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INTEREST GROUPS

Interest Groups provide a forum for focused discussion, activity, and debate among College members and guests with similar interests.

For information on a group's activities, contact the appropriate interest group leader(s) listed below.  To join an interest group, contact the ACSM Membership Department. 

Current Interest Groups
Aging
Anti-Doping
Biomechanics
Biostatistics
Bone and Osteoporosis Network Exchange
Cancer
Clinical Exercise Physiology
Combative Sports
Endurance Athlete Medicine and Science
Environmental Physiology
Epidemiology
Exercise Sciences Education
Health, Fitness and Wellness Coaching   
KAATSU Training   
Military Sports Medicine
Minority Health and Research
Molecular and Cellular Regulatory Mechanisms
Non-Invasive Investigation of the Neuromuscular System
Nutrition
Occupational Physiology
Oxidative Stress
Pediatric Exercise Physiology
Psychobiology and Behavior
The Science of Winter Sports
Strength & Conditioning Specialties
Worksite Health Promotion

Aging Approved 5/97
Mission:  To support and promote basic, applied and clinical research as well as education and certification in sports medicine and exercise science as it relates to aging. 

Chair
Elaine Cress, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
Email: mecress@uga.edu

Co-Chairs
Carlo Baldari, Ph.D.
Istituto Universitario Di Scienze Motorie (IUSM) Roma
Roma, ITALY
Email:baldari@iusm.it

Melissa Benton, Ph.D.
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA
Email:mjbenton@valdosta.edu

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Anti-Doping Approved 3/09
Mission:  To provide a multidisciplinary forum to exchange information, focus research, and develop educational tools for all athletes of all ages, coaches, and medical support personnel with the ultimate goal of eliminating the practice of doping in sport while preserving the well-being of sport, competition integrity and the athlete's health. 

Chair
Mark A. Troxler, DO, FACSM
USA Track & Field
Tulsa, OK
runner2@pol.net

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Biomechanics Approved 6/95
Mission: To promote biomechanics research in the College through increased participation in the Annual Meeting and contributions to the various scholarly publications of the College.

Chair
Christopher J. Hass, Ph.D.
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
Email: hass.cj@gmail.com

Co-Chairs-
Li Li, Ph.D., FACSM
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
Email: lli3@lsu.edu

Scott McLean, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Email: mcleansc@umich.edu

Clare Milner, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
Email: milner@utk.edu

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Biostatistics Approved 5/93
Mission: To promote the proper use of research design and statistical analysis in exercise science and sports medicine; to provide a forum for discussion of work related to biostatistics.

Chairs
Alan Batterham, Ph.D., FACSM
Universityof Teesside
Middlesbrough, UNITED KINGDOM
Email: ABatterham@aol.com

Glen E. Fincher, Ph.D.
Canton, OH
Email: GFINCHERII@neo.rr.com or gfincher@ashland.edu

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Bone and Osteoporosis Network Exchange Approved 2/94
Mission: To collate and translate the results of current research findings to other members of the college, to develop collaborative research groups with ACSM facilitating extensive multidisciplinary approaches to the study of bone health, to provide informed Chairs to bone related professional societies, and to develop recommendations for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Chair
Kara Witzke
California State University
San Marcos, CA
kwitzke@csusm.edu

Co-Chairs
Katherine Gunter, Ph.D.
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
Email: Kathy.Gunter@oregonstate.edu

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Cancer Approved 6/01
Mission: To promote the study of physical activity/exercise and cancer among ACSM members, and to provide a forum for interaction among members with this interest.

Cancer list serve: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ACSM_cancer/

Chair
Catherine M. Jankowski, Ph.D. 
University of Colorado
Denver, CO 
Email: Catherine.Jankowski@UCHSC.edu 

Co-Chairs 
Lianne Dolan
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC  CANADA
Email: lbdolan@interchange.ubc.ca

Tara Ballard
Charlotte, NC
Email: tmballard@novanhealth.org

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Clinical Exercise Physiology Approved 5/93
Mission: To provide opportunities for discussion of clinical issues, to generate research ideas , to elucidate a clinical career pathway, and to improve the training of exercise laboratory personnel and operation.

