Dr. Arthur Leon, professor of exercise physiology, has co-authored a just-released journal article appearing in PLoS ONE:
“Adverse Metabolic Response to Regular Exercise: Is it a Rare or Common Occurrence?” by Claude Bouchard, PhD; Steven N. Blair, PED; Timothy S. Church, MD, MPH, PhD; Conrad P. Earnest, PhD; James M. Hagberg, PhD; Keijo Häkkinen, PhD; Nathan T. Jenkins, PhD; Laura Karavirta, PhD; William E. Kraus, MD; Arthur S. Leon, MS, MD; D.C. Rao, PhD; Mark A. Sarzynski, PhD; James S. Skinner, PhD; Cris A. Slentz, PhD; and Tuomo Rankinen, PhD. PLoS ONE, 2012
The article, published May 30, has generated considerable attention from the media because the researchers found that, in analyzing data from six rigorous exercise studies involving 1,687 people, about 10 percent of the subjects worsened on at least one of the measures related to heart disease, and about 7 percent worsened on at least two measures. Dr. Bouchard, the lead author, first discovered the adverse exercise effects when he looked at data from his study that examined genetics and responses to exercise, the New York Times reports. He noticed that about 8 percent of subjects seemed to be getting worse on at least one measure of heart disease risk.
Is it possible that exercise is unhealthy for some people? The study authors say that while people should continue to exercise, they might also have their heart disease risk factors checked on a regular basis.
The article is a new publication resulting from the HERITAGE Family Study consortium, a research group that included the University of Minnesota and was led at this institution by Dr. Leon. To read the complete article, go to this link:
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0037887
Wiese-Bjornstal and Smith to speak at Mayo concussion symposium
Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, associate professor in sport and exercise psychology in the School of Kinesiology, and Kinesiology aluma Aynsely Smith, RN, PhD, sport psychology consultant and research director in the Sports Medicine Center at Mayo Clinic, will be faculty in the Mayo Clinic Symposium on Concussion in Sport, September 28-29, 2012 at the Mayo Clinic’s Ashton B. Taylor Auditorium in Scottsdale, Arizona. Wiese-Bjornstal’s talk, “A Vulnerable Population: Concussion in the Female Athlete Physician,” will be delivered Friday the 28th, and Smith’s talk, “Preventing Concussion: Education, Fair Play, and Rule Changes,” will be delivered Saturday, the 29th. The state-of-the-art symposium highlights the epidemiology of concussion in sport; the pathophysiology of concussion; sideline and outpatient clinical evaluation; standard and novel diagnostic strategies; and implementation of return-to-activity guidelines. The symposium format includes platform lectures, small group workshops, panel discussions, and live two-way remote audio/video concussion evaluations using robotic teleconcussion technology with faculty comprised of renowned scientific and clinical experts in the field of concussion.
Kinesiology prof Don Dengel gives students a preview of 2012 Olympics–and a look back in time
When the 2012 Olympics open July 27, London will become the first city to host the games for the third time.
London first rolled out the Olympic carpet in 1908, when the British Empire was at the peak of its power. The second time, in 1948, the city was reeling from the devastation of World War II.
“Those two years were certainly unique points in history,” says kinesiology professor Donald Dengel, an Olympics history enthusiast who worked for the U.S. Olympic Committee in the 1980s.
In January, Dengel led 25 students to London for a chance to explore the Olympics’ impact. During a three-week global seminar, they got to visit not only 2012 venues under construction but also venues from 1948 and even a couple still standing from 1908. The class opened a window on a fascinating mix of sports, facilities, history, and sociology.
“Some things don’t change,” Dengel says with a chuckle. “1908 had a drug scandal! And a political protest! Our flag bearer refused to dip the flag for British royalty–Ralph Rose, an Irish American, supposedly did not dip the flag, as a protest to England’s involvement in Ireland. To this day, we do not dip our flag.”
The 1948 games in London were the first since 1936 in Berlin. Post-war Britain was still rationing food, and the XIV Olympics came to be called the Austerity Games.
