Associate Professor Melanie Bussey

BPE(New Brunswick) MSc (New Brunswick) PhD (Otago)
Tel +64 3 479 8981
Email melanie.bussey@otago.ac.nz
ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5746-3861
ResearchGate
Twitter @bussey_melanie
Google Scholar

Background

Melanie is an Associate Professor in Biomechanics and Director of the Motion Analysis Research Lab in the School. She is originally from the East Coast of Canada, where she studied Kinesiology and Athletic Therapy at the University of New Brunswick (BPE and MSc) before transplanting to New Zealand in pursuit of her PhD in Clinical Biomechanics. Recently she was appointed as an Adjunct Professor to the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Melanie's work has been funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Otago Medical Research Foundation, Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust, University of Otago, Sport Science New Zealand and the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada.

Teaching

• SPEX 102 Principles of Exercise for Health and Performance
• SPEX 201 Biomechanics
• SPEX 305 Athletic Conditioning and Rehabilitation
• SPEX 316 Practicum (Strength and Conditioning)
• SPEX 451 Advanced Topics in Exercise and Sports Science (Neuromechanical Techniques for Understanding Injury and Rehabilitation)

Research

Melanie's research interests are focused on Sports Biomechanics, particularly the impact of musculoskeletal pain and injury on neuromuscular function. The long term goal of this work is to improve athlete re-conditioning for return-to-sport while reducing the risk of recurrent injury.

Postgraduate Students

• Jim Webb (PhD): Associate Professor Melanie Bussey, Professor Stephanie Woodley
• Corry Perrett (PhD): Dr Peter Lamb, Associate Professor Melanie Bussey
• Janelle Romanchuk (PhD): Associate Professor Melanie Bussey, Dr Peter Lamb, Dr Cam Ross
• William White (MSc): Associate Professor Melanie Bussey
• Jayden Pinfold (MPhEd): Associate Professor Melanie Bussey, Professor John Sullivan
• Eamon Riley (BSc Hons): Associate Professor Melanie Bussey

Completed Students

• Daniela Aldabe (PhD Clinical Biomechanics)
• Divya Adhia (PhD Clinical Biomechanics)
• Marcelo Peduzzi de Castro (PhD – Deferred)
• James Kennedy (MPhEd Clinical Biomechanics)
• Joanne Trezise (MPhEd Sports Biomechanics – Professor Roger Bartlett Co-Supervisor)
• Rhys Thorp (MPhEd Sports Biomechanics – Co-Supervisor)
• Yu Tanabe (Tsukuba University Japan – Co-supervisor)

Melanie is currently seeking highly motivated graduate students who have an interest in one of the following topics: Mechanics and control of the pelvis (focus on pelvic floor and hamstring muscles) or Sports related concussion (impact mechanisms and neck muscle control/function). Please consult the University of Otago scholarships webpage to check eligibility for international and domestic student scholarships.

Visit the University of Otago scholarships webpage