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Human Performance Biopsychology Laboratory

Studying the Neural and Biopshychological Basis of Human Performance 

Men participating in a running race

Welcome to the Human Performance Biopsychology Laboratory. The laboratory is located in the Department of Kinesiology within the University of Maryland College Park School of Public Health.

Department: Kinesiology
Room Number: 2302
Director: Bradley D. Hatfield

Office Phone Number: (301) 405-2485
Email: bhatfiel@umd.edu

The Human Performance Biopsychology Laboratory studies the neural and biopsychological basis of elite human performance. More specifically, we examine the brain dynamics of performers from a neurocognitive, affective and psychomotor perspective. Much of our work centers around the concept of psychomotor efficiency and utilizes various psychophysiological measures to further our understanding of high-level cognitive-motor performance. 

Specific areas of interest include cognitive/mental workload, mental stress and resilience, mental preparation, practice methodologies, biofeedback, mindfulness, sleep, and team dynamics. The laboratory is equipped for testing and analyzing human performance with electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), eye-tracking, motion analysis, and dynamometry.

We are very proud of our collaborations with:

  • Army Research Laboratory Aberdeen Proving Grounds
  • Auburn University, School of Kinesiology 
  • Brain and Behavior Initiative
  • Defense Science Organization, Singapore
  • Department of Aerospace Engineering, Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence(AGRC), University of Maryland, College Park 
  • Institute of Systems Research, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park
  • Lockheed Martin Corporation
  • National Taiwan Normal Univeristy, Department of Physical Education 
  • Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
  • Reserve Officers Training Corps University of Maryland, College Park 
  • Shanghai University of Sport
  • The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, University of Maryland, College Park 
  • The University of Florida, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology 
  • The University of Maryland Athletic Department
  • The United States Military Academy West Point
  • The United States Naval Academy
  • United States Department of Defense
  • Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi, Brazil
  • University of Maryland at Baltimore Medical School
  • University of Ulsan, School of Sport and Exercise Science, South Korea
  • Veteran's Administration Hospital Baltimore and Washington 
  • Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Faculty

Bradley Hatfield, University of Maryland

Bradley D. Hatfield 
CV/Resume

Dr. Hatfield is Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland, College Park with adjunct appointments in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Sciences (NACS) as well as the Center on Aging and a secondary appointment in the School of Medicine (Department of Epidemiology and Public Health). He is a Fellow and President-elect of the National Academy of Kinesiology, and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Research Consortium of the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD), and he is a charter Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP).  His current research is focused on 1) the assessment of cognitive load based on cerebral cortical dynamics during motor performance (funded by Lockheed-Martin Corporation) and 2) the role of physical activity and genetics in mental health. 

Rodolphe Gentili, University of Maryland

Dr. Rodolphe Gentili 
CV/Resume

Dr. Gentili is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS), Maryland Robotics Center. The central theme of Dr. Gentili's research is to understand the brain processes underlying human motor behavior by employing, experimental cognitive-motor neuroscience, computational modeling and robotics-based approaches. Dr. Gentili uses electroencephalography (EEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), kinematics, dynamics, electromyography (EMG), computational modeling and robotics to examine the brain processes underlying human cognitive-motor adaptation, learning and performance. 

Hyuk Oh, University of Maryland

Hyuk Oh Ph.D. 
CV/Resume

Hyuk has a background in computer science and computational neuroscience at the University of Southern California and then at the University of Maryland College Park. His research focuses on developing neurally inspired network models to inform the cognitive-motor behavior in human as well as on neuroimaging data processing.   

Drew Ginsberg, University of Maryland

Drew Ginsberg
CV/Resume

Drew is a Lecturer, Supervisor of the Masters Certification Program (MCERT) in Physical Education (K-12) and Director of the Physical Activity Program. His research primarily focuses on understanding mental preparation from a psychophysiological perspective. He seeks to identify mechanisms explaining the mental preparation (psyching) force production relationship by combining neurophysiological, physiological, psychological and biomechanical measures using electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and isokinetic dynamometer to examine this relationship. 

Graduate Students

Steve Kahl, University of Maryland

Steve Kahl M.S. (Ph.D. Student) 
CV/Resume

Steve is currently a doctoral student in the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park pursuing a degree in Kinesiology. His research primarily focuses on analyzing the connection between sleep and human performance from both a physical and mental perspective. He seeks to investigate the decision making the process of the elite performer under physical and mental load. 

