Associate Professor Grant Norte has been appointed as the new chair of the Division of Kinesiology in the School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences. In this role, Norte will lead the administration of the division’s undergraduate and graduate programs and support students as they prepare for a wide range of careers that improve health and maximize performance across the lifespan.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to serve our faculty, staff, and students in this role and to build on the strong foundation already in place within the Division of Kinesiology,” Norte says. “We have outstanding people and programs, and I look forward to working together to strengthen the student experience, support our faculty and staff, and continue advancing our education, research and service missions.”
A leader in sports medicine and neuromuscular rehabilitation, Norte joined UCF in 2023 and is co-director of the Cognition, Neuroplasticity and Sarcopenia Laboratory and a faculty member in the university’s Disability, Aging and Technology Cluster. In Fall 2025, he was named director of the kinesiology Ph.D. program, overseeing curriculum, mentoring students and helping guide the program’s growth.
Norte’s research examines how neurophysiological adaptations influence recovery following musculoskeletal injury. Using anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury as a model, his work integrates assessments of the nervous system, muscle, and human movement to better understand biological recovery and develop more individualized, yet accessible, mechanism-informed approaches to rehabilitation.
Norte’s scholarly contributions include authoring over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles which have earned more than 2,300 citations, and co-authoring the textbook Therapeutic Interventions for Musculoskeletal Conditions: 1st Edition.
“Grant is an accomplished scholar, educator and leader who brings a strong commitment to our students, faculty and staff,” says Jeff Stout, director of the School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science. “His experience leading our doctoral program, combined with his expertise in sports medicine and rehabilitation, has prepared him well to guide the Division of Kinesiology. I am confident he will build on the division’s strong foundation and continue advancing our education, research and service missions.”
Before joining UCF, Norte served on the faculty at the University of Toledo, where he was associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences and co-director of the Motion Analysis and Integrative Neurophysiology Laboratory. Earlier in his career, he practiced clinically as a certified athletic trainer before serving as a research coordinator at the University of Virginia Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
Norte earned his Ph.D. in sports medicine and a master’s degree in athletic training from the University of Virginia. He received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science and sports medicine from California Lutheran University and has been a board-certified athletic trainer since 2008.
The School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences includes the Division of Kinesiology, the Master of Athletic Training Program and the Division of Physical Therapy. The school is home to specialized teaching and research laboratories and the Institute of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Science, which supports interdisciplinary, mechanistic and translational research in human health and rehabilitation.
The Division of Kinesiology offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in kinesiology. The program has faculty and staff and enrolled more than
Norte takes the role of division chair following the departure of David Fukuda, who accepted a position as the department head of Kinesiology and Health Science at Utah State University. Norte’s appointment was effective July 1.
