School of Kinesiology 2020-21 scholarship recipients

May 13, 2020

Each year, students from the School of Kinesiology are awarded prestigious scholarships to pursue a myriad of academic or research areas. Meet our scholarship recipients of 2020 – 2021—Congratulations, students!

School of Kinesiology Scholarship

The School of Kinesiology Scholarship provides scholarships to outstanding students in the School of Kinesiology.

Baylee Beulke, BS student in Kinesiology (Colin Rogness, adviser)

Hailey Scheevel, BS student in Kinesiology (Collin Rogness, Anna Mraz, advisers)

Edith Mueller Memorial Fund

The Edith Mueller Memorial Award seeks to reward participation and enthusiasm of undergraduate students pursuing a program in Sport Management, and to encourage students to further their involvement and deepen their commitment to this discipline. The award may be used to cover the costs of tuition, attendance at appropriate conferences, applicable research, and outreach activities. The award also provides funding for special lectures related to programs in sport management.

Mason Cho, BS student in Sport Management (Tracey Hammell, adviser)

Stephanie Schmidt, BS student in Sport Management (Tracey Hammell, Jessica Thompson, advisers)

Eloise M. Jaeger Scholarship at the Tucker Center

The Eloise M. Jaeger Scholarship provides scholarships in the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.

Devin O’Connell, MS student in Behavioral Aspects of Physical Activity (Dr. Chelsey Thul, adviser)

Frances Kidd Scholarship

Maryn Hetzel

The Frances Kidd Scholarship provides scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students studying Kinesiology (formerly Physical Education students).

Maryn Hetzel, BS student in Kinesiology (Colin Rogness, adviser)

Edith Mueller Endowed Fund for Graduate Education in the Tucker Center

Jeffrey Frykholm

The income from the Edith Mueller Endowed fund will be used to support graduate education, including but not limited to graduate assistantships, research support, travel to conferences, and equipment.

Jeffrey Frykholm, MS student in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Dr. Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, adviser

Dorothy McNeill Tucker Fellowship

Courtney Boucher

The Dorothy McNeill Tucker Fellowship provides funding for graduate students working with the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sports.

Courtney Boucher, PhD student in Sport Sociology (Dr. Mary Jo Kane, Dr. Nicole M LaVoi, advisers)

Tucker Center Graduate Fellowship for Gender Equity in Sport

Hannah Silva-Breen

The Tucker Center Graduate Fellowship for Gender Equity in Sport provides funding for graduate fellowships in the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.

Hannah Silva-Breen, MS student in Sport and exercise psychology (Dr Nicole LaVoi, adviser)

Pam Borton Endowment for the Promotion of Girls and Women in Sport Leadership

Courtney Boucher

Created in 2014, this endowment honors the leadership and legacy of Pam Borton, nationally recognized and winningest coach of the women’s basketball program at the University of Minnesota. The purpose of this endowment is to promote leadership among girls and women in a sport context. The Borton Endowment includes, but is not limited to: (a) funding assistantships for graduate students; (b) hosting a national forum on women’s leadership development; and (3) supporting research examining the role of sport on females’ leadership development.

Courtney Boucher, PhD student in Sport Sociology (Dr. Mary Jo Kane, Dr. Nicole LaVoi, advisers)

Roger W. and Ann T. Drinkwalter Fellowship for Nutrition Research

Erica Roelofs

The Roger W. and Ann T. Drinkwalter Fellowships in nutrition research are to be awarded to graduate students pursuing research on aspects of nutrition as an important context for critical factors related to health and wellbeing, including but not limited to movement and physical activity, healthy aging, overweight and obesity, health inequalities, and vascular health.

Erica Roelofs, PhD student in Exercise Physiology (Dr. Donal Dengel, adviser)

J Anna Norris Scholarship

The J Anna Norris Scholarship is a loan, gift, or scholarship for promising students with financial need engaged in professional preparation in the School of Kinesiology.

Mason Cho, BS student in Sport Management (Tracey Hammell, adviser)

Madeline Czeck, PhD student in Exercise Physiology (Dr. Donald Dengel, adviser)

Cachet Lue, MS student in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Dr. Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, adviser)

Shohgo Motoyama, MEd student in Sport Management (Nina Wang, adviser)

Ayanna Rakhu, PhD student in Sport and Exercise Psychology (Dr. Daheia Barr-Anderson, PhD, adviser)

Leila Riley, PhD student in Sport Management (Dr. Lisa Kihl, Dr. Vicki Schull, advisers)

Mia Sannasardo, BS student in Sport Management (Don Riley, Tracey Hammell, advisers)

Danielle Wang, BS student in Kinesiology (Kristin Farrell, Colin Rogness, advisers)

Greising and Call receive grant from Department of Defense

May 12, 2020

Sarah Greising PhD, assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology and Jarrod Call PhD, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Georgia, received a $1,500,000 multi-PI grant from the Department of Defense. The funding priority of the “Restoring Warfighters with Neuromusculoskeletal Injuries Research Award” (RESTORE) program supports research that will accelerate progress toward returning those injuries to combat readiness. This program is expected to benefit all patients with traumatic injuries.

