ABOUT

W124°

W124° is a consultancy with the mission of exploring, translating, and applying insights gleaned from scientific research to innovations and strategies that push the boundaries of human performance. The focus of W124° is to help organizations dissect and understand the problems they are trying to solve, educate on the underlying scientific insights, then help translate and apply those insights to innovative solutions. With an extensive network of collaborators, W124° can connect organizations with expertise and data collection sources, as well as, develop and implement short and long-term scientific research projects and agendas.

 

BRAD WILKINS, PH.D.

W124° was founded by Brad Wilkins, a leader at the intersection of science and business. As a scientist, Dr. Wilkins explores the physiological limits of human potential and is a leading expert in exercise and sport physiology. His passion lies in understanding and dissecting the barriers to human performance (either real or perceived) and creating innovative solutions to push the boundaries of what’s possible. A creative and critical thinker, Brad pursues answers to right questions, not just the obvious questions.

Dr. Wilkins has over 20 years of experience in exercise and sport physiology research, with a decade of experience translating and applying insights gleaned from scientific research to product innovation and business strategy. He has a unique perspective; integrating what he has learned from experience as an academic scientist, educator, innovator, industry scientist, and business leader. As an accomplished scientist at Nike, Dr. Wilkins held a number of scientific and business leadership positions. Brad founded the Nike+ Sport Performance Laboratory, translating innovative science at the forefront of wearable digital technology development. During this time, Brad led a diverse team of scientists and algorithm engineers to develop impactful data driven solutions, using hardware and data platforms, to understand and improve human performance and health. As Director of the Next Generation Research Team, Brad led the team exploring the bleeding edge of sport product research and development. Most recently, Dr. Wilkins led a creative and integrated strategy to attempt one of the greatest endeavors in human endurance performance; Nike’s Breaking2 project.

Brad is a student of creative innovation strategies and the integration of scientific exploration in the process of inventing new solutions that push boundaries. He is an advocate for scientific exploration and the proliferation of scientific integrity in the sport products industry, and an educator of young scientists (exploring career impact outside of academia) and young sport product industry professionals (promoting critical and creative thinking strategies).

PUBLISHED RESEARCH

Full List of Publications

PUBLISHED PATENTS

Full List of Patents

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Bachelor of Science

Exercise & Sport Science
Oregon State University

Masters of Science

Exercise Science
Northern Michigan University

Doctor of Philosophy

Human Physiology
University of Oregon

Postdoctoral Fellow

Human Integrative Physiology
Mayo Clinic

EXPERIENCE

For most of the last decade, Dr. Wilkins was an accomplished scientist at Nike, holding a number of scientific and business leadership positions. Brad led the Physiology Research Team in the Nike Sport Research Lab, exploring innovative solutions to mitigate the impact of environment on sport performance. Brad founded the Nike+ Sport Performance Laboratory, translating innovative science at the forefront of wearable digital technology development. During this time, Brad led a diverse team of scientists and algorithm engineers to develop impactful data driven solutions, using hardware and data platforms, to understand and improve human performance and health. Brad led the Next Generation Research Team in the Nike Sport Research Lab, exploration the bleeding edge of sport product research and development. His team of Physiologists and Biomechanists drove the cutting-edge research for next generation Nike products. Recently, Dr. Wilkins led a creative and integrated strategy to attempt one of the greatest endeavors in human endurance performance; Nike’s Breaking2 project. Brad has been invited to speak on topics as diverse as the impact of scientific exploration on product innovation, the science behind wearable sensor technology, the mechanisms underpinning human physiological responses to heat stress and altitude, and the physiological limits of human performance.

NIKE BREAKING 2

In the summer of 2016 Brad Wilkins and a team of experts at Nike set out to achieve a goal that had been deemed impossible – running a marathon in under 2 hours. After a year of planning, analysis, and innovation three world champion athletes and Brad’s team descended on Monza, Italy where Breaking 2 unfolded.

LEARN

Dr. Wilkins is an experienced educator, currently holding an adjuct position in the Sport Product Management Program at the University of Oregon. Brad has been invited to speak on numerous topics and is always open to discuss potential speaking engagements.

NEWS

Brad Wilkins has been featured in pieces by Runners World, The Orgonian, Portland Business Journal and more.