Nancy Getchell

Nancy Getchell is a Professor in the Department of Kinesiology & Applied Physiology at the University of Delaware's College of Health Sciences. She directs the Developmental Motor Control Research Laboratory, focusing on motor coordination in children with autism, learning disabilities, and developmental coordination disorder. Her work also examines motor proficiency, physical activity, and health-related fitness in preschool children, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to study brain-behavior relationships.

Dr. Getchell holds a Ph.D. (1996), M.S. (1989), and B.S. (1985) in Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Penn State University. She teaches courses such as Motor Development, Research Methods, and Motor Control & Learning.

Her research emphasizes developmental motor control, neuromotor coordination, and the application of fNIRS in understanding cognitive-motor interactions. Key interests include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and the impact of physical activity on health outcomes. She has published extensively on motor skill interventions, neuroimaging techniques, and educational gaming.

• Awards: 2012 Excellence in Teaching Award (College of Health Sciences), AAHPERD Research Consortium Fellowship, Lolas E. Halverson Memorial Young Investigator Award.
• Lab Focus: Combines ecological motor learning principles with neuroimaging to address developmental and clinical motor challenges.

Her work bridges research and practice, with a focus on promoting motor competence through evidence-based strategies and technology-enhanced interventions.