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Ronald E. Mcnair Research Symposium Presentation Schedule 2026, Mcnair Scholars Program

McNair Symposium

This is the presentation schedule for the 24th Undergraduate Ronald E. McNair Research Symposium 2026.

Paper, Pixels, And Play: Designing A Trauma-Informed Ai Assessment Toolkit, Awais Hameed Khan, Angela Elvery, Dang Khuong Tran, Suvradip Maitra, Suzanna Fay, Paul Henman, Lyndal Sleep

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automated processes hold significant potential to enhance service user experiences, by augmenting or fully automating aspects of service delivery. However, if not carefully designed, these systems also risk creating unintended, widespread harms, at unprecedented speed and scale. Drawing upon trauma-informed principles and developed in collaboration with social service delivery practitioners, we designed the Trauma Informed AI Assessment Toolkit (TIAKIT). TIAKIT supports users in critically designing, reviewing, and evaluating current or planned AI service integrations. We report on the iterative design process of TIAKIT and its adaptation across three formats — analogue, digital, and design game. Findings …

Computational User Research For A Public Helpline For Continuous Service Improvement: Parents Anonymous® As A Service Ecosystem, Ali O. Ilhan, Elizabeth C. Harris, Isil Oygur

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Parents Anonymous®, a social service agency, provides a comprehensive ecosystem of supports to parents through its National Parent & Youth Helpline and mutual support groups. The verbal support provided through the Helpline is the core of this public service. We present a computational user research approach that learns from call transcripts to guide continuous improvement across the helpline–group system. From real conversations, we extract clear, actionable signals: how emotions shift during a call, which needs recur over time and when people are most likely to reach out. These insights feed back into everyday practice: refining counsellors’ training and responses, timing …

Integrating Co-Design And Auto-Ethnographic Approaches: A Preliminary Review Of Methods, Intentions, And Potential, Jingyuan Tan, Linfu Zhang

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Co-design emphasizes the outward connectivity of perspectives and aspirations, while autoethnography foregrounds the inward exploration of the personal and intimate. Recent trends in design research that integrate these approaches prompted this literature review, guided by the question: How might combining co-design and auto-ethnographic approaches contribute uniquely to design practice and research? Drawing from design studies in education, healthcare, HCI, and community engagement, the review identifies five methodological variations of co-design and auto-ethnographic integration: solo, dialogic, triangulated, cumulative, and solidary. It suggests that these collaborative-reflective–narrative approaches empower co-design practitioners to (1) navigate their evolving and layered roles and identities in relation …

Bridging The Community-Institution Divide: Multi-Level Community-Based Participatory Design For Migrant Health In China, Linfu Zhang, Emmanuel Tsekleves, David Pérez Ojeda, Zhangfeng Chen, Jingyuan Tan

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Co-design with marginalised communities in developing settings —and their experiential knowledge—often collides with expert rationalities and hierarchical logics in public health institutions, undermining power-sharing, sustained participation, and institutionalisation. This paper explores how co-design mediates these competing logics to bring structurally produced health injustices back into the formal institutional field of vision. Based on seven months of immersive fieldwork in Shenzhen, China’s largest migrant city, the paper analyses a social design case addressing rural–urban migrants’ psychological well-being in an informal settlement. It integrates community-based participatory research (CBPR) and co-design to initiate the process of returning public health concerns to the institutional …

Preliminary Results Of An Interview Study To Assess Services For Lgbtq+ Youth And Families In Box Elder County, Utah, Maureen Boyle, Manuel Quijas Ornelas, Jamielyn Gibson, Jayme Walters, Dorothy Wallis

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

This qualitative study is part of a larger community assessment project to understand the health and social support service needs of LGBTQ+ youth and their families in Box Elder County, Utah. Assessment research was designed in response to community concerns about limited availability of LGBTQ+ specific services in the rural county and a critical need to address suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth as a health disparity population. The project consists of an online survey and interview study facilitated by the Utah State University’s Transforming Communities Institute in collaboration with a panel of community partners and two graduate classes in the …

