Baker Proud Spring 2017 - 10

ven with 24,000
alumni around the
globe, Guatemala
isn't necessarily the
first place you'd expect to find
a Baker graduate. But there was
Hillary Yoder, who graduated from
the exercise science program in 2015,
deplaning into tropic humidity at the end
of January, escaping the wintery weather
covering the University of Wyoming
campus for literal greener pastures.

plication like P90X [home exercise regimen]. It has some
In addition to her graduate research assistantship in
rigor, maybe more than students anticipate before they
Wyoming's Department of Kinesiology and Health, Yoder
take the courses."
is also involved in a University of Colorado study that cenIncoming college freshmen can be particularly prone
ters on the relationship between hydration status and the
to this misunderstanding, according to Dr. Erin Holt, assissafety of sugar cane workers.
tant professor of exercise science.
"Recently, an epidemic of chronic kidney disease of
"I think they go through this process in their first
an unknown cause (CKDu) has developed in Central
semester where they think they've got it figured out beAmerica," Yoder said. "Most people developing CKDu in
cause they've run, lifted weights, and trained, and all of a
Central America are 30- to 50-year-old males who have
sudden they realize they have to learn the entire human
physically demanding agricultural jobs in hot and humid
body and how it works," Holt said. "Then they go through
environments. Part of the study is to determine causes and
a process of 'Oh, I can't do science.' That's my favorite
identify possible interventions to prevent kidney damage."
line: 'I can't do science.' It's great watching them go from
By studying the hydration of 500 workers and analyzthat to all of a sudden realizing
ing biosamples to track changes in
health and kidney function during
"It's a science and it's a study that they like this science because
they enjoy understanding how the
single shifts and throughout the harat the cellular level. It's not
human body works."
vest season, Yoder is contributing to
just the application like P90X."
As the program's architects,
a hydration substudy that also tracks
Todden and Holt make sure their
the heart rate and core temperature
students know that their hard work
of 100 workers to better determine the -Dr. Chris Todden
is necessary because, as professionmetabolic demand of their job, all as
al practitioners, they are responpart of an intervention based on the
sible for a portion of a their patients' health. To that end,
United States' Occupational Safety and Health Administrastudents participate in extensive hands-on learning opportion's Water, Rest, Shade campaign to prevent heat illnesstunities. In addition to an intensive clinical during their sees in outdoor workers.
nior year, students are also required to sit for one of three
Yoder's work in this scientific study highlights the
certifications focused on exercise physiology, special popusometimes overshadowed word in her field of study: exlation personal training, or strength and conditioning. Two
ercise science. According to Dr. Chris Todden, director of
of those certifications come from the American College
exercise science at Baker, people sometimes overlook that
of Sports Medicine, which Todden says produces the most
key second word in the program's title. He said it's easy to
research and the best evidence for the field.
assume that exercise science is working out all day.
Although Baker's exercise science curriculum has
"But that's not really what it is," he said. "It's a science
long been aligned with and developed along ACSM best
and it's a study at the cellular level. It's not just the ap-

photos by Earl richardson

A Fitter Future

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baker Proud Spring 2017