Recent News

Spring 2014 Newsletter

Jun 4, 2014

Cameron Swick Earns Citizenship Award

Jun 29, 2020

Cameron Swick, Placer High School graduate and now Cal Poly graduate with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology, is recognized with the Cal Poly Kinesiology and Public Health Department Citizenship 2019-2020 Award.

"The Department of Kinesiology and Public Health is proud to award Cameron Swick the 2019-2020 Citizenship Award. Cameron consistently demonstrated his dedication to excellence, collaboration and service both in and out of the classroom. He could always be counted upon to answer the call for department activities that required student support such as volunteering to participate in pilot studies, photo-ops, tours for prospective students, Open House, and WOW. Cameron often supported his peers by providing tutoring and facilitating study groups and always treating others with compassion and respect. Notable achievements during his time at Cal Poly include conducting, presenting and publishing research with several professors, leading the Cybathlon Club Soft Goods Team in designing and building a powered exoskeleton for a student with paraplegic cerebral palsy, serving as the trombone section leader in the Cal Poly Marching Band, and being on the team that won the Jeopardy Bowl competition at the 2019 Southwest ACSM Conference. Cameron and the team were slated to compete at the 2020 National ACSM competition, but the conference was cancelled due to COVID-19. We are proud of Cameron's accomplishments and his contributions to our department." -Statement from Kinesiology and Public Health Department.

---

 

Swick graduates Summa Cum Laude with minors in both psychology and biology. He attributes his success to the unwavering support from family, friends, and professors.

"I'm extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have been provided," Swick said. "I see this graduation as a steppingstone that will help me to give back to my community and my professional field."

Swick says he enjoys how Kinesiology applies foundational elements of science to health, exercise, and treatment of various conditions.

"If I had chosen a different major, I don't think I would have the same appreciation for my classes, and I would not be near as invested in my education and career," he said.

Swick chose the Cal Poly College of Science and Mathematics and the Kinesiology and Public Health Department because of Cal Poly's emphasis on Learn by Doing.

"The smaller class sizes and the wealth of opportunities to work with professors were the icings on the cake," Swick said, "Cal Poly truly felt like a place where student success was prioritized, and each student was valued."

Swick says that he is incredibly grateful for all of his teachers at Placer High School, who encouraged his curiosity.

"Many teachers went out of their way to make the courses as engaging and interesting as possible so that I was excited to learn about the material," he said.

Swick plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in physical therapy and rehabilitation research.

"I hope that I can contribute to our knowledge of rehabilitation and improve people's lives as they recover from injury and illness."

Watch this video featuring Swick's undergraduate research experience.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The College of Science and Mathematics prides itself on a student research-intensive curriculum and a commitment to the success of the more than 1,000 undergraduate students engaged in faculty-mentored research annually. Learn more about our undergraduate research opportunities at the link in our bio

A post shared by Cal Poly Science & Mathematics (@calpolycsm) on Dec 28, 2019 at 1:53pm PST

Rebeca Almeida Earns the Academic Excellence Award

Jun 22, 2020

Rebeca Almeida, Woodside High School graduate and now Cal Poly graduate with a bachelor's degree double majoring in Public Health and Ethnic Studies, is recognized with the Cal Poly Kinesiology and Public Health Department Academic Excellence 2019-2020 Award.  

A select few students who achieve outstanding academic performance measured by cumulative grade point average receive the award. Each year academic departments recognize student academic performance with the top-performing students often achieving perfect GPAs of 4.0. 

 Almeida double majored in public health and ethnic studies and minored in women’s and gender studies. For Almeida, the three are an avenue to promote social justice and help vulnerable populations. 

“I take tremendous pride in being the first student at Cal Poly to graduate with a BS in Public Health— such achievement in itself inspires me to go out in the workplace and represent my department as best as I can,” Almeida said.  

Almeida chose the Cal Poly College of Science and Mathematics and the public health department because of its focus on a learn by doing approach. 

“I was able to have incredibly meaningful and in-depth research and leadership experiences,” Almeida said, “I had the opportunity to lead research projects, publish four academic peer-reviewed articles, travel throughout the country to present my research at conferences, and acquire a tremendous amount of practical knowledge.” 

For Almeida, graduating is a landmark for four years of hard work and self-growth.  

