University of Alberta

Areas of Research and Researchers

Research Areas

Active, Healthy Children Adapted Physical Activity Analysis of Human Movement  Athlete Health 
Behavioural Medicine and Health Psychology  Coaching Studies Exercise Physiology and Biochemistry Recreation and Leisure Studies
Sociocultural Studies of Sport and Leisure Sport and Leisure Organisations  Sport Psychology  


  • Alphabetical listing of current faculty members and coaching staff 
  • Faculty members' websites linked below usually comprise a biography, graduate students, publications, resumes and grants. Some are PDF files.  

Areas of Research, and Researchers

Active, Healthy Children

Dr. Nancy Spencer-Cavaliere 
Office (780) 492-9615      
email: ncavalie@ualberta.ca

  • Vulnerable children, play and physical activitySpecific interests in children who are neglected, materially deprived and/or have disability
  • Psycho-social and environmental aspects of activity engagement for vulnerable children
  • Adapted Physical Activity
  • Issues related to inclusion and competence in physical activity, recreation and sport for children with disabilities; disability sport
Dr. Nancy Spencer-Cavaliere

Dr. Nick Holt (see also Sport Psychology)


Adapted Physical Activity 

Dr. Marcel Bouffard 
Office (780) 492-3566      
email: marcel.bouffard@ualberta.ca

  • Movement skill acquisition of mentally handicapped and physically awkward children,
  • Methodological issues in adapted physical activity 
 Dr. Marcel Bouffard

Dr. Janice Causgrove Dunn, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
Office (780) 492-0580      
email: janice.causgrovedunn@ualberta.ca

  • Motivational aspects of participation in physical activities and recreation by children with disabilities.
 Dr. Janice Causgrove Dunn

Dr. Donna Goodwin
Office  (780) 492-4397      
email: donna.goodwin@ualberta.ca

  • Issues related to disability and physical well-being
  • Current research explores the notion of disability as a social construction and the resulting impact of societal attitudes on participating in physical activity as it applies to persons with disabilities.
  • Methodological issues unique to capturing the experiences of persons with disabilities in physical activity settings as well as research into professional practice
  • Dr. Goodwin's curriculum vitae (abbreviated) (PDF) 
 Dr. Donna Goodwin

Dr. Kelvin Jones - currently on sabbatical
Office (780) 492-0650   
email: kelvin.jones@ualberta.ca

  • Mathematical models of neuromuscular physiology
  • Multi-sensory integration for production and learning of movement
  • Electro-diagnostic methods for assessing health of the neuromuscular system
 Dr. Kelvin Jones

Dr. Nancy Spencer Cavaliere (see also Active, Healthy Children)


Analysis of Human Movement 

Dr. Pierre Baudin
Office (780) 492-1381      
email: pierre.baudin@ualberta.ca

Discipline of biomechanics specifically:

  • sports biomechanics,
  • computer simulation of human movement, and
  • biomechanics pedagogy
 Dr. Pierre Baudin

Dr. Loren Chiu 
Office (780) 248-1263      
email: loren.chiu@ualberta.ca

  • Analysis and optimization of multi-segmental motor skills
  • Acute responses and chronic adaptations to resistance training
  • Transfer of training to motor skill performance
  • Physiology and mechanics of muscular strength
  • Dr. Chiu's website
 Dr. Loren Chiu
Dr. Dave Collins
Office  (780) 492-6506      
email: dave.collins@ualberta.ca
  • Neural control of human movement
  • Spinal and supraspinal mechanisms
  • Reflex modulation
  • Proprioception
  • Kinaesthesia
  • Human muscle
  • Motorneurons
  • Plateau potentials
  • Functional electrical stimulation
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Dr. Collins' web site 
 Dr. Dave Collins
Dr. Pierre Gervais - not accepting graduate students
Office  (780) 492-1039      
email: pierre.gervais@ualberta.ca 
  • Quantitative sport skills analysis,
  • Mathematical modelling and optimization of sport skill performance
  • Special interest in biomechanics of artistic gymnastics 
 Dr. Pierre Gervais
Dr. Brian Maraj
Office  (780) 492-8649      
email: brian.maraj@ualberta.ca 
  • Perceptual motor behaviour with two specific foci:
    - the organization of locomotion across the life span (special emphasis on stair-climbing gait)
    - perceptual motor behaviour in persons with Down Syndrome, examining optimal motor learning strategies and the onset of motor skills for this population
  • Dr. Maraj's website
 Dr. Brian Maraj

