Alan Smith

Alan Smith is a Professor and Dean at Utah State University’s Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science and mentors doctoral students in Human Development and Family Studies. Prior roles include Chair at Michigan State University and faculty at Purdue University. A Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology, he has served as president of major academic organizations and contributed to ADHD research through physical activity interventions.

• PhD in Exercise and Movement Science, University of Oregon, 1997
• MS in Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 1993
• BA in Psychology, University of Rochester, 1990

His research focuses on the intersection of peer relationships and motivational outcomes in youth sports, with a strong emphasis on ADHD symptom mitigation through physical activity. Collaborations span neuroscience, motor control, nursing, and biobehavioral psychology. A meta-analytic review of 2025 articles highlights trends in athlete burnout profiles, social identity, and loneliness contagion in team settings.

Notable awards include the Simmons Chivukula Award for Academic Leadership (2021) and the Excellence in Research Award (2018). He has published 45 peer-reviewed journal articles and 7 books/chapters, including Athlete Burnout Questionnaire manual (2009) and Advances in Sport and Exercise Psychology (2019). As a National Academy of Kinesiology Fellow (2012), he advocates for systemic reforms in youth sports post-pandemic.