Smith publishes a paper on social cybernetic analysis

December 9, 2019

Thomas J. Smith, PhD, adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology, published a paper, “The Nature of the Firm – A Social Cybernetic Analysis,” in WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation.

The publication found that from the perspective of social cybernetics, the potential for continued market success of a firm is equal to the social tracking among transaction participants, and how it is maintained and refined throughout organizational management. The co-author of the article includes Robert Henning, PhD.

Stoffregen cited in Economist on cybersickness

November 26, 2019

School of Kinesiology professor Tom Stoffregen, PhD, director of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory (APAL), was quoted in an article, “Virtual reality continues to make people sick,” by The Economist.

Although virtual reality (VR) has powerful technological impacts, the publication highlights virtual reality’s negative effects. According to Dr. Stoffregen, women are four times as susceptible to this as men. In VR settings, participants often have yet to properly adjust their body movement, therefore resulting in cybersickness.

Lundstrom quoted in NYT running article

November 26, 2019

Christopher Lundstrom, PhD, sport and exercise science lecturer and MEd director at the School of Kinesiology, was cited in an article, “How to Get Your Running in During the Holidays,” by the New York Times.

The article emphasizes the importance of stress-relieving activities during the holiday season, one of which is running. The key to a productive run while on vacation is scheduling your run. “Have a plan and identify ‘when is this actually going to happen,’” Dr. Lundstrom says. Running first thing in the morning is highly recommended and ensures it will actually get done, according to Dr. Lundstrom. If you are out of town, Lundstrom encourages runners to use their workout as a tourist opportunity to sightsee. “It’s the best way to get the lay of the land and see some different things.”

SMGT alumnus Saunders awarded as CEHD Distinguished Alumni

November 25, 2019

Ryan Saunders, School of Kinesiology sport management alumnus, was awarded as a CEHD Distinguished Alumni on Thursday, November 21. Saunders is the head coach for the Minnesota Timberwolves men’s basketball team.

As a U of M student-athlete, he played for the Gopher men’s basketball team, where he was a two-time captain, four-time scholar-athlete award winner, and a 2006 Big Ten All-Academic selection. Saunders received his bachelor of science degree in 2008, and then served as an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards and as head coach for Minnesota’s Las Vegas Summer League entry.

Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images.

SMGT alumnus Ballard receives CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award

November 25, 2019

Keith Ballard, former professional ice hockey defenseman, received a CEHD Distinguished Alumni Award on Thursday, November 21. Ballard played 10 years in the National Hockey League (NHL), including an appearance in the Stanley Cup finals with the Vancouver Canucks and finishing his career on the Minnesota Wild.

While a student at the U of M, Keith played on two NCAA national championship teams and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top college men’s ice hockey player. After his time in the NHL, Keith returned to the U to complete a degree in sports management and graduated in 2016. He is currently the manager of the Little Wild Learn-to-Play Program for first-time boys and girls hockey players ages 5 to 8. He also works for Paragon Insurance Group as a consultant. Keith cofounded DaBeauty League, a summer hockey program that raises money for local charities, and participates in several other events to benefit charities through the year. In his free time, Ballard enjoys golf, fishing, hunting, and coaching his young children’s hockey and soccer teams.

Warren named to editorial board of Sport Management Education Journal

November 20, 2019

Clint Warren, PhD, lecturer in the School of Kinesiology, was named to the editorial board of the Sport Management Education Journal. Warren will serve on the board from January 2020 – December 2023.

“The Sport Management Education Journal (SMEJ) is a peer-reviewed publication of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) that promotes advancement of the body of knowledge in pedagogy as it relates to sport management education and disseminates knowledge about sport management courses, curricula, and teaching,” according to NASSM.

“I am honored and excited by the opportunity to join the prominent scholars who make up the editorial board of SMEJ. I look forward to assisting in the continued growth of research focused on all areas of sport management education and pedagogy,” says Warren.

Curry presents at SIGGRAPH Asia

November 20, 2019

Chris Curry, School of Kinesiology doctoral candidate and member of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory , recently presented his research, “Cybersickness in Virtual Reality: Examining the Influence of the Virtual Environments on Sex Susceptibility,” at SIGGRAPH Asia in the Fast Forward Thesis competition. In addition to participating in the Fast Forward Thesis competition, Curry showcased a poster, “Gamification in a Physical Rehabilitation Setting: Developing a Proprioceptive Training Exercise for a Wrist Robot.” This project discussed ongoing efforts from the Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory on developing a game for the Wristbot.

