Leigh Ann Mrotek

Email Address

mrotekl@uwosh.edu

Office Location

Albee 102

Office Phone Number

920.424.1323

Recent Courses Taught

Kinesiol 121 Orientation to Kinesiology

Kinesiol 122 Kinesiology Admissions Seminar

Kinesiol 280 Biomechanics

Kinesiol 331 Motor Learning

Educational Background

B.S., University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1997)
M.S., University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2000)
Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota (2005)

Research Agenda / Areas of Interest

My research agenda was born in athletic experiences.  There are so many examples of athletes making amazing corrections during incredibly complex movements.  Often spectators are amazed by the athlete’s physical abilities, but what they should admire is the athlete’s amazing brain.  Even in everyday situations the human brain can complete thousands of computations in just a fraction of a second in order to alter movement.  For example if you slip on the ice but you catch your balance before a fall, your brain had to change many of the body’s movements to avoid crashing to the ground.  In this example the brain made computations in order to control the movements of a very complex system, the human body.  
How can the body be controlled to deftly and precisely?  To attempt to answer this complex question, I study the abilities of humans to detect and correct errors during complex movements involving hand-eye coordination.  We make and adjust our movements smoothly and efficiently depending on what is happening in the environment on an instant by instant basis.  Furthermore, we make these alterations without having to consciously develop a change in the movement plan.  These amazing abilities are poorly understood.  With greater understanding of these behaviors we will also have greater understanding of the human brain and may be able to solve some of the mysteries of neural diseases.

Outside Interests / Hobbies

 Yoga, Golf

"What does it mean to be a Kinesiology faculty member at UW-Oshkosh?"

There is great responsibility in being a faculty member at UW-Oshkosh.  It is our duty to aid students in their comprehension of complicated material, and their progression to becoming professionals.  Thus the high standards in our classes are necessary to produce high-quality professionals in the diverse and complex areas of Kinesiology.

"When they graduate from our program, I hope that my students..."

are superb professionals who continually try to improve their comprehension and remain at the forefront of their field throughout their careers.