Maureen Weiss, Ph.D., professor of Kinesiology, will be recognized with the Distinguished Scholar Award from the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) at its annual conference in Montreal, June 15-18. The award is the most prestigious that the Society offers and recognizes outstanding long-term contributions and excellence in research that has made a significant impact on scholarly knowledge in the psychological sciences. In the 50-year tenure of the Society, only 22 individuals have been recognized with the Distinguished Scholar Award.

Weiss’ research has consistently focused on the psychological, social, and physical development of children and adolescents through participation in sport and physical activity, with particular interests in self-perceptions, motivation, moral development, and social relationships. Weiss has published over 140 journal articles and book chapters in her areas of expertise and has edited or co-edited 4 books on youth sport and physical activity, including Worldwide Trends in Youth Sport (1996) and Developmental Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Lifespan Perspective (2004).

The North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity is a multidisciplinary association of scholars from the behavioral sciences and related professions. The Society functions to: (1) develop and advance the scientific study of human behavior when individuals are engaged in sport and physical activity, (2) facilitate the dissemination of information, and (3) improve the quality of research and teaching in the psychology of sport, motor development, and motor learning and control.