SHORT FACTS
Name: Kimberly Clevenger
Current position: Assistant professor
Workplace: Utah State University
Interested in: Promoting and measuring physical activity, particularly in children.
Introduction
Meet Kimberly Clevenger, a physical activity researcher from Utah State University whose research journey started by chance – only to discover it was exactly where she belonged.
As an undergraduate, Kimberly found herself in the lab where her first job was equal parts data collection and playing with kids: “A perfect combination of fun and science”, according to Kimberly.
Today, her research interests lie in promoting and measuring physical activity, particularly in children.
Current Work
Kimberly’s research covers two main areas, both of which aim to make movement a bigger part of everyday life.
First, Kimberly focuses on how physical environments influence children’s play. Right now, she is wrapping up a year-and-a-half-long study that looks at (re)designing a classroom and schoolyard for both typically developing children and children with hearing loss who use hearing assistance devices.
The second area of Kimberly’s research is about measuring physical activity while paying attention to the environment and context.
She is currently testing a new way of conducting validation studies entirely remotely, which allows for more diversity in participants and activities. Rather than sticking to a lab, participants wear accelerometers and go about their daily routines, texting Kimberly and her team when they start and finish activities.
“We had participants swing dancing, playing putt-putt golf, rock climbing, and even piloting an airplane,” she shares.
Future Plans
Children’s play opportunities are at the heart of Kimberly’s research. She has a strong focus on equity and finding ways that allow everyone – not just young children – to have free-play opportunities.
With increasing urbanization and climate challenges, the future of children’s free play is alarming. Kimberly states: “I am thinking about how to future-proof children’s free-play opportunities in the face of population (e.g., increased urbanization) and climate (e.g., high heat) changes.”
Looking ahead, Kimberly is excited to delve deeper into optimizing indoor free-play spaces, aiming to bring some of the benefits of outdoor play in(side).
Explore some of Kimberly’s previous publications in our article database:
