profile
Dr Genevieve Williams
Senior Lecturer
3899
Richards Building RB109
Richard's Building, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Overview
Dr Genevieve Williams' research interest lie in the coordination and control of human movement. Particularly, in how the stability and adaptability of the dynamics of movement change as a function of skill level, perturbation, ageing or pathology.
Dr Williams is part of the INTERSECT Human Movement group, and the Exeter Biomechanics Research Team (ExBiRT) and Co-directs Exeter Head Impact Brain Impact and Trauma (ExHIBIT) research group.
Qualifications
Mar 2020 Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
July 2015 Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
July 2015 PGCert Teaching in Higher Education, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.
Oct 2008- Nov 2012 PhD, School of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK.
Oct 2005- July 2008 1st Class BSc (Hons.) Sport and Exercise Sciences, School of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK.
Career
Senior Lecturer (Dec 2021-), Public Health & Sport Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Exeter, UK.
Sept 2017-Dec 2021 Lecturer, Public Health & Sport Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, University of Exeter, UK.
Sept 2016-Sept 2017 Senior Lecturer and Co-Director Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge UK.
Sept 2014-Sept 2016 Lecturer, Faculty of Science and Technology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge UK.
Sept 2013- Sept 2014 Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Kinesiology, College of Health and Human Development, The Pennsylvania State University, USA.
April 2013- Sept 2013 Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health and Health Science, University of Massachusetts, USA.
Research
Research interests
Human movement control is inherently complex, requiring the integration and functioning of multiple systems to effectively perform even the simplest of tasks. Simultaneously considering multiple systems in understanding movement control, taking a systems level approach, is a frontier in the field of human movement science. My research aims to understand the characteristics and mechanisms of movement control through systems level approaches relating to perception-action coupling, neuromuscular function, and biomechanics. I work to translate this knowledge into applied contexts to assess, rehabilitate and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of human movement based on a data driven approach.
Theme 1: Dynamics stability of human movement. Based on a systems level approach my work considers how humans satisfy the mechanical demands of tasks in inherently biological ways, employing dynamic, adaptable strategies. For example, even simple tasks such as standing or walking require dynamic (changing over time) control to maintain a stable movement outcome (standing still or walking steadily). My work is providing new basic science insight into motor control related to standing and walking in healthy, ageing, and pathological populations by studying how control is achieved through the integration of sensory information from multiple sources (vision, proprioception, vestibular) coupled with the instigation of motor output to satisfy mechanical demands that can be understood at the level of joint and centre of mass motion. This work is crucial to improve quality of life and treatment outcomes in people with motor control problems.
Theme 2: Head vibration and impact in sports and occupational settings. Currently, there is no test that is quick and easy to use for quantifying acute, functional changes in cognitive, visual, and motor control function after exposure to head vibration and/or impact in sports and occupation settings. Key from a health and safety perspective, my work aims to 1) develop, evaluate, and implement a very quick (sub 3 minutes), quantitative test for changes in neuro-cognitive visuo-motor function after exposure to vibration or a blow to the head in sports and occupational contexts, and 2) inform safety standards relating to levels of exposure to vibration at, or transferred to the head. This work is crucial to tackle the long-term effects of (sub)concussion injury in sport and occupational hazards associated with exposure to whole body vibration. My work is interdisciplinary and engaged with key partners such as national governing bodies in sport and industry to support knowledge exchange and a pathway to research impact.
Dr Williams is part of the INTERSECT Human Movement group, and the Exeter Biomechanics Research Team (ExBiRT) and Co-directs Exeter Head Impact Brain Impact and Trauma (ExHIBIT) research group.
Research projects
External Research Income
DSTL (Human Social Science Research Capability). RCloud Low Impact Soldier Augmentation (LISA HS1.052d).[£670,000, Co-I]. September 2023-March 2025.
World Rugby. Developing Data-Derived Head Impact Reduction Protocols for Women’s Rugby Union. [£90,000, Co-I]. Aug 2023-Sept 2024.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with JockeyCam. Quantifying horse and rider movement during racing. [£169,000, PI]. July 2023-July 2025.
ERC Advanced Grant. Stepping Out - Understanding the ground truth and mechanisms of falls and balance instability in older people. [£2,770,000, Work Package 1 lead]. Jan 2023-2028.
Waterloo Foundation. Developing an immersive virtual reality pre-screening tool for DCD. [£198,000, Co-I]. December 2022-Dec 2024.
