Researcher Profile
Researcher Profile
Liza Rovniak, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
Division of General Internal Medicine
Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
Division of General Internal Medicine
Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences
Scientific Program:Cancer Control
Research Interests
Dr. Liza Rovniak's research investigates how to design environments and policies to sustain physical activity, healthy eating and other behaviors.
Using an ecological framework and emphasizing interdisciplinary collaborations, Dr. Rovniak conducts clinical trials and epidemiological research across diverse populations and settings (e.g., workplaces, physicians' offices and neighborhoods) to explore how to facilitate long-term health behavior change.
She has been principal investigator of multiple grants funded by the National Institutes of Health and state-level funding, which have investigated how to build sustainable environments to improve population health.
- Exercise
- Health
- Public Health
- Population
- Walking
- Workplace
- Farmers
- Primary Health Care
- Resistance Training
- Social Media
- Health Behavior
- Demography
Recent Publications
2021
Ladwig, MA, Sciamanna, CN, Rovniak, LS, Conroy, DE, Gottschall, JS, Silvis, ML, Smyth, JM, Wang, M & Auer, BJ 2021, 'Comparative effectiveness of an adult social physical play versus traditional group exercise program for adherence and fitness: Protocol for a randomized-controlled trial', Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, vol. 21, 100736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100736
2020
Upham, K, Auer, BJ, Sciamanna, CN, Mowen, AJ, Smyth, JM, Conroy, DE, Silvis, M, Kraschnewski, JL, Rovniak, LS, Lehman, E, Kearcher, K, Vizzini, M & Cesarone, L 2020, 'Adults want to play too: Feasibility of an adult physical activity program designed to maximize enjoyment', Journal of Physical Activity and Health, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 230-235. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2018-0306
Rovniak, LS, Adams, MA, Sciamanna, CN, Kong, L, Sullivan, N, Costalas, S, Bopp, M & Kuzmik, A 2020, 'Effects of bluetooth-enabled desk ellipticals on office work performance: Rationale, design, and protocol for a randomized trial with overweight and obese adults', JMIR Research Protocols, vol. 9, no. 1, e16275. https://doi.org/10.2196/16275
2018
Bopp, M, Sims, D, Matthews, SA, Rovniak, LS, Poole, E & Colgan, J 2018, 'Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Active Lions: A Campaign to Promote Active Travel to a University Campus', American Journal of Health Promotion, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 536-545. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117117694287
Sims, D, Matthews, SA, Bopp, MJ, Rovniak, LS & Poole, E 2018, 'Predicting discordance between perceived and estimated walk and bike times among university faculty, staff, and students', Transportmetrica A: Transport Science, vol. 14, no. 8, pp. 691-705. https://doi.org/10.1080/23249935.2018.1427814
2017
Rovniak, LS & King, AC 2017, Developing sustainable walking interventions: Integrating behavioural, ecological and systems science to promote population health. in Transport and Sustainability. Transport and Sustainability, vol. 9, Emerald Group Publishing Ltd., pp. 249-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2044-994120170000009015
Sciamanna, C, Smyth, JM, Doerksen, SE, Richard, BR, Kraschnewski, J, Mowen, AJ, Hickerson, BD, Rovniak, L, Lehman, EB & Yang, C 2017, 'Physical Activity Mode and Mental Distress in Adulthood', American Journal of Preventive Medicine, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 85-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.014
George, DR, Rovniak, LS, Dillon, J & Snyder, G 2017, 'The Role of Nutrition-related Initiatives in Addressing Community Health Needs Assessments', American Journal of Health Education, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 58-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2016.1250019
Cho, J, Freivalds, A & Rovniak, L 2017, 'Utilizing anthropometric data to improve the usability of desk bikes, and influence of desk bikes on reading and typing performance', Applied Ergonomics, vol. 60, pp. 128-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2016.11.003
Sciamanna, CN, Mowen, AJ, Kraschnewski, JL, Smyth, JM, Rovniak, LS, Conroy, DE, Kearcher, K, Redman, C, Silvis, M, Auer, BJ, Wang, M, Lehman, E & Messina, D 2017, 'Why just exercise if you can play? Interest in a modified sports program to enhance physical activity among primary care patients', Preventive Medicine Reports, vol. 8, pp. 273-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.10.009