Dr. Jiarun Wu | Psychology | Best Researcher Award

Lecturer at Guizhou university of traditional Chinese medicine, China

Dr. Jiarun Wu is a dedicated and emerging scholar in the field of sports science, with a strong focus on exercise physiology, sports nutrition, and mental health in adolescents. Currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Dr. Wu has demonstrated exceptional research productivity through his involvement in numerous interdisciplinary studies. His scholarly work primarily explores the impact of physical activity on psychological well-being, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has published in several high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and contributed to academic books indexed in Scopus. Dr. Wu’s collaborative spirit and cross-cultural research efforts have earned him respect in both Chinese and international academic communities. His work reflects a deep commitment to promoting health and wellness through evidence-based sports science. With several projects either completed or in review, he is steadily building a research portfolio that bridges physical education, public health, and youth development. Dr. Wu combines academic rigor with a passion for social relevance, making him a notable early-career researcher. His achievements underscore his readiness to contribute to both the scholarly community and practical sports interventions, particularly in addressing mental resilience in school-aged youth through innovative physical education methods.

Publication Profile 

• Google Scholar

Education

Dr. Wu Jiarun’s educational journey is marked by consistent excellence and a clear focus on sports science and human movement. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Hainan Normal University in 2014, where he laid the foundation for his academic and professional pursuits in physical fitness and education. Motivated to deepen his expertise, he continued at the same university to pursue a Master’s degree in Human Movement Science, which he completed in 2017. His postgraduate studies emphasized biomechanics, exercise rehabilitation, and psychological assessment in sports. In 2021, Dr. Wu began his Ph.D. studies in Sports Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia, one of Southeast Asia’s leading research institutions. His doctoral work focuses on the psychometric assessment of mental resilience and physical literacy in adolescents, particularly in post-COVID-19 contexts. His academic path reflects a continuous and strategic progression toward advanced expertise in exercise science, combining Eastern traditional perspectives with global scientific methodologies. Through each educational phase, Dr. Wu has developed a deep theoretical knowledge base and practical research skills, which now form the backbone of his scholarly identity. His academic record exemplifies commitment, intellectual curiosity, and international engagement in his field.

Professional Experience

Dr. Wu began his academic career in 2017 as a Lecturer at the School of Physical Education and Health, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China. In this role, he has been actively involved in teaching undergraduate students, developing course materials related to physical fitness testing, and conducting collaborative research projects. His role at the university has allowed him to engage in both teaching and applied research, particularly in exercise physiology and rehabilitation. He has played a key role in integrating modern sports science with traditional Chinese medicine approaches, promoting a more holistic view of health and movement. His current doctoral training at Universiti Sains Malaysia further enriches his international exposure, while still maintaining his academic responsibilities in China. Dr. Wu’s dual affiliation between China and Malaysia reflects a strong commitment to academic networking and interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. Beyond teaching, he has contributed to research capacity building through participation in institutional and provincial-level grant projects. His professional background showcases not only his ability to conduct rigorous research but also to translate those findings into meaningful educational and community-based initiatives. His balanced experience in academia and applied research strengthens his profile as a multifaceted sports science professional.

Research Interest

Dr. Wu’s primary research interests lie at the intersection of exercise rehabilitation, sports psychology, physical literacy, and mental resilience, with a special emphasis on youth populations. He has a particular passion for understanding how physical activity influences mental toughness, emotional well-being, and stress regulation, especially in response to disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. His recent studies have explored topics such as the validation of psychometric tools for assessing mental energy and emotional states among school-aged adolescents, and the use of sports games and music integration to mitigate anxiety and depression. These interests are guided by a broader objective: to promote healthy active lifestyles and support mental health through physical education and structured interventions. Dr. Wu is also engaged in research on sports nutrition and nutrient intake assessment, particularly for athletes and adolescents undergoing physical training. His interdisciplinary research spans psychology, kinesiology, and public health, addressing urgent social issues such as adolescent mental well-being and post-pandemic recovery. Through his work, Dr. Wu aims to contribute to the development of effective strategies that can be implemented in schools and sports institutions, thereby improving the physical and psychological development of young populations.

Research Skills

Dr. Wu possesses a diverse set of research skills that encompass quantitative data analysis, psychometric scale validation, experimental design, and systematic literature reviews. His training has enabled him to design and execute complex randomized controlled trials (RCTs), particularly examining interventions such as music-integrated sports games for improving mental toughness. He has demonstrated strong proficiency in using statistical tools such as SPSS, AMOS, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze behavioral and psychological data. One of his key competencies is the development and validation of measurement instruments for mental resilience, emotional states, and physical literacy. He is skilled in conducting cross-cultural studies, involving adolescent populations in different Chinese provinces, with applications in educational and public health contexts. Dr. Wu also excels in systematic and meta-analytic review methods, as evidenced by his published work synthesizing global data on anxiety and physical activity during the pandemic. Furthermore, he is well-versed in grant writing and proposal development, having secured multiple research grants at both university and national levels. His comprehensive skill set allows him to approach sports science from both theoretical and applied perspectives, making his research both methodologically sound and socially impactful.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Wu has been recognized with several prestigious academic awards and competitive research grants throughout his academic journey, reflecting his scholarly dedication and research potential. Notably, he was awarded the China National Postgraduate Scholarship, a merit-based award granted to outstanding graduate students across the country. In addition, he has been a recipient of research funding from the Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, enabling him to pursue innovative research projects in exercise rehabilitation and mental health. Dr. Wu also received support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Grant at the University of Guizhou, as well as from the Chinese Ministry of Education’s Philosophy and Social Science Research Program. These honors not only demonstrate the trust his institutions place in his capabilities but also highlight his ability to secure funding for impactful, socially relevant studies. His projects have contributed to national discussions on adolescent health and the role of physical education in psychological development. As his career progresses, these recognitions mark the beginning of what is likely to be a distinguished trajectory in academic research and policy influence within the fields of sports science and health promotion.

Conclusion

Dr. Wu Jiarun is a promising early-career researcher with a strong portfolio of peer-reviewed publications in reputable journals, relevant interdisciplinary themes (mental health, sports science), and international academic collaboration. These attributes make him a competitive candidate for emerging researcher or young investigator awards.

However, for a Best Researcher Award (general category), which typically honors sustained, high-impact research leadership over a longer period, Dr. Wu may be more suitable in 1–3 years once citation metrics, independent PI roles, and additional research outcomes mature.

Publications

• The impact of COVID-19 on students’ anxiety and its clarification: a systematic review
  Year: 2023
  Citations: 18

• Validation of the Athletic Mental Energy Scale for Chinese School-Age Adolescents
  Year: 2024
  Citations: 1

• Examining the Relationship Between Physical Literacy and Resilience Against COVID-19-Induced Negative Mental States in Chinese Adolescents
  Year: 2024
  Citations: 1

• Alleviating Adolescent Stress, Anxiety, and Fear Through Music and Sports Games During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial
  Year: 2025

• The Impact of Tai Chi Combined with Music-Assisted Intervention on Depression and Anxiety Among College Students
  Year: 2025

• Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version Physical Literacy Assessment Questionnaire Among High School Students in Gansu, China
  Year: 2025

• Anxiety, Depression and Stress Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Physical Activities: Systematic Review and Future
  Year: 2024

• Physical Education and Sport Anxiety State Scale: Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version
  Year: 2024

• A Feasibility Study on Using Sports Games to Enhance Mental Toughness of Chinese Adolescents
  Year: 2023