Kyle Pietro, University of Maryland

Kyle Pietro (Ph.D. Student)
CV/Resume

Kiersten Janjigian, University of Maryland

Kiersten Janjigian M.A., M.S., CMPC (Ph.D. Student) 
CV/Resume

Kiersten is currently a doctoral student in the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park pursuing a degree in Kinesiology. Her research primarily focuses on the psychophysiological investigation of applied sport psychology, along with the study of diagnosis and treatment of sport-related concussion. She seeks to explore the neural correlates of mental imagery and other psychological skills training tools to implement in neurofeedback and hopes to create a unique neuroelectric assessment of enhanced athletic performance. 

James Goedeke, University of Maryland

James Goedeke (Master's Student)
CV/Resume

James is currently a graduate student in the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park pursuing a master's degree in Kinesiology. His research primarily focuses on stress response under pressure and neurological effects and applications of natural movement methodologies. 

Alumni

Calvin Lu, University of Maryland

Calvin Lu, Ph. D.
CV/Resume

Calvin recently earned his doctoral degree in Kinesiology from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park. His research primarily focuses on how deep diaphragmatic breathing is able to alter autonomic and central nervous system activities and its ability to improve human performance, along with the possibility of utilizing deep diaphragmatic breathing as a treatment or rehabilitation technique.

Bradley Ritland

Bradley Ritland DPT, OCS, Ph. D.
CV/Resume

Bradley earned his doctoral degree in Kinesiology from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park. His research focuses primarily on how sleep levels impact human performance on (cognitive, psychomotor, and physical tasks). He is currently investigating how a short-term sleep extension intervention may impact/enhance performance on a cognitive and motor test battery. 

Kyle Jaquess

Kyle Jaquess M.A., Ph.D.
CV/Resume

Kyle earned his doctoral degree in Kinesiology from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park. His research primarily focuses on the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying the optimal learning state, based upon the challenge point framework which can elucidate details regarding the effective learning of cognitive-motor skills and to further the fields of kinesiology, psychology, cognitive-neuroscience, and ergonomics. Constructs of interest include expertise, engagement, self-control, learning and memory, mental workload, and the optimal challenge point.

Yue Du

Yue Du Ph.D. (Post-Doctoral Scholar) 
CV/Resume

DY earned his doctoral degree in Kinesiology from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park. His research is focused on how distinct learning processes interactively act during motor sequence learning and their functional roles in learning and memory that operate across different timescales (i.e., consolidation, retention and generalization). His long-term goal is to understand motor learning as well as its computational, cognitive, and neural underpinnings and use these motor learning principles to unravel the processes underlying the age-related development of motor learning. 

Li-Chuan Lo, University of Maryland

Li-Chuan Lo Ph.D. 
CV/Resume

Li-Chuan earned her doctoral degree in Kinesiology from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland College Park. She is a collaborative human behavioral researcher with a background in education psychology and training is psychophysiology. She has over 10 years of experience conducting observational experiments whose focus was to investigate the effect of stress on human attention and cognitive motor performance. She has served as a project manager and team leader executing data collection and analyses. 

Spring 2021 

Grant 
The lab was awarded toe Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) grant.

Presentation 
Calvin Lu presented at the VFS: Vertical Flight Society Forum titled Assessment of Augmented Operator's Mental Workload with Visual Assistive Technology in Simulated Rotocreft Piloting Tasks.

Fall 2021 

Job 
Calvin Lu was hired at the Washington D.C. VA Medical Center - Ware Related Illness and Injury Study (WRIISK) Center

Dissertation Defense
Calvin Lu successfully defended his dissertation. Congrats Dr. Lu.

Presentation
Lab presented at the Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VELCRO) titled, UM-1.16 Brain Biomarkers-based Assessment of Cognitive Workload in Rotocraft Piloting Tasks.

Presentation
Dr. Hatfield gave the Gwen Norrell Honorary Lecture at the Department of Kinesiology, Michigan State University titled, Partnership Between Academics and Intercollegiate Athletics: Supporting the Development of the Athlete.

New Students
Welcome to Kiersten Janjigian (Long Beach State University; California Baptist University) as she joins the lab as a doctoral student and welcome James Goedeke as he joins the lab as a graduate student.