“I feel very proud and fulfilled with my Cal Poly experience since it significantly helped shape who I am today and it provided me with an environment to fail, try again, and ultimately succeed,” Almeida said. 

After graduating, Almeida will begin working as a business consultant at Ernst & Young's office in Houston, Texas.  

“My consulting job will allow me to combine my passion for helping others with the ability to solve problems as I help businesses understand, secure, and improve their people agenda,” Almeida said. 

In a few years she hopes to pursue a master's in business administration while continuing to engage in work that promotes social justice. 

Cameron Christopher Earns the Academic Excellence Award

Jun 22, 2020

Cameron “Cami” Christopher, John Burroughs High School graduate and now Cal Poly graduate with a bachelor's in Kinesiology, is recognized with the Cal Poly Kinesiology and Public Health Department Academic Excellence Award.  

A select few students who achieve outstanding academic performance measured by cumulative grade point average receive the award. Each year academic departments recognize student academic performance with the top-performing students often achieving perfect GPAs of 4.0.     

As a Kinesiology student, Christopher says she has always had a passion for learning and has always pushed herself to fully articulate her academic discipline.  

“There is so much variety that allows students to find their niche and passion, even when I felt like certain classes weren't a perfect fit for me, I was able to find overlap and relevancy to my desired field,” said Christopher.  

Christopher chose the Cal Poly College of Science and Mathematics and their Kinesiology and Public Health Department because she had always wanted to work with research in some capacity.  

“Knowing that I had the opportunity to get involved early on in my undergraduate experience and truly connect what I learned in the classroom to real research was really important to me,” Christopher said. 

Christopher attributes her success to a combination of a strong family presence in her life and an incredible education early in her student journey that helped her set her priorities and follow her passion. 

Receiving the Academic Excellence Award from the Kinesiology Department is very special to Christopher and is one of the most rewarding experiences of her life. 

"I am very thankful for the amazing guidance of my professors and support of my family along the way," she adds. 

This fall, Christopher will be furthering her education at Boston University pursuing a master’s in public health focusing on epidemiology and biostatistics. 

Bicycle Crank Length — Go Short

May 20, 2019

Cycling is a low impact activity used for fitness, commuting, competition or rehabilitation. A bicycle’s crank typically ranges in length between 170-175 mm. The length of the crank could impact several biomechanical and physiological measures which may affect cycling performance and potentially reduce injury.

Under the direction of kinesiology faculty Robert Clark and Christiane O’Hara, undergraduate Frost Research Fellows Cameron Swick, Natalie Grohmann, Austin Bohn and Ashley Shen conducted research with 18 elite level cyclists during summer 2018. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of six different crank lengths on gross efficiency, heart rate, maximum power, optimal pedaling rate (cadence at maximum power) and joint kinematics of the hip and knee.

During steady-state cycling, shorter cranks had a higher gross efficiency (150 mm: 22.1%) compared to longer cranks (180 mm: 21.6%), (p < 0.001). There was an increase in optimal pedaling rate between 150 mm cranks (130 rpm) and all other lengths (180 mm: 120 rpm) (p < 0.001). 150 mm cranks have a significantly smaller hip (45 degrees) and knee (67 degrees) range of motion than all other cranks measured (180 mm: hip 51 degrees, knee 75 degrees) (p < 0.001). These results show that shorter cranks can be advantageous.

Preliminary results were presented at the Southwest American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Conference in fall 2018, and the students will present further findings at the National ACSM Conference in Orlando during spring 2019.

Students interested in similar biomechanics research can take a new, interdisciplinary class called Interdisciplinary Studies in Biomechanics. This activity-based class involves hypothesis-driven research in interdisciplinary teams, including written proposal development and written and oral communication of results to a scientific audience.

Letter from the Chair 2019

May 20, 2019

Greetings from the department chair’s office. I hope this newsletter finds you well. I'm excited to share a few stories of the great work being done by our students and faculty and provide a few updates about the Kinesiology and Public Health Department at Cal Poly. 

Our department welcomed the first freshman cohort for the bachelor’s degree in public health in fall 2018. The program is going very well, and we are pleased that both of our degree programs attract high-achieving and well-qualified applicants. 

