ETSU - Illuminated - Spring 2020 by East Tennessee State University

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GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH MAGAZINE ETSU School of Graduate Studies Spring 2020 Volume 9 Issue 2 1

FROM THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES The East Tennessee State University School of Graduate Studies is proud to present Illuminated, a magazine that showcases the excellent work of our graduate students and their faculty advisors. There are over 2,400 students enrolled in graduate programs at ETSU. Illuminated presents some of our students’ research and creative works that make meaningful contributions to various disciplines, and contribute to our strong graduate programs. Illuminated features research and creative projects that are currently happening on campus, and provides updates on alumni of ETSU graduate programs.

Sharon James McGee, Ph.D.

Karin Bartoszuk, Ph.D.

Scott Kirkby, Ph.D.

Dean

Associate Dean

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR As the world is dealing with COVID-19 and ever-changing circumstances, we are working remotely, and we find innovative ways to continue to serve ETSU and the larger community. We will only be able to get the online version of the magazine to you, but print versions will follow. Our thoughts are with you and our hearts are aching for: People who already lost a loved one; families/students who are housing and food insecure; graduate students whose thesis/dissertation projects are on hold and/or need to be changed; those students who cannot finish clinicals as planned; faculty and staff who are teaching and working from home; our custodial staff who prepare the university for a safer return; and all of you who are caring for children and the elderly . . . Our lives have been disrupted, and it will take time to come back from physical distancing as we support each other through these weeks.

EDITOR Dr. Karin Bartoszuk Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies

WRITER Hannah Warren M.S. Sport Science & Coach Education

This might also be the time to think of new questions for future scholarship; evaluate what we were doing, and share results. Sounds like the beginning of good research projects. We hope you and your families, loved ones, and friends are healthy, staying strong and supporting each other.

DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Emily Redd Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator, School of Graduate Studies

Emily Redd, M.F.A., ETSU ETSU Photographic Services University Relations

East Tennessee State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, telephone 404679-4500, or Website: www.sacscoc.org with any question regarding the accreditation of East Tennessee State University. ETSU is an AA/EEO employer. ETSU-GRAD-0006-19 100

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CONTENTS FROM THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES An Exploration of Artificial Intelligence in Content Strategy, Joel Eaton, Brand and Media Strategy, M.A. Where are they now? Featuring: Brandon Johnson Understanding Effects of Chronic Methylphenidate Use on Neural Viability and Plasticity, Hannah Oakes, Biomedical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D. Where are they now? Featuring: Melinda Bogardus Examining Perfluorinated Chemical (PFC) Exposure and its Relationship to Increased Risks of Endocrine Cancers, Ogbebor Enaholo Omoike, Epidemiology, Dr.PH. Where are they now? Featuring: Bonny Copenhaver Perceptions of Glottal Fry in Young Women, Natalie Foulks, Speech and Language Pathology, M.S. Where are they going? Featuring: Danielle Pulliam 3MT® Comes to ETSU: We All Gain by Sharing Knowledge, and a Little Friendly Competition School of Graduate Studies 2020 Awards Where are they now? Featuring: Marissa Avanzato Improving Catalysts for Benzene Alkylation Reactions, Anastasia Kuvayskaya, Chemistry, M.S. Where are they now? Featuring: Jessica Thomas Bridging the Gap Between Decoding and Special Education, Julia Catherine Dean, Special Education, Advanced Studies in Special Education, M.Ed. Where are they now? Featuring: Sara Baldwin An Exploration of End-of-Life Care in Tennessee, Erin Mauck, Community and Behavioral Health, Dr.PH. Where are they now? Featuring: Robert Baker Where are they now? Featuring: Lyle Wolf Where are they Going? Featuring: Oyinda Oyetunde

GRADUATE STUDENTS & ADVISORS Are you excited about your research and would like to share your hypothesis or findings? YOU MIGHT BE A PERFECT FIT FOR ILLUMINATED. There is more than one way to get into the next issue of the magazine! For current graduate students and their advisors: Are you or one of your graduate students working on a culminating experience (e.g., thesis, dissertation, capstone)? Your research could receive additional exposure through Illuminated magazine and help educate the rest of the campus about your department and program. This is a unique opportunity to get your work recognized!

For current graduate students and their advisors: Did you or one of your students get into an excellent doctoral program or get an excellent position? We want to hear about it! Share your story in the “Where Are They Going?” section.

For former graduate students and their advisors: Do you know an outstanding student who graduated from ETSU more than a year ago? We want to hear from them! The “Where Are They Now?” section features former ETSU graduate students who are now professionals in positions across the country.

Click here for Nomination Form: https://www.etsu.edu/gradschool/documents/ illuminated_nomination_form.pdf

For more information on nominating students or getting featured in Illuminated, please contact: Dr. Karin Bartoszuk, bartoszu@etsu.edu

An Exploration of artifIcial Intelligence in

CONTENT STRATEGY Joel Eaton

Brand & Media Strategy, M.A.

Written by Hannah Warren

Dr. Melanie Richards, Faculty Advisor

Knoxville native, Joel originally came to ETSU for his undergraduate degree in psychology after meeting with the late Dr. Chris Dula to discuss future prospects with this major. At the beginning of his sophomore year, however, Joel began considering a degree that emphasized writing or media instead. After meeting with Dr. Susan Waters of the ETSU Department of Media and Communication, Joel changed his major from psychology to Media and Communication (with a concentration in Advertising and Public Relations). Eager to learn more from the expertise of the faculty, he decided to stay at ETSU for his master’s degree. In the graduate program he began learning how businesses utilize content such as social media posts, blogs, and videos, etc., to create an online presence and build their brand. Outside of school, Joel enjoys writing songs, playing ultimate frisbee, and occasionally cooking.

One day he stumbled across a music video of a song written with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). As a songwriter himself, this sparked his curiosity, and he asked himself how AI might impact other creative processes and professions, ultimately leading him to his thesis topic on investigating the potential impact of artificial intelligence on content strategy. When people hear the term artificial intelligence their minds tend to wander off to sci fi fantasy worlds filled with advanced technologies, robots that are indistinguishable from humans and factories built to replace human workers that try to take over the world. Realistically, this is far from the level of artificial intelligence that is actually utilized today by programmers, researchers, and even individuals in their own homes. One of the earliest examples of AI emerged in the 1990’s in the form of a computer from IBM called Deep

Blue. This computer was the first to beat a world chess champion. Since then the field has developed and branched into various types of AI, including natural language processing, machine learning, and deep learning. This has allowed for the creation of voice assistants, predictive texting, artificial neural networks, and in some cases, has even been able to replace jobs traditionally performed by humans. Some fear that this capability will spill into creative industries and replace human copywriters, the ones responsible for creating advertising media. As a writer and content creator himself, Joel has a solid understanding of the complexity involved in the creative process. Joel decided he wanted to find out how capable existing types of artificial intelligence are of replicating the creative

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…while there are tasks that are not limited only to human ability, we are far from seeing AI replacing the inherent creative capacity of the human mind.

process, and if they pose risks to human copywriting jobs now or in the near future. He began searching online for scholarly articles and opinion posts from experts in both fields. As he searched, he created an excel database with as many articles as he could find related to advertising and AI, with special emphasis on articles about the history of AI, ultimately ending with a collection of 78 articles. In the database he recorded the search terms he used to find each of those articles, and sorted them into four categories, which included general, technology, blogs, and marketing. Once he had collected all this information, he needed a way to eliminate the least relevant information. He ultimately went through each article by hand to select only articles that were about AI and content creation, and AI and ideation, narrowing the number from 78 to 16.

Left, Dr. Melanie Richards, Right, Joel Eaton

Joel found that while there are numerous tasks and processes AI is capable of performing very well, there are many things even our most complex forms of AI are not currently (nor in the near future) capable of doing. For example, the song that sparked his interest in this topic, Daddy’s Car, was created by Sony’s CSL research lab using an AI program called Flow Machine. However, this software did not do the majority of the work in creating the song, it only created the score for the

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IF copywriters can adapt to new AI technology the way they have adapted to the expanding social networking system, they will ultimately be able to increase their creative output.

Left, Joel Eaton, Right, Dr. Melanie Richards

music by using the average of all beats per minute ranges from every song created by the Beatles, while the lyrics were created by French composer Benoît Carré. Most forms of AI today are used for research in biomedical science fields and physics to work with large datasets, but not as a substitute for human creativity. AI seems to be critically lacking in a specific area, one that copywriters rely heavily on, and that is ideation. When Joel examined the writing abilities of AI, he found that AI is not readily able to synthesize a specific idea from a broad concept, but it can aid copywriters in this part of the creative process.

