ETSU - Illuminated - Spring 2021 by East Tennessee State University

Graduate Student Research Magazine ETSU Graduate School Spring 2021 Volume 10 Issue 2

I L L U M I N A T E D

FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL The East Tennessee State University Graduate School 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, PhD,

Karin Bartoszuk, PhD

Scott Kirkby, PhD

Dean

Associate Dean

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-0035-20 100

STAFF

EDITOR

Dr. Karin Bartoszuk, photo left Associate Dean, School of Graduate Studies

WRITER

Hannah Warren, photo middle MS Sport Science & Coach Education

DESIGN

Emily Redd, MFA, photo right Thesis/Dissertation Coordinator, School of Graduate Studies

PHOTOGRAPHY Emily Redd Student/Faculty submitted University Relations

Karin Bartoszuk, PhD A specialDean THANK YOU is warranted to Dr. Greg Ordway for allowing us to Associate

use his laboratory. The nursing students/staff/faculty, especially Stephanie Coston, Melessia Webb, Carmen Jones, Marjorie Baskin, Myra Clark, and all others who helped to provide us access to supplies needed for the visual effects.

FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Efficacy of a New Antimicrobial Gel for Burn Treatment, Tasha Nelson, Biology, MS

Where are they now? Featuring: Eric Hart

The Cost of Delays: A Step Toward Easing the Burden of Road Construction Costs for Road Users, Jeremiah Adebiyi, Engineering Technology, MS

Where are they now? Featuring: Nicholas Andal

The Show Must Go On: ETSU’s 3MT® Competition Goes Virtual

Coping with Grief: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Fathers Who Have Lost a Child, Dynisha Wigginson, Nursing, PhD

Where are they now? Featuring: Gina Wohlford

28 31 32 40

Where are they now? Featuring: Jingru Sun and Jessica Slade

22 26

CONTENTS

Graduate School 2021 Research Grant Awards

Opioid Cravings Among People in Court-Mandated Substance Use Treatment: What Role Does Emotion Play? Rachelle Kromash, Psychology, PhD

Where are they now? Featuring: Rebecca Wilson

Life History and Longevity of Daphnia magna, Millicent Ekwudo, Biology, MS

Sport is a Vehicle for Change: Representation of Females in Athletic Administrative and Head Coaching Positions in New Jersey, Brittany Morrone, Global Sport Leadership, EdD

Where are they now? Featuring: Daniel Freeman

Where are they now? Featuring: Jana Archer and Cory Leonard Jacob Mitchell Photo by Emily Redd

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR As the world is still 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 the print version 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; to 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 months. This might also be the time to think of new questions for future scholarship; to 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.

Dr. Karin Bartoszuk

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

WE’VE MOVED! The College of Graduate and Continuing Studies Relocation The College of Graduate and Continuing Studies has moved from Burgin E. Dossett Hall to Yoakley Hall on the 3rd floor. Please refer to the map below for directions regarding the new location.

Efficacy of a New Antimicrobial Gel for Burn Treatment Tasha Nelson

Biology, MS, concentration in Microbiology Dr. Sean Fox, Faculty Advisor Written by Hannah Warren

asha Nelson grew up in the small town of LaFollette, Tennessee. At first, she was unsure if she wanted to attend a university, but after visiting ETSU she decided that she would like to pursue higher education in public health. ETSU, in particular, caught her attention because of its size, atmosphere, and proximity to her family. During her undergraduate degree, Tasha began working with Dr. Sean Fox from the ETSU Department of Health Science, whose research focuses on polymicrobial interactions. This is when Tasha discovered her passion for research. Between her class in comparative anatomy and her work with Dr. Fox, she knew she wanted to pursue further research and education by earning her master’s in biology with a concentration in microbiology. Tasha’s interests are focused primarily on antimicrobial resistance, and how this global health concern impacts both human and veterinary medicine.

For her thesis research, Tasha is continuing to work with Dr. Fox on antimicrobial resistance, particularly in regard to novel

Tasha Nelson Vet Care Animal Hospital

“Tasha’s wound model will demonstrate the clinical applications of this product for both humans and animals.” antimicrobials. She is working with an all-natural gel developed by Dr. William Clark from the ETSU College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Sciences. In order to quantitate this gel’s efficacy against common pathogens known to colonize wounds (typically within 24-48 hours) she is using methods such as spectroscopy, fluorescence, and an artificial wound model to monitor biofilm development. Her model will demonstrate the clinical applications of this product for both humans and animals. To create the wound model, Tasha is using a culture medium (a substance used in lab settings to grow bacteria) that mimics the environment

human skin tissue would provide for bacteria. The medium is similar to skin in pH level and nutritional properties. Tasha began building the academic knowledge base necessary to conduct her current research in her undergraduate work with Dr. Fox, where she learned fundamental research techniques, bacterial resistance mechanisms, common pathways involved in cell cycle regulation, and how to interpret the results of her work. Tasha begins by applying selected pathogens to the culture mediums of the wound model. Some of the pathogens she is testing the gel against include