Fall 2019’s new arrivals will include three tenure-track faculty members. Stefanee Maurice and Jafra Thomas will bring their teaching and research expertise in the areas of psychology and sociology of sport, exercise and physical activity, and Joni Roberts specializes in global and multicultural health. We are also pleased that all three of our new faculty members have been selected to participate in an interdisciplinary cohort of faculty members who will focus on advancing diversity, inclusion and equity across the curriculum, in their scholarship and in service to the campus community. 

Other new arrivals involve equipment and renovated laboratory spaces to facilitate cutting-edge instruction and student research opportunities. The department has added a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, or DXA, to our Body Composition Laboratory. We now have state-of-the-art technology to assess bone density and body composition, and it is a great addition to the Bod-Pod and BIA devices. 

We have also added a computational laboratory to support undergraduate and faculty research and recently retrofitted the classroom in the Human Performance Laboratory with a 28-station computer lab, large monitors and tables to facilitate collaborative work in our laboratory spaces.

A new Learn by Doing opportunity for the Center for Health Research (formerly STRIDE) arrived this past spring. The state-of the-art Women and Infants Mobile Health Unit, which was made possible through donor support, will provide free health outreach and counseling services to underserved populations on the Central Coast. Students will get hands-on experience working with medical professionals and faculty researchers. 

This newsletter will spotlight some of the amazing research that our students and faculty are doing together. For example, students are testing a novel training technique on competitive surfing performance. Others are developing and testing interventions to increase bystander intervention to prevent sexual assault and better understand the consequences of sexual assault. Some are studying whether incentivizing cancer survivors through donations to cancer charities increases physical activity, while others are studying the effects of different crank lengths on cycling performance.

Our students are presenting their research findings at conferences sponsored by organizations such as the Southwest American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the American Public Health Association, the National ACSM, and the Society of Public Health Education, just to name a few. They are also co-authoring articles for publication. During 2017 and 2018 kinesiology and public health faculty had more than 55 publications in peer-reviewed publications, many with student co-authors.

This summer, 20 kinesiology and public health majors will receive Frost Research Fellow awards to work on research with faculty mentors. These fellowship awards are thanks to the generous gift from William (Biochemistry, ’72) and Linda Frost.

We are so fortunate to have the ongoing support of our alumni to provide high impact Learn by Doing experiences for our students.

Please take good care and keep in touch. Your college days may be over, but Learn by Doing never ends!

Senior Earns NIH Fellowship

May 14, 2019

Leah Meuter, a senior kinesiology major, has been accepted into a prestigious post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. She will conduct research and assist with patient coordination and care at the leading clinical research hospital in the country. 

Meuter spent three years conducting research at Cal Poly and played an instrumental role as the lead student assistant on a study led by Professor Sarah Keadle. 

“I was so lucky to meet Leah during my first year at Cal Poly. She has such a unique skill set in that she has a natural rapport with patients and strong clinical experience along with the intangibles like grit, composure and independence that you look for in a great researcher,” Keadle said.

The project focused on testing whether incentivizing young adult cancer survivors to meet step goals through donations to cancer charities would increase physical activity. Meuter found that the eHealth intervention was feasible and acceptable to young adult cancer survivors and that the charity donations increased satisfaction with the intervention and steps. 

Meuter presented her research at the College of Science and Mathematics Student Research Conference, the Society of Behavior Medicine meeting in Washington, D.C., and regional and national conferences of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). In June, she will be one of three kinesiology seniors who will compete in the ACSM Student Bowl against 12 other regions in a Jeopardy-style competition on the topic of exercise science. 

In the interview below, Meuter credits her research experience as changing her career trajectory and preparing her for the real world. 

Interview with Leah Meuter

What has been the best part about being involved in research?

It's hard to choose just one! I feel like my favorite part about being involved in research was that it prepared me for the real world. You learn how to collaborate with peers and professors, how to present yourself in a professional manner, and how to keep your composure when things do not go as planned — because that will happen.

I think these skills are extremely important for other areas of life, and they are not skills that can be taught — they come with experience. Another really great part about research and attending conferences is the connections you make. You meet peers, professors and other researchers who you might not have met if you were not involved. These connections are great because they create a sense of community and a place where you can share your passion with others.

What was the best part of this study in particular?

The best part about this study was getting to interact with the participants, who were young adult cancer survivors. These participants were extremely kind and grateful despite what they had gone through, and it was really rewarding to help these participants get involved in physical activity and give them the tools they needed to create healthy habits and improve their quality of life.

