The Researcher - From a perspective within the athletic footwear industry

摘要

Over the course of my career, the most common question I have been asked is 'what do I do?'. This is closely followed by 'how does one become involved in that field or a job in footwear research?'. It certainly does not help that the athletic footwear industry is shrouded in secrecy due to its proprietary nature. This is in stark contrast to the open sharing of knowledge in the academic world. When I was nominated for the Chairperson role in the Footwear Biomechanics Group, I questioned what I had to contribute. Being the first Chairperson from the Industry, I realized that I may bring a unique perspective - one that has been rarely voiced. Although I do think it is a shared perspective after talking with colleagues on both sides, I did be quick to point out that this is NOT a representative point of view of the Industry.