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Wellstar College of Health and Human Services 2023-2024 Projects

Click here to return to the main project listings page. Questions: Email our@kennesaw.edu.

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Larissa Brehm, Analise Oliver, and Feby Takawy

    • Crawling is an important part of motor development in children. For 93% of children, some form of crawling is used for mobility prior to walking, and research has shown that crawling can relay information about infant development and potential health-related conditions. Not only do some neuromotor conditions only become apparent at the onset of crawling, there is also disagreement among clinicians about crawling-related therapies in these populations. However, crawling is more difficult to study than walking.

      We have developed a non-invasive, simple method to collect quantitative data on several important characteristics of infant crawling using a pressure-sensing mat. We will collect data on both typically-developing infants and infants with limb loss and measure outcomes like crawling speed, symmetry, and dynamic balance for multiple types of crawling.

      The data we collect will provide new insights and future studies on how infants organize and optimize the potentially competing goals of crawling: biomechanical efficiency for mobility, and neuromotor optimization for development of walking. Clinicians will have improved understanding of typical crawling development and tools for reference in characterizing atypical crawling development. In the long term, we expect this research to improve early-stage rehabilitation for ambulatory children with movement disorders. The foundations of this objective lie in our work with young children with limb loss but extend to other conditions including cerebral palsy, torticollis, and brachial plexus injury.

      Our understanding of crawling in both typically and atypically developing infants cannot progress without objective, quantitative data that describes how a child moves within and between various stages of development. This project will provide the largest sample to date, made freely available to clinicians and researchers worldwide.

    • At the end of this project, student should be able to: define common motor patterns of crawling and biomechanical outcomes associated with them; describe past research on infant crawling development; collect and process quadrupedal data using a Protokinetics pressure mat; write and present a research paper. 

    • Initially, work will be focused on learning about past research in infant crawling and about safe conduct of research involving human subjects. Once data collection begins, the focus will shift to data collection sessions and the processing of crawling data files. Finally, work will focus on analysis of results and presentations at spring symposium. 

    • Face-to-Face

    • Dr. Mark Geil, mgeil@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Miranda Chapa and Wil King

    • Rationale. CrossFit® workouts challenge athletes and trainees to complete as much work as possible within a given or expected duration. Greater success is thought to be the result of maintaining a faster, consistent pace throughout the workout. However, this is dependent on energy availability, which may be improved from training and nutritional supplementation. Though several studies have investigated the benefits of various, individual nutrients, no study has examined the acute impact of any multi-ingredient pre-workout formulation on HIFT performance. Therefore, the purpose of this proposed study is to examine the acute effect of a pre-workout supplement comprised of ingredients known to affect energy availability on HIFT performance.

      Study Design. All participants report to the Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) on five separate occasions. They complete an initial baseline visit consisting of body composition (via 4-compartment model) and performance assessments (vertical jump, thruster strength, and 2K rowing). They return to the HPL for the remaining four visits on the same day (usually Mondays) on 4 consecutive weeks to complete each experimental visit. Experimental visits begin with pre-exercise measures of energy expenditure, muscle size (via ultrasound), blood lactate, and subjective feelings of effort and fatigue. Participants then consume either the supplement (S) or placebo (PL) approximately 40 minutes before initiating a standard warm-up and then completing either a short (5 minutes) or long (15 minutes) workout. Both workouts involve the same circuit of rowing (men: 9 calories; women: 7 calories), 6 x barbell thrusters (i.e., front squat into overhead press; men: 95 lbs.; women: 65 lbs.), and 3 box jumps (men: 24 in; women: 20 in). Each time, they are asked to complete ‘as many repetitions as possible (AMRAP) within 5 or 15 minutes. Their performance is defined by the repetitions they complete, as well as expressed kinetics (i.e., rowing power, thruster barbell velocity, and vertical jump power). All pre-exercise assessments are repeated immediately following each workout.

      Thus far, we have completed data collection for 12 men and 5 women but are still seeking women, ages 18 – 45 years, with CrossFit® experience (≥ 2 years), from local affiliates. All participants need to be healthy and free of any injury that would impact their ability to complete the workouts as prescribed. Data collection is currently on-going and should be completed in Fall 2023, while analysis may continue through Spring 2024.

