Ang Chen
2013 Conference Chair and Research Consortium Past-President
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Two significant events were logged in the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) history book for 2012. First, the AAHPERD Alliance Assembly voted to reunify the associations to become one professional organization with a focus on physical education, physical activity, and health. Second, AAHPERD had to cancel the 2012 National Convention and Exposition for the first time in the organization's history due to a massive electrical outage in Boston. In these two events, the Research Consortium (RC) responded by strengthening its positions and programs to ensure its continued contributions to the field and to AAHPERD. As a sustained component in AAHPERD since 1977, research will continue to be recognized as critically important in the unified organization. During the Boston convention crisis, the RC executive board and Director Gayle Claman worked closely with the AAHPERD leadership to successfully execute several important RC functions. For example, the C. H. McCloy Research Lecture and Breakfast, a signature RC event, will be one of the most memorable in AAHPERD history due to Kenneth Cooper's impromptu talk given in a packed room partially lit by emergency lights. These two major events in 2012 are among many that have demonstrated our viability as a professional organization in our fields.
In the fields of health and physical activity, the RC is known for providing the most diverse platform for researchers from the widest theoretical and empirical traditions. The 2013 RC program demonstrates this great tradition once again by bringing together researchers with various perspectives and research foci to share their evidence and thoughts about critical issues in health and physical activity. At the 2013 AAHPERD National Convention & Exposition in Charlotte, NC, the RC program will begin early on Wednesday, April 24, and end late Friday afternoon, April 26. During these 3 days, 267 studies will be presented in oral and poster formats to share recent research findings in exercise physiology and fitness, health, measurement, motor behavior, pedagogy, physical activity epidemiology, psychology, social-cultural aspects of physical activity, sport management, populations of special needs, and other related specializations. These presentations were selected from 353 submissions via a peer-review process. The acceptance rate was 76%. These presentations are organized into 13 oral sessions, 8 poster sessions (including a session featuring student research), and 6 symposia/tutorials. The papers in each session were organized according to a common theme.
Highlights in the RC program are the invited lectures by distinguished scholars in our field. Because Cooper (2012 R. Tait McKenzie Lecturer) was the only invited lecturer able to deliver his talk in 2012, which was recorded and posted online, the RC executive board invited the other three outstanding scholars selected for 2012 to give their lectures at the 2013 AAHPERD National Convention & Exposition. The lecture topics and scholars for the 2013 RC Distinguished Lectures Series are:
| • | R. Tait McKenzie Memorial Lecture (cosponsored by AAHPERD and the RC): Deborah M. Parra-Medina, University of Texas Health Science Center-San Antonio; Key Strategies for Promoting Physical Activity in Underserved Communities | ||||
| • | C. H. McCloy Research Lecture and Breakfast: R. Scott Kretchmar, The Pennsylvania State University; Symbols, Conventions, Games, Eleanor Metheny, and the Evolution of Human Intelligence | ||||
| • | Raymond A. Weiss Lecture: Mary Jo Kane, University of Minnesota; An Examination of Female Athletes' Interpretations of Media Representations: A Window Into the Construction of Dual Identity & ‘Selling Sex’ in Women's Sports | ||||
| • | Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Lecture: Weimo Zhu, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Science and Art of Setting Standards (Cutoff Scores) in Kinesiology | ||||
In addition, the 2013 RC program will continue to provide an opportunity for graduate students to share their work and interact with experienced researchers. For this purpose, the AAHPERD/RC Graduate Student Forum (Thursday, April 25, 2:15 p.m.–4:15 p.m.) and the Student Research Works-in-Progress poster session (Friday, April 26, 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.) are included in the 2013 RC program. These sessions should allow students and RC members/fellows to share their experiences in conducting research and to explore collaborative opportunities to advance the field.
Preparing the RC program requires tremendous effort from RC members, fellows, and staff. There were 17 review panels organized by disciplinary specializations and more than 200 reviewers. The review process was blind, and rigorous standards were applied. Each submitted abstract was reviewed by at least two reviewers and the panel chair responsible for accepting/rejecting recommendations on all submissions in his or her discipline area. When a review outcome was inconclusive, the program chair (me) provided an independent review. The review panel chairs were: Michael G. Bemben, Siu-Yin Cheung, Aaron Clopton, Chris Eisenbarth, Lori Gano-Overway, Kim Graber, James C. Hannon, Louis Harrison, Jr., Melanie Hart, Barbara Hernandez, Samuel R. Hodge, Minsoo Kang, Duane Knudson, Philip Scruggs, and Ping Xiang. I greatly appreciate their effort and care in the process. Without their high-quality work, as well as that of the reviewers, it would be impossible to develop such an advanced research program.
I extend my appreciation to RC Director Gayle Claman and RC staff member Carol Kramer. Gayle was instrumental in reshaping the 2012 RC conference program in Boston during the crisis and in coordinating the effort to structure the 2013 program without delay. With extensive knowledge of the RC and its many programs, Gayle, with assistance from Carol, provided excellent assistance to me, the review panel chairs, and the reviewers, thus making the review process a pleasant and productive experience.
It has been an honor for me to serve the RC in the program chair capacity. I appreciate the significant help I have received from RC members, fellows, and my predecessors throughout the past 3 years. With the unification reorganization underway, AAHPERD and the RC have turned to a new page in history, which will bring our field to a new, higher level of involvement in the pursuit of a healthier life for all Americans. I believe firmly that all the disciplines in our field play critical roles in this pursuit. Also, research that provides trustworthy evidence to guide policies and actions will continue to be an irreplaceable pillar in our field and the unified organization. I hope AAHPERD National Convention & Exposition attendees in Charlotte will find the 2013 RC conference program an inspiration for our future work.