Awards, Accomplishments, Posters

MPAE Awards

• 2018 SHAPE America Graduate Student Grant Recipient Xiaoxia Zhang, 24-hour Movement Behavior and Mental Health among Depressed Female Students
• 2019 UTA Undergraduate Research Assistant Program Research Poster Award: Angela Coriddi, Associations Between Sleep and Academic Self-Efficacy among College Students
• 2019 TAHPERD Undergraduate Student Research Award 1^stPlace Alina Shrestha, Associations between Fundamental Motor Skills and Academic Behaviors in Early Childhood
• 2019 TAHPERD Graduate Student Research Award 1^stPlace Britton Woolsey, Assessing the Neuropsychological Cognitive Function among Preschoolers: A Pilot Study
• 2019 TAHPERD Scholar Award (Dr. Xiangli Gu)
• 2020 SHAPE America Southern District Scholar Award (Dr. Xiangli Gu)
• 2020 TACSM 3^rdPlace Research Poster Award: Angela Coriddi, Xiaoxia Zhang, Samantha Moss, and Xiangli Gu (Feb. 2020) Assessing Sleep, Sedentary Behaviors, and Physical Activity among College Students: The Roles of Ethnicity and Obesity
• 2020 TAHPERD Student Scholarship Award (Samantha Moss)
• 2021 UTA Research Day Graduate Student Research Award 1^stPlace (Dr. Xiangli Gu, Samantha Moss)
• 2021 Clinical Excellence Award (Samantha Moss)
• 2021 TAHPERD Graduate Student Research Award 3^rd place (Kimberly Vanhoose) Vanhoose, K., Moss, S.,& Gu, X. (December, 2021). The Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise on Mental Health in Adults: A Systematic Review.
• 2021 TAHPERD Undergraduate Student Research Award 1st Place (Mira Ghraizi) The Associations of Obesity and Physical Activity with Health-Related Quality of Life among Young Adults during COVID-19.
• 2021 NSF-sponsored Build and Broaden: Social Connections Conference Graduate Students Research Award (Samantha Moss) Moss, S. & Gu X. Ethnic and SES disparities in built environment: Impact on youth activity behaviors during COVID-19.
• 2021 NSF-sponsored Build and Broaden: Social Connections Conference Graduate Students Research Award (Kimberly Vanhoose) Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. Assessing Health-Risk Behaviors and Depression During the COVID-9 Pandemic: A Health Disparity Exploration.
• 2021 Graduate Student 1^st Place Award, 2021: Research Day, Department of Kinesiology (Samantha Moss) Moss, S., & Gu, X. Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity and Classroom Behavior among Preschoolers: Gender Disparity Exploration.
• 2021 SHAPE Thomas L. McKenzie Research Grant (Samantha Moss)
• 2022 SHAPE Joy of Effort Award (Dr. Xiangli Gu)
• https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/conhi/news/recent/2022/06/22/gu-recognized-in-physed
• 2022 TAHPERD Graduate Research Award 1st Place (Kimberly Vanhoose)
• 2023 TAHPERD Graduate Research Award 3rd Place (Kimberly Vanhoose)
• 2024 TAHPERD Graduate research Award 1st Place (Anushree Gurav)
• 2025 COHNI Research Expo 1st Place (Kimberly Vanhoose)
• 2025 UTA Reasearch Day Undergraduate Student Research Award (Danielle Torres)

