Richard Van Emmerik

Professor

Our research focuses on the aea of motor control and coordination. We apply principles from complex and nonlinear dynamical systems to the study of posture and locomotion. We place particular emphasis on mechanisms of stability and adaptability in movement coordination. An important research focus is the role of variability in the control of movement.

Current Research
Dynamic Balance Control and Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis Effects of Armor and Load on Action-Perception Coupling

Learn more at https://blogs.umass.edu/motorcontrol/

Academic Background

BS Vrije Universiteit, the Netherlands, 1984
PhD University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1990
Postdoctoral Training: Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1990-1993

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Publications

Hamill, J., Lim, J., & Van Emmerik, R.E.A. (2020). Locomotor Coordination, Visual Perception and Head Stability during Running. Brain Sciences, 10(3), 174. https://doi:10.3390/brainsci10030174

Miehm, J.D, Buonaccorsi, J., Lim, J., Sato, S., Rajala, C., Averill, J., Khalighinejad, F., Ionete, C., Jones, S.A., Kent, J.A., Van Emmerik R.E.A. (2020). Sensorimotor Function in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Journal: Experimental, Translational, Clinical (in press). https://doi.org/10.1177/2055217320934835

Muir, B.C., Haddad, J.M., Van Emmerik, R.E.A., & Rietdyk, S. (2019). Changes in the control of obstacle crossing in middle age become evident as gait task difficulty increases. Gait & Posture, 70, 254-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.01.035

Ducharme, S.W., Liddy, J.L., Haddad, J.M., Busa, M.A., Claxton, L.J., Van Emmerik, R.E.A. (2018). Association between stride time fractality and gait adaptability during unperturbed and asymmetric walking. Human Movement Science, 58, 248-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2018.02.011

Van Emmerik, R.E.A., Ducharme, S., Amado, A.C. & Hamill J. (2016). Comparing dynamical systems concepts and techniques for biomechanical analysis. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 5, 3-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2016.01.013

Richard Van Emmerik

Institute for Applied Life Sciences