For Kinesiology Professor NiCole Keith, health equity is as much a mission as it is a passion in her academic career.
Past president of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and former Executive Associate Dean for SPH-B, Keith was recently awarded the 2026 ACSM Citation Award at the organization’s annual conference held at the end of May in Salt Lake City, UT.
“Receiving this distinction represents one of the most significant honors of my career to date,” says Keith. “This award reflects decades of sustained effort, much of which has been supported by, and in turn, aimed at serving the ACSM community.”
Keith has long been an important leader both at IU and Indianapolis-based ACSM. Last fall, Keith gave talks at five universities across Texas on behalf of ACSM on the topics of “exercise is medicine” and “the National Physical Activity Plan”. Keith highlighted campus programs such as Healthy IU as an example of incorporating physical exercise into daily routines on campus and supporting mental as well as physical wellbeing across multiple sectors such as education, military settings, healthcare, and business and industry, to name a few. In addition to promoting exercise, Keith seeks to advance equity within public health.
“I am committed to ensuring that all individuals have fair and meaningful opportunities to excel in their academic and professional pursuits,” says Keith. “Likewise, I emphasize the importance of equitable access to conditions that support longer, healthier lives. This commitment remains foundational and will continue to guide my research, teaching, and service.”
For Keith, this professional recognition from a nationwide public health organization confirms that “this work is both valuable and meaningful.” Keith is especially thankful to a group of 16 nominators from across the nation, led by Eduardo Bustamante, who is an associate professor of Kinesiology and Nutrition at University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
“For more than three decades, Dr. Keith has been a transformative force in ACSM, and across the field of Kinesiology, helping us become a stronger, more inclusive, and more impactful profession,” says Bustamante.
As for the future of sports medicine, Keith says this multidisciplinary field continues to play a critical role in promoting the health, safety, and overall well-being of populations across the spectrum. Sports medicine integrates clinical practice, public health and behavioral science for the betterment of individuals.
Keith adds, “Increasingly, the field also recognizes the importance of addressing social determinants of health and systemic barriers that influence access to safe and equitable opportunities for physical activity. As such, sports medicine extends beyond individual care to encompass advocacy, policy development, and community-level interventions aimed at improving population health outcomes.”
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