Academics

Challis honored with Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award

University Park, Pa. – John H. Challis, professor of kinesiology in the College of Health and Human Development, is the 2011 recipient of the Graduate Program Chair Leadership Award.

The award honors faculty members for exemplary leadership that benefits graduate students and faculty in an existing graduate program at the University.

During the past seven years, Challis has served as director of graduate studies for the Department of Kinesiology, which in 2010 was ranked as the top kinesiology graduate program in the country. "Presiding over a program ranked as the best in the nation," a nominator wrote, "Dr. John Challis contributes to our mission in a wide variety of ways with admirable vigor and superior expertise."

During his tenure, the department has graduated 52 doctoral degree students. Of that group, 45 have earned positions in academic institutions and seven have taken non-academic positions. Kinesiology students have published numerous articles in refereed journals and book chapters, and have won national and international awards.

Challis has played a major role in attracting higher quality students through improvement of the department's recruiting process, and by a redesign of web pages that now provide links to much more extensive information for prospective students.

He also teaches courses in Experimental Methods in Biomechanics and Motor Control, and Modeling in Biomechanics. According to a colleague, his students "universally commend both his academic rigor and his kind and firm direction of their paths through the rigors of the M.S. and Ph.D. process."

Last Updated March 16, 2011

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