FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

National Association for Sport and Physical Education to Honor University of Michigan's Jin Bo

RESTON, VA, March 25, 2009 –Jin Bo, Ph.D., post-doctoral researcher in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan, will receive the Lolas E. Halverson Motor Development Young Investigator Award from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) during the national convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). Dr. Bo will be recognized at the NASPE Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, April 3, at the Marriott Waterside Hotel in Tampa, Florida. Other honorees that evening include the National Physical Education Teachers of the Year for Elementary, Middle and High School, the National Physical Education Administrator of the Year, and the National Athletic Director of the Year Award. Olympic gold medalist Dot Richardson, M.D. will be inducted in the NASPE Hall of Fame.

         A national honor, the Lolas E. Halverson Motor Development Young Investigator Award is given in recognition of an outstanding graduate student and his/her contributions to research in the motor development field. Honorees must demonstrate scholarship by being the primary contributor to a research study that makes a significant contribution to the field of motor development. Evidence might include the innovative nature of the work, its impact on the field, or, its impact on the application of knowledge. The recipient makes a research presentation at the AAHPERD national convention the following year. The award is funded by donations to the Lolas E. Halverson Fund.              

         Dr. Bo has authored and co-authored several publications on the development of visuo-motor coordination and adaptation in children who are typically development as well as children with motor difficulties. Her current research is focused on understanding the cognitive and neural underpinnings of motor skill learning.  Future studies will be to understand the potential relationship between the specific brain function and the fine motor skill development. She believes that these works will offer a fundamental framework for understanding children with motor difficulties and developing ultimate intervention strategies.

         Dr. Bo received her Bachelor of Medicine degree from Shanghai Second Medical University, her master's degree in Kinesiology and PhD in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the University of Maryland. Dr. Bo is in the process of getting her post-doctorate at the University of Michigan.

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Contact:
Paula Kun
pkun@aahperd.org
703-476-3461

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.