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About Dr. Rebecca Battista

Dr. Rebecca A. “Becki” Battista is a professor in Appalachian State University’s exercise science program who specializes in promoting physical activity opportunities for children and youth, and serves as director of Appalachian’s Office of Student Research. She also is an Exercise Is Medicine Ambassador. She has researched local child care centers to determine how they can more effectively meet federal and state guidelines for physical activity. Because many rural North Carolina child care facilities lack the adequate funding to purchase things like play equipment that can be used both inside and outside, Battista works with the facilities to find cheaper alternatives to keep young children active.

Additionally, her most recent work has been with determining ways to encourage families to be active outdoors. Through Appalachian’s HOPE Lab, which brings together researchers and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and fields to promote health through spending time in the outdoors engaged in physical activity, exercise and play, she was instrumental in developing the Park Rx database for North Carolina's High Country.

Battista also works with Appalachian’s athletics programs and tracks the physical development of its student-athletes throughout their time as a college athlete. She seeks to understand how training impacts overall body composition, strength and performance.

Areas of Expertise
Physical activity and children and youth
Improving motor development to increase physical activity in children
Youth sports
Physical characteristics of college athletes across a competitive career

Positions

Present Faculty Member, Appalachian State University ‐ Beaver College of Health Sciences
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Present Director, Appalachian State University ‐ Office of Student Research
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Present Professor, Appalachian State University ‐ Department of Health and Exercise Science
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Disciplines

Research Interests

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Professional Service and Affiliations

President, Southeastern chapter, American College of Sports Medicine
Leadership Board Member, National Youth Sports Health and Safety Institute
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Honors and Awards

  • American College of Sports Medicine Fellow
  • Lock Haven University Alumni Achievement Award

Courses

  • ES 2005 Introduction to Physiological Assessment
  • ES 3005 Advanced Physiological Assessment
  • ES 3700 Professional Development in Exercise Science
  • ES 2030 Concepts in Anatomy and Physiology

Education

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2004 Ph.D., Michigan State University ‐ Growth and Motor Development
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1998 M.S., Indiana University ‐ Exercise Physiology
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1995 B.S., University of Delaware ‐ Physical Education Studies
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1992 B.S., Lock Haven University ‐ Health Science
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Links

Contact Information

battistara@appstate.edu
828-262-3047

Research Works (63)