QUICK LINKS Today's News News releases ISU homepage NEWS RELEASE 09-15-03 Contacts: Jerry Thomas, College of Education, (515) 294-8009 Cathy Curtis, College of Education, (515) 294-8175 Kevin Brown, News Service, (515) 294-8986 IOWA STATE PROFESSOR RECOGNIZED AS DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR AMES, Iowa -- Jerry Thomas, chair of the department of health and human performance in Iowa State University's College of Education, has been named a Distinguished Scholar by the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA). Thomas is the ninth scholar to earn the honor, which was created in 1981. Thomas was recognized for his 25 years of research and leadership in the field of human motor control. His research focuses on changes across childhood and adolescence related to development of motor/sport expertise, control of hand/eye coordination, gender differences in physical activity and cognitive factors in motor performance and learning. Thomas came to Iowa State in 1998 from Arizona State University, Tempe, where he served as a professor of exercise science and physical education, and department chair from 1988 to 1992. He also served as the associate dean for Arizona State's Graduate College from 1992-1995. The NASPSPA is an organization of scholars in sport and physical activity fields that promotes research, outreach and teaching in the psychology of sport, motor development, and motor learning and control. -30- Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111 Published by: University Relations, online@iastate.edu Copyright © 1995-2003, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.