UW Hosts Inaugural International Grand Teton Summit on Sport Science and Behaviors

The University of Wyoming's Division of Kinesiology and Health, part of the College of Health Sciences -- in partnership with Shanghai University of Sport (SUS) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) -- recently hosted the inaugural Grand Teton Summit (GTS).

The summit showcased international researchers who addressed the performance, pedagogy and principles of underlying sports behaviors. It also promoted the intellectual exchange of minds situated in nature and physical activity.

The GTS took place Sunday-Thursday, Aug. 11-15, and included research presentations, seminars and experiential learning activities on campus and at the UW Research Institute at the AMK Ranch, located in Grand Teton National Park. The UW Research Institute is a cooperative effort between UW and the National Park Service.

The summit was proposed and planned by Division of Kinesiology and Health faculty members Qin "Arthur" Zhu, interim division director and professor; Derek Smith, an associate professor; Tristan Wallhead, a professor; and Rachel Watson, a senior lecturer and co-head coach of the Nordic ski team. Other UW organizers were Christi Boggs, a senior faculty development professional in the Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning and co-head coach of the Nordic ski team, and Margaret Wilson, a professor emeritus in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

"It was bold and innovative to propose a summit with an idea of integrating academic and ecological components, but it turned out to be surprisingly successful in that people liked the intellectual exchange of minds in the context of promoting the balance between humans and nature," Zhu says. "This is particularly attractive for researchers in the fields of kinesiology and health, who study human performance and health through a diverse lens. By virtue of participation in experiential learning and team activities, each attendee felt connected and included, and their respective expertise contributed to the understanding of the human body, behavior and health as part of the ecosystem on Earth."

Although most of the attendees were from SUS, CUHK and UW, some attendees came from the University of Macau, the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M University-Texarkana and the University of Utah.

Attendees spent Sunday and Monday, Aug. 11-12, at UW. The first two days consisted of keynote and podium presentations, a panel discussion and a tour of campus. Additionally, attendees participated in table presentations, in which students presented research and answered questions from fellow attendees.

The remainder of the summit took place at the AMK Ranch. There, students and faculty attendees took part in team projects, experiential learning and sharing cultural exchanges while experiencing the natural beauty of Wyoming.

"The summit not only provided an intellectual arena for participants to interact, but it also allowed the participants to think, to feel, to experience, to listen, to express and to 'draw' -- we were asked to conduct a poster presentation as part of the campsite experiences -- their personal feelings toward nature and human beings environmentally (physical and social)," says Amy Sau-ching Ha, a professor and former chairperson of the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education at CUHK, who was one of the keynote speakers.

Student attendees note the benefits of the summit.

"I really enjoyed this summit and getting to connect with colleagues from different parts of the world," says Laci Sligar, a UW graduate student studying kinesiology and health. "The passion from this group of professionals in their academic discipline was amazing to see."

"This unforgettable trip allowed me to know more friends and communicate and exchange ideas in English, which helped me to improve my holistic abilities and even had an impact on my personality," says Kaiyi Luo, a student at SUS.

The UW Division of Kinesiology and Health, SUS and CUHK provided funding for the summit. Additionally, the UW Global Engagement Office's Center for Global Studies provided a conference planning grant.

"This conference modeled best practices for engaging with international colleagues, highlighting UW's world-class research, developing opportunities for UW students and showcasing UW and the state of Wyoming," says Caroline McCracken-Flesher, director of the UW Center for Global Studies.

Since 2018, the Division of Kinesiology and Health has been an active participant in UW's expanding role in international education. The division has collaborated with SUS on academic and athletic training programs. The UW-SUS Nordic Ski Training Program is one outcome of the partnership between the two universities. Earlier this month, leaders from UW and SUS signed a cooperative agreement for the UW-SUS international joint kinesiology undergraduate program in China.

Although the division has engaged in some research collaborations with CUHK, it aims to develop its partnership.

"It was our intention to use this summit to attract CUHK faculty and students to visit and study abroad at UW," Zhu says.

To learn more about the Grand Teton Summit, go to www.uwyo.edu/kandh/international-initiatives/grand-teton-summit-2024.html. To view the accepted conference presentations on WyoScholar, go to https://wyoscholar.uwyo.edu/handle/internal/9689.

About the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences

UW's College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.