, or Steal: Location Data, Cybersecurity, and the Future of Algorithmic Warfare This session will discuss the Department of Defense (DoD) ban on the use of certain wearable devices in operational areas. Attendees will learn about the underlying problems of using wearables in tactical athlete settings due to privacy and security concerns. |
| 4:00 – 4:50 | Day 1 Closing Keynote |
| 4:50 – 5:10 | Day 1 Closing Remarks – Matt Wyatt |
| 6:00 – 8:00 | NETWORKING EVENT: Reception Social at MSU Football Stadium Gridiron Club Food & non-alcoholic drinks will be served for all attendees. Cash bar and music entertainment will be available. Please park in the Barnes & Noble north section of the parking lot. Enter the stadium at G-1 which is located at the north end-zone. |
| DAY 2 | Thursday, May 11, 2023 |
| 7:00 – 8:00 | Continental Breakfast and Networking Time |
| 8:00 – 8:30 | Day 2 Welcome and Conference Opening – Matt Wyatt |
| 8:30 – 9:20 | Day 2 Intro-session Sponsored by Booz | Allen | Hamilton – Munjeet Singh (Booz | Allen | Hamilton): Panel |
| 9:30 – 10:20 | Day 2 Morning Keynote – Dave Bollwinkel (Chicago Bulls) |
| 10:30 – 11:20 | Breakout Sessions III sponsored by Booz | Allen | Hamilton |
| A: | Dr. Adam McLean (Booz | Allen | Hamilton) – Measuring Fight/Flight/Freeze Response in Performance Environments: an Athlete Engineering Certificate course review In this session, attendees will learn more about the Mississippi State University Athlete Engineering Certificate program. Dr. McLean teaches a course on reactionary human responses in competitive and stress-induced environment. This talk will highlight the course he teaches for the Athlete Engineering Certificate program. |
| B: | Dr. Megan Stewart (Milwaukee Brewers) & Ethan Stewart (Oakland Athletics) – Sports Science: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Major League Baseball In this session, attendees will learn about sports science technology and how collaboration across departments is essential for the overall health and performance of baseball players. |
| C: | Angie Huskison (The Competitive Edge) – Dynamic Visual Skills: Training The Visual System To Enhance Human Performance In this session, attendees will learn the importance of training the visual system to enhance human performance by improving depth perception, focusing, peripheral awareness, and visual processing speed. |
| D: | Kevin Martin (The Quick Board) – Motor Learning: Increasing the likelihood of training transferring to the field In this session, attendees will learn how verbal cues impact whether an athlete is externally or internally focused, which significantly affects performance and rehab outcomes. |
| 11:20 – 12:30 | Lunch and Networking Time |
| 12:30 – 1:20 | Day 2 Midday Keynote – Dr. Mark Derriso (Air Force Research Laboratory) – The Theory of Operational Performance (TOP) |
| 1:30 – 2:20 | Breakout Sessions IV sponsored by Booz | Allen | Hamilton |
| A: | Dr. Bill Burgos (Mississippi State University) – Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) and Other Human Performance Classes from a Practitioner Perspective: an Athlete Engineering Certificate course review |
| B: | Spenser Tatum (Tatum Human Performance) |
| C: | Wesley Barnett (Thorne) |
| D: | Dr. Steve Grice, Dr. Yanbing Tang, Dr. Long Tian, Dr. Zack Gillen, and David Saucier (Mississippi State University) – Improving Athlete Performance through Machine Learning and sEMG Analysis In this session, attendees will learn about the utilization of machine learning technology, specifically anomaly detection and classification, to extract information from the surface electromyography (sEMG) signals of basketball players, and to apply this information to improve their athletic performance. |
| 2:30 – 3:20 | Day 2 Closing Keynote sponsored by Ledsreact – Ted Rath (Philadelphia Eagles) – Great Communication = Great Collaboration – Speaking the Language of Teamwork In this session, attendees with learn (1) simple strategies to increase communication among a team of professionals, (2) tips and examples of finding ways to work through potential issues within a professional sports setting, and (3) people first principles: become better at minimizing ego and benefit from the lessons of humility. |
| 3:20 – 3:40 | Summit Closing Remarks – Matt Wyatt |
