Daniel Ura

MSc Sport Engineering

'I had an incredible experience at Sheffield Hallam studying a Master in Sports Engineering. When I decided to study this program I had some expectations about it, but after finishing my course. I can say those expectations were completely fulfilled. The knowledge of the staff, and their experience in the area, gave me the opportunity to improve my skills as an engineer and to be part of this glamorous world which is sports engineering.

'The knowledge of high speed video filming, bio-mechanics, interaction and  design of  sports equipment  are some of the skills that I consider very important in the process of getting a job. The sports engineering department is focused on research and development, and they introduced me to these areas during the course. My project, which was in collaboration with PRINCE SPORTS is one of the experiences and opportunities that I consider more important during my studies. To be working with a world class tennis company, gave me the experience and knowledge of the area, and opened other options as getting an incredible job at the International Tennis Federation, based in London.

After finishing my Master in Sports Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University I had the opportunity to work at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in London. The International Tennis Federation is the governing body of tennis and is responsible for setting the rules and maintaining the standards of the sport. I worked for the technical department which focuses in the equipment like tennis balls, rackets, strings and courts. I worked in different research projects like ball testing, surface testing and player analysis in three dimensions. I also used equipment like high speed video cameras to film tennis matches and measure ball speed, spin and the aerodynamics properties of the ball.

Working at the ITF gave me the opportunity to start a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. The project is sponsored by the ITF and it is related to tennis. The objective of my PhD is to develop a method to measure the friction between the courts and the shoes. This is important to the ITF because they want to have a measurement of the friction to reduce injuries and to maintain the nature of the game.
What I liked most about my job was that it gave me the opportunity to combine my two passions: engineering and sport. It gave me the opportunity to travel to different venues and tournaments to watch the best tennis players and to do some research and development.

One of my greatest satisfactions as a sports engineer is when I worked at centre court of Wimbledon.  When I was there I felt very satisfied of my professional life, because for me it was a dream come true to be standing on Wimbledon centre court, where only a few people have been there.

'This is what my employer at the ITF said about me. 'The difference with you to other people that have worked here is that when you started working you already had the tools and skills needed for the job, and you know what you are doing'. This helped a lot, because I did not have to spend a lot of time learning how to use equipment and I already had the knowledge for the job'.

Nathan Elliott

MSc Sports Engineering

'Since graduating I have taken up a role as in Intern for Prince Sports, a leading manufacturer of equipment for racquet sports.

'I was put forward for this Internship by the sports engineering staff at Sheffield Hallam following my final research project in which I investigated the dynamics of a tennis ball trajectory. Prince Sports required an intern to help perform research on tennis rackets and tennis ball trajectories both in the lab and on the court. The areas I had studied and experienced throughout my masters and undergraduate degree made me a worthy candidate for the post.

'Shortly after visiting the office in Italy I moved out here and am currently about to complete the third month of my internship. Amid getting to know everyone who works in the office I have had to adjust relatively quickly to living in a foreign country where English is a secondary language. I am settling in well and meeting many new and interesting people all the time.

'Currently I am working on a racket performance project which involves high speed video footage analysis and the study of the correlation between this data and racket physical properties. This data will then be compared to the analysis of a real shot using bespoke shot tracking software. I will also be studying the correlation between the dynamic stiffness and performance of different racket strings. I am enjoying the diversity of the various projects and the chance to correlate lab data with high speed footage and player feedback on the court.

'In my time here I have also had the opportunity to travel with the company – in December my supervisor and I came to England to meet with the sports engineering team at Sheffield Hallam and I also had the chance to visit the ITF (International Tennis Federation) in London.

'Outside of work, I also hope to discover more of Italy. I am living 15 minutes on the train from Venice, so I try to explore the city when I can. I enjoy being a part of the relaxed Italian culture and I hope at the end of my internship I will get the chance to explore more of Europe.'

'Career wise, after this internship I would like to remain in sports engineering as the experience I have gained with Prince will provide me with a better platform to get employment in the industry.

'The MSc Sports Engineering course was the ideal complement to my undergraduate degree at the University of Birmingham in Sports and Materials Science. I am very grateful to the sports engineering team for providing me with the opportunity of this internship – a first step into a very exciting industry. I very much enjoyed the year I spent at Sheffield Hallam and would not hesitate to return in the future if the opportunity were to arise.

