Athens, Ga. – Melinda Solmon, a national and international scholar in physical education pedagogy, will deliver the 18th annual Clifford Lewis Scholar Lecture on Thursday, Sept. 13 at the University of Georgia’s College of Education.
Solmon, the Roy Paul Daniels Professor of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University, will give the address titled, “Fostering Motivation in Instructional Settings: Creating an Environment that Promotes Physical Activity,” at 3:30 p.m. in Room 205 of the Ramsey Student Center.
Solmon’s major research interest focuses on investigating achievement motivation in physical activity settings. She examines students’ goals in physical education classes and their perceptions of teachers’ actions and works with educators to find ways of increasing student motivation by creating a better learning environment.
She has published more than 35 data-based papers in top journals in physical education, kinesiology and education psychology. In addition, she has supplemented her empirical papers with theoretical and research methods papers that have influenced the work of other scholars. She currently serves as the co-editor of the leading journal in physical education, the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.
Solmon received the 2003 Scholar Award from the southern district of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education and is an active fellow in the research consortium of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. She has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education since 1995 and is currently serving a term as the journal’s co-editor.
The lecture is sponsored by UGA’s Department of Kinesiology in honor of the late associate dean and physical education professor. It is free and open to faculty, staff and students of UGA and to interested people in the community.
Lewis was an outstanding teacher, administrator and scholar as a faculty member at UGA from 1946 until her retirement in 1984. Her career reflected a dedication to enhancing the quality of life for others and in particular those involved in physical education and physical activity.
She demonstrated a commitment to excellence in physical education as an undergraduate at UGA where she received her B.S. degree in 1944. Her distinguished career led her to faculty positions at Glynn Academy, Winthrop College and Teachers’ College at Columbia University where she received both her master’s and doctoral degrees.
Lewis provided outstanding leadership while serving as head of UGA’s Department of Health and Physical Education for women from 1960-73 and as associate dean of the College of Education from 1979-84.