    • At the end of the project, students should be able to:

      • Define the terminology associated with research and theory in their field
      • Articulate how their research study contributes to their academic field
      • Collect data for a research study
      • Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study
      • Work effectively as part of a team
      • Present their research/creative activity to an audience (e.g., poster, oral presentation, performance, display)
      • Articulate the ways in which their research participation helps prepare them for graduate school and/or a career
      • Describe appropriate professional conduct (e.g., at conferences, when interacting with professionals in the field)
      • Reflect on their research project, including strengths, weaknesses, and things they would do differently in another research context
      • Time management
      • Self-confidence/self-esteem
      • Organizational skills
      • Persistence on tasks

    • Data collection sessions are typically scheduled once per week, but are ultimately subject to the availability of participants. We have generally targeted Mondays over 5 consecutive weeks but have had instances when sessions occurred on other days. First-year undergraduate researchers will be asked to support the existing research team (older undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty researchers). These duties will mainly include assisting with equipment set-up and calibration, recording information on data collection sheets, and guiding participants through baseline and experimental visits (e.g., taking them through the warm-up, reminding which assessments are next, confirming subsequent visits, etc.). As the student demonstrates comfort with study operations, they will be given opportunities to assume a more active role (e.g., operate study equipment).

      Outside of testing sessions, first-year students will be asked to assist in digitally recording hand-written data collection sheets and organizing participant data folders (physical and electronic). These duties may be completed whenever the student's schedule permits or during down periods of data collection sessions (there is a 40-minute break between pre-workout measures and the workout).

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Gerald T. Mangine, gmangine@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Tiffany A. Esmat, tesmat@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. John McLester, jmcleste@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Jacob Grazer, jgrazera@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Sydnei Alcorn and Alyssa Baban

    • Blood flow restriction is a method of temporarily reducing blood flow by inflating a cuff on the upper part of a limb. This has been shown to have promising benefits for the musculature when combined with exercise and in the absence of exercise. In certain cases, such as injury and illness, individuals may be unable to exercise or maintain their physical activity levels. These declines in physical activity may be associated with declines in the cardiovascular system. While the current application of blood flow restriction alone does not appear to improve the cardiovascular system, it seems this protocol could be altered to improve comfort and effectiveness.

      Thus, this project is designed to test the effectiveness of more frequent cuff inflations that occur for a shorter duration than the typical protocol. We will collect data on the cardiovascular system and perceptions before, during, and following the protocol. If this seems to be a more comfortable and effective method of blood flow restriction, then a future study may determine whether repeated application improves the cardiovascular system or maintains the cardiovascular system during reduced physical activity levels.

      1. Be able to conduct a primary search of scholarly literature
      2. Assist in the development of an institutional review board application
      3. Understand major concepts of cardiovascular physiology
      4. Be able to analyze data with statistical software
      5. Create and revise a scholarly abstract
      6. Develop confidence in oral presentations
      1. Weekly meetings reserved for research article discussion, overview of upcoming tasks/events, and progress on goals
      2. Develop a plan of action to accomplish tasks in a timely and efficient manner
      3. Every other week review a research article pertaining to the project and write a brief reflection on the article
      4. Aid with participant recruitment during the research project
      5. Assist with data collection and laboratory setup

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Daphney Stanford, dstanf16@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Rachel Carlstrom

    • Resistance training becomes increasingly important with age, yet many older adults (65 and older) cannot lift relatively heavy loads due to lack of resources or pain. It is possible that imagining maximal muscle effort while lifting a moderate load enhances strength gains in older adults.

      This study will compare changes in muscle strength and size in 3 groups of older women:

      1) Elastic band training and high mental effort,
      2) Elastic band training only,
      3) control group.

      We will examine muscle function and size of the biceps and quadriceps muscles. Ultrasound will be used to measure muscle size. Muscle function assessments will consist of maximal strength testing at different velocities and electrically evoked contractions to determine changes within the muscle and nervous system. We will also examine changes in mobility and body composition. Our findings may identify an alternative exercise training strategy that makes it easier for muscle strength gains in older women. This is critically important since older women are more likely to have reduced quality of life as a result of impaired muscle function.

