James Navalta

James Navalta will be the first to tell you that he never in a million years envisioned being recognized by a university with an Outstanding Faculty Award. Because he never in a million years envisioned being a college professor.

Rather, Navalta’s initial dream while growing up in Hawai’i was — like many boys of generations past, present, and future — to be a professional athlete.

“Unfortunately,” he says, “genetics conspired against me.”

Upon coming to that realization, Navalta devised a fallback plan: go to college, earn undergraduate degrees in biology and physical education, and move on to medical school.

When the latter failed to materialize? It was on to Plan C: return to school, earn a graduate degree in kinesiology, and then … who knows?

“Graduate school seemed like a good option to pursue,” Navalta says. “But I didn’t have a plan beyond that.”

It wasn’t until he was well on his way to earning that aforementioned master’s in kinesiology that the thick clouds began to part and Navalta’s career path came into view. And it just happened to be the same path his father traveled.

“My dad was a college professor,” Navalta says. “So when my aspirations to be a professional athlete and a doctor didn’t work out, I reverted to the family business.

“In some respects, I guess this is where I was always supposed to be. I just took a roundabout way to get there.”

And UNLV has very much been a part of that roundabout journey. Because long before delivering kinesiology lectures to current Rebels, Navalta was on the receiving end of them as a student himself. 

Upon completing his undergraduate degree at Brigham Young University-Hawai’i, Navalta was forced to leave home because, at the time, none of the universities on the island offered graduate programs in kinesiology.

As he researched options, Navalta developed an immediate interest in UNLV — not only for academic reasons but because the university is located in a city with a vibrant Hawaiian presence. So vibrant that it’s colloquially known as the “Ninth Island.”

Navalta ended up applying to multiple schools and received multiple offers. However, the one from UNLV included a paid graduate assistantship — and that sealed the deal. 

The GA position also gave Navalta his first taste of life as a college professor. So after completing his UNLV degree in two years, Navalta moved further east to West Lafayette, Indiana, where in 2003 he earned a doctorate in exercise physiology from Purdue University.

Now fully committed to following in his father’s footsteps, Navalta landed his first teaching job at Southern Arkansas University as an assistant professor of exercise science. Nearly three years later, he joined the faculty at Western Kentucky, where over the next six years he would become tenured as an associate professor of exercise science.

“At that point,”  Navalta says, “I thought I was going to be there for the rest of my career.”

Then he spotted a posting for a faculty position in UNLV’s Department of Kinesiology and Nutritional Sciences.

Fairly certain that he didn’t “tick all the boxes,” Navalta decided not to waste his time applying. Then a member of the faculty whom Navalta knew reached out and encouraged him to throw his hat in the ring.

He did, and an offer letter soon followed — as did one from his first alma mater, BYU-Hawai’i.

“It was a conundrum,” Navalta says. “Growing up in Hawai’i, it was tough to turn that position down.”

In the end, Navalta decided to return to the Ninth Island rather than his home island, joining the UNLV faculty as an associate professor ahead of the fall 2012 semester.

In the 13 years since, Navalta has educated hundreds of Rebels working toward their undergraduate and graduate degrees in kinesiology and related fields. Among the courses Navalta has taught: anatomical kinesiology and applied exercise physiology (undergraduate), and evaluation of physical work capacity and advanced exercise physiology (graduate). 

Of course, Navalta’s contributions to UNLV extend beyond the classroom and into the research lab. Through the years, his scholarship has targeted how individuals physiologically respond to outdoor exercise (think hiking and trail running), as well as the validity and reliability of wearable technology. 

These contributions factored greatly into Navalta being honored with the 2025 Outstanding Faculty Award. So, too, did the overwhelmingly positive evaluations Navalta has received over the years from students who appreciate his collaborative approach to learning.

“I like to think of my teaching style as free-flowing,” he says. “I have some guardrails installed to keep us on track, but otherwise I am more than happy to help students pursue sparks of interest — because that’s where they learn in a deeper, more meaningful way. If we can approach a challenge together and work out something that nears an answer, that’s golden to me.

“I will say, though, that my style is not for everyone, especially students who want me to provide a singular answer or experience. And I’m OK with that.”

Just as he’s OK with how his career ultimately panned out.

