Luis Fernando Aragón-Vargas, Ph.D., FACSM GSSI, San Jose, Costa Rica

Luis Aragón currently works as a senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). He oversees the scientific efforts of the Institute in Latin America and Europe, from his home office in San José, Costa Rica. He also holds a part-time appointment as Full Professor of Physical Education, Universidad de Costa Rica. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, where he has served as a member of the International Relations Committee.

Born in Costa Rica, Dr. Aragón obtained his B.S. in physical education from the University of Costa Rica in 1980, and traveled to North America for graduate work. After receiving his Master of Science degree from the University of Michigan (physical education-exercise physiology), Dr. Aragón returned to Costa Rica where he taught at U.C.R. and worked as a fitness program director for the Cariari International Country Club and later for Multispa Corobicí.

Dr. Aragón combined his experience in the fitness industry with his scientific training to establish Aptitud Física ERGON S.A., his fitness consulting business, in 1988. In 1990, he returned to the United States as a Fulbright scholar at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he worked at the Fitness Research Center and the Center for Human Motor Research. He graduated with a Ph.D. in exercise science and a certificate of graduate studies in worksite health promotion in 1994.

Before joining GSSI in 1997, Luis worked full time for the University of Costa Rica and ran his fitness consulting business. He was also a member of the GSSI Board of Advisors in Science and Education for Latin America. His major university responsibilities included teaching undergraduate exercise and nutrition, and graduate exercise physiology and biomechanics classes. His research has focused on two different areas: the biomechanics of the vertical jump, and nutritional ergogenic aids for sports performance. He has published several scientific papers in English and Spanish, and a Spanish textbook of exercise physiology.