2026 Utah Conference On Community Engagement Program, Utah State University, Erin Jensen

Utah Conference on Community Engagement

Conference Program

Turning Service Into Stability: Measuring Self-Sufficiency Outcomes At Presbyterian Children’S Homes & Services, Olivia Wolf, Alex Wolf

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Community organizations play a critical role in helping vulnerable children, youth, and families achieve stability and independence. This service learning project partnered with Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services (PCHAS) to evaluate how well its programs support client progress toward self sufficiency. Using discharge data from the Arizona Self Sufficiency Matrix, students analyzed outcomes across multiple program types and four service sites. The evaluation found strong improvements in areas related to immediate stabilization, including personal safety, legal status, substance use recovery, and disability support. However, clients continued to face ongoing challenges in childcare access, housing stability, parenting skills, children’s education, and …

An Exploratory Analysis Of A Regional Nonprofit & Family Services Organization, Alison Schrumpf, Eleri Tye, Hailey Veninga

2026 Student Academic Showcase

Nonprofit organizations are essential in supporting youth's mental health in their communities, and the data they collect allows us to evaluate program effectiveness and how services can be improved to better support their communities. This project aims to evaluate program and provider outcomes, client demographics, and assessment scores for a regional nonprofit and family services organization to better understand client success, program effectiveness, and the impact of COVID-19. The dataset includes client demographic information, programs, zip codes, first and last session assessment dates and scores, discharge types, and provider IDs. To investigate score changes, we are analyzing the correlation between …

Policy Engagement And Advocacy To Transform Child Health Care Delivery And Improve Child Health, Kristin Hittle Gigli, Ashleigh F. Bowman

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: There have been significant advancements in health care and science over the last century. However, these changes have not adequately addressed child health needs. Children have increasing health care needs associated with rising rates of mental health conditions, chronic diseases, and violence-related injuries.¹ Further, health care reform has almost exclusively focused on adult populations and cannot be adapted to pediatric populations.² Over a three-year period, two committees were convened by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to examine opportunities for innovation within policy and the health care system to improve child health and …

Implementing Flipped Classroom In The Nurse Anesthesia Curriculum: A Quality Improvement Project, Pedro Hernandez, Yasmine Nicole Campbell, Valerie J. Diaz

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Current research indicates that most faculty members are from the Baby Boomer generation (1946-1964) or Generation X (1965-1980), in which the instructor assumes the principal role of knowledge. Current evidence precludes that 91% of graduate nursing students are from Generation Y (1981-1996) and Generation Z (1997-2012) with a fondness for a flipped classroom, where student autonomy in classroom preparation is prioritized. The application of this technique has been widely evaluated using student exam scores. Utilization of generational pedagogical preferences is crucial for student success and critical thinking. This quality improvement project aims to answer the question: In multigenerational nurse anesthesia …

Civil Status, Single: The Emotional Experiences And Transformations Of Single Teenage Filipino Mothers Across Generations In Their Transition To Adulthood, Gabrielle B. Lumongsod, Ana Sofia V. Collado, Ramona Liz P. Motos, Maria Ysabel A. Ronquillo

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

Single teenage mothers in the Philippines face unique emotional and psychological challenges as they transition from adolescence to adulthood. These challenges often stem from societal stigma, guilt, and the loss of personal aspirations, which negatively affect their mental health and self-identity. Guided by Intersectionality theory, this study explores the emotional experiences of single teenage Filipino mothers, aiming to understand how early motherhood influences their emotional well-being, identity formation, and personal growth. Six Filipino women, aged 18 to 55, were purposively selected to provide a diverse generational perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s …

Peer-Led Sport Socialization Intervention Programme On Adaptive Behavior Functioning Amongst Children With Intellectual Disability In Kakamega County Kenya, Roselyne Ajwang Odiango Dr

International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity and International Symposium on Physical Activity and Visual Impairment and Deafblindness

Peer-Led Sport Socialization Intervention Programme on adaptive behavior functioning Amongst Children with Intellectual Disability in Kakamega County Kenya

Thematic area:”Inclusivizing our world”.

