Penn State Kinesiology

09/02/2026

This summer, Penn State students took their learning abroad to Copenhagen, Denmark!

Throughout the experience, students immersed themselves in Danish culture while exploring the connections between sport, movement, and everyday life. From learning handball with local coaches and experiencing Copenhagen’s football culture to exploring the city by bike, students had opportunities to learn through experiences unique to their time abroad.

Study abroad experiences like this give students a chance to expand their perspectives, experience a new culture and make lasting memories beyond the classroom.

Take a look at a few moments from their time in Copenhagen!

08/31/2026

Could being active when we’re young make movement easier later in life?

New research from Jonas Rubenson, found that exercise during development helped guinea fowl use less energy to move as adults.

The findings could offer new insight into how childhood physical activity may shape our capacity for exercise throughout life.

Learn more: https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/bird-bulking-exercise-youth-decreases-energy-used-moving-adult

08/28/2026

Congratulations to Tarkeshwar Singh on receiving a five-year NSF CAREER Award! 🎉

Singh will use the award to explore how the brain coordinates memory, attention, and movement to learn complex skills.

Learn more about his research and the award: https://www.psu.edu/news/health-and-human-development/story/nsf-career-award-understanding-how-brain-learns-complex-skills

08/26/2026

Join us in welcoming the Penn State Master of Athletic Training Class of 2028!

After successfully completing the introductory phase of the program this summer, these aspiring athletic trainers are beginning hands-on clinical experiences this fall.

We look forward to watching the Class of 2028 learn, grow, and become the next generation of Penn State-trained athletic trainers. Welcome to the program!

08/20/2026

For kinesiology graduate Ryan Schaefer, THON was an opportunity to serve a cause greater than himself. Through his involvement with Phi Gamma Nu and four years of participation in THON, Ryan witnessed the impact of Penn State's commitment to supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer.

His experience as a THON 2026 dancer highlighted the resilience, compassion, and community that continue to define the Penn State experience and shows the many way kinesiology students can serve causes greater than themselves.

08/15/2026

Join us in celebrating our newest alumni of Penn State Kinesiology! We are proud of all they have accomplished and excited to see how they put their knowledge, skills and passion for kinesiology into action in the next chapter of their journeys.

Congratulations, graduates! We are proud to call you Penn State alumni.

08/13/2026

Doctoral candidate Paul Ruelos is combining his research in motor learning and rehabilitation with a passion for mentoring the next generation of students.

Under the mentorship of Robert Sainburg, Ruelos is studying how the brain relearns movement while also helping undergraduate students explore careers in research, health care and beyond.

His commitment to teaching and mentorship recently earned him the Harold F. Martin Graduate Assistant Outstanding Teaching Award.

Read more about Ruelos’ research and mentorship: https://bit.ly/4bODULD

08/07/2026

Throughout his four years at Penn State, kinesiology graduate Ryan Schaefer experienced THON from multiple perspectives, beginning with Dancer Relations and culminating in a role as a THON 2026 dancer representing Phi Gamma Nu.

Ryan said the opportunity to spend 46 hours on the dance floor alongside his fellow PGN dancers while supporting their five THON families was one of the most meaningful experiences of his Penn State career, reinforcing the power of service, resilience, and community.

08/06/2026

It's exciting to see the expansion of Street Medicine education across disciplines and levels of training at Penn State. Our undergraduate students experience the impact of this work firsthand through our Street Medicine course and annual service-learning trip to Los Angeles, where they learn how movement, health and compassionate care can make a difference for individuals experiencing homelessness. We look forward to seeing this important work continue to grow across the University.

🩺 Meeting people where they are.

Penn State College of Medicine has received a five-year, $2.5M grant from HRSA to launch a brand-new Street Medicine Program bringing hands-on medical care straight to unsheltered individuals across our region, in both cities and rural communities.

It's not just about care in the moment. This grant will also shape how our internal medicine residents are trained, building the next generation of physicians who understand healthcare's biggest gaps and how to close them.

The team hopes to start seeing patients in January 2027, beginning in Lebanon County. 💙

This is health systems science in action.

➡ Read more: https://tinyurl.com/9pypyh4a

08/04/2026

A lot of concern has been raised that SSRIs may make you more vulnerable to the heat, but, until now, there has not been much research. A new study from recent doctoral graduate Kathleen “Kat” Fisher and her mentor W. Larry Kenney, shows that women who take SSRIs for depression may be able to handle the heat than those who take no medication at all.

Learn more ⬇️