NIHR i4i. National Institute for Health Research. Smart wearable device that helps people with Parkinson’s walk better NIHR204205. [£1,200,000, Co-I]. December 2022-2025.
EPSRC DTP Studentship. How do Passive Exoskeletons influence Human Balance Control in in simulated Real-World environments? [£82,000, Co-I]. Sept 2022-March 2026. 3.5 year PhD studentship.
GaitQ Limited. GaitQ Contract Research. [£11,000, Co-I]. Aug 2022-Sept 2022.
SC-Group Global. Human Factors Integration Study. SupaCat project. [£14,000 PI]. March 2022.
EPSRC DTP Studentship. Downsides of downhill: Exploring The Impact Of Head Vibration Associated With Mountain Biking On Cognitive, Perceptual And Motor Function. [£82,000, PI]. Sept 2023. 3.5 year PhD studentship.
EPSRC DTP Studentship. Dynamics of human standing balance. [£82,000, PI]. 2021.3.5 year PhD studentship.
Chinese Scholarship Council Studentship. Neuromechanical mechanisms involved in chronic ankle instability. [£40,000, PI]. 2022. 3.5 year PhD studentship.
Racing Foundation. Quantifying exposure to head vibration during horse racing. [£20,000, PI]. Aug 2021-2023.
NIHR Brain Injury MedTech. Revolutionary Assessment for concussion in sports: Investigation of the Precision finger grip to support PItchside Diagnosis of mild Concussion: RAPID-C. [£9,800, PI]. 2021-2023.
DSTL (Human Social Science Research Capability) [£25,000, Co-I]. Project: Kinematics of Knife Detection. 2020.
UEFA Union of European Football Associations. Clearing confusion from concussion; A multidisciplinary approach to examine heading. [£20,000, PI]. 2020-2022.
Football Association Wales. Quantitative pitchside testing for concussion in football. [PI, £40,000]. 2019.
BBSRC DTP Research Experience Placement. The effect of age and risk of falling on walking: A non-linear dynamics approach to human movement analysis. [PI, £2,500]. 2017.
Internal Research Income
University of Exeter Strategic Development Fund. Motek M-Gait Treadmill Upgrade. [£25, 000; Co-I]. 2022.
Exeter-NTU studentship. Postural strategy during perturbated balance in people with chronic ankle instability. [PI, £65,000]. 2021.
Wellcome Seed Corn funding. Using machine learning to identify the visuomotor signatures of developmental coordination disorder. [Co-I, £10,000]. 2021.
University of Exeter Research Equipment Capital Fund Scheme. Development of Instrumented treadmill and gait lab. [£250, 000; Co-I]. 2020.
Creative Fellowship. Sonification of human movement from VSimulators. [PI, £10,000]. 2020.
Wellcome Seed Corn Funding. Maintenance of Symmetry and Stability in Human Walking. [PI, £10,000]. 2019.
Geneva-Exeter GenEx Collaborative Research Seed Grants. Walking dynamics in passive exoskeletons. [PI, £5,000]. 2019.
EPSRC Summer Research Assistant. [PI, £2,000]. 2018.
Engaged Research Exploratory Award. Sonification for health. [PI, £2,800]. 2018.
University Life Sciences Research Assistantship, Anglia Ruskin University. 3.5 year PhD studentship. Dynamics of learning to throw. [PI, £35,000]. 2016.
Research networks
Current PhD Students
Barbara Halmai. Primary Supervisor. Title: Downsides of downhill. The adverse effects of head vibration associated with downhill mountain biking on visuomotor and cognitive function. University of Exeter. Funding: EPSRC DTP.
Ryan Baker. Primary Supervisor. Title: Clearing confusion from concussion in sports. University of Exeter. Funding: Football Association Wales.
Xiaohan Xu. Primary Supervisor. Title: Postural strategy during perturbated balance in people with chronic ankle instability. University of Exeter. Funding: Chinese Scholarship Council.
Arezoo Amirpourabasi. Primary Supervisor. Title: The effect of ageing on nonlinear dynamic characteristics of walking. University of Exeter-NTU. Funding: Exeter-NTU strategic international funding.
Nimmy Miriam Abraham. Primary Supervisor. Title: Human interaction with vertical vibrations during rhythmic jumping. University of Exeter. Funding: internal.
Jac Llyod Palmer. Primary Supervisor. Title: Improving pitchside testing for mild concussion in Rugby Union. University of Exeter. Self funded.