      • Collaborate with master’s and undergraduate students, as well as faculty in Exercise Science
      • Become familiar with body composition and muscle function assessments in the Exercise Physiology laboratory
      • Gain understanding of muscle function, neural control of movement, and adaptations to exercise
      • Lead exercise training sessions for the purpose of improving health in senior women
      • Improve skills related to data processing, calculations, and figure making using software
      • Abstract creation and presentation at KSU Student Symposium
      • Upon exceptional progress, be invited to present at the regional American College of Sports Medicine conference
      • Assist with data collection using Exercise Physiology Laboratory equipment
      • Assist with lab equipment preparation and breakdown
      • Assist with verbal motivation during exercise testing protocols
      • Lead some of the exercise training sessions
      • Operate in Microsoft Excel or other computer software to conduct data processing
      • Attend bi-weekly journal club meetings

    • Hybrid, but mostly face-to-face

    • Dr. Garrett Hester, ghester4@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Jacob Grazer, jgrazera@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Bob Buresh, rburesh@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Gavin Alvarez-Bynum, Alexander Hatfield, and Rylie Johnson

    • Numerous studies have proposed a connection between video games, virtual reality, and increased sedentary behaviors. However, this relation may not apply universally due to the evolving landscape of technology specification and accessibility. Particularly, the realm of virtual reality (VR) immerses individuals in simulated environments, blurring the lines between reality and digital experience. This aspect of VR encourages people to move and engage in physical activity and even sport activities.

      VR’s realism has been widely applied across various industries, with sports training being a prominent beneficiary. Countless teams and athletes harness VR technology to refine their athletic prowess and strategic acumen. A notable illustration of this phenomenon is baseball bat training, where VR simulations enable users to assume the role of a batter facing diverse pitches. The immersive nature of VR baseball simulations has the potential to enhance users’ engagement and proficiency significantly, ultimately fostering a heightened desire to translate these virtual skills onto the physical field.

      Our research delves into the impact of VR simulations on individuals' intentions to engage in future sports activities. We devise tailored questionnaires to gauge users' immersive experience, specifically within the context of VR baseball simulation. Our study involves surveying KSU students and baseball players, allowing for a comprehensive comparative analysis. Additionally, we will examine variations in outcomes based on gender and specific attributes of individuals' sport involvement.

      All stages of this project will involve active participation from students. The data collection will occur within a dedicated laboratory on KSU Kennesaw campus. If you possess an affinity for technology and/or sport, this undertaking promises an enjoyable and engaging experience. 

    • Students will be directly participating in the entire research process. Laboratory data collection using VR device and Win Reality (VR baseball program) will be essential for students' research experience. Participating students expect the following outcomes.

      Content-based outcomes:

      • Define the terminology associated with virtual reality, physical activity, athletic identity, sport participation, and behavioral intentions.
      • Explain survey research and data analytic techniques

      Skill-based outcomes:

      • Locate relevant literature and data
      • Write an IRB and become IRB certificated
      • Collect data for a research study
      • Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study
      • Work effectively as part of a team
      • Present research to an audience

      Professional socialization outcomes:

      • Articulate what it means to be a scholar in students' academic field
      • Articulate the ways in which students' research participation helps prepare them for graduate school and a career
      • Describe appropriate professional conduct

      Self-identity / Improvement outcomes:

      • Time management
      • Self-confidence
      • Independent thinking
      • Problem-solving
      • Organizational skills
      • Leadership skills
      • Persistence on tasks 

    • The participating students will read articles and brainstorm the research design. For data collection, the students will help survey participants wear VR devices and experience the VR baseball program (Win Reality). Also, the students will mark the participants’ answers on tablet. measure the venue’s air quality using a device. The students will organize the results for presentations.

      Except for data collection activities, most meetings can occur online, minimizing project members’ time and resource conflict. However, the team will have face-to-face meetings to learn how to use VR devices and programs. In addition, the mentoring faculty will customize the work according to each student’s specific needs and goals; therefore, students will complete an enjoyable amount of work for this project every week. 

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Kyu-soo Chung, kchung2@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Chad Goebert, cgoebert@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Emerson Sweet

    • Across the United States, young people are at risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. In Georgia, the teen pregnancy rate is ranked the 12th highest in the United States. The rate of HIV diagnoses among young people ages 13 to 24 is more than double the national rate for this age group. Georgia also has some of the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections among young people compared to the rest of the United States.

