Christian Thompson, Ph.D. University of Kansas, 2001, is an
Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science
at the University of San Francisco. Christian has published
scientific publications on exercise programming for older adults in
peer-reviewed journals such as Medicine and Science in Sport
and Exercise, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, and
Journal of Applied Research.
At USF, Christian teaches in the Exercise and Sport Science
department (Exercise Physiology & Laboratory, Nutrition for
Exercise & Health, and Exercise Program Design) as well as the
Interdisciplinary Minor in Gerontology (Study of Human Aging) which
he served as Coordinator from 2005-2010. He served as ESS
Department Chair from 2008 to 2010 and is currently on sabbatical
leave. Christian is engaged in numerous research and community
projects investigating the effects of exercise programming on the
physical function of older adults. In 2007, he received a three
year, $600,000 grant from the Department of Aging and Adult
Services to study the effectiveness of a progressive falls
prevention exercise class on falls and fall risk in
community-dwelling older adults who had recently fallen. This work
has received continuing funding for additional years (through 2012)
and earned Christian the Outstanding Young Researcher award from
the Council of Aging and Adult Development in 2009. Additionally,
in 2010, Christian was awarded a two year $20,000 grant from the
Kaiser Community Benefit Foundation to continue to expand his work
in falls prevention to other locations in San Francisco. This work
allows Christian to involve numerous undergraduate students in the
research process and several have accompanied him to state and
national conferences, including the American College of Sports
Medicine's (ACSM) Annual Meeting in Baltimore in
2010.
Christian also is involved heavily in professional service. He
is currently Co-Chair of the Special Interest Group on Aging within
ACSM and the Chair of the Council on Aging and Adult Development
(CAAD). He is a featured author on older adult exercise for the PTA
Global certification program and also developed educational content
for IDEA, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the American
College of Sports Medicine and the American Senior Fitness
Association. He serves as an advisor and consultant for both
not-for-profit and profit companies and organizations and has
appeared in numerous lay publications such as the IDEA Fitness
Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Cleveland Clinic Health
Newsletter, Arthritis Advisor, and GOLF Magazine.
