About

I am a researcher working across the sport, exercise, and nutrition sciences, research methodology, philosophy of science, and meta-science. I am currently Head of Research at MacroFactor, an Adjunct Industry Associate Professor at RMIT University, and Director of Steele Research Ltd, through which I offer independent research consultancy.

My work is broad, but connected by a concern with how research questions are framed, how concepts and theories are constructed and subsequently tested, and how evidence should be generated, synthesised, and interpreted. Current interests include:

philosophy of science and the foundations of scientific research;
concept formation, theory construction, modelling, and severe testing;
meta-analysis, causal inference, measurement, and intervention-effect heterogeneity;
open, transparent, reproducible, and computational research workflows; and
applications across resistance training, body composition, energy expenditure, and nutrition.

At MacroFactor I lead research projects intended to improve the evidence and models underlying nutrition and resistance training practices. My wider academic work ranges from large multi-site resistance-training trials and evidence synthesis to methodological and philosophical questions pertaining to the nature of the how we go about our science and what we can infer from the research we conduct.

Over nearly two decades of working in this space I have previously served as Head of Research for Kieser Australia, Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise Science at Solent University, and as Principal Investigator at the ukactive Research Institute. Across those roles I led and contributed to funded projects with academic, public, and private-sector partners; supervised doctoral researchers; taught research methods; served on national expert groups; and worked as an editor and statistical reviewer.

Background

My academic training includes a PhD in Clinical Exercise Science, a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods, and a first-class BSc (Hons) in Applied Sport Science. The publication archive on this site covers peer-reviewed articles, preprints, chapters, and other scholarly outputs. I also publish talks and research-methods teaching through the Steele Research video library and YouTube channel.

I am interested in research that is both more intellectually serious and as a result more practically useful: stronger concepts, riskier theories, clearer inferential targets, better measurement, and analyses and tests that acknowledge uncertainty instead of hiding it.

Beyond the formal biography

Away from work, I spend time with my family and friends, play videogames and tabletop roleplaying and wargames, am a big anime fan, read widely (mostly sci-fi and fantasy for fiction, and philosophy for non-fiction), enjoy long walks, gardening, work out in my spit and sawdust garage gym, play golf, and whilst working from home am routinely supervised by my cat named Kiki (and when she’s home, my wife Emma).

James relaxing on a garden bench with Kiki the cat on his lap

External profiles

Declaration of interests

My research and commentary sit alongside current and previous employment, paid consultancy, academic appointments, editorial work, and collaborations with commercial and non-commercial organisations. These relationships do not mean that any organisation directs what I write unless I explicitly state otherwise, but they are relevant context for readers. I keep a fuller declaration of interests covering current roles, consultancy, research support, and other professional and intellectual interests.

Contact

The simplest way to reach me is by email at james@steele-research.com.