Dr. Samantha M. Ross (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Education Teacher Education Program in the Department of Coaching and Teaching Studies within the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences at West Virginia University. Dr. Ross completed her B.S. in Human Physiology and Psychology at the University of Oregon. Following this, Dr. Ross continued to pursue her graduate programs at Oregon State University, completing an M.S. in Exercise and Sport Science, and M.P.H. in Epidemiology, and PhD in Kinesiology with a certificate in Adapted Physical Activity. In 2021, Dr. Ross was awarded the Dr. G Arthur Broten Young Scholar Recognition Award from the Western Society of Kinesiology and Wellness. Dr. Ross is a faculty member of the Multi-Institution Adapted Physical Activity Mentorship Consortium, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs.


Institution: West Virginia University

Project Title: Autistic Stakeholder Perspectives and Construct Validation of Flourishing Measures; Informing Surveillance and Intervention

Project Overview: The research investigates the construct validity of flourishing as a measure of well-being in autistic youth, which was integrated into the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) in 2018 but not validated for this population.