How do you explain your current research/job to friends and family?

When I explain my research to friends and family, I usually say that I study how different physical activity–related behaviors affect teenagers’ brains and school performance. In simple terms, I try to understand which types of movement, habits, and physical characteristics are most strongly linked to better cognitive functioning and academic achievement during adolescence.

What inspired you to pursue a career in research? What drives you to continue in this path?

I was inspired by a professor during my Sport Science degree who sparked my interest in science. After collaborating on various projects, I secured a PhD grant, which allowed me to turn that interest into a career. Today, what drives me is the chance to use research to improve the quality of life and well-being of young people.

What is a project you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?

The project I’m most excited about is my PhD thesis. My ultimate goal is for this research to go beyond the academic world and actually influence educational policies in my country. I want to provide the evidence needed to show how specific physical activity patterns can be a key tool for improving students’ cognitive and academic success at a national level.

What is a paper you recently published? What excited you about the question you answered?

I recently published a paper “Fitness, weight status, and executive functions in adolescents: A Cluster Analysis”. What excited me most was discovering how these factors interact to support the brain. Specifically, we found that having high fitness levels can actually mitigate the negative effects of a deficiency in another area, like weight status. It shows that there are multiple ways we can intervene to help a teenager’s cognitive health.

What is the most important advice you received as an early career researcher? (And why do you say that?)

The most important advice I received was to be prepared for a long and constantly changing process, but above all, to enjoy the journey. I value this because it has helped me stay resilient and focus on finding fulfillment in the research process itself from the very beginning, rather than just waiting for the final results.

Learn more about Fátima: https://produccioncientifica.uca.es/investigadores/167401/detalle

INDEEP (INtervention on the DEterminants of, and Expertise in, Physical activity behaviours) is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network which brings together people and organisation from across the world to train a new generation of researchers with a comprehensive understanding of the determinants associated with Physical Activity Behaviours, innovative methodologies, and data analytics.

In INDEEP, the PhD candidates will take part in the development of novel and innovative techniques in the examination of determinants of physical activity behaviours while working with world leading researchers and practitioners.Through utilising determinant knowledge gained through state-of-the-art methodologies, and systematically integrating this knowledge with a co-creative methodology, the INDEEP intervention development toolkit will provide researchers and practitioners across Europe with an evidence-based best practice approach to intervention development, taking into consideration the interactions within a complex behavioural system.

INDEEP offers 10 PhDs across eight European countries. These PhD opportunities are in a broad range of disciplines, with each focused on the impacts on Physical Activtiy Behaviours. The opportunities are relevant for graduates with expertise and experience in genetics, physical activity measurement, psychosocial factors, interpersonal factors, environmental factors, policy factors, intervention development, intervention co-creation processes and outcome and process evaluation. Read more about the PhD projects at www.indeep-project.eu. 

More information also here

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/203043

1. mHealth/eHealth – focus on digital interventions to enhance wellbeing and support healthy/active lifestyle; or:
2. health or exercise psychology – focus on psychosocial determinants and consequences of physical activity or sedentary behaviour; or:
3. data analytic methods – focus on analytic approaches to intensive longitudinal data, ecological momentary assessment (EMA), or just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs)

Learn more

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/190041

We are seeking applicants who will build an independent research program and participate in collaborative research that aligns with existing strengths in the department. We are especially interested in someone with expertise in nutritional epidemiology, particularly as it relates to areas of growing need, such as global nutrition; food and nutrition equity; food systems and policy; climate and the environment; novel approaches to the assessment of diet, nutritional status, and physical activity; biologic, behavioral, and/or social applications to precision nutrition; and data science. These are areas of research that are critical for the advancement of nutritional science and public health. Other responsibilities include teaching, research mentoring to undergraduate and graduate students, and participation in university and professional service. Ideal candidates will have postdoctoral or faculty-level experience and a track record that supports the potential to establish a visible, impactful, and extramurally- funded research program.

Desirable candidates’ work should target the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases by promoting physical activity, particularly in populations who are low-resourced, historically marginalized, and/or experience physical or mental health disparities. The candidate should have familiarity with developing multi-level interventions, apply health-relevant theoretical frameworks in research, have strong quantitative or mixed methods research skills, be experienced working with populations historically underrepresented in biomedical research, and have experience with interdisciplinary collaboration. The successful candidate will: (a) establish and lead research programming that complements departmental, CEHHS, and CHS research initiatives; (b) participate in related collaborative research programs; (c) provide undergraduate and graduate teaching in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies during the academic year; (d) mentor undergraduate and graduate (MS/PhD) students; and (e) contribute to service activities at the departmental, college, university, and professional levels.

