Professor Ann O'Connell (right) hears from a student at the Research Forum.
The Annual EHE Research Forum provides a platform for graduate and undergraduate students to share their research efforts. Working closely with faculty members, who often grow into mentors, EHE’s best present their knowledge during the annual event to further their scholarship.
After much time apart, the in-person event this past February hosted over 200 attendees at the Ohio Union. More than 114 people presented their work through a variety of formats and topics ranging from examining educational placement for students on the autism spectrum to impact of sanitizers on the health of hydroponic leafy greens.
Ezemenari Obasi, ’05 PhD, Psychology, professor and director of the HEALTH Research Institute at the University of Houston, served as luncheon keynote speaker.
“I’m so glad that we were able to hold the forum in person this year and that we had such a great turn out,” said Kim Lightle, director of the college’s Office of Research, Innovation and Collaboration (ORIC). “It was great seeing faculty, postdocs and graduate students share their research and interact with attendees in the same space. We already have the date scheduled for next year – Thurs., Feb. 16, 2023 – so save the date!”
Graduate students on one of the panels discussed the Graduate Student Interdisciplinary Research Initiative (GSIRI), a grant program sponsored by the college that extended its first grants to graduate student-led research teams. They shared findings from the program evaluation that examined the development of interdisciplinary skills and research preparedness among the student grantees.
Dimetri Brandon, Blaize Schiebler, Obidah Atkinson and John Taylor presented “Examining Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Children Aged 4 to 11 Years.” This study investigated MVPA in children in three age groups. No gender differences were found, but there were significant age effects. Gender, age and object controls significantly predicted MVPA and accounted for 25 percent of the variances in MVPA. These findings have implications for physical education programming. This project created a pathway for group member Blaize Schiebler, a third-year student majoring in the College of Public Health with a minor in Sociology, to collaborate with the college’s faculty and student researchers.
Her interest in motor development and kinesiology has kept her enrolled in courses through the college. “Over the past three years, I have been able to interact, engage and learn from both the faculty and students within EHE, and I have gained valuable skills that will aid me in my academic pursuits in the future. The faculty with EHE have been very supportive. It is very clear that students are at the center of the focus.” Shiebler was also recently selected to present the poster at the North American Society for the Study of Sport and Physical Activity in Hawaii this summer.
The poster presentations were very rich as well. For example, Olivia Baker (Fashion and Retail Studies) examined the social forces such as politics, gender identity and pop culture that drive fashion choices made by Midwestern drag performers. The project aimed to represent and understand a complex subculture of the LGBT+ community, specifically in the context of their costumes.
Mark Jones (School Psychology) researched the negative media portrayals of Black people and how it has contributed to discipline gaps among Black boys when compared to other student groups.
Paige Kluska (Consumer Sciences) examined student loans and financial stress and the association of higher education debt on student wellness.
As the college advances its research agenda, student interest in research is growing and expanding opportunities beyond the college. As an undergraduate Honors student in Human Development and Family Science, Jessica Quach worked with Cynthia Gerhardt, PhD, director of the Center for Biobehavioral Health at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
With the help of Gerhardt’s lab, Quach studied long-term psychological distress in mothers of pediatric cancer survivors and what factors at cancer diagnosis were significant predictors of maternal distress five years post-diagnosis.
“Coming into my project last May, I had no prior research experience and was very worried about the idea of completing a thesis. However, throughout the last year, I've come to really appreciate and enjoy the research process, as well as the important work researchers are doing to support families. I've become more confident and assured in planning for my future. I could not have completed this project without Dr. Gerhardt's mentorship and the support from Melissa Solinger, my Honors advisor from EHE, who I met with over five times within the last year.”
“EHE’s annual research symposium deepens our college students’ learning, energizes our academic and research agendas and informs new policies through building knowledge.” ~ Dean Don Pope-Davis
For more information on college research, check out the Office of Research, Innovation and Collaboration (ORIC). https://oric.ehe.osu.edu/
