Sacko recognized for research on physical activity
In the summer of 2020, while many events were being canceled as COVID-19 cases skyrocketed, Health and Human Performance Professor Ryan Sacko thought outside the box. As chair of the organizational committee for the NAIMDRC, Sacko was tasked with organizing and hosting a National Assembly of the International Motor Development Research Consortium (I-MDRC) in Charleston. The national conference, originally an in-person meeting with the expected attendance of around 60 people, transformed into an international virtual event with more than 300 participants, representing 133 institutions from 20 countries around the globe.
In a time of isolation and uncertainty, Sacko created a way for everyone in his field to come together. “It was kind of a wellness check-in for people too,” said Sacko.
From there, Sacko joined the I-MDRC advisory board before being elected to the executive committee, where he will serve as communications director beginning in January. Sacko has been awarded the 2023 Lolas E. Halverson Motor Development Young Investigator Award which distinguishes scholarly contributions to the field of motor development that have been innovative and impactful.
While Sacko earned his doctorate at the University of South Carolina, he finds The Citadel well-suited to his research, which investigates physical activity within the military. He appreciates the hard work and dedication of cadets. “They’re passionate about physical activity and movement,” he said.
For Sacko, it’s not just the high standards of the corps that make The Citadel unique—his colleagues play a pivotal role. “I work in a really special department where everybody has bought into the things that we do together and we all support each other,” said Sacko. “It’s lightning in a bottle. I’m here and I’m successful because of the people that are here. It is not just the cadets. It’s the faculty that’s around me. And that is huge for this.”