      KSU is working with the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) to research and evaluate their adolescent health and youth development program and services. State-funded adolescent health and youth development programs and services are available at no cost throughout the state at participating local health departments. These programs are based on the positive youth development approach as recommended by the CDC. It utilizes and recognizes young people’s strengths and promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities encouraging positive relationships and providing the support needed to build on their strengths.

      DPH forms critical relationships between district and county health departments as well as after school programs and county and community agencies, holding workshops with parents, faith-based institutions, and public health leaders to foster collaborations around key adolescent health and youth development issues.

      These programs require the implementation of evidence-based risk reduction strategies addressing HIV/AIDs prevention and teen pregnancy prevention including skill building around communication, goal setting, decision making, and avoiding risky behaviors in order to foster building healthy behaviors, developing life stills and promoting positive youth development.

      The purpose of this specific project is to work with DPH to collect and analyze data from throughout the state to assess the effectiveness of their adolescent health programs and services and develop recommendations for improvements and next steps. This is a very interdisciplinary research project, and students across all majors are encouraged to apply, particularly those interested in medicine, public health, health education, adolescent/school health, youth development, behavioral health, health equity, health policy, reproductive/sexual health, program evaluation, social science research, quantitative research and statistics, qualitative research, etc.

    • By participating in this research project, students will:

      • Describe the state of adolescent health in Georgia.
      • Articulate the current gaps and opportunities in adolescent health programs and services in Georgia.
      • Design data collection tools to evaluate the effectiveness of adolescent health programs and services in Georgia.
      • Collect, analyze, and interpret data that will be used in a final report to DPH as well as related presentations and publications.
      • Work effectively as a team.
      • Present their research to an audience.
      • State the ways in which their research participation helps them prepare for graduate school and/or a career.
      • Reflect on their research project, including strengths, weaknesses, and things they would do differently in another research context.
      • Practice time-management, self-confidence, critical thinking, leadership skills, and professional conduct. 

    • Since this is relatively new project which started last year, students will be involved with every aspect. First, students to delve into the current literature about where Georgia stands in adolescent health outcomes. Next, they will help develop and refine the data collection tools and work with DPH and the rest of the research team to collect and analyze these data. This will result in a formal report to DPH summarizing the data and developing recommendations for improvement. Students will also participate in weekly research team meetings, with the rest of the research team, DPH, and data collection sites. In addition to the formal DPH report, students will also be able to present on their findings and work on peer-reviewed publications. 

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Evelina Sterling, esterlin@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Alayna Bhula, Abigail Gilliard, and Sarah Macke

    • Diseases and negative health outcomes are not equitably distributed in the population. Social determinants of health, such as poverty, violence, and discrimination, have a major impact on who gets what diseases. My work which focuses on:

      1) the ways in which social injustices impact population health
      2) how those injustices become embodied through stress processes
      3) what we can do about it

      I have active research projects both in the Atlanta area (focusing on homelessness and housing), and in Kampala, Uganda, (where I work under Dean Monica Swahn) to address mental health challenges among adolescent girls and young women in slum communities. While the projects I work on vary widely in scope and content, they are all driven by my firm commitment to the pursuit of health justice through community-engaged scientific research and advocacy. 

    • Students will have a wide array of opportunities to develop skills in working with me, and what skills they work on will be determined in part by their own interests. Opportunities include: project coordination and administrative support; quantitative data analysis and statistics; qualitative data analysis and thematic coding; reviewing literature related to social determinants of health, global health, homelessness, and stress processes; and manuscript writing for peer-reviewed journals. 

    • Students specific duties will vary from week to week and depend upon the specific projects we plan for them based on their interests. However, their duties will generally pertain to the areas of activity outlined above: project coordination and administrative support; quantitative data analysis and statistics; qualitative data analysis and thematic coding; reviewing literature related to social determinants of health, global health, homelessness, and stress processes; and manuscript writing for peer-reviewed journals. 

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Matt Lyons, mlyons30@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Arthur Pena Aguilar

    • TOPOWA means don’t give up in Luganda, a local language spoken in Uganda. We use the word to empower young women who live the urban disadvantage, in the slums of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Studies show that poverty is linked to mental illness. We are trying to better understand how we can break that link and improve young women’s lives.

