Engineering DPhil student wins prize at Podium Institute Conference

The awards, given at the Podium Institute Conference on Sports Medicine and Technology in September, recognise contributions from students, early-career researchers within 10 years of PhD completion, and newcomers presenting technology or medicine research in a sports context for the first time. There was an impressive standard of work on display, spanning concussion, biomechanics, protective equipment and human performance, showcasing the innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration driving the future of sports medicine and technology.

Phoebe Cheung is a Rhodes Scholar and DPhil in Engineering Science student, working under the supervision of Professor Amy Zavatsky, and Dr Julie Stebbins and Professor David Keene (NDORMS). Her research currently focuses on patient monitoring during Achilles tendon rupture rehabilitation. Prior coming to Oxford, Phoebe graduated in 2023 from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering. She continued to be involved with research at the UBC Micro-Electromechanical Systems Lab after graduation by assisting in the development of novel technology in the soft robotics field. She also worked as a mechanical manufacturing engineer at Kardium, a medical device company developing novel technology for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

"It was great to hear about the work being done to advance our knowledge of sports performance and injury prevention at this conference. I am grateful for the opportunity to present my work, as understanding the biomechanics of rehabilitation can improve clinical care for athletes returning to sport after injury". 

Phoebe Cheung

The Podium Institute Conference on Sports Medicine and Technology explores how emerging science and technology can improve athlete health and performance across all levels of competition. Director Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci welcomed participants from around the world to the Life and Mind Building, University of Oxford, for two days of inspiring discussion, discovery and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

“This year’s conference was another great meeting. It was very inspiring to see the collective momentum of the diverse range of Podium student projects and to appreciate the impact their research will have on sports. I really enjoyed hearing from clinical experts and leaders in other research fields that have turned to sports to make it safer.”

Professor Johannes Weickenmeier, The Podium Institute

The conference programme explored four major themes: musculoskeletal health, brain health, cardiovascular health, and mental health, sleep and cognition, opening with a plenary keynote from Rugby Football Union’s Dr Karen Jones, who reflected on her experience in elite rugby and discussed how sport is developing a more integrated approach to athlete health and performance.

Read more about the conference

Full list of prize winners

Best Student Presentation

1st Prize: Tobias Harritz (The Podium Institute) for Neuroimaging of Concussion and Head Impacts in Elite Rugby

2nd Prize: Letizia Bonara (Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford) for Developing Cellular Structures for Enhanced Normal and Shear Energy Absorption in Protective Equipment

3rd Prize: Phoebe Cheung (University of Oxford, Department of Engineering Science) for Foot Loading Adaptations During Walking in an Achilles Tendon Rehabilitation Boot

Best Young Researcher Presentation Winner: Dr Debabrata A. (The Podium Institute) for A Multi-Physics Computational Framework for Modelling Trauma-Induced Tau Pathology in CTE

Best Newcomer Presentation Winner: Professor Dejan Draschkow (Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford) for Look Again or Act from Memory? Memory Use in Dynamic Action