For the Record provides information about recent professional activities and honors of University of Delaware faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Recent appointments, presentations, publications and honors in the College of Health Sciences include the following:

Appointments

Thomas Kaminski, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology in the College of Health Sciences, was appointed to the U.S. Soccer Sports Medicine Research, Education, and Advisory Panel. As a member of the prestigious panel, Kaminski will influence health and safety policies for all U.S. soccer, from professional to youth. “I have been fortunate enough in my career to have had a long-standing partnership with the United States Soccer Federation,” said Kaminski. “Having been honored to serve as a member of this advisory panel is a testament to their commitment to player health and safety.”

Jennifer Horney, professor, founding director of the Department of Epidemiology, and core faculty at UD’s Disaster Research Center, has been named to the Board of the Delaware Academy of Medicine within the Delaware Public Health Association. The Board of the Delaware Academy of Medicine works to enhance the well-being of communities through education, the promotion of public health and research. Horney was selected to join the board for her interdisciplinary research experience, as the board seeks to add members with expertise in population health. Horney has also provided technical assistance to public health agencies in the U.S. and globally around disasters, emerging infectious disease outbreaks and pandemic planning and response.

Publications

Matthew Cohen, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders (CSCD); Alyssa Lanzi, assistant professor of CSCD; Christopher Martens, associate professor of kinesiology and applied physiology; and Mindy Meyers and Kimberly Van Buren, speech-language pathologists in UD’s Speech-Language-Hearing-Clinic, recently published a study on the Brain-WISE program in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology. The research, titled “A Non-Randomized Pilot Trial of Brain-WISE: A Group-Based Program for Brain Health and Dementia Risk Reduction in Community Settings,” aims to address modifiable risk factors for dementia through Brain-WISE, a low-intensity, group-based intervention to improve brain health in community settings. "We're thankful to be able to do this work with our community partners and look forward to further evaluating this program with a randomized controlled trial," said Cohen. 

Presentations

Brian Matthews, a second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student, spoke on a STEM panel in May at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Matthews spoke to high school students about the importance of physical therapy and patient care on the panel organized by the Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science, which is supported by the Army Educational Outreach Program. “Guiding individuals is not only a passion of mine, but a necessity,” said Matthews. “I had the opportunity to discuss the PT field and showcase it as a possible career path for ninth graders as they begin to prepare for college.”

Honors

Anjana Bhat, professor of physical therapy in the College of Health Sciences, has been named a Catherine Worthingham Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). The fellowship is the highest honor in the PT profession and serves as inspiration for all physical therapists to attain professional excellence. "I am honored to be recognized by my peers for my contributions in increasing awareness about motor and service challenges in autistic individuals and the role of PTs in their care,” said Bhat. “I am inspired to continue this important work to have a meaningful impact on families caring for children and adults with autism.” Bhat will accept the award at the APTA Leadership Congress in Washington, D.C., in July.

Cora Firkin, who is graduating from the Department of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences with her doctorate this spring, was recently selected as this year’s SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators) Adapted Physical Education/Activity Graduate Student of the Year and was awarded the National Doctoral Scholar Award Honorable Mention Co-Recipient from the American Kinesiology Association (AKA). Firkin has been conducting research with Professor Iva Obrusnikova in the Health and Disability Laboratory since 2018. As a graduate from the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Physiology in 2019 with her honors Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, Firkin reflected, “This is the full circle moment of earning my degrees at UD to being recognized at the national level for my scholarly work in exercise science and adapted physical activity. These awards and my time at UD have given me a deeper understanding of community needs with a stronger desire to listen and respond with purpose, aiming to ensure individuals with disabilities are empowered to achieve active lifestyles within our communities.”

Three master of public health (MPH) in epidemiology program students, Annaliese Pena, Peyton Free and Palma Bauman, were inducted into UD's new Delta Omega Chapter, Epsilon Zeta, on May 13 in a ceremony in the Health Sciences Complex Atrium. The chapter was established after the University’s Public Health Program was recently accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Delta Omega is a public health honor society founded in 1924 to promote public health graduate studies and recognize outstanding achievement in the field. “The recent accreditation of UD’s public health program opens many opportunities for students, including induction into the public health honor society,” said Jennifer Horney, professor and director of UD’s public health program. “We are pleased to recognize these students for their academic and service achievements in the MPH program.”