Dr. Daniel Fuller nominated for prestigious international prize
Dr. Daniel Fuller’s research efforts of leveraging technology to improve physical activity is gaining attention on a global scale. Dr. Fuller, Canada Research Chair in Population Physical Activity, was recently nominated for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) sponsored by scholarly publishers Wiley and Elsevier, and valued at $25,000 US. It is open to scientists under 40 who demonstrate commitment, collaboration and contribution in research.
The 2018 theme for the ASPIRE award is “Smart Technologies for Healthy Societies.” It focuses on research that uses technology to improve health care access and services. This aligns directly with Dr. Fuller’s research portfolio.
“My ultimate goal is a physically active Canadian population” says Dr. Fuller. “To achieve this, my research focuses on two aspects. First, developing methods to improve the measurement of physical activity with a focus on commercial wearable devices. Second, to use data from wearable devices to improve our understanding of how transportation systems and urban planning can increase physical activity.”
"Technology has profoundly shaped our physical activity."
Moreover, Dr. Fuller’s research is collaborative, working with cities and local community organizations to examine existing infrastructure, including public transit, bike lending programs, sidewalks and snow clearing, and making recommendations to enhance physical activity levels of citizens.
Nominated by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Dr. Fuller was the only Canadian nominee, and one of only 13 total nominees.
“It’s an honour to be recognized by my peers at CIHR” says Dr. Fuller. “Technology has profoundly shaped our physical activity. I hope my research can combine technology and urban planning to increase physical activity and improve health for all.”
Dr. Daniel Fuller, Canada Research Chair in Population Physical Activity, is an assistant professor at Memorial University's School of Human Kinetics and Recreation.