Curry’s presentation highlighted the interactive gamification of robot-aided training, and how this increases motivation for patients with proprioceptive (body awareness) impairments. Curry showcased his initiatives towards developing a game that could accompany robot-aided wrist exercises.

The 12th ACM Conference and Exhibition on Computer Graphics & Interactive Techniques was held in Brisbane, Australia from November 17 – 20, 2019.

Konczak presents at GPN Colloquium Series on dystonia treatment

November 20, 2019

Jürgen Konczak, PhD, professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory (HSCL), presented at the Graduate Program in Neuroscience Colloquium Series.

The series highlights the work of faculty and students in this interdisciplinary graduate program. Dr. Konczak showcased his research, “A non-invasive neuromodulation treatment for focal dystonia: From basic science to a medical device,” on November 20, 2019.

Smith presents at Human Factors and Ergonomics Society meeting

November 18, 2019

Thomas J. Smith, PhD, adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology, presented a paper, “Macroergonomics – a Reappraisal,” at the 63rd International Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES). The conference was held on October 31, 2019, in Seattle, WA. The meeting is attended by a diverse range of professionals and students who work in a variety of areas including government, military, hospitals, universities, research institutes, engineering firms, consumer safety laboratories, manufacturing companies, and many other areas.

Coauthors of the paper include Michelle Robertson and Robert Henning.

Kihl’s article awarded 2019 outstanding paper

November 6, 2019

Lisa A. Kihl, PhD, associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations, published an article, “Corruption’s impact on organizational outcomes,” in the Social Responsibility Journal. The publication was awarded as the 2019 Outstanding Paper by the journal.

The paper outlines a study aimed to develop a model that examines the impact of sports corruption organizational outcomes (i.e. wing differences and attendance), as well as the mediating role of institutional reputation. How the extent of corruption impacted these organizational outcomes was also measured.

Gao and colleagues publish on home-based exergaming benefits

October 30, 2019

Zan Gao, PhD, associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory (PAEL), recently published an article, “Home-based exergaming on preschoolers’ energy expenditure, cardiovascular fitness, body mass index and cognition: A randomized controlled trial,” in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

The findings suggest that home-based educational exergaming may positively impact cognitive flexibility in preschool children. PAEL researchers propose that studies with larger sample sizes in multiple geographic locations and a longer intervention period are needed.

Co-authors of the article include School of Kinesiology former doctoral students and visiting scholars Jung Eun Lee, Nan Zeng, Zachary C. Pope, Ying Zhang, and Xianxiong Li.

Wiese-Bjornstal presents at the Second Global Congress on Sport & Christianity

October 28, 2019

Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, PhD, professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Sports Medicine Psychology Lab (SMPL), presented two conference papers at the Second Congress on Sport and Christianity, held October 23-27, 2019 at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI.

The conference gathers sport administrators, coaches, athletes, pastors and theologians to explore the impact of belief and sport. At the event, Dr. Wiese-Bjornstal presented “Counseling in sports medicine: Are religiosity and spiritual health the forgotten elements in sports injury prevention and care?” with Dr. Richard Ray, professor at Hope College. She also presented her paper on “The integrated model of religiosity and psychological response to the sport injury and rehabilitation process: A Christian illustration.”

Konczak gives invited presentation at the University of Ferrara

October 16, 2019

Jürgen Konczak, PhD, professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory (HSCL), was invited to present at the Center for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication in Ferrara, Italy. The center studies the methods the brain uses to process and understand the communicative behaviors of other individuals to efficiently decode brain signals related to communicative intentions (speech).

Dr. Konczak’s presentation highlighted the translational medicine efforts of HSCL to provide a non-invasive treatment for people with laryngeal dystonia, which impairs speech.

Center for Translational Neurophysiology in Ferrara. It is housed in a former monastery erected during the Renaissance.

Curry receives $1000 NRT Mini-grant

October 16, 2019

Chris Curry, School of Kinesiology doctoral candidate and member of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory, was awarded an NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program $1000 grant. The funds will be allocated towards Curry’s dissertation research, which focuses on cybersickness in head-mounted displays.

Meet the School of Kinesiology’s Visiting Scholar, Yu Xu

October 14, 2019

Our School has a rich tradition of hosting academics from all over the world to study and pursue research at the U of M, working with faculty and their students on particular projects or in their labs. We are pleased to introduce Yu Xu, who will work with Dr. Thomas Stoffregen in the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory.

