Sarah Breen

Associate Professor

Email: sabreen@ou.edu
Office: Gallogly Hall (GLG) 321

Education
Postgraduate Certificate, Academic Practice (2015)
Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom
Ph.D. Biomechanics (2012)
University of Limerick, Ireland
B.Sc. Sport & Exercise Sciences (2008)
University of Limerick, Ireland

Research Focus

My primary research expertise is in biomechanics, with a focus on measuring human movement to better understand injury and support clinical rehabilitation. I also conduct scholarship in engineering education, particularly in technology-enhanced learning, applied and experiential instruction, and approaches that prepare students to become impactful engineers. This work has included leading international workshops on online instruction in higher education and contributing to interdisciplinary student-development initiatives through the NSF-funded DIANA National Research Traineeship and S-STEM IMPACT Scholars programs.

I am not accepting PhD students at this time.

Service & Outreach

I am committed to service, outreach, and initiatives that strengthen access, belonging, and professional development within engineering and biomechanics. At the University of Oklahoma, I serve as Associate Director of the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering and contribute to curriculum development, student mentoring, faculty governance, and interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate programs.

Internationally, I served as Vice President for Publications for the International Society of Biomechanics in Sports from 2014–2021. I currently support, or have previously served in support of, the Black Biomechanists Association, the International Women in Biomechanics Group, and the Advancing Women in Biomechanics Group.

Selected Publications

Petushek, E., Breen, S., Myer, G., Dupuis, B., Sandor, D., Ebben, W., & Krosshaug, T. Competency and confidence in qualitative biomechanical assessment of exercise technique among exercise professionals. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Published October 22, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000005249
Bell E, Seymore K, Breen S, McCullough M. Empowering Black Scientists in STEM: Early Success of the Black Biomechanists Association. Biomed Eng Educ. (2022) Jul 13:1-9. https://10.1007/s43683-022-00078-z
Breen S, Knudson D. International survey of faculty teaching undergraduate introductory biomechanics. Sports Biomech. (2022) Aug 22:1-14. https://10.1080/14763141.2022.2110933
Bayne H, Albertus Y, Breen S, Green A, de Andrade AG, Kramer M, Carpes FP. Biomechanics without Borders: Teaching Biomechanics in Brazil and South Africa. Adv Physiol Educ. (2021) Mar 1;45(1):34-36. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00182.2020
O Sullivan IJ, Johnson MI, Hind K, Breen S, Francis P. Are changes in running economy associated with changes in performance in runners? A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci. (2019) Jul;37(13):1521-1533. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1575177
Clarke S.B., Deighton K, Newman C, Nicholson G, Gallagher L, Boos CJ, et al. Changes in balance and joint position sense during a 12-day high altitude trek: The British Services Dhaulagiri medical research expedition. PLoS ONE (2018) 13(1): e0190919. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0190919
Francis, P., Ledingham, J., Clarke, S. B., Collins, D. J., and Jakeman, P., ‘A Comparison of Stride Length and Lower Extremity Kinematics during Barefoot and Shod Running in Well Trained Distance Runners.’ Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. (2016) 15(3), 417-423. [available here]
Clarke, S. B., Kenny, I. C., & Harrison, A. J. (2015). Dynamic knee joint mechanics after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 47(1), 120-127.https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000389