Stavros Kavouras, University of Arkansas associate professor of exercise science, has been named Dean’s Fellow in the College of Education and Health Professions, Dean Tom Smith announced.

Kavouras joined the faculty in 2012. He is an expert in the area of hydration and its effects on both health and exercise performance. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and a Fellow of the European College of Sport Science.

“This is the second year of our new dean’s fellowship program to identify young, outstanding faculty members who are interested in serving in college leadership positions,” Smith said. “Dr. Kavouras is recognized internationally for his research on hydration, and he has also held some leadership positions in his field.”

Smith said Kavouras likely will examine program rankings as his project for the yearlong fellowship. The college’s graduate education programs rose 46 places this year in the U.S. News & World Report graduate school rankings to No. 86.

“We feel like we have other academic programs in our college that are poised to rise in rankings, both those of U.S. News and other ranking systems,” Smith said. “Our College Council, a group of faculty elected to advise the dean on matters of faculty concern, has been talking regularly about things our college can do to support these programs.”

Kavouras said he is looking forward to being part of this effort.

“I am intrigued by the university-wide initiative to become a top 50 public research university by 2021,” Kavouras said about the provost office’s initiative. “I’m excited to study this important issue and hope to help the college make improvements that raise our profile while also benefiting our students, faculty and staff.”

Kavouras previously was on the faculty of Harokopio University in Athens, Greece, where he served as acting director of the Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics for six years. He also served in faculty governance at Harokopio, and his affiliation with the American College of Sports Medicine includes service on the bylaws and constitution committee and the research award committee.

His training includes a post-doctorate fellowship in human physiology from Yale University School of Medicine, a doctorate in human exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in exercise physiology and nutrition from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Kavouras is the author of more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, and he has given lectures in more than 20 countries around the world.

Since his arrival at the University of Arkansas, he has raised more than $400,000 in research grants. He is the program coordinator for the exercise science program and has served as a scientific consultant in the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Danone/Nutrition Research and the Greek Anti-Doping Organization. He is an elected member of the American Physiological Society.