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President's Council Science Board

The PCPFS Science Board was formed in 2003 to ensure that the messages and programs of the Council are scientifically sound. To date, the board's review and input includes the long-standing President's Challenge program as well as the many other initiatives of the Council. The board includes scholars who are selected due to the significant contributions he or she has made to the research and science of physical activity, fitness, health, and sports.

Barbara Ainsworth, PhD

Barbara Ainsworth,  PhDDr. Ainsworth is a Professor in the Department of Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University. Her research is in the assessment of physical activity with an emphasis on questionnaire design and interpretation for use in epidemiological studies.

David Bassett, Jr., Ph.D.

Dr. Bassett is a professor in the Department of Exercise, Sport, and Leisure Studies at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville.  His research focuses on measuring physical activity and energy expenditure using objective monitors (e.g., pedometers, accelerometers, heart rate monitors).

Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko , PhD

Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, PhDDr. Chodzko-Zajko is Head of the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His primary research interests are in the area of aging and health. For the past twenty years he has focused on the effect of exercise and physical activity on health and quality of life in old age. Dr. Chodzko-Zajko is the Principal Investigator on a series of projects charged with developing a national strategy for promoting healthy aging in the USA. He served as founding Editor of the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity from 1992-2002 and is on the Board of Directors and/or Advisory Boards of several national organizations and companies including the American Council on Exercise, Life Fitness, and Theraband.

Joy DeSensi, Ph.D.

Dr. DeSensi is head of the Department of Exercise, Sport, and Leisure Studies at the University of Tennessee- Knoxville.  Her focus is on the socio-cultural aspects of sport, which includes gender, race, ethnicity, and multiculturalism. She also teaches on ethics and morality in sport management.

Patty Freedson, PhD

Patty Freedson, PhDDr. Freedson is a Professor and Chair in the Kinesiology Department at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. Her research interests include assessment of physical activity, physical activity, fitness, and health in different populations, pediatric exercise physiology, and fitness test development. She is a past-president of the Research Consortium of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) and the New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine. In 1996, she was the recipient of the Presidential Citation Award from AAHPERD. Dr. Freedson is a fellow of the Research Consortium, the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and the American College of Sports Medicine.

Greg Heath, DHSc., MPH

Greg Heath, DHSc., MPHDr. Heath is head of the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Tennessee- Chattanooga.  His interest is in community based approaches to promoting physical activity, physical activity epidemiology, health disparities, and the role of providers in assessing and counseling on physical activity and diet.

Allen Jackson, Ed.D.

Allen Jackson, Ed.D.Dr. Jackson is a Regents Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation at the University of North Texas.  Dr. Jackson’s research focuses on the development of valid measurement protocols for assessing fitness and physical activity with a special emphasis on minority populations.  In addition, he is involved in efforts to increase minority interest in the health sciences as an area of focus for future studies and/or a career path.

Thom McKenzie, PhD

Thom McKenzie, PhDDr. McKenzie is a researcher at San Diego State University and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences. A former public school teacher, coach, and administrator, his expertise in designing and assessing physical activity programs for diverse populations is widely recognized. He has been an investigator on nine NIH-supported multi-disciplinary research projects and is a Fellow of four professional organizations.

Tedd Mitchell, MD (PCPFS Member Liaison)

Tedd Mitchell, MDDr. Mitchell was appointed to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in 2001 by President Bush. He is the Medical Director of the Cooper Wellness Program and Vice President and Associate Medical Director of the Cooper Clinic. His focus is on health maintenance and disease prevention through physical fitness and proper dietary habits. He serves as a columnist and medical editor for USA Weekend magazine. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Maureen Weiss , PhD (Chair: 2007-2008)

Maureen Weiss, PhDDr. Weiss is professor and co-director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport in the School of Kinesiology, and adjunct professor in the Institute of Child Development, at the University of Minnesota. Her research is focused on the psychological and social development of children and adolescents through participation in sport and physical activity, with particular interests in self-perceptions, motivation, character development, and social relationships (parents, peers, coaches/teachers).

Weimo Zhu, PhD

Weimo Zhu, PhDDr. Zhu is an associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a visiting professor at the Guangzhou and Shanghai Institutes of Physical Education in China.  Dr. Zhu’s writings and research focus on  measurement and evaluation in kinesiology.

