Two Sport and Recreation Management Faculty Earn Prestigious Research Distinction
By: School of Tourism & Hospitality Management
First Published: September 23, 2021
Topics: Awards, Faculty, Research, STHM School
Two Sport and Recreation Management (SRM) faculty members at Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) have been named Research Fellows by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). Dr. Gareth Jones (STHM ’13, ’11), assistant professor and assistant director of the Sport Industry Research Center (SIRC), and Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, assistant professor, have received this prestigious recognition that sets them apart in their field.
NASSM is one of the premier professional academic associations in sport management, responsible for the Journal of Sport Management, which is widely considered the leading journal in the field. The designation of NASSM Research Fellow recognizes top scholars in the field based on the impact of their scholarly work. Fellows have demonstrated a continuous and high quality record of scholarship, including at least 15 peer-reviewed journal articles and 20 presentations.
“Dr. Jones and Dr. Taylor represent the best of scholarship at STHM,” says Professor and Senior Associate Dean Jeremy Jordan. “They have both made tremendous contributions to research in sport and recreation management. Dr. Jones has shown great leadership engaging with community sport organizations focused on youth development, and Dr. Taylor has been an essential voice in the national conversation about women in intercollegiate athletics. Our students will continue to benefit from their excellence and mentorship inside and outside of the classroom, just as fellow scholars throughout the field will benefit from their academic contributions.”
Jones and Taylor join Jordan as well as a distinguished list of other STHM leadership who are NASSM Research Fellows: Professor and SRM Chair Daniel Funk (who also received NASSM’s 2018 Earle F. Zeigler Lecture Award—its most prestigious award), Professor and Senior Associate Dean Aubrey Kent (who also earned NASSM’s 2016 Garth Paton Distinguished Service Award) and Associate Professor and SIRC Director Thilo Kunkel.
A Researcher Devoted to How Sport Impacts Youth
Jones’ research focuses on the management of youth and community sport. He has also done research examining the influence of sport on positive youth development. His recent work explores organizational capacity-building, inter-organizational partnerships and broader policies influencing the system of youth sport services.
“The NASSM Research Fellow distinction is a huge honor, and I’m thankful to the STHM family for all their support,” Jones says. “It is also incredible to be honored in the same year as Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, who is an outstanding colleague and even better friend!”
Jones, who joined SIRC in 2016 as a postdoctoral research fellow, was recognized with the STHM Award for Excellence in Teaching following the 2020–21 academic year. Having earned his BS and MS from STHM, he earned his Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management from North Carolina State University as well as a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Science.
Examining the Role of Diversity in College Sports
Taylor’s research broadly focuses on organizational culture with intercollegiate athletic departments and specifically on workplace behaviors such as work engagement, burnout, work addiction and vocational calling. Additionally, she explores topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion within intercollegiate athletic departments as it relates to the underrepresentation of women in coaching and athletic administration positions.
Taylor’s recent research focus on sexual harassment and sexual assault within athletic departments has been especially relevant in recent news. She has been quoted and cited in many high-profile news stories, particularly with regard to the LSU scandal case, specifically USA Today and the Louisiana Illuminator.
“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized as a NASSM Research Fellow with some of the top scholars in the field of sport management,” Taylor says. “I’m thankful for my STHM family for their support in my research journey.”
Taylor joined STHM in 2017 after earning her Ph.D. in Kinesiology and Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee, where she also obtained an M.S. in Statistics and a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies and College Teaching. At Miami University she earned an M.S. in Kinesiology and Health, with an emphasis in Sport Psychology, and served as an assistant volleyball coach. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point while playing volleyball and running track.
Six STHM alumni have won NASSM Student Research Competition Awards for extraordinary research in the field of sport management, including Assistant Professor Bradley Baker (STHM ’12, Fox ’17) in 2016.
