Fred L. Peterson, Ph.D., CHES

Associate Professor, Health Education
Kinesiology & Health Education

Bellmont Hall 222
College of Education
The University of Texas
Austin, TX 78712

Phone: 512-232-5877; Fax: 512-471-8914
E-mail: fpeterson@mail.utexas.edu

Educational Background

• 1981 Ph.D. University of Illinois (Health Education/Adult Education)
• 1978 M.S. & Ed. University of Toledo (Public Health)
• 1972 B.Ed. University of Toledo (Health Education/Biology)

Research and Scholarly Interests

Dr. Peterson’s primary areas of scholarship lie in child, adolescent, and school health, with a special emphasis in school health teacher education. He has developed an innovative paradigm for teacher training: the Child and Adolescent Health Logic Framework.  A special interest is the enhancement of teacher health literacy in students preparing for careers in education and health promotion.  Another area of interest is the bio-psycho-sociology of adolescent risk-taking behavior.  In his teaching, Dr. Peterson emphasizes the linking of the theoretical and conceptual foundations of youth risk-taking behavior to the design of evidence-based school health education programs.  In addition, Dr. Peterson has an interest in Global Warming Education and its relevance in child and adolescent health promotion.

Publications:

• Peterson, F., Cooper, R., and Laird, J. Enhancing Teacher Health Literacy in School Health Promotion: A Vision For The New Millennium, Journal of School Health, Vol. 71, No. 4: 138-144 (April, 2001)
• Peterson, F. The Nuts and Bolts of Adolescent Risk-Taking Behavior: A Primer for Texas School Health Professionals. Journal of the Texas School Health Association - Texas School Health Brief (April 2002)
• Jordan-Wyatt, T. and Peterson, F. Risky Business: Exploring Adolescent Risk-Taking Behavior, Journal of School Health, August, 2005 – Vol. 75, No. 6 (229- 231)
• Jordan-Wyatt, T. and Peterson, F.  Promoting Social and Health Advocacy in the Classroom through Service Learning, The Health Educator – Journal of Eta Sigma Gamma, Fall 2008
• Peterson, F.  Contributing Author - National Health Education Standards Review and Revision Initiative Advisory Panel.  National Health Education Standards – Achieving Excellence, American Cancer Society, 2007

Selected Conference Papers:

• Peterson, F. and Wyatt, T.  Adolescent Risk-Taking Behavior:  Essential Concepts for Youth Health Promotion & Teacher Education, National Association of Health Education Centers’ Annual Conference/ Mid Year AAHE Conference, Houston, Texas, September, 2005
• Jordan-Wyatt, T. and Peterson, F. Risky Business:  Exploring Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviors, American School Health Association Annual Conference, Burbank, California, October, 2005
• Peterson, F., Coleman, G., Sowers, J., and Sroka, S.  Connecting the Dots: Linking School Health, Literacy, and Student Achievement, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois,     April, 2006
• Peterson, F., Tappe, M., and Connolly, M. National Health Education Standards Review and Revision Initiative, American Public Health Association Annual Conference, November, 2006, Boston, Massachusetts
• Welsh, K. and Peterson, F.,  Experiential Learning: the Perfect Pedagogy for Addressing Risk-Taking,  American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Annual Conference, Fort Worth, Texas, April, 2008.

Courses:

• HED 329K: Child, Adolescent, and Adult Health
• HED 370K: Adolescent Health Risk Behavior
• HED 395: Child and Adolescent Health Psychology