• Keynote

1. Masamitsu Ito, Ph.D. (Nippon Sport Science University)

   

   Masamitsu Ito is a professor in sports coaching at Nippon Sport Science University in Japan. He is also the director of NSSU Centre for Coaching Excellence and the deputy director of NSSU Coach Developer Academy (NCDA). He is a member of the research committee of the International Council for Coaching Excellence and a first vice president of the Asian Association of Coaching Science. He completed his Ph.D. work in Biomechanics at University of Tokyo, then moved to NSSU, where he devoted to creating Master’s and Ph.D. programs in sports coaching. One of his contributions to the world of coaching practice is the creation of NCDA (http://www.ncda.tokyo) which offers unique professional development opportunities to whom supporting coaches to learn around the world. He has been deeply involved in the reform of Japanese coaching qualification system and leading discussions around quality coach development in Japan. At the same time, he is running a Japanese government funded program to support para-athlete and coach development and creation/capacity-building of national Paralympic committees in developing countries.

2. Chih-Huang Huang (Taiwan Institute of Sports Science)

Professor Chih-Huang Huang earned his doctoral degree from Indiana University, USA, with a specialization in sports injury rehabilitation and athletic training. He previously held academic positions at Indiana University and San Jose State University in the United States and later served as a professor in the Department of Sports Health and Safety at the National Taiwan Sport University. Professor Huang has long been dedicated to the advancement of athletic training education in Taiwan. He played a pivotal role in establishing the national certification system for athletic trainers and was instrumental in formulating standardized university curricula for athletic training programs. His enduring commitment has significantly contributed to the development and professionalization of sports injury prevention and care in Taiwan. Currently, Professor Huang serves as the Taiwan Institute of Sports Science. Embracing the mission of "enhancing sports through science and strengthening Taiwan through sports," he actively promotes the integration of scientific research and practical applications to elevate athletic performance and underscore the societal value of professional sports science.

 

• Invited Speaker

1. Shigeki Sarodo, Ph. D. (Nippon Sport Science University)

          

Shigeki Sarodo is an associate professor in sports philosophy and coach development at Nippon Sport Science University (NSSU) in Japan. He also served as a project research fellow at the NSSU Coach Developer Academy (NCDA) and the Comprehensive Sport Science Research Center. He is a certified Coach Developer by the International Council for Coaching Excellence and holds a Level-A Coaching License from the Japan Basketball Association (JBA), where he also contributes as a Coach Developer. He completed his Ph.D. in Philosophy at Sophia University. One of his major contributions to the field of coaching is his effort to establish a philosophical underpinning for coaching practice in Japan. His monograph Philosophy of Coaching – Sports and Virtue explores the role of virtue ethics in coaching, and his recent book chapters published by Routledge offer international perspectives on coach development and the philosophical dimensions of coaching.He was recognized as the Young Scholar at the 2nd Asia-Pacific Conference on Coaching Science in 2016. In addition to his academic achievements, he plays an active role in developing coaching education systems in Japan, especially within the basketball community, and supports the integration of ethical thinking into coach training and development.

       2. Jerneja Uhan, Ph. D. (University of Oxford)

Dr. Jerneja Uhan holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS). Her research focuses on the clinical assessment of movement dysfunctions and the development of personalized intervention strategies. She is dedicated to integrating biomechanics and data science to enhance the diagnosis and treatment pathways for musculoskeletal conditions. Dr. Uhan’s interdisciplinary expertise spans podiatry, musculoskeletal disease management, and clinical data modeling. She is proficient in using Vicon motion analysis systems and MATLAB for precise kinematic data analysis and multivariate model construction. Currently, she is also involved in cross-disciplinary projects related to smart sports technology and functional gait rehabilitation. Her goal is to advance the evidence-based application of sports science in clinical medicine and health promotion. Dr. Uhan is recognized as a promising emerging scholar in the field of sports medicine and musculoskeletal research in the UK.

