World-Class Experts
Keynote & Symposium Speakers
25+ international thought leaders converging on Bangkok — bridging exercise science, biomechanics, AI, sport policy and public-health innovation across the Asia-Pacific and beyond.
📅 Programme Structure
Every keynote listed here appears in the detailed 3-day schedule. Symposium anchors and panel roles are noted in each card. Roster updated 20 Aug 2026.
🎤 Featured Keynotes
SPECIAL KEYNOTE · DAY 1 · 10:00–11:00
Prof. Yodchanan Wongsawat
🇹🇭 Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), Thailand
In brief. An electrical engineer turned national science-policy leader, Prof. Wongsawat oversees Thailand’s higher-education, R&D and innovation ecosystem — the platform that funds and coordinates the country’s sport-science, MedTech and AI investments.
🔬 Research & policy brief
Talk: “From Lab-Bench to Playing Field — National Science Policy for Sports Innovation.”
Explores Thailand’s roadmap for translating academic biomechanics, neuroscience & AI research into elite-sport performance and mass-participation health outcomes; how MHESI, NSDF (National Sports Development Fund) & SAT are aligning to fund the next generation of applied sport R&D.
Explores Thailand’s roadmap for translating academic biomechanics, neuroscience & AI research into elite-sport performance and mass-participation health outcomes; how MHESI, NSDF (National Sports Development Fund) & SAT are aligning to fund the next generation of applied sport R&D.
KEYNOTE 1 · DAY 1 · 11:00–12:00
Prof. Ahmad Alkhatib, Ph.D., RNutr, FRSPH, FRSM
🇺🇸 The University of Texas at El Paso — College of Health Sciences (formerly Birmingham City University, UK)
In brief. Registered Nutritionist, Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and Royal Society of Medicine; internationally recognised for combining exercise physiology and nutrition science to address Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and healthy ageing.
🔬 Research brief
Talk: “Exercise and Diet Intervention for Metabolic Problems.”
Focus areas: nutraceuticals & polyphenol supplementation, HIIT for insulin sensitivity, workplace-health translational trials. Also anchors Symposium 1: Exercise Physiology — “The Exercise–Gut–Muscle Axis.”
Focus areas: nutraceuticals & polyphenol supplementation, HIIT for insulin sensitivity, workplace-health translational trials. Also anchors Symposium 1: Exercise Physiology — “The Exercise–Gut–Muscle Axis.”
KEYNOTE 3 · DAY 2 · 10:00–11:00
Prof. Jin Uchimaru (内丸 仁)
🇯🇵 Exercise Physiology Lab, Faculty of Sports Science, Sendai University
In brief. Leading Japanese exercise physiologist whose lab has pioneered normobaric-hypoxia protocols for both elite endurance athletes and clinical populations (metabolic syndrome, mild cognitive impairment).
🔬 Research brief
Talk: “Hypoxic Training for Health.”
Reviews how hypoxic exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis, improves glucose disposal, and unlocks cognitive-affective adaptations — with implications for both athlete altitude camps and community disease prevention. Also joins Symposium 5: Sport Psychology & Motor Development.
Reviews how hypoxic exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis, improves glucose disposal, and unlocks cognitive-affective adaptations — with implications for both athlete altitude camps and community disease prevention. Also joins Symposium 5: Sport Psychology & Motor Development.
KEYNOTE 4 · DAY 2 · 11:00–12:00
Prof. Antonio Tessitore, Ph.D.
🇮🇹 Università degli Studi di Roma “Foro Italico”
In brief. Full Professor of Sport Training & Testing; former President of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS). Long-standing collaborator with Italian Olympic teams on training-load monitoring and recovery science in team sports.
🔬 Research brief
Talk: “Monitoring What Matters — Training Load, Recovery and Performance in Elite Team Sports.”
Focus: internal-vs-external load metrics, GPS/HR/wellness integration, evidence-based recovery strategies, and the pitfalls of over-quantification in daily athlete management.
Focus: internal-vs-external load metrics, GPS/HR/wellness integration, evidence-based recovery strategies, and the pitfalls of over-quantification in daily athlete management.
KEYNOTE 5 · DAY 3 · 10:15–11:15
Prof. Corneel Vandelanotte
🇦🇺 Appleton Institute for Behavioural Science, Central Queensland University (Rockhampton)
In brief. Global authority on digital physical-activity interventions; founder of the “10,000 Steps Australia” programme (now >600,000 users), and NHMRC Leadership Fellow whose work bridges behavioural science, e-health, and AI-personalised coaching.
🔬 Research brief
Talk: “The Past, Present and Future of Using AI and Machine Learning for Physical-Activity Promotion.”
Covers 20+ years of web/mobile intervention trials; how LLMs and adaptive ML enable hyper-personalised, dose-responsive activity coaching; ethical & equity considerations of AI-driven public-health promotion.
Covers 20+ years of web/mobile intervention trials; how LLMs and adaptive ML enable hyper-personalised, dose-responsive activity coaching; ethical & equity considerations of AI-driven public-health promotion.
