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Points of Pride

• Spring 2008
• Fall 2008
• Spring 2009

Spring 2008

College of Health

• The College of Health Distinguished Teacher Award for 2007-2008 has been presented to Dr. Keith Henschen of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. Dr. Henschen has been positively impacting the lives of literally thousands of University of Utah students since 1971. His courses are very popular among both Exercise and Sport Science majors as well as undergraduates from across the campus. In addition, Dr. Henschen has drawn many graduate students to Utah to study with him. Pursuing excellence is a condition of Dr. Henschen's soul and he projects that condition upon his students through his teaching.
• The College of Health Distinguished Mentor Award for 2007-2008 has been presented to Dr. Hester Henderson of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. Dr. Henderson is passionate about mentoring and advocating for her students. In addition to providing academic counseling, she has successfully worked to obtain grant funding for dozens of graduate students. In the words of her students Dr. Henderson has been consistently available to assist students in accessing wonderful experiential learning experiences and with opportunities to use state of the art equipment and supplies.
• The College of Health Distinguished Mentor Award for 2007-2008 has been presented to Dr. Jim Sibthorp of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Dr. Sibthorp's impact as a mentor stems most directly from his potent abilities to model and coach students as they pursue their research goals. He strives to move students beyond engaging with scientific concepts in a classroom setting to mentoring students through actual research projects. Even after graduation, Dr. Sibthorp continues to play a unique role in the development of his students as professionals in the field.
• The College of Health Senior Researcher Award for 2007-2008 has been presented to Dr. Nelson Roy of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Dr. Roy is an exceptionally productive researcher and a nationally and internationally recognized scholar. He is a leader in the study and treatment of voice disorders and is one of the most frequently cited scientists in his field. He is extraordinarily prolific in terms of publications and is a highly sought-after speaker for national and international meetings. His research is always of the highest caliber in terms of experimental rigor, has important clinical relevance, and is often innovative. Dr. Roy is a leader in his field and has built successful collaborative relationships within the College and the University.
• The College of Health New Investigator Award for 2007-2008 has been presented to Dr. Lee Dibble of the Department of Physical Therapy. Dr. Dibble has focused on establishing a clinical research infrastructure within Physical Therapy. The Department now has a successful facility, the University Rehabilitation and Wellness Clinic, that was created due in large part to Dr. Dibble's efforts and vision. The clinical and research model that he has helped create has fostered collaborations for himself and fellow faculty with other researchers from across the University of Utah Health Sciences spectrum. Dr. Dibble also continues in his incredible leadership role in the area of rehabilitation research.
• The College of Health Student Researcher Award for 2007-2008 has been presented to Steven J. Elmer of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. Steve, under the mentorship of Dr. Jim Martin, has been active in research in the Neuromuscular Function Lab since he was an undergraduate working on a UROP Fellowship. He has contributed significantly to several funded research projects which will have substantial impact on the field of neuromuscular function. Steve is currently finishing up his Master's degree in Exercise and Sport Science and is already working toward his Ph.D. in the Department of Bioengineering.
• The College of Health Research and Creative Grant Competition Recipients. The College encourages and supports all forms of new and innovative research and scholarly activites through its annual Grant Competition. The College is pleased to announce this year's grant recipients: Dr. Nelson Roy (CSD), Dr. Pollie Price (OT), and Dr. Diane Nicholson (PT). A "First Time Award" was presented to Dr. Zan Gao (ESS).  Congratulations to all!

Exercise and Sport Science

• Dr. James Hannon, Assistant Professor, was among nine candidates to be inducted as a Research Consortium Fellow at the American Alliance for Health, Physical Ecuation, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) Convention in Fort Worth, Texas in April 2008. Attainment of Fellow status is one of the most prestigious honors the Research Consortium can bestow on a member. Fellows are selected based on evidence of scholarship, including research presentations and publications. Congratulations to Dr. Hannon!
• Dr. J. David Symons, Associate Professor, recently had his grant proposal "Determining the Contribution from Ceramide to Cardiovascular Complications Associated with Obesity in Genetically Manipulated Mice" funded by the University Research Committee. Congratulations to Dr. Symons!

Health Promotion and Education

• Dr. Karol Kumpfer, Professor, will be presented with the Excellence in Cultural and Diversity Research Award at the annual conference for The Society for Prevention Research in San Francisco, California on May 29, 2008. Congratulations, Dr. Kumpfer!

Nutrition

• Dr. Thunder Jalili, Associate Professor, recently had his grant proposal "Mechanism for Attenuation of Cardiac Hypertrophy in Hypertensive Rats Consuming a High Fat Diet" funded by the University Research Committee. Congratulations, Dr. Jalili!

Physical Therapy

• Investigators from the University of Utah's Department of Physical Therapy have just been awarded over $1.75 million (direct costs) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) via three different mechanisms.
• Dr. Julie Fritz, PT, received $214,995 for her two-year R21 project entitled "Biomechanical and Neurophysiological Effects of Spinal Manipulative Therapy".  The project is being funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and seeks to identify the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of spinal manipulation.
• Dr. Lee Dibble, PT, is the Principal investigator on a three-year R15 project, "Resistance Training and Dopamine Replacement Effects on Hypokinesia in Parkinson Disease" for which $250,000 has been granted from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development / National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research.
• Dr. Paul LaStayo, PT, a Co-Investigator on Dr. Dibble's project, also received $1,316,350 for his five-year R01 project "Reducing Falls with RENEW in Older Individuals Who Have Fallen" from the National Institute on Aging.
• Dr. Robin Marcus, PT, and Dr. Lee Dibble are serving as Co-Investigators on Dr. Paul LaStayo's current project, which consummates the collective efforts of the SMERF. Dr. Marcus' efforts and contributions have been supported for five years from an NIH K12 award, "Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health".
• Dr. Gina Musolino, PT, recently had her teaching grant proposal "APTA Advanced Credentialed Clinical Instructor and Train-the Trainer" funded by the University Teaching Committee.  Congratulations, Dr. Musolino!