Roselyne Odiango¹ , [email protected] ,Mob:+254725300432 Peter Bukhala^2, ,[email protected],Mob: +254719375170

Department of Health Promotion and Sport Science

Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology

Corresponding author:Roselyne Odiango Email:[email protected] ,mobile:+254725300432

Abstract

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare pro-social skills of adaptive behavior functioning levels of children with ID before and after the sport socialization intervention programme in Kakamega County, Kenya. Methodology: This Study used Single Subject Research Design (SSRD) replicated across 8 subjects. …

Family-Based Health Promotion To The Early Phases Of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment: A Qualitative Review, Anna Van Asselt, Renee Gilbert, Hide Okuno, Ann M. Davis, Keith J. August, Carolyn R. Bates, Robert C. Gibler

Research Days

Introduction: Excessive weight gain during early phases of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) treatment elevates risk for long-term morbidities, late effects, and secondary cancers. Behavioral factors including physical inactivity and poor diet quality play a significant role in weight outcomes. Existing health behavior and obesity interventions do not address challenges that children and families face during cancer treatment. The current study qualitatively investigated caregiver, child, and multi-disciplinary expert perspectives on health behavior engagement and intervention content for the future adaptation of NOURISH-ALL.

Method: Caregivers (N=11) and youth with ALL (N=6) in the first year of treatment completed semi-structured interviews …

Building An Equitable Food System: Lessons From Community-Driven Initiatives In The Chicago Region, Abigail Stetter

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This research explores how community assets can be mobilized to build a resilient, equitable food system by evaluating key learnings from the Chicago Region Food System Fund’s (CRFSF) March 2022 Community Assets funding round. The CRFSF provided grants to 48 non-profit organizations leveraging community strengths to transform how food is produced, processed, distributed, and consumed through approaches centered on economic and racial equity. The evaluation employs thematic content analysis of qualitative data from grantee applications and reports. The results will increase understanding of how community-driven initiatives enhance food system resilience, challenges encountered, and actionable recommendations to further strengthen local food …

Recognizing Child Maltreatment: A Study Of Knowledge & Practice In Sacred Heart Students, Alicia Sanders, Francesca Lanni

Academic Festival

No abstract provided.

Conference Schedule, Georgia Southern University

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Conference Schedule

The Adversities Of Latinx/Hispanic Youth In The Foster Care System, Juan Escobar

LEAD Scholars Academy Showcase

Minorities in the foster care system experience an adverse childhood due to the systemic issues present within foster care. The adversities faced by Latinx and Hispanic youth in the foster care system is a continuous problem causing significant disparities within the foster care system. The problems Latinx/Hispanic youth face are unique to this population in the areas of culture and policy. Disparities show that the current system does not utilize equitable practices and there is progress to be made with child welfare policies. The problem contributes to the social strains on Latinx/Hispanic youth, particularly immigrant youth, who face challenges related …

Streaming Colors Of The Youth: A Textual Analysis Of Lgbtq+ Animated Netflix Original Cartoon Series Of The Generation Alpha, Candice Margareth G. Aguila

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

With the evolving technological advancements, media can now be consumed on multiple platforms. Netflix is the top platform with the highest number of users, with around 38.1% dedicated to streaming. In addition, LGBTQ+ media consumption has contributed to the increasing number of people identifying as LGBTQ+ in recent times. Ensuring that the next generation of young, impressionable youths would have a better identity formation and social acceptance, it is suggested to create more child-oriented cartoons filled with positive LGBTQ+ representation to pave a path for more inclusive and diverse outlooks – mending the gap of the current disconnection between the …

Organizational Response To Social Worker's Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jaylee Cox

Student Research Symposium

This class research project focuses on examining job satisfaction, burnout, and commitment among practicing social workers in North Carolina.

