Dr. Ty Hopkins was inducted as a Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK) on September 13, 2025, at the Academy’s 94th Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opening new avenues for collaboration with distinguished scholars in exercise sciences throughout the United States.
Hopkins was recognized for distinguished and sustained contributions to the field of kinesiology through scholarship and professional service. “We are delighted to welcome Dr. Hopkins to the Academy,” said Dr. Monica Lounsbery, President of the National Academy of Kinesiology. “His leadership and scholarship exemplify the qualities we seek in Fellows—advancing knowledge, mentoring the next generation, and strengthening the future of kinesiology.”
The National Academy of Kinesiology aims to “encourage and promote the study and educational applications of kinesiology and honor, by election to Fellow, those whose scholarly and professional contributions have moved the field forward.”
In addition to NAK, Hopkins is an initiated Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers Association and the American College of Sports Medicine. He serves as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Athletic Training, drawing on years of experience from his time on editorial boards throughout his life. He is also a professor and department chair in the BYU Department of Exercise Sciences.
Moving forward, Hopkins will also volunteer on the board for NAK’s journal, the Kinesiology Review, fostering more connections with his fellows in Kinesiology. Hopkins hopes to utilize those connections for students, especially for those who want to explore other graduate programs.
Hopkins is the second BYU faculty member to receive this honor, the first being one of the academy’s founders: J.B. Nash, the dean of the College of Recreation, Physical and Health Education, and Athletics at BYU from 1930 to 1953.