KEYNOTE 6 · DAY 3 · 11:15–12:15
Prof. Dr. Oliver Höner
🇩🇪 Institute of Sports Science, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
In brief. Chair of Sport Psychology & Research Methods at Tübingen; long-time scientific partner to the German Football Association (DFB) on the world’s largest talent-identification and development programme.
🔬 Research brief
Talk: “The Science of Talent — Foundations, Challenges, and the Role of AI in Identifying and Developing Future Champions.”
Synthesises longitudinal DFB data with modern ML approaches; addresses relative-age effects, non-linear talent trajectories, and the boundary between algorithmic screening and coach judgement.
Synthesises longitudinal DFB data with modern ML approaches; addresses relative-age effects, non-linear talent trajectories, and the boundary between algorithmic screening and coach judgement.
🎓 Symposium Anchors & Panel Experts
SYM 3 · KEYNOTE SESSION · SYM 7
Prof. John Rasmussen
🇩🇰 Dept. of Materials & Production, Aalborg University
In brief. Creator of the AnyBody Modeling System, the reference platform for full-body musculoskeletal simulation used across sport, ergonomics and rehabilitation labs worldwide.
Research brief. Day-2 keynote session — “Digital Twins of the Athlete: Three Decades of Musculoskeletal Modelling for Sport, Health, and Rehabilitation.” Also contributes to Sym 3 (AI & Wearables) and Day-3 Sym 7 (Injury Prevention).
SYM 3 · PANEL · SYM 7
Prof. Wolfgang I. Schöllhorn
🇩🇪 Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz — Training & Movement Science
In brief. Pioneer of Differential Learning theory and non-linear pedagogy; his ML-based movement fingerprinting has been adopted by German Olympic squads and rehab programmes.
Research brief. Movement variability as a resource (not noise), person-specific classifier models, and how differential learning drives faster motor adaptation than repetitive drilling.
SYM 3 · SYM 7
Prof. Hiroaki Hobara
🇯🇵 Applied Biomechanics Lab, Tokyo University of Science
In brief. Leading para-sport biomechanist. His comparative work on prosthetic-limb sprinting and gait economics informs both Paralympic performance and clinical prosthetics design.
Research brief. Spring-mass modelling of running-specific prostheses; kinetics of amputee gait; wearable IMU validation for field biomechanics.
SYM 1 · PANEL
Prof. Chia-Hua Kuo
🇭🇰 The Education University of Hong Kong — Health & Physical Education
In brief. Internationally cited exercise biochemist; longtime editor of the Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness. Focus on cellular aging, glycogen metabolism and post-exercise recovery.
Research brief. Anchors Sym 1 with muscle-gut-metabolism axis work; joins Day-2 panel on Asia-Pacific sport-science futures.
SYM 1 · VIRTUAL
Prof. Kalavathy Ramasamy
🇲🇾 Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam
In brief. Head of the Collaborative Drug Discovery Research (CDDR) Group; recognised expert on probiotics, prebiotics and functional-food formulation.
Research brief. Gut-microbiome modulation as an ergogenic and metabolic-health strategy; microbial metabolites & exercise adaptation.
SYM 2 · PANEL
Prof. Tien-Chin (Tony) Tan
🇹🇼 Graduate Institute of Sport, Leisure & Hospitality Management, NTNU (Taiwan Normal Univ.)
In brief. Prolific sport-policy scholar; editorial-board member of International Review for the Sociology of Sport. Comparative expert on China & East-Asian sports governance.
Research brief. Soft-power projection through elite sport; state–civil-society dynamics in Asian mega-event bidding.
SYM 2 · PANEL
Prof. Younghan Cho
🇰🇷 Graduate School of International & Area Studies, Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies (HUFS)
In brief. Cultural-studies scholar focused on Korean Wave (K-culture) and its interlock with sports diplomacy, national branding, and global fan-communities.
Research brief. K-sport as soft power; case studies of Winter Olympics 2018, e-sports diplomacy, and Asian mega-event legacies.
SYM 2 · PANEL
Prof. Shengxin Li (李圣鑫)
🇨🇳 School of Management, Beijing Sport University
In brief. China’s state-led sport-industry-development scholar; researcher on the “Healthy China 2030” strategy, regional sport clusters and the 3-trillion-yuan sports-economy roadmap.
Research brief. Governmentality & sport development in China; Belt-and-Road sport-industry investment; regional balance of Chinese elite-sport funding.
SYM 4 · ANCHOR
Prof. Zason Chian Lit Khoon
🇸🇬 Physical Education & Sports Science, NIE / NTU Singapore
In brief. Sport-psychology scholar and teacher-educator; head of PE research programmes at NIE. Focus on motivation, character education through sport, and holistic athlete development frameworks.
Research brief. Anchors Sym 4 “Mind, Body & Performance — A Multi-Disciplinary Foundation for Sustainable Athlete Development.”
