The Team

William (Bill) Amonette, Ph.D., is the executive director of the Health and Human Performance Institute (HHPI). In this role he serves as the chief science officer for HHPI, leading the vision and the strategic direction for research, programming, and educational outreach. Amonette is also a tenured associate professor of exercise science; his research identifies physiologic and mechanical factors that may predict or limit human performance in populations ranging from professional and Olympic athletes to patients with chronic diseases or neurologic injuries.

Prior to his work at UH-Clear Lake, he served at Wyle Life Sciences (NASA-JSC) as an exercise physiologist as well as an astronaut strength conditioning specialist and rehabilitation specialist. He was also a strength and conditioning coach for the Houston Rockets and Chinese National Basketball Team at the Olympic Training Center in Beijing, China. Amonette earned a Ph.D. at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in rehabilitation sciences, with a research emphasis in clinical exercise physiology and endocrinology. Amonette is a senior editor for the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, an ad hoc peer reviewer for many biomedical science journals, and the co-director of the Low Carb Houston Conference.

Joseph Hazzard, Ed.D., ATC is the Clinical Director of the Health & Human Performance Institute. In this role he serves as a senior leader on the Board of Directors for HHPI, oversees all clinical operations, supervises graduate and undergraduate students, and works to integrate and develop research and clinical programs for the Institute. Dr. Hazzard brings more than 30 years of experience to HHPI as a clinician, teacher, and scholar in sports medicine and rehabilitation. His career includes 31 years as a faculty member and Head Athletic Trainer at the collegiate level; he also served as a site PI for the NCAA/DoD Grand Alliance Concussion Assessment, Rehabilitation, and Education (CARE) Consortium which was the largest longitudinal study of sport-related concussion at NCAA Institutions and the Military Service Academies ever funded. Dr. Hazzard also previously served as the Program Director of a graduate clinical athletic training education program and a graduate certificate program in concussion/TBI studies. He founded the Institute for Concussion Research & Services providing assessment and recovery services following head trauma.

Dr. Hazzard is a nationally certified athletic trainer and a National Board Certified Counselor who holds an M.S. in Counseling and a Doctorate in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sport & Exercise Psychology. He is a member of National Athletic Trainer's Association, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society. Dr. Hazzard currently serves as the Co-Chair of the ACRM's Athlete Rehabilitation Networking Group. His research interests include concussion/TBI rehabilitation, exercise as medicine, neurorehabilitation, and sports medicine.

Dr. Nadir Ali is a senior scientist and member of the core leadership team in the HHPI. He also holds an academic appointment as a research professor in the Department of Clinical, Health, and Applied Sciences. Dr. Ali's primary research interests include the effect of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets on cardiovascular and metabolic health. An interventional cardiologist with over 25 years of experience, he also serves as the chairman of the Department of Cardiology for a major hospital system in Bay Area Houston, and as a director for the Low Carb Houston Conference.

Before working as a cardiologist, he served as an assistant professor of medicine for eight years at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he also received his medical training. He has championed the low-carb lifestyle in the local Clear Lake area since 2013. Dr. Ali organizes a monthly nutritional seminar in the Searcy Auditorium of the Clear Lake Hospital that receives more than 100 visitors every month from the local community. He is a leader in the nutrition community whose research and passion have inspired many to profound health changes.

Anne Anders, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of economics in the College of Business and a research scientist in the HHPI. In this role, Anders works to establish the research infrastructure across all projects to tie personal health benefits to health care expenditure savings. Moreover, longitudinally, she is interested in quantifying the effect of preventive versus reactive care on personal health, wellness, quality of life, and productivity with the intention of affecting health care policy.

A former professional and collegiate soccer player, Anders' research also investigates how youth sport participation affects later life outcomes. She holds a B.S. in sports management and marketing from Seton Hall University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Clemson University. Although her degrees are in business, you will often find her in the laboratory collecting physiologic and biomechanical data or on the floor assisting with strength training and conditioning.

Jason Bentley is a biomedical engineer in the HHPI with an academic appointment as a senior lecturer. An avid cyclist with multiple state championship time trials awards, he worked previously as an engineer and scientist in the Exercise Physiology Laboratory for Wyle Life Sciences (NASA-JSC).  In this role, he investigated exercise countermeasures to mitigate spaceflight induced muscle and bone loss. 

Bentley received an M.S. in physiology from the Medical College of Wisconsin and a B.S. in biomedical engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Sciences from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in 2021. His doctoral dissertation explored physical activity motivation among breast cancer survivors; his goal is to identify targets for physical activity interventions aiming to improve long-term physical activity behavior.

Ariful Bhuiyan, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Science and Engineering and a senior scientist and engineer in the HHPI. In this role, he collaborates with the team on biomechanics related research and product development across all four centers and leads the Center for Performance Innovation. Leveraging his computational (finite element analysis), experimental, and image analysis skills, Dr. Bhuiyan’s current research investigates biomedical devices and mechanisms of sport-related injuries. A recent award from Barrios Technology recognizes his early-stage promising research on total knee replacements. His other additive manufacturing-driven spinal fusion project generates an intriguing set of data that will help further research to relieve back pain.

Dr. Bhuiyan received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University in 2013. His thesis was titled "Anterior Cruciate Ligament Response Due to Forces Resulting from Quadriceps Muscle and Ground Reaction." He earned an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore in 2005 and B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2002. He has over ten years of industrial experience as a lead project engineer, systems engineer, principal mechanical engineer, and finite element analyst.

Dr. Lewis Clarke is senior medical advisor in the HHPI and has a private practice clinic in Webster, TX, as a board certified physiatrist (or rehabilitation specialist) which is a specialty that treats patients with strokes, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophies, neurologic diseases, musculoskeletal and sports injuries and chronic pain syndromes.

He initially received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Baylor University in Waco, Texas and then earned a Master of Science degree at University of Texas at Dallas in psychophysiology, biostatistics and neurophysiology. His interest in pharmacology and neurochemistry developed during these years led to acceptance into the Cell Biology program at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School of Biomedical Sciences where he completed his Ph.D. in cell biology and neurochemistry.

After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Clarke decided that the application of this basic science was best served in the area of clinical medicine; he then attended Texas Tech University School of Medicine where he earned his M.D. degree. Dr. Clarke moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he was completed his internship in internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine after which he returned to Houston and completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine. He founded a hospital in Webster, Texas for general physical rehabilitation medicine upon finishing his training.

Dr. John Cottingham, a senior medical advisor and member of the core leadership team in the HHPI, holds an academic appointment as a research professor in the Department of Clinical, Health, and Applied Sciences at UHCL. A primary care physician who is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Dr. Cottingham is an active member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the American Academy of Family Medicine. His research interest involves the interaction between high intensity exercise, nutrition, and metabolic and musculoskeletal health.

A graduate of Clear Creek High School, Dr. Cottingham earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch and completed his residency in family practice at the Baylor College of Medicine. Outside of his clinical responsibilities, he enjoys strength training, conditioning, surfing and sprinting. Dr. Cottingham's passion for preventive care and wellness leads him to approach medicine in a more natural way. He says, "After all, humans are a species of athletes. When we eat and exercise as we are designed to do, we live happier and healthier lives."

Dr. Charles Layne is a senior science advisor in the HHPI and is a full professor of motor control in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Houston's main campus. He is a founding member of the Center of Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research at UH. Dr. Layne is a specialist in the study of posture and locomotion among a variety of populations, including astronauts, healthy, young adults, individuals with cancer, and Parkinson's Disease. Recently, he has intensively investigated the movement characteristics of individuals with single gene mutation syndromes including Rett, Syngap1, Duplication and NGLY1.

He received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Master of Education in Adaptive Physical Education, and PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Texas at Austin. After completing his doctorate, he served as an assistant professor at Kansas State University.  He then served as the Laboratory Supervisor and Senior Scientist of the Movement and Coordination Laboratory at Johnson Space Center for KRUG Life Science (now KBR). Next Dr. Layne joined the University of Houston where he has served for the last 25 years, 16 of which he was the chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance.

He has supervised 16 doctoral students and multiple undergraduate interns, published nearly 100 scientific articles, and has been continuously funded in support of his research for over 25 consecutive years. He brings his expertise in sensory processing, biomechanics, and neuromuscular activation as well as a wealth of research design experience to the HHPI.

