Dr. Amanda Perkins-Ball is an Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Rice University, where she brings more than a decade of experience in teaching, research, and student mentorship. Her expertise lies in exercise and sport psychology, with a focus on motivation, physical activity behavior, motor learning, and the intersection of culture, identity, and health.

Since joining the Rice faculty in 2017, Dr. Perkins-Ball has taught a variety of undergraduate courses, including Scientific Foundations of Kinesiology, Motor Learning, Psychological Aspects of Sport & Exercise, and Psychological Aspects of Sport Injury & Rehabilitation. Her pedagogical innovation and commitment to student development have been recognized with several honors, including the Association for Applied Sport Psychology’s Teaching Excellence Award and Rice University’s Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award.

Dr. Perkins-Ball earned her Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a specialization in Exercise and Sport Psychology from Temple University, an M.S.Ed. in Sport Studies from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and a B.S. in Health and Human Performance from the University of Louisville. Before coming to Rice, she served as Assistant Professor and Program Director for Exercise & Sports Studies and Physical Education at Benedictine University in Chicago and as Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Missouri State University.

A Fellow of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), Dr. Perkins-Ball currently serves on AASP’s Executive Board as Membership Services Division Head. Her scholarly contributions include several book chapters, 16 peer-reviewed publications, and over 40 presentations at state, national, and international conferences. In addition to her academic work, Dr. Perkins-Ball maintains a performance consulting practice that supports athletes at the youth, collegiate, and professional levels, as well as performing artists and individuals pursuing lifestyle behavior change.