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From Here to Health
App State Faculty Creating,
Disseminating & Advancing Knowledge
in the Science of Health
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Spring 2025
The past few months have indeed presented their share of challenges as we bravely navigate the winter weather in the High Country and confront the uncertainties that loom in higher education, research, and funding. Yet, amidst these trials, I'm embracing my new role as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Gary McCullough for his invaluable support and mentorship during this transition, reinforcing our spirit of collaboration. It has been a pleasure to meet with some of you as I've moved into this new role, and I look forward to supporting you all I can in your research endeavors.
A significant milestone for us is App State’s ascension to the R2 Carnegie Classification for Research, a testament to our unwavering commitment to impactful research and community engagement. As we look forward to the vibrant energy of spring, we are filled with optimism and anticipation for the fresh opportunities it will bring for innovation and growth, not just within App State but also in the Beaver College of Health Sciences. I warmly invite all stakeholders to join us in our ongoing research initiatives and grant funding pursuits, as your involvement is crucial in driving forward our mission to enhance health and wellness in our region.
It brings me immense joy to share the inspiring updates on the remarkable collaborative research efforts between our dedicated faculty and passionate students across the Beaver College of Health Sciences. Together, they are not just creating new knowledge; they are weaving a tapestry of hope and health that reaches far beyond the borders of Western North Carolina and into the heart of Appalachia and beyond. Their innovative research initiatives tackle pressing health challenges head-on, empowering individuals and communities to thrive. Each project is a testament to the transformative power of collaboration, where ideas flourish and impactful solutions emerge. We invite you to join us in this journey of discovery and healing, as we continue to uplift and support the well-being of those we serve. Together, we are making strides towards a healthier future for all!
As always, we need volunteers to participate in research studies.
Many research projects conducted by faculty and their students involve human subjects/participants. Please take a look at some of the exciting research projects that are active right now and see if you qualify to participate at: https://healthsciences.appstate.edu/research/volunteers. Or scan the QR Code you see in this section. Thank you for taking a look and for supporting the advancement of new knowledge that can impact health and wellness for many.
Enjoy this edition of our newsletter and podcast, and I'll see you on the road From Here to Health.
Adam Hege
Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education
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Faculty Spotlight
Maggie Sugg, Geography and Planning, AppWell Research Fellow
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Dr. Maggie Sugg is well-known across Appalachian State University and the Beaver College of Health Sciences and is a Research Fellow with AppWell. Dr. Sugg has collaborated with numerous faculty across the Beaver College of Health Sciences as she conducts research that focuses on spatiotemporal patterns of health and how these patterns related to environmental, socioeconomic, and climatic determinants. Her research provides insights into the etiology of environmental health diseases, highlighting both overburdened populations and the environmental conditions that lead to adverse health outcomes. Maggie has published more than 80 peer reviewed papers (h-index = 25; i10-index = 39) in various disciplines, including public health, spatial epidemiology, geography, and climate science.
Career Highlights:
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Receipt of the NSF CAREER Award, the highest honor given to early-career faculty from the National Science Foundation
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Receipt of the Emerging Scholar Award from the Health and Medical Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers
- Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award, Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies, Appalachian State University
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Provost Award, Provost’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity, Appalachian State University
- Receipt of the Environmental Protection Agency's STAR Fellowship in Public Health
- Recipient of external funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Environmental Health Science, Gulf Research Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Public Health AmeriCorps, Environmental Protection Agency, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Follow the link above to listen to our Podcast discussion, where we discuss Maggie's career and where she hopes to take health to new heights next.
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Recent Grants and Contracts in Health Sciences | | |
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Jennifer Tyson, MPH, Lecturer in Public Health, has been awarded two contracts from NC Department of Health and Human Services, totaling more than $800,000. The first contract is for the Aging Well High Country Older Adult Mental Health Initiative and aims to address the mental health challenges faced by older adults in western North Carolina. In this initiative, caregivers and older adults will be trained as Wellness Ambassadors in Mental Health and Psychological First Aid (MHPFA), increase community engagement, and work on reducing stigma around mental health. In the second project, Appalachian Innovative Approaches (Innovation Approaches 2.0), Jennifer and co-PI, Dr. Gavin Colquitt, will partner with AppHealthCare and other local agencies aimed at addressing the needs of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families.
Others receiving funding
Madadi, Y., & Bellon-Harn, M. University Council Grant. (2024-2025). Revolutionizing Autism Care with AI-Driven Humanoid Robots to Enhance Pediatric Patient Communication (funded for $5000.00).