      Our TOPOWA project is a 5-year long research study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, to address the social drivers of mental illness in low-income settings. The social drivers include poverty, lack of education, marginalization, and other social factors. Our study will determine the link between place and mental health and if vocational training and women empowerment initiatives such as psychosocial support and entrepreneurship skills improve mental health trajectories for women in poverty.

      We are currently launching a cohort study of 300 women that we will follow for over 2 years. The main goal of the cohort study is to examine mental health trajectories over time and also to evaluate the impact of skills training on living and mental health factors. We have also done focus groups, a photo voice project and a community mapping of the areas where the women in the study live to understand how place impacts health.

      The collaborative and transdisciplinary study has many different project pieces to better understand how young people face stress and mental health concerns. We will assess biomarkers of stress, test for alcohol and drug use, use Garmin wearables to collect GIS and basic health data, and also do a neuroscience experiment to see how women react to stress. We will also do lots of surveys to assess mental health factors and details about their living conditions, partners and behaviors.

      We have a great team with researchers from Kennesaw State University, Georgia State University and Makerere University among others. We also work closely with a Community Based Organization, the Uganda Youth Development Link. The project will continue until 2026.

      This multi component research project is open to students in any major and may be particularly well suited to those interested in any of these components: writing, data visualization, biomarkers, survey data, GIS, geography, mHealth, wearables, social studies, psychology, alcohol and drug use, mental health, global health, environmental health, entrepreneurship, alcohol marketing, urban context, intervention evaluation, community research, nonprofit leadership, international studies and Africana studies. 

    • Students will be participating in the research process for this ongoing cohort study. Students can work with the data already collected and also help to shape future data collection given that the study is ongoing.

      Students can expect the following outcomes:

      • Define the terminology used in the study including social determinants of health and the
        mental health outcomes
      • Identify and explain the research approach and design, including the survey research Analyze,
        synthesize, organize, and interpret qualitative or empirical data from the research study
      • Get CITI certified (IRB)
      • Work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team
      • Present research to an audience
      • Communicate research findings in both written and oral presentations
      • Articulate what it means to be a scholar in students' academic field
      • Articulate the ways in which students' research participation helps prepare them for graduate
        school and a career
      • Describe appropriate professional conduct
      • Reflect on their research project, including strengths, weaknesses, and things they would do
        differently in another research context
      • Participate in lab meetings with an interdisciplinary team
      • Learn and improve time management, self-confidence, independent thinking, problem-solving, organizational skills, leadership skills and persistence on tasks 

    • Weekly tasks and assignments will vary but will include the following:

      • Conduct literature reviews
      • Read and summarize new research studies
      • Analyze or synthesize data
      • Prepare written reports or data visualizations
      • Prepare tables and charts
      • Attend research lab meetings
      • Contribute to discussions

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Monica Swahn, mswahn@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Kristin Tran

    • The purpose of this project is to continue to develop a research proposal to build a large-scale study based on a pilot study conducted with one nursing school in Vietnam. The main outcome achieved by the pilot study was a two-week online workshop between the PI and a nursing school in Vietnam to complete a needs assessment to provide preliminary data for undergraduate nursing curriculum evolution. This project aims to build a research proposal to continue the strategic partnership to support the expansion of the curriculum evolution pilot study to three nursing schools within Vietnam guided by the Center for Disease Control’s Training of Trainers Model.

      This project will develop a research proposal that has two specific aims:

      1. To implement a revised undergraduate nursing curriculum at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy based on the preliminary findings from a pilot study conducted in 2021.

      2. To establish a regional training model generated during a pilot study conducted in 2021 using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Training of Trainers model for three nursing schools of a similar demographic to Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy about curriculum evolution throughout Vietnam.

    • By participating in this project, students will work with the researcher to learn how to:

      1. Prepare a research grant application for the large scale funding for this ongoing project.
      2. Identify and apply the components of the Institutional Review Board process.
      3. Collaborate with research teams within an international context.

    • Students will be required to meet online with the researcher for 1 hour per week during the semester. Student work outside of these 1-hour meetings will occur on their own time as convenient for their busy student schedules. Work load will not exceed 8 hours per week.

      Students will be responsible for the following:

      1. Developing a research protocol with the researcher for submission to the KSU IRB.
      2. Designing a conference abstract for submission.
      3. Connecting with nursing researchers domestically within KSU and abroad in Vietnam once or twice per semester online during a video conferencing meeting to plan the future submission of a research proposal. 

