The Script: Matthew Ruiz appointed director of the EXNS program

Janel Shoun-Smith | 11/29/2017

Matthew Ruiz, an associate professor of kinesiology in the College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences since August 2015, has been appointed as the new director of the Master of Exercise and Nutrition Science as of Nov. 1.

Ruiz, who has been the coordinator of the practicum experiences for EXNS students for the past year, would like to grow the program and increase knowledge of the program and its successes throughout the region.

“I would like this program to become more of a destination known regionally, in the states that border Tennessee. There are very few programs that do both the exercise and nutrition piece,” said Ruiz. “They are so complementary in the industry. The program is a really unique calling card for Lipscomb. We can pull from multiple populations, and the dual set-up makes the exercise-focused students better informed because of the nutrition-focused people and the other way around as well.”

Before coming to Lipscomb, Ruiz was the department chair and associate professor of exercise science at Huntington University. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, an MBA at Lipscomb and an M.S. in exercise science and sport studies at Springfield College.

Ruiz’ research focuses on sports psychology, and he has been published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. He hopes to partner with fellow assistant professor of kinesiology Jeremy Townsend to allow EXNS students to conduct research studies that explore both the physiological and psychological aspects of exercise, sport and nutrition.

Ruiz is a member of the Christian Society for Kinesiology and Leisure Studies and has coordinated a conference for this scholars group on Lipscomb’s campus.

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