The more he researched, the more he found ways that AI can serve as an aid to copywriters rather than replace them. While copywriters may decide on an audience they want to reach, and AI can help generate text to say what the

copywriters want to say, AI is not able to independently carry out the entire process with a high degree of accuracy. AI has also been beneficial in generating concepts for ad campaigns (this process is called ideation); however, AI is not yet helpful in all the ways it could be with ideation. With the rise of social media platforms, businesses need content that can be scaled for a variety of platforms, which can be a tedious and time-consuming process. When you consider the time needed to make their content scalable, the creator has spent almost as much time modifying their product as they did to make it. Joel’s research suggests that if copywriters can adapt to new AI technology the way they have adapted to the expanding social networking system, they will ultimately be able to increase their creative output. Unlike humans, AI does not need eight hours of sleep, take coffee breaks, or have sick days. A copywriter could tell

their program how to edit and scale their content, press run, and get back to creating other content. This concept is already beginning to surface with programs such as Adobe Sensei, which already employs AI for image editing, media buying, and other applications. Joel hopes his research will help people understand that while there are tasks that are not limited only to human ability, we are far from seeing AI replacing the inherent creative capacity of the human mind. He credits Dr. Melanie Richards, his thesis advisor, for her guidance in helping him navigate this new landscape of graduate-level academic research for his first major research project. After graduation he hopes to secure a position with an advertising agency as a copywriter or content strategist.

where are they NOW?

BRANDON JOHNSON BBA Management, BBA Marketing, Business Administration, M.B.A. Department of Management and Marketing Undergraduate: December 2015; Graduate: May 2017

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? ETSU was actually an accident for me – I had plans to attend only for a year and then transfer. But from my first day on campus I was hooked, and knew it was the university for me.

What is your current position and/ or research? Professionally, I am the General Manager of Eagle Tire Pros – a multi-million-dollar auto repair and tire shop. As a volunteer, I serve as the head of Lions Clubs throughout the State of Tennessee.

What does your current position/ research entail? My professional job involves everything from sales and forecasting to marketing and human resources. My volunteer role has me managing over 200 clubs and nearly 5,000 members throughout the state. Thankfully, ETSU’s College of Business prepared me for both of these roles!

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career?

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Don’t give up! Graduate school is tough – especially if you are like most of us and work while you pursue your degree. Getting this degree will be one of the highlights of your life. The faculty you will have will change your life, and your fellow students will become some of your closest friends. Make the most of it and learn everything you can while in your program. You’ll only get out of it what you put in!

What I learned at ETSU helps me every single day. The marketing classes during my MBA helped me develop a strategy for my business. Accounting and finance classes taught me how to budget and forecast. Management classes taught me how to lead my team in a way that leads to constant win-win solutions. Every class I took at ETSU has, in some way, helped me professionally.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? There’s too many to name, because I firmly believe that ETSU is blessed with the best faculty imaginable. Professors like Mahmoud Yasin, Craig Turner, Tom Moore, and Dana Harrison stick out for not just what all they taught me, but their kindness and patience along the way.

UNDERSTANDING EFFECTS

of Chronic Methylphenidate Use on Neural Viability and Plasticity

Hannah V. Oakes

Biomedical Sciences, Ph.D., concentration in Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Brooks Pond, Faculty Advisor

Written by Hannah Warren

annah Oakes transferred to ETSU as a first-generation college student from Northeast State Community College where she earned a total of three degrees with five majors. Originally intending to become an engineer, her initial degrees were in chemistry, mathematics, physics, general pre-engineering, and pre-engineering with a chemistry focus. Over the course of her education, she became particularly interested in cells and cell signaling, leading to a double major in biology with a biochemistry concentration and chemistry for her bachelor’s degree at ETSU. During the summer before her senior year, she was accepted into ETSU’s McNair program where she gained research experience within the Biochemistry department at the Quillen College of Medicine. After completion of her bachelor’s degree, she was accepted directly into ETSU’s Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program. Hannah’s dissertation advisor, Dr. Brooks Pond, earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Duke University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Much of her work focuses on neuropharmacology, an area that Hannah was interested in. Hannah’s work with Dr. Pond has culminated with the completion of her dissertation on the effects of chronic use of the psychostimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin®) on neural growth and development in a multipart project. Over the past several decades, the number of individuals who have been prescribed methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been on the rise. Additionally, most take methylphenidate for many years, from childhood or adolescence to adulthood, which is an important time of brain development. Despite this, little is known about how this drug affects the brain over time. Some antidepressants have been shown to increase neurogenesis or the “birth of new neurons” within the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning, and Hannah wanted to know if chronic treatment with methylphenidate (which

shares some overlapping mechanisms with antidepressants) could also result in increased neurogenesis. Together, she and Dr. Pond created a mouse model where male mice were given intraperitoneal injections, twice daily, of methylphenidate replicating the dosing schedule of a child that is prescribed the drug for a total of twenty-eight days. Another group received higher dosages representative of an individual abusing methylphenidate. Additionally, all mice received injections of 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU), a thymidine analog that is incorporated into replicating DNA just prior to cell division. EdU allowed for the permanent “tagging” of newly created neurons, which can be labeled with a red fluorescent molecule through a simple chemical reaction. Then, tissue samples were collected and doublelabeled using immunohistochemistry for a general neuronal marker, causing all neurons to light up green. This enabled Hannah to count new neurons labeled with EdU (red) and create ratios of the number of new cells to total neurons (green). Analysis showed that chronic

methylphenidate did increase neurogenesis within the hippocampus and that this effect was dose-dependent.

dependent, and the higher the dose of methylphenidate given, the greater the cell loss was when the drug was discontinued.

From other literature, Hannah knew that, even though drugs may stimulate neurogenesis, these new neurons do not always survive. Thus, in a second project, she repeated the model from the first study, but at the end of this twentyeight-day cycle, she further divided the mice into two more groups, one that received an additional month of treatment and one that received no drug during that time. Following the same analysis from the initial study, she found that if methylphenidate was continued, the new cells survived, but if it was discontinued, the new cells were less likely to survive. This relationship was also dose-

In an effort to examine the mechanism by which methylphenidate influences, neurogenesis, Hannah examined the expression of various neurotrophic factors. Neurotrophic factors are proteins in the body that promote neurogenesis and development. She suspected that brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) might be responsible since one or both are typically elevated during neurogenesis; however, she saw no significant elevation that would indicate they were being affected by the drug in this case, which was surprising. She went back to existing literature and

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...even though drugs may stimulate neurogenesis, these new neurons do not always survive.

Left, Dr. Brooks Pond, Right, Hannah Oakes

found other proteins to explore which included beta catenin, TrkB (the receptor for BDNF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Increases in these proteins have also been associated with increases in neurogenesis. Interestingly, these proteins were increased, and their patterns of expression seemed to align with the changes in neurogenesis she was observing. Hannah used this data to publish a paper in the Journal of Neural Transmission. Hannah’s other study with methylphenidate examined neuron sensitivity to the neurotoxin 1-methyl4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). MPTP was discovered in the early eighties when a group of individuals attempted to illicitly synthesize meperidine, a synthetic opioid, and accidentally produced this major byproduct in their synthesis reaction. Within days of unknowingly injecting themselves with MPTP, users developed Parkinson’s disease (PD). MPTP is structurally similar to many pesticides, and PD tends to appear more frequently in agricultural regions. As such, MPTP is frequently used to model PD. Hannah built upon a previous study Dr. Pond was a part of that found that chronic methylphenidate use increased the sensitivity of neurons within the nigrostriatal pathway (the

area of the brain affected by PD) making them more susceptible to the neurotoxic effects of MPTP. Hannah hypothesized that the sensitization could be caused by oxidative stress from excess dopamine, a pharmacologic effect of methylphenidate. Excess dopamine may be oxidized to form a quinone, which can lead to production of damaging free radicals. Fortunately, the brain has an antioxidant, glutathione, that can be conjugated to the quinone and prevent oxidative stress. However, over time, glutathione can be depleted, leaving neurons vulnerable. Interestingly, this pathway does appear to contribute to the effects of methylphenidate. Hannah found that long-term methylphenidate increased levels of dopamine quinones and subsequently depleted levels of glutathione within the nigrostriatal pathway. This work was published in Pharmacological Reports. Finally, Hannah wanted to investigate differences in male and female responses to methylphenidate and subsequent MPTP challenge. Hannah wanted to understand why females who produce more estrogen (a neuroprotective agent) and are not, under normal conditions, as likely to develop Parkinson’s become more likely to develop it if they use methamphetamine, which increases dopamine, similarly to methylphenidate. She recreated the MPTP

model, but utilized female mice in two different stages of cycling. Some mice were induced to be in anestrous (low estrogen), while others were induced to be in proestrous (high estrogen). Hannah is conducting neuronal counts of cells within the nigrostriatal pathway, as well as measuring quinone production and glutathione levels to examine this question. She is currently working to analyze this data. Hannah hopes that her the research will draw attention to the need for female models in research, and that as more literature on this topic is produced, that individuals can be better informed of the potential long-term risks and benefits of chronic methylphenidate use. She plans to continue to publish findings from her data as analysis is complete. She is currently employed full time at Crown Laboratories and plans to continue working there after her graduation in May. Moving forward, she is interested in both industry driven research and academic research. Hannah encourages undergraduate students to take advantage of all the academic opportunities they are presented with. Look for scholarships, explore programs and services that are available to help them reach their full potential, and to take time to find a strong mentor for guidance along the way.

