A short summary of Eirik's research: 

My main research interest relates to the prevention of injuries and improvement of athletic development practices in youth sports, and I have a passion for football (soccer) in particular. The adolescent age groups are especially interesting to work with, since the variations in size and ability within the same age groups and teams can be really large due to individual differences in growth and maturity. This adds a fascinating challenge for both researchers and practitioners who want to reduce the impact of injuries, improving talent identification and selection processes and optimise training plans.

Research for Impact is one of the core strategic themes in SU`s Vision 2040. Can you describe the (potential) impact of your research?

We hope to understand the most common injuries that youth football players in the Cape Town/Stellenbosch area sustain and over time work to implement programmes that can reduce their impact. By combining resources and volunteers from local clubs and Stellenbosch University, we have been able to run weekly volunteer youth clinics and provide medical assistance to players who would otherwise not have access to clinicians specialising in sports medicine. Alongside this, we work to understand differences in biological maturity and raise awareness around how this can influence selection processes. Often, earlier maturing athletes are favoured over those who are later maturing even though it is largely genetically determined.

In the ever-changing environment of academia, what are some of the obstacles postdoctoral researchers are faced with?

As a postdoctoral researcher in South Africa, we are not provided with the same access or opportunities as full-time staff members at the university (e.g., main applicant on grant applications, main supervision), which sometimes can be challenging to accept. It is also difficult to plan and establish long-term research programmes which produce high quality research outputs when you are on a short-term engagement, typically two years at a time.

What would you regard as the most important aspects to consider to effectively support postdoctoral researchers?

It is important for postdoctoral researchers to be given the opportunity to plan and manage research programmes by themselves, while developing skills and experience that will increase their chance of being employed in the future. Financial support for research operations is also important, as it may take time to bring in own funding within the fellowship period.

What excites you about your work? 

The opportunity to work within a field I am passionate about is the most exciting part of my work. Doing this in a foreign country and a challenging research environment can be difficult at times, but also highly rewarding.

When you're not in the lab, library or in the field conducting research, what do you do to unwind?

I try to exercise most days of the week, which is a great way for me to unwind. Otherwise, TV series at home, football and rugby games at Danie Craven stadium, or visiting cafés/winefarms in and around Stellenbosch!

How has the postdoctoral researcher programme of SU contributed to your research career? 

I have been given the opportunity to set up and manage research programmes from scratch and learn new research methods. I have also had the opportunity to expand and strengthen research networks and join multi-centre studies through these.

What advice, if any, would you look to impart to future postdoctoral researchers?

I would recommend finding a host or research group that is willing to let you explore the field and questions you are passionate about and that also gives you the freedom to start and lead your own research programmes.

Connect with Eirik and his work: 

X: @eirikwik
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eirik-Wik
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirik-halvorsen-wik-2b46398a/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=eSYdCmcAAAAJ&hl=no