Department of Kinesiology Assistant Professor Janet Hauck is a recipient of the 2022-2023 MSU Teacher-Scholar Award.
The honor, part of the All-University Awards held on May 8, celebrates individuals who are early in their tenure-system career at MSU who have made a notable impact on their students, colleagues and community through their devotion and skill to teaching. Up to six receive the honor each year.
Hauck is the director of the PhysicaL Activity in Youth with Disabilities (PLAY’D Lab), based out of IM Sports Circle, the home of the Department of Kinesiology. She works with infants, toddlers and children with and without disabilities to support them and their families in being more physically active and studies how increased physical activity influences body composition and motor skills as children mature.
Her work has been featured by WKAR at Michigan State University, highlighting work on “tummy time” and “treadmill training” for infants to improve motor skills and increase physical activity.
In spring 2023, Hauck taught undergraduate Kinesiology courses: KIN 360: Physical Growth and Motor Behavior (which teaches about growth and biological maturity as it relates to performance and development) as well as KIN 465: Adapted Physical Activity (which explored teaching and coaching physical activities for persons with disabilities).
“Dr. Hauck allows me — all of her students — to take the reins on what they want to do instead of directing us into one box, one idea, one theory, one way of looking at something,” said doctoral student Darice Brooks. Brooks works with Hauck in the PLAY’D Lab, and Hauck is her academic advisor. “She is incredible with allowing expression of interest with no judgment, encourages conversations during class and provides helpful assignments that are easily applicable to future careers.”
Brooks continued: “I wouldn’t be at MSU today if it weren’t for Dr. Hauck. If you want someone who is going to support your every last idea in research, guide you on what courses would best support your future professional career and someone who is going to basically be your biggest cheerleader, even on your worst days, Dr. Hauck is that person.”
Hauck’s research has been published in a variety of journals and is often co-authored by current MSU Kinesiology graduate students, recent alumni and faculty. Her work has been published in Autism, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, Infant Behavior and Development and more.
Her most recent publication, in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health (2023), was “The Perspectives of Preservice Kinesiology Students Concerning Autism and Physical Activity: Differences by Adapted Physical Activity Exposure.”
“It is so rare to find someone as wholeheartedly dedicated to your students as [Janet Hauck is],” said Panteleimon “Paddy” Ekkekakis, dean of the Kinesiology Department in a congratulatory letter. “To see that [she is] getting this amazing campuswide recognition for [her] teaching is so heartwarming and such a validation of the incredible work [she does].”