Eat Smart, Be Fit, Maryland!
The Public Health Informatics Research Laboratory (PHI), at the University of Maryland, College Park, is collaborating with the Maryland Cooperative Extension's Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) to conduct a study on ways to improve the nutrition of food stamp participants in Maryland. The Eat Smart, Be Fit, Maryland! Project, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), was initiated to address the nutrition and physical activity patterns and needs of food stamp eligible participants in the State of Maryland. An objective of the program is that both adult and youth learners will decrease the risk of chronic disease by making healthy food choices and increasing physical activity. Additionally, the project is aimed at improving community health through increasing available resources to the target population.
The upcoming project year will be focused on a statewide dissemination of a community health intervention strategy throughout Maryland. We will be working through community intermediaries and mass media channels to deliver a targeted health communications campaign, while promoting the project website, http://www.eatsmart.umd.edu. Additionally, we will continue to enhance the project website during this project year, and conduct a process and outcome evaluation of the project intervention strategy. The target population for this study includes women with school age children living in the home (Nursery School-8th Grade) that have a household income of less than 185% of the federal poverty level.
Required: Looking for motivated and hard-working students that are interested in learning or expanding their research skills while making a contribution to a University research project. No previous research experience is required.
Recommended: Background or interest in nutrition and/or physical activity. Experience or interest in developing materials for low literate audiences. Experience or interest in working with underserved populations.
Other: Students with a background in health communications or communications and marketing may find this project to be of particular interest. Opportunities for technology work, including website development and back-end technical work are available for students with these skills.
Ang Chen
Kinesiology
2343 Health & Human Performance Building
301-405-0344 / angchen@umd.edu
Learn for Life
This 3-year University of Maryland – Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) partnership project is to evaluate effects of a new physical education curriculum on prevention of sedentary lifestyle in children and early-adolescents (2nd-8th grade). The project provides an excellent opportunity to work with children in a formal education and assessment setting. It also afford a first-hand opportunity to examine how school physical education can or cannot help change pupils' behavior to enhance their health. The baseline evaluation data were collected last year from 15 elementary and 15 middle schools and new data will be collected during the 2006-07 school (2nd project year). The data include student knowledge and skill growth, active learning time in physical education, fitness development, interest in physical activity, and self-reported physical activity at home. We expect motivated students to join our team to work on data preparation tasks in our lab.
Required: Word processing and spreadsheet software (MS Word, Excel), emailing
Recommended: Basic knowledge of statistics, knowledge about SPSS
We are studying the development of infants' postural development. Specifically, we are examining how young infants (~5 months to 15 months) use sensory information to control their postural behavior. Infants are tested monthly. Students are involved both in the data collection and also in the data reduction which includes coding videotapes for specific behaviors shown by the infants. This is an NSF sponsored project.
Required: Students needs to have a desire to work with infants. A comfort level with computer programs (e.g., Word, Excel, e-mail).
Recommended: Course work in human lifespan development, child development, and/or motor development desirable.
Particularly good working environment for those interested in working with infants (e.g., physical therapist, pediatricians, early childhood majors).
Jose L. Contreras-Vidal
Kinesiology/Neuroscience Program
2363 Health & Human Performance Building
301-405-2495 / pepeum@umd.edu
Opportunities for research in behavioral and computational motor neuroscience are available for students with a background in kinesiology, biology, computer science, electrical engineering and control engineering. Several ongoing research projects involve neural network development and computer simulations, and human experimentation in young, elderly and persons with neurological disorders using sensory-motor learning tasks.
Required: Enthusiasm, responsibility, C or Matlab programming is required for some projects, curiosity, interested in the brain.
Catherine D. Ennis
Kinesiology
2341 Health & Human Performance Building
301-405-2478 / cde@umd.edu
The BE ACTIVE KIDS! project
is a NIH funded study to design and test science-enriched physical education
lessons with 3rd-5th grade elementary
students in physical education. This project is increasing children's knowlege
of health-related science through hands-on, project-based (fun!) lessons that
teach students to conduct health-related science experiments in physical education.
Students explore how their bodies respond to exercise and
examine science principles associated with human movement. Lessons include concepts
from exercise science and body systems. This year we are
revising and disseminating the lessons in after school programs, local elementary
schools, and nationally and internationally through our Be Active Kids website.
Opportunities to collect data in local schools is available during the Fall
semester. Helping with teacher support, "ask the experts Q & A,"
and testing (data reduction and analysis) is needed year round.
We have URAP positions
available in both the fall and spring semesters. We need website builders! See
our website for more details about the project: click
on Be Active Kids!
Required: Bring your interest and enthusiasm... we will supply the training!
Student majors in biology, psychology, (all life sciences!), science education,
elementary education, African American studies, instructional technology, kinesiology,
and physical education or other related areas are acquiring the skills most
needed in this project.
Recommended: Experience working with elementary age children, building
websites, and/or ability to speak Spanish is also a plus (though not required).
Use of a car to
collect data in elementary schools (we reimburse mileage).
We are examining the influence of specific genes on the extent to which older individuals respond to strength training.
Required: A good understanding of basic human physiology. Good communication skills. Respect for the elderly. Maturity, enthusiasm, responsibility, and curiosity.
Recommended: A course in exercise physiology.
John Jeka
Kinesiology
2359 HHP
301-405-2512 / jjeka@umd.edu
Multisensory Processing in Human Balance Control Using Virtual Reality.
