Faculty Biographical Sketches
Dr. Emily Stevens, Department of Health Promotion and Exercise Science
She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science at Denison University (2001). She completed her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Health and Exercise Science, with a concentration in Health and Physical Activity Promotion, at The Ohio State University (2006). Her master’s thesis examined the association between youth sport experiences and physical activity adherence into adulthood. For her dissertation, Dr. Stevens developed and evaluated a theory-based physical activity intervention for high school students living in the Appalachian region of Ohio. Her research focuses on physical activity promotion among adolescents, including an examination of determinants of physical activity, the development and evaluation of theory-based interventions designed to promote physical activity, and the development of methods to measure physical activity behavior. She has presented her research at conferences for several national organizations, including the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Academy of Health Behavior, and The American Public Health Association. She is actively involved in publishing her work and has contributed to several articles already in press.
Prior to coming to Western Connecticut State University, Dr. Stevens served as a Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Teaching Assistant, and a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Health and Exercise Science Department at The Ohio State University. As a Graduate Research Assistant, Dr. Stevens worked on a federally funded grant aimed at developing, implementing, and evaluating a physical activity intervention in an urban community using a community participatory approach. As a Graduate Teaching Assistant, she taught non-majors courses to undergraduate students in the Sport, Fitness, and Health program run by the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services. Upon completing her PhD, Dr. Stevens spent three years as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Ohio State. During that time, she taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in the Health and Exercise Science Department. She remained active in her research interests through small grants and by advising undergraduate students completing honors projects and doctoral candidates completing dissertation projects.