December and January Awards and Accolades

Congratulations to the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation alumni, faculty, staff and students being recognized this month!

Faculty Recognition

Bob Steadward - Professor Emeritus promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada. Steadward came to the U of A in 1964, where he competed for the Golden Bears track and field team as a long jumper and sprinter. While a student in physical education, he became involved with creating and operating programs for athletes with disabilities—an interest that soon became a driving force in his career.

In 1971, Steadward began a five-year term as president of the Alberta Wheelchair Sports Association. By 1977, he was involved in creating the U of A-based Research and Training Centre for Athletes with a Disability, which in time became The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement.

The multi-disability fitness, research and lifestyle centre was groundbreaking when it was first introduced and continues to be an innovative and internationally recognized model for independence and fitness training for people with disabilities.

After serving as the U of A’s director of athletics from 1985 to 1989, Steadward founded the Canadian Sports Fund for the Physically Disabled to ensure ongoing development in the field.

“Over time, this goal expanded to the international world of sport and the aspirations of Paralympians everywhere whose dreams were obscured by the cloud of unequal recognition,” said Steadward, who is now a professor emeritus in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. “So, we got to work on our aims and ambitions, and I like to think we were the instruments of change; we revolutionized the status quo, and we crushed the barriers.” Read more

Shinatro Kono - Lead a Health and U: Culture, Wellness and Leisure webinar for a thought-provoking conversation exploring the concept of wellness beyond the Western context. Get insight on culture, research and experience that is sure to inspire your perception of health and wellbeing. Gain a better understanding of what our perspectives on wellness have in common, even a world apart. Watch it now

Student Recognition

Helene Jørgensen - PhD Students and Early Career Academics Research Grant Programme 2021. Received a grant from the Olympic Studies Centre to support her first PhD study, a grounded theory project exploring the Olympic movement, specifically focusing on personal development in high-performance sport environments.

Staff Recognition

Janita Frantsi - Sessional dance instructor with KSR received a grant in recognition of commitment to the artistic process and high level of artistic excellence from the Government of Alberta. Janita was also one of the shortlisted artists for the position of Alberta's next Artist in Residence.

Adam Pinkoski - Sessional instructor with KSR gave a TEDx talk in November detailing the importance of empathy and understanding your audience when teaching.