Newsletter Content:

-        NAFAPA Program Highlight:

Adapted Physical Activity graduate program at California State University, Northridge

·       Faculty Highlight: Taeyou Jung, PhD, ATC, CAPE

·       Student Highlight: Kelsea Smith, MS

·       Student Highlight: Yumi Kim, MS

-        Highlights: 15th World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD), August 15-19, 2016, Melbourne, Australia

 

For this newsletter’s highlighted program, NAFAPA is proud to present the Adapted Physical Activity (APA) graduate program at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). This program is home to a university-based exercise facility that provides adapted therapeutic exercise services for persons with disabilities and other disabling conditions within the community. Within this newsletter, we showcase the unique hands-on experience provided by this program that allows students to serve over 400 active clients. Additionally, we would like to introduce you to the director of the program, Dr. Taeyou Jung, and some of the achievements of his recently graduated students, namely, Kelsea Smith and Yumi Kim. This program represents a model where academia and the community can collaborate to provide affordable exercise services to individuals with disabilities and grow future professionals in the field who aim to tackle significant research questions.

 

Program Highlight:

The APA graduate program at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) offers a unique combination of academic courses, clinical experience and research. Students are gaining invaluable hands-on experience and content knowledge as they take lecture and practicum courses in a highly recognized APA service center, the Center of Achievement through APA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Center of Achievement delivers quality adapted fitness programs while training students and has done so since 1971. The Center focuses on providing comprehensive APA service programs while pursuing excellence in academic training and research. The Center offers both aquatic and land-based APA programs for ~400 individuals with disabilities. A dedicated group of people make this possible: 3 faculty directions, 3 clinical coordinators, 5 staff, and 21 graduate students. In addition, approximately 300 students partake in our program each semester via courses or internship. The Center features two main areas: the Brown Aquatic Therapy Center, including four distinctively designed indoor pools and the Adapted Fitness Center with more than 100 accessible exercise equipment and a large expansion room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Graduate students’ research projects are quite diverse in multiple aspects: biomechanical, neurocognitive, physiological, and psychological studies. Students are actively involved in disseminating research findings through publications and presentations, such as NAFAPA and ACSM. They can take advantage of the APA and Motor Performance Laboratory, equipped with various biomedical research tools, including dynamic posturographic system, Vicon 3D motion analysis system, telemetric portable metabolic system, isokinetic strength dynamometer, functional near infrared spectrograph and so forth.

On completion of the Master’s degree, many students are successfully advancing to professional careers in public and private sectors or a doctoral program in the field of APA and rehabilitation science. Some of this year’s highlights include two students who moved into prestigious doctoral programs with full funding support (Kelsea Smith accepted to Columbia University and Yumi Kim admitted to University of Alabama, Birmingham) and Jennifer O’Connor who accepted an APA faculty position at Cerritos Community College, CA. In addition, our former students have delivered great news: Dokyeong Lee was offered a tenure track faculty position at CSU Fullerton after 2-year post-doc position at NYU and Ryota Nishyori finished his PhD at University of Michigan and accepted a clinical researcher position at NIH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional information is available:

www.csun.edu/health-human-development/kinesiology/adapted-physical-activity

www.csun.edu/center-of-achievement

 

Faculty Highlight:  

Dr.  Taeyou Jung, PhD, ATC, CAPE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Taeyou Jung is a director of the Center of Achievement through Adapted Physical Activity, which provides internationally recognized adapted exercise and aquatics programs for people with disabilities. He is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Adapted Physical Activity and Therapeutic Exercise. Dr. Jung started his current appointment at CSUN in 2003 following his doctoral degree in Kinesiology at the University of Virginia. Prior to joining faculty at CSUN, Dr. Jung worked at the Gait Analysis and Human Performance Laboratory in the Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center and the McCue Sports Medicine Center, Virginia. He had also taught adapted physical education in Albemarle County public schools in Virginia.