Fall 2020 

Appointment 
Dr. Hatfield was appointed to Chair of the Athletics Council at the University of Maryland.

Fall 2019 

Job 
Kyle Jaquess began teaching in the Department of Psychology at Juniata College (PA).

Job
Seth Nieman continued work at the U.S. Military Academy - Westpoint.

Summer 2018 

Dissertation Defense 
Kyle Jaquess successfully defended his dissertation. Congrats Dr. Jaquess. 

Dissertation Defense 
Bradley Ritland successfully defended his dissertation. Congrats Dr. Ritland. 

New Student
Welcome to Josh Teso (University of California, Santa Cruz) as he joins the lab as an undergraduate student.

Spring 2018

Award
Calvin Lu was awarded the Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Grant. 

Award
Kyle Jaquess was awarded The James H. Humphrey Graduate Student Published Research Award for his article titled: Empirical Evidence for the Relationship Between Cognitive Workload and Attentional Reserve. 

Presentation
Dr. Hatfield gave The 2018 Bernard B. Ramsey Lecture Series Lecture produced by the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Education at The University of Georgia titled: The Brain and Mind of the Elite Performer: Efficient, Refined, and Resilient to Stress.

Presentation
Drew Ginsberg presented at The Sixth Annual Public Health Research @ Maryland Conference titled: The Effect of Mental Preparation on Voluntary Torque Production and Cortico-Cortical Communication. 

Presentation
Calvin Lu presented at The Sixth Annual Public Health Research @ Maryland Conference titled: Indexing Attentional Focus: A Critical Neural Element of Athletic Performance.

Fall 2017 

Award 
Congratulations to Bradley Ritland who was awarded the Department of Kinesiology graduate student grant program, Graduate Research Initiative Project (GRIP) to assist in funding his dissertation project. 

Presentation 
Kyle Jaquess presented at the Mid-Atlantic Region Conference of the American College of Sports Medicine in Harrisburg, PA titled: Memory Systems Engagement as a Potential Neurocognitive Mechanism Underlying the Effectiveness of Self-Regulated Practice.

Presentation 
Eric Elue presented at the Mid-Atlantic Region Conference of the American College of Sports Medicine in Harrisburg, PA titled: Psyching Effects on Voluntary Torque Production and Cortico-Cortical Communication using EEG. 

Presentation 
Calvin Lu presented at the Mid-Atlantic Region Conference of the American College of Sports Medicine in Harrisburg, PA titled: Indexing Attentional Focus: A Critical Neural Element of Athletic Performance.

Presentation 
Drew Ginsberg presented at the Mid-Atlantic Region Conference of the American College of Sports Medicine in Harrisburg, PA titled: The Effect of Mental Preparation on Voluntary Torque Production and Cortico-Cortical Communication. 

Presentation 
Kyle Jaquess gave a presentation at Neuroscience 2017, in Washington D.C. titled: The Relationship Between Cognitive Workload and Attentional Reserve: An empirical investigation. 

Summer 2017

Job 
Visiting Student Yingzhi Lu was named an assistant professor at Shanghai University of Sport. Congratulations to the new professor!  

New Student 
Welcome to Eric Elue as he joins the lab as an undergraduate student.

Fellowship 
Drew Ginsberg received the Graduate School Summer Research Fellowship which allowed him the opportunity to concentrate fully on scholarly activities and research. Congratulations Drew! 

Presentation 
Kyle Jaquess presented at the North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity in San Diego, CA titled: Changes in Mental Workload and Motor Performance During the Learning of a Novel Cognitive-Motor Task Over Practice Sessions. 

Spring 2017 

Visiting Professor 
Dr. Mingjung Woo from the University of Ulsan, South Korea joined the lab as a visiting professor.

Promotion 
Congratulations to Dr. Hyuk Oh as he was named a Research Assistant Professor within the Kinesiology Department, School of Public Health University of Maryland College Park. 

Grant 
Dr. Hatfield is awarded a grant from the Department of Defense: Army-Aviation Applied Technology Directorate. Title: Influence of Brain Processes on Cognitive Workload under Varying Levels of Challenge in a Degraded Visual Environment During Helicoptor Flight

Dissertation Defense 
Yingzhi Lu successfully defended her dissertation. Congratulations Dr. YZ!