Alumni of Kinesiology Archives | Page 3 of 3

Q&A: Matt Roy

Published February 25, 2020

Former Michigan Tech hockey player Matt Roy is in his third year of professional hockey and first full season in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings. In 61 games this season, Roy has four goals and 13 assists. He earned his first NHL call up in February 2019 and played 25 games at the end of the 2018-19 season, tallying six points with two goals and four assists. Roy left Michigan Tech after his junior season in the spring of 2017 and continued his education through the University. In December, he completed his bachelor’s of science in exercise science and received his diploma.

Who did you promise that you would finish your degree?
The first person I promised that I would finish my degree was my mom. She wasn’t going to let me leave school early if I wasn’t going to finish. Talking with Suzanne [Sanregret] and Craig Pellizzaro, who was my advisor, we discussed a plan. I was able to take classes online, and I told Suzanne that I wasn’t going to take anything for granted and pass my classes. I’m very grateful to Suzanne and Craig who helped me get my diploma.

How does it feel to be done with your bachelor’s and what are your plans after hockey?
Receiving my diploma was a great feeling. It was tough doing all the classes online and staying consistent. It was a mental battle. I’m happy to have it done and to have it through Tech is awesome. I’m not sure about plans after hockey. Personal training or owning a gym would be fun, but I have a lot of ideas floating around right now.

Read the full feature.

Award Winning student

Published January 24, 2020

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Congratulations to our PhD Candidate, Joshua Gonzalez, who has been selected as a recipient of the 2020 Caroline tum Sudent/Frances Hellebrandt Professional Opportunity Award from the American Physiological Society!

This award is for his abstract, Acute Effects of the JUUL E-cigarette on Blood Pressure and Peripheral Sympathetic Activity in Young Non-Smokers, which was co-authored by Dr. William Cooke and Stephanie Jewel, undergraduate research assistant.

We are so proud of you all!

Kevin Phillips Graduates with a PhD in Integrative Physiology

Published April 12, 2019

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Kevin Phillips PhD Defense — KIP PhD candidate Kevin Phillips defends his dissertation before his committee on Monday, April 1 2019

Kevin Phillips is the second student to graduate from Michigan Tech with a PhD in Integrative Physiology.

On April 1, 2019 Kevin successfully defended his dissertation: “The Influence of Temperature on Neuromuscular Fatigue and Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Upper Extremity Exercise” under the advisory of Dr. Steven Elmer.

Kevin Phillips was one of two students who transferred into the Integrative Physiology PhD program in its inaugural year (2017/18). The other student, Matthew Kilgas, defended his dissertation and graduated this past December.

“I’d like to thank Michigan Tech, the KIP Department, my dissertation committee, faculty and students for their support over the past four years,” says Phillips. “I have had a lot of fun and have grown significantly as a teacher and researcher throughout my time at Michigan Tech.”

Phillips completed his MS in Exercise Science at Northern Michigan University in 2015 and his BS in Athletic Training at Marywood University in Pennsylvania in 2012. Kevin is currently pursuing an Assistant Professor position in Exercise Science; he hopes to continue his research on the influence of temperature alterations on brain perception and regulation of fatiguing exercise.

Dr. Matthew Kilgas Graduates with KIP’s First Ever PhD in Integrative Physiology

Published December 13, 2018

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Matthew Kilgas will become the first recipient of a PhD in Integrative Physiology from Michigan Tech.

KIP graduate student Matthew Kilgas successfully defended his PhD in Integrative Physiology on November 26th, 2018. At Commencement on Saturday, December 15th the Graduate School will confer to Matthew Kilgas the first Doctor of Philosophy degree in Integrative Physiology from Michigan Tech.

The department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology (KIP) began offering a PhD in Integrative Physiology in the 2017-18 academic year. Dr. Kilgas was one of two PhD students at Michigan Tech who transferred into the program in its inaugural year (the other student, Kevin Phillips, is scheduled to defend this Spring).

“Matt’s graduation marks a major milestone for the KIP department,” Dr. Carter explains.

Integrative physiology can be defined as the study of organisms as functioning systems of molecules, cells, tissues and organs. Application of these concepts and experimental approaches are used to understand human health, disease and performance.