Dr. Jung's primary research interests focus on movement science of people with disabilities. In particular, he investigates clinical biomechanics and physiology of movements in individuals with neuromuscular disabilities, such as studying balance and gait outcomes after aquatic exercise. Current research projects include investigating the effects of cardiovascular exercise on cognitive functions among people with multiple sclerosis in collaboration with UCLA Neurology Department and studying physiological changes after aquatic exercise in people post-stroke. Dr. Jung and his graduate students are actively involved in disseminating research outcomes via professional presentations and publications in the field of APA, sports medicine and rehabilitation.

 

Student Highlight:

Kelsea Smith, M.S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kelsea Smith completed her Master of Science degree in Kinesiology with emphasis on Adapted Physical Activity (APA) at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). She was recently accepted to a doctoral degree program in Kinesiology at Columbia University with full funding support. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University, she found her passion for helping people with disabilities instead of injured athletes and pursued her graduate program in APA. During her Master’s program, Kelsea worked at the Center of Achievement through APA at CSUN, where she provided adapted exercise programs for people with disabilities. Later she worked as a graduate supervisor and instructor for clinical sessions in both aquatic and land-based APA programs. Kelsea investigated the effects of aquatic exercise on balance, pain and fatigue outcomes in people with Multiple Sclerosis for her master’s thesis. She presented her research outcomes at NAFAPA and ACSM meetings in collaboration with her advisor, Dr. Taeyou Jung. Currently, Kelsea is working as a clinical coordinator at a Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, LiftSpan Clinics, in Santa Monica, CA.  Kelsea is an accomplished soccer player and played at both NCAA Division I and professional level.

 

Student Highlight:

Yumi Kim, M.S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi Kim, a graduate from the APA program at CSUN, was recently accepted to a doctoral program in Rehabilitation Science at University of Alabama, Birmingham with full funding support. Yumi has two undergraduate degrees; Bachelor of Art in Business and Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. After going through her own recovery following a lift-threating injury, she decided to pursue an advanced degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis on APA. She is excited about the opportunity for advancing her knowledge and research training in the doctoral program and the affiliated Lakeshore Foundation.

Yumi has been helping people with disabilities by implementing one-on-one and group exercise programs for the past 6 years at the Center of Achievement through APA at CSUN. She has also helped children with developmental disabilities in adapted aquatics and martial art programs. During her Master’s degree, Yumi worked as a clinical supervisor and teaching associate for adapted exercise and aquatics sessions. After completion of this degree, she was hired as a lecturer and clinical coordinator in the Department of Kinesiology at CSUN. Yumi completed her master’s thesis titled “the effects of Taekwondo intervention on balance in children with autism spectrum disorder.” She presented her study findings at NAFAPA and ACSM meetings and submitted her manuscript for publication in collaboration with her thesis advisor, Dr. Teri Todd. This year, Yumi celebrates publication of her Master’s thesis and a study in Gait and Posture, titled “biomechanical and perceived difference between overground and treadmill walking in children with cerebral palsy,” for which she worked with Dr. Taeyou Jung. In addition to her academic achievements, Yumi was appointed a master level instructor of Taekwondo with a 4th-level black belt.

 

Highlights from the 15th World Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD), August 15 - 19, 2016, Melbourne, Australia.

For the first time ever, IASSIDD included a specific stream dedicated to Sport and Recreation for people with IDD. Several NAFAPA/IFAPA members presented in this new stream. There were also many papers presented in the 'health' stream on health-related fitness and physical activity. Highlights included:

*A keynote by Roy McCockey entitled 'Sports and Intellectual Disabilities: A Clash of Cultures?'
*Symposia on Physiological Responses to Exercise and on Fitness featuring Bo Fernhall, Tessa Hilgenkamp, Nora Shields, Pauli Rintala, and Tracy Baynard.
*A symposium on the use of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes databases featuring Meghann Lloyd, Amy Shellard (from Special Olympics International), and Roy McConckey.
*A session on athletes with IDD. Topics included the participation of  2 -12 year old children in Special Olympics in Canada (with Viv Temple) and the classification of athletes with IDD for the Paralympics (with Jan Burns and Katina McCulloch).

We are hoping to encourage NAPAFA members to consider joining the IASSIDD group in Glasgow in 2019.