Kinesiology, Applied Health & Recreation

I am an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health, and Recreation and director of the Musculoskeletal Adaptations to Aging and eXercise lab (MAAX). My research team regularly uses imaging tools, surveys, and functional tests to help us better understand bone and muscle health across the lifespan. We also regularly test performance, sleep quality, dietary needs, endocrine function, and injury risk in athletes and first responders. I also hold the following affiliations:

I am a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine - https://acsm.org/

I maintain my Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist distinction from the National Strength and Conditioning Association - www.nsca.com

I am an affiliate of OSU's Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute - https://go.okstate.edu/hpnri

Research Interests:

Exercise, injury prevention, and musculoskeletal health in the following cohorts:
Athletes (college and professional)
Aging adults (healthy and clinical)
Tactical (military, first-responders, police etc...)

I am a Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health, and Recreation. I teach Recreation and Athletic Management courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. I focus on outdoor recreation, facilitation, and community events.

My research interests include how recreation can foster community, aid in life transitions, increase participant engagement in large event settings, and improve the quality of life for veterans recently separated from the military. 

Brittany Dao is an assistant professor in the school of Kinesiology, Applied Health, and Recreation. She teaches within the Recreational Therapy, Recreation Management and Leisure Studies programs. Her research is centered on pediatric development and quality of life in children with disabilities and developmental delays. Brittany is a Licensed and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS/L).

Research interests include:

Pediatric physical, cognitive, emotional, and mental health

Recreation, play and leisure of children

Recreation and quality of life of young adults

Jay Dawes is a Professor of Applied Exercise Science at Oklahoma State University with approximately 25 years of experience as an athletic performance coordinator, strength coach, personal trainer, and educator. He frequently coaches and provides sports science support to elite teams, as well as law enforcement, fire, and military groups. His research focuses on improving health, fitness, and performance in tactical athletes, first responders, and sport athletes. Dawes has extensive expertise in strength and conditioning, specializing in training methods for athletes and first responders.

Research Interests:

Improving health, fitness and occupational performance for first responders and military personnel (e.g., Tactical Athletes).

I am a teaching assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology, Applied Health, and Recreation. I teach Recreational Therapy and Recreation Management courses. I specialize in child and adolescent mental health, and childhood trauma and partner with multiple public school districts around the state to study the impact of Recreational Therapy clinical services on students. 

My research interests include childhood trauma and its impacts on the child and family, child and adolescent mental health, evidence-based practices, and professional development and professional associations.