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Professor Nikos Ntoumanis elected International Fellow of prestigious US academy
Professor Nikos Ntoumanis from SDU has been elected an International Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology in the US. The appointment recognises his research and international leadership in the fields of motivation, sport and physical activity.
Nikos Ntoumanis, Professor of Motivation Science at SDU’s Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, has been elected an International Fellow of the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK).
The Academy is a US organisation for distinguished researchers in kinesiology. Its Fellows include researchers in physiology, psychology and related fields, with an interest in sport and exercise science.
Fellows are nominated by current members and selected through a multi-stage process. The Academy has a maximum of 200 active US Fellows, while there is no limit on the number of International Fellows.
In her letter to Nikos Ntoumanis, the Academy’s president, Monica A. F. Lounsbery, describes his election as reflecting the high regard in which his research and professional leadership are held by colleagues in the field. She also describes Fellowship of the Academy as one of the highest honours in the discipline.
Research into motivation and behaviour change
Nikos Ntoumanis’s research focuses particularly on the personal and social factors that influence people’s motivation to change their behaviour and maintain those changes over time. His research covers areas including motivation, behaviour change and exercise psychology.
At SDU, he is co-director of the Danish Centre for Motivation and Behaviour Change (DRIVEN), which conducts research into motivation and sustained behaviour change in areas including health, education, the environment and working life. He is also a Chair at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study (DIAS) at SDU.
His nomination to the Academy highlights both his research and his international impact. It notes, among other things, that Nikos Ntoumanis has published more than 330 scientific papers and that his research has been cited more than 63,000 times. The nomination also highlights his many years of academic leadership, including his role as Editor-in-Chief of Psychology of Sport & Exercise from 2011 to 2022.
Official induction in Portland
Nikos Ntoumanis is expected to be formally inducted as a Fellow at the National Academy of Kinesiology’s annual meeting in Portland, US. The induction ceremony took place on 3 October 2026.
Meet the Researcher
Nikos Ntoumanis is Professor of Motivation Science at the Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics.
Ntoumanis says that being elected a Fellow of the NAK is a particularly meaningful recognition of his research and contributions to the field. He is grateful to the colleagues and students he has worked with over the years, as well as to SDU and his former universities in the UK and Australia. He also sees the Fellowship as an opportunity to exchange ideas and develop collaborations across the Academy’s diverse areas of expertise.
As an International Fellow, Ntoumanis is expected to attend the Academy’s annual meetings and give talks on various topics. This year, he will take part in a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities for kinesiology in the countries represented by the newly elected Fellows. His contribution will focus on the Danish research and teaching landscape, particularly in relation to sport and exercise science. The theme of the discussions will change from year to year.