Board members
PROFESSOR NICK DRAPER (CHAIR)
Professor, College of Education, Health and Human Development, University of Canterbury
Nick is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Canterbury, where he specialises in exercise physiology. His research interests include work related to the sports of rugby, rock climbing and judo as well as in the area of physical activity. Nick has previously worked in elite sport as performance planner for British Judo which included responsibility for grant writing, sport science testing, training programme development and team selection. In 2000 Nick was Team Manager for Judo at the Sydney Olympic Games and wrote training programmes for the several of the team members competing.
DR MATT DRILLER
Senior Lecturer,
University of Waikato
Dr Matt Driller joined the team at the University of Waikato in 2014. Matt completed his undergraduate qualifications in New Zealand, before relocating to Australia in 2006 where he completed his PhD in Sports Physiology. Matt worked at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport (2006 – 2009) and the Australian Institute of Sport (2009 – 2014). During his time in Australia, Matt had extensive involvement with physiological/performance testing, research and exercise prescription over a range of sports spanning from age group/development athletes through to Olympic and Paralympic medallists.
PROFESSOR RICH MASTERS
Professor,
University of Waikato
Prior to taking up his current position at the University of Waikato in 2014, Rich was Director of the Institute of Human Performance at the University of Hong Kong. Before that, he lectured in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Birmingham, England. Rich holds a BSc (Hons) and an MA (in Psychology) from the University of Otago and a D.Phil (Experimental Psychology) from the University of York, England. He sits on the Health Panel for the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) 2018 Quality Evaluation. Rich is interested in the psychology of human performance and is well known for his work in implicit (unconscious) motor learning.
PROFESSOR ANDREW KILDING
Professor Andrew Kilding, SPRINZ,
AUT University
Andrew is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Physiology at AUT’s Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand. Andrew teaches under- and post-graduate students in a range of sport science papers as well as supervising several Masters and PhD students. He has a wide range of research interests but the majority of his research focusses on strategies to enhance aerobic responses, adaptations and performance in endurance sport. Andrew has published almost 100 scientific articles and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. From an applied practitioner perspective he has provided physiology support to a range of athletes and is currently Head of Performance Physiology at HPSNZ. Andrew has served on the executive board at SESNZ previously and returned in 2018 to contribute further to the ongoing growth and development of the organisation.
MARK DRURY
University of Canterbury
Mark is lecturer at the University of Canterbury and also currently leads the Strength and Conditioning Accreditation for Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand. Mark has accumulated over 15 years strength and conditioning experience working in professional rugby, including Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Crusaders Super Rugby team, and for the Edinburgh Rugby Pro 12 team. In 2015 he received the Hadlee Sports Award for outstanding achievements in Sport Science. He has a Masters in Strength and Conditioning from the University of Edinburgh, and a Bachelor of Physical Education from Otago University.
DR MEL BUSSEY
University of Otago and University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Bussey is a researcher in Clinical Biomechanics, Chair of Graduate Research in the School of Physical Education Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Otago and an Adjunct Professor to the School of Physical Therapy in the University of Saskatchewan. She is originally from Canada where she studied Athletic Therapy and Sport Science before coming to NZ to complete her PhD in Biomechanics. Her specific research expertise is neuromuscular mechanisms for disturbed postural stability related to pain and recurrent injury. She is the co-author of the textbook “Sports Biomechanics: Reducing injury and improving performance” Routledge, 2013.
DR LYNNETTE JONES
Senior Lecturer in Physical Activity and Health at the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
Dr Jones’s research are is in Exercise Oncology, with a specific focus on breast cancer. Over the last three years, she has undertaken research in exercise and vascular health in survivors of breast and prostate cancer. Dr Jones established the Exercise Training Beyond Breast Cancer (EXPINKT™) programme in September 2009. This programme delivers individualised exercise prescriptions to individuals diagnosed with primary breast cancer. Current and recent research projects involve ongoing quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the EXPINKT™ programme, investigation of the impact of chemotherapy on weight gain and metabolic syndrome in women diagnosed with primary breast cancer.
SHAUN OWEN
Student Board
Shaun immigrated to Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2016 to take up a role as the Sport Scientist for the BNZ Crusaders and the Canterbury Rugby Football Union. Prior to this he was based in South Africa, studying through Stellenbosch University and contracting as a Sport Scientist. Shaun completed a BSc (Honours) Sport Science, majoring in Performance Sport, and is currently undertaking his PhD in Sport Science. His primary focus is optimal load exposure and applying academic research in real-world environments.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDY FOSKETT
School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition
Massey University
Associate Professor Andy Foskett is the founding Head of the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition at Massey University. Andy has a keen interest in high performance sport from physiological, nutritional and S&C perspectives and has worked with multiple high performance athletes across a diverse range of sports. In addition to his role with SESNZ Dr Foskett has held various Governance roles within sport and exercise and is currently President of the Tertiary Council of Physical Activity and Sport Science (TCPASE); Chair of the Massey University Blues Committee; and a member of NZ Football’s High Performance and Player Welfare Committee.
VANESSA GROOME
National Manager
Vanessa takes pride in her role as National Manager and ensures that all needs of SESNZ members are met. Her strengths are organising, listening and planning so the highlight of her year is the Annual Conference. This also allows her to interact with SESNZ members and really get a feel for the direction of the organisation. Vanessa is very excited about the future of SESNZ and the memorandum of understanding with ESSA and she looks forward to what this may bring, Nga mihi. She’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch.
Sub-Committees
Sport Science Sub-committee
Accredited Exercise Physiology Sub-committee
Strength and Conditioning Sub-committee
Student sub-committee
Chair: Shaun Owen
Committee Reps:
Michaela Townshend – University of Canterbury (MSc)
Ed Maunder – Auckland University of Technology (PhD Candidate)
Katie Schofield – University of Waikato (PhD Candidate)
Stephen Fenemor – University of Waikato (PhD Candidate)
LIFETIME MEMBERS
Life Membership may be granted at the AGM, on the recommendation of the Board, to a member who has given significant sustained service to SESNZ. There are currently two life members: