Seven CBCS students were selected as recipients of scholarships funded by The Moms Project and the Florida High Tech Corridor. The undergraduate students were honored at a luncheon last week, attended by one of the original moms of The Moms Project, 103-year-old Ellen Nizzi.
Jennifer Lister, PhD, introduced the recipients of the Undergraduate Research Scholarship. Criminology student Evelyn Harris, who is mentored by Lori Hall, PhD, is working on a project titled, "A Biopsychosocial Explanation of Criminal Offending: Toward a Tool for Reform​." Caroline Kelley, who is pursuing a degree in language, speech, and hearing sciences, is conducting the study, "Language Beyond the Spectrum." She is mentored by Matthew Foster, PhD. Both students' areas of research are positive aging and quality of life.
Howard Goldstein, PhD, announced the Florida High Tech Corridor Scholars. Three of the scholars are studying language, speech, and hearing sciences: Sarah Alvarez, Nicole Kawa, and Gabriella Brown. Alvarez, whose mentor is Hana Kim, PhD, is investigating linguistic markers in writing in order to detect cognitive decline. Overseen by Matthew Foster, PhD, Kawa's study is titled, "Exploring Inferencing, Theory of Mind, and Affect Recognition as Predictors of Language Development and Reading Achievement in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders." Brown is working with Jungmee Lee, PhD, on a project titled, "Learning Effect Impacts Quick Speech-in-Noise ​Test Reliability."
School of Social Work students Katelyn Baldwin and Sabrina Sengdao were also selected as Florida High Tech Corridor Scholars. Under the mentorship of Manisha Joshi, PhD, MPH, MSW, Baldwin is working on a systematic review of the factors impacting participation in food assistance programs. Sengdao is working with Vickie Lynn, PhD, MPH, MSW, on an examination of how caregivers navigate grief following a person's death by substance use and the effects of support received on well-being.