MPAE Poster Presentations

• Vanhoose, K., Moss, S.,& Gu, X. (December, 2021). The Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise on Mental Health in Adults: A Systematic Review. Poster presented at Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (TAHPERD), Arlington, TX.
• Ghraizi, M., Moss, S.,Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. (December, 2021). The Associations of Obesity and Physical Activity with Health-Related Quality of Life among Young Adults during COVID-19. Poster presented at Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (TAHPERD), Arlington, TX.
• Moss, S., & Gu, X. (October, 2021). Ethnic and SES Disparities in Built Environment: Impact on youth Activity and Behaviors During COVID-19. Poster presented at Build and Broaden: Conference on Social Connections to Promote Individual and Community Resilience in Post-COVID-19 Society: Supported by National Science Foundation, Arlington, TX (Graduate Students Research Award; Peer Reviewed, Regional).
• Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. (October, 2021). Assessing Health-Risk Behaviors and Depression During the COVID-9 Pandemic: A Health Disparity Exploration. Poster presented at Build and Broaden: Conference on Social Connections to Promote Individual and Community Resilience in Post-COVID-19 Society: Supported by National Science Foundation, Arlington, TX (Graduate Students Research Award; Peer Reviewed, Regional).
• Gu, X., Moss, S.,& Zhang, X. (September, 2021). Effect of the Virtual Reality-Infused Movement and Activity Program (V-MAP) on Physical Activity and Cognition in Head Start Preschoolers. Poster presented at International Motor Development Research Consortium (I-MDRC) 5^th Annual Meeting, Virtual.
• Molinar, R., Gu, X. (August, 2021). The Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise on Depression and Cognition Deficits Among Adults. Poster presented at UT System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Student Research Conference, Virtual.
• Moss, S.,Gu, X. (April, 2021). Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity and Classroom Behavior among Preschoolers: Gender Disparity Exploration. Poster presented at University of Texas at Arlington Graduate Research Day (Graduate Student 1^st Place Award; Peer Reviewed).
• Moss, S.,Zhang, X., Gu, X., & Zhang, T. (April, 2021). Health Disparities and Socio-Demographic Correlates among Overweight and Obese Children and Adolescents. Poster presented at Society of Behavioral Medicine 42^nd Annual Meeting, Virtual.
• Moss, S.,Zhang, X., Melton, M., Zhang, A., & Gu, X. (April 2021). Association of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior with Classroom Behavior in Preschoolers: A Gender-based Approach. Poster presented at Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) of America Virtual National Convention & Expo.
• Zhang, X., Moss, S.,& Gu, X. (April, 2021). Effects of Weight Status and Sedentary Behavior on Depression among Young Adults. Poster presented at Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) of America Virtual National Convention & Expo.
• Pham, S., Shoaib, S., Moss, S.,Zhang, X., & Gu, X. (April, 2021). Gender Disparities in Fundamental Motor Skills Development During Early Childhood. Poster presented at Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) of America Virtual National Convention & Expo.
• Ghraizi, M., Gu, X. (April 2023). Physical Activity and Motor Performance Profiles with Executive Functioning Among Young Minority Children. Poster presented at University of Texas at Arlington Graduate Research Day.
• Vanhoose, K., Ghraizi, M., & Gu, X. (April 2022). Obesity Disparities in 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Executive Function During COVID-19. Poster presented at University of Texas at Arlington Graduate Research Day.
• Vanhoose, K., Moss, S., Ghraizi, M., Guevarra, M., & Gu, X. (December 2022). 24-hour Movement Behaviors and Executive Function during Different Phases of COVID-19: Obesity-Related Analysis among Young Adults. Poster presented at Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (TAHPERD) 99th Annual Convention, Corpus Christi, TX. Graduate First Place Award.
• Ghraizi, M., Moss, S., Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. (April 2022). Obesity and Physical Activity Profiles during COVID-19 and their Associations with Health-Related Quality of Life. Poster presented at University of Texas at Arlington Graduate Research Day (Peer Reviewed).
• Jones, A., Gray, K., Ghraizi, M., Moss, S., Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. (April 2022). Identifying Environmental and Social Inequity in Physical Activity and Childhood Obesity among Preschool-aged Children. Poster presented at University of Texas at Arlington Undergraduate Research Day (Peer Reviewed).
