School of Health Sciences
Recent rankings have recognized Kent State University for its autism initiatives. Kent State is ranked No. 5 in the “Best Colleges for Students With Autism for 2017” from College Choice, No. 10 in the “Top 20 Best Online Colleges for Students With Autism” from Online College Plan, No. 20 in the “20 Best Value Colleges for Students With Autism 2017-2018” from Best Value Schools.
Two of the initiatives that were specifically recognized were the Autism Advocates program, run by Gina Campana, assistant director for planning, assessment and research management within Kent State’s Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and the Autism Initiative for Research, Education and Outreach program, run by Lisa Audet, assistant professor of speech pathology and audiology.
Autism Advocates was modeled after a similar pilot advocates’ program within Kent State’s Student Multicultural Center. Ms. Campana saw how effective the program was and wanted to expand it to other groups.
Ms. Campana says the Autism Advocates program is a chance for undergraduate students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to pair up with a faculty or staff member for support throughout the academic year. These students meet with their advocate three times a semester in order to discuss how they are doing and what help they may need.
“The students love it,” Ms. Campana says. “They have a person to go to with questions and someone to help them maneuver college.”
The Autism Advocates program was created as an initiative of the University Diversity Action Council run by Alfreda Brown, Kent State’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. It comprises students, faculty, staff and administrators who meet once a month to work on diversity-related initiatives.
Ms. Campana was not surprised Kent State’s autism initiatives received this recognition due to feedback from students and some of her research findings.
“I was not surprised at all,” she said. “Dr. Brown approached me to write a proposal for these initiatives in 2014, and I did research to find similar services to see what was successful and what was not. I realized from this research that there are not many services like ours out there.”
The Autism Initiative for Research, Education and Outreach initiative includes two programs: the Partnering for Achievement and Learning Success (P.A.L.S.) program and the College Success for Students With Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism program.
“I tried to get the P.A.L.S. program started in 2013, but no one with ASD was interested in participating,” Dr. Audet said. “This fall, I have more individuals with high-functioning autism than neurotypical students.”
Through the P.A.L.S. program, students with autism build a network with other students and connect with people around campus. They get feedback about day-to-day issues they normally would not receive.
The College Success for Students With Asperger’s Syndrome or Autism program provides self-advocacy training and job/career assistance.
In the future, Ms. Campana and Dr. Audet want to broaden their autism initiative and program outreach on campus and provide additional programs for students with autism spectrum disorder who need help adjusting to college. Ms. Campana and Dr. Audet do not work on these initiatives full-time. They are hoping in the future they can grow these programs and hire full-time personnel to work on these and other initiatives so that students with hidden disabilities can be successful at Kent State.
“What I do for autism is a small portion of my job,” Ms. Campana said. “I thought of these initiatives when my son started college here because he has Asperger’s syndrome and needed help adjusting to college.”
“My overall hope is that we will have more outreach to those individuals on the autism spectrum so they will feel more comfortable becoming engaged and successful here and beyond,” Dr. Audet said.
For more about Kent State’s autism initiatives and programs, visit www.kent.edu/diversity/autism-initiatives.
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Media Contacts:
Gina Campana, gcampana@kent.edu, 330-672-8132
Lisa Audet, laudet@kent.edu, 330-672-0257
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595
Kent Campus
Kent State University’s Exercise Science/Physiology Program was awarded a $248,000 grant by i-Health Inc. to conduct a study relating to the use of probiotics and physical exercise. Kent State faculty and students are interested in combating heat-caused complications during exercise, such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
Under the direction of Ellen Glickman, Ph.D., and Adam Jajtner, Ph.D., exercise science/physiology faculty members in Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services, undergraduate and graduate students in the program will examine whether supplementation with a probiotic-containing beverage is protective during exercise in a hot environment through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
“Primary outcomes include multiple indices of physical performance during heat stress and recovery, including endurance, power and strength,” Dr. Glickman said. “Secondary outcomes include psychological status and cognitive function during these same periods. A subset of individuals will provide biological samples to clarify possible mechanisms, including inflammatory markers.”
