HHP hosts Graduate Student Research Day

Event to become biannual to accommodate graduate research growth

The Department of Health and Human Performance’s annual Graduate Student Research Day on Nov. 9 drew more than 200 in attendance in Garrison Gym. The event is an opportunity for students who have completed at least one year in an HHP graduate program to present their research to faculty, staff and other students.

“Our graduate students possess some of the brightest young minds in our field. Our faculty learns as much from them as they learn from us,” said Professor Thomas Lowder, who coordinated the research day with the assistance of HHP Honor Society members.

During the three-hour event, 11 graduate students presented data from dissertations, candidacy projects, and laboratory research projects with a question-and-answer period at the end of each presentation.

“Some of the students are early in their careers, and others are presenting what will be part of their dissertation, but one common theme is the quality and originality of their research,” said Lowder. While it is common for students to work on projects assigned by their faculty advisors, it is just as common for HHP students to present work that was of their own design, from hypothesis to data collection and analysis.

Lowder said that the most difficult part about organizing the event is time. There are so many graduate students generating so much data that not all who want to present can be scheduled into a short period of time. Beginning in Spring 2012, HHP will sponsor the graduate student research showcases in both the fall and spring semesters to accommodate the ever-growing number of graduate students in the department.

Guest speaker, Sharon L. McWhinney, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. presented “Perceived Barriers to Good Nutrition and Food Preparation Practices of Rural Families.” She is a professor in human nutrition and dietetics at Prairie View A&M University in the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences.

McWhinney said the event “provides invaluable information and insight to students on the various research activities that are being conducted on the campus. This opportunity allows students to explore possible research ideas that may be of interest to them while learning firsthand what professors and students are actively pursuing.”

For a complete list of presenters and photographs, visit http://hhp.uh.edu/news/11_gsrd.php

- Martha Hayes