David Simmons, Chairman and CEO of Simmons Media Group, is the Chair of the College of Health Advancement Board. David and his wife, Melinda, were presented the Next Generation Spirit of Giving Award from the Utah Nonprofits Association and the Utah Society of Fundraisers on December 4, 2008.
Communication Sciences and Disorders
The University of Utah's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has recently been ranked the number six speech and hearing department in the United States.
Exercise and Sport Science
Dr. Maria Newton, Associate Professor, has been invited to lecture in the Health, Sport, and Exercise Sciences Lecture Series at the University of Kansas.
Dr. Zan Gao, Assistant Professor, has received several notable honors this spring: Dr. Gao will be included in the 2010 edition of Who's Who in America, he was awarded the 2009 AAHPERD Mabel Lee Award, and has been given the 2009 International Chinese Society for Physical Activities and Health Service Award.
Dr. Jim Martin, Associate Professor, has recently received two Visiting Scholar Fellowships in Australia.
Dr. Andrea White, Research Associate Professor, has been appointed a Research Faculty Member at the Brain Institute.
Dr. Hester L. Henderson, Associate Professor, and Director of the U-FIT Program was spotlighted in a Salt Lake Tribune article on April 12, 2009. The article praised Dr. Henderson's U-FIT Program and described the amazing impact for good that it has been in the lives of hundreds of special needs kids, for their families, and for the countless volunteers who have assisted her. Brava, Dr. Henderson!
Dr. Barry Shultz, Associate Professor and Department Chair, has recently been awarded the Philip and Miriam Perlman Award for Excellence in Student Counseling by the University of Utah Alumni Association Awards Committee. This award is given annually to a faculty member who has made an outstanding contribution to the University through student advising and counseling. Dr. Shultz will be honored at the Alumni Association-Young Alumni Board Spring Awards Banquet on April 21, 2009.
Dr. Charlie Hicks-Little, Assistant Professor, has recently been advised by the Research Instrumentation Advisory Committee that they have approved $50,200.00 to support Dr. Hicks-Little's proposal, "Noraxon True Wireless Electromyography System".
Traci Thompson, MS., PEAK Director, has just completed her 7th year as Director of the PEAK Academy. Traci has earned certification as an ACSM Cancer Exercise Specialist as well as Red Cross First Aid and CPR Instructor Certification. Traci also proposed and developed the PEAK Graduate Student Research Grant Competition. This competition will fund six graduate student research projects in 2009.
Dr. Jim Martin, Associate Professor, received a Technology Assisted Curriculum Center (TACC) Fellowship in the amount of $5,000 in December of 2008.
The PEAK Academy (Performance Enhancement through Applied Knowledge) is a clinic of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. Every year, PEAK provides resources and benefits to University students, faculty and staff, as well as to the larger community. In 2008, PEAK offered 40 classes to an average of 435 University employees each semester. PEAK also provided health and fitness testing to University students, employees, and community members and performed over 11,383 clinical tests including sub-maximal and maximal aerobic fitness, body composition, anaerobic power, blood lipid profile, biometric screenings, and general fitness tests. PEAK also maintained its partnership with the Apple Program and continued providing the biometric testing for the University's WellU Program.
Health Promotion and Education
Dr. Justine Reel, Assistant Professor, along with Dr. Katherine Beals (Division of Nutrition), published a book in January 2009 entitled The Hidden Faces of Eating Disorders and Body Image. The book focuses on the disordered eating and body image disturbances of diverse populations. The book is available for purchase at www.aahperd.org.
Nutrition
Julie Metos, MPH, RD, CD, Instructor (Clinical), Director of the Coodinated Master's Program in Nutrition, has been selected to receive the 2009 Utah Dietetic Association Award of Merit. One award is presented annually to an individual who who has been an elected officer of UDA for at least three years, and who has demonstrated notable service to the Utah and American Dietetic Associations. The award will be presented to Julie at the UDA meeting in April 2009.
Dr. Kristine Jordan, MPH, RD, Assistant Professor, received a Technology Assisted Curriculum Center (TACC) Fellowship in the amount of $5,000 in December of 2008. Dr. Jordan was the Treasurer of the Utah Dietetic Association last year, and has been nominated by them to attend the 2009 American Dietetic Association Leadership Institute June 11-14 in Dallas, Texas.