Matthew Smith. Co-Supervisor. Title: Using the VSimulator to understand motion sensitivity in Meniere's disease (Ref: 4089). University of Exeter. Funding: Philanthropic Funding.
Phaedra Kiryn Leveridge. Co-supervisor. Title: Freezing of Gait During Turning in Parkinson’s Disease. University of Exeter.
Ruth Taraves. Co-Supervisor. Title: How do Passive Exoskeletons influence Human Balance Control in Simulated Real-World Environments? University of Exeter. Funding: EPSRC DTP. Co-supervised with UQ – strategic partner.
Lawrence Kwek. Co-supervisor. Title: Flexibility and adaptability in human walking in response to perturbation. Funding: NTU research award. Based at Nanyang Technical University, Singapore. Strategic partner.
Sarah Martin. Primary Supervisor. Title: Changes in biomechanics as a function of age in senior golfers. Based at Plymouth Marjon University.
Kate Lucy. Co-supervisor. Title: The development of serve technique in elite tennis. Funding: Lawn Tennis Association. Based at Cardiff Metropolitan University/LTA.
Sophie Burton: Co-supervisor. Title: Biomechanics and dynamics of highbar skill development in gymnastics. Funding (part) British Gymnastics. Based at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Current Master by Research Students
Emma Edwards. Primary Supervisor. Title: Stirred not shaken exploring the responses to horse riding and vibration exposure. Funding: Fees, Racing Foundation.
Jessica Thomas. Co-Supervisor. Title: Determining elite female rugby union players attitudes towards concussion and the acute clinical changes that occur post elite matches.
Graduated Research Students
Naser Taleshi, PhD thesis examined. Primary Supervisor. Title: Human Posture Control on a Dynamic Platform. Passed subject to minor amendments. University of Exeter. Funding: EPSRC DTP. 2023.
Dr Hannah Palmer. Primary Supervisor. Title: Redefining development stages of overarm throw action from a dynamical systems perspective. Anglia Ruskin University. 2019.
Dr Joao Guerra. Co-Primary Supervisor. Title: The potential yield of external feedback via movement sonification in physiotherapy. Anglia Ruskin University. 2022.
Tyler Moore, Master by Research. Primary Supervisor. Title: The Circle Sequencing Task (CST): A novel approach to analysing concussion related cognitive and motor control deficits. University of Exeter. Thesis submitted. 2023.
Alex Woodgates, Master by Research. Co-Supervisor. Title: Examining the regulation of cerebral blood flow and postural control in the aftermath of heading in women footballers. University of Exeter. 2023.
William Wallis. Co-Supervisor: The acute influence of boxing on brain health parameters in university armature boxers. University of Exeter. 2022.
Post-Doctoral Mentees
Naser Taleshi – Project: WP1 ERC grant STEPPING OUT: maximise knowledge of person-environment interactions that result in falls in community dwelling older people. 2023-2025.
Dr Pavlos Evangelidis – Project: GaitQ Helping people with Parkinson’s walk better. Setting up and running experiments in VSimulators facility. 2023-2025.
Dr Sigong Zhang - Project: Human interaction with vibrating structures. Funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship. maximise knowledge of person-environment interactions that result in falls in community dwelling older people.
Dr Piotr Slowinski – Project: Exeter Wellcome Trust TREE funded fellow. Symmetry in gait across the lifespan; Diagnosing developmental coordination disorder with virtual reality gaming.
Other staff
Amid Khierandish. KTP Associate FTE1.0. Project Data fusion to quantifying horse and rider movement during horse racing. 2023-2025.
Publications
Journal articles
Genevieve_Williams Details from cache as at 2024-04-24 03:59:03
External Engagement and Impact
External positions
External Examiner for Degrees Appointments
University of Plymouth – External Examiner (2017-2019) for programme BSc (Hons) Sport Health and Exercise Sciences run through Cornwall College.
University of Portsmouth – Lead External Periodic Review Panel (2020) for BSc (Hons) Sport Health and Exercise Science.
University of Winchester – External Examiner (2022-2025). For programme BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science.
University of Winchester – External Examiner mentor (2022-2025) for External Examiners of degree programs across the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing.
Teaching
Modules
2023/24
- ESS2004 - Biomechanics and Kinesiology
- ESS2222 - Motor Control
- ESS3805 - Biomechanical Analysis of Human Movement