Laboratories ENS

Biomechanics Laboratory
The Biomechanics laboratory focuses upon technique analysis and development of equipment for facilitating optimal performance. The information obtained during athletic performance can be analyzed to identify inefficiencies in performance. Intervention programs for performance enhancement can be provided to the coach and/or the athlete, both for technique analysis or injury prevention. The measurement tools available in this area permit high speed film and video analysis of athletic performance, and transducers to assess accleration and velocitites during performance. Athletes can be tested on an individual basis, thereby not significantly interfering with the training schedule of the team. Specific assessments included within this laboratory include force-time analysis, high speed motion analysis, electromyography, and biomechanical/kinesiological screening.

Undergraduate students use this laboratory during the course ENS 306, while graduate students use the facility during courses in the Biomechanics program of graduate study.

The Fred W. Kasch Exercise Physiology Laboratory

The Exercise Physiology Lab (EPL) takes its name from it's founder, F. W. Kasch, a pioneer in adult exercise and fitness. Along with John L. Boyer, the EPL's first medical director, as well as, a former President of ACSM, Professor emeritus Kasch published the first paper (JAMA, 1969) on the beneficial effects of endurance exercise in normotensive and hypertensive adults.

Founded in 1952, the first site of the EPL was in the campanile of the PE building which was formally known as the Women's Gymnasium. It's current location is in the same building but in the Northeast corner of the structure. The Lab consists of eight separate rooms that encompass more than 2,000 square feet, and is used for undergraduate (ENS 314L) and graduate instruction in the Exercise Physiology M.S. degree (including thesis projects), as well as a research Laboratory for the exercise physiology faculty. Furthermore, the EPL serves the SDSU Adult Fitness Program as a testing and evaluation facility.

Besides a lab office, storeroom and group conference room, there are five specialized areas, which are described as follows:

Ergometry - This is the lab's largest room and consists of two treadmills and multichannel ECGs, as well as six Monark ergometers and an Excaliber electrically braked ergometer. Moreover, there are three oxygen uptake metabolic systems, (ParvoMedics) and a Douglas Bag system. Most of the instructional activities in the EPL take place in this room.
ECG - This small room is dedicated to the measurement of resting ECG and other measures that require a quiet, private environment.
Climatic Chamber - This chamber is capable of controlling temperature and humidity. Its temperature capability ranges from a low of 0 degrees Celcius to 45 degrees Celcius with a relative humidity as low as 10 % and as high as 90 %. It contains a treadmill and electrically braked ergometer. It is served with a computerized oxygen uptake metabolic system and 16 channel temperature measurement system.
Biochemistry - The biochemistry area is capable of making most of the standard assays on blood and other bodily tissues and fluids, including osmolality and electrolytes. These include blood chemistries, enzyme and hormone assays. The lab is equipped with a -80 degree Celcius freezer, ice-maker, refrigerated centrifuges, as well as balances and a fume hood. Moreover, the biochemistry room is capable of doing radio-immuno assays and spectrophotometric analyses.
Body composition - This area contains a hydrostatic tank with a computerized underwater weighing system. In addition to making underwater weight measurements, skinfolds and other anthropometric measurements are routinely assessed in this location. This room also provides privacy when needed.

Undergraduate Research Competition - An annual event to support undergraduate research efforts and to provide an open forum for student presentations.

SDSU Motor Control Laboratory

The Motor Control Laboratory at San Diego State University is a 2900 square feet facility laboratory located adjacent to the main university concourse. Faculty and graduate student research has centered on investigating sensory and motor mechanisms of postural control during anticipated and unexpected movements in both normal and clinical populations. A PC-based data acquisition-data analysis system is used for on-line collection of electromyographic and kinematic information. Signal processing and data analysis is completed using a resident software package. Basic and applied research projects have been supported by university funding and private funding.

Undergraduate students use this laboratory for Special Studies, while graduate students in the Biomechanics and Athletic Training degree option complete coursework and independent studies in this lab.

SDSU Foods and Nutrition Labs

Laboratories

Modern laboratory facilities and equipment support faculty research as well as the undergraduate and graduate programs in nutrition. The facilities include two teaching laboratories, labs for faculty and graduate student research, several auxiliary lab support rooms, a sensory evaluation food testing lab and an auxiliary food preparation facility. A computer lab dedicated for use by students in the School provides both MacIntosh and IBM-compatible computers and software. Grant/contracts and acquisition of new equipment have kept laboratories well-equipped to support teaching and research. Faculty in nutrition conduct externally funded research grants and contracts in these facilities. Key facilities and equipment are described below.

