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Research. Engagement. Action.

At the heart of CAHS research is a commitment to engage in work that strengthens our communities, families, and individuals in West Virginia and beyond. Our faculty, staff, and students engage in collaborations and partnerships from the local level to the global level to address real-world challenges in education, health, human services, accessibility, and youth development. CAHS research is meaningful, rooted in community need, and collaborative. We're proud to support work that not only advances knowledge but also impacts lives.  

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Monthly Digest


              Sam Zizzi smiles outside of the Applied Human Sciences Building. He is wearing a tie and glasses and the WVU Rec Center is in the background on a sunny day.

From WVU Today: Zizzi explains science behind sticking to resolutions

Monday, January 05, 2026

What began as a temporary stop at West Virginia University turned into a 25-year career for Sam Zizzi, now the Dr. Pat Fehl Endowed Professor in the College of Applied Human Sciences. A reknowned expert in sport, exercise and performance psychology, Zizzi studies why motivation fades, how mindfulness reshapes performance, and what helps people sustain healthier habits in real life. Read more about how Zizzi’s research, teaching and service continue to impact performance and well-being.

Read More: From WVU Today: Zizzi explains science behind sticking to resolutions

              Dana Voelker stands on the left and Steve Sabins stand on the right in the indoor baseball facility. Each of them are holding a WVU batting helmet.

WVU Sport Sciences and WVU Baseball partnership combines research, technology, and performance

Monday, March 24, 2025

The West Virginia University School of Sport Sciences and the WVU Baseball Biomechanics and Performance Center are partnering to elevate sport sciences education and baseball performance by combining science, technology, and applied learning to set new standards in athletic performance and professional preparation across all disciplines in the School of Sport Sciences.

Read More: WVU Sport Sciences and WVU Baseball partnership combines research, technology, and performance

              A man in athletic wear plays pickleball on an outdoor court, intensely focusing on hitting the yellow ball with his paddle.

Center for ActiveWV recognized for statewide health impact

Monday, September 30, 2024

The Center for ActiveWV was recently recognized for its commitment to healthier communities across the state at the 2024 Celebrating Healthy West Virginia Awards. The Center for ActiveWV, housed in the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences, was one of 42 organizations acknowledged for its positive health initiatives during a ceremony at Glade Springs Resort.

Read More: Center for ActiveWV recognized for statewide health impact

              Hands holding a phone with a text window open.

WVU Today: WVU develops prevention and response program for rural youth at risk of sexting, bullying and self-harm

Tuesday, September 03, 2024

A researcher at West Virginia University is working to prevent risky behaviors like sexting and self-harm in rural youth. With $343,719 in U.S. Department of Agriculture funding, assistant professor Kristine Ramsay-Seaner, a counseling expert at the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences, will oversee the development of trainings and other resources to support professionals who work with youth in rural communities across the United States, in collaboration with the University of Georgia, South Dakota State University and North Dakota State University.

Read More: WVU Today: WVU develops prevention and response program for rural youth at risk of sexting, bullying and self-harm

Research Week

Check out the discovery and innovation being done in the College of Applied Human Sciences.

2025 Research Week Student Poster Presentations

As part of WVU Research Week, students from the College of Applied Human Sciences presented their work during a university-wide poster session. The event highlighted a range of student-led research across disciplines in the College. Congratulations to this year’s award winners: Erica Ferrer-Ariza (Graduate Student Poster Winner) and the team of Ryan Gilmore, Garrett Mattes, and Wesley Clinton (Undergraduate Student Poster Winner).

ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITIES

Center for ActiveWV

Be Wild. Be Wonderful. Be Active. The Center for ActiveWV aims to improve the health and quality of life for WV children and adults through increased access to physical activity. Through collaboration, research, policy, and practice, the Center supports community-based efforts to increase physical activity levels in WV schools, communities, and health care settings.

Learn More: Center for ActiveWV

Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Sciences

The Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Science (CACSS) was built on the vision: Every person an athlete. Every athlete trained by a quality coach. Every coach enlightened by the best science and best practice. Through its research and outreach, the Center works to improve access to and the experiences associated with youth sport in America.

Learn More : Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Sciences

WVU Nursery School

The WVU Nursery School provides local children with a thriving educational environment that fosters innovation, creativity, and lots of fun using project-based learning and play. The Nursery School provides observational and practicum experiences for WVU students seeking careers in early childhood education.

Learn More : WVU Nursery School

Global Sport Performance Center

The Global Sport and Performance Center builds on nearly two decades of work initiated by Emeritus Professor Andrew Ostrow, who founded the International Center for Performance Excellence (ICPE) to promote the benefits of sport and physical activity nationally and globally. After the ICPE concluded operations, the College established the GSPC in 2025 to continue that legacy through research, education, and engagement. Today, the Center advances cross-cultural collaboration, disseminates applied research, and supports innovation in sport and performance.

More Coming Soon More coming soon

Job Accommodation Network

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Working toward practical solutions that benefit both employer and employee, JAN helps people with disabilities enhance their employability, and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace.

Learn More : Job Accommodation Network l

Bolton Center for Sport Ethics

The purpose of this Center is to bring together individuals who possess an interest in the study of ethics in sport and who seek to promote awareness of this topic within sport science. The Center's personnel create and disseminate knowledge and information to promote and support the positive qualities and benefits of ethical sport practices.

Center for Appalachian Education Research and Partnerships

This center connects the School's research expertise with the place-based knowledge of Appalachian educators, schools, and communities to conduct meaningful scholarship; create sustainable educational partnerships; and develop innovative, evidence-based solutions that prepare exceptional future teachers, strengthen current practitioners, amplify the voices of experienced educators and leaders, and contribute new knowledge to educational practice and policy.




Office of Research and Engagement

The goal of the CAHS Office of Research and Engagement is to build, sustain, and support a college-wide research community in which faculty, staff, and students across departments and areas of expertise give and receive support around our individual and collective research endeavors. There are both large and small things that can contribute to building such a college-wide research community, and the focus of our office is to support these efforts. From conception of ideas, to grant writing, to research dissemination—we are here to help!

Learn more about the CAHS Research Office