This 9-month, fulltime (1.0 FTE), position begins August 1, 2024. Starting salary is commensurate with experience, with a minimum starting salary of $80,000. UT has a competitive benefits package, and 9-month tenure-track faculty are eligible for summer salary through external funding and teaching. UT is Tennessee’s flagship land grant university and is currently in the midst of unprecedented growth in enrollment, with approximately 36,000 enrolled students. The University is also a Carnegie Foundation Research (R1) University with highest research activity and has achieved a Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. Forbes Magazine recently ranked UT as one of the best places to work in the US, including a ranking of ninth among public higher education institutions in the United States.

The Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies is home to over 40 faculty and staff members. The department provides near 2,000 undergraduate students an opportunity to major in either kinesiology or recreation and sport management. Approximately 120 Graduate students (MS and PhD programs) can choose to specialize in exercise physiology, biomechanics, sport psychology/motor behavior, physical activity epidemiology, sport management, therapeutic recreation, or socio-cultural studies. In addition to our majors, the department also serves approximately 5,500 students per year in the Physical Education Activity Program. To learn more about our department, please visit: https://krss.utk.edu.

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in examining nutrition policies and food environments and their impact on health outcomes, with extensive training in social determinants of health, research design, and advanced quantitative statistical methods. Mixed methods training with experience in qualitative analysis is a definite plus. Excellent writing skills, both for manuscript writing and proposal development are essential.  

The postdoctoral scholar will have the opportunity to work with an excellent, collaborative, multidisciplinary team and contribute to multiple projects funded by NIH, USDA, and RWJF. They will also have the opportunity to collaborate on future grant applications. Currently funded team projects examine the impact of federal school food and WIC policies and food environments on program participation and health outcomes. The scholar will design data collection tools, collect data, plan and conduct analysis, prepare first-author, peer-reviewed publications, collaborate with other team members, help mentor undergraduate and graduate students and present their work at national and international conferences. 

At ASU and the College of Health Solutions, we work to maximize opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives. We value and encourage inclusive excellence as outlined in our ASU Charter and strive to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all faculty, staff, and students — which we believe is critical to our success as a community. All individuals who can strengthen our academic community are encouraged to apply and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

About the College of Health Solutions

The College of Health Solutions is committed to translating scientific health research and discovery into practice to improve health outcomes through education, research, and service. We equip students with the knowledge and skills to influence healthier lifestyle choices; develop creative interventions to improve the health of people and populations; analyze and translate large amounts of health data into solutions; and maximize the technology, science, business, and application of diagnostics. Through teaching, academic programs, service and research, all faculty at the College of Health Solutions address one or more of our three major areas of focus: 1) The systems of health care and the health needs of populations; 2) Health and human performance of individuals across the lifespan; 3) Personalized interventions through precision health. Across these areas, we work to address complex and difficult health problems which require transformative collaboration, translational research, and innovation. We are particularly interested in making an impact on populations with significant health disparities.

Our research programs encompass basic science, discovery science, clinical trials, intervention science and measurement of health outcomes. In all cases, our faculty use interdisciplinary approaches to address the complex systems that underpin health problems. We are highly collaborative, transparent and team-oriented. Our innovative organizational structure includes translational teams that move science from labs into communities with evidence-based interventions that make a difference, as well as affinity networks where teams of people work together to improve methodologies and processes. All our programs, in and out of the classroom, are designed with the goal of improving the health of people and communities.

Current training programs include behavioral health, biomedical diagnostics, biomedical informatics, exercise science, health promotion, health sciences, kinesiology, medical studies, nutrition, population health, the science of health care delivery, and speech and hearing science. Our programs are offered at the ASU Downtown Phoenix, Tempe, Polytechnic, West and Lake Havasu campuses, as well as on Mayo Clinic’s campus in north Phoenix.

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy, and broad access. U.S. News & World Report ranks ASU #1 in the U.S. for innovation for eight years in a row. ASU has been named a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, a major milestone in its enterprise-wide commitment to increase the diversity of its student body. ASU is also part of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), which comprises the nation’s most elite research universities.

This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising multiple differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural, and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves 135,000 students across all campuses and on-line as of the Fall 2021 semester. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe. For more information about ASU and the College of Health Solutions, visit http://about.asu.edu/ and https://chs.asu.edu.

We are actively inviting applications for a year-round, tenure-track position for either an Assistant or Associate Professor within any of our four public health departments: (1) Epidemiology, Human Genetics, Environmental Sciences, (2) Management, Policy & Community Health; (3) Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, and (4) Biostatistics & Data Science. The candidate’s home department will be determined based on their specific expertise, interests, and how well they align with a department’s existing projects (further information can be found at https://sph.uth.edu/dept/).  We offer a competitive salary and startup resources.

