Every year we recognize outstanding students and professionals for their excellent research in the areas of physical activity and public health. Awards finalists are typically presented at our Section's evening social event during the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo. Winners are announced immediately following the Annual Meeting.
Student Presentation Award Winners:
This award is given for outstanding oral and poster presentations by students in the Physical Activity Section. To be eligible:
Abstracts must be submitted to the Physical Activity Section and must represent the independent research of the student.
Individuals must be a student (undergraduate, graduate, medical, etc.) at the time of abstract submission.
Individuals must be the first author on the abstract and presenter at the annual meeting.
Past Student Award Recipients
Year - Name(s) - Institution
2023 Zach S. Farley, MPH, University of Oregon, Mary Catherine Innace, BS, The College of New Jersey
2022 Perla Medrano, MSc Candidate, Duke Global Health Institute at Duke University and Karen Kwaning, Medical student, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
2021 Kemba Noel-London, PhD, MAT, ACT, St. Louis University and Sean Lubiak, BS Candidate, The University of Tampa
2020 Bridgette Do, MPH, University of Southern California and Aisha Bhimla, PhD, Temple University
2019 Marilyn Wende, BS, MSPH, University of South Carolina and Nate Clennan BS, Kansas State University
2018 Sophie Claudel, National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute and Bridgette Do, MPH, University of Southern California - Keck School of Medicine
2017 Ellen Stowe University of South Carolina and Morgan Hughey, University of South Carolina
2016 Carissa Smock, MPH; Matt Nichols, MPH; Naomi Carlson, Kent State University and Danielle Ostendorf, MS, ACSM-CEP, Colorado School of Public Health
2015 Jamie Dunnington, MPH, University of Oklahoma and Dangaia Sims, MA, Pennsylvania State University and Shannon Halloway, Rush University
2014 Gina Besenyi, MPH, University of South Carolina and Sarah Hughey, University of South Carolina
2013 Jennifer Turgiss, PhD, Boston University and Benjamin Webb, PhD, Pennsylvania State University
2012 Dan Bornstein, PhD, University of South Carolina
Steven P. Hooker Research Award
The Steven P. Hooker Award is given to an abstract and presentation at the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo that represents outstanding research in the areas of physical activity and public health. To be eligible:
- Abstracts must be submitted to the Physical Activity Section.
- Individuals must be the first author on the abstract and presenter at the annual meeting.
- Individuals must be non-students at the time of abstract submission
Past Steven P. Hooker Research Award Recipients
Year - Name - Institution
2023 Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD, MHS, University of Illinois at Chicago
2022 Kevin Lanza, PhD, UTHealth School of Public Health in Austin
2021 Natalia Heredia, PhD, MPH, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health
2020 Liz Budd, PhD, MPH, University of Oregon
2019 Demetrius Abshire, PhD, RN, University of South Carolina
2018 Danielle R. Brittain, PhD, Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Northern Colorado
2017 Angie L. Cradock, ScD, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
2016 Asel Ryskulova, MD, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2015 Elizabeth Garland, PhD, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
2014 Susan Babey, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
2013 Justin Moore, PhD, University of South Carolina
2012 Yue Liao, MPH, University of Southern California