      3. Koh Koon Teck, Ph. D. (Nanyang Technological University)

Associate Professor Koh Koon Teck is a faculty member in the Physical Education and Sports Science Academic Group at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore. His expertise is in sport pedagogy and coaching, specifically on values-based coaching and technology-enhanced pedagogy. He is a certified coach developer by the World Association of Basketball Association, conducting coaching clinic for national federations in Asia. He has led numerous competitive funded projects, including the development of an AI-powered coaching observation tool and digital technology-based interventions to improve teaching and learning outcomes in sports and physical education (PE). Professor Koh has published over 70 peer-reviewed international journal articles and book chapters, covering topics such as sport pedagogy, values and life skills education, digital learning, and positive youth development through sports and PE. He also edited a scholarly book titled “Coaching Values and Life Skills Through PE and Sports’. The book was published by Routledge recently. Recognized globally, Professor Koh has been invited to deliver more than 30 keynote and invited addresses at conferences and more than 100 workshops in Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and beyond. His work promotes the integration of technology in coaching and education, advancing international conversations around innovative and values-driven practices in sports and PE. A strong advocate for digital transformation in sport and PE, Professor Koh continues to shape the field through cross-disciplinary research, lead the transformation of theory to practice, and global academic engagement.

4.  Tica Lin, Ph. D. (Dolby Laboratories)

Dr. Tica Lin is a researcher, designer, and technologist dedicated to advancing the future of sports analytics through human-centered AI, data visualization, and interactive design. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Harvard University, where her research focused on immersive analytics, sports XR, and interactive data visualization to support data-informed decision-making and immersive user experiences in sports. Dr. Lin has collaborated with leading professional and national sports organizations, including the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves, U.S. Olympic coaches and NCAA Division I teams, and the Taiwanese National Team. Her work bridges AI, sports analytics, and human-computer interaction to create intuitive tools that empower coaching, performance analysis, and training. Her work has been published at top academic venues with Best Paper Awards at ACM CHI, IEEE VIS and PacificVis. In addition to her work in applied sports science, she has contributed to research and product innovation at top tech labs, including Dolby Laboratories, Apple Vision Products Group, Meta Reality Labs, and Adobe Research. As a consultant to the Taiwan Institute of Sports Science and advisor in the sports tech industry, she leads initiatives that make advanced sports technologies more accessible and impactful through interdisciplinary research and product development.

5. Jaebum Park, Ph. D. (Seoul National University)

Professor Jaebum Park obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA, Currently at Seoul National Universitywith a research focus on fundamental studies to comprehend the biomechanical and control mechanisms that regulate human movement. He has investigated various biomechanical and motor control aspects in human movements during prehension using hand-held objects of different geometric shapes (e.g., rectangular objects and circular objects), and when pressing and handwriting. Through a series of experiments in the paradigms of prehension and pressing, he has been trying to understand the central nervous system (CNS) strategies to solve kinetic redundancy (i.e., more independent mechanical variables than mechanical, peripheral, and central constraints). The scope of his research has been expanded to encompass the investigation of how the central nervous system (CNS) optimizes solutions when the peripheral system involves mechanical redundancy. Additionally, the investigation focuses on the compatibility of motor variability with optimality in human motor actions. The research is performed to investigate central and peripheral adaptations in human movements to internal changes, such as aging, fatigue, injury, movement disorder, and others, as well as external changes, such as environment-related changes, including zero gravity environments in space. The objective of this research is to optimize and understand motor variability in the context of optimality. Furthermore, he is currently conducting several studies on musculoskeletal mechanisms and mathematical modeling of optimization on end-effector forces or muscle activities. The objective of these studies is to determine the application of these phenomena for individuals with movement deficits and disorders, including patients with Parkinson's disease, Olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), cerebral palsy, and Huntington's disease, among others. Throughout the course of his professional tenure, the subject has amassed an extensive publication record, encompassing approximately 70 peer-reviewed scholarly articles. These publications have been disseminated through esteemed scientific journals, including prominent titles such as Science Robotics, Journal of Neurophysiology, Clinical Neurophysiology, Gait & Posture, Experimental Brain Research, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Frontiers in Physiology, and Scientific Reports.

