The Human Performance Laboratory is the April 2006 Department of the Month
The Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) at the University of Nebraska at Kearney plays host to a wide varitey of student laboratories, service, and research projects. The student laboratories offer undergraduate and graduate students the opportunites to work with state-of-the-art equipment under the supervision of trained field professionals. The students are encouraged to achieve an intimate understanding of exercise science through the various laboratory sections. Many times the students are not satisfied with the basic level entry laboratories and request the opportunity to become actively involved in research.
The research opportunites for undergraduate and graduate students are as good as any major research institution at UNK. This is a great opportunity for both undergraduate students wanting to begin the study of reasearch as well as more experienced graduate students looking to further advance their understanding of a particular subject matter and advance their academic careers. However, the HPL offers more than jsut research opportunities.
The HPL annually hosts about 30 high school laboratory tours over the course of two semesters. These young prospective students interact well with their collegiate counterparts and have the opportunity to be dazzled by becoming actively involved with the laboratory tours. High school students get the chance to view human cadavers, measure their body composition, and even have their cardiovascular fitness assessed. Students can also get a blood lipid profile taken as part of the tour of the lab. The participation of the HPL hosting laboratory tours can be considered service to area communites. However, the HPL has many service activities organized for area communites each year.
The HPL organizes numerous walking days, seminars, health fairs, and much more throughout each year. The purpose of these kinds of service projects is to increase the awareness of individuals, that physical activity as well as healthy diet are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The HPL is proud to be able to positively impact so many individuals in so many different ways. The Human Performance Laboratory is a tremendous asset for the entire campus community as well as the entire regional community.
Congratulations to the Human Performance Laboratory for being named April's Department of the Month!
Thank you to Department of the Month sponsors UNK Athletics and UNK Staff Senate.