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New Mexico State University

COE Educational Research and Budgeting Office

COE Health Psychology and Human Performance Research Cluster

COE's Health Psychology and Human Performance Research Agenda looks to improve the physical and psychological well-being of all segments of the population. This Research area includes comprehensive "programs of education" that serve the physical, psychological, and kinesthetically artistic needs of New Mexico's diverse population, very much in keeping with NMSU's mission statement.

  • Dr. Eve Adams & Dr. Louis Vasquez are co-PIs of a Graduate Psychology Education Program. The purpose is to increase the number of trainees in the disciplines of Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, and Family Practice Medicine who provide care in medically-underserved communities.

  • Dr. Kim Oliver is the principal investigator for the Las Cruces Health and Physical Activity Initiative. This 3-year, $994,129 grant, is funded by the Carol M. White Physical Education Program through the Department of Education. A collaboration between New Mexico State University and Las Cruces Public Schools the Las Cruces Health and Physical Activity Initiative is aimed at improving elementary school children's health by improving and enhancing elementary physical education in the schools.

  • Dr. Oliver is also researching what happens when researchers support girls in developing a critical perspective toward cultural perspectives about the human body.

  • Dr. Mark Pruyn is principal investigator for the Begin at Birth Initiative Evaluation Grant; which averages $100,000 per year. Begin at Birth is an Initiative of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation that seeks to improve the health of youngsters birth to three years old in the region: El Paso, Las Cruces and Juarez. Marc, as associate professor with the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, has been the evaluator for Begin at Birth for the last three years. He may be contacted at profefronterizo@yahoo.com.

  • Dr. Scott Pedersen is particularly interested in developmental motor milestones in children. At NMSU’s Adapted Physical Education Laboratory (NMSUAPE), which was designed to assess individuals with developmental disabilities in a variety of environments including clinical and practical settings, researchers assess gross motor skills and provide appropriate programming techniques to help individuals realize the full potential of their movements.