Chair
Carol Ewing Garber, Ph.D., FACSM
Columbia University
New York, NY
Email: Garber@tc.columbia.edu

Visit the Clinical Exercise Physiology Association (CEPA) Web site. 

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Combative Sports Approved 4/07
Mission: To provide a forum for the discussion and dissemination of the relevant sport science research as it pertains to the health, safety and performance of athletes participating in combative sports.  These sports include the Olympic combative sports of wrestling, judo, tae-kwon-do, and boxing, as well as other martial arts competitions.

Chair
Craig A. Horswill, Ph.D.
Quaker Oats Co.
Barrington, IL
Email: craig.horswill@gatorade.com

Co-Chair
David G. Curby, Ed.D.
Niles North High School
Skokie, IL
Email:davcur@niles-hs.k12.il.us

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Endurance Athlete Medicine and Science Approved 6/01
Mission: To provide a multidisciplinary forum to exchange information , focus research, and develop standardized care for endurance athletes involved in running, biking, swimming, Nordic skiing, and other endurance activities.

Chair
Lisa Bliss, M.D.
Spokane, WA
Email:  lsd100s@hotmail.com

Co-Chair
Jeffrey Lynn, Ph.D.
Slippery Rock, PA
Email: jeffrey.lynn@sru.edu

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Environmental Physiology Approved 2/94
Mission: To provide a forum for exchange of research and clinical information on the physiological demands, challenges, and consequences of performing exercise in environmental extremes.

EP Web Site: http://www.zunis.org/epig-home.htm

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Epidemiology Approved 1/06
Mission: To provide a forum for exchange and to support the science and application of epidemiology methods to the study of physical activity, sport, exercise and health.

Chairs
Eric D. Zemper, Ph.D.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Email: zemp@med.umich.edu

Co-Chair
Heather R. Bowles, Ph.D.
Surry Hills, NSW 
AUSTRALIA
Email:hrbowles@yahoo.com

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Exercise Sciences Education Approved 10/03
Mission: To develop and promote methods to enhance the lecture and laboratory exercise sciences pedagogy so as to improve students' cognitive skills.

Chair
Brian B. Parr, Ph.D
University of South Carolina, Aiken
Aiken, SC
brianp@usca.edu

Co-Chair
Kim Henige, Ed.D.
California State University Northridge
Northridge, CA
Email: kim.henige@csun.edu

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Health, Fitness and Wellness Coaching Approved 1/04
Mission: To network to share coaching experiences, practice new coaching skills, and help ACSM members overcome challenges when moving from the training mode of providing expert advice and solutions to client problems to the coaching approach of helping clients take responsibility and discover their own answers and solutions.

Chair
Blaine T. Wilson
Wellcoaches Corporation
Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Email:bwilson@wellcoaches.com

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KAATSU Training   Approved 2/09
Mission: To support and promote research as well as education and certification for sports medicine and exercise science professionals with an interest in KAATSU Training and its applications.

Chair:
Michael Bemben, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK
mgbemben@ou.edu

Co-Chairs:   
Prof. Sir Yoshiaki Sato
Sato Sports Plaza, Co., Ltd.
Tokyo, JAPAN
kaatsu.sports@nifty.com

Alan Mikesky, Ph.D., FACSM
Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)
Indianapolis, IN
amikesky@iupui.edu

Takashi Abe, Ph.D.
University of Tokyo
Chiba, JAPAN
abe@k.u-tokyo.ac.jp

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Military Sports Medicine Approved 5/97
Mission: To provide a forum to assemble and discuss issues regarding sports medicine in the military.

Chair
Kevin De Weber, M.D.
Rockville, MD
Email:kdeweber@usuhs.mil  

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Minority Health and Research Approved 6/01
Mission: To provide a multidisciplinary forum for focused discussion and collaborative research on minority health issues, with particular emphasis on preventable disease conditions and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Chair
David Marquez, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL
Email: marquezd@uic.edu

Co-Chair 
Sofiya Alhassan, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 
Email: alhassan@kin.umass.edu

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Molecular and Cellular Regulatory Mechanisms Approved 5/93
Mission: To provide a forum for focused discussion and debate among ACSM members with this interest.

