New HERSM faculty members from left to right: Kofan Lee, Paul Loprinzi, Yang-Chieh Fu and Jeremy Loenneke.
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi’s Department of Health, Exercise Science and Recreational Management has welcomed four new faculty members for the 2014-2015 academic year. The new professors, many of whom arrived on campus this fall, are considered among the best young scholars in their respective fields.
The new faculty members are Yang-Chieh Fu, KoFan Lee, Jeremy Loenneke and Paul Loprinzi.
The new professors will help improve the department’s national rankings, said Jay Garner, associate professor of exercise science and interim chair of HESRM.
“We are tremendously excited about our recent hires,” Garner said. “This puts us on track to continue our rise in becoming one of the top programs in our field.”
With nearly 800 students, the department equips students to help improve the health and fitness of individuals and communities. From exercise science to recreational administration, the department offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Velmer Burton, dean the School of Applied Sciences, said he is proud of HESRM’s recent recruitments in faculty.
“These new tenure-track scholars are important to the department’s future and add to the existing talent and strengths of our HESRM faculty,” Burton said.
Loenneke, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the University of Oklahoma, has conducted and published extensive research in skeletal muscle physiology.
“Dr. Loenneke arrived on campus with a strong record of productivity and excellence,” Garner said. “We have seen nothing but excellence as a scholar with unlimited potential at Ole Miss and in our department.”
Lee recently completed his doctorate in leisure behavior at Indiana University at Bloomington. He is an accomplished scholar with research exploring social-psychological perspectives in leisure studies.
“His experience and work in the field make him a great asset for our burgeoning recreation administration program,” Garner said. “He will be a wonderful success in our program.”
Loprinzi received his Ph.D. in exercise and sport science from Oregon State University. With numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, Loprinzi focuses his research on physical activity promotion.
“He will bring a fresh perspective to the department by combining his training at a top research institution,” Garner said. “We expect him to continue his growth as a scholar here at Ole Miss.”
Fu earned his doctorate in kinesiology from the University of Georgia. His ongoing research and publications focuses on the functional and biomechanical performance of patients who have undergone a modern unicompartmental knee construction by camera-based motion analysis and videofluoroscopy techniques. He joined the department in 2013.
“Dr. Fu’s experience and training make him a wonderful hire for the department and school,” Garner said.