The i-Health grant will help to cover lab use, sampling, measurement and disposal of items related to this experiment. Founded in 2011, i-Health is a consumer-packaged goods company that focuses on helping people enhance their personal wellness.
For more information about Kent State’s Exercise Science/Physiology Program, visit www.kent.edu/ehhs/exph.
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Media Contacts:
Ellen Glickman, eglickma@kent.edu, 330-672-2930
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595
Office of Student Research
Kent State University students Nilin Rao, Ph.D., and Craig Verdin, and Exercise Science and Physiology Professor Ellen Glickman, Ph.D., are the co-founders of TheraPod Medical LLC, a wound-care company that is looking to transform the field of podiatric medicine.
Rao, a fourth-year podiatric student who completed his master’s and doctorate degrees in exercise physiology from Kent State, and Verdin, a second-year podiatric student in Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine, have been working with Glickman to research and develop products geared toward helping those with diabetes, which affects more than 29 million Americans and is growing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They developed and patented a product called the Puncture-Pedic insole to help people with ulcerations on their feet, which affects people with diabetes, and can be very painful without assistance. If the ulcerations don’t heal properly, they can cause infections and lead to possible amputations on the toes and feet. The insole made of a soft, durable fabric fits into a normal shoe and allows certain spots to be punched out so that the person can walk without pressure on the ulceration. This allows the person to easily and comfortably walk without the need for a walking boot until they can recover.
Additionally, their product also can help athletes, such as runners, recover from blisters and calluses that can impede their performance.
“There are not many options at the local drugstore for the millions of people dealing with these types of foot issues,” Glickman said. “The research shows that there really is a need for products like the one we developed, and we are looking toward the future to research and develop proactive podiatric products that use technologies such as liquid crystals to help people.”
Learn more about Kent State’s Exercise Science and Physiology program
Kent State University students Nilin Rao, Ph.D., and Craig Verdin, and Exercise Science and Physiology Professor Ellen Glickman, Ph.D., are the co-founders of TheraPod Medical LLC, a wound-care company that is looking to transform the field of podiatric medicine.
Rao, a fourth-year podiatric student who completed his master’s and doctorate degrees in exercise physiology from Kent State, and Verdin, a second-year podiatric student in Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine, have been working with Glickman to research and develop products geared toward helping those with diabetes, which affects more than 29 million Americans and is growing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They developed and patented a product called the Puncture-Pedic insole to help people with ulcerations on their feet, which affects people with diabetes, and can be very painful without assistance. If the ulcerations don’t heal properly, they can cause infections and lead to possible amputations on the toes and feet. The insole made of a soft, durable fabric fits into a normal shoe and allows certain spots to be punched out so that the person can walk without pressure on the ulceration. This allows the person to easily and comfortably walk without the need for a walking boot until they can recover.
Additionally, their product also can help athletes, such as runners, recover from blisters and calluses that can impede their performance.
“There are not many options at the local drugstore for the millions of people dealing with these types of foot issues,” Glickman said. “The research shows that there really is a need for products like the one we developed, and we are looking toward the future to research and develop proactive podiatric products that use technologies such as liquid crystals to help people.”
Learn more about Kent State’s Exercise Science and Physiology program
Division of Research & Sponsored Programs
Kent State University’s Scholar of the Month for December would prefer that you read this standing up, or even doing some calisthenics. Go on, get moving.
Jacob Barkley, Ph.D., is an associate professor of exercise science in Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services. During his 10 years with Kent State, he has earned a name for himself as a scholar who wants to get people thinking about how they move, and moving better so they can think better.
“Dr. Barkley is an active scholar and productive researcher, said Mark Kretovics, Ph.D., interim dean of Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services. “He mentors his students and collaborates with faculty across disciplines. His recent work with Dr. Andrew Lepp on mobile phone usage has garnered national attention.”
Barkley’s research examines factors that influence physical activity and sedentary behavior, namely how social factors like peer influence and technology may impact how active a person is.
