The College of Health partnered with Wasatch Woman Magazine on Saturday, September 6, 2008 and held a "Love Your Body 5K/10K Walk/Run". Six hundred and fifteen women participated, wearing purple ribbons to promote eating disorder awareness and body self-acceptance. A portion of the proceeds went to SPEAK - Students Promoting Eating Disorder Awareness and Knowledge. SPEAK is a University of Utah student group housed in the College of Health. The team is dedicated to promoting awareness of disordered eating issues and body image on campus and in the community. Vounteers from SPEAK coordinated a Health Fair for the participants of the race. The Health Fair included displays and handouts on such topics as building positive body image, the female athlete triad, and the role of parents in promoting healthy eating and self-acceptance.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
Dr. Nelson Roy, Associate Professor, has recently been named the recipient of several prestigous awards. Dr. Roy was presented the 2008 Journal of Voice Editor's Award - Best paper in Speech-Language Pathology/Vocal Pedagogy. Dr. Roy was also named the 2008 ASHA Fellow Award Recipient - this is the second highest honor in the American Speech and Hearing Association. Dr. Roy was also appointed to a four-member ASHA panel to appraise the evidence supporting assessment practices in voice disorders, and to develop clinical practice guidelines/standards for assessment of voice disorders. Additionally, Dr. Roy has been awarded the 2008 University of Utah Center for Interdisciplinary Arts and Technology Award.
Dr. Michael Blomgren, Associate Professor, has been appointed as the Associate Editor of the Journal of Fluency Disorders. Dr. Blomgren has also been named to the Board of the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP).
The CSD Department would like to welcome Dr. Erinn Finke to their faculty ranks. Dr. Finke specializes in speech language and autism.
Exercise and Sport Science
Dr. James Hannon, Assistant Professor, was recently inducted as a Fellow of AAHPERD's Research Consortium.
Skip Williams, ESS doctoral student, has been named the SWAHPERD District Representative for the National Graduate Student Leadership Conference.
Kudos to PEAK Academy administrators and clinicians who recently completed biometric testing for 8,200 University employees in connection with the Well U Program.
The ESS Department is pleased to welcome the following individuals: Dr. Nicole Detling-Miller (Sport Psychology program), Dr. Lynne Durrant (Coaching Wellness program), Dr.Charlie Hicks-Little (Athletic Training program), Kerry Jacques (Human Performance Lab), Josh LaReax (PEAK Academy), David Phillips (Pedagogy program), and Dr. Svetlana Litvinenko (Visiting Scholar from Russia).
Health Promotion and Education
The Department of Health Promotion and Education will be changing directions in order to encompass the modification of behaviors through nutrition, exercise, and recreation.
The Department would like to welcome the following individuals: Dr. Justine Reel (Assistant Professor), Dr. Julia Summerhays (Assistant Research Professor), and Mike Ditolla (Emergency Programs).
David Chong, Graduate Assistant and Undergraduate Advisor, has recently co-authored and published a book entitled "Eating the Rainbow". The book explores nutrition from a wellness point of view, and advocates a 'visual eating system'. In other words, when purchasing foods at the supermarket, buy foods with the most color. These foods will prove considerably richer in nutrients and antioxidants than less colorful foods.
Dr. Karol Kumpfer, Professor and Graduate Director, was awarded the Community, Culture and Prevention Science Award by the members of the Society of Prevention Research at their annual conference in San Francisco on May 29, 2008 for her research on ethnic, gender and cultural adaptation processes of evidence based programs. Dr. Kumpfer has also been awarded a four year Utah State Health Department grant to develop a cultural adaptation and implement a new SFP Family Physical Activity Program for Pacific Islanders for the prevention of diabetes.
Nutrition
Abigail Larson, MS., RD, CSCS, doctoral candidate in the Division of Nutrition, recently received a grant that enabled her to participate in the National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Research Practicum 2008 in Bethesda, Maryland. Ms. Larson joined 100 other elite professors and graduate students for an intensive course presented by experts in NIH, academic institutions, and Federal regulatory agencies.
Dr. Maurine Hegsted, Professor Emeritus, has donated her archives of nutrition files pre-WWII to the Division. This will allow Nutrition students to gain some perspective concerning where we were compared to where we are now with respect to our understanding of nutrient requirements.
