College of Education and Human Development
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Robert E. Baker

Ed.D., The College of William & Mary
Associate Professor
Coordinator, Sport Management

Contact Information

Send email to rbaker2@gmu.edu

Phone: (703) 993-3727
Fax: (703) 993-2025

George Mason University, Prince William Campus
Bull Run Hall 201G
10900 University Blvd
MS 4E5
Manassas, VA 20110

Profile

Dr. Baker received his academic preparation from Penn State University (BS, MS) and William & Mary (EdD). He has had extensive experience in the sport industry, serving as an administrator and coach in both scholastic and collegiate settings. Prior to arriving at George Mason, Dr. Baker served as Chair of the Department of Sport Sciences at Ashland University (OH). While at William & Mary, he examined power and authority in intercollegiate athletic governance. While at Penn State he studied parental perspectives of the athletic recruiting process.

Dr. Baker’s current research agenda focuses on stakeholder dynamics in sport, including leadership in sport (e.g. altruism, strategies, coaching); contextual issues in sport (e.g. trash talking’ athletic inclusion); governance and policy in sport (e.g. systemic dysfunction in college athletics, sponsorships, Final Four impacts, human resources, facility management); and sport management professional preparation (e.g. field experiences, cooperative-competitive learning, outcomes assessment).

He has written numerous articles and conducted over forty scholarly presentations. Dr. Baker has served on numerous editorial boards and has also served as a folio reviewer for the SMPRC. Recent publications appear in such journals as the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Sport Management and Related Topics Journal, Strategies, the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, the NIRSA Journal, Visions in Leisure and Business, and the International Journal of Sport Management, among others. He is currently studying the broad impacts of George Mason’s Final Four appearance.

Research Interests

Stakeholder Dynamics in Sport – including:

  • Leadership
  • Contextual Issues
  • Governance & Policy
  • Sport Management Professional Preparation