Hannah Oakes

where are they NOW?

MELINDA BOGARDUS Ph.D. in Nursing College of Nursing ETSU, 2020

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I chose ETSU for three reasons: 1) its solid academic reputation; 2) its excellent reputation for community involvement and service; and 3) its proximity to where I live in North Carolina.

What is your current position and/ or research? I am currently a PhD candidate in the College of Nursing. I successfully defended my dissertation to my committee on March 23, 2020. I practice part-time in a community health clinic as an FNP, and am a clinical instructor for nurse practitioner students. I am currently interviewing for nursing faculty positions.

What does your current position/ research entail? My research is on the experiences and well-being of Mexican immigrant women living in Western North Carolina communities that lack human capital and other resources that support and promote the well-being of this group. My aim is to generate knowledge and understanding that can help nurses and other service

providers better care for and serve this population, and positively influence their well-being.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? My time at ETSU has prepared me in a number of important ways for a career in academia. The coursework and interactions I’ve had with faculty and other students have taught me to read and think critically, to write and communicate clearly, to support my arguments with evidence, and how to design and conduct ethical research with implications for practice in mind.

Phillips, Dr. Florence Weierbach, and Dr. Kathrine Hall in courses and/or intensives.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? The most important advice I would offer is to establish good communication with faculty, staff, and other students, and maintain this communication in order to exchange ideas, knowledge, and support.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? Several professors contributed significantly to my progress through the program, but the most instrumental ones included Dr. Sharon Loury (my advisor and dissertation chair) and Dr. Masoud Ghaffari, Dr. Judy Rice, and Dr. Felipe Fiuza, my dissertation committee members. Likewise, I got a great deal of guidance and support from Dr. Ken 15

Examining Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) Exposure and its Relationship to Increased Risks of Endocrine Cancers

Written by Hannah Warren

Ogbebor Enaholo Omoike

Public Health, Dr.PH., concentration in Epidemiology Dr. Liang Wang, Faculty Advisor

Left, Ogbebor Enaholo Omoike, Right, Dr. Liang Wang

rior to pursuing a Doctor of Public Health degree, Ogbebor had already completed his MD degree at the University of Benin in his home country of Nigeria, and his master’s in environmental health at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Having already gained clinical experience while working as an MD, he came to the United States to gain the research experience needed to work in a teaching hospital in the Nigerian healthcare system. He was first drawn to research after working in hospitals and learning how point of care techniques are discovered through research. He had heard of current research that was coming out of ETSU’s College of Public Health, and was drawn to the program for its length, practical and leadership orientation, flexibility for research opportunities, and the strong Nigerian community.

Having a background in clinical healthcare, environmental health, and epidemiology while working with some of the foremost scientists in these fields, Ogbebor wanted to incorporate these interests into his research for his dissertation. To accomplish this, he examined several individual chemicals in the perfluorinated chemical (PFC) family, which interfere with the endocrine system in a similar way to phthalates, another class of chemicals he studied while at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. These compounds are frequently used in the manufacturing process of everyday products including some non-stick cooking surfaces, furniture, clothing, and food packaging. These compounds are persistent in the environment, meaning they do not readily break down by photolysis or biodegradation, and can remain in the human body and environment for many years. An individual’s exposure to these compounds can be classified as either occupational, meaning they are exposed to these chemicals regularly through their work; or non-occupational, meaning they are exposed to the compounds at the level of an average American citizen through their routine activities. Though the CDC, Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, Environmental Protection Agency and individual researchers have examined the effect of exposure to PFCs in animals, there has been little research examining the health risks associated with low level environmental exposures in humans. From the animal models, a variety of negative effects ranging from disruption of growth to reproductive and liver pathologies had been linked to PFCs. In his dissertation, Ogbebor examined five specific PFCs, which have been identified as endocrine disruptors that can interfere with the normal binding and functioning of hormones like estrogen. He hypothesized that chronic exposure to even low levels of these compounds like the dose someone with non-occupational exposure would experience, could increase an individual’s risk for certain endocrine cancers including breast, prostate, ovarian, and uterine cancers. Doctors are seeing increases in the number of endocrinelinked cancers from idiopathic (no known

Perfluorinated chemical compound

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Doctors are seeing increases in the number of endocrine-linked cancers from idiopathic (no known cause) origins. 17

cause) origins. Each year, for the past close to twenty years, the United States government has evaluated levels of PFCs detectable in the blood of individuals who participated in national surveys. Ogbebor used this data for the foundation of his research. To begin examining the large data set, Ogbebor created inclusion criteria that would limit data to only include results from individuals over the age of 20. From the data, he collected independent variables, which have been known to have and/or have shown associations with cancer in univariate analyses including (among others), age and gender, and the detectable quantity of each specified PFC in the individual’s blood serum, expressed in ng/ml. In the initial survey, each patient answered yes or no to either currently or previously having a diagnosis of an endocrine-linked cancer. From here, he established quartiles encompassing the range (in ng/ml) of levels of each PFC, which were detected in blood in a vast majority of the study participants. Once all samples had been assigned to a quartile, Ogbebor used a regression model with a binary logit function to predict health outcomes, specifically the presence or absence of cancer, with respect to exposure levels for each individual, when adjusted for covariates. He modeled the quartiles of exposure with respect to each other by comparing Q1 to Q2, Q3, and Q4. The more he worked with his model, the more he began to see associations with health outcomes. His first major finding was that individuals who are exposed to the highest level of PFC’s in everyday life could have up to nine times higher odds of having an endocrine-linked cancer than individuals with the lowest levels of exposure. While other researchers have previously described the increased risk of breast cancer associated with occupational exposure to PFCs, Ogbebor was able to use advanced statistical modelling to determine which PFC seemed to be most closely related to each type of endocrine cancer. These findings allowed him to postulate some thoughts on what cutoff limits for exposure might be proposed to help protect citizens. 18

Ogbebor defended his dissertation in

Left, Dr. Liang Wang, Right, Ogbebor Enaholo Omoike

March and plans to publish three scientific papers to expand on his findings. He hopes to use his findings to propose threshold limits for exposure to legislators, and demonstrate that at and beyond the currently proposed limits, a significant increase in rates of particular cancers is likely to be seen; and hopefully, this would influence policy. Because it is already known that these chemicals stay in the body many years after exposure, it is particularly important to help policy makers understand the biological and economic impact they can have on society. As a clinician he frequently saw cancers of unknown origin, and he hopes that this and future research can help to explain the origin of these cancers. Throughout his education at ETSU, Ogbebor has worked with Dr. Liang Wang, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, as his mentor. Dr. Wang always encourages students to find the area they are passionate about and encourages them to become an expert in that area. As an international student, Ogbebor has faced challenges that not every student or professor can relate to, but he is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Wang and other professors that understand the unique challenges that

arise from studying in a foreign country. According to Ogbebor, “Every student and their situation is unique. Find what your heart is passionate about and pursue it. When you follow your heart, you will find extra strength when the road gets tough. Take time to find a mentor that understands and challenges you. Do not be afraid to seek advice and ask questions”. His favorite part of his dissertation has been fulfilling his dream of uncovering associations that were previously unknown. In addition to Dr. Wang, his appreciation goes to other dissertation committee members, including Drs. Robert Pack (Professor and Associate Dean), Hadii Mamudu (Associate Professor), and Ying Liu (Assistant Professor). After graduation he plans to apply to a post-doctoral fellowship, and to one day return home to Nigeria to continue to seek the undiscovered and work in a health system to practice public health, and also be actively engaged in clinical research and practice.

where are they NOW?

BONNY COPENHAVER Educational Leadership, Ed.D. Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis ETSU, 2002

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I was fortunate to attend ETSU not only for my doctoral degree, but also my MA and BS in English. My grandmother graduated from what was then East Tennessee Normal School in 1922, and my mother attended East Tennessee State College in the early 1950s. I was proud to carry on their legacy and tradition.

What is your current position and/ or research? President of New River Community and Technical College; I am the fourth president of the College and the first female president.