Yu Xu, researcher in the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory (APAL), moved to Minnesota from Xi’an, China in Shaanxi Province. In 2014, Xu obtained his master’s degree in vehicle engineering and automobile education at Chang’an University. Currently, Yu Xu is a PhD candidate in vehicle operation engineering at Chang’an University. Xu’s research areas lie in transportation safety and human factors, which prompted his interest in discovering the connection between transportation and affordance-perception through APAL. While studying with Dr. Stoffregen, Xu is excited to begin specific research projects related to the lab and his own educational background.

“Each APAL member has different strengths, therefore there are endless possibilities as to what we can do together,” says Xu.

Coming from a family of seven, Xu understands what it means to collaborate. Although it is his first time in the United States, Xu is excited about upcoming research opportunities and studying with Dr. Stoffregen in the School of Kinesiology. When asked about his favorite food, Xu spoke about the delicious pizza parlor he visited with Dr. Stoffregen. In his free time, Xu enjoys sight-seeing and visiting the museums and nature preserves in the Twin Cities. In Xu’s opinion, the historical nature of the U of M as well as the rigorous and diverse academic areas are unique and exciting. “The campus, especially along the Mississippi River, is beautiful. The people are so friendly, and I am very thankful to be here.”

Wiese-Bjornstal presents at Nat’l Academy of Kinesiology meeting

September 25, 2019

Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, PhD, professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Sports Medicine Psychology Lab (SMPL), recently presented an invited talk at the 89th Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Kinesiology, held from September 12-14, 2019 in Bellevue, WA.

The presentation, “Back to the drawing board: Diagramming integrative conceptual models of psychological response to sport injuries,” addressed the question, how do we build an elite performer? through human performance optimization.

Stoffregen interviewed in “Invisible Women: Data bias in a world designed for men”

September 16, 2019

Thomas Stoffregen, PhD, School of Kinesiology professor and director of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory, was interviewed and quoted in the book, “Invisible women: Data bias in a world designed for men,” authored by Caroline Criado-Perez.

Dr. Stoffregen theorizes that women experience more motion sickness than men due to differences in body control adjustments when placed in an unstable environment, including virtual reality (VR) settings. Additionally, “a woman’s susceptibility to motion sickness changes across the menstrual cycle,” explains Stoffregen. This claim goes beyond traditional studies on women’s sensitivity regarding motion sickness and challenges VR experts that have not yet thought about the issue holistically.

The publication analyzes how most studies are modeled and trained on and for men. “I really found it shocking that women’s care work isn’t included in economic data, and that the workplace and economy and travel is designed around typical male lives,” said Criado-Perez in The Verge article.

Criado-Perez, C. (2019). Invisible Women : Data Bias in a World Designed for Men. New York: Abrams Press.

PAEL researchers publish on college students’ physical activity habits

September 11, 2019

The School of Kinesiology’s Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory (PAEL) researchers Zan Gao, PhD, associate professor and director of PAEL, and Wenxi Liu, PhD student, have published an article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The paper, “Associations between Self-Determined Motivation, Accelerometer-Determined Physical Activity, and Quality of Life in Chinese College Students,” investigates Chinese college students’ physical activity correlates, self-determined motivation, and quality of life.

The findings suggest that perceived competence and social support are critical for promoting Chinese college students’ physical activity level and improving the overall quality of life.

Kihl presents at EASM Conference in Spain

September 9, 2019

Lisa A. Kihl, PhD, associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations, recently presented two papers at the 2019 European Association for Sport Management Conference in Seville, Spain on Tuesday, September 3. The first paper, “A four country comparison of fraud in community sport organizations: A media content analysis,” outlined a study conducted with her colleagues: Dr.’s Katie Misener from the University of Waterloo in Canada, Graham Cuskelly from the Griffith University in Australia, and Pamela Wicker from Bielefeld University in Germany. The second paper, “Conceptualizing a national sport integrity system,” was presented as part of the critical reflections on sport governance workshop.

Kinesiology alumnus hired as athletic director in Waupaca, WI

August 22, 2019

Joe Sbertoli, MEd, School of Kinesiology alumnus, was recently named the Athletic Director of the Waupaca, WI school district by the school board.

Sbertoli obtained a bachelor of science degree in kinesiology with a coaching minor in 2010. He received his master’s of education in applied kinesiology in the physical education licensure program at the U of M in 2011. “The opportunity at Waupaca was exactly what I hoped to get at some point,” said Sbertoli, according to a Waupaca County News article, “Waupaca hires athletic director.”

CEHD News Cate Pardo

CEHD News Cate Pardo