Kansas State University

Welcome to our summer 2017 Department of Kinesiology newsletter. It is packed with news and information about graduate and undergraduate academic programs, students, faculty, research and alumni.

It has been my pleasure to serve as department head for the past three years. After 20 years with the department, I am both amazed and thrilled to see the growth and positive changes that have occurred in the department. We have truly extraordinary faculty committed to providing our nearly 700 undergraduate and 40+ graduate students with an excellent education. Our faculty’s research seeks to discover new knowledge related to physical activity and health and translate this knowledge to improve people’s lives. Both faculty and students are creative and industrious as they successfully work together to achieve this goal. Continue reading “From our department head” →

Carl Ade, assistant professor in the kinesiology department and member of the Johnson Cancer Research Center, earned his doctorate in physiology from K-State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduating, Ade joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma in 2013 and began studying the peripheral vascular responses to exercise in cancer survivors previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. While at the University of Oklahoma, he became a member of the Stephenson Cancer Center.

In 2016, Ade returned to K-State and has continued in cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity while expanding his research interests into the physiological consequences of long-duration spaceflight. Continue reading “Faculty profile: Carl Ade” →

Commonly known as the Trasey Twins, Michelle Stirewalt-Hutton and Kristie Stirewalt-Winter are co-owners of TwinFitness, a female-centered, private personal training studio in Overland Park, Kansas. Founded in 2003, TwinFitness has a goal of inspiring every woman to be her very best. From their two locations and alongside their 13 employees, Hutton and Winter offer comprehensive personal training, nutrition coaching and preparation for fitness, figure and bikini competitions.

With their 1997 K-State bachelor’s degrees in exercise science and nutrition, the twins utilized their education to specialize in training the female body for competition. They have furthered their education through certifications in endocrinology, nutrition coaching from Precision Nutrition, and personal training and group exercise instruction from the American Council of Exercise. To provide comprehensive resources to their clients, the twins created an online nutrition program that compliments their personal training business and developed their own supplement line, formulated especially for women. Continue reading “Human Ecology names entrepreneur award winners” →

BJ Lehecka, DPT, is an assistant professor in the College of Health Professions and Physical Therapy at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. At WSU, Lehecka teaches coursework concerning the hip and spine regions, posture, gait, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, musculoskeletal evaluation and the treatment of musculoskeletal pathology. In 2016, he was awarded the WSU Rodenberg Award for Excellence in Teaching due to his outstanding work in the classroom with students.

Outside of the classroom, Lehecka’s fascination with the workings of the hip and the spine has focused his research on the gluteal muscles – which are integral to hip and spine function. To date, he has published multiple journal articles, presented at state and international symposiums, authored book chapters, and actively participated in continuing education lecture engagements and conferences. In his spare time, Lehecka serves as a physical therapist and director of Wichita Running and is a PhD candidate at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Orthopedic and Sports Science. Continue reading “Alumni profile: BJ Lehecka” →

Kelsie Carpenter (undergraduate)

Kelsie Carpenter is a senior in kinesiology and pre-physician assistant from Overland Park, Kansas. She plans to graduate from K-State in May of 2018 and attend Physician Assistant Graduate School at Wichita State University the following June. Her involvement at K-State includes: events director and president of the Kinesiology Student Organization, kinesiology ambassador, kinesiology student advisory board and Open House volunteer. Kelsie has been recognized with an Outstanding Senior Leadership Award, the 2017 American Kinesiology Association Undergraduate Scholar Award, an Achievement Award, a departmental scholarship and multiple private scholarships. Her favorite summer activity is slalom skiing at Table Rock Lake and she enjoys squats and pushups for a good workout.

Shane Hammer (master’s)

Shane Hammer is in the master’s program in kinesiology, with an undergraduate degree in kinesiology in 2015 from K-State, and he has been accepted into K-State’s doctoral program. He studies muscle-oxygen transportation interactions during exercise and the mechanisms that determine fatigue in Dr. Barstow’s Human Exercise Physiology Laboratory. Shane is the recipient of multiple travel awards, a Ruth Hoeflin Home Economics scholarship and the 2017 American Kinesiology Association Master’s Scholar Award. He is originally from Cherryvale, Kansas, and sees his wife and daughter as sources of support. Shane enjoys running during his downtime.

Stephanie Kurti (doctoral)

Stephanie Kurti, recent PhD graduate in kinesiology, is originally from Naperville, Illinois. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from University of Mary Washington and a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from Florida Atlantic University. At K-State, Stephanie focused her research on understanding how age, sex and lifestyle may impact biomarkers that are associated with the development of respiratory diseases, such as asthma. Recently, she accepted a tenure-track assistant professorship at James Madison University. Stephanie has been awarded a college outstanding graduate student of year, a departmental distinguished doctoral student of the year, an Alumni Association graduate student with excellence in academics and the Presidential Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. She is a purveyor of iced coffees and loves to play tennis when she gets the chance.

K-State’s kinesiology department recently recognized students who have earned departmental scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year at its annual scholarship celebration.

The following students are scholarship winners:

Taylor Green, Pauline Compton Scholarship; Jennica O’Neill, Katherine Horridge Smith Scholarship; Katelyn Bell, Eva Lyman Memorial Scholarship; Shaelyn Ward, Barbara Moses Memorial Scholarship; Shayna Karmann, Kate Bowen, Olivia Kunkel, Olivia Schmidtberger and Riann Heft, Mary Lois Rynders Sykes Scholarship; Mary Morrissey, Darlene J. Meisner Peniston Memorial Scholarship; Carson Jennings, Larry Noble Fitness Promotion Scholarship; Allison Bullinger, Kenneth D. Mosely Scholarship; and Macy Mock, Ryann Horton, Elena D’Angelo, Alexandra Ptacek and Emilee Pool were awarded department scholarships.

