Exercise Sciences Professor Iain Hunter incorporates his passion into the lab. “If you ask around, all you’ll hear is ‘he’s the runner,’” Hunter says. Researching how to scientifically measure running, Hunter uses the data to improve athletes’ skills and analyze racing footwear performance.
With Saucony as a brand partner, Hunter compares the benefits of their different super shoe models. Each type of super shoe is unique, with different foam thickness, composition, and stiffness to make running easier. To test these shoes, Hunter measures the energy cost of each step compared to a standard running shoe.
Hunter looks into the long-term effects of these shoes and has his students test them on their own runs. The lab’s goal is to discover if the shoe’s benefits last beyond the initial run.
As a runner, Hunter has many connections on BYU’s track and field team and runs with them for long distance practices. With these friendships, he often invites athletes into his lab to measure their running technique, particularly their energy cost and the step force they apply to the ground. The athletes compare the different shoes they use with a scientific lens to see which performs best during a race.
On occasion, Hunter and some of the students travel to runners’ events to take measurements during an actual race. He recently attended both the marathon and steeplechase Olympic time trials to record athletes as they ran. Hunter measures velocities and angles during jumps of the steeplechase event and gives actionable data for a runner to improve.
“Our lab is about getting people excited about the things they're doing: enjoying life and performing as well as they can,” Hunter says. “There's some real value in that for the individual for sure.”
Dr. Hunter also allows his students to conduct their own research related to running topics. For example, Jared Steele PhD ‘24 (EXSC), one of Hunter’s recently graduated PhD students, completed a study on how super shoes can facilitate recovery of stroke and heart attack patients. Steele also built a wind tunnel to do a study to quantify the benefits of using drafting when running.
The lab environment allows Hunter to form close relationships with his students. He loves how these bonds lead to gospel-centered discussions both in and outside of the lab. “The people that I'm working with are probably the best part,” says Hunter.
Luke Vankeersblick, MS ’25 (EXSC), a graduate student in the lab, had read a ton of Hunter’s research during his undergraduate work. When he finally met Hunter at a conference, Vankeersblick asked if Hunter was taking on any additional graduate students. After coming to visit BYU and seeing Hunter's lab, Vankeersblick knew he wanted to attend here. “He was the person that I wanted to learn from and the person that would be able to mentor me,” says Vankeersblick.
Working in Hunter’s lab has helped Vankeersblick see how running is tied to faith. “We are blessed to work with humans,” says Vankeersblick. “We aren’t working with a petri dish or an abstract concept. It’s incredible to see what the human body can do. Somebody really smart made our bodies work that way,” he said. He further emphasized the glory of God through the anatomy and physiology of the body. “He created our bodies to do these things.”
While she was working in other labs, Camille Nguyen, MS ‘25 (EXSC), wanted more hands-on biomechanical experience and asked Hunter if she could join his lab. Now having worked with Hunter for a year, she has made many connections with fellow students that she wouldn’t have gained otherwise. “As soon as you enter his laboratory, you're not just a member of his lab,” shared Nguyen. “You're a member of his family, and he makes you feel like family.”
In attending the Olympic marathon trials, Nguyen loved not only recording for the athletes, but also sharing with BYU fans more about the science behind running. “A lot of what we do in Hunter’s laboratory is connecting with people,” said Nguyen. “It's not just academia or research. It's connecting with people and curating a love of science and pushing forward sports performance for BYU athletes. You can be around academics all day long, but Hunter teaches us to get the point across to people who don’t speak that language.”
To get involved in Hunter’s research, you can email him at iain_hunter@byu.edu or visit during his office hours. He would love to learn what your interests are and point you in the right direction if another lab would better suit your interests.
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In the lab, students gain a number of additional skills:
- Using motion capture systems
- Using force measuring systems on a treadmill
- Measuring muscle activity
- Analyzing statistical measurements
What makes a student a good fit for this lab?
- They are interested in running mechanics.
- They are exercise sciences majors.
- They want to stay in the lab long-term.
- They have a background or interest in biomechanics and cellular physiology.
