Our mission is to provide undergraduate and graduate students with experience conducting their own research projects in order to launch them into successful careers and higher education. The Department of Exercise Science utilizes several spacious state-of-the-art laboratories to provide hands-on learning opportunities in every class students take.
The laboratories, located in Smith Hall, are dedicated to the development of research interests and to conducting meaningful experiments led by students and faculty.
The Anatomy and Virtual Anatomy Laboratories support Anatomy and Physiology I and II, providing students with hands-on and technology-enhanced learning experiences. These spaces include traditional anatomical models for the study of human structures, dedicated areas for animal dissection, and advanced virtual anatomy resources. The virtual anatomy lab features Anatomage tables, allowing students to explore high-resolution, three-dimensional human anatomy and physiology in an interactive, clinically relevant environment.
The Environmental Exercise Physiology Laboratory is a dedicated research space centered around a state-of-the-art environmental chamber that allows precise manipulation of temperature, humidity, and simulated altitude. The chamber supports extreme environmental conditions, ranging from very hot to very cold environments and simulated altitudes of up to 16,000 feet, enabling advanced study of human physiological responses to environmental stress.
The lab is equipped for comprehensive exercise and metabolic testing, including treadmills, cycle ergometers, metabolic carts, body composition assessment, and tools for measuring cardiovascular and metabolic responses such as blood glucose, ketones, lactate, core body temperature, and blood pressure. This space is used primarily for faculty-led and student-driven research, supporting projects that examine performance, metabolism, thermoregulation, and human adaptation to environmental stressors.
The Functional Movement Laboratory is a research-focused space dedicated to the analysis of human movement and biomechanics. The lab is equipped with motion capture cameras, force plates, treadmills, and wearable sensor-based motion capture suits that allow precise tracking of whole-body movement in real time. These tools support faculty- and student-led research examining gait mechanics, foot-strike patterns, movement efficiency, and injury prevention, including projects that integrate wearable sensors and acoustic analysis of movement. This lab provides students with hands-on experience in advanced movement analysis techniques used in performance, rehabilitation, and clinical research settings.
The Human Performance Laboratory consists of two connecaated laboratory spaces designed to support both instructional and research activities within the Exercise Science program. This lab serves as the primary experiential learning environment for courses such as Physiology of Exercise, Exercise Testing and Prescription, Advanced Exercise Physiology, Tactical Strength and Conditioning, and Research Practicum, allowing students to apply classroom concepts in real-world laboratory settings.
Equipped with a wide range of exercise testing, metabolic, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and performance assessment technologies, the lab enables hands-on experience with aerobic and anaerobic testing, body composition analysis, strength and power assessment, and physiological monitoring. Students work directly with industry-standard equipment to collect, analyze, and interpret data, gaining practical skills essential for careers in exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, clinical settings, and graduate study. The Human Performance Lab also supports faculty-led and student-driven research across a wide range of topics in human health and performance.
This equipment includes: