Join Kevin Ballard, Ph.D. for a tour of Miami's state-of-the-art laboratories, which complement classroom instruction and foster critical thinking, reasoning, and other basic principles of liberal education instrumental in careers both in and outside Kinesiology.
Students prepare and analyze food using 16 cooking stations with equipment designed to test food texture, macro- and micro-nutrient content, vitamin analyses, etc. This laboratory has state-of-the-art technology including iPads for every station, overhead cameras for a demonstration unit, and an adjacent room that can be used for classroom instruction or dining.
The Athletic Training lab is home to both the Athletic Training classes and hands-on laboratory classes. The Meti-Man computerized patient simulator resides in the Athletic Training lab. State-of-the-art modalities including cold laser, decompression traction table, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, whirlpool, and cold and hot packs, allow this Athletic Training lab room to rival most high-caliber college athletic training rooms.
Current research includes looking at the impact of postural adjustments on maintaining balance, jumping/landing mechanics in females, and ways to help the elderly avoid falls. The equipment allows for analysis of movement, force production, reaction time, and electrical activity in muscles.
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Body composition is assessed with several different methodologies in the Body Composition Lab.
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Students prepare and analyze food using 16 cooking stations with equipment designed to test food texture, macro and micronutrient content, vitamin analyses, and more. This laboratory has state-of-the-art technology, including iPads for every station, overhead cameras for a demonstration unit, and an adjacent room that can be used for classroom instruction or dining.
Current research examines college student health, with a focus on both addictive/harmful behaviors (alcohol use, disordered eating, unsafe and unwanted sexual behavior) and prosocial activities (women’s leadership, life satisfaction, and scholastic achievement). Most recently, our research explored the impact of Thursday drinking on academic consequences. In addition, several of our studies assessed the relationship between Drunkoexia and other variables. Breathalyzers are utilized in the field work and advanced statistical methods (e.g., structural equation modeling, latent class analysis, social network analysis) in examinations.
Research and service projects include biometric screening for all athletes, the impact of exercise on hearing, physical activity in children, and the potential impact of treadmill workstations on health and function.
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Current research is focused on the relationships among age, physical activity level, and skeletal muscle inflammation. Elevated skeletal muscle inflammation has been linked to the development of type II diabetes and age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
Current research includes a variety of projects investigating muscle strength, muscle endurance, and caloric expenditure following different modes of exercise, injury prevention during jumping, nerve and muscle activities before, during, and after an explosive exercise, and motion analyses of sport performance.
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The Food Sensory Lab in the Nutrition and Dietetics program involves interdisciplinary research using sensory technology in Sensory Analysis Booths. Nutrition students gain a deep understanding of how specific ingredients, packaging, processes, and environments influence the sensory properties of foods. This technology includes individual testing booths equipped with access windows, controlled lighting, a customized exhaust system, and the use of industry technology for data collection and analysis.
Current research focuses on investigating the impact of exercise and/or dietary interventions on vascular function and cardiometabolic risk in healthy and clinical populations.
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