Rate My Professor Michael Rowley

K. Michael Rowley, PhD, (he/him), is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, East Bay, where he teaches anatomy and biomechanics courses including KIN 303 Biomechanics, KIN 301 Applied Musculoskeletal Anatomy, KIN 490 Independent Study, and KIN 498 Internship. His academic background encompasses a BA in Biological Sciences with a minor in Dance and a BS in Exercise Science with a concentration in Biomechanics and Motor Control from the University of Delaware in 2013, a PhD in Biokinesiology from the University of Southern California in 2018, and a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at Brown University from 2019 to 2021. Rowley has received prestigious awards such as the Most Valuable Professor from the Cross-Country and Track and Field Team in 2025, Mary Harrington Outstanding Thesis Award for work with Matties in 2024, California Physical Therapy Association Research Publication Award for Mikkelsen et al. in 2024, Outstanding Teaching Award from USC faculty in 2019, and Outstanding Mentorship Award from USC students in 2018, along with fellowships including Provost Fellow at USC and Eugene du Pont Scholar at Delaware.

Rowley's research focuses on biomechanical and neuromuscular control of movement in the context of high-intensity dance demands, with goals of reducing injury risk, improving rehabilitation, and enhancing equity in access to evidence-based healthcare for underrepresented dance styles and genres. He has chaired and served on the Intersectionality Task Force of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science and developed continuing education courses in dance injury prevention and rehabilitation. Key publications include "Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism Research in Physical Therapy: A Bibliometric Analysis" (Physical Therapy, 2024), "Flexor hallucis longus tendon morphology in dancers clinically diagnosed with posterior impingement syndrome" (Mikkelsen et al., 2024), "Contributions of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Foot Muscles during Running" (Ridge et al., 2022), "Service Workload, Identity Taxation, and Department Climate for Minoritized Faculty" (Kinesiology Review, 2023), and "Sex-specific metabolic and biomechanical responses to advanced footwear technology" (Matties and Rowley, 2025). At CSUEB, he serves as Academic Senate Secretary and IRB member. Previously, he danced with the Rudy Perez Ensemble in Santa Monica, CA, and NOVA Dance Company in Wilmington, DE, specializing in ballet, contemporary, modern, and post-modern styles.