Foods Lab: A state of the art foods lab was developed in Spring 2004. This lab and its auxiliary support room co-function as an undergraduate foods lab and a metabolic kitchen. The lab is equipped with six stations each having three induction cook tops, a bank of commercial convection ovens, a demonstration table, food storage facilities, and "smart" classroom technology.

Food Science Labs: The food science labs include space and equipment for teaching and research. Major pieces of equipment include a TA.XT2 texture analyzer for state of the art texture analysis, a Rapid NIII nitrogen/protein analyzer, a Goldfisch fat extraction apparatus, and a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. A sensory evaluation lab for food testing is also available.

Nutrition Science Labs: Nutrition science labs for research and teaching are equipped with modern technologies including a Luminex 100 system for simultaneously analyzing up to 100 analytes, two microplate spectrophotometers, a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer, a Bio-Rad Protean 2-D electrophoresis unit, an ultracentrifuge, etc. A gamma counter is available in the exercise physiology lab.

Sport Nutrition and Exercise Science Lab: This lab is used for conducting human trials for both exercise and resting conditions. It includes treadmills, cycle ergometers, metabolic carts, lactate analyzers, food storage facilities, etc.

Sport Psychology Lab

The Sport Psychology laboratory focuses on performance enhancement and behavorial observation of athletes and coaches. The evaluations endeavor to determine environmental factors and coach and athlete behaviors that can be employed to elevate the performance standards of athletes. The goal of such determinations is to facilitate the development of an athlete who will exert self-discipline in training and competitiions, and who will eventually possess the performance skills necessary to be aware of, adjust to, and cope with the stresses associated with high levels of performance. Sport psychological evaluations might include physiological testing, written inventories, structured interviews, and behavorial observations. Specific components within this laboratory include biofeedback training, behavior analysis of athletes and coaches, structured observations of athletes and coaches, monitoring overtrained and overstressed states in athletes, group cohesion in athletes, and system analysis of sports programs.

Graduate students in Sport Psychology spend extensive time evaluating and working with individual SDSU athletes. Individual evaluations, group conferences, and reports are typical experiences in this laboratory

SDSU Teaching/Learning Center (TLC)

Space and Equipment:

Modern facilities and equipment support the undergraduate and graduate programs in sport and exercise pedagogy (i.e., teaching and coaching effectiveness). Designated facilities include a multi-purpose room and two auxiliary rooms. One room is equipped with a one-way mirror and the other houses a videotape library and video editing equipment. Portable video tape recorders and wireless microphones are available. Additionally, a computer lab dedicated for use by students in the School provides Dell computers running Windows XP and common software such as SPSS, MS Office, etc. This lab is located in the ENS Annex room 101.

Purpose:

The TLC serves two main purposes: (1) Provide a research center for faculty and graduate students interested in studying sport and exercise pedagogy (teacher and coach education), and (2) provide a laboratory setting to assist in the development of the pedagogical skills of teachers and coaches. As a research center the TLC is designed to support pedagogical research in teacher and coach education, applied behavior analysis, inservice education, and movement skill analysis. As a laboratory for studying and developing pedagogical skills, the TLC is designed to provide capability for: (a) editing and analyzing videotapes of field trials, (b) teaching in front of the camera, (c) microteaching with small groups, and (d) housing videotapes and instructional materials for pedagogical courses.

Research:

While the TLC provides the campus focal point, most research data collection and interventions take place in the natural environment (gymnasiums and playing fields). Recent studies have been completed in diverse environments including school, youth sport, camp, home, and National Team settings. The primary direction of the pedagogical studies is on the assessment of learner (e.g., student and athlete) and leader (e.g., teacher and coach) behavior, however, the development and assessment of curricula have been a part of the recent projects.

Faculty associated with the TLC have received national and international prominence through their work with grants funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. These include Project SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids, 1989-1997) and Project CATCH (Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health, 1988-1998). Within the past eight years faculty and students associated with the laboratory have published over 30 refereed papers and made over 60 presentations at professional meetings.