About the AWRC

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About the AWRC

Situated in the North of England and at the heart of the Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Sheffield Hallam University's Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre is a leading centre for physical activity research and innovation.

We bring together multiple academic disciplines such as sports engineering, health, robotics, computing, sport science, psychology, design, and the arts; creating collaborations with industry, local communities, local authorities, charities and the health and technology sectors; and providing access to state-of-the-art, fully instrumented indoor and outdoor laboratories. 

We are the research hub for the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM) in Sheffield, translating knowledge from elite sport into the health sector to drive innovation in the promotion of physical activity as part of the London 2012 Olympic Legacy.  


Our Mission

Our mission is to transform lives through innovations that help people move. This is at the heart of everything we do and reflects a belief that physical activity, in its many forms, has significant benefits for individuals, communities, the economy and wider society. Harnessing the power of human movement through our research, innovation and knowledge exchange is the space occupied by the AWRC. We exist to transform lives. 

 
Diagram of AWRC strategy

 

Our Five Global Challenges


Our research and innovation addresses five major global challenges which reflect complex societal issues and require interdisciplinary approaches and collaboration across sectors. We believe that a more active population is a central part of solving these issues. 
 
These challenges create a platform for deepening our interdisciplinary and cross-portfolio working and provide a framework against which we can assess the meaningfulness of our research, innovation, and knowledge exchange.  


Read about our five global challenges

A woman in the park holding a baby

Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity

Promoting Lifelong Physical Activity
A group of children walking into the AWRC

Tackling Widening Health Inequalities

Tackling Widening Health Inequalities
A man and woman riding bikes by a canal

Addressing Climate Change

Addressing Climate Change
A group of students sat in a lecture theatre

Closing the Skills Gap

Closing the Skills Gap
A physiotherapist working with a child on a mat

Reimagining Rehabilitation

Reimagining Rehabilitation

 

Our Portfolio


The research, innovation and knowledge exchange that contributes to addressing the five global challenges is organised into and managed through four pillars that reflect the core areas of our portfolio. 
 
Each pillar is made up of a number of themes - focused delivery areas that reflect specific strengths within our portfolio and led by a senior and early career researcher. 


Read about the four pillars of our portfolio

girl jumping over hurdles in community event

Research in Physical Activity

Research
Engineer working in a design engineering workshop

Research and Development for Business

Innovation
Older adults in an exercise class

Health Innovation

Health Innovation
Two students sitting on the AWRC roof terrace

Training and Education

Training and Education

Get in touch

Contact the AWRC to discuss facilities, partnerships, doctoral research and more

Contact us