Cline, S.D. (2024-2025) Interactive Trail Project: Creating an Arts-based Nature Experience for All-Abilities. Funded $3000 Civic Engagement Innovation Grant. Appalachian State University.
Dalton, J. C. (2024-2025). The POMME-CAS Project: Phonatory Observation and Motor Measurement Evaluation of Motor Speech in Adults with Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies. Amount Funded: $14,000.
James, J. App State Renewing Partnership with NPS 21st Century Conservation Corps.
Ward, A., Tarantino, C. & Brackney, D. Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Training and Implementation Grant. SBIRT is an evidence based, interprofessional, integrated public health care approach to reduce the harmful effects of substance misuse. This award is in partnership with the NC Department of Public Instruction to provide SBIRT training to student services workers in up to 10 school districts in the eastern part of NC. Additionally, Appalachian State faculty will provide implementation assistance within each of the trained school districts.
| | | | Health Sciences Faculty Appointments & Awards | |
Congratulations to Rebecca A. Battista, Ph.D., this year’s winner of the Emily M. Haymes Mentoring Award at the recent SEACSM Women's Breakfast in Greenville, SC! A nominator said, "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to allow this committee to see Becki for who she is; not "just" a professor or researcher, but one who has mentorship and leadership so deep within her, that she embodies it in everything she does. It is truly who she is." Congratulations, Becki! | | | | | |
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HERE’S TO HEALTH PUBS
Kudos to these faculty for disseminating their research to the broader community of scholars through publications in some top-tiered journals. We did a bit of altering from the traditional referencing formats to highlight the names of our faculty.
Fasczewski, K. S., Bramblett, P. N., & Milbrath, M. J. (2025). Understanding resilience, mental toughness, self-efficacy and motivation in Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Educational Leadership. In press.
Gamwell-Muscarello, H. E., Needle, A. R., Meucci, M., & Skinner, J. W. (2025). Improving locomotor performance with motor imagery and tDCS in young adults. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-86039-2
Sinha, S. (upcoming book, in April 2025). Risk, Stigma, Agency: Life Histories of Women Involved in Sex Work in Kolkata, Palgrave MacMillan.
Bellon-Harn, M., Whisenhunt Saar, K., Santhanam, S., & Heydari, S. (in press). The diagnostic journey of autistic women on Tik Tok. Research in Autism.
Mohanan, R., Aithal, V., Veena, D., & Bellon-Harn, M. (in press). Effectiveness of Video-Based Instruction with Additional Components to Improve Conversational Skills in Autistic Children: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.
Bellon-Harn, M. & Morris, L. (2025). Examining the Impact of an Online, Asynchronous Social Justice Program on Undergraduate Communication Sciences and Disorders Students. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups (SIG 10).
Bauer, P. W., Newsome, A. M., McAvoy, C. R., & Battista, R. A. (2025). EIM-OC: Beyond the Launch, Creating an Impactful, Sustainable and Supported Program. International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 9(1), 75–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/24711616.2024.2436226
Battista, R.A. (2024). Unlocking Nature’s Power: Health Benefits of Engaging in Outdoor Physical Activity in the Appalachian Region. Journal of the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness, Volume 4, https://jihhs.pubpub.org/volume-4.
Greenberg, J., van der Mars, H., McKenzie T.L., Battista, R.A., Chriqui, J., Cornett, K., Graber, K., Russell, J., Ward, D., and Wilson, W. (2024). A primer on the National Physical Activity Plan’s Education Sector. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 95(2), p 7-16, https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2023.2291641.
Skinner, J. W., & Needle, A. R. (2025). Exploring the role of ankle muscle function in gait impairments and fall risk in Parkinson's disease. Human Movement Science, 99, 103316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2024.103316
Skinner, J. W., Fasczewski, K. S., Bramblett, P. N., & Ristanovic, M. (2024). “Every day is a battle”: The impact of COVID-19 on physical activity behavior among a group of rural older adults living with Parkinson’s disease. Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, 10, 23337214241302664. https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214241302664
Brackney, D. E., & Lane, S. H. (2025). Coping after the COVID-19 pandemic: Nurses’ learning intent and implications for the workforce and education. British Journal of Nursing 34(2), 106-113. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2023.0197
*University Research Council Grant supported this project
Lucero, C., Sugg, M.M., Ryan, S.C., Runkle, J.D., Thompson, M.P. (2024). Spatiotemporal patterns of youth isolation and loneliness in the US: a geospatial analysis of Crisis Text Line data (2016–2022). GeoJournal, 89, 249
Isaacs, S., Bogardus, M., Thompson, M.P., Wu, S. & Howell, M. (In press). Development and implementation of a 3-week whole-food plant-based vegan diet intervention for college students. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
Sugg, M.M., Ryan, S.C, Ulrich, S.E., Runkle, J.D, & Thompson, M.P. (2024). Structural influences on psychiatric emergency department visits among racial and ethnic minority youth in North Carolina: A neighborhood-level analysis. Health and Place, 90, 103379.