KN4 CO · PANEL
Prof. Franco M. Impellizzeri
🇦🇺 Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
In brief. One of the most-cited researchers in training-load monitoring methodology; PhD-supervisor to a generation of applied sport scientists at European football clubs.
Research brief. Critical appraisal of RPE, ACWR, wellness questionnaires; dose–response research design; guarding against causal over-claims in load-injury studies.
SYM 1 (RESERVED)
Prof. Robert Newton AM
🇦🇺 Edith Cowan University, Perth
In brief. Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to exercise oncology. Co-founder of ECU’s Exercise Medicine Research Institute; authored the WHO/ACSM cancer-exercise position stands.
Research brief. Myokine biology; targeted exercise-medicine prescription for solid-tumour patients; strength & conditioning for clinical populations.
SYM 1 · PANEL
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Malai Taweechotipatr
🇹🇭 Dept. of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University
In brief. Thailand’s leading academic on probiotic-strain characterisation for human health; longstanding collaborator with SWU sports-science teams on exercise–microbiome interactions.
Research brief. Bench-to-athlete probiotic pipelines; local strain isolation; gut-immunity in training stress.
SYM 3 · PANEL · SYM 6
Prof. Toshimasa Yanai
🇯🇵 Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University
In brief. Waseda’s flagship biomechanist; pioneer of markerless 3-D motion analysis for aquatic and swing sports; heavy contributor to Japanese Olympic performance-analysis pipelines.
Research brief. ML-assisted biomechanics; shoulder-joint kinetics in throwing; underwater force plates.
SYM 4
Prof. Dr. Ler Hui Yin
🇲🇾 Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management & Technology (TAR UMT)
In brief. Malaysian applied physiologist & sport-performance researcher; expert on training periodisation for national-level combat and endurance athletes.
Research brief. Body-composition, hydration & performance in weight-category sports; Southeast-Asian athlete-development case studies.
SYM 5
Assoc.Prof. Garry Kuan
🇲🇾 School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
In brief. Sport-psychology researcher & certified mental-performance consultant to Malaysian Olympic Council; work on imagery, music-in-sport, and mental-skills for youth athletes.
Research brief. Culturally adapted mental-training protocols for ASEAN athlete populations.
SYM 5
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Naruepon Vongjaturapat
🇹🇭 Faculty of Sport Science, Burapha University
In brief. Thailand’s most-published sport-psychology researcher; past dean and senior mentor for the national team’s psychological support systems (SEA Games / Olympic cycles).
Research brief. Team cohesion, coaching effectiveness, and mental readiness for high-pressure Thai national teams.
SYM 6
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Suchada Tantisatirapong
🇹🇭 Srinakharinwirot University (SWU)
In brief. Biomedical-signal engineer; developer of non-invasive monitoring pipelines (ECG, EEG, ballistocardiography) for elderly and clinical use.
Research brief. AI-driven longevity monitoring; wearable-signal analytics for early-detection of cardiovascular deterioration.
SYM 8
Prof. Dr. Narongsak Noosorn
🇹🇭 Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University (PSRU)
In brief. Public-health scholar leading regional-university efforts to embed AI & data science into community-health workforce training.
Research brief. AI applications for surveillance of NCDs in Thai provincial contexts.
SYM 9 · CHAIR
Dr. Koh Koon Teck
🇸🇬 Physical Education & Sports Science, NIE / NTU
In brief. Head of PESS at NIE Singapore; leads research on values-based coaching, character-education through sport, and PE-teacher curriculum reform in ASEAN.
Research brief. Chairs Sym 9 “Future of Sport & PE — AI, Analytics, and Evidence in Action.”
SYM 9
Prof. Takafumi Tomura
🇯🇵 University of Tsukuba, Faculty of Health & Sport Sciences
In brief. PE pedagogy specialist; expert on evidence-based instruction, teacher-education models, and school-sport curriculum design across Japan & Asia.
Research brief. Comparative PE-curriculum analytics; digital tools for teacher self-reflection.
COMMERCIAL SESSION · DAY 2
Ms. Teena Badshah
Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) / PepsiCo Asia R&D
In brief. Regional lead sport-nutrition scientist at GSSI; delivers evidence-based hydration and fuelling protocols across Asian pro-league and endurance-athlete populations.
Talk: “Nutrition and Hydration Considerations for Female Runners.”
Day 2 · 14:45–16:45 · Room C
🎤 Featured Panel Discussion
“Shaping the Future of Sport Science in Asia — Where Do We Go from Here?”
Panelists: Prof. Schöllhorn (DE) · Prof. Tessitore (IT) · Prof. Tan (TW) · Prof. Kuo (HK) · Prof. Cho (KR) · Prof. Li (CN) · Prof. Impellizzeri (AU) · Prof. Alkhatib (US) · Prof. Rasmussen (DK) · Assoc.Prof. Dr. Malai Taweechotipatr (TH)
Meet Them in Bangkok
Six full keynotes, nine symposiums, one keynote panel — all in three days.
