Bruce Etnyre was awarded Professor Emeritus status in the year 2017 after serving on the faculty of the Department of Kinesiology since 1984, as a professor and former department chair. His primary research interests have included the study of flexibility and the study of movement when rising from sitting, especially for those who suffer from back pain. He has also conducted research involving motor control and biomechanical analysis of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgical repair in athletic women, and studies of distractions while driving. Dr. Etnyre received his bachelor's degree from Valparaiso University with a double major in Kinesiology and English. He completed two Master of Science degrees, one from Purdue University with majors in Kinesiology and English, and another from Texas Woman's University in Physical Therapy. His doctoral degree is from the University of Texas at Austin with specialization in Motor Control and Biomechanics. As a Licensed Physical Therapist he treats students with varying pathologies who seek his assistance.

Dr. Etnyre's professional career began as a teacher and coach (assistant football, basketball, wrestling and track) in a small high school in Indiana. After a few years, he became a head football coach at another high school. Following a three-year tenure as a head football coach, while obtaining his first masters degree, he entered the doctoral program at the University of Texas. He served as a teaching assistant in the Kinesiology Department, while also working as a graduate assistant for the University of Texas football team. After completing his doctoral work he joined the faculty at Rice University.

The classes Dr. Etnyre taught included: Motor Control; Motor Learning and Motor Learning Labs; and Scientific Foundations of Kinesiology. He was also an adjunct faculty member at Texas Women's and the University of Houston. He co-edited the book Advances in Psychology: Human Learning: Biology, Brain, and Neuroscience and has nearly more than 40 published papers in refereed journals, more than 100 presentations of scholarly research at state, regional, national and international professional meetings, and has been an invited speaker to nearly 50 national and international conferences.