PAST SCIENCE BOARD MEMBERS

2003-2005:

Charles Corbin, PhD (Science Board Chair: 2003-2004)

Charles Corbin, PhDDr. Corbin’s teachings and writings have focused on physical activity, health, and wellness promotion and youth physical fitness. He is the senior or sole author of more than 70 books and has written chapters in more than 15 others including 3 of the most widely adopted high school and college texts focusing on fitness and wellness: Fitness for Life (4 th ed.); Concepts of Physical Fitness (11 th ed.); and Concepts of Fitness and Wellness (5 th ed.). Dr. Corbin is retired from his position as a professor in the Department of Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University-East. He had been a member of the ASU faculty since 1982.

Margaret Safrit, PhD

Margaret Safrit, PhDDr. Safrit’s specialty areas include practical and theoretical issues in measuring motor behavior and research methods in kinesiology. The majority of her professional career was spent at the University of Wisconsin, Madison where she was the Henry-Bascom Professor. She served as Editor of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. She is a recipient of the Luther Halsey Gulick Award from AAHPERD and the Clark Hethering Award from the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education. Dr. Safrit retired from American University where she served as Chair of the Department of Health and Fitness.

2003-2006:

Robert Karch, EdD

Robert Karch, EdDDr. Karch has extensive experience in academic program development; strategic planning for physical fitness; and international health promotion and physical activity programs. He has been a member of the faculty at American University since 1969 where he created the Master of Science program in Health Fitness Management and the Bachelor of Science program in Health Promotion and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Health and Fitness. For the past four years, Dr. Karch has served as Editor of the global newsletter, Health Promotion: Global Perspectives.

Amelia Lee, PhD

Amelia Lee, PhDDr. Lee is the Mary E. Baxter Lipscomb Professor and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University. Her concentration is on teaching and teacher education, with specific applications to the promotion of physical activity in school settings. Dr. Lee is an elected Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education and a Fellow in the Research Consortium of AAHPERD. She was selected as the McCloy Lecturer in 2001 and designated as AAHPERD’s Alliance Scholar for 2003-04.

Robert Pangrazi, PhD

Robert Pangrazi, PhDDr. Pangrazi is a consultant for Gopher Sport and Walk4Life and Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University. Dr. Pangrazi’s teaching and research focused on activity promotion for youth in addition to curriculum development and instruction in physical activity and education. He has authored 42 textbooks including the widely used, Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children (14 th ed.). He is an AAHPERD Honor Fellow and a Fellow of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Russell Pate, PhD

Russell Pate, PhDDr. Pate is a professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina and the Associate Dean for Research at the Arnold School of Public Health. Dr. Pate’s interest is in physical activity and fitness in children and the health implications of physical activity. His research has been supported by federal, non-profit, and corporate entities. He served as president of ACSM in 1993-94 and was given the organization’s Citation Award in 1996. In 1999 AAHPERD recognized him with the Alliance Scholar Award.

2003-2007:

Doris Corbett, PhD

Doris Corbett, PhDDr. Corbett is a sport sociologist at Howard University. She has served as a Distinguished Professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Nanyang Technological University in the Republic of Singapore, and Emporia State University’s Jones Institute for Educational Excellence in Emporia Kansas. Her research and publication record have concentrated on sport and human rights issues and ethnic and gender issues in sport. Professional affiliations include a term as president of AAHPERD, NAGWS, and DC-AHPERD and international president of ICHPER.SD.

Ed Howley, PhD (Chair: 2005-2006)

Ed Howley, PhDDr. Howley, a professor of Exercise Science at the University of Tennessee, has researched extensively the areas of metabolic responses to exercise; assessment of cardio respiratory fitness; and the role of physical activity and exercise in the prevention of weight gain. He served as president of ACSM (2002-2003) and was an associate editor of the 6th edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. In 2005, he will begin a term as Editor-in-Chief of the ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal.

James Morrow, PhD (Chair: 2004-2005)

James Morrow, PhDDr. Morrow is a Regents Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and Recreation at the University of North Texas. He has made significant contributions to the areas of research and evaluation methodology in physical activity, physical fitness, and fitness testing as they relate to quality of life and health outcomes. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport from 1989-1993. He is a co-editor of the Journal of Physical Activity & Health and the current president of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education.

Deborah Young, PhD

Deborah Young, PhDDr. Young is a physical activity epidemiologist with expertise in community-based interventions, specifically designing and evaluating interventions for African American women and adolescent girls. She has made significant contributions to the field of exercise epidemiology through her research on determinants of physical activity, evaluating associations among physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular risk factors, and issues related to physical activity assessment. She is a member of the faculty in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland.

 

Last updated on 09/26/2008

 

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