Monica Kearney, Ph.D., CSCS
Associate Professor - Health — Allied Health, Kinesiology, & Sport Sciences
I am certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and have previously worked as a certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor, as well as in corporate fitness and wellness. My experience working in my field gives me insight into the career needs, challenges, and opportunities our students can expect. Since joining the faculty in the Department of Allied Health, Kinesiology, and Sport Sciences in 2018, I have implemented a student-centered approach to teaching and scholarship; I believe in the importance of constant evolution as a teacher and scholar and strive to integrate this with the growth of my students, the University, and our community.
MOST RECENT/NOTABLE PUBLISHED WORK
Influence of adiposity, insulin resistance, and intrahepatic triglyceride content on insulin kinetics. PMID: 32191646 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32191646/)
Exercise and Postprandial Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes. PMID: 26073704 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26073704/)
Muscle glycogen: where did you come from, where did you go? PMID: 27983751 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27983751/)
Inverse association between carbohydrate consumption and plasma adropin concentrations in humans. PMID: 27460714 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27460714/)
WHAT AREA DO YOU TEACH?
Exercise Science, Health Sciences
EDUCATION/DEGREE(S)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Divisions of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism
Washington University Department of Medicine, 2015-2018
Ph.D., Exercise Physiology
University of Missouri, 2015
M.S., Nutrition and Exercise Science
Southeast Missouri State University, 2009
B.S., Health Management-Fitness and Sports Medicine, Nutrition minor
Southeast Missouri State University, 2005
YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING:
I strive to inspire, through example as an active and evolving scholar, a desire to learn and engage, and to foster this by providing the resources and guidance through which students can fulfill their academic and professional potential and apply what they learn throughout their lives.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TEACH?
I have always enjoyed learning, and this has translated into a passion for teaching and continued scholarship. I am energized when a student asks me a question for which I don't know the answer, especially when we can find out together by going through the literature or designing a research study to test a hypothesis. In my role as an educator and scholar, I get to continue learning with and from my students, and I love seeing what our students and graduates do!
CREDENTIALS/CAREER PATH
I am a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. I have previously been certified as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor and have worked in these professions as well as in the corporate fitness and wellness arena before obtaining my doctorate in 2015. I am passionate about the pleiotropic effects of exercise in disease prevention and treatment and the power of living a healthy lifestyle, and these themes have guided my graduate and professional research. The incredible teaching and research mentors I've had as a graduate assistant at Southeast and at the University of Missouri, and as a postdoctoral fellow at Washington University, have heavily influenced my pedagogical and scholarly interests. Since joining the faculty in the Department of Allied Health, Kinesiology, and Sport Sciences in 2018, I have implemented a student-centered approach to teaching and scholarship; I believe in the importance of constant evolution as a teacher and scholar and integrate this with the growth of my students, the University, and our community.
PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHT
American College of Sports Medicine Central States Chapter Board of Directors (2018-present)
Reviewer for three scholarly journals
AWARD/HONOR/RECOGNITION
NIH/NIDDK T32 Post-doctoral Training Grant, 2016-2018
Ben R. Londeree/Tom R. Thomas Award for Outstanding Graduate, 2015
Outstanding Graduate Student Award, University of Missouri Graduate Student Association, 2012
ORGANIZATION WITH WHICH YOU ARE INVOLVED
American College of Sports Medicine
National Strength and Conditioning Association
BEST ADVICE FOR STUDENTS
Find what motivates YOU! I learn best when I am interested and invested in a topic. Get involved in your field, and study what you are passionate about. Also, don't be afraid to take the first step when doing something that intimidates you. Often our biggest barrier is getting started!
Find what motivates YOU! I learn best when I am interested and invested in a topic. Get involved in your field, and study what you are passionate about. Also, don't be afraid to take the first step when doing something that intimidates you. Often our biggest barrier is getting started!
“ In my role as an educator and scholar, I get to continue learning with and from my students, and I love seeing what our students and graduates do! ”