The award allows this collaborative team to expand their current Level 1 funding to evaluate novel regenerative rehabilitation solutions to improve functional limitations in both skeletal muscle and bone after injury.

Lewis interviewed on WTIP North Shore Community Radio

May 8, 2020

Beth Lewis, PhD, director of the School of Kinesiology, spoke with Will Moore on the WTIP’s program The Roadhouse on Friday, May 1, 2020.

During the segment, titled “How to stay active while staying at home and social distancing,” Lewis and Moore talked about the challenges of Minnesota’s current stay-at-home situation related to being less physically active, and the loss of routine. Discussion points touched on how does this affect our health, and what can we do about it?

Lewis researches exercise and mental health at the School of Kinesiology. She is the director of the Exercise & Mental Health Laboratory, and a professor of Kinesiology.

Lewis interviewed by Kare 11 about HIIT workouts

May 6, 2020

Beth Lewis, PhD, director of the School of Kinesiology, was interviewed by Kare 11 News about effective, at-home workouts that can fit into almost anyone’s new routine during Minnesota’s shelter-at-home order.

In the article, “High-intensity workouts may be the key to at-home fitness,” Lewis is quoted about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts specifically, which she has been studying as a part of her research about exercise psychology. Watch the video below, and read the full article here.

Lewis is also the director of the Exercise & Mental Health Laboratory, and a professor of Kinesiology.

Kinesiology doctoral student Arash Mahnan awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for 2020-21

May 5, 2020

Arash Mahnan, Kinesiology PhD candidate has been awarded the prestigious University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for 2020-21.

Mahnan is advised by Kinesiology professor Juergen Konczak, PhD, and is a member of the School’s Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory. Mahnan will use the funds from this fellowship to continue his work on the development of a non-invasive neuromodulation medical device for treatment of the voice disorder spasmodic dysphonia (SD). You can read more about his work here.

The Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (DDF) gives the University’s most accomplished Ph.D. candidates an opportunity to devote full-time effort to an outstanding research project by providing time to finalize and write a dissertation during the fellowship year.

Mahnan is one of just 100 students across the University who received the award this year, along with fellow School of Kinesiology student DJ McDonough.

Kinesiology doctoral student DJ McDonough awarded Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for 2020-21

May 5, 2020

DJ McDonough, Kinesiology Ph.D. candidate, has been awarded the prestigious University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for 2020-2021.

McDonough is advised by Kinesiology associate professor Zan Gao, Ph.D., and is a member of the School’s Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory. His thesis is titled, “Effect of a YouTube-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention on Overweight/Obese College Students’ Physical Activity and Health: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.”

McDonough is one of 100 students across the University who received the award this year, along with fellow School of Kinesiology student Arash Mahnan.

Kinesiology’s Smith presented on the University student experience with mandated social isolation

April 27, 2020

Thomas J. Smith, PhD, adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology, and U of M Human Factors and Ergonomics graduate student Hannah Griebel presented at a virtual meeting of the U of M and Purdue University’s student Human Factors and Ergonomics Societies. Their presentation was titled “University Student Experiences with Mandated Social Isolation.”

Griebel is the first author on their combined work.

Raymond-Pope selected to serve on Graduate Student Advisory Board

April 21, 2020

Christiana Raymond-Pope, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the School of Kinesiology’s Skeletal Muscle Plasticity and Regeneration Laboratory directed by Sarah Greising, PhD, was selected as one of up to three postdoctoral trainees to serve on the University of Minnesota’s Graduate Student Advisory Board (GSAB). Her service will begin Fall 2020.

The GSAB is the principal advisory body at the University of Minnesota (UMN) for graduate education and postdoctoral training. The Board focuses on issues of institutional, national, and global importance as well as best practices and strategic initiatives to shape the direction of graduate education and postdoctoral training at the University. GSAB members, which consist of the UMN Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education, tenured and tenure-track faculty, postdoctoral trainees, and graduate students, serve as representatives of, and advocates for, graduate education and postdoctoral training to the internal University and external communities.

