Matthew Pontifex, a recognized leader in kinesiology and health neuroscience, was named a Red Cedar Distinguished Professor in January 2026.
Pontifex joined the college’s Department of Kinesiology in 2012 and became a full professor in 2023. He directs the Health Behaviors and Cognition Laboratory and serves as the undergraduate program director, which has more than 1,500 students enrolled (and hundreds more through related minors).
He is the sixth professor in the College of Education (and the third from the Department of Kinesiology) to receive the title of Red Cedar Distinguished Professor, which recognizes Spartan scholars who have made exceptional contributions to their academic fields.
Starting in 2026, this honorific title may be awarded either because of exceptional research performance (or the “Research-intensive track”) or based on more general criteria. Pontifex’s nomination was based on his outstanding achievements in research. In this track, scholars are assessed on their scholarly, service and teaching contributions, including research publications, service at MSU and beyond and exceptional teaching.
“Matt Pontifex is an extraordinarily talented and productive researcher, who has been able to establish a global reputation as a preeminent scholar and a respected leader in his field,” said Panteleimon "Paddy" Ekkekakis, professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology. “His research focuses on the effects of exercise on brain and cognitive function, particularly in children. This is a very important research area, with implications for child development, mental health, and academic performance.”
Pontifex has more than 18,000 citations across his 100+ publications, according to Google Scholar, and has been published in highly regarded journals such as the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, Brain and Cognition, Neuroscience and Pediatrics. He has earned more than $2.1 million in research funding from federal agencies, foundations, and corporate partners, including the National Institutes of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Special Operations Command. He currently serves as a consulting editor for Psychophysiology.
“His work is inherently translational,” wrote Christopher M. Janelle in a nomination letter. Janelle is a professor and senior associate dean at the University of Florida’s College of Health and Human Performance. “It has enormous potential to deliver tangible benefits to preadolescent and adolescent groups, adults and clinical populations such as those who have experienced concussion and/or have ADHD. Much scientific discussion has been devoted to the predominant areas of his research efforts (namely exercise/physical activity and cognition), but he continues to pioneer novel approaches that have yielded impactful findings in these areas of work.”
In addition to nomination letters from Ekkekakis and Janelle, Pontifex was supported by fellow Red Cedar Distinguished Professor Jackie Goodway, John B. Bartholomew (Penn State) and Darla M. Castelli (Northeastern University).
At MSU, Pontifex has served on the University Committee on Undergraduate Education (including several years as vice chairperson), as chair of the college’s Faculty Advisory Committee, chair of the college’s Research Integrity Investigative Committee and an interim role as the Faculty Excellence Advocate.
Though the title was official as of January 2026, Pontifex will be formally honored with the title at the university’s investiture ceremony in Fall 2026.