Dr. Myron Floyd is Professor and Department Head in the Department of Parks,
Recreation and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University. Active in both
teaching and research, Dr. Floyd has taught courses in evaluation and research
methods and park management. He is widely acknowledged as a leading scholar in the
area of race/ethnicity and outdoor recreation behavior. His most recent research
examines how public parks and other built environment features contribute to physical
activity in low income communities of color. Funding for his research comes from public
and private granting agencies including the National Park Service, US Forest Service,
and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. His research appears in a variety of highly
regarded scientific journals including Leisure Sciences, Journal of Leisure Research,
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Circulation, and Environment and Behavior.
Dr. Floyd serves on the Forestry Research Advisory Council which provides advice to
the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture on research priorities for the US Forest Service and
the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. He also serves on the Board of Directors
for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Dr. Floyd is the 2004 recipient of the Allen V.
Sapora Research Award from the University of Illinois, the 2006 recipient of the Benton
H. Box Award for Teaching Excellence from Clemson University, and the 2008 recipient
of the National Recreation and Park Association Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt
Award for Excellence in Recreation and Park Research. He is an elected Fellow of the
Academy of Leisure Sciences.

Education

Texas A&M University, College Station,Texas.  Ph.D.

• Recreation and Resources Development

Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina.  M.S.

• Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina.  B.S.

• Recreation and Park Administration 

Current Research Interests

• Contribution of parks and recreation amenities  to physical activity  in low-income communities of color
• Race/ethnicity and leisure activity preferences
• Environmental justice
• Health benefits of urban green space

Recent Courses Taught

• PRT 350  Outdoor Recreation Management
• PRT 380  Analysis and Evaluation in PRTM
• PRT 795 Special Topics Advanced Research Methods in PRTM (Multivariate Statistics)
• PRT 795 Special Topics Seminar on Parks and Physical Activity
• PRT 795 Special Topics Urban Green Space and Community Sustainability
• PRT 801 Doctoral Seminar

Awards

Leadership for a Diverse Campus Workshop Series, Office of the Provost (2014)
Outstanding Alumni, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University (2014)
Nominated, Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, NC State University
University of South Australia Distinguished Professor Scholarship (2010)
Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award, National Recreation and Park Association (2008)
Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (NC State University), 2007
Ben H. Box Award for Excellence (awarded by Clemson University, 2006)
Fellow, The Academy of Leisure Sciences (Elected 2005)
Gamma Sigma Delta (Honor Society of Agriculture)
Allen V. Sapora Research Award (awarded by University of Illinois, 2004)

Publications

• Park use preferences and physical activity among ethnic minority children in low-income neighborhoods in New York City (2019)
• Relationships between urban green land cover and human health at different spatial resolutions (2019)
• Scholarship on Race and Ethnicity: Assessing Contributions to Leisure Theory and Practice (2019)
• An exploratory study of perceived safety in a neighborhood park using immersive virtual environments (2018)
• Relationships between Characteristics of Urban Green Land Cover and Mental Health in U.S. Metropolitan Areas (2018)
• Emerging issues in urban ecology: implications for research, social justice, human health, and well-being (2017)
• Shared use agreements and leisure time physical activity in North Carolina public schools (2017)
• Social stratification in fishing participation in the United States a multiple hierarchy stratification perspective (2016)
• Social stratification in fishing participation in the United States: A multiple hierarchy stratification perspective (2016)
• Urban Vegetative Cover Fragmentation in the U.S.: Associations with Physical Activity and BMI (2016)

View all publications

CV

View CV