What does your current position/ research entail? I have the honor to work with a great staff and faculty that are dedicated to bringing student-focused higher education and training to the people of southeastern West Virginia. New River CTC has a nine-county service area, which was hit by the reduction in coal mining. In order to reverse the economic downturn associated with the decline in mining, a well-trained and educated workforce is

needed so that business and industries will want to locate in this part of the state. As President, a large part of my job is to advocate for my College and for the efficacy of community colleges as an economic driver. I represent my College at a variety of functions, and I never get tired of talking about my College to anyone who will listen.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? I decided that I wanted to be a community college president when I was a faculty member. I knew that returning to school for an advanced degree would help me prepare, because I needed an understanding of leadership theory and other related topics. My Ed. D. gave me a great foundation that I could layer with experience.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? Without question, Dr. Hal Knight has been, and continues to be a part of my professional journey. He was my program advisor and later my dissertation chair. He encouraged me and supported

my research ideas. He has been a professional reference for me for the majority of my jobs along the way, and I am truly grateful for his support and encouragement over the years.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? First, I would say that you have to be open to the process of education. Many times, an advanced degree is seen merely an obstacle to be crossed in order to get whatever is desired, but then we miss out on so much of what an advanced degree has to offer. To engage with the material, the professor, and other classmates make the process more meaningful. Second, find one person in your life that will hold you accountable to finish the degree. Finding that trusted friend, co-worker, or family member who will push you when you need it and applaud you when you complete a milestone can make the difference between dropping out and graduating.

PERCEPTIONS OF GLOTTAL FRY IN YOUNG WOMEN Natalie Foulks

Speech & Language Pathology, M.S.

Dr. Chaya Guntupalli, Faculty Advisor

Written by Hannah Warren

atalie Foulks earned her bachelor’s degree in speech and language pathology from Middle Tennessee State University before coming to East Tennessee State University for her master’s in the same subject area. After experiencing firsthand the numerous ways that speech pathologists could positively impact people’s lives in clinical settings, from augmenting communicative disorders to reteaching individuals how to swallow after a cerebrovascular event (stroke), she knew this was the field she wanted to work in. She learned that ETSU’s master’s program in speech and language pathology offered a concentration in adult voice and a broader spectrum of learning opportunities than other programs she had considered. Natalie is currently working as a graduate assistant to Dr. Chaya Guntupalli (Nanjundeswaran), an associate professor in the department of Speech and Language Pathology at ETSU, whose clinical work and research interests focus on prevention

WHAT IS A GLOTTAL FRY? Click/tap play button to hear an example of a non-glottal fry (NON) Click/tap play button to hear an example of a glottal fry at the end of a sentence (EOS)

Click/tap play button to hear an example of a continuous glottal fry (CON) Click/tap here for the YouTube paylist

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...during glottal fry, vocal folds are shortened, and they come close together resulting in a noticeably different and potentially inefficient use of the voice.

Left, Natalie Foulks, Right, Dr. Chaya Guntupalli

and treatment of voice disorders in professional voice users, such as singers and teachers. During her first year of graduate school in her research class, Natalie and her classmates began a project that examined perceptions of elementary and high school students towards teachers with varying degrees of voice disorders. The mildly dysphonic sample is a representative of a glottal fry. Glottal fry (GF) is a vocal quality of the lowest register and results in a voice that sounds low, rough, and creaky. Interestingly, elementary school kids preferred the mildly dysphonic voice sample (glottal fry) over a non-dysphonic voice sample. A question arose during this study: “Is glottal fry the new norm?” This inspired Natalie to learn more about the prevalence of glottal fry in young female speakers and its impact in the professional world. With GF being increasingly used by female celebrities (like the Kardashian’s and some podcast hosts), more and more young females are subconsciously emulating this voice quality, and it is even beginning to be heard in young girls. There are several theories as to why more celebrities are using GF, but the exact reason remains

unknown. Natalie herself, as a speech and language pathology student, was made aware by Dr. Guntupalli that she, along with around 75% of the other female students were using a glottal fry. This was surprising to her, because she had become so accustomed to hearing that vocal quality that she didn’t even notice it in her own voice at first. There is not much research that has studied whether using GF over time can be damaging to the vocal folds, but it is known that during glottal fry, vocal folds are shortened, and they come close together resulting in a noticeably different and potentially inefficient use of the voice. Natalie and Dr. Guntupalli were interested in examining a potential, more immediate consequence of using GF from a perception perspective. Voice determines an individual’s identity. Natalie, as a young female preparing to enter the workforce, was curious to find out if the hirability of young females might be affected if they spoke with a GF during their interviews. She decided to study the effect of fry in females because, while it is possible for males to use a fry, their voice is usually deeper to begin with making it less noticeable. 21

Left, Natalie Foulks, Right, Dr. Chaya Guntupalli

To begin with, after screening several females using the Consensus AuditoryPerceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) tool, three females who each exhibited either complete glottal fry, glottal fry at the end of sentences, or no glottal fry were recruited to record voice samples. The CAPE-V scale evaluates vocal quality based on five vocal parameters; roughness, breathiness, loudness, pitch, and strain. An individual with no glottal fry would have no roughness and all attributes would be within normal limits, while individuals with partial GF would have intermittent roughness toward the end of their sentences, and an individual with complete GF would have consistent roughness. After selecting her participants, Natalie created a survey using semantic differential scales of fourteen pairs of contrasting adjectives from hiring construct literature. She distributed the survey to 60 employers across the southern United States to control for dialect and gender; all of whom volunteered to participate in her study. Each of the three mock candidates had the same qualifications and no pictures of the mock employees were included. Her survey wanted to understand if

employers could identify GF, if they had any negative perceptions toward glottal fry, and lastly, if glottal fry would impact an individual’s hirablilty. Once the potential employers received the survey, they were asked to listen to the recordings for each individual and assess each individual based on their voice alone by sliding a scale on each pair of contrasting adjectives such as nice and rude, friendly and grouchy to the word they felt best described the speaker. Natalie found that the potential employers in her study were able to identify continuous glottal fry more frequently than glottal fry at the end of sentences. Even if they were unable to label what they were hearing, they were able to tell that there was something different about the voice of the individuals speaking with a glottal fry. The last portion of her survey asked the potential employers, if on the basis of voice alone, would they would hire each individual. Overall, speakers who used a glottal fry had more negative perceptions than those who had no glottal fry. The most significant difference was between those with continuous glottal fry and those with end of sentence glottal fry in perceived

ability to be a good communicator. Natalie’s findings are significant for females in all professional fields, but especially for those who are speech and language pathologists where their success in their profession depends on their ability to effectively communicate with their patients. Often, individuals do not pay attention to their voice until there is a problem. Both Natalie and Dr. Guntupalli hope this research can aid in teaching young female speakers who are professional voice users, the importance of effective communication. Dr. Guntupalli describes Natalie as a highly motivated, self-starter who always goes above and beyond what is required in any role. She was selected to present her findings in a technical presentation this upcoming May at the Annual Voice Symposium in Philadelphia, an honor that students are not normally selected for. After she defends her thesis this spring, she plans to publish her research. After graduation, she will complete her clinical fellowship and hopes to work in an outpatient clinical setting where she can experience all aspects of the speech and language pathology field.

where are they GOING?

Danielle Pulliam Global Sport Leadership, Ed.D. School of Graduate Studies Advisor Name: Dr. Brian Johnston ETSU, 2020

What degree are you currently working on? In May 2020, I will graduate with an Ed.D. in Global Sport Leadership.

How has your degree helped you so far? In short, the GSLD program has provided me opportunities to travel abroad, learn from industry experts, and has given me the platform to combine my love for sports with higher education. The GSLD program has introduced me to faculty and other students who have challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and with whom I have built genuine relationships. Most notably, pursuing this degree helped me to define my leadership philosophy and clearly identify specific areas of interest. In particular, I am most passionate about creating a holistic student-athlete experience, implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, and mentoring young professionals on career development strategies.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? So many people have played a vital role in my pursuit of this terminal degree. I am grateful for Dr. Brian Johnston, Program Coordinator and Associate Professor,

for his tireless work to create, enhance, and promote this program. From start to finish, Dr. Johnston has made developing his students his main priority. In addition, each person on my Board of Directors list (Marsha Frese, Liz Tovar, Cornell Sneed, and Bob Baker) have in some way influenced or affirmed the decisions I have made while pursuing this degree.

What career opportunities will you be seeking? Currently, my focus has been on diversifying my portfolio with various professional and personal experiences in order to allow me to better serve my organization and career field. I hope to expand upon my current research to help sport organizations mitigate bias during the hiring process and increase the overall number of women and minorities in leadership positions. Ultimately, each day I aim to make a lasting impact on the people around me and create spaces that everyone can thrive and exist in. I plan to use both the degree and what I learned in the program to help create opportunities for others. This is inclusive of the studentathletes I work with daily, and women and minorities who aspire to earn a postgraduate degree or pursue a career in sports. Earning this degree has never solely been about my own personal desire for attainment, but rather about putting myself in the best possible position to mentor and advance others.