“Teams were asked to bring their own food, towels, donated equipment,” says Dengel. “It was probably, in that sense, what the Olympics were supposed to be–sport to mend fences. But Japan and Germany were not invited to the 1948 Olympic games.”
That year, in track and field, a 30-year-old mother of three from the Netherlands was the first woman to win four gold medals. And, to coincide with the Olympics, a physician organized the 1948 International Wheelchair Games; almost all the competitors were veterans.
“Fannie Blankers-Koen set the tone for women’s athletics for the next century,” says Dengel. “The ‘wheelchair games’ went on to become the Paralympic Games.”
The 2012 Olympics promise to transform London not just for a few weeks but for decades to come. Green building techniques and “legacy” development planning helped to win the city’s bid.
Read more in Connect magazine.
Educational Psychology Student Awarded APA Minority Fellowship
Michaela (Mica) McLaughlin, a graduate student in Educational Psychology (Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology) has been awarded an APA Minority Fellowship, one of only 12 psychology doctoral students in the country to receive the fellowship. Mica will focus on multiculturalism and mental health services.
AERA Division J 2012 Outstanding Poster Award
Rhiannon Williams (Research Associate, PsTL) and Amy Lee (Associate Professor, PsTL) received the AERA Division J 2012 Outstanding Poster Award for their poster, “Facilitating Intercultural Interaction: Reciprocal Knowing” at this year’s AERA 2012 conference in Vancouver, Canada. Reviewers looked for a clear presentation of purpose, conceptual framework, methodology, findings, and implications. Posters were also evaluated for overall presentation of information. William and Lee will be presented with the award at the 2013 AERA meeting in San Francisco.
Dengel featured in CEHD Vision 2020 blog
Dr. Don Dengel, associate professor of exercise physiology in the School of Kinesiology, is featured in the College of Education and Human Development’s “Vision 2020: Ideas, Research, Impact” blog, dedicated to sharing CEHD “ideas and research to create a positive impact across our communities.”
Sacramento Bee quotes LaVoi in article on lacrosse murder civil suit
Nicole M. LaVoi, Ph.D., faculty in the School of Kinesiology and associate director of the Tucker Center, is quoted in a Sacramento Bee article, “Lawsuit raises questions about coaches’ responsibilities” saying “it’s fair for coaches to scrutinize their players’ actions and be held accountable for them” and that “the environment developed by team leaders ‘definitely influences athlete behavior,’ whether it be for better or worse.” The $29.5 million civil suit was filed this month by Sharon Love, the mother of Yeardly Love, a lacrosse player beaten to death by her coach and former boyfriend, claiming state of Virginia, the school’s athletic director, and two of its men’s lacrosse coaches were derelict in the their duty to protect Love from her convicted murderer and coach George Huguely V, who had a history of alcohol abuse and violence toward Love and others.
Weiss to serve as NASPSPA Executive Committee Past-Presidents’ Liaison
The North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) has made an announcement that 
Maureen Weiss, professor of Kinesiology, will serve as the organization’s Past-Presidents’ Liaison.
Tucker Center in Women’s Press Title IX issue
Read about the Tucker Center in the June “Title IX” issue of the Women’s Press, online now and in print next week.
Register for our reflective seminar on supportive housing
On Thursday, June 7, from 1:30pm-4:30pm, Professor Esther Wattenberg of the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, School of Social Work & the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs will lead a reflective seminar at the Hubert Humphrey Center entitled “The Role of Supportive Housing in Improving Responses to High-Risk, Young Parents and Adolescents in Cross-Sector Involvement.” This seminar is free and open to the public.
The purpose of this event is to explore supportive housing, both as a concept and as a resource for two ‘deep-end’ groups that now engage our attention: young parents and cross-sector adolescents. The focal point, “Homelessness,” will feature a discussion of resources that contribute to case planning.
