Prof. Dr. Matthieu Lenoir is a globally respected scholar in motor development and the immediate Past President of the I-MDRC.

 

A full professor in the Department of Movement and Sports Sciences at Ghent University, Dr. Lenoir has spent over two decades leading innovative, interdisciplinary research at the intersection of motor control, motor learning, and applied health sciences. Since launching the Motor Control research group in 1999, he has supervised nearly 30 PhDs and published close to 200 peer-reviewed articles, positioning his team as a hub of translational movement science.

 

His work spans a broad age spectrum, from early childhood to older adulthood, and consistently bridges rigorous research with societal relevance.

Key achievements include:

• The Flemish Sports Compass (VSK): A science-based tool to guide young children and families in selecting sports aligned with individual motor and physical profiles, now housed within the nonprofit Sports World.

• Multimove: A large-scale intervention promoting foundational motor skills in children ages 3–8. Now widely adopted in Flanders' PE and Movement Science curricula.

• Eye-Tracking Innovations: Dr. Lenoir’s use of infrared corneal reflection technology has advanced our understanding of visual processing in motor tasks. His research has led to the development of the Hazard Perception Test for young cyclists, now being translated into educational tools for traffic safety.

 

Prof. Lenoir also brings his expertise to the broader scientific community as a Section Editor for Human Movement Science and Associate Editor for the Journal of Motor Learning and Development. He remains a founding partner of the International Consortium on Motor Development Research, underscoring his dedication to collaborative, high-impact scholarship.

 

Whether evaluating motor skills in young athletes, improving mobility and safety in older adults, or training the next generation of movement scientists, Dr. Lenoir’s work exemplifies the I-MDRC mission of research with purpose.

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Learn more about his research. ​

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