Roepke, E. & Dalton, J.C. (2025). Using reporting standards to structure research manuscripts: A narrative review. Early Childhood Education Journal.
Walker, E.*, Dalton, J. C., & Botts, D. C. (2025). Experiential learning and autism: An undergraduate's journey. [In press]. Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders. (*CSD Undergraduate Honors research project, '24)
Roy M, Farris A, Loy E, Sastre L, Nunnery D. (2024). Nutrition education needs and barriers of uninsured clients who utilize free clinics in Western North Carolina. Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(3):21-43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13023/jah.0603.03
Tyson JS, Scalise D, Hege A, Sugg M, Roy M. (2024). Public Health Policy that Leads with Equity in Rural Appalachia: Recommendations to Confirm Vaccination Status in an Equitable Manner. The Journal of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39573912/
Tonsing, K.N. & Tonsing, J.C. (2024). Beliefs about mental health and barriers to psychological help-seeking among Burmese refugee: A mixed method Inquiry. Social Work in Mental Health, doi:10.1080/1533298.2024.2446175
Gunther C, Lin C J, Schier H, Knopp M, Chang M W, Kennel J, Sharn A R, Westrick M, Ilic S, Breitenstein S M, Grimes J, Foster K, Schwierking S, May L. (2025). A Scale-Out Study of an Evidence-Based Family Meals Program Delivered in the Head Start Setting: Results, Challenges, and Opportunities. Childhood Obesity. doi:10.1089/chi.2024.0370
Schier H, Chetty K, Induri S, Knopp, M, Gunther C. (2025). Project Gender NutriScope: Methods of a Mixed Methods, Community-Engaged Study Design to Explore the Nutritional Needs of Transgender and Gender-Diverse Youth and Young Adults. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.01.001
Anderson A M, Rosenberg S, Schier H, Eskew S K, Harpin S B, Brooks-Russell A, Sun C J. (2025). Gender, Disordered Eating Behaviors, and Suicide Among High Schoolers in Colorado. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Williford KT, Frye EV, Kappus RM. The Effects of Previous Amenorrhea on Endothelial and Vascular Function. (2025). International Journal of Endocrinology. doi:10.1155/ije/6305659. PMID: 39949570; PMCID: PMC11824395. (This manuscript was recently published and was a master's thesis by Katherine (Katie) Williford who is current in Wingate's Physician's Assistant program)
Sinha, S. (April 2025, upcoming book Manuscript). Risk, Stigma, Agency: Life Histories of Women Involved in Sex Work in Kolkata, India, Palgrave MacMillan.
Hege, A. McCann, M., Walker, D., Edwards, L., McLendon, C., Runkel, S., McReynolds, R. (2025). North Carolina’s LFPA Program is Strengthening Local Food Systems: Analysis of Stakeholder Value [In press]. Health Affairs. April Issue on Food, Nutrition, and Health.
Smith FT, Kern BD, Gura C*, Singhi S, Battista RA. (2025). The National Physical Activity Plan Early Childhood Education Strategy: State Policy Surveillance. Childhood Obesity. DOI: 10.1089/chi2024.0383. *Carolyn Gura is a graduate from the RMPE department and a current MS in Exercise Science student.
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ON THE ROAD IN THE AIR
| | | From Boone to Florida to California to D.C. to Missouri to New Zealand....and, of course, back. The current and upcoming travel for research presentations is in high gear. Can't really get them all on a map like this. You can read about some of these great presentations below. | | |
| | Heather Schier will be presenting "Cardiometabolic and nutritional health of transgender and gender diverse youth and young adults in Central Ohio: Results from Project Gender NutriScope, a mixed methods cross-sectional community-engaged study" in Auckland, New Zealand (June 11-14, 2025) at the ISBNPA 2025 Annual Meeting. | | | |
Margaret Brown presented "Understanding the Increased Vulnerability to Sexual Violence of College Students who are LGBTQ+ Women to Better Inform Prevention and Intervention Efforts" in San Diego, CA (Dec. 2024) at the Annual Conference for Society for Scientific Study of Sexuality. Data was presented from a URC funded study involving Thompson, M. and Bestman-Smith, Z., a recent Public Health grad. | | | | | |
More on the Circuit
Battista, R.A. Webinar for SHAPE America: By You, For You Webinar Series: Move, Learn, Thrive: Implementing the National Physical Activity Plan.
