Dr. Jenna Yentes

Dr. Jenna Yentes

Dr. Jenna Yentes, PhD, Associate Professor, Director of the Biomechanics Research Laboratory, Dept. of Health & Kinesiology, Texas A&M University.

Dr. Yentes currently serves as the Interim Director of the Sydney and JL Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance at Texas A&M University. She is also an Associate Professor and the Director of the Biomechanics Research Laboratory in the Department of Health & Kinesiology. Dr. Yentes’ research focuses on the functional resiliency and reserve in older adults. Currently she is working with collaborators at Texas A&M to quantify the amount of reserve a person has in their ability to walk, remember things, and adapt to a high demand exercise session. She hopes to use reserve from multiple activities to create a general, whole body estimate of reserve.

She also studies coupling of biological rhythms, such as breathing and walking. Previously, she has explored the clinical utility of breathing and walking coupling for pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Currently, she is exploring the coupling of biological rhythms for human performance. 

Dr. Yentes is a first generation college student, and received her B.A. in Kinesiology from the University of Northern Colorado (2000), M.S. in Kinesiology from California State University Fullerton (2006), and Ph.D. in Biomechanics from the University of Nebraska (2013). She has worked in various sectors including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, has owned her own business, and had too many odd jobs to count. Before coming to Texas A&M University, Dr. Yentes was faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has been awarded the Promising Scientist Award from the International Society of Posture and Gait Research. She is passionate about advocating for inclusion of all in the STEM sciences. Dr. Yentes is a member of the American Society of Biomechanics, Black Biomechanics Association, International Society of Posture and Gait Research, and Gerontological Society of America. Outside of work, she supports animal rescues (she has a soft spot for corgis), listening to live music, and soaking up the sun.