The article Kretkovics mentioned, “Who’s in Charge? You or Your Smartphone?” written by Jian Li, Ph.D., assistant professor of evaluation and measurement, and Andrew Lepp, Ph.D., associate professor of recreation, park and tourism management — both from the in the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration in the College of Education, Health and Human Services — along with Barkley, was one of the top five studies to bring national attention to Kent State last year.
Barkley and Lepp also have published several recent studies on the relationships between various types of cellphone use and physical activity, exercise, sedentary behaviors and health outcomes like cardiorespiratory fitness.
“These works support the notion that the modern cellphone may be the new sedentary screen of choice for college-aged individuals,” Barkley said. “While some cellphone functions may promote positive health behaviors like using fitness apps or listening to music, excessive cellphone use may be just as problematic as being a traditional ‘couch potato’ seated in front of a TV screen.”
Barkley came to Kent State after obtaining his Ph.D. in exercise science and applied physiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2007. He earned his Master of Science degree there as well, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education and exercise physiology is from the State University of New York at Brockport.
Barkley boasts more than 50 peer-reviewed articles to his name, with another in press and eight more under review; 50 refereed presentations and workshops; and more than a dozen funded grant projects, with another in review.
He has been a peer reviewer for 18 academic journals, and he presently sits on the editorial board of PLOS ONE. Since 2015 alone, Barkley has earned five publication awards, acknowledging the impact of his work, from four separate journals.
Barkley has taught nine courses at Kent State, overseen roughly a dozen doctoral dissertations and served as a committee member on twice that many thesis committees.
He said he is humbled by this most recent acknowledgement of his scholarly efforts.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the university for the Scholar of the Month recognition and to Dr. Kretovics for nominating me,” Barkley said. “Thank you as well to my collaborator, Dr. Andrew Lepp, and my Exercise Science colleagues and students for their support. I am fortunate to be surrounded by motivated thinkers and learners who make working at Kent State University an absolute pleasure.”
ABOUT SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH
Kent State’s Scholar of the Month recognizes faculty researchers and scholars whose recent work has had an important impact on their professional fields and has brought exposure to the university. Each month, a different college will have the opportunity to nominate a researcher/scholar for this recognition. There is also a month when a faculty member from the Regional Campuses will be featured.
The selection process is in the hands of the dean and his or her colleagues and faculty. Hence, this is recognition by the person’s college colleagues that is then taken up by the university. The deans communicate the person’s name to the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs for recognition as Scholar of the Month.
Kent Campus
Kent State University’s Scholar of the Month for December would prefer that you read this standing up, or even doing some calisthenics. Go on, get moving.
Jacob Barkley, Ph.D., is an associate professor of exercise science in Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services. During his 10 years with Kent State, he has earned a name for himself as a scholar who wants to get people thinking about how they move, and moving better so they can think better.
“Dr. Barkley is an active scholar and productive researcher, said Mark Kretovics, Ph.D., interim dean of Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services. “He mentors his students and collaborates with faculty across disciplines. His recent work with Dr. Andrew Lepp on mobile phone usage has garnered national attention.”
Barkley’s research examines factors that influence physical activity and sedentary behavior, namely how social factors like peer influence and technology may impact how active a person is.
The article Kretkovics mentioned, “Who’s in Charge? You or Your Smartphone?” written by Jian Li, Ph.D., assistant professor of evaluation and measurement, and Andrew Lepp, Ph.D., associate professor of recreation, park and tourism management — both from the in the School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration in the College of Education, Health and Human Services — along with Barkley, was one of the top five studies to bring national attention to Kent State last year.
Barkley and Lepp also have published several recent studies on the relationships between various types of cellphone use and physical activity, exercise, sedentary behaviors and health outcomes like cardiorespiratory fitness.
“These works support the notion that the modern cellphone may be the new sedentary screen of choice for college-aged individuals,” Barkley said. “While some cellphone functions may promote positive health behaviors like using fitness apps or listening to music, excessive cellphone use may be just as problematic as being a traditional ‘couch potato’ seated in front of a TV screen.”
Barkley came to Kent State after obtaining his Ph.D. in exercise science and applied physiology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2007. He earned his Master of Science degree there as well, and his Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education and exercise physiology is from the State University of New York at Brockport.