The Impact Of Covid-19 Related Stress On Parenting And Community Engagement In A Small Iowa Community, Danny Trip, Savanna Farley

Research in the Capitol

This study addresses the question, “Does COVID-19-related stress and household income during COVID-19 predict parents’ interactions with children and family community engagement one year later?” The hypothesis was that higher levels of COVID-19-related stress and lower household income would predict more negative interactions between parent and the focal child and less community engagement. The participants within this study were drawn from a larger ongoing study, the Dubuque Youth and Family Resilience Project (DYFRP). Control variables included household income, child’s gender, and child’s age. The independent variable was reported COVID-19 related stress and the dependent variables were community engagement, positive parenting …

Getting Out And Getting In: Assets And Barriers To Transitioning From Foster Care To Higher Education, Stacie K. Pettit, Ann Digirolamo

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Students in foster care have lower rates of college entry than same-grade peers. This presentation will share results on perceived barriers and facilitators to pursuing post-secondary education among youth and caregivers involved in foster care, sharing relevant resources and policies available to assist youth and families.

Rethinking The Mentor/Mentee Relationship: The Critical Mentoring Approach In A North Carolina Middle School, Kendra P. Alexander, Brianna Mccullough, Nikaizha Davis, Patrick Clifford

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

In this session, undergraduate and graduate students from North Carolina A&T State University describe the genesis and evolution of an internship-based, community-academic partnership grounded in the concept of critical mentoring. As mentors with the Nia Project, interns support middle school students in critical exploration of post-high school pathways. Along with the supervising instructor, students identify key concepts and prerequisites for successful implementation.

Ronald E. Mcnair Scholars Program Profiles And Abstracts 2023, Motutama Sipelii

McNair Symposium

This is the complete event program and provides presentation abstracts and biographies of McNair scholars and their mentors.

Tiger Parenting: Authoritarian Or Authoritative?, Huy Hoang

School of Psychology, Family, and Community Research Conference

Tiger parenting refers to a parenting style that is common among families in the East Asian cultural sphere (e.g., China, Korea, Viet Nam), characterized by high levels of parental control, harshness, and demandingness, with the primary goal of cultivating “success” in children (Cheah et al., 2013; Choi et al., 2013; Juang et al., 2013; Kim et al., 2013). The parenting style caught the attention of Western audiences thanks to Amy Chua’s 2011 book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, though it has largely been met with apprehensiveness and criticism. Many Western parents were concerned about tiger parenting’s possible effects on …

Effect Of Covid-19 On Child Development, Sydney Colesworthy

Academic Festival

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only had major effects on the economy and society as a whole but also had a vast impact on children and their developmental processes.

A Community In Context: Assessing The Needs Of Lgbtq+ Youth And Families In Box Elder County, Utah, Jaylee Cox, Kaitlin Welsh, Maureen Boyle

Student Research Symposium

LGBTQ+ youth experience significant health disparities as a marginalized population yet their service needs are understudied in rural Utah communities. This research project seeks to assess current health and social support services for LGBTQ+ youth and families living in Box Elder County, Utah. This project is coordinated by the Transforming Communities Institute and takes a community-based approach involving the collaborative efforts of community partners, graduate students and their faculty supervisors in the Department of Social Work, and TCI staff. Using the Theory of Change as a framework, the research process started with a community-identified issue followed by developing a context …

Abstract Book (Pdf), School Of Public Health

School of Public Health Delta Omega Honors Day Poster Sessions

The collection of abstracts for the 20XX Delta Omega Honors Day Poster Session.

Sticky Situations: Understanding The Law And Life, Krystal Banks

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Law and life go hand in hand. Understanding the law and how it connects to life can be an effective tool in teaching youth and adults the value of making good decisions when it comes to life and the law. Sticky Situations places real-world situations in the context of learning how to apply the law and effectively respond to life's sticky situations.

2023 Conference Program, Georgia Southern University

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Conference Program