A leading global agency of the United Nations has tabbed Florida State University as its first chair focused on sport ecology — a landmark agreement that places FSU at the center of one of the world’s most critical and emerging fields of study.

UNESCO, which stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, selected FSU for a four-year partnership that connects the university to the global agency’s priority-setting work and to peer institutions on six continents. There are 14 UNESCO Chairs in sport-related fields worldwide. FSU is the only one based in the United States and the only one dedicated specifically to sport ecology.

The distinction positions FSU at the forefront of a rising discipline linking sport, environmental science and global policy.

“Holding the world’s first UNESCO Chair in sport ecology is a distinct honor for Florida State University, and a recognition that sport’s relationship with the environment is worthy of serious study,” said Timothy Kellison, FSU’s chairholder and an associate professor of sport management within the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

“Holding the world’s first UNESCO Chair in sport ecology is a distinct honor for Florida State University, and a recognition that sport’s relationship with the environment is worthy of serious study.”

– Timothy Kellison, associate professor of sport management

Sport ecology is the study of the bidirectional relationship between sport and natural environment. It is a critical field examining both how sport affects the environment — whether through carbon emissions, energy use or facility construction — and how environmental change affects sport.

According to UNESCO, the academic infrastructure for understanding and improving sport’s environmental performance remains nascent. A UNESCO Chair dedicated to sport ecology fills a gap in both scholarship and international policy, helping shape a multi-hundred-billion dollar global sports industry with a large environmental footprint.

The designation gives FSU’s research and faculty opportunities for international collaboration and access to the agency’s knowledge networks. For students, it will signal that FSU provides an education in a discipline of growing career relevance as sport organizations face growing pressure to address sustainability.

Over the four-year partnership, FSU will build a collaborative research network of UNESCO Chairs and academic institutions worldwide; strengthen the education and training of sport ecology; facilitate knowledge for researchers, practitioners and policymakers; and raise public awareness.

FSU is among just 33 institutions in the U.S. with a UNESCO Chair designation — joining other research universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, Penn, Georgetown and Northwestern.

FSU’s faculty team includes an interdisciplinary group of experts from across the university spanning sport management, urban and regional planning, geography, design, political science, anthropology and history. This faculty, which will work together to address the challenges of sport ecology, includes Eric Coleman (political science); Ronald Doel (history); Tisha Joseph Holmes (urban and regional planning); Amy Kim (sport management); Amy Kowal (anthropology); Meaghan McSorley (urban and regional planning); Victor Mesev (geography); Meghan Mick (interior design); and Devra Waldman (sport management).

For more information on the FSU Department of Sport Management, which was recently voted a top three program among public institutions, visit the department’s website.

Find out more about UNESCO by visiting its website.

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Florida State University is helping to train the next generation of professional baseball players from Central America and the Caribbean through a partnership with the Mariano Rivera Baseball Stadium and High-Performance Training Center in the Republic of Panama.

FSU Panama plans to offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to young athletes participating in the programs of the Center. The partnership will also explore how the FSU College of Education, Health and Human Sciences will offer support for the Center’s management, resulting in research, internship and job opportunities for FSU students.

“This partnership with the Mariano Rivera Center will open a window of opportunities for students and faculty from Tallahassee and Panama, allowing them to participate as key players in projects related to the advancement of the young Panamanians who aspire to become professional baseball players,” said Carlos Langoni, rector of FSU Panama.

The partnership was finalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding during the inauguration ceremony of the facilities on June 21, 2024. A delegation from FSU Panama attended the ceremony, which included remarks from Mariano Rivera and Laurentino Cortizo, who was serving as the 38th President of Panama at the time.

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Athletes, spectators and media from around the world will travel to Paris later this month for the 2024 Olympics.

The games run from July 26 through Aug. 11. Major international sporting events such as the Olympics bring a level of spectacle and scrutiny unlike many others. When the world is watching, organizers are under intense pressure for things to run smoothly. Athletes who want to share a message have a grand stage.

Florida State University experts in athletic performance, marketing, journalism and hospitality are available to speak to media covering the Olympics.

Timothy Baghurst, professor and director, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
(501) 613-8913; tbaghurst@fsu.edu

Baghurst’s research focuses on coaching education and development, with specific interests in coaching ethics, coach/athlete health and well-being and variables that affect elite performance. He has worked with sports organizations affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and International Olympic Committee.

