Alex Ehlert, Ph.D.
Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
of America
Applied Sports Scientist and Researcher
with 25+ peer-reviewed publications and
extensive experience applying scientific
principles and data-informed systems to
real-world sports performance
environments.
Experience
Exerfly
Applied Sports
Scientist / October
—
Present
I serve as a technical expert
on the use of flywheel
resistance training across
various sports science, sports
performance, rehabilitation,
and fitness settings. This
includes developing
educational materials about
the science and application of
flywheel resistance training,
organization of research
libraries on the benefits of
flywheel training, the
collection of case study data,
and the writing of case
studies and white papers from
this data.
Fenris Group
Sports Science Consultant
(R&D) / May, 2022 —
October, 2023
In this role, I served as a
sports science consultant and
R&D specialist as part of
the Research & Innovation
department at a sports
technology startup. In this
role, I planned and
implemented applied research
projects including the
validation of existing
products, exploratory projects
to develop new features and
products, and consulted with
all departments on sports
science research and
principles across the entire
product lifecycle. Notable
achievements included the
development of a sports
science smartphone application
prototype, which was capable
of measuring over 100 metrics
about athlete movement and
performance using marker less
motion capture.
Research Scientist and
Sport Scientist / May, 2022 —
October, 2023
Planned and implemented
research and statistical
projects as part of a
multi-disciplinary research
and development team. Provided
sports science and research
expertise to RD initiatives
focused on the development and
validation of innovative
performance technologies and
software offerings. Created
statistical scripts to process
clean and analyze data and to
create data visualizations and
reports to convey key insights
to stakeholders and clients.
Coordinated health and
performance profiling for
athletic organizations at the
sports science lab including
the integration of multiple
data sources to provide
actionable insights to
athletes and coaches.
North Carolina Wesleyan
University
Assistant Professor / August, 2021 —
May, 2022
As a tenure track faculty
member in the department of
exercise science, I engaged in
scholarly research, instructed
undergraduate courses, and
supervised students as they
engaged in academic research
projects. My research focus
was on the use of field-based
technology (GPS, radar guns,
portable force plates) to
assess and monitor athlete
health, fitness, and
performance over time. I was
also collaborating with
external colleagues on
projects related to the
measurement and use of
technology to aid coaching and
decision-making in golf and
other skill-based sports.
Assistant Professor of
Exercise Science / May, 2021 —
June, 2022
Managed research teams
consisting of colleagues
student researchers and
external collaborators to
conduct sports science
research projects and publish
results in scientific
journals. Developed health and
performance testing protocols
for athletes on campus which
integrated outputs from
multiple technologies applied
statistical models and
generated reports and
dashboards to provide
data-informed insights to
student-athletes and coaches.
Created standard operating
procedures to ensure
high-quality data collection
procedures were adhered to
within the Applied Physiology
Laboratory. Supervised
student-led research projects
including guidance on research
methodology data collection
and analysis and preparation
of scientific reports
manuscripts and presentations.
Old Dominion University
PhD Fellow / August, 2018 —
August, 2021
As a PhD student in the Human
Performance Laboratory, I was
actively involved in all
stages of applied sports
science research across a wide
range of topic areas. I was
also instructing courses and
consulting with athletes on
applied sports science
practices. Finally, I tested
hundreds of athletes and other
community members as part of
research projects and
collaborations with the
Athletics department.
PhD Researcher and Sport
Scientist / July, 2018 —
August, 2021
Designed and conducted
research projects and
supported ongoing research
studies within the Human
Performance Laboratory.
Coordinated physiological
psychological and performance
testing with athletes as part
of community and university
sports science initiatives.
Developed an extensive data
and statistical skillset and
gained considerable experience
using statistical tools (R
Excel SPSS SAS) to process
analyze and visualize data
from diverse data sources
including metabolic analyses
wearable sensors (HR HRV GPS)
body composition testing force
plate data and subjective
psychological and nutrition
questionnaires. Completed a
complex dissertation project
involving the collection
monitoring and analysis of
physiological psychological
nutrition and training data
from 150+ endurance athletes
to investigate interventions
for mitigating health side
effects from intensive
training.
Exerfly Sport
Applied Sports
Scientist / October, 2023 —
Present
Create educational resources
on the science and application
of flywheel training including
blogs case studies white
papers research summaries and
training templates. Spearhead
RD projects to develop and
validate the data capabilities
of existing and upcoming
products as the subject matter
expert in sports science
research and data analysis.
Conduct literature reviews and
manage a research library of
300+ studies to summarize
evidence-based practices and
convey actionable insights to
colleagues customers and
partners. Collaborate with
customers and research groups
to optimize usage of Exerfly
products within their specific
settings.
Self-Employed
Sport Science and RD
Consultant / January, 2017 —
Present
Consult with companies
organizations and individual
athletes to provide sports
science and RD support.
Examples of recent projects
include 1) working with a
private athletic performance
company to develop and
finetune data-informed
practices and 2) providing
sports science data analysis
and RD expertise for a
large-scale project which is
developing cutting-edge
performance and health
services within a sports
performance center. Recently
developed part of the
educational curriculum for a
sport performance
certification focused on
evidence-based approaches to
biomechanical analyses and
athlete testing and profiling.
Served on the advisory board
for multiple technology
companies and sports
organizations providing
insights as a sports science
RD and data subject matter
expert.
Research Expertise
Sports Science
Biomechanics
Golf Research
Exercise Physiology
Fitness Technologies
And 5 more
About
Dr. Alex Ehlert has a strong academic
background in the field of Human
Movement Sciences and has dedicated
his career to understanding and
improving human performance. He
received his Ph.D. in Human Movement
Sciences with a concentration in
Applied Kinesiology from Old Dominion
University in 2021. Prior to this, he
earned his M.S. in Exercise Physiology
and B.S. in Kinesiology - Sports
Medicine from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. Dr. Ehlert has
extensive experience in both academia
and industry, working as an Assistant
Professor at North Carolina Wesleyan
University and conducting research and
consulting for sports technology
companies. He has also worked
published 25+ peer-reviewed scientific
publications on various topics related
to sports science, sports technology
and data, and human physiology. In his
current role as an Applied Sports
Scientist at Exerfly Sport, Dr. Ehlert
applies his knowledge and expertise to
develop educational resources and
serve as a technical expert on the
science and application of flywheel
training. He also works as a Sport
Science and R&D Consultant for
various organizations, developing
scientific and data-informed systems
to help support coaches and the
athletes they work with. Dr. Ehlert's
passion for his field is evident in
his dedication to staying up-to-date
with the latest research and
techniques in human movement and
sports science. His expertise and
experience make him a valuable asset
to any team or organization looking to
improve performance and prevent
injuries.