Behavioural Medicine and Health Psychology

Dr. Tanya Berry, Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity Promotion - currently on sabbatical till end of June 2012
Office  (780) 492-3280      
email: tanya.berry@ualberta.ca

Exercise and health psychology

  • why physical activity promotion messages are largely ineffectual
  • designing better physical activity promotion messages
  • automatic processes that underlie activity behaviour  (e.g. attentional bias and stereotype activation)

Dr. Berry's website

 Dr. Tanya Berry
Dr. Kerry Courneya, Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer
Office (780) 492-1031      
email: kerry.courneya@ualberta.ca
  • The role of physical activity in cancer control including primary prevention, coping with treatments,rehabilitation after treatments, and secondary prevention and survival
  • the outcomes of physical activity (e.g., physical functioning, fatigue, quality of life, disease endpoints)
  • the determinants of physical activity (e.g., social cognitive models, disease factors)
  • and behaviour change interventions to promote physical activity (e.g., print materials, internet)
  • Dr. Courneya's CV (PDF) 
  • Behavioural Medicine Laboratory

 Dr. Kerry Courneya

Dr. Kerry Mummery, Dean 
Office (780) 492-3364      
email: kerry.mummery@ualberta.ca
  • Health-related physical activity
  • Community-based physical activity promotion
  • Web-based interventions to promote physical activity in general and clinical populations
  • Dr. Mummery's CV (PDF)
 Dr. Kerry Mummery, Dean
Dr. Wendy Rodgers, Vice Dean
Office  (780) 492-2677      
email: wendy.rodgers@ualberta.ca 
  • Social psychology of exercise, health and lifestyle behaviour
  • Theoretical and practical issues of program initiation and maintenance  
 Dr. Wendy Rodgers
Dr. John Spence, Associate Dean, Research
Office (780) 492-5910      
Fax 780-492-2364
email: jc.spence@ualberta.ca 
  • Background in psychology and behavioural medicine. Focus of research is in the exercise and health psychology domain
  • Research focus on the determinants and benefits of physical activity participation, changes in affect and self in relation to exercise participation in both the laboratory and community settings
  • Dr. Spence is associated with the Sedentary Living Lab
 Dr. John Spence

Coaching Studies

See Dr Jim Denison; Dr. Ian Reade (also Sociocultural Studies of Sport and Leisure)

Exercise Physiology and Biochemistry 

Dr. Gordon Bell
Office (780) 492-2018      
Fax 780-492-2364
email: gordon.bell@ualberta.ca 
 Dr. Gordon Bell
Dr. Normand Boulé
Office (780) 492-4695      
email: nboule@ualberta.ca
 Dr. Normand Boule
Dr. Darren DeLorey
Office  (780) 492-0157      
email: darren.delorey@ualberta.ca 
  • Cardiorespiratory physiology and muscle metabolism in response to exercise
  • Control of skeletal muscle vascular tone and blood flow at rest and during exercise 
  • Specific interest in the effects of advancing age, gender and physical training 
  • The research program utilizes both human and animal approaches
  • Dr. DeLorey's curriculum vitae (PDF) 
 Dr. Darren DeLorey
Dr. Vicki Harber
Office  (780) 492-1023      
email: vicki.harber@ualberta.ca 
  • Hormonal and metabolic adaptations to acute and chronic exercise,
  • Investigating independent and interactive effects of energy intake and energy expenditure on the reproductive axis, the endocrine system and body composition (skeletal muscle, bone and adipose tissue),
  • Predisposing factors and mechanisms underlying reproductive dysfunction in active women.
  • Canadian Sport for Life: The Female Athlete Perspective (PDF)
 Dr. Vicki Harber
Dr. Michael Kennedy
Office  (780) 492-2830      
email: kennedy@ualberta.ca
  • Lung inflammation and lung function in athletes
  • Assessment of performance in endurance sports including pacing strategies and influence of fatigue 
  • Fatigue, health and fitness factors that affect illness, injury and performance in athletes
  • Coordinated regulation of the cardio-respiratory system during exercise
 Dr. Michael Kennedy