    • Online

    • Dr. Miranda Hawks, mhawks2@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Alexis Arnoux

    • Significance/Background:
      Despite the nursing shortage, recruitment of baccalaureate nursing students into the oncology practice setting after graduation continues to be a challenge as new nurses opting for environments, they consider to be high-tech/challenging or “exciting”. Increased disease incidence and advancements in treatment have made the demand for oncology nurses dire. Results from a recent large nationwide study demonstrated that students desire both oncology education commensurate with clinical experiences to become adequately prepared to care for patients with cancer however prescriptive nursing education programs require educators to consider alternative learning methods for specialty nursing content. In addition, nursing education credentialing bodies demand students be taught approaches to mitigate healthcare disparities. Since cancer health disparities occur more in medically underserved areas, there is a significant need to expose students to the oncology environment with the objective of encouraging them to enter the subspecialty.

      Purpose:
      The purpose of this pilot study is to offer volunteer experiential oncology nursing experiences within the medically underserved community to prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students.

      Intervention:
      This is a descriptive design pilot study. Students will be trained in cancer education and social determinants of health (SDOH) prior to conducting cancer awareness & screening at community events for the medically underserved. Quantitative data will be obtained through an original questionnaire delivered pre & post cancer education administration.

      UG research scholars will help the investigators with all aspects of the pilot study from design to implementation to analysis . Students will be exposed to the all research study processes and procedures. One of the primary responsibilities of the UG research scholars will be to conduct the background literature review about the effect of volunteerism, as an educational teaching method, on baccalaureate nursing students’ attitudes and stimulating oncology nursing field interest, an under-researched area. Since we will instruct on and advocate for the literature search to be conducted similar to a scoping review, UG scholars should be able to produce an abstract and poster for presentation at a conference by the end of the development period. UG scholars will also assist researchers on data collection and community event management.

    • At the end of the project, students should be able to:

      1. Describe quantitative research as used in a nursing education study
      2. Utilize appropriate databases related to the study purpose and be able to synthesize and critically analyze the background literature.
      3. Observe the study design process that seeks to answer the research questions/aims.
      4. Collect & Interpret research data
      5. Describe ethical research practices and apply those practices to a research study.
      6. Observe and describe how to write an IRB proposal
      7. Describe & engage in ethical research practices
      8. Work effectively as part of a research team
      9. Write an abstract for a poster presentation
      10. Describe professional conduct at conferences
      11. Present their research/creative activity to an audience (e.g., poster, oral presentation, performance, display)
      1. Set up a weekly meeting schedule (virtual or on-site); as needed meetings per study needs
      2. Help researchers with study participant recruitment and management
      3. Assist with data collection and management
      4. Perform an online literature search related to the research questions
      5. Work with the KSU librarian to perform an on-going literature search based on the study purpose
      6. Design a conference abstract and / or poster for presentation
      7. Work with research student partner to achieve goals

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Tracy Ruegg, truegg@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Cassaundra Wyatt, cwyatt22@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Favour Ekpe and Elizabeth Maciejewski

    • The nursing workforce in the United States is currently experiencing a huge shortage due to increase in the demand for healthcare occasioned by the ageing population, high nurse turnover rate, aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic and inadequate nurse educators. One strategy adopted by many healthcare institutions is to employ foreign-trained nurses to staff the different hospital units. Interestingly, a considerable percentage of these foreign-trained nurses come from Africa.

      These Africa-trained nurses had different educational trainings, clinical exposures and patient populations than the US-trained nurses. However, when recruited and placed to practice in the United States, they are expected to have the same competencies and skills with other nurses regardless of their background. It therefore becomes important to understand how these Africa-trained nurses are able to transition and navigate the hospital spaces to meet the expected standards. In addition to the hospital expectations, these Africa-trained nurses have to cope with other physical, cultural, identity and emotional adjustments due to culture shock, economic challenges, family adaptation and other situations.

      Little has been documented on how these folks are able to manage the complexities of migration at the same time perform their nursing duties as expected. This study therefore will elicit the narratives of Africa-educated nurses in the US and their stories of transitioning to the US healthcare system. The study will also identify specific support needs that this group of nurses require for smooth transitions. Finally, findings from this study will help design specific interventions and programs that would facilitate smooth transitions for Africa-trained nurses working in the United States.

