Rate My Professor Melanie Bussey

Professor Melanie Bussey serves as Professor in Biomechanics and Director of the Motion Analysis Research Lab within the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Otago. Originally hailing from the East Coast of Canada, she earned her BPE and MSc degrees in Kinesiology and Athletic Therapy from the University of New Brunswick before relocating to New Zealand to complete her PhD in Clinical Biomechanics at the University of Otago. Her career at Otago has progressed from doctoral studies to her promotion to full Professor, effective February 1, 2025. She also holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Bussey's research centers on sports biomechanics, particularly the influence of musculoskeletal pain and injury on neuromuscular function, aimed at improving athlete re-conditioning for return-to-sport while reducing recurrent injury risks. Her work has been supported by funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Otago Medical Research Foundation, Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust, University of Otago, Sport Science New Zealand, and the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada. She received the 2024 Best Research Paper Academic Staff (translational) award from Otago's Sciences Division and the Innovation in Sport award for her ORCHID head impact detection study at the Otago Sports Awards. Prominent publications include "Peak Power: A Severity Measure for Head Acceleration Events Associated with Suspected Concussions" (Sports Medicine, 2025), "Contact Role and Tackle Characteristics Shape Head Acceleration Exposure in Male Community Rugby: A Cohort Study Utilising Instrumented Mouthguards" (Sports Medicine, 2025), and "Spare the Brain: Female Football Players' Perspectives of Heading the Ball, Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes: A Qualitative Study" (Science & Medicine in Football, 2025). In November 2025, she delivered her Inaugural Professorial Lecture titled "Protecting Players, Preserving the Game: The Science of Head Impact and Resilience." Bussey supervises multiple postgraduate students, including PhD candidates Jim Webb, Corry Perrett, Janelle Romanchuk, and others, fostering advancements in biomechanics and sports injury prevention.