Julie Robyn Steele is a retired Australian biomechanist who made breakthroughs in basic, clinical and applied biomechanics and she is internationally regarded as one of Australia's most influential biomechanists.[1]
Julie Steele | |
|---|---|
| Awards | 2005 NSW Telstra Businesswoman of the Year, 2019 Member (AM) of the Order of Australia |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biomechanics, applied biomechanics |
| Institutions | University of Wollongong |
She spent most of her career at the University of Wollongong, where she joined in 1983 and retired in 2020.[1] Here she founded the Biomechanics Research Laboratory and Breast Research Australia (BRA). In 2021 she was awarded with a Emeritus Professorship at the University.[2]
Biography
editSteele was born in Tasmania and, after completing high school, begun a career path in high school teaching; this was one of the few career options available to her as a woman of her generation in Australia. After graduation she found that there were no positions available so she relocated to Perth where she studied biomechanics under Professor Bruce Elliott.[2]
After completing her honours degree Steele relocated to Wollongong in 1983.[2]
Research career
editSteele's research has covered many aspects of the human body and, in particular, making life better for women. This has included making safe footwear for elderly women to prevent falls, creating wearable technologies for women suffering from lymphedema and designing the 'bionic bra' that tightens automatically when the wearer moves and relaxes when sitting or still.[2][3][4]
Steele said of this focus:[2]
This area of research has been largely ignored. It’s not because researchers are trying to be sexist, but rather, in male-dominated fields, they just haven’t thought about it.
— Julie Steele, 30 April 2021
Awards
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Moroney, Tracey (2021-04-28). "Julie Robyn Steele, Emeritus Professor". University of Wollongong. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ a b c d e "After 37 years, Julie Steele relishes new chapter of remarkable research career". University of Wollongong. 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Phillips, Nicky (2014-12-11). "'Smart bra': Australian engineers develop bionic bra with intelligent fabric". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Steele, Julie R; Gho, Sheridan A; Campbell, Toni E; Richards, Christopher J; Beirne, Stephen; Spinks, Geoffrey M; Wallace, Gordon G (2018-07-17). "The Bionic Bra: Using electromaterials to sense and modify breast support to enhance active living". Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering. 5. doi:10.1177/2055668318775905. ISSN 2055-6683. PMC 6453067. PMID 31191941.
- ^ "2005-2001 Telstra Business Women's Award Winners". Telstra. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ "2019: Exceptional researchers recognised in Australia Day Honours - University of Wollongong – UOW". www.uow.edu.au. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Teerds, John (2022-01-25). "Australia Day awards honour women legal leaders in Queensland". Proctor. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Boyd, Emma (2019-01-25). "Australia Day Honours". University of Wollongong / Innovation Campus. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
- ^ Letifi, Agron (2019-01-25). "Australia Day honours for inspiring University of Wollongong women". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 2024-11-27.