Lars Dzikus

Lars Dzikus is an Associate Professor in Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and serves as Executive Director of Academic Affairs in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. He previously held roles as Interim Department Head (2022–2023) and Director of Graduate Studies (2012–2022). His research focuses on sport sociology, history, globalization, and ethics, with notable contributions to understanding sport chaplaincy, violence in youth sports, and sport’s role in international diplomacy. Dzikus has been recognized with prestigious teaching awards, including the Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award (2018) and the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award (2005).

Educational background includes a PhD and MA in Cultural Studies in Sport from The Ohio State University (2005, 1998), and undergraduate studies in Chemistry, Physical Education, and Education from Universität Hamburg, Germany.

Research interests emphasize global diffusion of sport (e.g., American football in Europe), ethical dimensions of sport (e.g., sexual misconduct in youth sports), and religion’s intersection with collegiate athletics. His work also explores sport diplomacy, nation branding through events like the Maccabiah Games, and media framing of sport-related controversies.

Awards include:

• Chancellor’s Excellence in Teaching Award (2018)
• George F. Brady Teaching Award (2012)
• K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award (2005)

His academic leadership includes roles on the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) Executive Board and contributions to institutional governance at the University of Tennessee. While no grants are explicitly listed in the provided texts, his publications reflect sustained engagement with interdisciplinary research themes.