The Integrative Physiology PhD program was started under the leadership of Dr. Jason Carter, founding Chair of the department (Dr. Carter now serves as Associate Vice President for Research Development for Michigan Tech’s Vice President for Research Office), and Dr. Steven Elmer, Assistant Professor and Graduate Program Director for KIP. Dr. Carter was a founding member of the KIP department in 2006 and still serves as a Professor with active NIH-sponsored research under KIP.

“We envisioned a highly research-active department that would ultimately be capped off with a strong doctorate degree.” -Dr. Jason Carter, Associate Vice President for Research Development and KIP founding Chair

“Matt’s graduation marks a major milestone for the KIP department,” Dr. Carter explains. “When we established the department thirteen years ago, we envisioned a highly research-active department that would ultimately be capped off with a strong doctorate degree. Our faculty and staff, along with a supportive administration over the past decade, deserve the credit for their persistence and steadfast commitment to that goal.”

Dr. Kilgas completed his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering here at Michigan Tech, and then went on to complete his M.S. in Exercise Science at Northern Michigan University. He returned to Tech in 2015 to begin working on his PhD.

“I would really like to thank the department for all their help in getting me this far,” Kilgas says. “Specifically Dr. Elmer for pushing me, I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Dr. Kilgas defended his thesis on “Acute and Chronic Responses to Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction” under the advisory of Dr. Elmer. For his research he used a variety of experimental techniques to investigate how partial restriction of blood flow to exercising muscles can improve health and enhance performance.

Matthew Kilgas defends his PhD thesis “Acute and Chronic Responses to Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction” in front of his Advisory Committee and other audience members on November 26, 2018.

“Matt has already begun a tenure-track faculty position in the School of Health and Human Performance at Northern Michigan University earlier this Fall,” explains Dr. Elmer. “We wish him the very best with his career in academia.”

Fonkoue Recognized as 2018 Young Investigator

Published March 2, 2018

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Congratulations to recent Michigan Tech doctoral graduate, Ida Fonkoue on her latest award. Ida was awarded the 2018 Southern Society Clinical Investigation (SSCI) Young Investigator Award at the Southern Regional Meeting in February. This award recognizes and encourages excellence in investigation by physicians and medical students during research training.

Ida finished her doctoral degree in May 2017 working under the advisement of Dr. Jason Carter and is currently working as a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University in the Division of Renal Medicine.

Ida Award cropped — Ida accepting the 2018 Young Investigator Award at the SSCI Southern Regional Meeting

Robert Larson Receives Best Basic Science Autonomoic Research Award

Published November 27, 2017

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A little over a year into his post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa, recent Michigan Tech doctoral graduate, Robert Larson, continues to excel. Larson was recently awarded the Best Basic Science Autonomic Research Award by the American Autonomic Society.

Larson earned his masters and doctoral degrees in Biological Sciences from Michigan Tech. Jason Carter and Qinghui Chen from the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology served as his advisors.

AAS 2017 Rob Larson with mentor Mark — Larson with current mentor Mark Chapleau.

Larson recipient of American Autonomic Society Lundbeck Research Fellowship

Published June 21, 2016

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Robert Larson wa Larson_Headshot s recently named a recipient of the American Autonomic Society Lundbeck Research Fellowship for his post-doctoral research proposal entitled “Targeting cardiac sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems with Ang-(1-7) in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.” Robert will begin his post-doctoral fellowship in the lab of Dr. Mark Chapleau in The Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in July. The $50,00 AAS-Lundbeck Research Fellowship provides salary support for one year and travel costs to the AAS annual conference for two years. Robert earned his master’s degree with Dr. Jason Carter and his doctorate degree with Dr. Qing-Hui Chen.

Robert’s full story was recently featured on Michigan Tech News. Congratulations Robert and continued success as you move on to The University of Iowa.

Gervais Awarded GLIAC Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship

Published April 28, 2016

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Fall 2015 KIP graduate and Michigan Tech football defensive back, Brett Gervais was recently awarded the GLIAC Pat Riepma Postgraduate Scholarship. Brett graduated from KIP with a bachelor of exercise science degree and plans to become a physical therapist. He was accepted into CMU’s doctorate of physical therapy program and will continue his studies here in Houghton at CMU’s satellite location through the Michigan Tech partnership established in 2014.

The full story on the GLIAC award was posted in Tech Today.

Category: Alumni of Kinesiology