Walsh University students Lukas Keverkamp and Kyle Woods earned national recognition for their original research at the 22nd Annual International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Conference in Delray Beach, Florida. Both Honors scholars in Exercise Science, Keverkamp and Woods submitted abstracts based on human data collected in Walsh’s labs as part of their senior capstone research. Their work was accepted for presentation at the international conference, which featured graduate students, doctoral candidates, and researchers from around the world.
In a competitive setting, Keverkamp received second place for Best Poster at the Undergraduate Level for his project, “Physiological Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate Ingestion via Maurten Bicarb on Endurance Running Performance,” co-authored with Dr. Kelsey Scanlon. Woods presented “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 with Dr. Naylor. “Lukas and Kyle submitted competitive abstracts and were accepted to present their work which is an honor in itself. The acceptance of their abstracts is a testament to the support they have received at Walsh to develop their scientific curiosity and pursue meaningful, faculty-mentored research.”
Keverkamp completed his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science in May 2025 and will begin Walsh’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program this fall. Woods is a current undergraduate Exercise Science Major on the Accelerated Physical Therapy track and a Presidential Scholar who will also begin his Physical Therapy coursework this fall. Both are members of Walsh’s Cross Country and Track & Field teams.
The ISSN Conference is a leading gathering for researchers and practitioners in sports science, physiology, and performance nutrition. In addition to student presentations, Walsh faculty also presented a research poster titled “Analysis of a Handgrip-Based Body Composition Equation in Grip vs Non-Grip Athletes,” authored by Dr. Naylor, Dr. Meredith Joplin, and a team of current and former Exercise Science students.
Walsh University’s involvement in international academic conferences highlights its strong dedication to experiential learning and meaningful faculty-student collaboration. “Experiences like this equip our students to become leaders and innovators in their future careers. I’m honored to be part of a university that not only values the research journey, but also actively encourages students to share their findings with broader audiences. These two students are beginning their graduate studies with the rare and formative experience of presenting and defending their research at a prestigious conference—an opportunity typically reserved for graduate-level scholars,” said Dr. Scanlon.
