Professional News

Erwin receives fellow award at SHAPE America national convention

Heather Erwin (right) was recently accepted as a 2024 fellow in the North American Society for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance.
Heather Erwin (right) was recently accepted as a 2024 fellow in the North American Society for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 11, 2024) — University of Kentucky College of Education Professor Heather Erwin, Ph.D., was recently accepted as a 2024 fellow in the North American Society for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance. 

Erwin is professor and chair in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion in the UK College of Education. 

Founded in 1999, the North American Society acknowledges distinguished professionals in the allied fields of health education, physical education, recreation, sport and dance in North America. Fellows are selected based on their demonstration of exceptional competence through at least 20 years of professional involvement. 

Erwin has shown remarkable competence and commitment to research and education during her 18 years at UK. She accepted this nomination with immense gratitude, reflecting on the relationships that facilitated her growth and development, ultimately bringing her to this moment. 

“I’m honored to have been nominated for this award, as I will be surrounded by many other fellows who have accomplished so much as scholars, leaders, administrators and servants to the field of physical education, health, recreation, sport and dance. I’m most excited about the relationships I have built with students, colleagues and mentors over the years, and it is neat for things to come full circle as I’ll be in the same room with many of these amazing people at our upcoming national convention.” 

Erwin received formal recognition in March at the SHAPE America Convention & Expo in Cleveland, Ohio, during the Professional Excellence Awards Ceremony. 

Erwin is editor of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education. Her recent published work covers the impact of physical activity breaks during the school day, how technology promotes motivation in physical education and the effects of physical activity on attention and behavior. 

Erwin earned her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests include school-based physical activity in children and adolescents with special attention to physical education, classroom physical activity and recess. She teaches courses in physical education methods in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.