Dr Francisco Javier López Frías

Biography

Francisco Javier (Javi) López Frías is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science. He earned his PhD in Philosophy from the University of Valencia in Spain, after completing a master’s in Ethics and Democracy and a BA in Philosophy at the same institution. Before joining USU, he spent nine years at Penn State, where he held appointments with the Rock Ethics Institute, the Philosophy Department (courtesy), and the Bioethics Program. Along the way, he has completed scholarly visits at academic institutions across the globe (such as Oxford’s Uehiro Center for Practical Ethics, the Franklin Institute in Alcalá de Henares, and the University of Rome – Foro Italico), received a few academic honors (the Robert Scott Kretchmar Student Essay Award and the Warren Fraleigh Distinguished Scholar Award, both by the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport), and served as President of the Spanish Association for the Philosophy of Sport, a member of the Spanish Academy of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, and Editor-in-Chief of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy. His research explores the nature of sport and how people might improve sporting practices. These include evaluating doping, philosophical perspectives on play and games—particularly those developed by the late philosopher of games Bernard Suits—and broader issues of justice and inclusion, such as how playing time is allocated in youth sports.