'My advice for students and graduates is to work hard and build a good relationship with the team at Sheffield Hallam. They are all really helpful and will try their best to provide you with the necessary contacts and opportunities after your studies to kick-start a career into your chosen field. Finally be dedicated and have fun doing something you are passionate about.'

Patty Srinath

MSc Sport Engineering

'Overall, my experience at Sheffield Hallam was great! I studied the MSc Sports Engineering course which allowed me to work with the renowned Centre for Sports Engineering Research group which was an amazing experience. The staff are extremely knowledgeable about the application of engineering to sport and have a lot of connections within the industry. Lectures were always very interesting and my professors were always passionate about what they were teaching which made the year fly by!

'I came onto the MSc course with an undergrad degree in engineering which I gained at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US, I also had a few years of engineering work experience. The lectures within the MSc course increased my knowledge of topics typically included in sports engineering such as biomechanics, muscle function, methods for improving an athlete's performance and of course the application of engineering principles to sport. None of these topics were formally covered during my undergrad degree so the MSc course gave me a broader understanding of engineering in sport. In addition to the course work, I gained some exposure to the industry by partnering with an industry leader for my masters thesis. The course work helped me be successful in my thesis which ultimately opened the doors to the job market.

'I am a test and validation engineer in the digital sport group at Nike. I have worked on the Nike+ Training, Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ FuelBand products. My responsibilities include designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data and ultimately providing feedback to the product designers and to the rest of digital sport during the product development cycle. I've had the opportunity to work with a variety of athletes from the everyday athlete to elite athletes which is very exciting and very unusual for an engineering job!
 
'Quantifying sport motion is an integral part of my job and during the course I was introduced to various techniques for measuring human movement such as 2D/3D camera systems, force plates, accelerometers, EMG, FSR's, etc. While I had previous experience with some of the instrumentation, the application to humans as opposed to machinery is quite different and therefore poses very different issues. As the course was an engineering course, many of the teachings are applicable to my current role.'

'The opinions expressed in this quote are my own and do not reflect in any way the opinions of Nike, Inc.'

Jim Gough

MSc Sport Engineering

I studied the BSc Sport Technology course at Sheffield Hallam and after graduating  I decide to continue my study at postgraduate level because I felt that the extra qualification and experience would really boost my job prospects. The MSc Sport Engineering course  was the ideal option for me. I really enjoyed living in Sheffield and after a meeting with the course leader, it was clear that this masters course would be a fantastic opportunity for me to further my knowledge of engineering in sport

`It was a real step up from my undergraduate course, but I have enjoyed the challenge. It feels really good to be learning new and interesting things every week in a subject that I am very interested in.

`The most enjoyable part of the course so far has been my project with Ping. The aim of my project is to model the acoustics of sports ball impacts. The case study I am using is golf. Golf companies try to save time and money by creating new club designs in computer modelling software before manufacturing them. Currently they can predict the physical performance of new designs but not the sound that the club will make on impact. This has been found to be an important factor in player performance as pleasant sounding impact can add to a player's confidence. I am using a combination of lab impact testing and computer modelling to try to predict the acoustic response of a selection of coefficient of restitution (CoR) plates with varying geometries. A CoR plate is effectively a simplified version of a golf club head which makes it easier to model.

`Working on a project for a global company like Ping is fantastic, and knowing the outcome will help to further their research really motivates me to work hard to produce high quality work.

`The combination of the undergraduate course followed up by the postgraduate course has given me a wide range of knowledge of engineering in sport. Completing university assignments, sometimes many at once, has helped me to be organised in planning my time and getting work completed to meet deadlines. I have also learned how to produce work in an appropriate style and format that is properly referenced. I am learning new and difficult concepts as my project progresses but I feel confident that I have the skills to solve the problems that I will face.'

Marcos Moya Bencomo

MSc Sports Engineering, 2010 graduate

Why did you choose Sheffield Hallam?
'When I was researching postgraduate courses in sports engineering, I looked on the International Sports Engineering Society website and came across the Sports Engineering Research Group at Sheffield Hallam. I liked the projects they’d been involved in and the expertise of the staff, and that quickly made me decide to study here.'

From your experience so far, what are the main benefits?
'The tutors are great. They’re genuinely concerned about their students and they’re very approachable and supportive. They’ve got really strong relationships with their students. In fact there’s always somebody in the University to help you.'

