The National Academy of Kinesiology is a members-based, non-governmental organization. It receives archival assistance from The Pennsylvania State University, University Park.
At A Glance
The Academy’s dual purpose is to encourage and promote the study and educational applications of the art and science of human movement and physical activity and to honor by election to its membership persons who have directly or indirectly contributed significantly to the study of and/or application of the art and science of human movement and physical activity.
Kinesiology is a field focused on physical activity and its impact on health, society, and quality of life. The National Research Council recognized it as a Life Science discipline.
Elected Fellows are those who have made sustained and distinguished contributions to the discipline for an extended period, usually with one or more signature contributions, and who are willing to participate in advancing the mission and goals of the Academy.
Among the list of all-time Academy Fellows are recipients of:
- The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (Archibald Vivian Hill)
- John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship (Arthur H. Steinhaus)
- Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Sian Leah Beilock; Clair E. Turner)
- Member, National Academy of Medicine (Lawrence W. Green)
- MacArthur Fellow (Kevin M. Guskiewicz)
Academy membership is restricted to 200 Active Fellows, with an unrestricted number of International Fellows. Potential Fellows are nominated annually by current Fellows. Following a rigorous, multistage review process, the most eminent are elected.
More than a dozen have served as leaders of colleges and universities in the United States and abroad (e.g., Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Taiwan, The Netherlands), including the current:
- President, Dartmouth College (Sian Leah Beilock)
- President, Michigan State University (Kevin M. Guskiewicz)
- President, Shanghai University of Sport (Peijjie Chen)
Academy Timeline
| Name | Date | Notes |
| National Academy of Kinesiology | 2010-present | |
| American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education | 1992–2010 | |
| American Academy of Physical Education | 1930–1992 | Founded 1930 |
| American Academy of Physical Education | 1926–1930 | Chartered 1926 |
| [American] Academy of Physical Education | 1904–1918 | Conceived 1904 |
Source: Cardinal, B. J. (2022). The National Academy of Kinesiology: Its founding, focus, and future. Kinesiology Review, 11(1), 6–25. doi: https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2021-0064