Background

I am an Emeritus Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University and former Adjunct Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego. I am also a native of Canada, a former public school physical education and health teacher, coach, and administrator, director of residential camping programs for obese and low-fit individuals, and a performance enhancement consultant with USA Volleyball National Teams for 16 years. These practical experiences were critical in enabling me to be a productive researcher.

I have authored/co-authored about 250 scientific papers and chapters and developed numerous assessment, curricular, and mediated materials. I am a Fellow of four professional organizations and have been an investigator on 14 large-scale multidisciplinary research projects supported by the National Institutes of Health, including SPARK, CATCH, MSPAN, TAAG, and MOVE.

My expertise in designing and assessing physical activity programs for diverse populations is widely recognized, including being selected as a member of the Science Board, President’s Council for Physical Fitness and Sports (2006-2009). I have had the good fortune to receive numerous professional awards, including the International Olympic Committee President’s Prize for sport and physical education program development, research, and scholarship, Public Service Award from the International Society of Behavior Analysis, Hall of Fame Award from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, the Science Honor Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland.