Walsh University students Lukas Keverkamp and Kyle Woods have been recognized for their research at the 22nd Annual International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Conference in Delray Beach, Florida. As Honors scholars in Exercise Science, both submitted abstracts based on human data collected in Walsh’s labs for their senior capstone research. Their work was accepted for presentation alongside contributions from graduate students, doctoral candidates, and researchers globally.

Keverkamp achieved second place for Best Poster at the Undergraduate Level with his project titled “Physiological Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion via Maurten Bicarb on Endurance Running Performance,” co-authored with Dr. Kelsey Scanlon. Woods presented his research on “The Impact of Fatigue on Balance in Trained Long-distance Runners,” co-authored with Dr. Jonathan Naylor.

“These accomplishments reflect the strength of Walsh’s commitment to undergraduate research and the Honors Program,” said Dr. Scanlon, who attended the conference along with Dr. Naylor. She emphasized that having their abstracts accepted is a testament to the support they received at Walsh to develop scientific curiosity and pursue meaningful faculty-mentored research.

Keverkamp graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science in May 2025 and will start Walsh’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program this fall. Woods remains an undergraduate majoring in Exercise Science on the Accelerated Physical Therapy track as a Presidential Scholar, also set to begin Physical Therapy coursework this fall. Both are members of Walsh’s Cross Country and Track & Field teams.

The ISSN Conference is known as a leading event for researchers and practitioners focusing on sports science, physiology, and performance nutrition. Besides student presentations, Walsh faculty presented a poster titled “Analysis of a Handgrip-Based Body Composition Equation in Grip vs Non-Grip Athletes,” authored by Dr. Naylor, Dr. Meredith Joplin, and current/former Exercise Science students.

Walsh University’s participation in international academic conferences underscores its dedication to experiential learning and faculty-student collaboration. “Experiences like this equip our students to become leaders and innovators in their future careers," said Dr. Scanlon, highlighting how these opportunities are typically reserved for graduate-level scholars but were made available to these undergraduates.