In the News

2021 Michael L. Pollock Student Scholarship, Gail E. Butterfield Nutritional Registrational Award

Mary-Margaret Remchak, a doctoral student in the AMP lab, was recently awarded the 2021 Michael L. Pollock Student Scholarship for Clinical Research as well as the Gail E. Butterfield Nutritional Registrational Award through the American College of Sports Medicine. The title of her work is Altered TCA cycle flux parallels insulin resistance and metabolic inflexibility in late chronotypes with obesity. Co-authors were: Dr. Emily M. Heiston, Ms. Anna Ballantyne, Ms. Brielle L. Dotson, Mr. Nathan R. Stewart, Dr. Andrea Spaeth, and Dr. Steven K. Malin.

Individuals often identify as being a “morning” or “evening” person. While this reflects generally when they may feel most productive, some research has suggested whether this identification (known as early and late chronotype) is linked to chronic disease. In fact, “evening” people have been associated with higher risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Read more: Remchak Research

K & H Sport Management and Global Sport Business Teaching Instructor, Jason Henderson named 2021 NCAA Men's Team Coach of the Year Finalist - NJIT Athletics

NEWARK, NJ--After leading the NJIT fencing programs to a fourth place team finish at the 2021 National Collegiate Fencing Championships, head coach Jason Henderson has been selected as a NCAA Men's Team Coach of the Year Finalist the United States Fencing Coaches Association announced on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.

Click here for the full NJIT Highlander article

Youth Sports Research Council recognized as a NYSS Champion^SM to Promote Participation in Youth Sports

Youth Sports Research Council becomes an NYSS Champion

(New Brunswick) – The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is pleased to recognize the Rutgers Youth Sports Research Council (YSRC) as a National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) Champion.

Read more: YSRC NYSS Champion

New Jersey residents with disabilities demand COVID-19 vaccine priority

"Since the beginning, it's been pretty detrimental for people with disabilities in the state of New Jersey, specifically as it relates to just finding out what was going on with COVID and how it affected people," said Javier Robles, Chair of the NJ Covid-19 Disability Action Committee and Professor at Rutgers University.

Click here for the full Eyewitness News ABC7 interview

In COVID-19 Crisis, Instructor Fights for People With Disabilities

The Rutgers University instructor, a quadriplegic paralyzed from the chest down, could see that the pandemic was taking a disproportionate toll on marginalized communities, including people with disabilities.
“Every day I’m watching the news and seeing people being dragged out of nursing homes in body bags,” says Robles, a teaching instructor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health in the School of Arts and Sciences. “This isn’t something where I can just sit back and say maybe things will get better.”
Robles, in fact, has never been one to just wait for things to get better.
As a Rutgers undergraduate in the 1980s, he was a self-described “pain in the neck” to university officials, forming the Handicapable student group to demand a more accessible campus. Since joining the faculty in 2013, he has been a pioneering teacher, introducing the first undergraduate course to explore the lived experience of people with disabilities.  Click here for the full Rutgers Today article.

New Jersey Disabilities COVID-19 Action Committee wants the existing  state ombudsman office to expand its role

"If we are going to say that we are going to protect some people with disabilities, then we should protect all people with disabilities," said Javier Robles, chair of the New Jersey Disabilities COVID-19 Action Committee (DAC).
The DAC wants the existing state ombudsman office to expand its role.  Change the name of the relatively new and tiny office so the man who runs it can advocate for everyone with a disability.  After all, the devil is in the details, Robles said.

Click here for the full northjersey.com article.  northjersey.com

Rutgers 4-H STEM Ambassador Team receive Team Excellence Award

Sara Campbell, Ph.D. along with a team of faculty and staff from multiple SEBS/NJAES departments and units have received the 2020 Team Excellence Award.   Dr. Campbell has long been a part of the 4H Summer Science Program that has provided underserved high school students the opportunity to be immersed in research for a week at Rutgers University.  This year the entire 4-H STEM Ambassador Team has been recognized for their shared commitment to enriching the interest and competency of underserved urban youth in science, technology, and engineering.  

Disability leaders condemn NJ's handling of COVID, worry about 2nd wave

While the report "takes a broad look at the state’s systems and functions and how they impact people with disabilities, their families, and service provider networks," some things need to be fixed “immediately” as COVID-19 sweeps back into the spotlight with cases rising again, said Javier Robles, a Rutgers University professor and organizer of the New Jersey Disabilities COVID-19 Action Committee, which prepared the report. 
Click here for the video interview with Javier Robles and the complete northjersey.com article.

Kinesiology and Health student wins MARC-ACSM Award!

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (MARC-ACSM) held its 43rd annual meeting on Friday, November 6, 2020. Nathan Stewart, a 2nd year Master’s Student in the Kinesiology and Applied Physiology Graduate program within the Department of Kinesiology and Health, was awarded 1st place in the Master’s Student Competition. His work was entitled: Nocturnal Blood Pressure Dipping Relates to Insulin Sensitivity but not Vascular Function in Metabolic Syndrome. The co-authors were Dr. Emily Heiston, Ms. Stephanie Miller and Dr. Steven Malin.  Read More