Dr. Thunder Jalili, Associate Professor, has been invited to present his research on the dietary supplement, quercetin, and its effect upon blood pressure at a Department of Defense workshop on quercetin and the advisability of incorporating it into military rations. The workshop will be held in Natick, Massachusetts on September 23, 2008.
Staci Nix, MS., R.D., was named "Outstanding Young Dietician of the Year" at the 2008 Utah Dietetic Association Annual Meeting.
Rebecca Hurst, MS., R.D., has been selected as the Outstanding Coordinated Masters Program Student in Utah. Rebecca also won first place in the research poster competition at the Utah Dietetic Association Annual Meeting.
Meg Nielsen, Division student, was awarded an American Dietetic Association Graduate Scholarship for the 2008-2009 school year.
Dr. Wayne Askew, Dvision Chair, has been asked to chair the quercetin review panel for the American Institute of Biological Sciences at Natick, Massachusetts on September 22-23, 2008.
Dr. Wayne Askew, Division Chair, has been invited to serve on the 2008-2009 Committee on Military Nutrition of National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine under the auspices of the Food and Nutrition Board.
Occupational Therapy
Yda Smith, Assistant Professor (Clinical), has been awarded the Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Award in the amount of $8,000. The award is a teaching grant that will be used for instruction in "Immigration and Resettlement".
Dr. Pollie Price, Assistant Professor, is a recipient of the Disability Law Center Community Justice Award: 2008 Innovative Community Partner Award. This award is given to an organization engaged in a proactive and creative partnership with the Disability Law Center to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are recognized and promoted. Recipients of this award have shown a concerted effort to promote equal access for people with disabilities in Utah.
Yda Smith, Assistant Professor (Clinical), went to Thailand during February 2008 as part of an interdisciplinary team consisting of physician assistants, social workers, occupational therapists, and others affiliated with the University Neighborhood Partners. The goal of the team was to learn more about refugees' lives in the Thai camps prior to their relocating to America. This information allows the team to develop appropriate and meaningful programming for Karen and Burmese Muslim residents who are currently accessing services at the University Neighborhood Partners - Hartland Partnership Center.
Dr. JoAnne Wright, Division Chair, Dr. Donna Costa, Professor (Clinical), and Kristi Ward, alumni, traveled to the Ukraine in May 2008. They accompanied other American occupational therapists in order to provide services as well as present lectures in the city of Chernivtsi. The Division's student organization participated in fund raising and made wash mitts and universal cuffs for the people in the Ukaine.
Kelly Brown, Administrative Assistant/Academic Advisor, is a nominee from the non-hospital Health Science District for the University of Utah Staff Award. Kelly was honored along with the other nominees at an Award Ceremony and Luncheon on September 4, 2008 in the Union Ballroom.
The Division of Occupational Therapy received $5,000 from the Eskuche Foundation for a grant for Functional Low Vision Treatment Clinic Equipment.
Julie Senn, second-year Occupational Therapy student, has been promoted to the rank of Major in the United States Army.
Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Dr. Jim Sibthorp has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Dr. Sibthorp was also recently presented with the 2007-2008 College of Health Mentorship Award.
Dr. Karen Paisley, Associate Professor, has been elected by her peers across North America to serve as the national President of the Society of Park and Recreation Educators. Her term of office will begin in October 2009 at the National Recreation and Park Association Congress to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Under the leadership of Dr. Kelly Bricker and Dr. Karen Paisley, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism will host the 2009 Society of Park and Recreation Educators Teaching Institute January 29-31, 2009. The Institute will center on Dr. Kenneth Bain's highly acclaimed book, "What the Best College Teachers Do". Dr. Bain will keynote the Institute and the education sessions will model the book's content. University of Utah faculty and graduate students are welcome to register for the institute.
The Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Mary Wells, Assistant Professor, to the PRT faculty. Dr. Wells comes to us from Clemson University where she specialized in youth sport participation, prosocial behavior, and issues related to sportsmanship. Dr. Wells will oversee the Sport Management emphasis.
Physical Therapy
Dr. Scott Ward, Department Chair, has been named President of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Dr. Reva Rauk, Instructor (Clinical), has been named the Outstanding Alumnus by the Mayo School of Health Sciences Program in Physical Therapy.
Heather Boies, Clinical Support Supervisor, has been given the Above and Beyond Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Heather will be honored at a Dinner of Champions on September 10, 2008.
