2025 Robbins College Internal Seed Funding Awards

Congratulations to the 2024-2025 Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences internal seed funding award recipients! 

In addition to the Robbins College Research Program, this year saw the introduction of two new internal funding programs: the Pedagogical Scholarship Award Program and the Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Student Research.

"I am deeply grateful to the members of the Robbins College Faculty Development Committee and our expert faculty reviewers who provided critical evaluation of extremely strong proposals for all three of these programs!" said Renée Umstattd Meyer, PhD, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Public Health. "I look forward to seeing the fruit of these projects in the years to come and want to thank Mike and Micki Maris for their visionary support and Dean Carter for his continued commitment to supporting our faculty in impactful research and pedagogical scholarship."

Robbins College Research Program

The Robbins College Research Award Program is designed to support faculty who seek to submit external research proposals or external fellowship proposals in the following academic year. 

Leigh Greathouse, PhD, MPH, MS, RD

Associate Professor, Department of Human Sciences and Design

Project Title: Deciphering the Role of Gut Microbes in Vitamin D Transformation and Metabolism: Implications for Host Health and Disease Prevention

Michelle Law, PhD, RD

Assistant Professor, Department of Human Sciences and Design

Project Title: Pharmacological and Genetic Approaches to Improve Mitochondrial Function in Cancer Cachexia-Associated Cardiomyopathy

Jungjun Park, PhD, CCC-SLP

Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Project Title: Transformative Digital Therapeutics for Parkinson’s Disease: Immersive VR-Enhanced Mindfulness Meditation and Home-Based Therapy to Alleviate Mood Disturbances and Enhance Quality of Life

Yang-Soo Yoon, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Project Title: Validating the Effectiveness of an Interactive Digital Therapy Application for Children with Cochlear Implants

Robbins College Pedagogical Scholarship Award Program

The Robbins College Pedagogical Scholarship Award Program is designed to support faculty who seek to innovate and enhance their pedagogy and student learning through pedagogical scholarship in the following academic year.

Bridget Scheidler, EdD, OTD, CAPS

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy

Kayla Collins, EdD, MOT, OTR

Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy 

Marian Gillard, PhD, OTR, FAOTA

Chair and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy 

Anne Boddy, PT, DPT, PhD

Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy

Project Title:  Preparing Healthcare Students for the Integration of Generative AI in Healthcare Practice

Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Student Research

The Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Student Research program is designed to support a Robbins College graduate student-faculty mentor pair who seek to conduct impactful graduate student-led research in the following academic year.

Raha Nekoutabar

PhD Student in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Faculty Mentor: Yang-Soo Yoon, PhD

Project Title: Reconstruction of Sound Perception by Bimodal Hearing Integration

Leroy Bolden

PhD Student in Exercise & Nutrition Sciences (HHPR)

Faculty Mentor: Andrew Gallucci, PhD, LAT, ATC, CSCS

Project Title: The Effects of Arugula Extract on Endothelial Function and Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Individuals

Catherine Bigbie

PhD Student in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Health Sciences)

Faculty Mentor: Kathryn Janda-Thomte, PhD

Project Title: A Dissemination and Implementation Needs Assessment: A Local-level Implementation of a National Breastfeeding Peer-counseling Program