Korynne Rollins was recognized as the Outstanding Master’s Student and Jesse Craig was recognized as the Outstanding Doctoral Student.

“The scholarship banquet was a great way to recognize some of the kinesiology department’s exceptional students and award them with the scholarships they’ve earned,” Harms said. “These students are already succeeding in many ways and we all look forward to their future accomplishments.”

The kinesiology department expresses gratitude to the generous donors who made these scholarships possible.

Our internship program is growing! Are you interested in offering an internship experience to undergraduates in kinesiology? If so, please contact Lauren McDaniel, internship coordinator, at lmcdan@ksu.edu, to learn more.

In 2014, Nichols Chiropractic began offering internships to kinesiology majors during the fall, spring and summer semesters.

Jarrod Nichols, DC, owner of Nichols Chiropractic shares that “Working with Lauren McDaniel to establish an internship program for students in kinesiology has been extremely rewarding. By creating an opportunity for these students to gain hands-on experience in a clinical setting, we are able to be part of the education process and help bridge the gap between the classroom and future clinical practice. Our student interns experience what it’s like to be part of a busy healthcare team, working with multiple providers and support staff to provide the highest level of chiropractic care available to our patients. Students considering a career field that involves direct patient care should highly consider taking advantage of this great program.”

The Larry Noble Fitness Promotion Scholarship was established in 2005 and has been awarded yearly to a junior or senior interested in a career in health promotion. In establishing this scholarship, Larry Noble, professor emeritus of kinesiology, sought to provide an opportunity for kinesiology students and to inspire others to create scholarship opportunities.

Noble served as a member of the kinesiology faculty from 1972 to his retirement in 2006. During his tenure as department head, 1986-1995, he helped lead the transition from a physical education department to the kinesiology department that exists today. In 2018, his scholarship will transition to the Larry Noble Scholarship for juniors or seniors planning to pursue graduate study in kinesiology or a health-related profession. This change reflects the large number of pre-health students who major in kinesiology. Noble has been a regular attendee of the Department of Kinesiology’s scholarship and awards banquet and always enjoys meeting and conversing with his scholarship recipients and their parents. He likes to stay in touch and has even developed relationships where he’s taken a few recipients fishing!

If you are interested in establishing a scholarship or learning more about the process, please contact Dana Hunter, development officer for the College of Human Ecology, at danah@found.ksu.edu or 785-532-7291, or Craig Harms, department head for kinesiology, at caharms@ksu.edu or 785-532-0706.

2016-2017 major accomplishments achievements

Faculty

• Tim Musch named university distinguished professor, a lifetime title that is the highest honor the university bestows on its faculty members.
• Emily Mailey received the award for Best Early Career Researcher Presentation at the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity annual meeting in Capetown, South Africa.
• David Poole was named a College of Human Ecology Outstanding Graduate Faculty member.
• Carl Ade and Tom Barstow had a publication selected by the American Physiological Society, APS, as one of their 10 best research articles in the April 2017 collection.
• Christian Larson and Jesse Stein, doctoral student, were awarded a $6880 grant to develop KIN 330: Introduction to Biomechanics as an online course through Global Campus. Larson was also awarded $5000 for the development of KIN 220: Biobehavioral Bases of Physical Activity as an online course through Global Campus.
• Poole has been chosen for the 2018 Edward F. Adolph Distinguished Lectureship award from the Environmental and Exercise Physiology section of the American Physiologicial Society.
• Musch has been chosen for the 2018 Environmental and Exercise Physiology Honor Award from the American Physiologic Society. This is one of the highest awards from EEP and is a reflection of his stature in the field and contributions to the EEP section.
• Katie Heinrich and Tim Musch each received the College of Human Ecology Faculty Research Excellence Award. This award recognizes superior accomplishment in research, scholarly and creative activities, and discovery.

Students

• Stephanie Kurti, doctoral candidate, received the Kansas State University Golden Key Honor Society GTA of the Year award.
• Joshua Smith, doctoral candidate, and Kurti were named College of Human Ecology Outstanding Graduate Students of the Year.
• Kurti won the Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Research in Aging.
• Alec Butenas, undergraduate student, won best presentation/poster in the biological division at the College of Human Ecology Undergraduate Research Forum.
• Kurti awarded the University Distinguished Professors Graduate Student Research Grant for $5,000 for her research “The impact of lifestyle and age on systemic and airway inflammation and oxidative stress.”
• Bradyn Nicholson, undergraduate student, earned first place in a poster competition for her poster “The feasibility and acceptability of using sit-to-stand desks in self-contained classrooms for students with emotional disturbances”.
• Smith was awarded the Charles M Tipton Student Research Award from the American College of Sports Medicine. This award is presented to the student with the most outstanding research project of the year for the annual meeting and Kurti’s project was titled “Effects of aging on sex differences in the inspiratory muscle metaboreflex.”
• Kurti awarded the Central States American College of Sports Medicine Doctoral Student Research Award for $1,000 for “Does chronic physical activity level impact baseline and postprandial oxidative stress in asthmatics?”
• Chelsey Schlecter, Kaylin Didier and Trenton Colburn – doctoral students – were awarded Timothy R. Donoghue Graduate Scholarships for $5000.
• Kurti awarded the Kansas State University Presidential Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for $5,000.