Zan Gao, Ph.D., associate professor and director of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Lab (PAEL), has recently been elected as President-elect for the International Chinese Society for Physical Activities and Health (ICSPAH). The society is a non-profit professional organization serving hundreds of scholars and graduate students from North America, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macaw and Taiwan.

The mission of this society is to facilitate professional growth and development among its members and to promote healthy, physically active lifestyles through strengthening research and education in international communities.

Gao will serve the organization for the next three years, as President-elect, President, and immediate past-President respectively. During his term, Gao will pursue the creation of a new interactive website for ICSPAH, as well as the establishment of a professional journal affiliated with the society. In addition, he intends to continue to expand the membership through other venues such as the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting. He also plans to enhance the members’ engagement through improved communication and social networks within the society, and to focus on the development of early career scholars and graduate students in the field of physical activity and health.