Barkley boasts more than 50 peer-reviewed articles to his name, with another in press and eight more under review; 50 refereed presentations and workshops; and more than a dozen funded grant projects, with another in review.
He has been a peer reviewer for 18 academic journals, and he presently sits on the editorial board of PLOS ONE. Since 2015 alone, Barkley has earned five publication awards, acknowledging the impact of his work, from four separate journals.
Barkley has taught nine courses at Kent State, overseen roughly a dozen doctoral dissertations and served as a committee member on twice that many thesis committees.
He said he is humbled by this most recent acknowledgement of his scholarly efforts.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the university for the Scholar of the Month recognition and to Dr. Kretovics for nominating me,” Barkley said. “Thank you as well to my collaborator, Dr. Andrew Lepp, and my Exercise Science colleagues and students for their support. I am fortunate to be surrounded by motivated thinkers and learners who make working at Kent State University an absolute pleasure.”
ABOUT SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH
Kent State’s Scholar of the Month recognizes faculty researchers and scholars whose recent work has had an important impact on their professional fields and has brought exposure to the university. Each month, a different college will have the opportunity to nominate a researcher/scholar for this recognition. There is also a month when a faculty member from the Regional Campuses will be featured.
The selection process is in the hands of the dean and his or her colleagues and faculty. Hence, this is recognition by the person’s college colleagues that is then taken up by the university. The deans communicate the person’s name to the Division of Research and Sponsored Programs for recognition as Scholar of the Month.
Product also can help athletes recover from blisters and calluses that can impede their performance
Kent State University students Nilin Rao, Ph.D., and Craig Verdin, and Exercise Science and Physiology Professor Ellen Glickman, Ph.D., are the co-founders of TheraPod Medical LLC, a wound-care company that is looking to transform the field of podiatric medicine.
Rao, a fourth-year podiatric student who completed his master’s and doctorate degrees in exercise physiology from Kent State, and Verdin, a second-year podiatric student in Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine, have been working with Glickman to research and develop products geared toward helping those with diabetes, which affects more than 29 million Americans and is growing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They developed and patented a product called the Puncture-Pedic insole to help people with ulcerations on their feet, which affects people with diabetes, and can be very painful without assistance. If the ulcerations don’t heal properly, they can cause infections and lead to possible amputations on the toes and feet. The insole made of a soft, durable fabric fits into a normal shoe and allows certain spots to be punched out so that the person can walk without pressure on the ulceration. This allows the person to easily and comfortably walk without the need for a walking boot until they can recover.
Additionally, their product also can help athletes, such as runners, recover from blisters and calluses that can impede their performance.
“There are not many options at the local drugstore for the millions of people dealing with these types of foot issues,” Glickman said. “The research shows that there really is a need for products like the one we developed, and we are looking toward the future to research and develop proactive podiatric products that use technologies such as liquid crystals to help people.”
For more information about Kent State’s Exercise Science and Physiology program, visit www.kent.edu/ehhs/hs/exph.
For more information about Kent State’s College of Podiatric Medicine, visit www.kent.edu/cpm.
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Media Contacts:
Ellen Glickman, eglickma@kent.edu, 330-672-2930
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595
We all know that we are supposed to exercise to reduce the risk of heart disease. But let’s face it, sometimes the only workout we get is walking from our office to the breakroom, and to the parking lot to drive home. So how then do we get the most out of those short walks? Kent State University researchers suggest putting the cellphone away – it could help you pick up the pace.
Jacob Barkley, Ph.D., and Andrew Lepp, Ph.D., from Kent State University’s College of Education, Health and Human Services anonymously observed and timed more than 1,000 pedestrians walking alone across a 50-meter stretch of walkway on campus. They put the walkers into three categories – texting, talking and not using the phone. Pedestrians who used their cellphones for only a portion of the observed distance were not included in the study.
Results show that 20 percent of the pedestrians used their cellphones constantly while walking the entire measured distance. The pedestrians who were texting on their cellphones walked 7.4 percent more slowly, and those who were talking on their cellphones walked 11.3 percent more slowly than pedestrians without a cellphone. Researchers found these differences statistically significant, considering that increased walking speed has been shown to increase cardiovascular fitness.
