Auburn University School of Kinesiology

In our Locomotor and Movement Control Lab, one statement guides much of the research and outreach performed by students: “Movement is our birthright, and it is our job to maintain it.” Bria Smith, a doctoral student in the lab, recently hosted a free webinar with Auburn’s Office of Professional and Continuing Education to share information on movement and healthy aging.

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Professor Sheri Thornburg-Brock presented at the 2026 AIESEP (International Organization for Physical Education in Higher Education) World Congress in Taipei, Taiwan last week. Her presentation was called, “Artificial Intelligence in Qualitative Analysis: A Comparative Examination of Efficiency, Accuracy, and Interpretive Depth.” She is joined in the photo by former doctoral student Nikki Hollet.

Kinesiology students Marielle Burque and Anna Daniels — both majoring in exercise science and minoring in dance — were recently selected to serve as Gogue Center Ambassadors for the upcoming academic year. As ambassadors, they will have the opportunity to do behind-the-scenes work at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center while also sharing their passion for performing arts with the Auburn community.

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Our inaugural cohort of 21 DPT students received their white coats Friday in a ceremony sponsored by East Alabama Health. They will begin clinical rotations this summer at locations across Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Congratulations to our future physical therapists!

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Gretchen Oliver, director of the Sports Medicine and Movement Lab, traveled to Lyon, France last week for the International Shoulder Group Congress 2026. She presented her team’s research on “Greater Shoulder Elevation Variability During Arm Cocking Is Associated with Decreased Elbow Varus Torque in NCAA Division I Baseball Pitchers. Great job, Dr. Oliver, and thank you to our SMML students for conducting research that is being shared on an international scale.

Physical Therapy student Ellie Everett is taking the stage this week to compete for Miss Alabama, but her heart for serving is what she hopes will shine most. After losing her father at a young age, Ellie realized how isolating grief can feel and had formed a non-profit to help other children facing that same pain. As she works toward her goal of becoming a physical therapist, she says she hopes to find ways to connect her nonprofit work with the world of healthcare.

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Susie Trammell joined our physical therapy program at the beginning of the year to serve as our program administrator. She works with prospective and current students as well as faculty to ensure our program is running smoothly.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy program in the School of Kinesiology recently added a new face: Susie Trammell, academic program administrator. Trammell joined the PT program after serving as a student services coordinator with Auburn’s Pathway and Transfer Center in the Office of the Registrar. Read more about how Trammell is looking to advance Auburn's new Physical Therapy program in the future at the link in the comments.

Big things happening this summer! Our second cohort is here, and our first cohort will soon be starting clinical rotations soon. Read more: https://digital.education.auburn.edu/keystone-2026/the-next-big-step

The first cohort of Doctor of Physical Therapy students in our college's School of Kinesiology is now preparing for the next big step in their journey: clinical rotations. This summer, Auburn’s physical therapy students will be placed throughout the state of Alabama, from Huntsville to Daphne, as well as locally in the Auburn-Opelika area, in Georgia (LaGrange and Columbus), and Pensacola, Florida. Read more about their next big step at the link in the comments.

Auburn University School of Kinesiology

We are proud to announce that Kinesiology Professor Gretchen Oliver has been elected a Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology! Oliver’s research centers on injury prevention and performance optimization for baseball and softball athletes. She has established herself as the international leader in softball biomechanical research and is at the forefront of advancing markerless biomechanics analysis for in-game baseball performance. Congratulations, Dr. Oliver!

Read more at the link in the comments.