ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2025) The CISM International Scientific Symposium 2025, organised by the UAE Ministry of Defence, continued its sessions today in Abu Dhabi for the second consecutive day, with the participation of senior military officials, experts, academics, and researchers from around the world.
Held under the theme “Physical Readiness and Resilience in the Armed Forces: Challenges and Foreseeing the Future,” the symposium’s second day featured rich scientific and intellectual discussions through lectures and specialised sessions focused on innovation, physiological adaptation, and human performance in extreme environments.
The day reflected the symposium’s growing importance as a platform connecting academic institutions, military leadership, and research organisations to address shared challenges in preparing the “soldier of the future”, through the integration of science, training, technology, and international cooperation in military readiness and resilience.
The second day opened with a keynote lecture by Prof. Yannis Pitsiladis, Professor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Brighton, United Kingdom, and Member of the Medical and Scientific Commission of the International Olympic Committee, titled “Heat, Altitude, and Hostility: Preparing the Future Soldier for Extreme Environments.”
Prof. Pitsiladis examined the physiological and environmental challenges facing armed forces and proposed innovative strategies for maintaining performance under demanding operational conditions.
The session was chaired by Dr. Karl Friedl, Director of the Strategic Operational Readiness Program at the U.S. Department of Defense and Research Professor at the University of California, alongside Lt. Cdr. Florentia Sfakianou, Officer and Researcher, Hellenic Navy, Greece.
In the second keynote, Assoc. Prof. Jason Lee, Associate Professor of Physiology at the National University of Singapore and Director of the Human Performance Research Centre, delivered a lecture titled “Heat Warriors: Military Performance in High Temperatures.”
He presented recent research on thermal stress, hydration strategies, and training adaptation in hot climates, emphasising the importance of integrating physiology and environmental technologies to enhance soldiers’ physical capabilities.
Subsequent sessions explored the integration of functional fitness, physiological testing, and digital monitoring in physical recovery among military personnel.
Lt. Col. Annette Schmidt, Professor and Military Sports Scientist, German Armed Forces, co-presented with Maj. Dr. Tom Brandt on the fitness requirements of 21st-century soldiers, highlighting functional fitness as a comprehensive strategy for combat readiness.
A team from the Brazilian Air Force academy — including Jomar Souza Júnior, Rodrigo Monteiro, Marcelo Ribeiro, André Coutinho, Alan Costa, Alexandre Gurgel, Leandra de Melo, and Eduardo Pereira — presented a specialized study on physical performance testing protocols for military cadets.
Researchers Danielli de Melo and Gelson Pierre, Exercise Physiology Specialists from the Brazilian Air Force, discussed the use of infrared thermography to monitor recovery among military athletes, demonstrating its applications in operational rehabilitation programs within the armed forces.
Midday sessions addressed emerging innovations in military training and defence technologies.
Col. Dr. Hashel Al Tunajji, Head of Human Performance Research at the UAE Armed Forces, together with Jimmy Wright, a UK-based military performance expert, presented a paper on the use of wearable technology to measure stress and physical endurance levels among military trainees.
Col. Andrei Politov, Senior Officer and Member of the CISM Scientific Commission from the Russian Armed Forces, delivered a study on enhancing physical training in hot climates.
The session was co-chaired by Brig. Gen. Lotfi Bouguerra, Member of the CISM Scientific Commission (Tunisia), and Col. Andrei Politov, and emphasised the integration of data analytics, physiological research, and modern sports training methodologies to strengthen tactical readiness.
Maj. Femedein Timipre Okou from the Nigerian Defence Academy presented research on balancing physical readiness and injury prevention in training programmes.
Researchers Negovan Ivankovic (Croatia) and Dragan Todorov (Serbia) presented innovations in military physical education, while Olga Muzhchil from the Military Institute of Physical Culture, Russia, discussed the challenges faced by foreign students in military training disciplines.
The day concluded with a session titled “Sports Medicine, Hydration, and Performance Science.”
Guillermo Portugal, Researcher at the Brazilian Navy Physical Training school, presented a multinational study on hydration analysis among female naval personnel.
Dr. Christoph Holtherm and Dr. Christoph Schulze from the German Armed Forces Medical Service showcased best practices in medical care systems for elite military athletes.
A research team from the Spanish Ministry of Defence, including Francisco Hidalgo, Victor Antolín, Ana Oreja, and Sergio Pérez, presented a study on the role of physical exercise in post-lung cancer recovery among service members.
Eduardo Rodrigues, Researcher at the Portuguese Military Academy, in collaboration with Prof. Fabrício Boscolo of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and Prof. José Vilaça Alves of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal, examined physiological performance responses in simulated mixed martial arts combat training.
The symposium continues tomorrow (Wednesday, 22 October) with its final day of sessions, featuring an elite group of international experts discussing injury rehabilitation, psychological resilience, and the integration of biosensors and artificial intelligence in human performance monitoring.
Speakers will include Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Evgeny Kryukov, Expert in Military Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Russian Federation, and Dr. Renner Marson, Professor of Biomechanics and Applied Physiology, University of São Paulo, Brazil, among others.
