Behavioural Sciences
The Impact of Our Environment on Our Well-being – Dr Lei Cao, The Ohio State University
The human body is a bewildering set of interacting systems, a complex web of signals and pathways which are constantly adjusting to the conditions which we find ourselves in. Ground-breaking research by Dr Lei Cao, of Ohio State University, USA, is providing new...
The Health-e Babies App for Socially Disadvantaged Women: Embracing Technology to Improve Health Literacy
Over the past few years, there has been an explosion in the number of applications – more commonly known as apps – that can be used on mobile phones. Vicki Clifton, Julia Dalton, Dianne Rodger, Michael Wilmore, Andrew Skuse, Sal Humphreys, and Margarita Flabouris,...
A New Model for Developing Students’ Deep-Learning Skills – Dr Yianna Vovides, Georgetown University
Online education has recently experienced a surge in popularity, and this trend is set to continue. Through online learning, individuals who are unable to take courses on campus, due to family, work or financial pressures, now have the opportunity to pursue university...
Project VALOR – Exploring PTSD Risk Factors and Outcomes in Combat-exposed Veterans
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent and often debilitating condition that follows exposure to a traumatic experience and can result in depression and increased suicide risk in vulnerable individuals. Researchers at the National Center for PTSD at the...
Research Ethics Training for Health in Indigenous Communities – Dr Cynthia R. Pearson, University of Washington
American Indian and Alaska Natives (AIAN) face substantial health inequalities, yet ethical research addressing their health concerns is still extremely limited. Dr Cynthia Pearson, Associate Professor at the University of Washington and Director of Research at the...
An Arts-based Approach to Science Communication Training – Dr Daniel J. McGarvey and Sarah E. Faris
Rapid growth in the number and diversity of digital media outlets is creating novel opportunities to increase public engagement with science. Dr Daniel J. McGarvey and Sarah E. Faris, working at Virginia Commonwealth University, have developed an interdisciplinary...
The Role of Human Motivation in Achieving Organisational Sustainability – Professor Martina Blašková, University of Žilina
To protect planet Earth and all its inhabitants, humankind will have to re-think its strategies for development, to ensure that they are fair, balanced and sustainable. In a recent study, Professor Martina Blašková and her colleagues at the University of Žilina,...
The REPID Program, Increasing Diversity in Biomedical Research – Dr Elahé Crockett, Michigan State University
Dr Elahé Crockett and colleagues at Michigan State University have developed the Research Education Program to Increase Diversity in health researchers (REPID) program to train students from underrepresented, minority and disadvantaged backgrounds in the basic and...
Neurophilic Design, Who We Are and Where We Are – Professor Heidi Zeeman, Griffith University
Professor Heidi Zeeman of Griffith University and her collaborators are exploring the innovative research field of neurotrauma and the built environment. They endeavour to understand the experiences of individuals with different brain sensitivities and neurological...
Diversifying and Retaining STEM Leaders for the Future – Professor Kevin Ahern, Dr. Chelsea Wolk and Stephanie Ramos
The growing significance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is not currently being matched by an appropriate level of variation in student demographics. Professor Kevin Ahern, Chelsea Wolk and Stephanie Ramos of Oregon State University are...
A Different Tangent to Teaching Trigonometry – Professor James L. McClelland, Stanford University
Learning trigonometry is a challenge for many high-school students, impeding their access to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Dr James McClelland, a professor of cognitive science at Stanford University, California, has been working to...
The Shape of Rational Choices in Game Theory – Dr Tarun Sabarwal, University of Kansas
The choices we make in various situations have collective effects on the patterns of overall movement in conflict and cooperation. Dr Tarun Sabarwal at the University of Kansas is investigating the ways in which the overall pictures produced by these behaviours can be...
Addressing Inequality in Education – Dr Suzanna Rose, Florida International University
The underrepresentation of women and minority groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields of employment and study is a widespread and serious issue in academia. Dr Suzanna Rose of Florida International University (FIU) is breaking...
Focusing on the Problem in STEM Education – Dr John K. Coleman, Langston University
The modern workforce needs to be more science educated than ever, yet the number of students in higher education enrolled in scientific subjects has not increased. Dr John Coleman at Langston University, Oklahoma, is developing novel methods for teaching scientific...
Inspiring Science Teachers in the Arizona Borderlands – Dr Etta Kralovec, University of Arizona, South
Recruiting and retaining high quality STEM educators in high schools can be a struggle, and even more so in under-served communities of the United States, such as the school districts that fall along the US/Mexico border. Professor Etta Kralovec at The University of...