“The Olympics are unique, providing athletes and coaching staff one shot at glory. The pressure to get it right at the right time is immense! This quadrennial event also becomes a hotbed for discussion on topics such as doping, transgender athletes, and other controversial societal and political issues. How coaches and athletes prepare for the unique mental and physical challenges the Olympics provide may be the difference between a podium finish or the four-year wait to try again.”

Megan M. Buning, teaching faculty, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
m.buning@fsu.edu

Buning is an expert on athletic coaching, athlete experiences and mental performance for coaches, athletes and game officials. She is a certified mental performance consultant and is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.

“Mental preparation for athletes of all levels is critical to success. Elite level athletes, like those competing in the Olympics, typically have consistent mental, physical, and emotional routines in place that help them stay focused and emotionally regulated during competition. Athletes at the elite level must train for longevity in the sense that their seasons (training and competition) are typically longer than what you would see for collegiate athletes. Athletes, coaches, and referees across the variety of sports offered in the Olympics must prepare a little differently for the pace of play and specific performance needs during competition.”

James Du, assistant professor, Department of Sport Management, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
(850) 644-1859; jdu3@fsu.edu

Du’s research focuses on consumer behavior and marketing intelligence in sport and recreational settings. His research integrates applied big data analytics, Bayesian modeling and machine learning to inform sport organizations on effective marketing strategies and their socioeconomic impact on individuals and communities.

“The Paris 2024 Olympics are set to have a transformative impact. The economic, social and environmental benefits are traditionally the focus in evaluating the legacy of mega sporting events such as this. These Games are expected to generate significant direct and induced economic impact, including employment boosts and consumer spending. They are also a vehicle for promoting gender equality, inclusivity and community engagement, with initiatives targeting improved access for people with disabilities. Paris 2024 also aims to be the first carbon-neutral Games by using renewable energy and sustainable construction practices, setting a new standard for operating environmentally sustainable mega-events. Technological innovations like AI surveillance will enhance operational security for goals such as athlete safety and combating online abuse and misinformation. Paris 2024 aims for a positive legacy across all fronts.”

Nathan Line, Cecil B. Day Distinguished Professor, Dedman College of Hospitality
nline@fsu.edu

Line studies marketing and consumer behavior in the hospitality industry. His primary research is on the behavior of hotel and restaurant patrons and their reaction to consumption environments.

“Mega events like the Olympics are a complicated financial equation for host countries. There are many stakeholders that stand to incur both benefits and costs. For hotels, there is certainly a short-term boost in revenue associated with an increased demand for lodging during the event. Often, there is even a need to develop additional hotel supply in advance of mega events to accommodate the demand surge. The problem, however, is that filing the additional rooms becomes quite difficult once the event has passed, resulting in decreased average occupancies in host cities.”

Patrick Merle, associate professor and director of the School of Communication, College of Communication and Information
pmerle@fsu.edu

Merle is a native of France who previously worked as a journalist for Eurosport, Europe’s largest sports network. His work includes coverage of multiple track and field and cycling events and the preparation for the 2004 Athens Olympics.

“After the results of exceptional legislative elections, France will be under additional global scrutiny with the summer Olympics held in Paris. Between a grandiose spectacle in the City of Light orchestrated to showcase a new Paris and crises such as the pollution of the Seine River, as well as the desire to have an Olympic village green and therefore without air conditioning, journalists will have a myriad of stories to cover.”

Michael Ormsbee, professor, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
mormsbee@fsu.edu

Ormsbee’s research interests include nighttime pre-sleep feeding strategies to optimize metabolism and recovery from exercise, exercise training and nutritional interventions to maximize human performance in athletes, sports nutrition and dietary supplements and other subjects related to human health and performance. He is the director of the FSU Institute of Sports Sciences & Medicine.

“Getting nutrition right is one key to Olympic success. Each athlete’s needs are unique, so personalizing diet and supplements can really boost recovery, endurance, and performance. By focusing on individual requirements and fine-tuning their nutritional strategies, athletes can optimize their training and competition results, ensuring they are in peak condition when it matters most.”

