2026 Robbins College Internal Seed Funding Awards
From top left: Elizabeth Kwon, Mickey Langlais, Jay Yoo, Matthea S. Williams, Heather Hudson, Michelle Asiedu-Danso, Gabriel A. Benavidez, Barom Jeon, Joon Y. Park, Jacqueline Vigil, and M. Renée Umstattd Meyer
Congratulations to the 2026-27 Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences internal seed funding award recipients!
“My heartfelt thanks go to the Robbins College Faculty Development Committee and our faculty reviewers, whose thoughtful evaluations helped identify and support an outstanding group of proposals. The quality and creativity represented in these submissions reflect the strength of our faculty and doctoral students and the promise of their work,” M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, PhD, Senior Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education, said. “We are grateful to Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris for their generous support and to Dean Carter for his steadfast commitment to advancing impactful research and pedagogical innovation across the College.”
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.
Elizabeth Kwon, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health
Project Title: Pubertal Development, Stress System Functioning, and Addiction Vulnerability
Mickey Langlais, PhD, CFLE
Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies, Department of Human Sciences and Design
Project Title: Adolescent Romantic Relationships, Social Media, and Mental Health
Jay Yoo, PhD
Associate Professor of Apparel Merchandising, Department of Human Sciences and Design
Mickey Langlais, PhD, CFLE
Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies, Department of Human Sciences and Design
Project Title: Body Image Distress in Breast Cancer Patients: Implications for Parent-Child Relationships
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.
Matthea S. Williams, EdD, LAT, ATC
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Health, Human Performance, And Recreation
Heather Hudson, EdD, LAT, ATC
Master of Athletic Training Program Director and Clinical Professor, Department of Health, Human Performance, And Recreation
Project Title: Gamification in Athletic Training
Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Graduate Student Research
The Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Graduate 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.
Michelle Asiedu-Danso
PhD Student in Public Health
Faculty Mentor: Gabriel A. Benavidez, PhD
Project Title: Multilevel Determinants of Prostate Cancer Treatment and Survival: The Role of Hospital Ownership and Chronic Disease Comorbidity in the United States
Barom Jeon
PhD Student in Exercise and Nutrition Science
Faculty Mentor: Joon Y. Park, PhD
Project Title: Effects of Exercise Secretome on Lymphangiogenesis in Secondary Lymphedema
Jacqueline Vigil
PhD Student in Public Health
Faculty Mentor: M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, PhD, MCHES, FAAHB
Project Title: Extension as a Key Implementation Partner in Improving the Health of Rural Texans
ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Established in 2014, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences seeks to enhance health, quality of life, and human flourishing for all individuals and communities through education, research, and innovation. It includes seven academic departments—Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance, and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Physician Assistant Studies; and Public Health. Robbins College offers 13 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees, as well as nine graduate programs in partnership with the U.S. Army. Graduate programs in Robbins College are offered in a variety of modalities, including on campus, online, and hybrid.