What advice would you give to current or future graduate students? Pursuing a doctoral degree is less about intellect and more about hustle. I would tell current graduate students to develop their work ethic, master the skill of time management, and become proficient in making intentional decisions. Be patient and do your research to find a program that fits the season of life that you are in. Personally, I have had the ability to balance a full-time job while obtaining a doctorate. I was honest with myself and others about my priorities and desire to achieve success in this program. Most importantly, I learned there will come a time in your life where the right relationships will become critical for your survival, productivity, and advancement. Surround yourself with a support system that listens, provides honest feedback, and unrelenting encouragement.

Is there anything else you would like to share? The unsung heroes in my story are my family, friends, and network. Each of these individuals consistently challenged me to always present my best and most authentic self. None of this would be possible without them. I consider my success their success.

3MT® Comes to ETSU We All Gain by Sharing Knowledge, and a Little Friendly Competition Written by Emily Redd

Omotayo Jacob, 3MT® finalist, Chemistry

ETSU graduate students are continually engaged in research that has an impact on our community, our region, and beyond. The Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition provides graduate students the opportunity to develop their professional presentation and research communication skills by distilling their projects into a three-minute presentation designed for a general (non-specialist) audience using just one slide. Through this engaging three-minute presentation, audience members learn what students in master’s and doctoral programs are studying and gain insight into the future of research, design, and innovation on a variety of disciplines. With all of the work that goes into being a graduate student, why participate? Imagine you’re asked to explain your research while on a brief walk from your car into a building. What would you say? Could you be concise, and could you be understood by someone who is not knowledgeable in your field? It is important to not only conduct research and contribute to the academic community, but also to share your research, and ultimately apply it. But attempting to condense your topic down to a three minute elevator speech is just half the battle. Giving the presentation is the other half. Although speaking in front of a crowd can be nerve-wracking, it’s a skill all graduate students should cultivate as leaders in their field. Many students present at conferences year-round, teach, and interview for jobs or other degree programs, so preparing and presenting your research to a varied audience is a great opportunity. Also rewarding is the interaction with peers. Students are accustomed to interacting with their professors and colleagues, but meeting student researchers from other departments, and seeing a connection between your research and theirs can spark new conversations, and promote innovative thinking about the potential collaborative and practical application of their findings.

In the fall of 2018, ETSU’s School of Graduate Studies, in partnership with the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), held the first annual three minute thesis (3MT®) competition in Rogers-Stout Hall. After two heats, six finalists were chosen, then three went on to win first, second, and people’s choice awards. Rudy Chapman from the Biomedical Sciences program won first place and received a $300 scholarship; Rebecca Steele from Biology won second place; and Porcha McCurdy from Geosciences won the People’s Choice award, both awarded $200 scholarships. Judges for the heats were administrators from ETSU recruited by the Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Sharon James McGee. For the finals, Dr. McGee invited members from our community. The judges were Thomas Eorgan, Senior VP and Director of Customer Experience for Bank of Tennessee; Jeannette Smith Tysinger, Tennessee licensed attorney with Hunter, Smith & Davis, LLP; and David Tomita, Financial Advisor at Regions Investment Solutions and former Mayor of Johnson City, Tenn. Judging criteria for the heats and the finals included communication style, comprehension, engagement, and impact. Volunteers from GPSA were on hand to help usher, hand out ballots for the people’s choice award, manage the microphone, and one volunteer sat in the front row and operated a timer so participants could monitor their time. A representative from ETSU’s photographic services was also on hand to photograph the event.

In the fall of 2019, the second annual 3MT® competition was held. The competition grew in its second year having representation from Appalachian Studies, Art, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, Communication and Storytelling, Computing, Early Childhood Education, Geosciences, History, Liberal Studies, Mathematical Sciences, Public Health, Sociology, and Special Education. After three heats, nine finalists, and a crowd of over 100 people, three winners were chosen. The judges were the Honorable Jenny Brock, Mayor of Johnson City; Mr. Jeff Dugan, Vice President of Research for Fiber Innovation Technology; and Dr. Wilsie Bishop, Senior Vice President for Academics, ETSU. First place went to Donna Paulsen from the Communication and Storytelling program with a $500 scholarship, second place went to Anna Musket from Biomedical Sciences, and people’s choice was awarded to Keri Blair from History, both with $300 scholarships. This time, other campus news outlets joined ETSU photographic services to capture the event. Although 3MT® is a well-established competition internationally, it is new to ETSU; but it is growing. It is now required by some ETSU professors, and inquired about and planned for months in advance. The 3MT® competition at ETSU is here to stay and looking forward to another great showing in 2020.

3MT® originated at the University of Queensland and was designed as a research competition for Ph.D. students. However, many other universities, including ETSU, have opened registration to master’s students or students engaged in research through their coursework or other culminating projects. This allows for a variety of topics and makes for a very enjoyable experience for the audience.

Donna Paulsen, Communication & Storytelling Studies Winner Keri Blair, History People’s Choice

Anna Musket, Biomedical Sciences Runner-Up

Service Project that Enhances the Public Good

AWARDS SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES 2020 Outstanding Dissertation Student: Parker Dreves, Psychology (Experimental) Ph.D. Dissertation Title: An Investigation into the Structure of Self-Control Advisor: Ginette Blackhart Outstanding Thesis in the Social Sciences and Education Student: Robyn Dolson, Psychology Thesis Title: Pocket ACE: Neglect of Child Sexual Abuse Survivors in the ACEs Questionnaire Advisor: Dr. Diana Morelen Outstanding Thesis in Science, Math, Technology, and Computer Science Student: Amber Stanley, Biological Sciences Thesis Title: The Effects of Urbanization on Avian Seed Dispersal Success of Toxicodendron Radicans (Anacardiaceae) Advisor: Dr. Gerardo Arceo-Gomez Outstanding Thesis in Art and Humanities

Research Grants 1. Heather Altier, Clinical Psychology Project Title: Positive Psychology and Chronotherapy for Psychological Distress and Sleep Disturbance: Translating Science to Intervention for the Rural and Underinsured Research Advisor: Dr. Jameson Hirsch 2. Jyoti Behera, Biomedical Sciences Project Title: Understanding the Structural Domains of Oil Biosynthesis Regulator Protein in Avocado Research Advisor: Dr. Aruna Kilaru 3. Matthew Bonfield, Chemistry Project Title: Computational Studies of Alpha-Lipoic Acid as a Spin Trap Under Explicit Solvation Research Advisor: Dr. Scott Kirkby 4. Maddie Coffey, Biology Project Title: Identification of At-Risk Populations of Tennessee Dace, Chrosomus tennesseensis, Using Regional and Stream-Scale Ecological Niche Models Research Advisor: Dr. Tom Laughlin 5. Brian Dempsey, Biology Project Title: Predator Cues from an Introduced Fish on a Larval Predator-Naive Salamander Research Advisor: Dr. Joseph Bidwell 6. Anna Musket, Biomedical Sciences Project Title: Characterization of MET Alteration Using Glioblastoma Patient-Derived Xenograft Models Research Advisor: Dr. Qian Xie

Student: Ryan Barker, History Thesis Title: For Natural Philosophy and Empire: Banks, Cook, and the Construction of Science and Empire in the Late Eighteenth Century Advisor: Dr. John Rankin

7. Tasha Nelson, Biology Project Title: A Novel Compound Used in the Treatment of Nosocomial Staphylococcus Infections Research Advisor: Dr. Sean Fox

Excellence in Teaching Awards

8. Oviavo Nohoesu Project Title: Characterization of SIP428: a SIR2 Type NAD+-Dependent Deacetylase and Its Role in Plant Stress Signaling Research Advisor: Dr. Dhirendra Kumar

Associate Student: Anthony Peluso, Public Health Nominator: Dr. Deborah Slawson Assistant Student: Loni Parrish, Psychology Nominator: Dr. Ginette Blackhart

Student: Joy Blair, Special Education Nominator: Dr. John Wheeler

9. Paige Shook, Biology Project Title: Investigating the Role of Ubiquitin in the Formation of Fibrosis Post-Myocardial Ischemia/ Reperfusion Injury in a Time-Dependent Manner Research Advisor: Dr. Krishna Singh

where are they NOW?

MARISSA AVANZATO Sport Management, M.S. School of Graduate Studies ETSU, 2019

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I wanted to pursue my master’s degree and get a few more years of experience in the sport information director world, so ETSU was the perfect choice. It had the degree I was interested in, and at the end of the day, it checked all the boxes I was looking for.

What is your current position and/ or research? I am currently working for Texas A&M Athletics in College Station, Texas. This is my first full-time job after being a graduate assistant for ETSU and an intern for Villanova.

