UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Robert Sainburg, professor of kinesiology and neurology at Penn State and Dorothy F. and J. Lloyd Huck Distinguished Chair in Kinesiology and Neurology, was recently named a fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology.
Sainburg, who is director of the Center for Movement Science and Technology and has an appointment and active laboratory in the Penn State College of Medicine’s Department of Neurology, in addition to his laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology, was one of 14 national and international scholars inducted during the academy’s annual awards banquet and induction ceremony held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during the academy’s annual meeting this past fall.
"This recognition is a meaningful acknowledgment of my work on the neural control of movement and neurorehabilitation. However, more significantly, it reflects the growing acceptance of this line of research within the broader field of kinesiology,” Sainburg said. “I see this as not only a personal achievement but also as a significant step toward further integrating neuroscience and rehabilitation into kinesiology, reinforcing their essential roles within the discipline.”
Neuroscience is a critical spoke in the field of kinesiology, which encompasses a wide range of disciplines like physiology, biomechanics (including bioengineering and mechanical engineering), psychology, history, philosophy and public policy.
Sainburg’s research focuses on understanding basic neural mechanisms that underlie control, coordination, adaptation and learning of voluntary movements in humans and, with that focus, translating this information to clinical rehabilitation. Most importantly, this work has led to a mechanistic understanding of non-paretic arm motor deficits in stroke patients.
One of his goals is fostering the development of early-stage scientists within the Penn State Department of Kinesiology and the University at large. He has been actively creating an interdisciplinary program in translational neuromechanics for rehabilitation, which integrates research across multiple departments and campuses at Penn State.
“Penn State has been instrumental in advancing my research by providing a world-class intellectual environment in Motor Control and Biomechanics within the Kinesiology department. Over the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of working alongside renowned scientists and scholars, an experience that has been both satisfying and intellectually stimulating,” Sainburg stated. “Additionally, the interdisciplinary programs that promote research across departmental and campus boundaries — such as the Huck Institutes — have played a crucial role in integrating my work across multiple campuses and colleges.”
Cross-departmental coordination, combined with the ability to manage both clinical and basic science labs on separate campuses, has created a unique environment that has allowed his research to thrive, according to Sainburg.
“Not only have I continued to conduct basic science within the Department of Kinesiology, but I have also been able to translate this work into clinical trials through the Department of Neurology. This type of interdisciplinary and intercampus cooperation — facilitated by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research, the Huck Institutes for the Life Sciences, and individual colleges such as Health and Human Development and the College of Medicine — represents a tremendous strength of Penn State. The Department of Kinesiology’s interdisciplinary structure has been critical to such efforts,” Sainburg said.
He is also currently leading an initiative to establish a new international society, the Society for Neuromechanics in Rehabilitation, which will hold its inaugural meeting in Chicago, Illinois, in July 2025.
The National Academy of Kinesiology is an honorary organization composed of fellows who have made distinguished and sustained contributions to the field of kinesiology through scholarship and professional service. New fellows are nominated by peer fellows, evaluated by a membership committee, and are voted into membership by other fellows. They reflect a “who’s who” of eminent scholars in the field of kinesiology.
“I am extremely proud to have Robert Sainburg as a member of the faculty in the Department of Kinesiology at Penn State,” said John Bartholomew, professor of kinesiology and head of the department. “He is now the 10th faculty member in the department to receive the distinction of fellow in the academy. Dr. Sainburg’s contributions to the field of kinesiology have helped establish neuroscience as a key component of the discipline. We are honored to have him among our ranks.”
The dual purpose of the National Academy of Kinesiology 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 Fellow those individuals who have moved the field forward as a direct result of their scholarly and professional contributions.
For additional information about the National Academy of Kinesiology refer to the academy’s website or email the Business Office at businessmanagers@nationalacademyofkinesiology.org.