James F. Sallis PhD

James F. Sallis, Ph.D. is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego, and a Professorial Fellow at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. He has a doctorate in clinical psychology from Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis) and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine. He has been named a Fellow in four scientific organizations. His primary research interests are promoting physical activity and providing evidence to guide policy and environmental strategies to improve physical activity, sedentary behavior, nutrition, and obesity.

His health improvement programs have been studied and used in health care settings, schools, universities, and companies. He is an author of over 600 scientific publications, on the editorial boards of several journals, and is one of the world’s most-cited authors in the social sciences. Thomson-Reuters identified him as one of the world’s most creative scientific minds in 2014, 2015, and 2016. He is a member of the US National Academy of Medicine and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. He is Past-President of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Professor Sallis is the author of over 750 scientific publications, on the editorial boards of several journals, and is one of the world’s most cited scientific authors. Thomson-Reuters identified him as one of the world’s most creative scientific minds in 2014, 2015, and 2016. He has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the US President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. He has received awards for scientific achievement from the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, American College of Sports Medicine, Society of Health Psychology, and Society of Behavioral Medicine. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine. He is Past-President of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

Professor Sallis collaborates with Professor Ester Cerin and researchers in the Behaviour, Environment, and Cognition Program to advance knowledge in the role of built environments in preserving cognitive function in older adults, as well as exploring mechanisms for the expected effects. He also mentors and provides career guidance to MMIHR’s Ph.D. students and early career researchers.