Breanna Studenka
Kinesiology and Health Science
Associate Professor
Contact Information
Office Hours: Mon 9:30-11:30 amOffice Location: HPER 157
Phone: 435-797-0109
Email: breanna.studenka@usu.edu
Additional Information:
Educational Background
Biography
I am currently the director of the Sensory Motor Behavior Laboratory. My national organization is NASPSPA (the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity). I grew up in Arvada, Colorado, surrounded by teachers. My mother was an English teacher, my dad an Art and PE teacher, and my step mom a Special Education Teacher/Counselor/Public School Administrator. I could see the impact they had on the kids they taught and decided I wanted to be a teacher. Everyone thought I would grow up to be an elementary school teacher, but I loved learning so much, I just couldn’t leave academia. I completed my BA in Kinesiology at the University of Northern Colorado in 2001 where I also competed in Cross-Country and Track and Field. While at Northern Colorado I was able to complete an undergraduate thesis project on the effects of biomechanical and anthropometric measures on collegiate female 800 meter run success. Following this, I decided to keep learning about motor control (my favorite class from my undergraduate degree). I went to Purdue University with the goal of attaining a Masters degree, and I loved the academic environment so much (most of the time) that I continued on to get my Ph.D. After finishing my Ph.D. in 2008, I went on to do research at the University of Bielefeld (Bielefeld, Germany), McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario Canada), and Pennsylvania State University (State College, Pennsylvania)
Teaching Interests
Motor control, motor learning, dynamical systems, human movement variability
Research Interests
The general research of the Sensory Motor Behavior Laboratory concerns how we plan for and control movements that occur in sequence. We use kinematic analysis of table tapping and circle drawing as windows into the control of rhythmic movement. We are interested in understanding how far in advance movements are planned, and which constraints are used to determine which postures are adopted for sequential movements. Furthermore, the purpose of our research in motor variability is to determine changes that occur in the structure of movements due to different experimental and environmental manipulations. Additionally, we aim to determine if this structure changes with age, injury and/or disease
Awards
Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year, 2016
College of Education and Human Services
Nominated for the NASPSPA Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award, 2014
North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity
NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) - Create: Training in Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Fellowship , 2009
NSERC
NASPSPA (North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity) Outstanding Student Paper Award, 2008
NASPSPA
Carol J. Widule Outstanding Scholar Award: Purdue University Department of Health and Kinesiology, 2008
Purdue University
NASPSPA Graduate Student Award for International Travel (used to attend ACAPS, Paris, France), 2006
NASPSPA
Deans list (4.0 GPA): University of Northern Colorado, 2001
University of Northern Colorado
Outstanding Major of the Year Award (presented by American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance: AAHPERD), 2001
AAHPERD
Recognition for academic honors in athletics: University of Northern Colorado, 2001
University of Northern Colorado
Varsity letter-winner: University of Northern Colorado Cross Country and Track & Field teams, 2001
University of Northern Colorado
Recipient of Alumni MBNA Academic Scholarship: University of Northern Colorado, 1997
University of Northern Colorado
- Newell, K.M, Studenka, B., Hu, X., (2015). Visual Information in the Coordination and Control of Isometric Force: The Cambridge Handbook of Applied Perception Research.
- Huys, R., Jirsa, V., Studenka, B., Rheaume, N., Zelaznik, H., (2008). Human trajectory formation: Taxonomy of movement based on phase flow topology: Coordination: Neural, behavioral and social dynamics (Understanding complex systems). Berlin: Springer
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Studenka, B., Raikes, A., (2019). Gender Differences in Non-linear Motor Performance Following Concussion. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8:6, 540-547.
- Studenka, B., Cummins, D., Pope, M., (2018). The Role of Multiple Internal Timekeepers and Sources of Feedback on Interval Timing: The Dependence of the Bimanual Advantage on Clocks.
- Studenka, B., Gillam, S.L, Hartzheim, D., Gillam, R., (2017). Motor and verbal perspective taking in children with autism spectrum disorder: Changes in social interaction with people and tools. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 66
- Cummins, D., Studenka, B., (2017). Preliminary evidence for inflexibility of motor planning in children with autism spectrum disorder.
- Studenka, B., Dorsch, T., Fergusson, N., Olsen, C., Gordin, R.D, (2017). Nonlinear Assessment of Motor Variability During Practice and Competition for Individuals with Different Motivational Orientations.
- Gillam, S.L, Harzheim, D., Studenka, B., Simonsmeier, V.L, Gillam, R., (2015). Narrative Intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 58, 920-933. doi: 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-14-0295
- Studenka, B., (2015). Response to period shifts in tapping and circle drawing: A window into event and emergent components of continuous movement. Psychological Research
- Mazich, M.M, Studenka, B., Newell, K.M, (2015). Visual information about past, current and future properties of irregular target paths in isometric force tracking. tbd
- Studenka, B., King, A.C, Newell, K.M, (2014). Differential time scales of change to learning frequency structures of isometric force tracking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.
- Coelho, C.J, Studenka, B., Rosenbaum, D.A, (2014). End-state comfort trumps handedness in object manipulation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance
- Studenka, B., Eliasz, K.L, Shore, D.I, Balasubramaniam, R., (2014). Crossing the arms confuses the clocks: Sensory feedback and the bimanual advantage. Psychological Bulletin & Review
- Rosenbaum, D.A, Chapman, K.M, Coelho, C.J, Gong, L.L, Studenka, B., (2013). Choosing actions. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 1-14.
- Gonzalez, D.A, Glazebrook, C.M, Studenka, B., Lyons, J., (2013). Motor interactions with another person: do individuals with autism spectrum disorder plan ahead. , 7, 1-9.
- Studenka, B., Newell, K.M, (2013). Visual information for prospective control of tracking irregular target paths with isometric force production. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 1-11.
- Studenka, B., (2008). Distinct timing mechanisms produce discrete and continuous movements. PLoS Computational Biology, 4, 1-8.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.