PhD in Kinesiology

Pescara            ·           Full time

PhD Course in                  KINESIOLOGY

Coordinator                       Prof. Maurizio BERTOLLO – Department: Medicine and Ageing Sciences; email: maurizio.bertollo@unich.it

Duration                            3 years  –  Starting date: November 1″ 2023

Scientific areas                 02; 05; 06; 11

Disciplines                        M-EDF/01, M-EDF/02; M-PSl/02; 810/08, 810/13, FIS/07, MED/09, MED/34, MED/48, MED/50,

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 19^th 2023

PhD Programme description

The interuniversity doctoral research program in Kinesiology is activated at the University G. d’ Annunzio of Chieti and Pescara in association with the University Niccolo Cusano with a general agreement for cooperation with the University of Thessaly and the University of Rouen­ Normandie and many other international opportunities for mobility and lab experience. The PhD program aims to develop a solid research training in the field of Kinesiology, which is defined as an academic subject that examines physical movement and its effects on “health, society, and quality of life”. The PhD in Kinesiology uses evidence-based research to improve movement and performance and to treat and prevent injury and disease. In particular, the program is devoted to enhancing the understanding of the processes and mechanisms underlying the development, maintenance, and improvement of human motor behavior and performance. We use a multimodal and multidisciplinary approach that combines the Sciences and the Humanities perspectives to understand how physical activity, exercise, and sport may contribute to human well-being and health, and how to optimize human performance in any field of life (e.g. well-being and health, sport, art, job). The areas of research include the broad domain of biological, physiological, biomechanical, behavioral, and psychosocial factors influencing human movement, and the analysis of social and cultural transformations related to the role and functions of physical activity in health, well-being, sport, and physical education. Moreover, it will cover specific fields such as chronic disease prevention, exercise and brain aging, and rehabilitation. In the framework of the current theories of Kinesiology, the PhD program addresses questions regarding perception, cognition, and action, how brain, body and behavior interact and develop during the lifespan in different settings. The specificity of our approach resides in the integration of behavioral, biological, and psychological data with functional brain monitoring, respectively performed with biomechanical, biomedical, and psychophysical methods. The international vocation of the PhD is expressed in the involvement of foreign universities and the development of an international training network at a doctoral level, providing opportunities for students’ exchange and mobility. Students will be trained in planning and accomplishing original projects inspired by the principles of hypothesis-driven and evidence-based research, grounding teaching, and the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

The PhD program will provide students with:

• Key theoretical and applied expertise to engage in and carry out high quality research activities in academic, private, and public sectors.
• A multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral understanding of kinesiology, sport, and exercise.
• Key theoretical and applied expertise for the development, conduction, and completion of original projects motivated by hypothesis-driven and evidence-based principles, grounding teaching, as well as Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Precisely, the PhD program will provide a high-level training in the following areas:

• Planning, executing, and reporting research projects and results based on a proficient understanding of scientific literature, conventional and advanced methodologies, experimental designs, and protocols.
• Mastering of physiological, biological, psychological, pedagogical, and methodological research techniques using innovative tools and techniques, and their application to various experimental models.
• Use of psychophysiological and kinesiological tools for data collection.
• Use of statistical packages for the management, transformation, and analysis (i.e., qualitative, and quantitative methods) of experimental data in physiological, biological, psychological, pedagogical, and methodological research.
• Development of essential communication skills, including scientific writing and oral dissemination.
• Understanding of the essential research organizational streams of funding and protection of intellectual property, including international and national funding systems, metrics of evaluation for scientific productions, and policies for the exploitation of research results.
• Enhanced knowledge and awareness of what comprises both physical and mental health, and their connection to physical activity.
• Development of healthy lifestyle habits to promote overall wellness.
• Understanding the principles for the improvement of motor skills and the development of muscle strength.
• Improving one’s understanding of human kinetics.
• Improving health and physical activity in connection to specific diseases.

Available positions           

n. 2 places of which:

• n. 1 scholarship co-funded by the K-Sport Srl and from the DM 117/2023 on the research topic: Monitoring external and internal training load in sport.

• n. 1 scholarship co-funded by the eemagine Medical Imaging and from the DM 117/2023 on the research topic: Neurofeedback in sport.

Both positions require technical skills and in particular some basic expertise in signal processing and the knowledge of MATLAB and PHYTHON or similar programs.

Admission requirements : See art. 2 PhD Call 39th cycle – Academic Year 2023/2024 

Language : English knowledge is required

Documentation in PDF format to be attached online (max 5MB for each document)

• CV in the European format (max 10.000 characters)
• Diploma supplement or transcript of record with the rating for each exam and the final score of the Degree
• Abstract of Master Thesis (max 10.000 characters)
• Research project in English (max 10.000 characters)

Selection procedures and criteria    

Interview (in English online on TEAMS platform)

The oral exam will consist of:

• Discussion of Master dissertation
• Discussion of research project
• Assessment of English proficiency Minimum score required 60/100.

Exam date    

The oral exam will take place on October 23rd, 2023 at 03:00 p.m on the TEAMS platform. (The link will be provided directly to the candidates after the closure of the application)

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Prof. Maurizio Bertollo, PhD

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0972-9178

President of the EU Association of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC)

Director, Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics (BIND) Center

Cooridinator of the PhD in Kinesiology

Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences

University G. d’Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara

Via dei Vestini, 31

66100 CHIETI

phone +3908713554038 -52

mobile +393387260528

fax +3908713554043

m.bertollo@unich.it

https://www.unich.it/ugov/person/2167

http://www.bindcenter.it/

skype: bertollo.maurizio