About

Welcome From The Director

James Carson, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine & Human Performance

As the Executive Director of the Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, I welcome you to examine our mission, history, activities, and events detailed on our website. You will get a clear snapshot of the numerous activities, accomplishments, and opportunities involving Huffines Institute-affiliated faculty and student members from across the Texas A&M campus. Our Huffines-affiliated faculty and students have made and continue to make significant contributions to research, education, and professional organizations that impact the broad fields of health and exercise science, sports medicine, and athletic performance. Needless to say, I am very excited about the upcoming Huffines Institute-sponsored activities, and I hope you consider joining the vibrant environment on the Texas A&M campus and the Huffines Institute.

We also must acknowledge the forward-thinking individuals who laid the foundation for all of those who have and will benefit from the Huffines Institute. These individuals include Dr. Jack Wilmore’s vision, financial resources provided by an endowment by Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Huffines, and a separate estate gift from Mike and Debbie Hilliard. The path to today was also paved by the outstanding leadership of prior Institute Directors Dr. Stephen Crouse and Dr. Tim Lightfoot. A special thank you is reserved for the tireless work of Dr. Jenna Yentes, who, in her recent service as Acting Director of the Huffines Institute, successfully led the Institute into a new era of growth and productivity by developing new interactions, programs, and initiatives. Furthermore, there is an extraordinary place in the Huffines Institute legacy that has served as the x-factor in all the success to date; these individuals are the talented, creative, and motivated Texas A&M undergraduate and graduate students who have been the boots on the ground for all the successful initiatives and events over the years.

In closing, it is my hope, after reviewing our events and activities, that you are as excited as I am for how the Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance can continue to grow in the role as a critical catalyst at Texas A&M for education, research, and community interaction in the broadly defined areas of sports medicine and human performance.

Sincerely,

James Carson, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Sydney and J.L. Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine & Human Performance

Our Mission

Bring together scientists and clinicians to collaborate on important research issues in sports medicine and human performance.

Huffines Institute Leadership

Huffines Institute Advisory Board

Scott Battley, MS Assistant Athletics Director and Director of Sports Science, Texas A&M Athletics
Chendil Damodaran, PhD Professor, College of Pharmacy
Associate Dean of Research and Innovation
Ana Artiles Diaz, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering
Marlene Dixon, PhD Professor & Department Head, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Leann Horsley, PhD, MBA, RN, CHSE, CNE Professor & Dean, College of Nursing
Richard Karasch, MS Assistant Athletic Director, Strength & Conditioning, Texas A&M Athletics
J. Bryan Mann, PhD Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Program Director, Performance Physiology and Strength & Conditioning
Laura E. Marsh, MD Clinical Assistant Professor, Texas A&M & Head Team Physician, Texas A&M Athletics
Jason McKnight, MD Clinical Associate Professor, Texas A&M School of Medicine
Director of Residency Recruitment, Texas A&M Family Medicine Residency
Medical Director, Human Clinical Research Facility
Jason Moats, PhD Professor of Practice, Department of Health Behavior, Texas A&M School of Public Health
Director, USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness
Paul Siebert Public Sector Program Director
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Sheri Lynne Walters, PhD Associate Athletic Director, Sports Medicine, Texas A&M Athletics
Jenna Yentes, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management

Huffines Institute Faculty Affiliates

A Huffines Institute Faculty Affiliate is a Texas A&M faculty member who has formally joined the Huffines Institute community, connecting their research, teaching, or clinical work to our shared mission to advance sports medicine and human performance. If you’re interested in becoming a Huffines Institute faculty affiliate, please fill out the Huffines Institute Faculty Affiliate Application. If you have questions, contact June Weston at jweston9@tamu.edu.
Adam Barry Professor, Department Head, School of Public Health
So-Min Cheong Professor, Bush School of Government and Public Service
Lisa Colvin Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Nicolaas Deutz Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Ana Diaz Artiles Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering
Marielle Engelen Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Lorinda Gomez Instructional Professor, Physical Education Activity Program
Leann Horsley Dean, College of Nursing
Mariana Janini Gomes Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Jonathan Jensen Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Deanna Kennedy Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
John Lawler Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Stephen Line Clinical Assistant Professor, Associate Director of Sports Medicine Fellowship, School of Medicine
Mark Zhi Lu Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Bryan Mann Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Laura Elizabeth Marsh Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Medicine
Jason B Moats Associate Professor, School of Public Health
Tobi Morakinyo Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences
Aaron Morton Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Martin Mulkerrins Instructional Assistant Professor, Physical Education Activity Program
Mandy Parra Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Tarleton State University
Tyler Prochnow Assistant Professor, School of Public Health
Shogo Sato Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences
Matthew Scott Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Paul S Siebert Public Sector Program Director, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service
Sheri Lynne Walters Associate Athletic Director, Texas A&M Athletics
Andrew Wolfe Assistant Vice President Research Development, Associate Professor, Division of Research, Tarleton State University
Christopher Woodman Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management
Jenna Yentes Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management

Our History

In 1999, Dr. Jack Wilmore and several faculty members at Texas A&M; University began to meet to connect the science and practice of sports medicine and human performance more closely. Dr. Wilmore and his colleagues witnessed the gradual separation between researchers in sports medicine and human performance areas from the implementation strategies by clinicians, practitioners, and coaches. Thus, the premise for forming and growing the Huffines Institute was born.

Since our beginning, the Huffines Institute’s mission has evolved to connect exercise scientists, practitioners, and the public to help spread the word that activity and exercise are the cheapest and most efficient forms of disease prevention and symptom alleviation. We believe that the Institute’s mission will lead to better health for the general public. The Huffines Institute continues to provide important health-related research and information to clinicians, practitioners, and the public through our podcasts, sponsored lectures, and Hilliard Discussions.

As we examine all the activities the Huffines Institute has been involved in, we must look back to acknowledge the forward-thinking individuals who laid the foundation for all of those who have and will benefit from the Huffines Institute. These individuals include Dr. Jack Wilmore’s vision, financial resources provided by an endowment by Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Huffines, and a separate estate gift from Mike and Debbie Hilliard. The path to today was also paved by the outstanding leadership of prior Institute Directors Dr. Stephen Crouse, Dr. Tim Lightfoot, and Dr. Jenna Yentes. These individuals successfully led the Institute into new areas of growth and productivity through the development of new interactions, programs, and initiatives that are located throughout this website. Furthermore, there is an extraordinary place in the Huffines Institute legacy that has served as the x-factor in all the success to date; these individuals are the talented, creative, and motivated Texas A&M; undergraduate and graduate students who have been the boots on the ground for all the successful initiatives and events over the years.

We invite you to join our community that is dedicated to investigating, applying, and engaging in a dialogue about sports medicine and human performance. You can easily listen to or watch any of our podcasts and use our exclusive content. But we hope you won’t stop there. Connect to us through Twitter to stay up with the daily happenings at the Huffines Institute. We are working to make access to Sports Medicine and Human Performance easy for you and the World.