Current participants in this reflective seminar are:
- Benjamin VanHunnik, Director of Information, Research and Evaluation, Hearth Connection;
- Kathleen Hiniker, Social Services Program Consultant, Adolescent Services Unit, Minnesota Department of Human Services, regarding “Fostering Connections Guidance and Changes to Foster Care for Youth Ages 18-21”;
- Ann Gaasch, Program Director, FamilyWise (Formerly Genesis II for Families), to discuss her work with adolescent parents and her “High-Fidelity Wrap-around Model”; and
- Beth Holger-Ambrose, Homeless Youth Services Coordinator, Office of Economic Opportunity, Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Registration will begin at 1:15pm. Contact Esther Wattenberg or Mary Kaye LaPointe at ewattenb@umn.edu or call 612-625-6550 for more information.
This seminar is co-sponsored by the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, the School of Social Work, College of Education and Human Development, and the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota.
New scholarship supports students studying domestic violence prevention
Graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work who demonstrate a commitment to increase their education to serve the community by working to end domestic violence can apply for the Verizon Scholarships for Safe Lives.
In total $58,600 will be available in the Verizon scholarship program with grants from the company’s philanthropic arm, the Verizon Foundation ($33,600) and the company’s exclusive HopeLine® phone recycling and reuse program ($25,000). Scholarships will be awarded once yearly in the fall semester starting in 2012, and recipients will take specific coursework related to domestic violence prevention and intervention and will use the information gained through this coursework in internships.
“Verizon’s support for our next generation of leaders working to end violence in families is critical at a time of increasing costs for students and decreasing public budgets for social services,” said Jeffrey Edleson, professor and research director in the School of Social Work and a leading researcher on domestic violence. “These scholarships show how public-private partnerships can contribute to the common good.”
One in four women and one in six men are impacted by domestic violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control, which also estimates that 30 percent of injured women seeking emergency care are victims of domestic violence.
Jennifer Witt, who teaches in the Family Violence Prevention undergraduate minor, said, “The scholarships help provide learning opportunities for students and support a more highly trained and knowledgeable community of leaders in the community working to end domestic violence.”
“Verizon is a company focused not only on our business, but also our community,” said Seamus Hyland, president-Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless. “We are proud to support students who are planning to work on the awareness, prevention and direct services to end domestic violence.”
This coming academic year $8,400 will be awarded to two graduate students with scholarships at $3,000 each and two to Family Violence Prevention minor students with scholarships at $1,200 each.
Undergraduate scholarship recipients will complete three courses in the minor and will complete 100 hours of service learning in a domestic violence agency. Graduate scholarship recipients will obtain their master’s degree. They will take a minimum of one graduate-level course related to domestic violence and complete one graduate field placement (480 hours) in an agency that focuses on domestic violence intervention or prevention.
Continue reading “New scholarship supports students studying domestic violence prevention”
Academic adviser Rebecca Dosch-Brown awarded Buckman Fellowship
Rebecca Dosch-Brown, an academic adviser in CEHD Student Services, has been awarded a Buckman Fellowship for Leadership in Philanthropy. The Buckman Fellowship is a unique opportunity for faculty, staff, graduate students, and alumni of the University of Minnesota to learn about the world of philanthropy. Each fellow attends monthly seminars and puts forth a project for community improvement.
As a Buckman Fellow, Dosch-Brown plans to design and promote year-long inclusive school events and bullying prevention programming for students, parents, and staff at Marcy Open, a K-8 Minneapolis public school. She hopes in the short-term to increase the number of CEHD student volunteers, to expand programming through collaboration with disability advocates, local artists, University, nonprofit, and for-profit partners, and to engage the entire Marcy community. Her long-term goal is to have Marcy Open serve as a model inclusive school for the metro area, with the ultimate goal of providing resources for other schools interested in creating their own inclusive schools and bullying prevention programs.
The fellowship is made possible by the Mertie W. Buckman Endowed Fund for Leadership in Philanthropy, established in 2002. Mrs. Buckman, a dedicated philanthropist and faculty member in the former College of Human Ecology, focused her life and work on philanthropy and education, echoing the core values outlined above. Her generous gift provides opportunities for fellows to become experts and leaders in philanthropy.
