Rate My Professor Paul Rukavina

Paul Rukavina is a Professor and Program Director in the Health & Sport Sciences area of the School of Health Sciences at Adelphi University’s Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences. He directs the Physical Education Program and teaches in the Department of Exercise Science, Health Studies, Physical Education, and Sport Management. Rukavina earned his Ph.D. in Kinesiology with specialization in Pedagogy and Motor Learning from Louisiana State University in 2003, M.S. in Motor Development and Learning in Kinesiology from Arizona State University in 1998, and B.S. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1996. Prior to his appointment at Adelphi University as Associate Professor in 2008, he served as Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Mississippi State University from 2003 to 2008.

His scholarly work centers on teaching and learning in physical education, particularly addressing obesity bias, student motivation, motor learning processes, and comprehensive school physical activity programming. Rukavina has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in prominent journals including the Journal of School Health, Advances in Physiology Education, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, Kinesiology Review, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, and Obesity Facts. Notable publications include “Teachers’ Perspectives on Creating an Inclusive Climate in Middle School Physical Education for Overweight Students” with Sarah Doolittle et al. (Journal of School Health, 2019), “Predictors of obesity bias among exercise science students” with Jody Langdon and Christy Greenleaf (Advances in Physiology Education, 2016), “Including Overweight or Obese Students in Physical Education: A Social Ecological Constraint Model” with Weidong Li (Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 2012), “Strengthening Whole-of-School Physical Activity Models to Promote Physical Literacy: Moving Beyond a Component Approach” with Patricia Gremillion-Burdge (Kinesiology Review, 2024), and “Using Guiding Principles to Build Whole-of-School Physical Activity Programs for Physical Literacy” with Patricia Gremillion-Burdge (Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 2025). He regularly presents his research at district, state, national, and international conferences and acts as a reviewer for journals in the fields of health, kinesiology, and physical education. Through his efforts, Rukavina supports schools in implementing models like the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) endorsed by the CDC and SHAPE America to foster inclusive environments and enhance physical literacy.