Stefanos Volianitis, Ph.D., D.Sc.                                                            

 

Associate Professor in Exercise Physiology

Sport Science Program
College of Arts and Sciences

Qatar University

P.O. Box 2713
Doha-Qatar

Email: svolianitis@qu.edu.qa

 

1. Education:

• Doctor of Science (DSc) – Aalborg University, DK                                     2016
• Pedagogy Qualification (adjunktpædagogikum) – Aalborg University, DK May 2008

 Problem Based Learning

• Post-graduate Teaching Certificate, Brunel University, UK                                        2006
• PhD in Sport and Exercise Sciences – The University of Birmingham, UK                              2000
  • Supervisor- D.A. Jones
• BSc in Kinesiology, University of California at Los Angeles, USA                             1991

 

2. Professional Experience:

2020-                     Associate Professor in Exercise Physiology, Sport Science Program
College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Qatar

2019                   Senior Researcher, The Copenhagen Muscle Research Center, Dept. of Anesthesiology,       Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, DK

2007–2019          Associate Professor in Sport Science, Department of Health and Technology,

Aalborg University, DK

2004–2007          Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, School of Sport and Education, Brunel University, UK

2000–2004          Post-doctoral Research Fellow, The Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, DK

• Mentor – Niels H. Secher

1997–2000          PhD Fellow, Human Performance Laboratory, University of Birmingham, UK

 

1. Invited Presentations:

Aug 2020                                 Coaching Seminar in Physiology of Rowing, Iranian Rowing Federation (online)

Dec 2019                            Master’s course in Advanced Exercise Physiology, “Autonomic Function during exercise”, European University, Nicosia, Cyprus

Oct 2019                             Master’s course in Advanced Exercise Physiology, “Cardiovascular Control   during exercise”, European University, Nicosia, Cyprus

July 2019                             Physiology 2019 Satellite Symposium-Fatigue as a limitation to performance, “During maximal exercise frontal lobe oxygenation decreases despite elevation in middle cerebral artery flow velocity”. Aberdeen, UK

Oct 2018                              PhD course in Health Benefits of Exercise, Aalborg University, Denmark

May 2006                              PhD course on Integrative Cardiovascular Control, Copenhagen, Denmark

Aug 2004                      Pre-Olympic Congress of the International Council of Sport Science and

Physical Education (ICSSPE), Thessaloniki, Greece

Nov 2003                      Senior Coaches Conference of the International Rowing Federation

(FISA), Athens, Greece.

Aug 2003                      Medical Seminar of the International Rowing Federation

(FISA), Milan, Italy

Nov 2002                      International Conference in Rowing organized by the Greek Rowing

Federation, Thessaloniki, Greece

Nov 2002                      Scientific Forum of the International Rowing Federation (FISA), Milan,

Italy

Sep 2002                       Conference on Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery for the

International Rowing Federation (FISA), Seville, Spain

Sep 1999                      Senior Coaches Conference of the International Rowing Federation

(FISA), Canberra, Australia.

 

4. Research Grants/External Funding

• “The effect of physical conditioning on arm vascular beds”. Marie Curie Fellowship, European Union, (965.000 DKK)
• “The arterial baroreflex in the elderly”. The Danish Heart Foundation (210.000 DKK)
• “Arm blood flow and work capacity in arm trained subjects”. Team Denmark (100.000 DKK)
• “The effect of endurance exercise training on baroreflex function during exercise” Danish Ministry of Culture (81.000 DKK)
• “Handbook of Rowing”. Danish Ministry of Culture (30.000 DKK)
• “The arterial baroreflex in hypertensive elderly humans”. Jørgen Møllers Fund (64.000 DKK)
• ”The effect of Exercise-Induced Respiratory Muscle fatigue on Cerebral Blood Flow and Oxygenation” Danish Ministry of Culture (63.758 DKK)

 

5. Professional Service, Awards and Honors:
6. External Honors

• External Institutional Accreditation appointment (EKPA, Greece, 2020)

• External Institutional Accreditation appointment (University of Peloponesse, Greece, 2019)
• External Institutional Accreditation appointment (University of Thrace, Greece, 2019)
• External Institutional Accreditation appointment (University of Thessaly, Greece, 2019)
• External Institutional Evaluation appointment (University of Patras, Greece, 2014)
• External Institutional Evaluation appointment (University of Thesally, Greece, 2010)

 

1. External Examiner

• External PhD Examiner (J. Korff, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2009)
• External PhD Examiner (N. Olesen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 2018)

1. Departmental/University Service

• Curriculum development of the Sports Master’s Education at Aalborg University (2018)
  • Case-Studies in Advanced Exercise Physiology
• Semester Coordinator (2010, Aalborg University, DK)
  • The responsibilities of this role included:

Introduction of the semester courses to the students and project-group allocation.

