Thomas Korff

Doctoral Candidate and Graduate Research Assistant

Developmental Motor Control Laboratory
University of Texas at Austin
Department of Kinesiology & Health Education, BEL 222
Austin, Texas 78712
Phone: 512-232-2686
Fax: 512-471-8914
e-mail: korff@mail.utexas.edu

Research Interest

My research interest is in motor development. Specifically, I am interested in using biomechanical techniques to answer questions that help us understand the typical progression of motor skill acquisition. It is my goal to use this information to create interventions that help atypically developing children improve motor performance.

Education

• September 2000 – Present: Doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin
  
  
• 1994 – May 2000: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU), Germany. Degree: 1. Staatsexamen für die Sekundarstufen I und II (equivalent to a Master of Science, Majors: Physical Education and Mathematics).
  
  
• September 1997 – April 1998: Exchange at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
  

Work Experience

• Lecturer of Biomechanics
  
  • Brunel University, UK
  • Thomas Korff's Brunel University webpage
    
    
• Teaching Assistant:
  
  
  • The University of Texas at Austin
    • Motor Control
    • Motor Learning
    • Movement Analysis
      
      
  • The Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany
    • Biomechanics
      
      
• Research Assistant
  
  
  • Developmental Motor Control Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin
  • Balance Research Laboratory, The University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
  • Laboratory of Applied Biomechanics, The Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany
    
    
• Teacher of a group of mentally handicapped adults of the Lebenshilfe Münster, Germany.
  
  
• Social service in the nursing home "Haus Abendfrieden" der Diakonissenanstalt Salem-Köslin, Minden, Germany.
  

Publications

• Jensen, J.L., & Korff, T. (2003). Age-related changes of adaptability to changing task demands in bicycling in terms of kinematic variability during childhood. Manuscript submitted for publication.
  
  
• Brown, L.A., Jensen, J.L., Korff, T., & Woollacott, M.H. (2001). The translating platform paradigm: Perturbation displacement waveform alters the postural response. Gait & Posture, 14, 256-263.
  
  
• Brown, L. A., Jensen, J. L., Korff, T., Woollacott, M. H. (2000). Die Effekte der Beschleunigung auf die neuromuskuläre Reaktion bei einer Plattentranslation als externe Störung des Gleichgewichts. In: Nicol, K., & Peikenkamp, K. (Eds): Apparative Biomechanik - Methodik und Anwendungen, Hamburg, 63-68.
  

Published Abstracts

• Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Standardisierung beim Versuchsaufbau von Experimenten der motorischen Entwicklung und Auswirkungen auf deren Interpretation: Normalisierung der Kurbellänge beim Radfahren. [Abstract]. Schriftenreihe der DVS, 138, 200.
  
  
• Korff, T., Chao, P., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Role differentiation of mono- and biarticular muscles during cycling: Are there age-related differences? [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25(Suppl.), S83.
  
  
• Chao, P., Korff, T., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Muscle co-contraction during cycling: A potential adaptation mechanism in children to enhance force production [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25(Suppl.), S108.
  
  
• Liu, T., Korff, T., Chao, P., & Jensen, J.L. (2003). Bilateral asymmetry and cycling performance in children. [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 25(Suppl.), S91.
  
  
• Korff, T., Chao, P., & Jensen, J. L. (2003). Age-related changes in force production during cycling: Differences in muscle activation patterns [Abstract]. European Workshop on Movement Science, Book of Abstracts, 112-113.
  
  
• Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2003). Development of adaptation to changing speed requirements in terms of negative muscular work during bicycling [Abstract]. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 74(Suppl.), A32-A33.
  
  
• Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2002). The effects of age and task demand on movement variability during cycling [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24(Suppl.), S81-S82.
  
  
• Chao, P., Rabago, C., Korff, T., & Jensen, J. L. (2002). Muscle activation adaptations in children in response to changes in cycling cadence [Abstract]. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24(Suppl.), S42-S43.
  
  
• Bohn, C., Nicol, K., Korff, T., & Shan, G.B. (2000). How to improve the individual running technique of above knee amputee sprinters - a biomechanical comparison [Abstract]. 5th Scientific Congress, Paralympics, Sydney, Abstractbook, 31.
  
  
• Van Husen, M., Korff, T., Peikenkamp, K., Nicol, K. (1999). Kinematic and dynamic analysis of the landing after a volleyball spike jump [Abstract]. XVIIth ISB Congress, Abstracts, 676.
  
  
• Brown, L. A., Jensen, J. L., Korff, T., & Woollacott, M. H. (1999). The effects of platform acceleration on postural control: a kinematic and kinetic analysis [Abstract]. XVIIth ISB Congress Abstracts, 840.
  
  
• Brown, L. A., Jensen, J. L., Korff, T., & Woollacott, M. H. (1998). The effect of plate acceleration on the neuromuscular response to a balance disturbance [Abstract]. Proceedings of the North American Congress of Biomechanics, 247.

Awards

• A. D. Hutchison Student Endowment Fellowship, 2003-2004, The University of Texas at Austin
  
  
• University Tuition Fellowship, 2002-2003, The University of Texas at Austin
  
  
• Dr. Mary Buice Alderson Graduate Scholarship for Teaching Excellence, 2001, The University of Texas at Austin