Students at table

Student Research and Creativity Grant

Student Eligibility:
Each student must be in good academic standing and not on academic or professional probation.

Funding:
Up to 4 awards (one in each Tier) may be granted per academic year based on the availability of funds and the quality of the applications received. The award amount is up to $500 for Tiers I and II. The award amount is up to $1000 for Tiers III and IV. Awards will be announced in October, and all funds MUST be expended no later than June 30, 2024. Award funds will be distributed to the student’s mentor through the department. Awarded funds may be used only according to approved OU policy and at the mentor’s discretion. Please note that these are not travel awards, so only a minority of the total funds requested in any application should be applied to travel expenses. Awardees are required to submit their project for a poster or oral presentation at the next CAH Research Day. Awardees may be requested to also present at other appropriate on-campus venues as determined by the CAH Research Committee (e.g., GREAT symposium, OU Tulsa Research Day).

Application:
Please refer to individual Tiers for application requirements.

Important Dates:

Submission of material due by noon on October 2, 2023
Award announced on October 18, 2023

If required information and documents are incomplete, the application will not be reviewed.

Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.

Eligibility

Research Tier I

Any College of Allied Health student who is conducting research and is presently enrolled in the B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders , B.S. in Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences - Nuclear Medicine, B.S. in Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences - Radiation Therapy, B.S. in Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences - Radiography, B.S. in Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences – Sonography, B.S. in Nutritional Sciences, and B.S. R.S. Capstone. Students on academic probation cannot submit an application.

Research Tier II

Any College of Allied Health student who is conducting research and is presently enrolled in the M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology , Au.D. – Doctor of Audiology , M.A. in Dietetics, Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.), Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.).

Students enrolled concurrently in the Au.D. and the PhD in Audiology may apply for only one student award. If the project fulfills requirements for the Au.D, please apply for the Tier II award. If the project is your dissertation or work that contributes to your dissertation in fulfillment for your PhD, please apply for the Tier IV award.

Research Tier III

Any College of Allied Health student who is conducting research and is presently enrolled in the M.S. in Allied Health Sciences - Medical Dosimetry, M.S. in Nutritional Sciences, M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, and D.Sc. in Rehabilitation Sciences. Students on academic probation cannot submit an application.

Research Tier IV

Any College of Allied Health student who is conducting research and presently enrolled in the Ph.D. in Allied Health Sciences with Specialization in Rehabilitation Sciences, Ph.D. in Allied Health Sciences with Specialization in Nutritional Sciences, and Ph.D. in Audiology, Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology.

Past Award Recipients

2022 - 2023 Recipients

Tier I
Student Investigator: Izzy Pike
Research Mentors: Katerina Ntourou, PhD, CCC-SLP; Jonathan Baldwin MS, CNMT, RT(CT)
Research Project Title: Attentional bias in adults who do and do not stutter.

Tier II
Student Investigator: Emily Helms
Research Mentors: Susan Sisson PhD, RDN, CHES, FACSM
Research Project Title: Relationship to skin carotenoids and skin reactivity.

Tier III
Student Investigator: Jenna Albarrán
Research Mentor: Lynn Jeffries, PT, DPT, PhD, PCS; Jessica Tsotsoros, PhD, OTR/L
Research Project Title: Occupational therapists’ facilitation of belonging in school-based practice: An exploratory study.

Tier IV:
Student Investigator: Divya Patel
Research Mentor: Susan Sisson PhD, RDN, CHES, FACSM
Research Project Title: Accuracy and reliability of parent-measured weight and height of preschool children with varying levels of support.

2021 - 2022 Recipients

Tier I
Student Investigator: Karlee Doak
Research Mentors: Lakshmi Magudilu Srishyla Kumar, PhD; Andrew John, PhD; Ayasakanta Rout, PhD.
Research Project Title: Effect of hearing acuity on listening effort measured with pupillometry in adults.

Tier III
Student Investigator: Ashley Efaw, MOTR/L
Research Mentor: Lynn Jeffries, PT, DPT, PhD, PCS; Jessica Tsotsoros, PhD, OTR/L
Research Project Title: Occupational therapy student-led journal clubs in pediatric fieldwork settings.

2020 - 2021 Recipients

Tier II:
Student Investigators/Awardees: Hartley Bowman & Reagan Collins
Research Mentor: Marianna Wetherill PhD, MPH, RDN-AP/LD
Research Project Title: Veggies for Life: Evaluation of a Culinary Medicine Healthy Eating Curriculum for Individuals with Physical Challenges

Tier III:
Student Investigator/Awardee: Carolyn Cheema
Research Mentors: Ken Randall PT, PhD, MHR, Jonathan Baldwin MS, CNMT, RT(CT), and Carol Dionne PT, DPT, PhD, OCS, Cert MDT
Research Project Title: The effectiveness of post-professional physical therapist training in the treatment of chronic low back pain using a propensity score approach with machine learning.

2019 - 2020 Recipients

Tier II
Student Investigators/Awardees: Katherine Bryne and Katelyn Harris
Research Mentors: Elizabeth DeGrace, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Rehabilitation Sciences
Research Project Title: Content Validity of the Engagement in Family Occupation Measure.

