Learning Spaces Health and Exercise Science Teaching Facility
The new teaching building was completed in 2015 and is dedicated to educating Health and Exercise Science students. The building has some unique features, such as the hallmark piece of art is in the building’s central lobby. On the floor is an intricate terrazzo image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man. The seven-color concrete composite contains chips of rocks, broken bottles, and seashells separated by thin bands of zinc. It is an ideal symbol for a department focused on health.
The building features two rooms, a large 120-seat classroom with its tables and chairs on wheels and six large computer screens on the front, side, and back walls allow the space to be reconfigured for group work in pods. A large number of Health and Exercise Science courses are taught in this space. The flipped classroom design allows for learning and discussion, not just a lecture format. The teaching lab features modern equipment for hands-on experiments, and the large windows and glass-paneled garage doors which open to a patio help make the space conducive to learning.
Exercise Testing Classes in the HES Teaching Facility
Examples of courses taught in the Health and Exercise Science Teaching Facility include Biomechanical Principles of Human Movement, Neuromuscular Aspects of Human Movement, and Physiology of Exercise.
In Biomechanical Principles of Human Movement, you will study the elementary analysis of human motion based on anatomical and mechanical principles.
In Neuromuscular Aspects of Human Movement, you will cover topics such as aging, muscle fatigue, training, force control, and neuromuscular disease. Labs include experimental stations equipped with high quality recording equipment. Hands-on experiments covering the lab concepts of muscle strength, muscle electrophysiology, reflex and spinal cord function, proprioception, muscle control, variability of motor output, and mechanisms of muscle fatigue are a feature of the lab. You will also design, pilot test, conduct, and write up an experiment of your own.
In Physiology of Exercise, you will study the effects of exercise on tissues, organs, and systems of the body. Working in small groups, you will have the opportunity to test various physiological concepts related to human exercise physiology. Examples include the measurement of anaerobic power (Wingate), aerobic capacity (VO2max), lactate threshold, blood glucose homeostasis during exercise, and assessment of peripheral feedback (afferent signaling) and its influence on the cardiovascular response to exercise. You will also formulate a research question that will be tested throughout the semester and present your results.