“For many people, walking is the only physical activity they participate in,” Barkley said. “For such individuals, the importance of walking is great. Using a cellphone during walking may sabotage the benefits of this behavior.”
This result supports prior findings from Barkley and Lepp that talking or texting on a cellphone while walking on a treadmill also reduces walking speed. Taken together, these results suggest that talking or texting on a cellphone while walking reduces walking speed whether that use takes place on a treadmill, in a gym or outside on a walkway. Because walking behavior, especially walking speed, helps reduce the risk of heart disease, the study suggests limiting cellphone use while walking in an effort to maximize the health benefits of the exercise.
The study is published in the journal BMC Research Notes.
Sarah Burns, a second-year master’s student in the Nutrition and Dietetics program at Kent State University, shows off a tomato that she and others in the program helped to grow over the last few months. Under the direction of Nutrition and Dietetics faculty member Natalie Caine-Bish, Ph.D., Burns and other volunteers oversee the Mighty Pack Program, which provides Portage County children meals during times they are not receiving food provided through the National School Lunch Program.
The Mighty Pack Program was a graduate student project that grew into a countywide food insecurity prevention program. A backpack with healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables and dairy items, along with nutritional education materials and kitchen supplies that are many times not available in the home, are provided to the students. The foods meet MyPlate guidelines and provide students with three dinners, two lunches, two breakfasts and four snacks.
A unique aspect of the program is that it is a service-learning program that nutrition majors volunteer in all aspects of programming, from food acquisition to backpack delivery. This year was the first year that volunteers helped to plant tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, beans and squash that were added into the backpacks. Additionally, the student volunteers helped to construct the fence around the garden behind Nixson Hall, compost scraps, and weed and water plants.
For more information about Mighty Pack Program or to make a donation, contact Natalie Caine-Bish at ncaine@kent.edu or 330-672-2148.
Kent State University’s Dianne Kerr, Ph.D., professor of health education and promotion in the College of Education, Health and Human Services and Provost’s Faculty Associate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is the recipient of the Society for Public Health Education’s Dorothy B. Nyswander Open Society Award. Kerr was presented with the award at the society’s National Conference Awards Gala in Charlotte, North Carolina, held this spring.
This award is given each year to recognize an individual or group who embodies and promotes an Open Society, through research, practice and/or teaching. Dorothy Nyswander, Ph.D., was an American health educator who was considered ahead of her time in advocating for equality and justice for all people. She also was one of the first to introduce the concept of an “open society.” According to Nyswander, “an open society is one where justice is the same for every man and woman; where dissent is taken seriously as an index of something wrong or something needed; where diversity is respected; where pressure groups cannot stifle and control the will of the majority or castigate the individual; where education brings upward mobility to all; where the best of health care is available to all; where poverty is a community disgrace not an individual’s weakness; where greed for possessions and success is replaced by inner fires for excellence and honor; where desires for power over men (and women) become satisfaction with the use of power for men and women.”
Kerr’s three decades of work in education and advocacy on HIV and AIDS, and her research on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) health disparities were highlighted in her nomination letters. She has received the Ohio AIDS Service Award for Education and Prevention from the Ohio Department of Health twice in the past decade. Her advocacy and antidiscrimination work for individuals living with HIV and LGBTQ youth is nationally known. Her current work in conjunction with the Cleveland YMCA encompasses health promotion with inner-city minority populations (African-Americans and Latinos) in Cleveland.
For more information about the Society for Public Health Education, visit www.sophe.org.
For more information about Kent State’s College of Education, Health and Human Services, visit www.kent.edu/ehhs.
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Photo Caption:
Kent State University’s Dianne Kerr, Ph.D., is the recipient of the Society for Public Health Education’s Dorothy B. Nyswander Open Society Award.
Media Contacts:
Beth Thomas, ethoma1@kent.edu, 330-672-7838
Emily Vincent, evincen2@kent.edu, 330-672-8595