Co-ordination of teaching with course leaders

Semester feedback and students’ evaluation

• Chairman of the Teaching Committee (2005-2006, Brunel University, UK)
  • The responsibilities of this role included:

Supervision of teaching in all the physiology modules of the undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses

Implementation of recommendations from external examiners regarding teaching delivery

 

1. Editorials:

• Review Editor: Frontiers in Physiology

 

1. Ad Hoc Invited Reviewer:

• Journal of Physiology
• Journal of Applied Physiology
• Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
• Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
• International Journal of Sports Medicine
• British Journal of Sports Medicine
• European Journal of Applied Physiology
• Journal of Sports Sciences
• The FASEB Journal

 

6. Teaching Experience:

 

1. Academic Supervision

• 2 PhD students:
  • Vorluni, Brunel University, (completed 2007)

 

• K. Hansen, Aalborg University, (started 2018, brief description: the present PhD project provides knowledge of the effectiveness of exercise participation on cardiometabolic health and shoulder pain in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) wheelchair users. By examining the barriers and facilitators for exercise participation perceived by the SCI individuals, the execution of the evidence-based exercise intervention will be applied in a setting specifically tailored to this population, which is expected to increase exercise compliance, maintenance of an active lifestyle and improve indices of quality of life.

 

• 7 Master’s students, Aalborg University, 2016-2019
• Extensive supervision at undergraduate level: In the Problem Based Learning (PBL) educational model in Aalborg University every faculty member supervises 2-3 student project groups every semester.

 

1. Course Leader in undergraduate and post-graduate physiology modules at Brunel University (2004-2007) and Aalborg University (2007-2019). The role included delivery of lectures, small group seminars, tutorials, and laboratory demonstrations, and preparation and assessment of examinations. (please see below for detailed description of subjects).

 

1. Curriculum development

• In alignment with Aalborg University’s hallmark teaching model (PBL), I have developed a Master’s level Advanced Exercise Physiology course, which is based on case-studies. Each case is centered on a specific sport and includes a focused presentation of the relevant physiological systems by the teacher. Subsequently, student groups research and present the specific demands of each sport on the various physiological systems and suggest training methods for performance optimization. This course format increases the relevance of theoretical physiology to applied sport, and as such, maximizes student’s interest and enhances their preparation for a career in the sport industry post-graduation.

 

• Also, in advanced courses, additionally to traditional lectures, I have introduced focused debate sessions where groups of students prepare and present in plenum their position on unresolved/debatable physiological questions. Following plenum discussion between the students and the teacher a consensus is attempted and this position-statement is part of the course’s curriculum. This course-delivery format promotes students’ engagement and facilitates higher learning by knowledge synthesis.

 

1. Subjects taught:

 

• Exercise physiology (SP2031, 2^nd year Bachelor, 2004-2007, Brunel University)
• Physiology for maximum performance (SP3030, 3^rd year Bachelor, 2004-2007, Brunel University)
• Physiology in special populations (SP3031, 3 year Bachelor, 2004-2007, Brunel University)
• Exercise Physiology (1^st, 2^nd year Bachelor, 2009-2014, Aalborg University)
• Exercise Physiology for children, elderly and health (2^nd year Bachelor, 2009, Aalborg University)
• Nutrition for exercise (2^nd year Bachelor, 2009, Aalborg Univesity)
• Applied Exercise Physiology (Laboratory methods and skills, 3^rd year Bachelor, 2011-2013, Aalborg University)
• Work demands, work capacity and planning of training: Rowing, 2^nd year Master’s, 2010-2014, Aalborg University)
• Advanced Exercise Physiology (1^st year Master’s, 2010-2015, Alborg University)
• Endurance Training (1^st year Master’s, 2015-2019)

 

1. Laboratory demonstrations

• • PhD course on cardiovascular research methods of the Copenhagen Cardiovascular Research Academy (Baroreflex evaluation – neck chamber method, 2005-2006).

• Applied Exercise Physiology (methods and skills, 2011-2013) Aalborg University

 

7. Scholarly Activity: (Please see attached: Υπόμνημα Πρωτότυπων Επιστημονικών Δημοσιεύσεων)

• Google Scholar data:
  • Citations: 2106
  • H-index: 22

 

1. Books: 1
2. Chapters in books: 6
3. Articles in refereed journals: 35
4. Accepted for publication (in press): 1
5. Under review: 3
6. Refereed Abstracts: 25

 

 

8. Sports experience/Rowing accomplishments

 

As a rower:

• World University Champion (’92, Poland)
• Greek National Team (’85, ’91, ’92, ’93)
• UCLA Varsity Crew (’87, ’88, ’89, ’90)
• PAC-10 Champion (’88, ’89, USA)
• Balkan Championships (2^nd place, ’92, Bulgaria)
• San Diego Crew Classic Champion (’88, USA)
• S. Intercollegiate National Championships (3^rd place, ’90)

 

As a coach:

• Greek National Team (’94)
• Birmingham University Boat Club, UK (’97, ’98, ’99)
• Danish Students Rowing Club, Denmark (’00, ’01, ’02)

 

As a Master rower:

• World Master Games
  • Champion (New Zealand, ’17)
  • 2^nd place (Italy, ’13)
  • 2^nd place (Australia, ’09)
• Head of the Charles, Boston, USA
  • 1^st place (’08)
  • 3^rd place (’10, ’12)
• San Diego Crew Classic, USA

1^st place (’08, ’09, ’10, ’1