What was the most challenging part?

I think the most challenging part about research is accepting that not everything will go as planned and you have to be willing to adapt to changes quickly. While this is the most challenging part in my opinion, I think that learning to work through challenges is one of the best things about research. I think that these challenges really help prepare you for the real world, whether it’s research-related or not, and how to deal with unexpected changes in a professional manner.

In what way, if any, has research changed your career path?

Research has dramatically influenced my career path. When I first got to Cal Poly, I was dead set on a career path that I do not think I would have enjoyed in the long-term. After my involvement in research for three years at Cal Poly, I realized that I did not want my research experience to end when I graduate in June.

This led me to apply for a two-year post-baccalaureate program through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in which I will be working in the research hospital on the NIH campus. I am not yet entirely sure what I would like to do after this. However, I am extremely interested in the integration of research and clinical settings in the medical field. Had I not been involved in research at Cal Poly, I am sure my career path would have been entirely different.

Any other comments?

I am extremely grateful to be part of a college and department that values the importance of research, especially at the undergraduate level. I would strongly suggest to anyone who is the slightest bit interested in research to take advantage of the countless opportunities we have in our college and department. There are so many undergraduates who never get these opportunities. Finding something that interests you and being a part of a research project is such a great experience and can help you discover your passion.

Research Aims to Reduce Sexual Assault

May 14, 2019

Sexual assault is a major public health issue, particularly in young adult populations. Professor Christine Hackman leads the Violence Prevention Research Lab, which is engaged in several studies, some aimed at developing and testing ways to increase bystander intervention and others that seek to increase the understanding of sexual assault survivors’ experiences. Undergraduate research assistants in Hackman’s lab work collaboratively to conceptualize and conduct original research studies, as well as communicate their findings.  

The Sexual Gender and Minorities Qualitative Study investigates how the LGBTQ+ community experiences everyday campus culture, the consequences of sexual assault, and the disparities in rates of victimization. These findings can be used to make policy recommendations and tailor campus resources to create college campuses that are safer and more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students.

The Integrated Behavioral Model Scale Study aims to develop and test a theory-based scale to predict whether someone would perform bystander intervention. By including novel variables such as moral norms, anticipated regret and personality, more insight can be obtained into the factors that influence whether college students engage in bystander intervention. 

The trends identified in the data will give insight into Cal Poly’s norms and describe what factors currently encourage or prevent intervention. This valid and reliable scale can guide future prevention programming and serve as an evaluation tool to examine changes in bystander behavior.

Hold Your Breath, Surf Better

May 14, 2019

Surfing is an integral component of California culture and was deemed California’s state sport by former Governor Jerry Brown in 2018. Competitively, surfing has evolved on the international stage and will make its debut at the 2020 Olympic games. 

Inspired by the growth of competitive surfing, a team of undergraduate researchers under the direction of Professor Cory Greever is investigating novel training methods that may aid these athletes’ performance. A competitive surfing heat poses many challenges, such as the need to hold one’s breath for long periods of time while intermittently paddling at high intensities in the open ocean.

The team’s first project, led by alumni Kaden Groseclose and April Denny and current kinesiology major Adele Looper, revealed that surfers who have higher levels of cardiovascular fitness are able to hold their breath for longer periods of time following paddling. The results of the study were recently published in the International Journal of Exercise Science. 

These findings led the team to further investigate the impact of breath-hold training exercises on surfing performance. Recently, a second group of students — led by Looper, Dylan Carmody and Sidney Johnson — reviewed the literature on breath-hold training in water-based sports. 

The students found a potentially interesting and novel training technique that has been shown to improve performance in sports such as swimming. The technique, known as voluntary hypoventilation at low lung volume, involves exercising while performing breath holds at the end of an exhalation. 

The technique challenges muscles to work with less oxygen, similar to training at high altitudes. This method may offer a means for surfers to train under these conditions at elevations closer to sea-level. The researchers are preparing to investigate how a surf-paddling program performed with voluntary hypoventilation affects a surfer’s paddling abilities. 

2019 Newsletter

May 13, 2019

Featured Articles

Hold Your Breath, Surf Better

Inspired by the growth of competitive surfing, a team of undergraduate researchers under the direction of Professor Cory Greever is investigating novel training methods that may aid these athletes’ performance.