Dr. Eric Sternlicht

Eric Sternlicht, Ph.D. joined Chapman University full-time in 2014, the same time as Chapman’s Kinesiology program accepted their first incoming freshman class. Dr. Sternlicht received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in kinesiology. Together with his advisor, Dr. R. James Barnard, Dr. Sternlicht performed some of the seminal research in the mechanisms of insulin action on glucose transport in skeletal muscle and the roles of diet and exercise on blood glucose regulation.

While working on his doctoral program at UCLA, he started his nutrition and exercise consulting company, Simply Fit, Inc. Through his company he has working with professional and Olympic athletes, corporations, and law firms. His recent work includes the tested of exercise equipment for its efficacy, exercise and nutrition program analysis and expert witness testimony on injury-accident cases. He takes these consulting projects as opportunities to engage his students and provide them with real-life experiences in the fields of kinesiology, human performance, and nutrition. Upon leaving UCLA for Occidental College, to focus more on program development and teaching than research, Dr. Sternlicht shifted his research focus from basic science at the subcellular level to human performance with published research ranging from efficacy of abdominal exercise devices, compression tights and Zumba exercise routines. He continues to focus on applied research when the opportunities arise; however, his main focus is on teaching and advising of the program’s students.

Prior to coming to Chapman University, Dr. Sternlicht taught for 10 years at UCLA in the Physiological Science program and 24 years at Occidental College in the Kinesiology program. While at Occidental College, Dr. Sternlicht helped to develop their program – moving from an Exercise Science degree to a Kinesiology degree - and many of the courses in their program. Several of Dr. Sternlicht’s upper-division courses are currently offered within the Chapman Health Sciences program including Advanced Exercise Metabolism , Advanced Topics in Physiology: Science of Obesity , Applied Nutrition for Exercise, Training, and Performance , and Pathophysiology: Diet, Disease and Exercise , His teaching and recent research publications can be found below.

Teaching

HSCI 101 Introduction to Health Care Professions
HSCI 105 Medical Terminology: Latin and Greek Roots for Health Care Professionals
AHP 340 Advanced Topics in Physiology: Science of Obesity
AHP 345 Pathophysiology: Diet, Disease & Exercise
BIOL/HSCI 366L Human Physiology Part B Lab
AHP 407 Applied Nutrition for Exercise, Training, and Performance
AHP 420/420L Applied Exercise Physiology
AHP 450 Advanced Exercise Metabolism

Memberships

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
American Medical Athletic Association (AMAA)
International Dance-Exercise Association / American Council on Exercise (ACE)
National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

Editorial Boards

California Journal of Health Promotion
Ironman Magazine

Publications

Sternlicht, E., F. Frisch, and K.D. Sumida. Zumba Fitness workouts: are they an appropriate alternative to running or cycling? Sports Sci Health. October 2013. DOI 10.1007/s11332-103-0155-8.

Rugg, S. and E. Sternlicht. The Effect of Graduated Compression Tights, Compared with Running Shorts, on Counter Movement Jump Performance Before and After Submaximal Running. J. Strength Cond. Res. 27(4): 1067-1073, 2013.

Sternlicht, E., S. Rugg, L.L. Fujii, KF Tomomitsu, and MM Seki. Electromyographic Comparison of a stability ball crunch with a traditional crunch. J.Strength Cond. Res. 21(2): 506-509, 2007.

Sternlicht, E., S. Rugg, M. Bernstein, and S. Armstrong. Electromyographic analysis and comparison of selected abdominal training devices with a traditional crunch. J. Strength Cond. Res. 19(1): 157-162, 2005.

Sternlicht, E. and S. Rugg. Electromyographic. Analysis of abdominal muscle activity using portable abdominal exercise devices and a traditional crunch. J. Strength. Cond. Res. 17(3): 463-468, 2003.