Education and Health Disparity Across the US – Drs Mark D. Hayward & Jennifer Karas Montez
Adults living in certain US states suffer from more illnesses, more disability, and die sooner than residents of others. Dr Mark D. Hayward of the University of Texas at Austin and Dr Jennifer Karas Montez of Syracuse University are investigating these differences in...
Working Together to Achieve a Better Future for the Horticultural Industry – Dr Lynda K Deeks, Dr Chantelle N Jay and Dr Laura H Vickers
The production of fresh fruit and vegetables, and ornamental plants, is often taken for granted. While producing horticultural crops and plants offers many societal benefits, it can also have negative impacts on the environment and even on crop production itself....
Statistical Methods for Small Data – Dr Rens van de Schoot, Utrecht University
Researchers are heavily reliant on statistical techniques that are based on large sample sizes. Therefore, attempts to gain useful information from small samples can often lead to biased, or incorrect conclusions. Dr Rens van de Schoot at Utrecht University has shown...
Multi-Sensory Tools for Autism – Lois Jean Brady and Matthew Guggemos, iTherapy LLC
For children with autism, communication can be a challenge. Drawing from a wealth of clinical experience, speech pathologists Lois Brady and Matthew Guggemos at iTherapy, LLC are developing innovative, engaging multi-sensory communication tools with the aim of...
The High Cost of Grade Retention – Professors Jan N. Hughes and Stephen G. West
Holding students back a year sets them up for dropping out of school. Young adults who drop out are at higher risk for social and health problems later in life. Professors Jan N. Hughes and Stephen G. West of Texas A&M University and Arizona State University,...
From Surviving to Thriving Boosting the Oral Feeding Performance of Premature Babies – CHANTAL LAU, PHD BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
The survival rates of premature babies are increasing all the time, but many struggle to develop proper oral feeding skills. This can result in longer hospital stays due to delayed development of important skills, such as swallowing and proper coordination of swallow...
Collaborating for a Cleaner Future – Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, Adelphi University
The greatest challenges facing humanity over the next decades involve finding renewable sources of energy and finding ways to restore natural resources such as clean water that have been polluted by industrialisation. Dr Justyna Widera-Kalinowska of Adelphi University...
Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviours – Dr Andy Frey, University of Louisville
Children with disruptive behaviours require intensive support in school. Dr Andy Frey, professor at the University of Louisville, has been developing and evaluating interventions that could help these children to begin their school years positively and successfully....
Roadmap for Success: Increasing Diversity in the Biological Sciences – Dr Fern Tsien, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
Historically, there has been a disparity between the demographics found in the broader population and in academia. Women and many minority groups are underrepresented in science careers. Dr Fern Tsien at Louisiana State University is directing educational programs in...
Big Student Experiences in Nanotechnology – Drs Andrea Holmes and Christina Wilson, Doane University
Nanotechnology is poised to be one of the most critical technologies of the near future, yet exposure to nanotechnology techniques is limited for many college students. Dr. Andrea Holmes and Dr. Christina Wilson of Doane University in Crete, Nebraska, are partnering...
The Modern Blanket Toss, Expanding Horizons in Alaska – Dr John D Monahan, University of Alaska
The Modern Blanket Toss program offers students attending high school in Alaska, the chance to engage in a series of learning activities using drones – focusing on the wellbeing of local communities. Dr John Monahan of the University of Alaska Fairbanks describes...
Teaching a Computer to Sing – Jesse M. Heines and Daniel A. Walzer
As technology permeates more and more aspects of our daily lives, computer literacy and computer programming skills are more valuable than ever in the workplace. Professors Jesse Heines and Daniel Walzer of the University of Massachusetts Lowell are working at the...
In Pursuit of Wild Game Investigating People’s Perceptions of Hunting – Drs Shawn J. Riley and Göran Ericsson
Hunting is among the most ancient of human activities, and still plays a major role in obtaining food for many people worldwide. Dr Shawn Riley and Dr Göran Ericsson work to understand the volume and distribution of wild-harvested meat, how this meat moves through...
Transforming Big Data into Meaningful Insights Introducing Quantitative Ethnography – Professor David Williamson Shaffer, University of Wisconsin-Madison
In the information age, humans produce data at an extraordinary rate, offering social scientists an opportunity to study our behaviour in a manner unprecedented in human history. In his new book Quantitative Ethnography, learning scientist Professor David Williamson...
The Core of Corruption – Professor Bo Rothstein, University of Gothenburg
Corruption in governments affects all aspects of daily life. A society’s health, prosperity and even trust in others are all impacted by the integrity of administrations. Professor Bo Rothstein, co-founder of the Quality of Government Institute at the University of...