• Wu, C., Fang, N. Gu. X., The Influences of Neighborhood and Community Environmental Contexts on Obesity and Physical Activity among Adolescents. Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Annual Meeting. 2023, Fort Worth, TX.
• Vanhoose, K. & Gu, X. Physical Activity and Neuropsychological Function in Young Adults with and without Depressive Symptoms. American College of Sports Medicine 2024 Annual Meeting. Boston, MA, May 2024. (Reviewed, National)
• Vanhoose, K. & Gu, X. Physical Activity Promotion and Fall Risk Prevention: An Emerging Technology-Based Physical Activity Intervention. Department Research Day, Kinesiology Department, University of Texas at Arlington. Arlington, TX, April 2024. (Peer Reviewed, Local)
• Gonzalez, S., Zhang, T., Keller, J., Gu, X., West, A., Vasquez, R., & Vanhoose, K. Implementation of structured physical activities during recess in Head Start centers. National Convention and Expo of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America). Cleveland, OH, March 2024. (Reviewed, National)
• West, A., Zhang, T., Gu, X., Keller, J., Vasquez, R., Gonzalez, S., & Vanhoose, K. Combating obesity with education: The Project MOVE design and implementation. National Convention and Expo of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America). Cleveland, OH, March 2024. (Reviewed, National)
• Gu, X., Hyun, K., Lee, K., Liegey-Dougall, A., Csallner, C., Mattingly, S., Vanhoose, K., Saha, K., Lervisit, V., & Jobaidul, B. The impact of an eight-week Senior-Fit intervention on older adults’ physical activity and fall risk. 2024 Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) of America National Convention. Cleveland, OH, March 2024. (Peer Reviewed, National)
• Vanhoose, K., Wilson J., Liu, H., & Gu, X. The associations of moderate to vigorous physical activity with neuropsychological function and cardiovascular risk factors in female adults. Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (TAHPERD) Annual Conference. Fort Worth, TX, December 2023. (Peer Reviewed, Regional) Third Place/Graduate Level
• Hyun, K., Lee, K., Lervisit, V., Vanhoose, K., Saha, T., Jobaidul, B., Gu, X., & Liegey-Dougall, A. Efficacy of a home-based exercise program ‘Senior Fit’ for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting. Tampa, FL, November 2023.
• Gurav A., Vanhoose K., Wu C., Gu X., Investigating the Dose-Response Relationship Between Physical Activity and Neuropsychological Function in Young Adults. Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Annual Meeting. 2024 Galveston, TX.
• Wu, C., Gu. X., Zhang. T., Ethnic Disparities in Physical Activity Environment and Depression during Adolescence: A Social-Ecological Perspective. American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting. 2024, Boston, MA.
• Wu, C., Zhang. X., Moss, S., Kimberly. V., Gu. X., Built Environments’ Impact on Adolescent Physical Activity and Executive Function. SHAPE America National Convention & Expo. 2025, Baltimore, MD
• Vanhoose, K., Moss, S., West, A., Keller, J., Gu, X., & Zhang, T., Preventing Childhood Obesity: Implementing Evidence-Based PA Strategies in Home Enviornments. SHAPE America National Convention & Expo. 2025, Baltimore, MD. 
• Torres, D., Ghraizi, M., Wu C., & Gu, X. (April 2025). Virtual Reality Exergaming Reduces Anxiety and Promotes Cardiovascular Adaptation in College Veterans: A 3-Week Pilot Study. Poster presented at the University of Texas at Arlington Undergraduate Research Day. Recognized with the Barry McKewon Award. 
• Wu, C., Ghraizi, M., Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. (April 2025). The role of virtual reality exergaming in neurorehabilitation for veterans. Poster presented at the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation Research Expo. 
• Vanhoose, K., Ghraizi, M., Wu, C., & Gu, X. (April 2025). Physical Activity and Neuropsychological Function in Young Adults with and without Depressive Symptoms. Poster presented at the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation Research Expo. Graduate First Place Award.

• Ghraizi, M., Wu, C., Vanhoose, K., & Gu, X. (April 2025). Building Active Futures: Enhancing Physical Activity and Neuromotor Development among the HeadStart Community. Poster presented at the University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation Research Expo. 

• Ghraizi, M., Wu, C., Vanhoose, K., Wang, Y., & Gu, X. (March 2025). Building Active Futures: A Community-Linked Approach to Enhancing Physical Activity and Development in Preschoolers. Poster Presented at UT Southwestern Second Annual Community Engagement Symposium: Power in Partnership.

• Gu, X., Schuman, D., Li, M., Zhu, D., Wu, C., Carter, D., Zaman, A., Vanhoose, K. (June 2025). Evaluating the Impact of VR-Based Exergaming Systems on Cognitive and Mental Health in Trauma-Exposed Veterans. Poster Presented at American College of Sports Medicine Research Conference.