Rate My Professor Andy Harland

Professor Andy Harland is a Professor of Sports Technology at Loughborough University. He graduated from Loughborough University with a BEng in Engineering Science and Technology and completed a PhD in the Optical Engineering Research Group at the university, focusing on the measurement of acousto-optic interactions in association with the National Physical Laboratory. He joined the Sports Technology group as a Lecturer in October 2001 and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2007. He currently serves as Institute Director of the Sports Technology Institute, Associate Dean Enterprise, Head of the Sports Technology Research Group, and Director of Partnerships and Sport.

Professor Harland’s research focuses on mechanical design and analysis of sports equipment, dynamics and acoustics of sports products, development of non-contact optical and image-based measurement techniques in sport, computer modelling of sports materials and products, soccer ball design and performance analysis, finite element analysis of footwear, computer modelling of apparel, design and mechanical testing of protective equipment, and instrumentation in sport. His work on soccer balls has been applied by adidas in tournament balls used in FIFA World Cups since 2006 and UEFA European Championships since 2004, and his research on cricket helmet impacts contributed to the revision of British Standard 7928:2013. He has supervised more than 20 PhD students and partnered with organisations including adidas, FIFA, the England and Wales Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council, BISFed, and FIH. He is a member of the International Sports Engineering Association and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and has held roles on Loughborough University committees and as a referee for engineering and sports journals.