Two weeks ago, Plattsburgh State sports and wellness students had the opportunity to present research and compete in the student quiz bowl at American College of Sport Medicine Greater New York Regional chapter in New York City. Two PSUC students placed second and third in the research competition and first in the student quiz bowl.
ACSM has two meetings in New York called greater New York Chapter. Assistant Professor of Sports and Wellness Coordinator of Undergraduate program Lab Director Andreas Stamatis was the research team leader. There are two competitions hosted by ACSM a year. In the fall, graduate student compete with research. In Spring, undergraduates compete. Andreas said he entered his students into the undergrad competition.
“The student bowl is a fun way that ACSM made students study exercise study material,” Stamatis said.
Stamatis said the quiz bowl also helps his department perform better in terms of research. He said the students have learned excellent research skills that will help them during graduate school.
“This was beneficial to me in not only allowing me to take part in the execution and presentation of undergrad research, but also allowing me to experience a professional and thought-provoking conference within the field I intend to work after graduation,” Fitness and Wellness major Kyle Pellerin said. “I will be able to take what was learned from this experience, both in terms of research and the conference, for future use in grad school, my career, as well as in my personal life.”
Pellerin placed second in research and first in the quiz bowl competition. In May, he will go to the national competition with other ACSM chapters to compete.
Stamatis had also pushed for a collaboration between his department and the Psychology department. He said it was important for his students to work with other departments, so they could learn true teamwork.
“It’s been a very challenging but also a very rewarding project,” Assistant Psychology Professor Inmaculada Ibanez-Cases said. “This collaboration between the Sports and Wellness department and the Psychology department has allowed students to be exposed to the cutting-edge of both sports science and neuroscience, and to be part of something that had not been done before with this population.”
Since Stamatis and his students won the undergraduate quiz bowlin April, they will be moving on to the national competition in May.
“Little small [PSUC] will be represented by four students,” Stamatis said. “It’s pretty amazing.”