Beth Merfish, Ph.D., is the Director of Policy and Community Relations in the Health and Human Performance Institute, an Associate Professor of Art History and Chair of the Department of Liberal Arts in the College of Human Sciences and Humanities. Her research and teaching interests include Museum Studies and Public Arts and Science presentations, including past partnerships with Space Center Houston and the UHCL Art Gallery. She earned her doctorate and MA from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and her BA from Wellesley College. 

In 2021, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner appointed Dr. Merfish the inaugural chair of the Houston Women's Commission. In that role, she leads a team of diverse commission members whose charge is to advance equality and equity for women in the City of Houston by identifying and addressing disparities in healthcare, employment, safety and security across communities and industries, both in Houston's public and private sector. 

Claudia Box is a Graduate Assistant Research Coordinator with the Health and Human Performance Institute at the University of Houston–Clear Lake. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 2024 and is currently pursuing dual master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Business Administration. She also has a background in psychology and behavioral sciences, and has experience providing art therapy for individuals with autism, which has strengthened her ability to understand and support diverse populations.

Her passion for neurology—particularly traumatic brain injuries and Parkinson’s disease—sparked her transition from a clinical internship at HHPI into her current role as a graduate research coordinator. She is excited to contribute to neurological research while continuing to expand her leadership skills and knowledge through hands-on experience.

By combining her diverse academic background with her graduate studies, Box is developing the leadership and research skills needed to help bridge the gap between scientific discovery and healthcare delivery. Her long-term goal is to improve patient outcomes and support healthier communities through evidence-based practices and innovative solutions.

Heidi Campo is a Graduate Assistant Research Coordinator with the Health and Human Performance Institute at the University of Houston–Clear Lake, where she is pursuing a Master of Science in Exercise Science on the Sports Science track. She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah and holds the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction (CSCS,*D) and Certified Personal Trainer with Distinction (NSCA-CPT,*D) credentials.

Her research focuses on tactical populations operating in hazardous, high-stakes environments, including astronauts, special agents, and other mission-critical professionals. Current projects include flywheel resistance research for human spaceflight performance and optimization, human factors innovation in extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) design, and foundational studies with Diplomatic Security Special Agents. Her broader academic interests include injury prevention through human factors design, exercise countermeasures, applied neuroscience, and sport psychology.

Before joining HHPI, Campo founded and operated Body Temple Athletics, the first commercial strongman gym in Salt Lake City, Utah, for more than a decade. She coached national-level athletes, competed at the national level herself, and was invited to train and compete internationally in Iceland, where she studied under four-time World’s Strongest Man Magnús Ver Magnússon and Hafþór Björnsson at the legendary Jakaból (Nest of Giants). Campo is the founder of the NSCA Strongman Special Interest Group, where she currently serves on the executive committee after completing her term as president, and she is a frequent presenter at NSCA conferences.

Campo intends to pursue the Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) credential through AASP and continue toward a PhD focused on human performance in spaceflight and tactical domains.

Keamia Rasa is a Graduate Assistant Research Coordinator with the Health and Human Performance Institute at the University of Houston–Clear Lake, where she manages human performance research focused on exercise countermeasures and operational readiness. Using her strong team building and leadership skills, she coordinates research participants, supervises a team of student investigators, and oversees laboratory operations, while analyzing physiological data to advance the understanding of human performance in challenging environments. She is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Commercialization of Space and holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.

In addition to her research work, Keamia serves as the Adult Sailing Director and RS21 Fleet Manager at Lakewood Yacht Club, where she coaches youth and adult racing teams, implements fitness training programs, manages a fleet of vessels, and directs regattas and sailing events—including founding the club’s first women’s sailing program and annual women’s regatta. Previously, she served as a sailing instructor for the American Sailing Association in Okinawa, Japan, and as a fitness program specialist at NATO military installations in Belgium.

A former Canadian National Sailing Team athlete, Keamia represented Canada on the international stage, earning a silver medal at the Pan American Games, qualifying Canada for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and attaining a number-one world ranking in the Laser Radial class. She is certified as a U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot, bringing a diverse and multidisciplinary background to her work in human performance, research, and leadership.