Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Professor Rob Orr joined the Australian Army in 1989 as an infantry soldier before transferring to the Australian Defence Force Physical Training Instructor (PTI) stream. Serving for 10 years in this stream, Rob designed, developed, instructed and audited physical training programs and physical education and rehabilitation courses for military personnel and fellow PTIs from both Australian and foreign defence forces. Rob subsequently transferred to the physiotherapy stream where his role included the clinical rehabilitation of defence members and project management of physical conditioning optimisation reviews. Serving as a Human Performance Officer at the Royal Military College and Special Operations HQ before joining the team at Bond University in 2012, Rob continues to serve in the Army Reserve.
Professor Orr is the Director of the Tactical Research Unit, a faculty research centre at Bond University with international collaborations designed to provide research, consultancy and education services to tactical professions around the globe. Rob’s fields of research, consultancy, and education provision spans physical conditioning, reconditioning, rehabilitation and injury prevention for military, law enforcement and protective services across their occupational lifespan (initial trainee to specialist). Generally focusing on the tactical population, Rob is actively involved in research with the Australian and foreign defence forces, an extensive list of law enforcement departments (both national and international), and firefighters / first responders.
Professor Orr served as the editor for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) TSAC Technical Report (2015-2020) and on the organising committee for the 4th and 5th International Congress on Soldiers’ Physical Performance and on the scientific committees for the occupational branch of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and 2019 and 2021 World Physical Therapy Organisation conferences. Dr Orr was Chair of the organising committee for the 4th Physical Employment Standards (PES) Conference held at Bond University, Australia, in 2023 and still serves on the PES committee.
In 2022, Professor Orr was the NSCA TSAC Professional of the year award winner, a Queensland Young Tall Poppy Science Award winner, and an Australian Award for University Teaching winner.
Statement for HDR students
Potential students interested in, or who are currently working with, tactical populations (military, police and firefighters) may find some of the projects on offer to their liking.
Projects include the training and rehabilitation of recruits and serving personnel, optimising selection processes for specialist streams, improving rehabilitation of injured members for return to work and investigating the impact of load carriage on occupational task performances (like mobility and lethality).
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Philosophy, PhD, Soldier Load Carriage: A Risk Management Approach, University of Queensland
Award Date: 15 Mar 2013
Physiotherapy, Masters of Physiotherapy Studies, University of Queensland
Award Date: 10 Dec 2005
Education, Bachelor of Further Education and Training
Award Date: 21 Apr 2001
Exercise Physiology, Associate Diploma in Applied Science (Physical Training)
Award Date: 22 Aug 1997
External positions
Editor - TSAC Report, National Strength and Conditioning Association
1 Jan 2015 → …
Human Performance Officer, The Australian Army
29 Mar 1989 → …
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
Identifying which neuromuscular strength and power requirements are essential for law enforcement candidates pursuing specialist police selection
Orr, R., Schram, B., Fontenelle Dumans Canetti, E. & Robinson, J.
1/10/21 → 6/10/25
Project: HDR Student Project
-
Can competence achievability in Law Enforcement skills training be defined and quantified?
Orr, R., Schram, B., Fontenelle Dumans Canetti, E. & Andrews, N.
1/09/21 → 17/01/29
Project: HDR Student Project
-
Physiological response in virtual reality (VR) simulated combat: Veterans vs Novices
Fontenelle Dumans Canetti, E., Orr, R. & Schram, B.
24/07/19 → …
Project: Research
-
Factors affecting Tactical Decision Making in Police Officers
Schram, B., Orr, R. & Fontenelle Dumans Canetti, E.
10/01/22 → 8/01/24
Project: Research
-
The thermal impacts of body armour on law enforcement officers
Orr, R., Schram, B., Fontenelle Dumans Canetti, E. & Maupin, D.
1/10/21 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
-
Heart rate variability is more sensitive to stress than heart rate in specialist police undergoing selection
Tomes, C., Schram, B., Canetti, E. & Orr, R., 2025, In: PLoS One. 20, 1, p. 1-14 14 p., e0317124.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
Ultra-short-term versus short-term measures of heart rate variability in specialist police units: A pilot reliability study
Tomes, C. D., Canetti, E. F. D., Schram, B. & Orr, R., 16 Jan 2025, In: Physiological Reports. 13, 2, p. 1-13 13 p., e70182.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Downloads (Pure) -
A comparison of recall methods for high-stress critical incidents in police training
Roscoe, M., Gough, S., Orr, R. M. & Baumann, O., 15 Sept 2024, In: Heliyon. 10, 17, p. 1-10 10 p., e36562.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile101 Downloads (Pure) -
Age-related Differences in Body Fat and Fitness of Firefighters Participating in a Health and Wellness Program
Lockie, R., Dulla, J., Higuera, D., Ross, K. A., Orr, R. M., Dawes, J. & Ruvalcaba, T., 1 Jun 2024, In: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 38, 6, p. 1127-1135 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
-
An Exploratory Analysis of Relationships between Physical Activity, General Health and Fitness, and Job-Specific Fitness in Law Enforcement Officers
Lockie, R. G., Beitzel, M. M., Alvarez, D., Sanchez, K. J., Orr, R. M., Jay Dawes, J. & Dulla, J., Jul 2024, p. 1-1. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile39 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
-
SportLogia (Journal)
Rob Orr (Member of editorial board)
2024 → …Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial Board Member
-
Louis Reilly - Injuries sustained by Custody Officers
Ben Schram (Supervisor), Rob Orr (Supervisor) & Elisa Fontenelle Dumans Canetti (Supervisor)
2023Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Non-HDR Student Supervision
-
Ronney Chan - Strategies to increase physical activity in sedentary people - A systematic review
Ben Schram (Supervisor), Rob Orr (Supervisor) & Elisa Fontenelle Dumans Canetti (Supervisor)
2023Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Non-HDR Student Supervision
-
Sarah Goble - Prevalence of iron deficiency and anaemia in tactical populations: a systematic review
Elisa Fontenelle Dumans Canetti (Supervisor), Rob Orr (Supervisor) & Ben Schram (Supervisor)
2023Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Non-HDR Student Supervision
-
Mitch Welker - Impact of chronic shift work on HRV
Elisa Fontenelle Dumans Canetti (Supervisor), Rob Orr (Supervisor) & Ben Schram (Supervisor)
2023Activity: Professional Development, Mentorship, Supervision and Other Activities › Non-HDR Student Supervision
Press/Media
-
Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide
9/09/24
2 Media contributions
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
Research on Science and Technology Reported by Researchers at Bond University (A comparison of recall methods for high-stress critical incidents in police training)
Rob Marc Orr, Suzanne Gough & Oliver Baumann
5/09/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
Physical Employment Standards Move Beyond Tactical Settings to Ensure Workplace Safety
26/07/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
-
Tactical Physical Training for Peak Performance
13/06/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-