What does your current position/ research entail? I cover volleyball and softball and do a variety of different things within each sport. I’m in charge of social media, posting on the website, writing press releases, and handling statistics. My favorite part of my job would be interacting and building relationships with my athletes and coaches.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? The amount of life experience I was able to get helped me learn a lot and grow into the person I am today. I became a strong female in the sports industry and benefitted from all the opportunities I was given. Through the graduate program, I was able to meet a lot of other GAs working in different fields in the sports industry, some of which I still talk to today. The experiences and relationships I built at ETSU, prepared me for my career.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Never be afraid to be yourself and put yourself out there. Networking has made a big impact on my career, and the people that have helped me along my journey have been amazing. Take chances and don’t ever be scared to try something new.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? Dr. Smith and Dr. Greene were instrumental factors in helping me grow and learn about different aspects in the sports industry. I can’t thank them enough for their guidance, and for always wanting what was best for me. There were a lot of others that have helped me get to this point in my career, too many to name.

A IMPROVING CATALYSTS FOR BENZENE ALKYLATION REACTIONS Anastasia Kuvayskaya

Chemistry, M.S.

Dr. Aleksey Vasiliev, Faculty Advisor

Written by Hannah Warren

nastasia Kuvayskaya came to East Tennessee State University after moving to the area with her husband from Asheville, North Carolina. She began as a biology major, wanting to one day apply to Quillen College of Medicine. While taking Dr. Vasiliev’s organic chemistry class as part of the pre-medicine track, she began to realize her skills in the subject. She was fascinated by the foundation that chemistry lays for so many other science fields. She quickly changed her major from biology to chemistry and began to get involved in research projects with Dr. Vasiliev. As her bachelor’s degree came to an end, she decided that staying at ETSU for her master’s would allow her to continue her research and confirm her passion for the subject before proceeding to a Ph.D. program. For her thesis, Anastasia worked with Dr. Aleksey Vasiliev and Dr. Ray Mohseni, two professors from the Department of Chemistry, to utilize donations from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund to begin development of a new, more superior catalyst for the alkylation of benzene for use in the petroleum industry. In chemistry, catalysis is the process of increasing the rate at which a reaction proceeds by the addition of a catalyst that is not used as part of the reaction. Catalysts can be of two types: 1) homogeneous catalysts, which are in the

same phase (gas or liquid) as the reactants, or 2) heterogeneous, which are typically solids. Homogeneous catalysts have historically been the industry standard for use in producing long-chain alkylbenzenes (with chain C10-C13), which are essential in the manufacture of alkylbenzenesulfonate surfactants for detergents and cleaners. Common examples of these include highly acidic hydrogen fluoride (HF) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3). While they are effective at increasing the rate of benzene alkylation, they are expensive to manufacture, hard to recover and recycle, and produce toxic byproducts that are damaging to manufacturing equipment and the environment. A heterogeneous catalyst would minimize the negative impact of each of these things. Previous research on this subject led to

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Implementation of [phosphotungstic acid] may convert the industrial process to be more environmentally friendly and reduce the cost of products.

Left, Dr. Aleksey Vasiliev, Right, Anastasia Kuvayskaya

the development of other heterogeneous catalysts such as zeolites, clay-based catalysts, and impregnated alumina and silica materials, but each of them still has drawbacks. Because benzene alkylation requires an acid catalyst, Anastasia wanted to examine phosphotungstic acid (PTA), a type of superacidic heteropolyacid (HPA) compound, as a potential solution, because of their particularly high acidity and thermal stability. She knew from literature that HPAs have a low surface area for binding with reactants, and that the solution to this was to incorporate the HPA on a solid support using a method called impregnation, where the HPA is physically placed on a porous material such as a silica gel. Unfortunately, this results in a weak bond between the acid and the support. Anastasia’s approach involved the chemical attachment of the acid to the support, which resulted in a much more stable catalyst that was easier to recycle after completion of the reaction. She introduced PTA to the structure of silica gel at the time of its synthesis from precursors by the sol-gel method. Using this novel approach, immobilized PTA maintained high catalytic activity without risk of deactivation and contamination of the environment. Implementation of this catalyst may convert the industrial process to be more environmentally friendly and reduce the cost of products. Anastasia would like to give credit to 30

“ Anastasia would like to give credit to all the faculty and staff of the chemistry department for their expertise, and desire to see all of their students succeed. all the faculty and staff of the chemistry department for their expertise, and desire to see all of their students succeed. Having completed several research projects with Dr. Vasiliev, Anastasia describes their work as a collaboration. She herself is from Russia and Dr. Vasiliev is from Ukraine, so they have been able to do most of the communication for their projects in Russian. Chemistry itself is a complicated subject, and having the ability to communicate questions in her native language was valuable to her learning experience. She has presented this research multiple times at the regional, national, and international level. Last year alone, she won first place at the Appalachian Student

Research Forum, third place at the 128th Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Science, and third place at the Eastman-NETSACS Student Research Symposium. Anastasia will graduate this May and has already been accepted to the Colorado School of Mines for her Ph.D. in Chemistry. This is one of the premier schools for petroleum chemistry, the industry she hopes to work in. Though she is excited about this new chapter in her life, she is sad to leave the department that has become like family to her.

where are they NOW?

JESSICA THOMAS Global Sport Leadership, Ed.D. School of Graduate Studies ETSU, 2020

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I had the opportunity for practical experience while pursuing my degree. In my opinion this is the best way to learn any position/career.

What is your current position and/ or research? Learning Specialist for the Center for Athletic Academic Services (CAAS) at the University of Memphis

What does your current position/ research entail? Supporting student-athletes who have learning disabilities to ensure they are receiving academic support services for a successful academic experience; supporting all student-athletes with the transition into higher education; supporting student-athletes’ mental health.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? While at ETSU, I worked as an intern for the Academic Support Services in the Athletics Department. This experience provided me with direct hands-on experience in working in an athletics department with student-athletes. The courses within in the Global Leadership Program also enabled me to gain a wider perspective about all aspects of running a total athletics department.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point?

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Take a chance on yourself. After being out of school for 12+ years, I almost let this chance pass me by because of fear of the unknown and doubt in myself. If you have a dream you want to pursue, pursue it! Because I took this leap of faith, a whole new world opened up for me. It is possible, it is attainable, and it is worth everything it took to get me to this point. Go forth, be great, do good, and good luck!

Dr. Brian Johnston, the Program Coordinator, Kay Lennon McGrew, JD, Dr. Adam Sayers, and Dr. Bob Baker have had the most impact on my growth in my current career.

Bridging the Gap Between Decoding and Special Education

ver the years there has been a tremendous amount of research dedicated to identifying the most effective methods for teaching reading and literacy skills to young students. As you are scanning the pages in this magazine you are using those skills, which were likely taught to you in the earliest years of your education that have been tucked quietly in your subconscious, and now run in your brain like a program in the background of the computer. For some this is a very natural skill to acquire, while others, for a variety of reasons, can struggle to piece together letters and words to express their

Julia Catherine Dean Special Education, M.Ed. Dr. Pamela Mims, Faculty Advisor

Written by Hannah Warren

needs and wants: Such is the case with children who are nonvocal. Catie’s birth name is Julia Catherine just as her grandmother and her great, great grandmother before her, both of whom were teachers. Though Catie’s grandmother always said she was destined to follow in her footsteps, Catie thought she would be anything except a teacher. Today, she recalls feeling drawn to education from the time she began elementary school. Catie chose to come to ETSU for her undergraduate degree over schools in

Left, Dr. Pamela Mims, Right, Julia Catherine Dean Holliday

Cards used for decoding

Julia Catherine Dean Holliday, winner, Best Single Case Design, Council for Exceptional Children’s International Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon Fall, 2019

Kentucky because of the quality of ETSU’s special education program. During her time as an undergrad, she learned about professors’ research interests and knew she wanted to continue at ETSU to acquire her master’s degree. In speaking with Catie and Dr. Pamela Mims, her thesis chair, about Catie’s educational journey from undergraduate to graduate school, Catie talks of the guidance Dr. Mims has given her at every turn. When Catie began her master’s program, she knew she wanted to theme her thesis around literacy, but was not sure where to begin. Dr. Mims encouraged her to read and find a topic that really stood out to her. Once Catie learned of the research-to-practice gap in teaching decoding to students with severe disabilities, she asked herself why the education system wasn’t trying to teach these individuals decoding in the same way it is taught through the general education curriculum. This was the foundation that led to her thesis topic of teaching the skill of decoding to students with severe intellectual and/ or developmental disabilities (IDD) who are non-vocal verbal. Communication for these students can be difficult and relies on eye gazes or speech generating communication devices because their speech is so infrequent or unclear that it is not effective. Despite the volume of research that has gone into teaching reading to students with IDD, most of this research did not involve students who were non-vocal verbal. Communication for some of these students can be difficult and relies on eye gaze, touch responses to communication pictures or objects, or speech generating communication devices. When students are first learning to decode, they learn the alphabet and the sounds that accompany each letter, a process called phonetic awareness and phonics. However, there are a spectrum of disabilities that can cause difficulty with this skill. Catie’s idea was to find a way to provide students with severe disabilities and verbal difficulties access to the decoding portion of the general curriculum using a form of systematic, direct instruction called constant time delay or CTD. CTD is an evidence-based practice and is considered an errorless form of learning, when implemented properly, wherein the student is not allowed to make mistakes. Catie created a set of five cards for each student subject

with pictures on them that correlated with specific sounds. For example, one card contained a red splash, so it correlated with the letter R and the sound /r/. This gave the students a choice to tie to the sound as well as a picture to help them apply this skill in different settings. Inclusion criteria for her study required students to be in grades K-5, currently receiving special education services for a severe intellectual and/or developmental disability, in addition to having hearing and vision within normal ranges, and good attendance. Catie chose a multiple probe across participants, single case design where each student would act as their own control. Her intervention involved three students brought into the study one at a time, in a staggered fashion. She began by implementing the intervention with one student, and after that student began to show skill improvement (an increase in trend and level from baseline levels), she would test the students remaining in baseline conditions (those not yet receiving the intervention), to ensure that it was her intervention and not an outside factor that was influencing the learning process. If that was found to be the case, the next student would begin the intervention protocol, and the process was repeated until all three students were receiving the intervention.

