Esbelle Jowers, Ph.D.

Director, Exercise & Sports Psychology Laboratory
Instructor & Research Associate
Department of Kinesiology & Health Education

Office: Bellmont Hall 849
Phone: 512-232-6027; Fax: 512-471-0946
E-mail: ejowers@mail.utexas.edu

Mailing Address
The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Kinesiology and Health Education
1 University Station, D3700
Austin, TX 78712-1204

Lab: Exercise and Sport Psychology Laboratory

Education:

Ph.D.   The University of Texas at Austin
M.A.    The University of Texas at Austin
B.S.     College of William & Mary

Specializations:

Physical Development & Aging
Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Courses:

KIN 311K: Sport Psychology
KIN 352K:  Psychological Aspects of Exercise

Research Interests:

Exercise & Sports Psychology
Physical Activity/Exercise education, promotion, and training
Nutrition interventions in children and adults

Biography:

Dr. Jowers serves as the Director of the Exercise & Sport Psychology Laboratory. She oversees the undergraduate and graduate research assistants, as well as the undergraduate internship program for Exercise and Sports Psychology. Dr. Jowers also teaches Sports Psychology and Psychological Aspects of Exercise through University Extension at UT Austin. With regard to research development, Dr. Jowers directs two major grant projects, including the Texas Initiatives for Children’s Activity & Nutrition (I-CAN!) project, and the Walk Texas! Project.

Texas I-CAN! is an obesity prevention project that aims to increase both physical activity and healthy eating in elementary school children. This project is currently funded through the National Institutes of Health/ National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The goal is to train elementary school teachers to incorporate physical activity into their academic lessons daily and to evaluate the corresponding physical activity changes in the participating children. Walk Texas! is funded by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS)/Texas Diabetes Council/Program to provide diabetes prevention and technical assistance/expertise to state-funded community diabetes prevention projects. Dr. Jowers plays an integral role in the development and implementation of these two large research studies.