We are studying how the nervous system processes sensory information from multiple modalities (vision, inner ear and tactile) to help control how people stand and walk. We are studying individuals with balance disorders stemming from the loss of a sensory modality due to brain trauma or disease. Our experimental setup will introduce the student to virtual reality techniques that are used to control the sensory environment and investigate how individuals respond to different forms of sensory stimulation.
Recommended: Minimal computer skills, computer programming and Excel, any clinical background working with patients.
Jae Kun Shim
Kinesiology/Bioengineering/Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
2136 Health and Human Performance Bldg.
301-405-2492 / jkshim@umd.edu
Multi-digit coordination in children with developmental coordination disorder
Description: a) Rationale:
Despite the importance of hand and digit coordination in everyday life and its
deficits found in children with DCD, the underlying mechanism of hand and digit
coordination in children with DCD or the etiology of DCD is currently not well
understood. The current line of research investigates whether children with
DCD have motor deficits in i) independent digit movements caused by the peripheral
mechanical connections between digits or/and the CNS control and/or ii) synergic
digit actions during multi-digit tasks.
b) Experimental paradigm: Digit-tip forces and moments, EMG, and MEG recordings
during pressing and prehension tasks.
c) Significance/application: The long-term objectives of this research program
are to understand the underlying mechanism of hand and digit coordination in
children with DCD and to provide scientific bases of evaluation and interventions
of children with this disorder.
Recommended: Enthusiasm
Multi-digit coordination in elderly persons
Description: a) Rationale:
Aging leads to a decline in hand strength and loss of manual dexterity, which
affects many of the activities of daily living. This is associated with changes
in the neuromuscular apparatus such as a drop in the number of motor units,
an increase in the size of the motor units, and a general slowing of their contractile
properties. Many clinical scales of motor abilities rely heavily on hand function
such as Jebsen Hand Function Test. However, relatively few studies have addressed
age-related changes in finger coordination or training interventions to improve
the coordination.
b) Experimental paradigm: Digit-tip forces and moments, EMG, and MEG recordings
during manipulation tasks before and after digit trainings of independent digit
movements and/or synergical digit movements.
c) Significance/application: The long term goal of this research is to provide
scientifically based interventions to improve hand and digit coordination in
elderly persons.
Required: Enthusiasm
The CNS control of hand digit kinetics and kinematics during manipulation tasks
Description: a) Rationale:
To perform an accurate motor task with a hand and its digits, the CNS needs
to control the digits somewhat independently as well as synergically. However,
little is currently known about the underlying mechanisms of hand digit control
by the CNS at the behavioral or neurophysiological level.
b) Experimental paradigm: Single-digit and multi-digit manipulations with recordings
of magnetoencephalography (MEG), electromyogram (EMG), optical force sensors,
transcranial magnetic stimulator (TMS), and six-component force/moment sensors.
c) Significance/application: A clear understanding of this mechanism is crucial
for studies on hand and digit coordination and its disorders. The data from
this line of research will be used to develop non-invasive neural based prosthetic
robot arms.
Required: Enthusiasm
Manouchehr Mokhtari
Family Studies
1201 Marie Mount Hall
301-405-3299 / mokhtari@umd.edu
Economic Reform, Fiscal Reform, Labor Supply, Consumer Behavior.
Stephen Roth
Kinesiology
2134B HHP Building
301-405-2504 / sroth1@umd.edu
Kinesiogenomics - Genetic Aspects of Kinesiology
Several projects ongoing in our Functional Genomics Laboratory revolve around the idea that genetic factors contribute to variation in our response to exercise, aging, and other environmental factors. Research in this area requires gene identification and genotyping of individuals, with subsequent analysis of data to determine if associations exist between genotype and the physical characteristic (phenotype) under study. Specific projects include: (1) genetic aspects of balance dysfunction; (2) genetic aspects of skeletal muscle aging (loss of muscle mass and strength); (3) genetic aspects of cardiovascular function; and (4) genetic aspects of exercise training, especially strength training. The Maryland Student Researcher's experience will primarily consist of learning genetic and molecular biology laboratory techniques (DNA extraction, genotyping, gene sequencing, etc.), with introductions to study design, subject recruitment, and data analysis and interpretation.
Required: Completion of a course in molecular biology with some laboratory experiences.
Recommended: Experience with gel electrophoresis and PCR.
Review and Update of High School Family Life Curriculum
In partnership with the Alexandria Public Schools (VA), this project will review all current curricula for teaching family life education (including human sexuality, consumer economics and child development) for grades K-12 and make recommendations for content updates, and audiovisual supplements. The project will develop and use a criteria for review for all segments of the course, and preview films and other a/v materials.
Required: excellent writing skills; excellent ability to search for and organize information; interest in Family life education; completion of FMST 332 or other child development course; completion of human sexuality course; ability to work well independently
Other: This project will take place Fall, 2006.
Understanding Internet Use by Parents
Investigation of the research on parental use of the internet for gathering information, sharing information, social networking and other aspects of learning about parenting. Particular interest on new parents (parents of infants) Create literature database and summarize key points from research on parent demographics related to internet site use, formats and features of websites, itneractive features on website popular and effective in helping parents gain confidence and knowledge in parenting.
Required: excellent communication skills; ability to search for, organize and summarize research literature; comfort with using the internet; interest in learning through the internet; interest and/or experience in parenting education
Recommended: interest and/or background in website design and visual effect development
Other: This project to take place summer and fall of 2006; may continue through spring 2007
Return to URAP Directory