headshot Deborah Wuest

Deborah Wuest

Professor, Health Sciences and Public Health
School: School of Health Sciences and Human Performance
Phone: 607-274-3108
Office: Hill Center G57, Ithaca, NY 14850
Specialty: Health and Physical Education

Background

Dr. Wuest is a Professor in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY.  She is a faculty member in the Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education.  In addition to teaching, Dr. Wuest has held graduate and undergraduate administrative roles in the Department.

Dr. Wuest is a graduate of SUNY Cortland, and earned her Master's degree from Indiana University.  She was hired as the women's swim coach.  After many enjoyable years of coaching, Dr. Wuest enrolled at Boston University, where she earned her doctorate in human movement. She returned to Ithaca as a teacher in the department focusing on teacher education.

Dr. Wuest currently teaches courses in essentials of public health, stress management, applied technology, and sustainability.  During her teaching career Dr. Wuest taught courses in clinical stress management, biofeedback, administration, assessment, coaching, research, contemporary sport issues, health promotion, and physical education pedagogy. Her long time interest in online learning led her to develop online courses in her area of expertise.

Dr. Wuest’s scholarship is reflected in her national and international presentations and writings on the topics of physical education pedagogy, humanistic coaching, academic language, English Language Learners, qualitative research, teacher burnout, teacher resilience, and trauma-informed pedagogy. Dr. Wuest’s co-authored textbook --  Foundations of Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Sport -- is one of the most widely used texts in the field. She is a member of the Research Consortium of the Society for Health and Physical Educators. 

Her service at the college has included participation on committees focusing on electronic portfolios for tenure and promotion, college-wide requirements (CCR), and the all-college tenure and promotion committee. At the department level, Dr. Wuest’s service has included involvement as a member of the personnel committee, curriculum committee, teacher education committee, and graduate studies.  Her volunteer activities include traveling as a member of outreach teams to Guatemala, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, where she built stoves, assisted in providing health care and instruction, and helped construct a giant tortoise habitat.

Dr. Wuest is the two-time recipient of the Charles C. Dana Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Wuest’s teaching and contributions has led to her receiving the President’s Recognition Award and the Ithaca College Faculty Excellence Award.

Dr. Wuest shares her home with 2 dogs and 6 cats, all rescues.  Unlike many, Dr. Wuest's favorite season is winter and she looks forward to the cold and the snow.