The School of Public Health at UTHealth Houston spans six Texas locations, Austin, Brownsville, Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, and Houston. It employs a diverse faculty (>180 members) and more than 1,700 MPH, MS, PhD, and DrPH graduate students. MS Teams and WebEx platforms allow these students to engage in courses across all campuses, fostering an interactive educational environment and enhancing cooperation between faculty and students. Faculty members at the Austin branch specialize in research on children and families. They conduct surveillance studies on youth health risk factors, design and evaluate school and community public health initiatives and policies, explore implementation science, and perform secondary data analysis. Key areas of study at the Austin location encompass obesity prevention and treatment, public health nutrition, promotion of physical activity, tobacco control and regulatory sciences, health policy and health economics research, oral health promotion, and the impact climate on public health.

What We Are Looking For:

The Baylor Department of Public Health is seeking a postdoctoral fellow. The department is housed within the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, an interdisciplinary environment to translate theory into practice through translational research and advance knowledge of health, human behavior, and quality of life. The Department of Public Health supports local and global public health research and practice, with a specific focus on behavioral health research and chronic disease prevention. A hybrid work arrangement may be available for candidates based in the United States.

What You Will Do:

Dr. Renee Umstattd Meyer , Professor in Public Health and Associate Dean for Research in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University, is currently seeking applications for a postdoctoral fellowship. This position will work on projects aimed at advancing health equity through the lens of active living, with a focus on collaborating with rural communities. The work will include community based research, data collection and analysis, manuscript writing and evaluation, as well as the preparation of grant applications. Training will be provided for project coordination, project and team management, mixed methods research, grant writing and preparation of data for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

The Assistant Professor of Exercise Science is a 9-month, tenure-track, full-time faculty position. The successful candidate will complement existing strengths within the Exercise Science Program and the College of Education and Health Professions. We are especially interested in candidates with a research focus in school-based physical activity and health in the preK-12 setting, which may include but is not limited to school-based physical activity interventions, physical activity or fitness measurement in a school setting, education policy and advocacy, school sports, etc. We are seeking candidates who demonstrate both synergy with existing teaching strengths and a commitment to promoting a culture of inclusive excellence.

This faculty position is part of a cluster hire in the signature research area of ‘healthy schools’ within the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. Schools are vital anchors for the well-being of every community. Educators have been increasingly focused on the impact of physical, behavioral, and mental health on the educational and cognitive outcomes of children. Similarly, healthcare professionals have actively emphasized the need for early education to promote positive health outcomes. The College of Education and Health Professions is uniquely poised to promote research and collaboration across its education and health programs to maximize learning and health in schools. To this end, the College is seeking outstanding candidates for tenure-track faculty positions who are committed to advancing research in the signature research area of ‘healthy schools.’ Building on existing faculty strengths, the new faculty hired as part of the ‘healthy schools’ cluster will engage in collaborative research aimed at improving education and health outcomes of children and youth.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities include establishing a research agenda capable of securing external funding, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and presenting at professional conferences; teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in Exercise Science; supervising theses, dissertations, and honors projects; mentor/advise both undergraduate and graduate students; and provide service to the department, college, university, community, and profession.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.

The Department of Public Health, within the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University, invites applications and nominations for the Department Chair position, with an expected fall 2024 start date. We seek an innovative Chair to lead our growing department in meeting its mission to advance public health through conducting research, promoting health equity, supporting the well-being of vulnerable and underserved populations in every community, and training the next generation of public health researchers and practitioners.

About the Department

The Baylor Department of Public Health is home to multiple undergraduate and graduate academic programs, including Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH), a 4-year undergraduate program; on-campus Master of Public Health (MPH) with degrees in Community Health Science and Epidemiology; on-campus MPH in Environmental Health in partnership with the College of Arts and Sciences; online MPH in Community Health Science (MPH@Baylor); on-campus 5-year joint BSPH- MPH degree in Community Health Science; and Ph.D. in Public Health with specializations in Epidemiology and Social and Behavioral Health Science. The Baylor University Public Health Program was first accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health in 2013 (with accreditation extended through 2026). The Baylor Department of Public Health was launched in 2018. The Department is home to 16 full-time faculty members and multiple part-time/adjunct faculty members.

About Baylor University

Located in Waco, Texas, Baylor University is the oldest college in Texas. With a population of 21,000 diverse students, Baylor is one of the top universities in the nation, having been named an R1 institution by the Carnegie Classification in January 2022. Baylor is also on the honor roll of the “Great Colleges to Work For” from The Chronicle of Higher Education; Baylor offers competitive salaries and benefits while allowing faculty and staff to live in one of the fastest-growing parts of the state. Our strategic plan, Illuminate, guides the University as we continue to live up to Baylor’s mission of educating men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.

Salary and Review Date

Competitive salary support and start-up funds will be provided. The rank and tenure for this position will be commensurate with experience. Application reviews will begin on September 15 and continue until the position is filled.