6. Li-An Ho, Ph. D. (Monster Training Strength & Conditioning Academy)

Dr. Li-An Ho is a strength and conditioning specialist from Taiwan. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from National Taiwan University, an M.S. in Sports Coaching Science from Chinese Culture University, and both an M.Ed. in Strength and Conditioning and a Ph.D. in Physical Education from Springfield College, USA. Upon completing his doctoral studies, Dr. Ho returned to Taiwan and taught in the Department of Physical Education at Chinese Culture University. He also served as a part-time lecturer at Taipei City University and National Taiwan University. After four and a half years in academia, Dr. Ho resigned from his position to establish Monster Training Strength & Conditioning Academy, a professional facility focused on the education and training of strength and conditioning coaches. His work spans anti-aging fitness, tactical strength and conditioning for military, police, and firefighters, athletic performance training, and general population fitness. Dr. Ho advocates for a paradigm shift in how modern humans understand physical activity. In his view, modern civilization has drastically reduced daily physical demands while simultaneously extending life expectancy through medical advances. This combination, while appearing beneficial, has led to an unprecedented era of long-term physical decline. People now face decades of life in physically deteriorated states, often resulting in diminished well-being and happiness. To counter this, Dr. Ho believes systematic strength and conditioning training is essential to preserve vitality and function in today’s unprecedentedly aging society. He is the author of several influential books, including:「Strength Training for Older Adults」、「Monster Training: Strength & Conditioning Training Manual」、「Monster Training: Program Design for Strength Training」​. ​​​In addition to writing, Dr. Ho actively engages in public discourse. He hosts the popular Monster Training Radio, where he shares training philosophies with humor and insight, and frequently contributes to social media conversations on fitness and strength training.

7. Andy Yao, Ph. D. (San Francisco State University)

Dr. Andy Yao is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at San Francisco State University (SFSU), where he also coordinates the Adapted Physical Education (APE) program across the CSU system and directs the Adapted Physical Activities Lab. With nearly 23 years of experience, he has advanced physical education, recreational fitness, and competitive sport for individuals with disabilities, emphasizing equity, inclusion, and access. Internationally, he collaborated with the Chinese Taipei Paralympic Committee to promote inclusive sports, while in the U.S., he partnered with nonprofit organizations to establish community-based programs ranging from recreation to elite training, thus serving underserved populations and creating inclusive lifelong activity pathways. At SFSU, he enhanced the APE Added Authorization program and transformed the lab into a center for hands-on learning, service, and research. His students engage in real-world programming, research, and fieldwork. His research explores psychosocial factors—such as motivation, support, and self-efficacy—influencing disability sport participation, contributing to policy and educational practices through peer-reviewed publications and global collaboration. Dr. Yao has secured major funding for inclusive initiatives, benefiting thousands while enriching student learning. As a first-generation scholar and international educator, he brings a cross-cultural, justice-driven perspective that has earned him respect as a leader in adapted physical activity.

8. Kason O’Neil, Ph. D. (East Tennessee State University)

Dr. Kason O’Neil is an Associate Professor and current Interim Chair of the Department of Sport, Exercise, Recreation, and Kinesiology at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). He also serves as the coordinator for both the K-12 Physical Education Teacher Education program and the Coaching Minor. Holding a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Virginia with a focus on Physical Education Pedagogy, Dr. O’Neil developed and validated the Physical Educator Efficacy Scale for Teaching Lifetime Physical Activities (PEES-LPA). With over 20 years of teaching and practical experience, Dr. O’Neil has instructed a wide range of courses including sport skills instruction, assessment methods, adapted physical education, coaching, and online learning. He has taught at multiple universities and published extensively on topics such as technology integration, teaching effectiveness, health literacy, and inclusive education. He has delivered nearly a hundred academic presentations at national and international conferences. Beyond teaching and research, Dr. O’Neil actively serves as a reviewer for numerous academic journals and is a member of several professional organizations including SHAPE America and NAKHE. He has received honors such as ETSU’s Provost Scholar Award and the SHAPE America Graduate Student Dissertation Award. With a long-standing commitment to physical education teacher training, inclusive teaching, and educational quality, Dr. O’Neil is widely recognized as a respected scholar and leader in the field.