Dr. Stewart Petersen, Associate Dean, Graduate Programs
Office (780) 492-0996      
email: stewart.petersen@ualberta.ca

  • Work physiology with emphasis on problems related to emergency response occupations. 
  • Cardio-pulmonary limitations to exercise in health and disease.
  • Development of fitness standards for physically demanding occupations.
  • Dr. Petersen is associated with the Work Physiology laboratory

 

 Dr. Stewart Petersen
Dr. Ted Putman
Office (780) 492-2187      
Fax 780-492-2364
email: ted.putman@ualberta.ca 
  • Neuromuscular cell biology
  • The lab group investigates, in basic rodent models, the cellular and molecular mechanisms directing muscle fibre transformation in response to acute and chronic increases in muscle contraction
  • Special emphasis is placed on satellite cell activity and the control of myosin heavy chain gene expression
  • Neuromuscular adaptation is also studied in transgenic murine models of degenerative neuromuscular disease
 Dr. Ted Putman
Dr. Dan Syrotuik
Office  (780) 492-6583      
email: dan.syrotuik@ualberta.ca
  • Advanced conditioning methodologies in resistance training,
  • Use of nutritional supplements as an ergogenic aid,
  • Applied sport training programs for elite athletes.
  • Use of "non-banned training nutritional adjuncts" or supplementation with training.
  • Training phenomena that can directly benefit the athlete and/or coach.
  • Dr. Syrotuik's curriculum vitae (PDF) 

 

 Dr. Dan Syrotuik

Recreation and Leisure Studies

Dr. Karen Fox
Office (780) 492-7173      
email: karen.fox@ualberta.ca 
  • Critical and indigenous perspectives about theories of leisures. 
  • Specific projects include:
  • Youth-driven leisure initiatives
  • Urban Aboriginal youth and hip hop
  • Native Hawaiian critiques and perspectives of leisure,
  • Participatory, arts-informed and indigenous research methodologies
  • Ethical outdoor leadership,
  • Leisure research and praxis
 Dr. Karen Fox kayaking

Dr. Tom Hinch, Associate Dean, Community and International Engagement
Office (780) 492-2759      
email: tom.hinch@ualberta.ca; see also Sport and Leisure Organisations

  • Sustainable tourism in destination communities, with an emphasis on:
    - sport tourism,
    - tourism and indigenous people,
    - tourism seasonality
    - casino-based tourism.
  • Exploration of "place" as understood by hosts and guests within specified tourism destinations.
  • Dr. Hinch's CV (abbreviated) - PDF format
 Dr. Tom Hinch
Dr. Elizabeth Halpenny
Office (780) 492-5702      
email: elizabeth.halpenny@ualberta.ca
  • Park and protected areas management
  • Tourism, especially nature-based
  • Visitor experience
  • Park tourism; nature-based tourism; agro-tourism; marine tourism
  • Environmental attitudes and behaviours
  • Volunteerism
  • Outdoor recreation
  • Sense of place and place attachment
  • Marketing theory and consumer behaviour
 Dr. Elizabeth Halpenny
Dr. Zac Robinson - see Socio-cultural Studies of Sport and Leisure
Dr. PearlAnn Reichwein
Office (780) 492-0579      
email: pearlann.reichwein@ualberta.ca 
  • Canadian history and cultural studies of recreation, sport, leisure, and tourism
  • People, parks, and politics
  • National parks, mountaineering, travel, art, literature, education, children's play, health
  • Social reform and community movements
  • Environmental history, public history, gender history
  • Cultural resource management and historic sites
  • Dr. Reichwein's website
 Dr. Pearl Ann Reichwein
Dr. Gordon Walker
Office (780) 492-0581      
email: gordon.walker@ualberta.ca 
  • Leisure behaviour, particularly motivations for, constraints to, and experiences during leisure
  • Cross-cultural similarities and differences in leisure behaviour especially among Canadians, Chinese and Chinese-Canadians
  • Outdoor recreation
  • Dr. Walker's CV (PDF) - abbreviated 
 Dr. Gordon Walker
 

Sociological Studies of Sport and Leisure 

Dr. Judy Davidson 
Office (780) 492-1024      
email: judy.davidson@ualberta.ca 

 Dr. Judy Davidson
Dr. Jim Denison, Director, Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre
Office (780) 492-6824      
email: jim.denison@ualberta.ca
  • Coaching "knowledges," coaching identities and coach-athlete relationships
  • Coach education
  • Foucaultian and social constructionist perspectives
  • socio-cultural aspects of performance enhancement
  • Autoethnography
  • Dr. Denison's selected publications (PDF) 
 Dr. Jim Denison
Dr. Pirkko Markula
Office (780) 492-7192      
email: pirkko.markula@ualberta.ca
 Dr. Pirkko Markula
Dr. Lisa McDermott
Office (780) 492-1025      
email: lisa.mcdermott@ualberta.ca
 Dr. Lisa McDermott
Dr. Tara-Leigh McHugh
Office (780) 492-3907      
email: tara-leigh.mchugh@ualberta.ca 
  • Background in kinesiology, with an interest in physical activity and health psychology
  • Research focus:
  • Body image, physical activity, and health of Aboriginal peoples
  • Qualitative, feminist, and participatory action research approaches
 Dr. Tara-Leigh McHugh
Dr. Pearlann Reichwein - see Recreation and Leisure Studies
Dr. Zac Robinson
Office: 780-492-8912
email: zac.robinson@ualberta.ca; Dr. Robinson's website
  • Canadian alpine history (mountaineering, skiing, parks, tourism)
  • Western Canadian environmental history
  • Rocky and Columbia mountains
  • Travel literature and postcolonialism
  • Tourism, globalization, and indigeneity 
 Dr. Zac Robinson
Dr. Jay Scherer
Office (780) 492-9146      
email: jay.scherer@ualberta.ca
 Dr. Jay Scherer

Sport and Leisure Organisations

Dr. Tom Hinch, Associate Dean, Community and International Engagement
(see also Recreation and Leisure Studies)
Dr. Dan Mason
Office  (778)-477-4950      
email: dmason@ualberta.ca 
  • Sport management,
  • Sport commerce and culture,
  • Agency theory,
  • Stakeholder theory,
  • Historical and legal aspects of sport and leisure.
  • Dr. Mason's CV (PDF) 
Dr. Dan Mason 
Dr Ian Reade, Athletics Director, Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics
Office (780) 492-8273      
email: ian.reade@ualberta.ca
  • International sport system and its relationship with the Canadian sport system,
  • Canadian sport system and the role played by universities in that system,
  • Alberta sport system and the performance of sport and recreation organizations,
  • The management of sport, recreation and physical activity and the role management plays in increasing participation in sport and physical activity.
 Dr. Ian Reade

Sport Psychology

Dr. John Dunn
Office (780) 492-2831      
email: john.dunn@ualberta.ca 
 Dr. John Dunn
Dr. Nick Holt
Office (780) 492-7386      
email: nicholas.holt@ualberta.ca
 Dr. Nick Holt
Dr. Billy Strean, 3M National Teaching Fellow
Office (780) 492-3890      
email: billy.strean@ualberta.ca 
 Dr. Billy Strean