March 7, 2023
University Distinguished Professor Tim Musch elected president of American Physiological Society
Tim Musch, university distinguished professor of kinesiology and anatomy and physiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Health and Human Sciences, is the new president-elect for the American Physiological Society, or APS. According to the society, Musch will begin his term on April 23 at the closing of the 2023 American Physiology Summit.
His election involves a three-year commitment. He will serve as president-elect from 2023-2024, president from 2024-2025 and past president from 2025-2026.
"Dr. Musch is the first faculty member from a Kansas university to be elected to serve as president of the American Physiological Society," said Hans Coetzee, university distinguished professor and department head for anatomy and physiology in K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine. "The APS was founded in 1887 and represents nearly 10,000 scientists and educators from around the world. Dr. Musch has been an APS member since 1976 and brings a wealth of experience to APS leadership. This is an incredible honor for Dr. Musch that will also raise the profile of K-State both nationally and internationally."
During his tenure, Musch said he wants to restart the APS Living History of Physiology program that presents videotaped interviews with prominent APS scientists.
"The interviews cover the individual's history and contribution to their scientific field along with their contributions to the APS," Musch said. "These interviews are open to everyone on the APS website and are a wealth of information for younger scientists in the field of physiology."
Musch said he also wants to examine ways to increase and retain APS memberships. One method he plans to explore is connecting the APS Center for Physiology Education with universities housing undergraduate degrees in integrative physiology — those degree programs serve as springboards for students who want to pursue graduate programs in health-related fields.
"The Center for Physiology Education is basically a community of excellence focused on elevating the way we teach and learn physiology," Musch said. "I would like to explore how the APS may be able to help strengthen both undergraduate and graduate programs in physiology directly by working with these programs and utilizing the Center for Physiology Education."
In addition to holding a dual appointment in kinesiology and anatomy and physiology, Musch is the co-director of the College of Veterinary Medicine's Cardiorespiratory Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory.
Musch came to K-State in 1993 and, in 2017, was named a university distinguished professor of kinesiology and anatomy and physiology. He has held a range of positions on many national scientific committees, including the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Physiological Society, NASA and the National Institutes of Health.
Currently, Musch serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Applied Physiology and the American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology. Other editorial and manuscript reviewer positions include Frontiers in Physiology, where he serves as an associate editor for the Exercise Physiology section and as an abstract reviewer for National Meetings of the American College of Sports Medicine.
The American Physiological Society is the leading physiological society for research, collaboration and education.