Staci Nix McIntosh, MS., RD, CD, Assistant Professor (Lecturer), has received a Technology Assisted Curriculum Center (TACC) teaching grant in the amount of $5,000. The grant is for the development of NUTR 5420 into an on-line class for 2009.
Dr. Thunder Jalili, Associate Professor, presented his research results on Quercetin and Blood Pressure at the American Institute of Biological Sciences Review of the U.S. Army Quercetin Research to Fortify Military Rations in October of 2008.
Dr. Wayne Askew, Division Chair, was invited to chair the American Institute of Biological Sciences review panel on Quercetin supplementation of U.S. military rations in Natick, Massachusetts in October of 2008.
Division of Nutrition graduate students, Erin Brown and Michael Campbell, have been awarded graduate travel grants in order to present their thesis research on Intrauterine Growth Restriction at the Western Association of Physicians Symposium in Monterey, California on January 29, 2009.
Beth Wolfgram, MS., RD, CD, Adjunct Instructor, recently passed the National CSSD (Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics) examination and is the Sports Dietitian for the University of Utah Athletic Department and for the Utah Jazz basketball team.
Occupational Therapy
Yda Smith, MOT, OTR/L, Assistant Professor (Clinical), has been nominated for the 2009 Lowell Bennion Community Service Center Civically Engaged Scholar of the Year Award.
Rebecca Good, third year Occupational Therapy student, has been nominated for the 2009 Lowell Bennion Community Service Center Civically Engaged Student of the Year Award.
Dr. Pollie Price, OTR, Assistant Professor, has received several recent honors: she was presented with the Community Justice Award-Innovative Community Partner from the Disability Law Center, she was the 2008 Chair of the UOTA Annual Fall Meeting, she presented a paper at the World Congress on Disability in Quebec, Canada in August 2008, and she is the Chair of the Society for the Study of Occupation.
Dr. Louise Dunn, OTR/L, Assistant Professor, has co-authored a chapter with Kate Loukas entitled IADL and Community Participation. This is a new chapter in the 6th edition of Occupational Therapy for Children due for publication this year. Dr. Dunn has had two articles accepted for publication in Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. The articles are related to the CHORES, a measure she developed to assess household task participation for children and youth. Dr. Dunn has accepted the position as Co-Chair for the Comprehensive System of Professional Development (CSPD) subcommittee which is part of the Interagency Coordinating Council for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs and their Families (ICC).
Yda Smith, MOT, OTR/L, Assistant Professor (Clinical), has been awarded a Study Abroad Development Grant by the International Exchange Committee in order to explore the establishment of a Thai/Burma border refugee camp study abroad program.
Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Dr. Kelly Bricker, Associate Professor, will be featured in the inaugural issue of Eco-Tourism USA Magazine (May/June 2009). Dr. Bricker is the CEO of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and is considered to be among the world's foremost ecotourism experts. Dr. Bricker will also be the keynote speaker at an Ecotourism Conference to be held in Park City, Utah in June 2009.
Physical Therapy
Dr. Bo Foreman, PT, Assistant Professor, has been selected by the University Teaching Committee to receive the 2009 University Early Career Teaching Award. This award is given annually to four outstanding University faculty at an early stage in their careers to recognize their excellence in teaching.
Dr. Scott Ward, PT, Department Chair, has been selected to receive the Curtis P. Artz Distinguished Service Award from the American Burn Association (ABA). This is the highest award presented by the ABA to non-physician members and is in recognition of Dr. Ward's outstanding contribution in the burn field.
Dr. Paul LaStayo, PT, CHT, Associate Professor, is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hand Therapy, and is one of two therapists named "Honored Professor" at the world-renowned meeting of hand surgeons and hand therapists, "Surgery and Rehabilitation of the Hand with Emphasis on the Wrist" in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 7-10, 2009.
Dr. Reva Rauk, PT, Instructor (Clinical), was named Outstanding Alumni, Mayo School of Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota in October 2008.
Dr. Paul LaStayo, PT, CHT, Associate Professor, has been chosen to receive the Excellence in Research Award from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Dr. LaStayo will be honored at the Combined Sections Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 11, 2009.