Teaching through CTD begins with asking a question and stating/showing the student the answer without delay. As teaching progresses, after the stimulus to respond is presented, a specific amount of time is allowed to pass (e.g., 5 seconds) in order for the student to respond. If the student tries to answer incorrectly during that time, they are guided to the correct answer. If the student does not answer within that set time, a prompt is given. If the student responds correctly within the set time, an identified reinforcer is provided along with a specific praise statement (e.g., “Great job, that is the word ‘red’” while giving a high five.). Early on Catie used positive reinforcement to enhance the learning process and gradually phased it out as students progressed so the skill would not be dependent on that reinforcement. After students had demonstrated skill acquisition, Catie tested her student’s ability to maintain and generalize the skill. If students were able to demonstrate high levels of retention and generalization, she

Left, Julia Catherine Dean Holliday, Right, Dr. Pamela Mims

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Teaching decoding to students with severe IDD can help unlock their full potential.

would have evidence that her intervention was successful. To test students’ skill maintenance, she performed the same exercise she used in the baseline phase after removing the intervention for three weeks. The students were able to maintain their skills after three weeks without the intervention. For generalization, she showed them each five new words they were not taught during the intervention, but contained the letters they were previously taught, but in a different order. Her students were able to generalize the skill she taught them. It was, a powerful moment of realization in her research since this population often struggles to generalize new skills with new people, new materials, or in settings outside the one in which they were taught.

While Catie is passionate about research, she is equally interested in rural education systems like the one in her hometown, with only one high school in the entire county. She sees herself one day becoming a special education administrator; a role that would allow her to oversee all special education programs within a district. She encourages other ETSU graduates to experience the rural education setting and carry out further research. This winter Catie and Dr. Mims attended the Council for Exceptional Children’s International Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon where Catie entered her thesis in the Teacher Education Division’s Kaleidoscope Student Presentation competition with most entrants being in doctoral programs. This competition gives four awards in categories of best qualitative research, best quantitative research, mixed methods, and best single case design. Of all the entrants, Catie won best single case design. After defense of her thesis, Catie hopes to publish her findings in both academic journals (to add to the limited body of existing research on early literacy skills individuals with severe IDD) and practitioner journals such as TEACHING Exceptional Children where researchers publish their interventions in ways that make them accessible and practical for classroom teachers. It is important to Catie that if her intervention can help teach decoding to students with severe IDD who are non-vocal verbal that teachers who work with these individuals have access to these research-based methods so they can help their students unlock their full potential.

where are they NOW?

SARA BALDWIN Business Administration, M.B.A. Department of Management and Marketing ETSU, 2014

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? As a native of East Tennessee, I initially chose ETSU because it was close to home. However, it was the quality of education and faculty commitment to student success that I experienced as an undergraduate student in the College of Business that made ETSU the obvious choice when I decided to pursue my MBA.

What is your current position and/ or research? I am Finance Senior Manager at K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. (Food City) in Abingdon, Virginia. I supervise the Corporate Finance and Treasury teams for the company.

What does your current position/ research entail? My primary areas of responsibility include: (1) Performing financial modeling and analysis, including new store and remodel proformas, (2) Evaluating and advising on the financial implications of alternative business decisions, and (3) Assisting in the coordination and development of the company’s strategic plan, annual budget, and long-term business plans.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? As a student at ETSU, I worked with faculty who encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself daily. Through this experience, I developed the knowledge, skills, and confidence required for success in my current role.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? There are many professors that I could list here. However, I genuinely believe that I would not be where I am today without the guidance and support of Dr. Larry White and Dr. Douglas Dotterweich.

was an adjunct instructor of business and economics at Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC) and, then, in the College of Business at ETSU. My first teaching position came about by the recommendation of Dr. Dotterweich, who forwarded me a job posting for an instructor of economics at VHCC. Through this experience, I discovered a passion for teaching and training, and my background in education has played an enormous role in my career.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Get to know your professors. They are invested in your success and can provide invaluable guidance to help you achieve your goals. Go Bucs!

During my final year as an MBA student at ETSU, I served as Dr. White’s graduate assistant in the Center for Banking. Through this experience, I had the opportunity to network, teach, and apply what I learned in the classroom to realworld situations – skills that I use on a daily basis in my current role. Before accepting a position in the Finance department for Food City, I

Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

An Exploration of End-of-Life Care in Tennessee Written by Hannah Warren

Erin E. Mauck, Dr.PH., concentration in Community and Behavioral Health Dr. Deborah L. Slawson, Faculty Advisor

Left, Erin Mauck, Right, Dr. Deborah Slawson

rin Mauck first attended East Tennessee State University from ’92-’94 as a music major. After a break, she returned in 2010 to finish her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in biology. She was given the opportunity to remain at ETSU for her master’s degree in sociology, which she was eager to pursue. For her master’s thesis, Erin drew on her own family’s experience with hospice and end-of-life care to explore assisted dying legislation. Through a class assignment she learned about Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act. During this time, she received a research grant from ETSU to travel to Oregon to meet with physicians and proponents of the Act and the state’s end-of-life (EOL) healthcare programs. Moved by what she learned, she knew she wanted to continue her research in this area, which led to her apply to ETSU’s Doctor of Public Health program. Going into the program, Erin spoke with Dr. Deborah Slawson about her intention to continue exploring the quality of EOL care in Tennessee. She wanted to know that she had a professor who would stand behind her for the topic she wanted to research for her dissertation. Death can mean different things in different cultures, but with certainty, it is something every human will face. Some individuals are very outspoken about their end-of-life preferences, and others prefer to avoid the subject altogether. Every state has a variety of services including hospital palliative care, long-term care facilities, and various hospice organizations to

provide EOL care, but like all healthcare systems, some are more accessible than others. Oregon has enacted, in addition to these services, the Death with Dignity Act, which provides individuals who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and less than six months to live the option to begin a series of steps to receive a prescription for life-ending medication. Individuals who wish to take advantage of this Act must have their diagnosis confirmed by a second physician, undergo a psychiatric evaluation if deemed necessary by the prescribing physician, and make both a written and verbal request for the medication fifteen days apart. About two-thirds of the individuals who request the prescription use it. When Erin visited Oregon for her thesis research, she was able to speak with healthcare providers and advocates of this service. She recalls this experience as life changing. As an advocate for autonomy, Erin began to see that there needed to be better and more accessible options for individuals in need of EOL healthcare, whether it was for an unexpected terminal illness or simply old age. When she looked at the rankings for states’ quality of EOL healthcare, she saw that Oregon was ranked near the top while Tennessee was ranked towards the bottom. Erin’s dissertation is aimed at understanding what it will take to improve the quality and accessibility of EOL healthcare in Tennessee, from education to legislation. From reading the literature, she learned that a version of the Death with Dignity Act has been proposed to the

Tennessee legislature three separate times, but never made it past committee. When she began digging into Tennessee’s EOL healthcare statistics she learned that there are only six residential hospice facilities listed on the Tennessee Department of Health website. During her 300-hour field placement at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center here in Johnson City, Erin worked with the hospice and palliative care team. She saw that it is often difficult emotionally and physically for a single at-home caretaker to fulfill all of their family members’ needs alone, that hospice was not always within reach, and some individuals did not want to pass away in their homes. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for EOL healthcare.

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Death can mean different things in different cultures, but with certainty, it is something every human will face.