Tier III
Student Investigator/Awardee: Melissa Henniger
Research Mentors: Susan B. Sisson, PhD, RDN, CHES, FACSM
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Exploring Food Insecurity Prevalence and Potential Interventions at the University of Oklahoma health Science Center

Tier IV
Student Investigator/Awardee: Martha Blaess
Research Mentors: Allen Knehans, PhD
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Mealtime and Feeding Behaviors in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Pre-and Post-Intervention Using a Modified Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding.

Student Investigator/Awardee: Bethany Williams
Research Mentors: Susan B. Sisson, PhD, RDN, CHES, FACSM
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Association Between Health-Enhancing Community Environment and Early Childhood Education Classroom Health Practices

2018 - 2019 Recipients

Tier I
Student Investigator/Awardee: Krista Wolfe
Research Mentors: Jonathan Baldwin, MS, CNMT, RT(CT)
Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences
Research Project Title: Yttrium-90 SIR Sphere Spills: A Pilot Study to Determine Efficient Clean-up Practices’

Tier II
Student Investigator/Awardee: Caitlyn Mathews
Research Mentors: Suzanne H. Kimball, AuD, CCC-A, F-AAA
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Research Project Title: Outcome Measurements and Smartphone Application Selection of Patients with Mild Hearing Loss Presenting with Tinnitus

Tier III
Student Investigator/Awardee: Nicole Halliwell
Research Mentors: Elizabeth DeGrace, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Rehabilitation Sciences
Research Project Title: Experience of Sleep: Families of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum

Student Investigator/Awardee: Jennifer L. Morrison
Research Mentors: Jennifer L. Graef, PhD, RD/LD
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: The Effect of 6-Gingerol on Small Intestine Epithelial Permeability: A Pilot Study

Tier IV
Student Investigator/Awardee: Nana Safoah Twum-Ampofol
Research Mentors: Thubi Kolobe, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Rehabilitation Sciences
Research Project Title: Postural Sway Velocity and Sitting Acquisition in Typically Developing Infants.

2017 - 2018 Recipients

Tier I
Student Investigator/Awardee: Jessica James
Research Mentors: Carole Johnson, PhD, AuD, Jonathan Baldwin, MS, CNMT, RT(CT)
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Research Project Title: Children’s and Young Adult’s Sentence Recognition in Noise: Accuracy and Listening Effort

Tier III
Student Investigator/Awardee: Christina Crowder
Research Mentors: Jennifer Graef, PhD, RD/LD & Laura Chalmers, MD, PhD
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: The effects of a low-carb, non-ketogenic diet vs standard diabetes diet on glycemic control in Type 1 diabetes

Student Investigators/Awardees: Melissa Fairman, Amber Rinestine, Shanita Rob, and Jessica Smith
Research Mentor: Leah Hoffman, PhD, RD/LD, CNSC
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: A Health and Wellness Program for Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

2016 - 2017 Recipients

Tier III
Student Investigator/Awardee: Ashley Brice
Research Mentors: Susan Sisson, PhD, RON, CHES, FACSM, Leah Hoffman, PhD, RD/LD, CNSC, & Allen Knehans, PhD
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Family Child Care Home Provider Experiences with the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Tier IV
Student Investigator/Awardee: Chelsea Smith
Research Mentor: Susan Sisson, PhD, RON, CHES, FACSM
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Sibling Influence on Subsiding Behaviors Related to Obesity (SIS-BRO)

2015 - 2016 Recipients

Tier I
Student Investigator/Awardee: Adelaide South
Research Mentors: Susan Sisson, PhD, RON, CHES, FACSM & David Fields, PhD
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Infant Care Status and Adiposity as Measured by DXA

Tier II
Student Investigator/Awardee: Anna Marie Jilla
Research Mentor: Carole Johnson, PhD, AuD
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Research Project Title: Can Audiologic and Non-Audiologic Factors Predict Hearing Aid Adherence?

Tier IV
Student Investigator/Awardee: Laura Gaeta
Research Mentor: Andrew John, PhD & Toby B. Hamilton, Ph.D., M.P.H., OTR/L, FAOTA
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Research Project Title: Phenomenologic Analysis of Spanish-Speaking Patients’ Experience in Hearing Healthcare

2014 - 2015 Recipients

Tier I
Student Investigator/Awardee: Melissa White
Research Mentor: Daiquirie Crumrine, PhD, CCC-SLP
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Research Project Title: Receptive Retention of Novel Words and Images in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Tier II
Student Investigator/Awardee: Jamie Myers
Research Mentor: Suzanne Kimball, AuD, CCC-A, FAAA
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Research Project Title: Prevalence of Tinnitus and Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Oklahoma Dentists

Tier III
Student Investigator/Awardee: Sarah Smith
Research Mentor: Beth Degrace, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Rehabilitation Sciences
Research Project Title: Exploring Families’ Perceptions of Family Health

Tier IV
Student Investigator/Awardee: Katheryn Swyden
Research Mentor: Susan Sisson, PhD, RON, CHES, FACSM
Nutritional Sciences
Research Project Title: Association between Maternal Stress, Work Status, and Feeding Practices among Preschool Children