What do you plan to do when you graduate?
'I’d like to work in the sports industry. Once I’ve got some experience behind me, I want to set up my own business producing sports products for athletes with disabilities to help improve their performance. I may even study a PhD at a later date.'

Are you involved in sport when you’re not studying?
'Yes, I’m currently training for a triathlon and I’m also in the process of setting up a triathlon club for students and staff. One of my personal goals is to become elite in triathlon.'

Katthy Fedirchuk

MSc Sports Engineering

'I could not have asked for a better experience at Sheffield Hallam. We had a great cohort of students from across the globe, all drawn to Sheffield Hallam by its reputation as a world leader in sports engineering research. To top it off, Sheffield is such a beautiful and fun city to discover.

'I completed Bachelor's degrees in sport science and engineering in Winnipeg, Canada. The MSc in sports engineering was an ideal way to combine my knowledge and interest in sports and engineering.

'One of the main reasons I chose Sheffield Hallam was for their great network within the sporting world. Shortly after arriving at Sheffield Hallam I realized this network reached much farther than I'd imagined • professional organisations • athletes • universities • sporting goods manufacturers and beyond. We often attended talks on the state of the art in sport and by the end of my course I felt I was starting to get an understanding of the sports industry. (For something that is supposed to be about fun and games, sport technology is deceptively complex!) I was introduced to several potential employers, all of whom recognized CSER's great reputation and commitment to excellence. Immediately after graduation I did some contract work in the medical innovation industry. It was great that my education was valued across a variety of sectors, and it made finding a job much easier.

'I am currently an engineer on the test and validation team in Nike's digital sport group. Right now my work is particularly focused on the Nike+ FuelBand, an all-day activity monitor that gives you points for being active. I've always had an interest in engineering for health and the number of people who will benefit from the FuelBand is amazing. It's really exciting to work on a product with such a huge potential impact.

'I had some research experience before attending Sheffield Hallam but the MSc course certainly helped me develop my research skills. I gained a greater understanding and major appreciation for the application of traditional engineering principles to all aspects of sports.

'I was fortunate to work with Dr Jon Wheat whose background complimented mine really well. I was allowed the freedom to develop my project according to my strengths and interests. Now that I work in the sports industry I use these skills every day in developing and running experiments and analyzing data. The MSc program underlined the importance of planning, time management and diligence, all of which are extremely important in my daily work. I am very fortunate that my current role also allows me to take a few calculated risks and investigate based on my knowledge and experience. My MSc project made me realize how much I value innovation and I know that it will remain prevalent, throughout my career, no matter the context.

'Perhaps most importantly, I have learned to roll with the punches. Things may not always go perfectly, but with an eagerness to learn and bit of perseverance you always move in the right direction.'

Nicole Wiart, 2010 graduate

MSc Sports Engineering

'I have always been an athlete and I wanted to combine my undergraduate engineering degree with my love for sports. Sheffield Hallam was the only university to offer an MSc Sports Engineering in English.

'I didn't always want to come to the UK, but when the opportunity presented itself I thought it would be a great one for me not only academically but also to see another part of the world.

'I did not meet anyone before I showed up for the first day of classes and had only known what I had read on the website. The other students on the course helped me the most in adapting to life in a new country.

'The facilities at Hallam for biomechanics and sports engineering are very good. I have received a wealth of knowledge in sports engineering and have built relationships with others in the industry that will allow me to succeed in the sports industry.

'I enjoyed the hands-on lab work the most throughout the course. And tutors were always there to give advice and support.
I believe that my research project and coursework during my masters program helped me get my job, along with the contacts I made during my time at Sheffield Hallam.

'Throughout my research, I reported the results to members of the Adidas Innovation Team and was able to gain contacts that proved valuable in gaining my current position at the company.

'I am currently working at Adidas as an engineering intern with the Adidas Innovation Team (AIT) for a six months.

'I will be using computer simulation (such as FEA), material testing, and other knowledge gained at Sheffield Hallam to aid in reaching innovation goals.

'I enjoyed living in Sheffield. It was not too large of a city, but not too small and always had something interesting going on. I enjoyed going for walks and finding new things each time.

'I lived at The Cube, a final year and graduate student apartment housing complex. I loved living there. I loved the location and loved the staff.
I enjoyed living in Sheffield. It was not to large of a city, but not too small and always had something interesting going on. I enjoyed going for walks and finding new things each time.'