Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The Department of Exercise Science at Grove City College offers students the opportunity to conduct meaningful, relevant research alongside experienced and accomplished faculty. All exercise science students are required to design, plan, and execute a research project.

In addition to Research Methods and Research Practicum requirements, students have the opportunity to work with professional researchers and as subjects through independent studies and through professorial research.

Recent Student Research Projects

• Effects of motivation on intensity of exercise
• Kinesio tape as a primary modality for pain management: a meta-analysis
• Effects of kinesio taping on force production during isokinetic contraction of the biceps brachii
• Effect of lower body power training on the speed, strength, and agility of amateur level fencers
• Effect of two carbohydrate supplementation protocols on 5-km running performance
• Effects of fasting versus non-fasting in the one mile
• Effects of HIT (high intensity training) on mood
• Effect of music genre on 5-km running performance
• Effects of hydration status on rating of perceived exertion
• Effects of a caffeine deception on RPE, affect, and time in a time to exhaustion test
• Effects of chocolate milk on bicep recovery post resistance training
• Acute effect on cognitive function after light, moderate, and high intensity aerobic exercise in college-aged students
• Effects of strength-based versus hypertrophy-based lower body exercise programs on vertical jump and 40-yard dash
• Energy drinks improve five kilometer running performance in recreational endurance runners
• Effects of caffeine ingestion on sport specific field tests of anaerobic power
• Using the functional movement screen to evaluate the effectiveness of different recreational training modalities

American College of Sports Medicine Regional Conference

Student group presentations at the 2017 American College of Sports Medicine Regional Conference in Harrisburg, PA: 

• "The Effect of Differing Fluid Replacement Strategies on Running Performance" by Stefani Wendelschaefer, Jake Gordon, Meghan Healey, Erin Koehler, and Marisa Tonkovich. 
• "The Acute Effect of Different Self-Myofascial Release Modalities on Anaerobic Sports Performance and Functional Movement" by Julie Fijal, Jessica Althausen, Lydia Keiper, Teresa Dallatore, and Kara Heckman.
•  "Effects of Different Exercise Modalities on Executive Cognitive Function" by Nathanael Sprunk, Brooke Beatty, Lauren Dietz, John Gould, Priya Graczyk, Alex Moldovan, Angelina Negron, Mary Shannon, Allen Steimling, and Tabitha White.

Watch Research Studies in Action

• Maximal Exercise Test #1 (VO2max Astrand Protocol)
• Maximal Exercise Test #2 (VO2max Astrand Protocol)
• 5-km Running Time Trial Protocol 

Research with Tim Noakes, M.D., Ph.D.

Grove City College's Department of Exercise Science is honored to be collaborating with world renewed exercise scientist and researcher Tim Noakes, M.D., Ph.D. Professor Noakes is a South African scientist and an emeritus professor in the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. He has published more than 750 scientific books and articles on exercise and diet. He has been cited more than 16,000 times in scientific literature, has an H-index of 71, and has been rated an A1 scientist by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.

Dr. Philip Prins of Grove City College is currently working with Professor Noakes on a project entitled “The Effects of a Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet versus a High Carbohydrate Diet on Physical Performance, Exercise Metabolism, and Cardiometabolic Health in Male Recreational Endurance Runners." 

Watch an interview with Dr. Tim Noakes.