Nike’s UWaterloo family

Nike hires many talented kinesiology grads, particularly alumni of the master’s program, for its research and development divisions.

Nick Frank (BSc ’11, MSc ’13, Kinesiology), now a researcher in the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL), chalks this up to Waterloo’s innovative spirit.

“At Waterloo, we were taught how to solve tough problems because that’s how you get to the good stuff,” he says. He also says that Waterloo grads are set apart by the solid foundation they build from early stages in their undergraduate studies. “Starting with a strong foundation allows us to be creative problem solvers. Waterloo played a large part in developing that skill.”

Professor Emeritus Jim Frank (BSc ’73, MSc ’75, Kinesiology), met up with seven of the nine Waterloo grads now working at Nike’s Oregon headquarters while on a research trip in February 2017 and snapped this photo:

Professor Jim Frank with his former students now working at NIKE.

Front row, left - right: MARTINE MIENTJES (MSc ’96, PhD ’00, Kinesiology), Quality, Safety & Standards Management Director; Sons of MARTINE MIENTJES & MIKE AMOS (Mike is located directly behind the boys); DAVE JONES (BSc ’84, Kinesiology), Senior Director, Footwear Innovation; JIM FRANK (BSc ’73, MSc ’75, Kinesiology), Professor Emeritus, Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo.

Back row, left-right: NSRL Researchers MIKE AMOS (BSc ’96, MSc ’98, Kinesiology), SHIVAM BHAN (MSc ’14, Kinesiology), BRYAN PICCO (BSc ’09, MSc ’12, Kinesiology) and NICK FRANK (BSc ’11, MSc ’13 Kinesiology); with ADAM THUSS (BASc ’10, Mechanical Engineering), Generative Designer, Footwear Innovation.

Top photo: Another shot of Nike’s UWaterloo family, this time including GENG LUO (BSc ’06, Kinesiology), Senior Biomechanics Researcher, front row, left; and KATELYN FRASER (BSc ’11, MSc ’14, Kinesiology), Physiology Researcher, front row, centre.