Faculty members are involved in a variety of research activities ranging from the social sciences to the biological sciences, and combinations thereof. The work is both applied and theoretical, and students have a wide choice of research opportunities. The mission of the Department of Kinesiology is to discover and explain mechanisms and principles of human movement and to apply this knowledge to strategies which optimize the health and physical performance of individuals in work and leisure activities. The breadth of research issues ranges from cellular work which examines systems that support and cause movement to social research which concerns the understanding of societal influences on movement behavior. The Department's teaching and research is broadly organized into four areas: biomechanics, psychomotor behaviour, sociology, and work physiology.
The Department of Health Studies and Gerontology has an interdisciplinary focus encompassing the following areas: behavioural risk factors; determinants of health behaviour and strategies of behavioural change; the interplay between the behavioural risk factors and biological mechanisms underlying the development of chronic disease; development of disease detection and prevention strategies; development and evaluation of assessment strategies, programs, and policy; health promotion; health risk communication; individual and social processes affecting the health and well-being of an aging population; and other relevant specializations.
The Recreation and Leisure Studies department has an interdisciplinary social science focus. Faculty members are involved in research on a range of topics related to administration and management of services, leisure behaviour, and recreation resources. The department has expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, and the research conducted draws on a variety of disciplinary perspectives such as sociology, psychology, history, economics and management sciences.
Faculty research profiles are available in the respective department research sections.
The following research units are active in the Lyle S. Hallman Institute for Health Promotion.