The Northland Regional Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) held its annual meeting at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center March 21-23. UMD Associate Professor Mary Stenson helped organize the event and was appointed as the new president of the Northland Chapter. 

ACSM is a diverse group of professionals and students dedicated to the advancement of sports medicine and exercise science. The chapter provides a forum for research, fosters professional peer interaction and supports career growth. 

There were 350 people in attendance from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North and South Dakota. Sixty-seven students from UMD’s Exercise and Rehabilitation Science program participated in the meeting.

Eleven UMD students presented research posters. Julia Shaw won the President’s Cup Research Competition for her presentation. The undergraduate senior was competing against graduate-level students. Her research, supported by an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, was titled “Determining the Effects of Mental Fatigue on Exercise Performance.” Shaw earned a trip to the national ACSM meeting in Boston to present her work.

Estephania (Steph) Nuñez, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, also presented a breakout session titled “Disparities in Access to Athletic Training Services in the Secondary School with Consideration to Socioeconomic Status: A Critically Appraised Topic.”

"This year's Northland Chapter meeting was a huge success and I was so pleased with the number of students in attendance,” said Stenson. “The conference is a great place for professionals and students to present their research, network with regional professionals, and learn from the experts in our region. It was an especially great opportunity for our UMD students to have the conference right at home."