Chair
David Allen, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO
Email: allendl@colorado.edu

Co-Chair
Espen Spangenburg, Ph.D.
University of Maryland
College Park, MD
E-mail: espen@umd.edu

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Mission: To support and promote the use of non-invasive techniques in exercise science studies, with particular reference to the neuromuscular system.

NINS Web Site: http://vuiis.vanderbilt.edu/~nins

Chair
Jill Slade, Ph.D.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Email:jslade@msu.edu

Co-Chair
Charles Rice, Ph.D.
The University of Western Ontario
London, ON CANADA
Email: crice@uwo.ca

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Nutrition Approved 6/98
Mission: To promote the science of nutrition within ACSM, to be a reliable nutrition resource for ACSM, and to critically evaluate nutrition and sport nutrition information in the marketplace.

Chair
Eric Rawson, Ph.D.
Bloomsburg University
Bloomsburg, PA
Email: erawson@bloomu.edu

Co-Chair
Nancy Clark, R.D., FACSM
Sports Nutrition
West Newton, MA
Email: nclarkrd@rcn.com

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Occupational Physiology Approved 5/93
Mission: To promote and facilitate applied research, communication and development of resource materials among ACSM members with interest in the relation of physical performance to occupations with environmental or occupational demands.

Chair
Heather Webb, M.D.
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia
Email: h.webb@unsw.edu.au

Co-Chair
Edward J. Sinkule, Ph.D.
Pittsburgh, PA
Email: esinkule@comcast.net

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Oxidative Stress Approved 6/98
Mission: To foster exchange of information and research in the area of oxidative stress and interventions which may influence and improve health and performance.

Chair
Damian Miles Bailey, Ph.D.
University of Glamorgan
UNITED KINGDOM
Email:dbailey1@glam.ac.uk

Co-Chair
Helaine M. Alessio, Ph.D., FACSM
Oxford, OH
Email: alessih@muohio.edu

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Pediatric Exercise Physiology Approved 5/93
Mission: To provide a forum for scientific and clinical communication regarding the response to acute and chronic exercise in the healthy and diseased child.

Chair
Karin A. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., FACSM
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
Email: kap@msu.edu

Co-Chair
Brian Timmons
Chedoke Hospital
Hamilton, ON, Canada
Email: timmonbw@mcmaster.ca

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Psychobiology and Behavior Approved 6/95
Mission: To promote research and the advancement of knowledge of sport psychology with a particular emphasis on psychobiology and health.

Chair
Jack Raglin, Ph.D., FACSM
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
Email: raglinj@indiana.edu

Co-Chair
Dane B. Cook, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI
Email: dcook@education.wisc.edu

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The Science in Winter Sports Approved 5/94
Mission: To foster, enhance and promote interdisciplinary scientific inquiry in Winter Sport Activities.

Chair
Delia B. Roberts, Ph.D., FACSM
Selkirk College
CANADA
Email:droberts@selkirk.ca

Co-Chair
Gerald Smith, Ph.D., FACSM
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Email: gerald.smith@usu.edu

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Strength & Conditioning Specialties Approved 9/03
Mission: To support and promote an inter-disciplinary forum for the exchange of information, the focus of research, and the development of a cooperative relationship between strength and conditioning professionals and the medical and applied sciences.

Chair
Lawrence Wiess, Ed.D., FACSM
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
Email: lweiss@memphis.edu

Co-Chair
Glen E. Fincher, Ph.D.
Canton, OH
Email: GFINCHERII@neo.rr.com or gfincher@ashland.edu

John McCarthy, Ph.D., FACSM
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
Email: mccarthy@uab.edu

Jason Winchester
George Mason University
Manassas, VA
Email: jwinches@gmu.edu

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Worksite Health Promotion Approved 5/97
NOTE:  As of December 2008, the Worksite Health Promotion Interest Group transitioned to the International Association for Worksite Health Promotion (IAWHP), an ACSM Affiliate Society.  You can learn more about IAWHP on its website at www.iawhp.org.

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