No, Navalta never achieved athletic glory or slipped on a white medical coat. Nevertheless, he’s grateful to have found his calling as an educator — or, more accurately, that his calling found him.

“I just took opportunities as they came, and each one opened up more possibilities,” he says. “Because I didn’t have any preconceived ideas, I’m pretty happy with how things have turned out.”

How did you find out you had been selected for the 2025 Outstanding Faculty Award, and what was your reaction?

I received a letter in the mail from the UNLV Alumni Association. I almost tossed it, because who gets important mail anymore? But I’m glad I opened it. I was humbled and very surprised. 

What sparked your interest in studying kinesiology? Was exercise and/or athletics a big part of your youth growing up?

I grew up playing sports and had a secret dream to be a professional athlete. As the oldest child with five younger sisters, I actually looked for anything to get me out of the house — in addition to playing sports, I was involved in band, yearbook, and student government.

Kinesiology allowed me to pair my love of sports with my passion for science. It seemed like a natural fit, and everything clicked.

When did you know you made the right decision to become a Rebel, and how would you describe your experience as a UNLV graduate student?

I’m not sure when I knew I had made the right decision, but I can’t imagine having a better experience anywhere else. It was amazing.

We had students from all over the country, as well as Canada, in our program, and it was a memorable time. That breadth of knowledge and diversity helped me see so many different perspectives. Additionally, the opportunities to learn and get involved in research helped me develop confidence in my budding career.

As you look back on your time as a UNLV professor, what are your overall thoughts and feelings?

There have been a lot of ups and downs. But that’s representative of how life is. It’s not some fairytale where everything is always positive.

Overall, I can say the good has outweighed the not-so-good. Every event has served as a learning opportunity, even if I wasn’t particularly open to some in the moment.

I’m proud of the students I’ve had the privilege to interact with. I’m also proud of the research we’ve conducted and the knowledge our group has added to the field. I’m excited for the future moving forward.

What is something one of your college professors did that irked you and led you to say to yourself, “If I become a professor, I’ll never do that to my students.”?

I always found it irritating whenever a professor was inflexible — not that any of mine were; I just perceived them to be. Or when they thought — or, again, it seemed to me like they thought — that their class was the most important thing happening that day.

I know students have lives outside of the hour or so I spend with them. I know there are other pressures and demands that I am not privy to. It has taken me some time to arrive at this perspective, but I now try to give students as much grace and understanding as I can.

What is one misconception or stereotype you had about professors when you were a student that you discovered to not be true?

I thought all they did was show up and teach, and wondered what they did with the rest of their time. I now know how much more there is to this job, and wonder how I can fit it all in. Not just the teaching (including prep work, grading, responding to emails, mentoring, etc.), but there’s also university and professional service, along with the research agenda.

It might not seem like it from the outside, but we professors really do have a lot on our plates!

A recent UNLV graduate who hopes to return to campus and educate the next generation of Rebels asks for one “must do” and one “must don’t” as it pertains to being a professor. What’s your response?

Must do: Connect with your students. It’s super important and something students genuinely appreciate. Even in this era of emerging AI, that human connection is something that will not be replaced anytime soon. (I hesitate to say “never,” because who knows?)

Must don’t: Don’t be overly authoritarian. I like to treat my students as future colleagues, which helps to diffuse potential power dynamics. As someone who was a student at UNLV and then returned as a faculty member, it was difficult for me to shift my own perspective. Fortunately, I have great colleagues who never once made me feel less than. So I try to meet my students on the same level and help them feel comfortable straight away. I just happened to be born a few years before them.

As someone with extensive professional and academic experience in the world of exercise physiology, you know as well as anyone about the importance of being physically active. So what’s the simplest thing those who are exercise-averse can do to improve their physical health?

Start small. Do an activity you enjoy so that being active doesn’t seem like a chore but rather something you look forward to. Then find a community that will support your choices and provide accountability. 

Also, don’t be afraid to explore — be curious about different activities you can continue to enjoy throughout your lifetime. Combine exercise with other activities you like. For instance, I listen to audiobooks while I run, and miss out on both on days when I don’t exercise. 

Finally, whatever you find that works for you, try to make it part of your daily routine.