Fencing instructor Roberto Sobalvarro to coach Women’s U.S. Olympic team
Roberto Sobalvarro, instructor for PE 1031 Sabre Fencing and PE 1033 Foil Fencing in the School of Kinesiology, is traveling to London this summer for a once-in-a-lifetime visit. He has been named the head coach of the Women’s Epee U.S. Olympic Team.
Sobalvarro is head coach of the Twin Cities Fencing Club and has been coaching and fencing for thirty years. He is a member of the U.S. national coaching staff and a former national head coach. He has traveled with and coached numerous senior and junior U.S. teams.
Joining Sobalvarro as a competitor on his Olympic team is Susie Scanlan, his fencing student since she was 9 years old and a University of Minnesota student beginning this fall. Scanlan was featured in a KARE-11 news segment yesterday. Above, Sobalvarro with his team at the National Championships. Congratulations to all!
Dengel invited to give seminar to Green Bay Packers
Dr. Don Dengel, associate professor of exercise physiology in the School of Kinesiology, was invited to give a seminar to the Green Bay Packers football team last week. His presentation was on, “Positional Characteristics and Prediction Modeling of NFL Professional Football Players Using iDXA.”
He traveled to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to give the invited seminar on May 17.
Educational Psychology Graduate Student Awarded Travel Research Grant
Trevor Dunn, a graduate student in Educational Psychology (Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology) was awarded a Global Spotlight international research grant to study gay-related stressors and mental health in Brazil. Trevor was one of only 10 graduate students (pre-oral exam) from across the University of Minnesota system to receive the award.
Dr. Rainer Rauramaa to give special presentation in School of Kinesiology
Rainer Rauramaa, M.D., Ph.D., professor at the University of East Finland and director of its Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, will be making a special presentation to the Kinesiology community on Monday, June 4, from 10:45 a.m-11:45 a.m. in 214 Cooke Hall. The topic of his presentation will be the results of a major Finnish exercise and dietary longitudinal intervention study in older adults. Study endpoints include changes in risk factors and biomarkers for CVD, cognitive brain functions, and mortality (The DRs EXTRA Study). All are welcome!
Dr. Rauramaa has been a distinguished international colleague and collaborator with Dr. Art Leon for over the past 30 years. In recognition of his significant accomplishments to exercise and sports science, he will receive a prestigious award at the ACSM’s 59th Annual meeting in San Francisco, May 29th to June 2, 2012.
OLPD graduate student receives NACADA Outstanding Advising Administrator award
Nicole Letawsky Shultz, a Ph.D. student (EDPA-HiEd track)in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) is the recipient of the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Administrator Award.
The Outstanding Advising Awards annually recognize individuals who have demonstrated qualities associated with outstanding academic advising of students or outstanding academic advising administration. All recipients will be honored at the Awards Ceremony held during the Annual Conference. Winners receive a complimentary basic registration for the Annual Conference, a recognition plaque, and a one-year membership in NACADA.
OLPD graduate student receives COGS Leadership award
Jeong Rok Oh, a Ph.D. student (WHRE track) in the Department of Organizational, Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD), has received the 2012 Leadership Award from the Council of Graduate Students (COGS). This annual student award recognizes the recipient’s leadership and service on behalf of fellow graduate students, the University, and broader communities.
COGS is the student governance organization representing nearly 10,000 graduate students at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
OLPD graduate student wins Global Spotlight grant
Alfonso Sintjago, a Ph.D. student (EDPA-CIDE track) in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD), has won a Global Programs and Strategy Alliance “Global Spotlight” grant to support his research project “A Multi-Sited Ethnographic Study of Community Technology Centers and Open Education Resources” in the Dominican Republic.
These grants support current University of Minnesota masters, professional, and doctoral students pursuing a program of study with an international focus. Grants of up to $7,500 are intended to support short-term activities on the region of Latin America and the Caribbean and/or on the issue of urbanization that enhance the scholarly project and/or professional preparation of the student.
OLPD graduate student selected as student representative to U’s Board of Regents
Cody Mikl, a Ph.D. student (EDPA-HiEd track) in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) has been selected as the student representative to the University’s Board of Regents.