    • At the end of the project, the students should be able to:

      1. explain the philosophy behind a phenomenological research project
      2. demonstrate good ethical practices in conducting a phenomenological study
      3. develop skills on writing a qualitative research background and problem
      4. develop some innovations in the craft of phenomenological research
      5. build their skills on qualitative interviewing and analysis
      6. understand qualitative data analysis and interpretation
      7. write a qualitative research manuscript
      8. understand manuscripts publication process
      9. appreciate the importance and measures of rigor in phenomenological studies
      1. Reading on philosophies underpinning phenomenological studies
      2. Reviewing literature on the burden of nursing workforce shortages
      3. Writing the proposal
      4. Developing the interview guide
      5. Training on qualitative interviewing and data collection
      6. Training on qualitative data analysis
      7. Recruiting participants
      8. Collecting data from participants
      9. Data analysis and drafting of manuscript
      10. Prepare manuscript for publication and conference presentation

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Chinomso Nwozichi, cnwozich@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Daniel Bernal

    • Our research team is engaged in enhancing the competence of healthcare and allied students in dementia care through a blend of evidence-based teaching methods and virtual reality technology. We are currently working on creating an interactive extended virtual reality research initiative that incorporates gamification to enhance the competence of healthcare and allied students in effectively preventing and managing psychological and behavioral symptoms associated with dementia.

    • Students in our research team can expect to actively participate in the learning process and gain practical experience and valuable skills in research methodology.
      Some of the outcomes include:

      1. Designing and developing research proposals collaboratively, allowing students to gain a practical understanding of foundational research processes.
      2. Acquiring basic skills in creating comprehensive survey instruments and formulating effective questions to collect essential data.
      3. Learning the intricacies of participant recruitment and developing a thorough and organized approach to data collection.
      4. Critically analyzing and synthesizing existing literature, contributing to a well-rounded understanding of research findings.
      5. Engaging in developing interview guides, mastering efficient data collection and management techniques, and prioritizing data integrity.
      6. Engaging in descriptive quantitative data analysis to derive meaningful insights and draw informed conclusions from research outcomes.
      7. Engaging in drafting impactful abstracts and presenting outcomes professionally at conferences, which will equip students with effective communication skills.
      8. Showcasing their ability to contribute substantively to scholarly discourse by participating in drafting manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications.

    • Week activities are based on the response provided above in the "outcome section. The activities will evolve as the program progresses. 

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Modupe Adewuyi, madewuy1@kennesaw.edu
      Dr. Joy Li, yli49@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Aliyah Johnson

    • Nurses working in PC settings such as nursing homes, hospice and long-term care settings experience a huge amount of trauma and compassion fatigue that caused increased burnouts, suicide rates, psychological and existential crisis among nurses. During the pandemic, the prevalence of psychological trauma, moral injury, and stress-related disorders including suicide rates among nurses were higher than ever before. Not addressing nurses’ psychological trauma and recovery could result in dysfunctional coping, substance use, and other harmful health seeking behaviors. ‘SOPHIE’ -Self-Exploration tool as a self-reflective wellness intervention in promoting resilience, posttraumatic growth, and subjective wellbeing among nurses working in the palliative care settings. Future implication: the study outcome can better help health care professionals and students build resilience and increase retention rates and patient outcomes.

      1. Complete CITI training to ensure ethical conduct during research.
      2. Collaborate effectively with an interdisciplinary research team.
      3. Demonstrate proficient data management skills.
      4. Apply data analysis techniques and interpret basic statistical findings.
      5. Create a conference abstract suitable for submission.
      1. Collaborate with faculty members to conduct comprehensive literature searches and synthesize the findings.
      2. Formulate a research question for a secondary analysis project under the guidance of a researcher.
      3. Assist in the management of research data alongside the research team.
      4. Acquire knowledge and practical skills in conducting statistical analysis tests and interpreting basic statistical results.
      5. Create a conference abstract suitable for submission to conferences at the local, national, or international level.

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Kawther Ismail Hamash, khamash@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Casandra Miranda and Gracie Zimmerman

    • Mentorship programs for nursing students have been shown to have multiple benefits, such as improved ability to cope with stress, development of leadership skills, and increased career satisfaction. Unfortunately, there are few guidelines on how to implement these programs. Despite the need, formal mentorship is not commonly performed for graduate nursing students. Nurse practitioners have a high rate of job dissatisfaction and burnout in the first years of practice.

