Dr. Boudreaux celebrates multiple successes in teaching, research and service this spring

The spring semester was a momentous one for Dr. Benjamin Boudreaux.  

The clinical assistant professor of exercise science received two awards, the UA Teaching Academy’s Outstanding Growth in Teaching Award and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism’s Leading the Way Award for his service and autism advocacy work. He was named an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Fellow and highlighted in a Mayo Clinic Proceedings Editor’s Choice piece for his paper “Achieving Guidelines Within a 24-Hour Movement Paradigm and Risk of Mortality in US Adults.” (See our March 2026 issue to learn more about the paper. Boudreaux's interview with the journal can be viewed at the end of this article.)  

What’s more, he also shattered a personal record while running the Boston Marathon, finishing in just 3 hours and 26 minutes. 

Boudreaux attributes these accomplishments to persistency as well as an incredible support system – Kinesiology Department Head Dr. Jonathan Wingo, colleagues here at UA and others from all over.  

“This didn’t happen overnight. It's reflective of a lot of hard work," he said. “It's very humbling, but it’s also like, is this real?”  

If you had asked him a year ago where he thought he would be in a year’s time, “I would have laughed at you,” Boudreaux said frankly.  

“I’d have said there is no way I would be here. It’s like 2025 was Murphy’s Law for me – what can go wrong, did go wrong.” 

Last spring, Boudreaux was leaving New York. He had been laid off from his job. His research grant had been cut. He was consistently applying for jobs, including one here at UA, but unable to find anything.  

Things were looking dire. 

“I didn’t have anything lined up, I thought I might be moving back home,” he said. “I didn’t know where I was headed.” 

In July, he ran into Dr. Hayley MacDonald, associate professor of exercise science, at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting. He explained his situation, and their interaction encouraged him to apply again at UA for his current faculty position. 

This time, Boudreaux got the job. 

His first fall semester was tough, he admitted. Making the transition from research to teaching was a challenge, one that ended with negative evaluations and ratings from several students. 

“Learning, like everything, comes with time,” he said. “You can’t please everybody. It stung, but I used it as motivation.” 

Taking the criticism to heart, Boudreaux adjusted his course and teaching style for this spring with support from the UA Teaching Academy. He took part in focus groups and underwent its Midterm Teaching Evaluation halfway through the semester. 

Not only did he receive overwhelmingly positive evaluations from his students, but the UA Teaching Academy awarded Boudreaux its Outstanding Growth in Teaching honor in recognition of his progress on April 24. 

“I told my students a lot this spring that a semester is a lot like running a marathon,” he said. “You’re going to go through ups and downs. You’re going to go through points where you want to cry and are asking, ‘Why did I do this?’ But, by the end, you are saying, “Oh, I’m going to keep doing this!” and that’s the thrill of it. That’s the enjoyment of seeing your accomplishments come to fruition.” 

Boudreaux is a first-generation college graduate, something he feels helps him relate to his students. He presents his lessons in ways where his students can connect to the subject matter, sometimes sharing his own experiences with Type 1 diabetes, running marathons and more. Several are even asking him about research collaborations. 

“Teaching helps me connect my work to impact, especially for students,” Boudreaux said. “Through research, we know that if you sit for over 14 hours then exercise for 30 minutes, you still have a high risk of death. A lot of them did not realize that. ... I want to give students different lenses of knowing that, yes, exercise is important for your health, but everyday physical movement and monitoring our sleep and sitting time are as well.” 

Boudreaux’s commitment to teaching, research and service is steadfast. He is always moving forward, always thinking ahead and aiming higher. 

After his successes this semester, he says he will take some time to relax this summer, but there is no time to be complacent – conference season is upon us, and he's been invited to speak at three different ones. He is teaching a course in July and has two new classes plus the New York City Marathon to look forward to in the fall.  

“I believe you can celebrate your successes, but don’t dwell on them too long,” he said. “I’m always thinking, ‘OK, what’s the next big thing? How can I make it better?’ Some people will say, ‘You’ll burn yourself out,’ but I’m not looking at it as burnout. I’m building toward a higher and higher goal.”