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In the pressure cooker that is March Madness, some teams collapse and others thrive.

Players and coaches who compete every year for that one shining moment strive to understand what makes that important difference.

The first round of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments begin later this month. Florida State University faculty are available to comment on coaching, sports psychology, analytics and marketing.

COACHING

Timothy Baghurst, professor and director, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
(501) 613-8913; tbaghurst@fsu.edu

Baghurst’s research focuses on coaching education and development, with specific interests in coaching ethics, coach/athlete health and well-being and variables that affect elite performance. He has worked with sports organizations affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and International Olympic Committee.

“Although seedings suggest who should win March Madness each year, it rarely happens. March Madness creates a unique environment for coaches and athletes in which a team might create momentum and overcome what might be considered disadvantages on paper. The mental pressure of a one-and-done format for college basketball’s biggest prize affects players and coaches. How well they cope with the intensity of such a format plays a big role in who might be going home early and who might be a Cinderella. Understanding the multifaceted nature of competition is paramount to appreciating why some teams thrive and some fold.”

Megan M. Buning, teaching faculty, Interdisciplinary Center for Athletic Coaching (FSU COACH), College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
m.buning@fsu.edu

Buning is an expert on athletic coaching, athlete experiences and mental performance for coaches, athletes and game officials. She is a certified mental performance consultant and is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry.

“Mental resilience is crucial in sports. Through my research at FSU COACH and practical application as a consultant for athletes and teams, I have seen firsthand how the ability to focus, regroup after mistakes and regulate emotions affects mental performance and outcomes. These mental skills can be developed and even specialized according to sport, giving players and coaches a critical advantage in high-stakes games such as the NCAA tournament.”

ANALYTICS

N. David Pifer, assistant professor, Department of Sport Management, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
david.pifer@fsu.edu

Pifer researches sports analytics, the use of data and statistical methods to help sport organizations and individuals make better decisions. He is primarily concerned with variables related to on-field/on-court team, player and coach performance, and how analytics can help these parties enhance their decision-making by overcoming errant traditions, biases and heuristics.

“Athletes and coaches make hundreds of decisions every game. They can use sports analytics to examine those outcomes on a wide scale, helping them to improve their decision-making processes and performance. Persistent biases in analyzing crucial game decisions keep teams from achieving their potential. Data and predictive models give us insight that allows teams to break away from old conventions and find new ways to separate themselves from their competition.”

Lance Kerwin, teaching faculty, Department of Business Analytics, Information Systems and Supply Chain, College of Business
lkerwin@business.fsu.edu, (850) 322-3001

Kerwin is an expert in business analytics, systems design, business intelligence and telecommunications. He was recognized for his teaching excellence in 2020 with a College of Business Undergraduate Teaching Award for Specialized Faculty. He also serves as an adviser to the Sports Analytic Club at FSU.

“March Madness is a special time for dreamers and those who want to be inspired. When thinking of analytics and picking a bracket, ask how you want to define success as a fan. I personally think success is defined as having fun, so don’t take your picks too seriously, but apply common sense. For some, success is promoting a favorite team and looking brilliant if they advance. Others want to analyze data and make smart decisions. The bottom line — develop your approach and methodology so that you can speak to how you came to your decisions, make your picks and root like your life depends on it.”

MARKETING AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Colleen M. Harmeling, Dr. Persis E. Rockwood Associate Professor of Marketing, Rockwood School of Marketing, College of Business
charmeling@fsu.edu

Harmeling is an expert in marketing and consumer behavior, with specific focus on human brands (influencers and endorsers) as well as morality and how it shapes consumption, health decision-making and marketing strategy.

“For marketers, March Madness represents an effective vehicle for imbuing brands with desirable human qualities through endorsements and brand-player collaborations. This comes with greater responsibility to the players as their private lives become part of brand stories and subject to greater scrutiny. ‘Player performance’ now includes actions beyond what unfolds on the court.

For consumers, March Madness represents human accomplishment tested through extreme competition with unpredictable outcomes — prime conditions for gambling. While gambling laws vary by state, brackets are a ubiquitous and iconic element of the fan experience. Moral judgments are inevitable as fans debate the appropriateness of these behaviors, the allowable size of wagers and the impact of these decision on their broader lives.”

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