Orr is guest on GreenSportsBlog podcast

April 20, 2020

Former School of Kinesiology doctoral student and founder of the Sport Ecology Group, Madeleine Orr, Ph.D., was recently interviewed on the podcast series “GreenSportsPod.” The podcast comes from the affiliated blog “GreenSportsBlog” and is a source for news and commentary on the intersection of green and sports.

In her episode, Orr spoke on what the world would look like if sports treated climate change like it’s treating coronavirus. The episode had a reach of 1,000 views.

Listen to the podcast here

School of Kinesiology’s Wiese-Bjornstal publishes about sport injury psychology

April 6, 2020

Psychological Bases of Sport Injuries Fourth Edition

Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, PhD, professor and associate director of the School of Kinesiology, published a book chapter titled “Sport injury psychology,” in the book “Psychological Bases of Sport Injuries,” edited by Andreas Ivarsson and Urban Johnson and published by Fitness Information Technology.

Wise-Bjornstal also directs the Sports Medicine Psychology Laboratory (SMPL).

LaVoi quoted in Los Angeles Times

March 10, 2020

Tucker Center director and School of Kinesiology senior lecturer Nicole M. LaVoi, PhD, is quoted in the Los Angeles Times article, “A unique moment in history? ‘Women athletes are doing what needs to be done’”. LaVoi comments on media coverage of female athletes and offers an optimistic view for the future. She states, “We know that sport reflects cultural and societal trends. But, in some respects, sport can lead the way.”

Tucker Center affiliated scholar wins prestigious International Olympic Committee award

March 10, 2020

Guylaine Demers, Ph.D., professor at Laval University, and chair of Women’s Studies research, recently received The International Olympic Committee(IOC) Women and Sports Award. Demers is an affiliated scholar with the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport and also serves as chair for the Gender Equity Task Force for the Sports Ministry of Canada.

The IOC Women and Sports award aims to acknowledge those who have made contributions to the development, encouragement, and reinforcement of women’s and girls’ participation in sport. Dermers was one of six international winners to receive the distinguished award.

Smith first authors a book chapter about the neuroergonimics of music proficiency and performance

March 6, 2020

Thomas J. Smith, PhD, is first author of a chapter entitled, “The neuroergonomics of music proficiency and performance,” in a newly published book entitled, “Neuroergonomics. Principles and Practice,” edited by C. Nam. Smith co-wrote the chapter with Josh McNiven.

Smith is an adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology.

Konczak lab publishes paper on impact of Botulinum toxin on brain processing with cervical dystonia

March 5, 2020

The Human Sensorimotor Control Laboratory (HSCL), directed by School of Kinesiology professor Jürgen Konczak, PhD, recently published a paper regarding cervical dystonia treatment and neuro function in the Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair Journal. The publication, “Effect of Neck Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection on Proprioception and Somatosensory-Motor Cortical Processing in Cervical Dystonia,” responds to the question, “how does Botulinum toxin affect proprioception and brain processing in cervical dystonia (CD)?”

The study was led by former doctoral student Sanaz Khosravani, PhD, who is a current postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. The research concluded that an abnormal perception of joint position is an underlying feature of cervical dystonia. This faulty perception was associated with excessive activity in sensorimotor areas of the brain. Botulinum injections to the dystonic neck muscle normalized cortical processing in these areas, which also improved the accuracy of the position sense.

Stoffregen quoted in The Economist

March 3, 2020

School of Kinesiology professor, and director of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory, Thomas Stoffregen PhD, was cited in an article from The Economist, “Cyber-sickness Is Still A Challenge For VR”.

The article examined the two dominant hypotheses behind the triggers of VR cyber-sickness. One of which being Stoffregen’s theory of unstable posture. The article had a reach of 35,000 views.

Mahnan receives the 2020-21 Hauge Fellowship

March 3, 2020

School of Kinesiology doctoral student Arash Mahnan is the recipient of the 2020-21 Hauge Fellowship. The Hauge Fellowship is meant to support a doctoral, MS, or MA student participate in a professional development experience. Mahnan plans to use the funds he received to attend a voice foundation symposium in May 2020 to present his research on Spasmodic Dysphonia.

Lewis gives lecture at Penn State

February 26, 2020

On February 20, 2020, School of Kinesiology professor and director Beth Lewis, PhD, gave the 25th Annual Dorothy V. Harris Memorial Lecture in Sport Psychology at Penn State. The title of her lecture was, “Get Up and Get Moving: Evidence-Based Behavioral Strategies for Physical Activity Adherence.”

