Purdue University : Sport and Exercise Psychology

Faculty Members:

	Meghan H. McDonough, Ph.D. (The University of British Columbia) is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology. Dr. McDonough’s research focuses on social relationships in sport and physical activity. Specifically, her work explores how social relationships contribute to motivational and emotional processes in sport and exercise, and how experiences in physical activity settings may facilitate social relationships and psychological outcomes. She has conducted research with a variety of populations including adolescent sport participants, physically active adults, breast cancer survivors, Special Olympics participants, and low-income youth. More information on Dr. McDonough's interests is available on the Department of Health and Kinesiology faculty page. Dr. McDonough can be contacted at mcdonough@purdue.edu.

	Alan L. Smith, Ph.D. (University of Oregon) is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Director of the Sport and Health Psychology Laboratory. He also holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Psychological Sciences and is a Visiting Fellow, Loughborough University School of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Dr. Smith’s research focuses upon youth social and psychological development in physical activity contexts, youth physical activity behavior, and the link of physical activity with cognitive, motor, and social/behavioral functioning in young children. He is particularly interested in adolescents' peer relationships and motivational processes in the physical domain as well as physical activity as a means of addressing childhood attentional and behavioral problems. More information on Dr. Smith's interests is available on the Department of Health and Kinesiology faculty page. You may contact Dr. Smith at alsmith7@purdue.edu.

Affiliated Faculty Members:

	Cheryl Cooky, Ph.D. (University of Southern California, Sociology) is an assistant professor with a joint appointment in Kinesiology and Women’s Studies. Dr. Cooky’s research focuses on the sociological factors related to sport participation including gender, race and class disparities in sport. Specifically, her research examines girls’ recreational programs in urban communities with a focus on the structure and implementation of urban sport programs, and the experiences of girl participants. Dr. Cooky also studies gendered representations of female athletes and the quality and distribution of coverage of men’s and women’s sport in mainstream media outlets including newspapers and television. Future research projects include: (1) a study to explore the influence of families and communities on creating and shaping urban girls’ sporting opportunities, (2) a new line of research on young women breast cancer survivors. More information on Dr. Cooky’s interests is available on the Department of Health and Kinesiology faculty page. Dr. Cooky can be reached at ccooky@purdue.edu.

Doctoral Students:

J.D. DeFreese, B.A. (Indiana University) is a doctoral student interested in athlete burnout and engagement, including their measurement and relationships with other psychosocial variables. He is funded as a research assistant on our project with the Lafayette School Corporation and as the Special Program Director for the Purdue Athletes’ Life Success (PALS) Program and Operation Purple. J.D. is also president of the Health and Kinesiology Graduate Student Organization. You may contact J.D. at jdefrees@purdue.edu.


	Travis Dorsch, M.S. (Purdue University) is a doctoral student interested in child-parent relationships in organized youth sport. Specifically, Travis investigates how parents are socialized by the sport participation of their children. Travis is funded by a Purdue University Ross Fellowship and is a research assistant on our project examining before-school intervention effects on cognitive, motor, and social/behavioral functioning of young children. You may contact Travis at dorsch@purdue.edu.

Master's Degree Students:


	A.J. Kraemer, B.A. (Purdue University) is an M.S. student interested in how youth relationships with their teammates and coaches influence their physical activity motivation. A.J. is funded as a teaching assistant within the Department of Health and Kinesiology. You may contact A.J. at akraemer@purdue.edu.

Caitlin McGonigal, B.A. (DePauw University) is an incoming M.S. student interested in the relationship between sport/physical activity and social/emotional development, particularly in early adolescents. She recently served as corps member of Teach For America. Caitlin is funded by a Purdue University Knox Fellowship and is a research assistant on our project examining before-school intervention effects on cognitive, motor, and social/behavioral functioning of young children. You may contact Caitlin at cmcgonig@purdue.edu.


	Margaret Sampson, B.A. (Haverford College) is an M.S. student interested in social relationships and body-related perceptions. Margaret is a former Peace Corps volunteer, was a 2008-2009 Purdue University Knox Fellow, and is a research assistant on multiple projects conducted by our research group. You may contact Margaret at masampso@purdue.edu.

Former Lab Members:


	Anne E. Cox, Ph.D. is currently an Assistant Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology at Illinois State University. Dr. Cox’s research focuses on motivational processes in physical education and the link between students’ experiences in physical education and their leisure-time physical activity. She has focused specifically on how relationships with teachers and peers shape the type of motivation that students experience in class. In addition, Dr. Cox teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in sport and exercise psychology and consults with teams at Illinois State University on the use of mental skills for performance enhancement. Dr. Cox can be contacted at acox@ilstu.edu.

	Sarah Ullrich-French, Ph.D. is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling Psychology at Washington State University. Her research explores social relationships and youth physical activity motivation with an interest in fostering physical and psychological health. Her current research projects include collaboration with faculty in kinesiology, nursing, human development, and psychology. Dr. Ullrich-French currently serves on the leadership/scholarship team for a USDA supported project called Teens Eating and Activity Mentoring in Schools (TEAMS), the WSU Extension Health Promotion and Obesity Prevention Team, and the Student Well-Being Collaborative at WSU. Dr. Ullrich-French can be contacted at sullrich@wsu.edu.