Neil Cronin
My interest in biomechanics began at the age of 17, when I discovered this field while still studying in Britain, my home country, where I also completed my bachelor’s degree. When I was younger, I played soccer. Even then, I thought that if I will not end up as a professional athlete, I wished to work somehow in the field of sports and physical activity.
The target of my interest has carried me far: I am now working as a professor of biomechanics at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, Finland; I also am the vice dean responsible for research and innovation at the faculty. My research focuses not only on physical activity and health, but also on artificial intelligence, which can be used to make data analysis more objective and efficient.
JYU is in the international frontline of sport science
The Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ has been a central part of my life for almost two decades. I first came to Finland in 2005, when I started my master’s studies in the Biology of Physical Activity programme at JYU. Before selecting a university for my master’s studies, I sought a university of a high standards, and my bachelor’s supervisor in London noted that Jyväskylä is one of the best in the world in this field.
I completed my doctorate at the University of Aalborg in Denmark, after which I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Griffith University in Australia. I returned to Finland, however, and advanced along the tenure track toward my professorship. In my prior academic appointments, when I felt home sick, I longed to return to Finland, in particular.
Research in sport science at JYU is among the best in the world: In the Shanghai Ranking, JYU is in the top ten in the field. High-quality work is demanding, of course, but we in sport science are doing important, meaningful work. Knowing that encourages all us scholars to go on. Additionally, our very open, energetic, and strongly supportive work community leads to an environment in which I never feel left on my own.
Finnish language studies help making a career in Finland
As a city, one of the best things in Jyväskylä is the services for families, including high-quality day care for children. The city is just the right size, both in terms of distances and population. It's never crowded, and you can walk or cycle everywhere.
It pays to study the Finnish language if you wish to make a career in Finland. I took a basic course already before my master’s studies but started learning the language properly after returning here from Australia. For developing language proficiency, it is important to have a few people around who are patient enough to talk with you in Finnish. Equally important is that the learner remains determined to speak Finnish often, even though many people speak English well in Finland.
