Latest Research

USE OF UNSTRUCTURED DATA IN THE DYNAMIC FORECAST OF THE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) INDUSTRY
Jewoo Kim, an assistant professor in apparel, events, and hospitality, received a grant from PLATFORMWORKS for a small business analytics project. The project aims to collect unstructured text data including news articles and user generated contents and convert them into variables in an analyzable form for industry forecasting.  


BUILD AND BROADEN: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY RELATIONSHIP RESEARCH THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH HBCUS
Tera Jordan, a professor in human development and family studies led Iowa State’s participation in an award from the National Science Foundation for the Build and Broaden conference that was held virtually in June 2021. This conference was developed to foster research collaborations between Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) and leading human relationship scholars. The goal was to increase the number of competitive proposals from minority-serving institutions submitted to the National Science Foundation.  The Build and Broaden website is here: https://build.broaden.umn.edu/.


AUTISM INTERVENTION RESEARCH NETWORKS
Andrew Pitchford, an assistant professor in kinesiology, received a research award from the Healthy Weight Research Network, a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) autism intervention research network at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The pilot project examines the interrelationships between motor competence, balance, physical activity, and obesity in children with autism spectrum disorder. The study aims to better understand the effect of balance on the development of fundamental motor skills (e.g., run, skip, jump, throw, catch, kick). The results are expected to help inform future interventions for children with autism.


AN INTEGRATED FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL USING CLASSROOM SENSING AND MACHINE LEARNING TO PROMOTE ACTIVE LEARNING IN ENGINEERING CLASSROOMS
Evrim Baran, an associate professor in the school of education, received an award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for their project to develop an integrated faculty professional development model using classroom sensing and machine learning. The projects’ TEACHActive model uses a classroom sensing system that automatically gathers real time descriptions of student engagement and teacher behaviors in the classroom. These classroom analytics are displayed in a dashboard to provide faculty with feedback about student engagement and active learning in classrooms. This project results are expected to accelerate engineering educators’ adoption and effective implementation of active learning strategies in classrooms, which, in turn, can positively influence student engagement and learning.

YOUNG SICENTISTS AND AMBITIOUS TEACHERS IMPROVING HEALTH IN AN URBAN ECOSYSTEM
Katherine Richardson Bruna, a professor in the school of education, recently completed a Science Education Partnership Award funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) promoting inquiry- and community-driven informal science education. Youth and teachers created the people- and place-responsive Mosquitoes & Me curriculum and the Mosquitoes SUCK! science comic. This project promoted awareness of the interdependence among mosquitoes, humans and other animals, and the environment. The project advanced local action toward ecological and public health stewardship, and inspired elementary-aged students to be excited about science through their participation as citizen-scientists. https://research.hs.iastate.edu/urban-ecosystem-project/


MODULATION OF THE INTRARENAL RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM BY RESISTANT STARCH FOR THE PREVENTION OF VITAMIN D INSUFFICIENCY IN DIABETES
Mathew Rowling, an associate professor in food science and human nutrition received funding from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA)  for research to determine whether dietary resistant starch from corn prevents the disruption of vitamin D metabolism by the kidney and related complications in type 1 and type 2 diabetes by altering the composition of microbes in the gut. Here is a link to his research profile: https://fshn.hs.iastate.edu/directory/rowling-matthew-j

FRESH CONVERSATIONS

Sarah Francis, an associate professor in food science and human nutrition has partnered with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) to develop and evaluate the Fresh Conversations program for 10 years. This partnership has funded four graduate research assistants, produced four research abstracts, four published research manuscripts, and a validated Fidelity Assessment tool. Fresh Conversations is a monthly nutrition program for older adults with limited incomes (https://idph.iowa.gov/inn/fresh-conversations). It is designed to provide research-based information and tips to help participants adopt behaviors known to reduce chronic disease burden and promote healthy aging.

A 2015-2016 Impact Study showed that Fresh Conversations attendance improved participants’ nutritional status. A 2018 program satisfaction assessment revealed high program satisfaction and perceived impact on healthy lifestyle behaviors. Based on the findings from these studies, Fresh Conversationswas reviewed by SNAP-Ed evaluators and determined to be an evidenced-based program. In 2020, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Iowa State conducted a pilot study evaluating the virtual delivery of Fresh Conversations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings revealed high program satisfaction, regardless of virtual platform and perceived healthy lifestyle changes. Finally, this long-term collaboration has helped expand Fresh Conversations delivery through Extension with up to seven current and/or former Nutrition and Wellness specialists serving as Fresh Conversations Facilitators. This has been a welcomed partnership between both organizations.

Research Awards

A cornerstone of the land-grant mission of Iowa State University is a focus on research. College of Human Sciences (CHS) research has a direct impact on the way our communities live and learn.

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