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I received my PhD in Kinesiology with a specialization in Behavioural and Cognitive Neural Science from the University of Waterloo in August 2006 and my MSc in Kinesiology with a specialization in Biomechanics from the University of Waterloo in June 2001.
Prior to joining Wilfrid Laurier University, I was a post doctoral fellow in the Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences at Brown University (Providence, RI) from 2006-2008.
I am primarily interested in the perceptual and cognitive factors that affect the control of locomotion as well as measuring and understanding the changes in the dynamic control of locomotion in cluttered environments over a life span. My research provides insights into how the brain processes sensory information (inputs) and executes skilled behaviours (motor outputs) in every day situations during the middle developmental stages as well as during later stages of life. My research interests have also been directed towards understanding perception-action integration dysfunctions in concussed individuals.
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Awards Awards
Institution
Year
Donald F. Morgenson Faculty of Awards of
Teaching Excellence- Hoffman Little Award of Academic Excellence in Teaching and Research
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Canada
2022
Faculty of Science Teaching Excellence
Award Nomination
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Canada
2021
Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty of Science
Merit Award
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Canada
2025; 2023; 2019; 2014
Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association
Faculty Mentoring Award
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Canada
2017
Accepting graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) please email for more information
Publications from the last 6 years
1: Kelly IM, Cinelli ME. The effects of mental fatigue on decision-making for
collision avoidance. Exp Brain Res. 2025 Dec 5;244(1):10. doi:
10.1007/s00221-025-07206-5. PMID: 41348165.
2: Reinders NP, Massarotto G, Lacasse M, Hazell TJ, Cinelli ME. Exercise
intensity improves performance on a spatial memory task. Exp Brain Res. 2025 Aug
18;243(9):195. doi: 10.1007/s00221-025-07142-4. PMID: 40824315.
3: Mitchell KM, Dalton KN, Cinelli ME. The effect of recent concussion history
on dynamic visual acuity and balance control in varsity athletes. Exp Brain Res.
2025 Jun 6;243(7):168. doi: 10.1007/s00221-025-07122-8. PMID: 40478463.
4: Holloway TA, Cinelli ME. Mutual avoidance behaviours of two pedestrians
passing through an aperture. Hum Mov Sci. 2025 Jun;101:103352. doi:
10.1016/j.humov.2025.103352. Epub 2025 Mar 28. PMID: 40156939.
5: Nikmanesh M, Cinelli ME, Marigold DS. Constraints matter: Virtual pedestrians
with mobility constraints affect individuals' avoidance behaviours. Acta Psychol
(Amst). 2025 Apr;254:104863. doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104863. Epub 2025 Mar 1.
PMID: 40023921.
6: Nikmanesh M, Cinelli ME, Marigold DS. Identifying factors that contribute to
collision avoidance behaviours while walking in a natural environment. Sci Rep.
2025 Jan 28;15(1):3530. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-88149-3. PMID: 39875496; PMCID:
PMC11775279.
7: Thompson BJ, Cinelli ME. The effects of sport-specific training on
individuals action strategies while avoiding a virtual player approaching on a
45° angle while completing a secondary task. PLoS One. 2024 Oct
25;19(10):e0292712. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292712. PMID: 39453898; PMCID:
PMC11508686.
8: Mitchell KM, Dalton KN, Cinelli ME. A treadmill running research protocol to
assess dynamic visual acuity and balance for athletes with and without recent
concussion history. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2024 May 17;16(1):112. doi:
10.1186/s13102-024-00900-x. PMID: 38760838; PMCID: PMC11101338.
9: Thompson BJ, Cinelli ME. Collision avoidance behaviours while young adults
avoid a virtual pedestrian approaching on a 45° angle under attentionally
demanding conditions. Hum Mov Sci. 2024 Jun;95:103226. doi:
10.1016/j.humov.2024.103226. Epub 2024 May 9. PMID: 38728852.
10: Bourgaize SM, McFadyen BJ, Cinelli ME. Avoidance behaviours while
circumventing to the left or right of someone with different shoulder widths and
facing directions: How do side, width, or orientation matter? Hum Mov Sci. 2023
Apr;88:103071. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2023.103071. Epub 2023 Feb 26. PMID:
36848722.
11: Snyder NA, Cinelli ME. Aperture Crossing in Virtual Reality: Physical
Fatigue Delays Response Time. J Mot Behav. 2022;54(4):429-437. doi:
10.1080/00222895.2021.2006595. Epub 2021 Nov 24. PMID: 34818991.
12: Powers KC, Pfaff LM, Cinelli ME. Collision avoidance behaviors of recently
concussed female rugby players with an approaching person. J Biomech. 2021 Nov
9;128:110776. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110776. Epub 2021 Sep 27. PMID:
34628199.
13: Rapos V, Cinelli ME, Grunberg R, Bourgaize S, Crétual A, Olivier AH.
Collision avoidance behaviours between older adult and young adult walkers. Gait
Posture. 2021 Jul;88:210-215. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.05.033. Epub 2021 Jun
9. PMID: 34118745.
14: Sharp KC, Cinelli ME. The effects of different environments on older adults'
ability to successfully cross a closing gap in virtual reality. Gait Posture.
2021 Jun;87:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.04.009. Epub 2021 Apr 13. PMID:
33866151.
15: Taylor EM, Cinelli ME. The effects of human following behaviours on decision
making during aperture crossing scenarios. Gait Posture. 2021 Jan;83:232-236.
doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.11.002. Epub 2020 Nov 5. PMID: 33189076.
16: Hackney AL, Cinelli ME, Warren WH, Frank JS. Are avatars treated like human
obstacles during aperture crossing in virtual environments? Gait Posture. 2020
Jul;80:74-76. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.05.028. Epub 2020 May 22. PMID:
32492623; PMCID: PMC7849829.
17: Bourgaize SM, McFadyen BJ, Cinelli ME. Collision avoidance behaviours when
circumventing people of different sizes in various positions and locations. J
Mot Behav. 2021;53(2):166-175. doi: 10.1080/00222895.2020.1742083. Epub 2020 Mar
18. PMID: 32188359.
Undergraduate Courses
- KP221/HN210- FunctionalHuman Anatomy
- KP362- Motor Development
- KP361- Sensorimotor Control and Learning
- KP465- Balance, Posture, and Gait
Contact Info:
Office location: Bricker Academic (BA) 511
Languages spoken: English