Symposia

Exercise is Medicine: Translating Science into Action

WE CARE Speaker Series, Fall 2024

6 p.m. Thursday, Oct 17, 2024

Two successful leaders of the Exercise is Medicine initiative are coming to the University of Arkansas this fall as part of the Speaker Series of the WE CARE Strategic Plan. With support from the Exercise Science Research Center and the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, the symposium will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024.

After hearing from both speakers, a discussion panel made up of local and national members of the physical activity and health care spaces will answer pertinent questions related to the Exercise is Medicine initiative. Both in-person and virtual attendance options will be available.

The U of A chapter of Exercise is Medicine on Campus focuses both on research conducted by a faculty-student team and as a student group to encourage fitness.

Symposium Details

Location: Graduate Education Building Auditorium (Room 163), 751 W. Maple St., Fayetteville

Parking: Evening parking is available in campus lots and decks and some streets (online map and a printable PDF map), but check the posted signs at their entrances for specifics as regulations are enforced.

Online option: The first window in the Zoom link is for registration to see the program live.

Schedule

Program times are in Central Daylight Time.

• 5 p.m. — Reception
  • Gather in the foyer for heavy hors d’oeuvres, information about HHPR academic programs and mingle before the symposium
• 6 — Event begins in auditorium
  • Welcome and WE CARE Speaker Series introduction
• 6:10 — History of Exercise is Medicine On Campus at UARK
• 6:15 — Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D., FACSM, "Physical Activity and Cardiorespiratory Fitness as Modulators of Health Outcomes: How Much Exercise is Enough?"
• 6:45— Elizabeth A. Joy, M.D., M.P.H., FACSM, FAMSSM, "Exercise Is Medicine: Improving Physical Activity, Healthcare and Health"
• 7:15 — Break
• 7:25 — Discussion panel: "Insights and Opportunities for Exercise is Medicine at the University of Arkansas"
• 7:55 — Closing remarks

Speakers

 

Discussion:'Insights and Opportunities for Exercise is Medicine at the University of Arkansas'

Our Five Panelists

• Dr. Franklin

• Dr. Joy

• Debbie Deere, M.D., is a staff physician at the Pat Walker Health Center at the U of A. She completed her residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Vermont after graduating from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Dr. Deere is the medical director of the UofA Eating Disorder Treatment Team as well as the volunteer medical director of the Northwest Arkansas Center for Sexual Assault. She is currently working toward obtaining Certification as an Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS), and she has attended many interdisciplinary and international conferences for eating disorder professionals. Dr. Deere’s practice is weight-inclusive with a non-diet, holistic framework for health through her collaborations with dietitians, counselors and other colleagues.

• Larry Durstine, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor emeritus for the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina. He also served as the president of the ACSM in 2006 and is the current editor in chief for the Sports Medicine and Health Sciences journal. Dr. Durstine has many roles supporting health-related responses to exercise and related research, such as the director of clinical exercise programs at the University of South Carolina and director of cardiac rehabilitation at the University of Toledo. Throughout his research, he has published numerous studies in the field alongside several prominent researchers, including Drs. Russel R. Pate, Larry R. Gettman and Michael L. Pollock.

• Becky Todd, M.Ed., serves as associate vice chancellor for student well-being in the U of A Division of Student Affairs. Her role at the university is key in enhancing the overall student experience. By focusing on a holistic approach, she aims to integrate the dimensions of wellness — emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, occupational and financial — into various aspects of student life. Her work is rooted in supporting the departments of University Housing, Medical Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, and University Recreation and Wellness. Since joining the university in 2014 as the director of programs for UREC, she has been dedicated to promoting student wellness through engaging programs and initiatives. Continuing collaborative efforts with divisional and institutional wellness strategies emphasize the importance of a comprehensive support system that addresses the diverse needs of students, the next few years will be spent integrating outcomes from a recent Student Well-being Task Force into the fabric of the U of A experience.