Fasczewski, K. S. & Kurtz, J. A. (2025). “Flipping” graduate student orientation to create a more supportive program culture. Round table discussion panelist presented at American Kinesiology Association Annual Workshop, Newport Beach, CA.
Garvick S, Pendergraft S, Gillette C, & Fasczewski K. (2025). Beyond the Prescription: Empowering Medical Learners to Integrate Lifestyle Medicine into Patient Care. Oral Presentation. Southern Group of Educational Affairs Annual Conference, Miami, FL.
Brackney, D. E. (February 1, 2025). Beyond Education. Outpatient CDCES adding value to your practice. ADA Clinical Update Conference, Orlando, FL
Brackney, D. E., Turpin, R. (February 7, 2025). Application of Swanson’s caring Theory to Hurricane Helene Assessment. AHEC, Virtual
Harmon, B.E., West, N., San Diego, E.R.N., Pichon, L. (2025, February 5). Translating and implementing community-based participatory research: How assessing needs of faith communities became a model for promoting health equity in diverse settings. SBM Behavior Change Grand Rounds webinar series.
Harmon, B.E., Lewis, J., Ivery-Glover, J., Baptist, B., Warnock, J., Townsend, S., Smith, S., Madubuonwu, S. (2024, October 19). Associations between Religious Engagement and Patient Experience in a Large, Urban Healthcare System. Society for the Scientific Study of Religion + Religious Research Association Annual Meeting, oral presentation.
Roy, J., Roy, M., and Hussain, Z. "Extreme weather events and child health in India," 5th Annual SMU Economics PhD Alumni Conference (online) on January 10, 2025
Roy, M., Sugg, M., and Runkle, J. " Effect of maternity ward closures in North Carolina on maternal health outcomes: a DiD story," the Southern Economic Association Annual Meetings in November 2024, Washington, D.C.
Weidmann, S. (2024) Spooky Stories to Keep You Up at Night: Investigating Immersive Haunted Attraction Storytelling (Poster Presentation). At the Themed Experience & Attractions Academic Society Symposium. Orlando, Florida, November 22, 2024.
Gilmore, C. N. (January 2025). Read with CARE: An Aided AAC Modeling Intervention for Young Children with ASD and CCN. Poster presentation at the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD – 26th International Conference), Clearwater, FL.
Gilmore, C. N., Fraser, M., & Williams, A. (January 2025). Increasing Reading Skills for Students with Extensive Support Needs. Poster presentation at the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD – 26th International Conference), Clearwater, FL.
Wu SH*, Thompson M, Christiana R, Hege A, Tyson J. Body mass index is positively associated with overall cancer risk among college students in the United States: Results from the national college health assessment. Oral presentation at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, October 27, 2024. *Corresponding and senior author.
Bogardus M, Isaacs S, Thompson M, Wu SH. Testing the Feasibility and Impacts of a Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet Intervention on College Students’ Health. Poster presentation at the Lifestyle Medicine 2024 conference, Orlando, Florida, October 27-30, 2024.
Wu SH*, Ulrich S, Feng T, Liu Y, Tseng L. Food environment index and cancer in North Carolina. Poster presentation at the 2024 Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian. February 5, 2025, Boone, NC. *Senior and corresponding author
Isaacs S, Bogardus M, Young A, Thompson M, Wu SH. Changes in Diet Quality and Adherence in College Students after a 3-Week Whole-Food Plant-Based Vegan Diet Intervention. Poster presentation at the 2024 Research and Creative Activity at Appalachian. February 5, 2025, Boone, NC.
Tonsing, J. (2024). Children Exposure to Domestic Violence: (CE: Credit 1). Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 70th Annual Program Meeting Conference, Kansas City, MO, October 24-27, 2024 (oral presentation)
Watford, M.A. (2025, April 2-3). Community Health Workers as part of Health Care Teams in North Carolina: Challenges and Insights. [Conference Presentation]. 2025 NC Community Health Worker Summit, New Bern, NC.
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