      The Chattanooga Area Nurses in Advanced Practice (CANAP) is a local organization with 192 active members and 49 NP student members. The mission of the organization is supporting and fostering the role of advanced practice nurses by 1. Ensuring the delivery of safe, comprehensive patient care to area residents; 2. Providing continuing education and updates to the local registered nurses involved in advanced practice; 3. Supporting legislative action that enhances the success of current and future advanced practice registered nurses; and 4. Assisting advance practice registered nurses in finding employment.

      The aim of this project is to partner with CANAP to develop and implement a formal mentorship program for NP students and evaluate the effectiveness through multiple outcome measures. I am the current education chair and past president of the organization, which will improve our access to members and buy-in from the board of directors. 

    • At the end of the project, students should be able to:

      (Content based)
      • Describe past research studies on mentorship in nursing
      • Articulate how their research study makes a contribution to their academic field

      (Skills based)
      • Locate primary and secondary sources when searching for mentorship program in nursing
      • Synthesize and critically analyze past research related to the topic to form a literature review
      • Design a study to answer a research question
      • Write an IRB or IACUC proposal and become IRB certified
      • Collect data for a research study
      • Analyze, synthesize, organize, and interpret data from their research study
      • Work effectively as part of a team
      • Help write a research paper as a team
      • Present their research/creative activity to an audience (e.g., poster, oral presentation, performance, display)

      (Disciplinary/professional socialization outcomes)
      • Articulate the ways in which their research participation helps prepare them for graduate school and/or a career
      • Describe appropriate professional conduct (e.g., at conferences, when interacting with professionals in the field)
      • Reflect on their research project, including strengths, weaknesses, and things they would do differently in another research context

      (Improvement outcomes)
      • Learn time management and intrinsic motivation skills

    • The research project is in early stages, so the duties will vary week to week. Students will be able to be involved in every aspect of the project from early development to completion. There will be 1 hour weekly meetings via zoom.
      Under the supervision of the researcher, students will be responsible for the following:

      1. Conduct a thorough literature review on mentorship programs for nurse practitioner students and transition to practice.
      2. Assist in designing and implementation of a mentorship program
      3. Develop a research protocol for submission to KSU IRB
      4. Recruit members of CANAP who are NP students as well as potential mentors to join the study.
      5. Collect data during the active phases of implementation
      6. Analyze data for evaluation
      7. Design a conference abstract and a manuscript for submission.

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Roxanne Bennett, rbenne89@kennesaw.edu

  • 2023-2024 First Year Scholars: Peyton Dukes, Zaynab Khan, and Violet Riggle

    • The purpose of this project is to complete an integrative review. Upon completion of the integrative review, a research proposal will be developed to explore the learning needs of Generation Z nurses entering the workforce. This project aims to complete an integrative review that will allow future research work on Generation Z nurses in nursing school and entering the workforce. Based on the results of the findings, a research study will be developed to explore the needs of Generation Z nursing students.

      This project will complete an integrative review that has specific aims:

      1. To identify the skills and characteristics of the generation z nursing student and nurse.
      2. To establish a baseline of current knowledge that is published on the generation z nursing student and workforce which will then identify implications for practice, education, and future research.
      3. Use findings to develop an IRB proposal for a future research study.

    • By participating in this project, students will work with the researcher to learn how to:

      1. Conduct and synthesize findings from an integrative review search.
      2. Identify and apply the components of analysis of the integrative view.
      3. Develop a conference abstract or manuscript for submission.
      4. After completion of the review, discussion, and development of a research study will be initiated. 

    • Students will be responsible for the following:

      1. Collecting and synthesizing peer-reviewed journal articles for a literature review from the KSU library.
      2. Evaluating the articles for quality and applicability to the topic.
      3. Developing a literature review table and a data analysis table after the completion of the search.
      4. Drafting sections of the integrative review project including background, purpose, topic information, and data analysis.
      5. Designing a conference abstract and/or a manuscript for submission.
      6. Work with faculty to help propose and develop an IRB submission for a study based on findings from the integrative review.

    • Hybrid

    • Dr. Margot Hedenstrom, mhedenst@kennesaw.edu





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