海角社区

BATON ROUGE, LA 鈥� Nick Fears, PhD, of the 海角社区 School of Kinesiology (SOK), received the 2025 Lolas E. Halverson Motor Development Young Investigator Award from the . 

鈥淚 am thrilled to have been selected to receive the Halverson Award,鈥� Fears said. 鈥淚t is truly an honor to have my work recognized by the top researchers in the field of motor development. Lolas Halverson was a titan in our field, not only through her research contributions, but also through the impact she had on her students and community. Previous Halverson Award winners have set the bar incredibly high, but I am excited to join their ranks and continue Hal鈥檚 legacy by having a sustained impact on the field of motor development through my research, mentorship, and community engagement.鈥�

Fears is an assistant professor in the 海角社区 School of Kinesiology, a member-at-large on the executive committee of the 海角社区 Early Childhood Education Institute, and the director of the . His research focuses on the development of dynamic relationships among motor, visual and cognitive processes and aims to improve the lives of neurodivergent people by adapting their environments and providing support for them to achieve their goals.

I-MDRC is the only motor development research society at the global level, with membership consisting of the top researchers from around the world. Created in 2014, I-MDRC's mission is to increase the visibility and impact of motor development research and advance the field of motor development research. Named after a nationally recognized career academic in the field, the recognizes an outstanding young scholar for their contributions to research in the field and efforts to improve motor behavior across the lifespan. Previous award winners have become pillars of the motor development field and fellows of the National Academy of Kinesiology and the American College of Sports Medicine. 

鈥淒r. Fears is making a tremendous contribution to research excellence in the School of Kinesiology,鈥� John Nauright, PhD, 海角社区 School of Kinesiology Director, said. 鈥淗is research on neurodivergent populations is central to improving the quality of life for so many! As the College of Human Sciences and Education focuses on its One Health initiative, researchers such as Dr. Fears are demonstrating how we are building teams that win for all Louisianians and beyond.鈥� 

Recently, Fears received awards from the Healthy Weight Research Network, 海角社区 Provost鈥檚 Fund for Innovation in Research, , and the to further his motor development research. 

Fears will receive his award and present on his research at the 2026 I-MDRC Conference in Brazil. 

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About the 海角社区 School of Kinesiology
The 海角社区 School of Kinesiology (SOK) advances the understanding of physical activity, sport, and health to optimize the quality of life for diverse populations through excellence in teaching, learning, discovery, and engagement. SOK offers a BS, MS, Online MS, PhD, and two certificate options. Graduates go on to successful careers in the health and fitness industry, corporate wellness, sport agencies and businesses, athletic administration, and K-12 educational settings. SOK is part of the College of Human Sciences & Education.

Visit the School of Kinesiology website.

 

About the College of Human Sciences & Education 
The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of 海角社区. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Information Studies, the School of Kinesiology, the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, and the School of Social Work. CHSE has two model demonstration schools, the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, enrolling birth to age four and the University Laboratory School enrolling Kindergarten through grade 12. The college also has four centers and institutes: the Early Childhood Education Institute, the Healthy Aging Research Center, the Leadership Development Institute, and Social Research & Evaluation Center. The college is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and aims to improve quality of life across the lifespan.

Visit the College of Human Sciences & Education website.