The Dorothy V. Harris Lecture Series in Sport Psychology honors Dorothy Harris, a Penn State alumna, past faculty member, and pioneer in the fields of sport psychology and women in sport.

While at Penn State, Harris developed one of the first graduate programs in sport psychology in the country. Later, she became the first woman president of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Penn State in 1982, and in 2004, the Board of Trustees named a residence hall on the University Park campus in her honor. The lecture is presented annually in memory of Harris, who died in 1991.

The first year of the Harris lecture was 1995-96, and since then the series has hosted 24 distinguished speakers who are considered some of the leading figures in sport/exercise psychology. Interestingly, the 1995 inaugural lecture was given by School of Kinesiology professor Maureen Weiss.

Dengel quoted in Livestrong.com article on body mass

February 26, 2020

Donald Dengel, PhD, professor of exercise physiology in the School of Kinesiology, is quoted in an article titled “How Much of Your Body Mass Is Actually Muscle — and How Do You Measure It?” recently published on Livestrong.com.

The article touches on the importance of measuring body mass and what that means to an average person, quoting Dengel about how far the technology behind body mass measurement has come and how your body mass percentages may affect you. Read the full story here.

School of Kinesiology’s Sarah Greising receives McKnight Land-Grant Professorship

February 21, 2020

Sarah Greising, PhD pictured in front of Cooke Hall.

The School of Kinesiology would like to congratulate professor Sarah Greising, PhD, on her appointment as a 2020-22 McKnight Land-Grant Professor.

The goal of the McKnight Land-Grant Professorship program is to strengthen and advance the careers of the most promising junior faculty members who are at the beginning stages of their professional careers, and who have the potential to make significant contributions to their departments and to their scholarly fields. The designation of “McKnight Land-Grant Professor” is held by recipients for a two-year period and is accompanied by funding for their work at the University.

Dr. Greising was chosen as one of the eleven 2020-22 McKnight Land-Grant Professors, from a University-wide pool of nominees. Recipients of the McKnight Land-Grant Professorship must be early in their academic career and show exceptional promise in their research, illustrating its potential importance in their field and beyond, and its original, innovative, independent nature. Additionally, applicants must highlight their teaching and mentorship capabilities, as well as their service and leadership contributions to the wider community.

Dr. Greising’s scientific enquiry focuses on leveraging curiosity and physiology to optimize skeletal muscle function after injury. Traumatic orthopaedic injuries can leave patients with significant lifelong dysfunction. Some injuries, such as volumetric muscle loss, are particularly challenging and current treatment guidelines for skeletal muscle remain elusive. To understand these injuries, Dr. Greising’s team evaluates how the muscle environment is limiting to adaptation during treatment (surgical, regenerative medicine, and/or rehabilitation). Her lab is committed to using physiology to promote an endogenous environment supportive of treatments to improve long-term function for these patients.

Dr. Greising’s research looks beyond today’s standard treatment options with the goal of supplementing or replacing them with more effective alternatives, and has the potential to offer survivors new hope with the possibility of an active and independent future.

The School of Kinesiology is extremely proud of Dr. Greising’s recognition! With this appointment she becomes one of only three faculty members in the College of Education and Human Development to have received this prestigious award since 2013.

Members of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory publish on cybersickness in VR compared to vehicles, and whether sex matters

February 18, 2020

Pictured above: Chris Curry (top left) Nicolette Peterson (top right) Ruixuan Li (bottom left) and Thomas Stoffregen (bottom right).

Christopher Curry, Ruixuan Li, Nicolette Peterson, and Thomas A. Stoffregen, PhD, co-published an article titled, “Cybersickness in Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Displays: Examining the Influence of Sex Differences and Vehicle Control” published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction.

The study noted past research stating motion sickness is more common among women, and motion sickness in vehicles is more common among passengers. The study explored a possible interaction between these two effects.

The study concluded that there was no evidence that the incidence of motion sickness, or the severity of motion sickness symptoms differed between the sexes, or between drivers and passengers. However, among participants who discontinued early, the exposure time for female drivers was significantly less than for male drivers. The results confirm that motion sickness is a common effect of head mounted display use, and suggest that in virtual environments sex differences in motion sickness may vary with specific tasks.

Thomas A. Stoffregen, PhD is the director of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory (APAL) and a professor in the School of Kinesiology. Christopher Curry and Nicolette Peterson are APAL graduate student researchers. Ruixuan Li is a recent APAL doctoral student, and received her Doctorate degree in Human Factors and Ergonomics in 2018.

CEHD News Kinesiology

CEHD News Kinesiology