Douglas Casa, a professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut and CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute, will speak on "Maximizing Athletic Performance in the Heat" on Thursday, April 9 on the University of Arkansas campus.

Casa will speak at 3:30 p.m. in Room 103 of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Building.

The lecture is free and open to the public. It is part of the Hydration Lecture Series sponsored by the College of Education and Health Professions. RSVP is required by emailing to jxa014@uark.edu.

Casa's passion for the study of exertional heat stroke, heat illness, hydration and preventing sudden death in sport started in 1985 when he suffered an exertional heat stroke while running a 10K race.

His ultimate goal is to find ways to prevent needless tragedy during sport and physical activity.

"I was fortunate to receive amazing care on-site from the athletic trainer, the EMTs in the ambulance and at the hospital from the emergency room physicians and nurses," Casa said. "I only survived because of the exceptional care I received. I was just 16 years old at the time, but I have been driven by this experience since that day."

In April 2010, Kelci Stringer, the widow of Minnesota Viking Korey Stringer, and James Gould, Korey Stringer's agent, asked Casa to develop and run the Korey Stringer Institute at the University of Connecticut. Korey Stringer was an All-Pro offensive tackle who died from exertional heat stroke in August 2001. The institute serves the public to work toward preventing sudden death in sport by mean of education, advocacy, public policy, research, media outreach, and publications.

Casa is also the editor of a book titled Preventing Sudden Death in Sport and Physical Activity, published by Jones & Bartlett in cooperation with the American College of Sports Medicine.

He is an associate editor of the Journal of Athletic Training, and on the editorial board of Current Sports Medicine Reports, Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Numerous media outlets across the country have interviewed him about his research including the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America, ESPN, CNN, PBS, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.