Research Overview
The Department of Kinesiology has four main areas of research:
Within each area individual faculty focus on specific research problems.
The Department's goal is to provide the resources and support of excellent and innovative research by both faculty and graduate students.
Cognitive Motor Neuroscience
Research in the Cognitive Motor Neuroscience Laboratory investigates neural and higher-level mechanisms underlying the selection, planning, learning, initiation, and execution of movement. Using an interdisciplinary approach, these processes are studied from infancy through the lifespan. Research programs include adaptive sensorimotor control and integration, exercise psychophysiology, neuromechanics, perceptual motor development, movement disorders, and computational motor neuroscience.
Exercise Physiology
Our research group interests cover a broad range of areas, from exercise epidemiology to genetic aspects of aging, molecular biology and exercise physiology. We are incorporating the latest technology in genetics and molecular biology to address important research questions related to skeletal muscle, cardiovascular physiology, and metabolism. The effects of various exercise interventions on risk factor modification and on the prevention and treatment of disease is also a focus of investigations.
Pedagogical Studies
The pedagogical studies research group emphasizes a rich blend of curricular and instructional theory and practice that prepares students for resesarch and teaching careers in professional and higher education. The faculty have extensive expertise and experience in conducting school-based studies focusing on current curricular and instructional issues in K-12 physical education. Academic interests include curriculum design, instructional effectiveness, learner motivation, conceptual change, and behavior and achievement assessment, and program evaluation.
Physical Cultural Studies
Our research group is concerned with a critical analysis of contemporary sport culture. Is dedicated to the critical, theoretically-based understanding of sport institutions, practices, and subjectivities as diverse experiential forms through which physically active bodies are organized, regulated, and consumed in the service of particular power relations prefigured on particular ability, class, ethnic, gender, generational, national, racial, and/or sexual norms and differences.
