Associate Professor Mary Stenson teaches in the Department of Applied Human Sciences and serves as its interim department head. She started working at UMD in the fall of 2022.
Why did you choose to work at UMD?
I chose to work here for two reasons: the incredible community in the Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences program and the location. Seeing the big lake every day never gets old! Duluth has so many amazing parks and trails to explore, and I love working my way through, experiencing all of them. I'm also proud that our program highlights evidence-based practices for coaches, clinicians, and exercise professionals. We also focus on interpersonal skills to help our students become compassionate and highly qualified exercise and health professionals.
What do you like most about your job?
I'm sure most faculty would say the students are the best part, but I genuinely mean it — I love the students. The best is when they stop into my office to say hi, or tell me about something they read, or ask about something they saw online. I love to hear how they are doing, what they are thinking about, or just nerd out together.
What is your research or teaching focus?
I teach exercise physiology and occasionally exercise metabolism. I love these classes because they feed into the topics I research. My research focus is on optimizing recovery from exercise to improve performance, especially in females. Currently, my lab is researching how recovery from high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or heavy resistance training is influenced by menstrual cycle phase. We are also looking at how probiotics might improve recovery from muscle-damaging exercise.
Do you have any advice for students?
My advice for students is to ask lots of questions! I tell my exercise physiology students they should always be thinking about "the next logical question." When we're talking about a topic or a process, I often ask, "What is the question you should be asking right now?" It helps to think about what might come next or what else needs to be considered. Practicing thinking about and asking these questions can help build thinking and problem-solving skills. Plus, what's more important in science than asking questions?!
What do you like to do in your free time?