For her data collection, Erin began by interviewing professionals in areas of EOL healthcare from the healthcare industry and state healthcare committees. She used purposeful sampling to select individuals who would inform a questionnaire she would later take to the Tennessee Legislature. She interviewed ten stakeholders from the field including heads of hospice, palliative, and geriatric care, specialists in aging, and others from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Vanderbilt, and ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine. She asked questions about the gap that seems to exist in medical students’

regarding their loved ones’ healthcare. These ten interviews that were initially meant to inform her interview guide for state legislators, became a large portion of her data. From these interviews she was able to form some initial conclusions to guide her next set of interviews. She found that much of the issue with the quality of EOL healthcare in Tennessee is financial. Residential hospice facilities are expensive, so much so that unless an individual is independently wealthy or has private insurance, it is often hard to afford them.

beliefs, personal experience, political party preference, etc., in addition to getting their perspectives on the questions of “what is end-of-life healthcare, and what is endof-life healthcare policy?” By interviewing members of the senate and house health committees, she hopes to find out what it would take to put in place a state-wide initiative to increase the use of advance directives, in addition to increasing understanding about the reasons for lack of caregiver support and the emotional and financial burdens they bear. Historically there have been younger family members to take care of the elderly, but the average

Left, Erin Mauck, Right, Dr. Deborah Slawson

education regarding EOL care and where the root of the problem was for getting funding to aid care projects. She wanted to know from people working in the system, what the strengths and weaknesses of Tennessee’s EOL healthcare are. As she got further into these interviews, she was provided with the names of other individuals that might have interest in speaking with her about the topic, and she began speaking with them as well. One physician in particular noted how hospice carries a stigma. Many patients feel that by choosing hospice care that their physician is just letting them die, when the reality is that people are often referred to hospice too late for the patient to fully benefit from it. Palliative care does not seem to carry this same stigma. She also asked what could be done to increase the use of advance directives so families were not left with making difficult decisions

The reason there seemed to be limited numbers of new physicians going into hospice or palliative medicine is because there are other specialties with much higher pay. There were also discussions on the topic of continuing to treat patients, and the philosophy of modern healthcare. Additionally, she learned that longterm care facilities like nursing homes, which have traditionally been a source of some EOL healthcare are trending toward becoming rehabilitative facilities for physical therapy. She has not yet completed her dissertation, but is in the process of completing interviews with state legislators from both the senate and house health committees. After narrowing down her interview guide, she wants to ask the legislators how they make their decisions on healthcare policy. She wants to know if they are motivated by

age of the population is increasing, and this is not always possible due to employment, geographic distance, etc. Erin is grateful for the exploratory nature of this project. She hopes that initially her work can increase public awareness of EOL healthcare needs in the state and increase the use of advance directives. She wants to educate the public that you do not have to have an attorney to create them, and how simple they can be to complete. She also wants to increase awareness for the need of increased education on EOL care for healthcare providers and the public. She plans to defend her dissertation this July and to publish several articles from her findings. After graduation she would like to continue to work in academia, and to continue her research that will contribute to improving end-of-life healthcare in Tennessee.

where are they NOW?

ROBERT BAKER Educational Leadership, Ed.D. Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis ETSU, 2016

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I was an employee at ETSU at the time that I began my doctoral program and chose the ELPA program after I met with Dr. Jim Lampley, and learned more about the coursework and focus of that program.

What is your current position and/ or research? I currently serve as the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Development at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. While I am not currently conducting research, my previous research area and dissertation study was on how concussions impact student-athletes’ return to learn. The knowledge obtained from this research helps me daily to understand what my student-athletes experience, and enables me to advocate for/assist them with their recovery from concussions.

What does your current position/ research entail? I oversee all aspects of studentathlete development, including three divisions (academic counseling, academic enrichment, student-athlete enhancement) and over 100 combined

full and part-time employees. I have a dual direct report role to the Provost and Deputy Athletic Director, which allows me opportunities to be involved at a high level on campus academically and athletically. My job ultimately is to work closely with coaches, administration, faculty and staff to ensure that our student-athletes make progress toward earning their bachelor’s degree while also preparing for life after sport.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? First and foremost, my five years of work at ETSU (2006-2011) prepared me with a rock-solid foundation for success and advancement in intercollegiate athletics. I will genuinely cherish forever the experiences and relationships developed during this time period at ETSU. Furthermore, my advanced degree challenged me at the highest level in the development of my analytical, administrative and leadership abilities. I consider myself to be an effective leader and developer of people (studentathletes, coaches and staff members), and attribute this partially to my work experience and education obtained from ETSU.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? Dr. Jim Lampley was the first person in ELPA that I developed a connection with, and he was very influential in my educational decision. Once established in my studies, I found Dr. Catherine Glascock to be an incredible resource and was very thankful to have worked with both of them. Additionally, Dr. Brian Johnston was and still is an amazing resource for me personally and professionally. He was assigned to me as a staff mentor when I first began employment in 2006; great friend throughout my employment and was an incredibly helpful resource as I worked on my dissertation study and research on concussions. Brian Johnston is ultimately an ETSU hero for the impact he has had on so many lives, including mine.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Your experience as an ETSU graduate student will go by very quickly, so cherish every moment and experience. Take great care in the relationships you develop, and continue to cultivate those relationships after your graduation and as your career develops.

where are they NOW?

Lyle Wolf Global Sport Leadership, Ed.D. School of Graduate Studies ETSU, 2018

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? Doc Sanders had a relationship with my Head Coach, Buzz Williams. Coach Williams and Doc talked about this new doctorate program that was starting, and Coach Williams convinced me that it would be beneficial for my future.

What is your current position and/ or research? I am an assistant basketball Coach at Texas A&M. I am tasked with helping our student athletes both on and off the floor. I, along with others, try to recruit new student athletes that best represent the values of Texas A&M.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for your career? The program expanded my lens on college athletics. Therefore, in every aspect of my job, the doctorate program gave me a foundation of knowledge that allowed me to plan / adapt on the fly.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? Dr. Brian Johnston was very influential in my growth as a student. He will always be in your corner, and is one of the most selfless leaders I’ve been around.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Don’t procrastinate, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and enjoy the time spent with one another!

where are they GOING?

Oyinda Oyetunde Master of Public Administration Political Science, International Affairs and Public Administration, concentration in Non-profit and Public Financial Management Advisor Name: Fredrick Gordon May, 2020

What degree are you currently working on? I am studying for my master’s in public administration.

How has your degree helped you so far? I have a bachelor’s in political science, and I am also a certified chartered accountant. This program has helped me tie two of my passions together; governance and finance. My concentration in Public Financial Management has also helped me develop my budget and finance skills. I am very eager to blend both interests together as I launch my career.

What professors/advisors were instrumental in helping you get to this point? Dr. Joseph Martin, Dr. Paul Trogen and Dr. David Briley have been very instrumental to the success I have achieved so far in graduate school. In the fall of 2019, Dr. Fred Gordon became my advisor and since then has consistently motivated me to reach for higher academic feats.

What career opportunities will you be seeking? I would like to pursue a doctorate in the future, but I would first like to start my career in the public sector and then determine which issues I would like to conduct research on. I would like to get a consulting or advisory job for the government or a non-profit.

What advice would you give to current or future graduate students? I would say take some time to decide what you really want to do long term. It would be preferable to get a degree in a field that you could see yourself practicing in, in a few years from now. This maximizes your time, energy and financial resources; which getting a master’s degree requires.

Is there anything else you would like to share? I would say try to be present in all of your experiences. It is very easy to isolate oneself and go through grad school in a silo, but try to enjoy the experience as much as you did undergrad. Take advantage of opportunities, meet people and be very strategic about relationships that would transcend the university campus.

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ETSU - Illuminated - Spring 2020

Articles inside

Where are they Going? Featuring: Oyinda Oyetunde

Where are they now? Featuring: Lyle Wolf

Bridging the Gap Between Decoding and Special Education, Julia Catherine Dean, Special Education, Advanced Studies in Special Education, M.Ed

Where are they now? Featuring: Jessica Thomas

An Exploration of End-of-Life Care in Tennessee, Erin Mauck, Community and Behavioral Health, Dr.PH

Where are they now? Featuring: Sara Baldwin

Where are they now? Featuring: Robert Baker

Where are they now? Featuring: Marissa Avanzato

3MT® Comes to ETSU: We All Gain by Sharing Knowledge, and a Little Friendly Competition

School of Graduate Studies 2020 Awards

Examining Perfluorinated Chemical (PFC) Exposure and its Relationship to Increased Risks of Endocrine Cancers, Ogbebor Enaholo Omoike, Epidemiology

Where are they now? Featuring: Melinda Bogardus

Where are they now? Featuring: Bonny Copenhaver

Perceptions of Glottal Fry in Young Women, Natalie Foulks, Speech and Language Pathology, M.S

Where are they going? Featuring: Danielle Pulliam

An Exploration of Artificial Intelligence in Content Strategy, Joel Eaton, Brand and Media Strategy, M.A

Understanding Effects of Chronic Methylphenidate Use on Neural Viability and Plasticity, Hannah Oakes, Biomedical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D

Where are they now? Featuring: Brandon Johnson