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SPHHS Students Gain Hands-on Experience through HHMI Summer Research Internship

August 28, 2024 Research

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Top row (l-r): Crystal Chen and Marcus Randall. Bottom row (l-r): Nadia Surin and Gloria Walker-Hoover.
Top row (l-r): Crystal Chen and Marcus Randall. Bottom row (l-r): Nadia Surin and Gloria Walker-Hoover.

Four SPHHS undergraduates gained hands-on, scientific research experience this summer through the support of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Summer Research Internship program. The program, funded through a $2.5 million grant awarded to the university through HHMI’s Driving Change initiative, aims to effect cultural change on research university campuses by creating a more inclusive learning environment. The HHMI Summer Research program offers historically underrepresented and first-generation students paid research fellowships and housing to support these transformational research experiences. The grant initiative, led by Associate Dean Elizabeth Connor in the College of Natural Sciences (CNS), provides support to CNS students as well as students in the College of Engineering, the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences and the School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS).

This year, kinesiology majors Marcus Randall and Nadia Surin, along with public health majors Crystal Chen and Gloria Walker-Hoover, participated in the program, working with SPHHS faculty in a variety of research settings.

Marcus Randall worked in two kinesiology labs: Professor Katherine Boyer’s Musculoskeletal and Orthopedic Biomechanics Lab and Professor Mark Miller’s Muscle Biology Lab. In Boyer’s lab, he helped on a project training an AI model to accurately discern muscle tissue from other tissues in magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the thigh.  In Professor Miller’s lab, he helped to research the effects of different training programs on skeletal muscle function in older men and women. “The environment created by Professor Boyer, Professor Miller, and my lab mentors created an environment that allowed me to learn from my mistakes and acknowledge my successes,” says Randall. “This ability will be invaluable to me as I progress academically and professionally.”

Read more about Marcus Randall here. 

Nadia Surin conducted research in the University of Massachusetts Integrative Locomotion Lab (UMILL) under the direction of Wouter Hoogkamer, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology. They researched the levels of influence of flexible running footwear on metabolic processes of the foot by using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. “To be a part of research is an accomplishment for me as I can apply my comprehensive knowledge to the lab,” says Surin. “Being able to be a part of a published paper that benefits athletes and recreational runners in their competitions and personal goals is something I take pride in.”

Read more about Nadia Surin here. 

Crystal Chen worked with Professor of Kinesiology Sofiya Alhassan in the Pediatric Physical Activity Lab (PPAL) to explore the impact of physical activity and other health behaviors on the health of preschool-age children. “Working with Dr. Alhassan this summer has exposed me to what it is like to work in a real research environment and all the different aspects of conducting research,” says Chen. “I came in with little knowledge of what I was doing and walked out with a better-understood perspective of the importance of research on creating change.”

Read more about Crystal Chen here.

Gloria Walker-Hoover worked with Jennifer Whitehall, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management, and the UMass Center for Program Evaluation on an evaluation study being conducted for the City of Northampton. The study aims to understand the impact of the newly created Division of Community Care (DCC), which supports community members who are experiencing houselessness, emotional distress, substance use, and navigating conflicts. “I had an enjoyable experience collaborating with Jennifer Whitehill,” says Walker-Hoover. “Her guidance allowed me to deepen my understanding of evaluation and research. I valued first-hand experiences such as going to the Division of Community Care and gathering field notes. These experiences not only demonstrated how research skills can be applied to identify practical, real-world implications but also provided me with valuable insights.”

Read more about Gloria Walker-Hoover here. 

The HHMI grant also includes initiatives designed to provide underserved students with STEM-related experiences. The UMass Driving Change team will pursue several initiatives, including equity-based reviews of university policies and procedures, such as the academic discipline process, early course registration and enrollment holds. Students will also be included as participatory action researchers to help identify unfair policies and support their role in shaping equity-based approaches to STEM education.

Spotlight posted in Research for Faculty , Staff , and Current students

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