Tasha Nelson

the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the fungus Candida albicans, all of which are of considerable medical importance and can result in serious systemic infections that can become life-threatening if left untreated. After the bacteria are applied, she treats each culture with an assigned concentration of the antimicrobial gel. Concentrations being tested range from 0%-10% active ingredient. Those cultures that receive no treatment serve as the control and are used for comparison against each of the other concentrations. In addition to quantitating the gel against various common wound pathogens, she also wants to investigate the potential cellular pathway impacted by this treatment. Knowing this could lead to the discovery of what specific mechanism of action the gel uses to destroy pathogens. To study this, she uses other techniques to examine what could be occurring inside the cell following treatment with the antimicrobial gel. For this, she will

be investigating the regulation of specific genes in the bacterial cells through Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reactions (RTPCR) analysis, a technique commonly used in studying small quantities of genetic material and genetic expression. Once the cultures have been allowed to interact for a specified amount of time, Tasha uses a LIVE/DEAD Cell Viability Assay. This protocol allows for all living cells to be stained green, and any compromised cells to be stained red. Once the live cells and dead cells are identified, Tasha is able to compare the outcomes of the various concentrations to each other in order to calculate a ratio of live cells to dead cells. This will demonstrate the effectiveness of each concentration against specific pathogens. Additionally, confocal microscopy can be used to visualize both live and dead cells in a sample after treatment with the gel. The unique quality of this gel that sets it apart from similar gels and ointments 11

that are already on the market is that it is all-natural and begins to act within minutes of application, much more quickly than other products. This is of particular significance to veterinarians in that there is no concern of the animal ingesting the gel if it tries to lick it from the area to which it was applied. Even if the gel is consumed by veterinary patients it can still act to prevent bacterial growth. Tasha hypothesizes that the gel acts by attacking the integrity of the cell wall. This will lead to cell lysis or “cell death.” Due to this proposed mechanism it will be difficult for bacteria to develop resistance to this product. Other topical gels currently available on the market target other cellular pathways such as DNA synthesis. As Dr. Fox noted, in the United States alone there are approximately three million

Tasha Nelson

Biofilms control vs. experimental

drug-resistant infections that occur each year. Those infections lead to conditions like sepsis resulting in nearly 35,000 deaths each year. If action is not taken, deaths from antibiotic resistant infections will outnumber deaths from cancer by 2050, highlighting the contribution both the gel and Tasha’s research could have on wound care. Though her project is not yet complete, the results she has obtained thus far are very promising.

From the first time Tasha set foot in his lab, Dr. Fox has been there to guide her

on her academic journey. For Dr. Fox, it is important to him to help his students tailor their academics and research to their future goals, and stand out with their applications. Given that this gel has potential applications in both human and animal populations, it made this an ideal project for her. Tasha’s goal is to attend veterinary school once she completes her master’s degree focusing on the impact the resistant bacteria can have on medicine as a whole. As an undergraduate, Tasha presented a portion of this research to students and faculty at the Appalachian

Dr. Dr. Sean Sean Fox Fox

“If action is not taken, deaths from antibiotic resistant infections will outnumber deaths from cancer by 2050.”

Research Forum hosted by ETSU. While working on this research, Tasha has realized just how difficult running PCR analysis on RNA (a messenger that plays a key role in protein synthesis within cells) can be, but how rewarding the process is once she sees a good outcome. Tasha plans to defend her thesis this semester and graduate in May. She has been working as a veterinary nurse for seven years and hopes to attend veterinary school in the fall.

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RE THEY A E NO R E

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? A close friend of mine (Dr. Robert Baker) previously worked at East Tennessee State University, and he shared with me information about the Global Sports Leadership Development doctoral program. Bob and I worked together at the University of Tennessee and maintained a relationship over the years; and at the time, he posted a photo of his doctoral degree from the University of Memphis on Facebook. When I commented on his post, he privately messaged me and said he had an awesome opportunity for me. He said that I needed to get it done and not to “think about it.” He knew that if I spent time contemplating whether I should pursue my doctoral degree, I would never do it. He introduced me to Dr. Brian Johnston during the summer of 2016, and because of that connection and explanation of the GSLD program, I immediately took the appropriate steps to apply, take the GRE, and get admitted. If it were not for Dr. Baker’s experiences working at ETSU and connecting me to Dr. Johnston, it’s safe to say I would not have learned about the GSLD program.

What is your current position and/or research? I am the Chief Programs Officer for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also a source for top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.

Eric Hart EdD, Global Sport Leadership College of Graduate and Continuing Studies Graduate: EdD, 2019 What does this position/research entail? Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Publicly supported HBCUs enroll over 80% of all students attending HBCUs. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives,

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? What I learned in my research methods courses is invaluable to the work I do currently. My team and I work closely with Fortune 500 companies, and they are very research focused and data driven. Our organization utilizes data to inform decisions, and data allow for us to position our resources in ways to be most efficient and cost effective. In terms of advice, I would offer for students to be willing to speak to their professors and program directors when they feel most vulnerable. Professors at East Tennessee State are willing to help, but need to know whenever there are challenges impacting learning. Waiting until the last minute is a dangerous recipe that can impact future successes in a graduate program of studies. My program chair, Dr. Brian Johnston, and Dr. Richard (Dick) Sander were there for me when I was the most vulnerable and felt like quitting. I took their advice and persisted throughout the program, and I am so glad they were there for me. 13

THE COST OF DELAYS A Step Toward Easing the Burden of Road Construction Costs for Road Users Jeremiah Adebiyi

Engineering Technology, MS, concentration in Technology Dr. K. Joseph Shrestha, Faculty Advisor Written by Hannah Warren

eremiah Adebiyi came to ETSU after completing his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at Landmark University, in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria. His initial interest in engineering technology came from the recent and rapid expansion of new technologies across many fields. He wanted to learn more about incorporating new technologies into his field of study. Through friends that were previous graduates of the program at ETSU, he learned about the various aspects of engineering technology the curriculum covers that are relevant to civil engineering

and construction management, which is what initially drew him to the program. For his master’s thesis, Jeremiah is working in conjunction with his advisor, Dr. K. Joseph Shrestha, on a project funded by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to develop a method that will better quantify the costs road users incur during road construction projects. When most people think about road construction, the first things that come to mind are delays: “How much longer will it take to get

from point A to point B?” For many, time is money, and there can be an immediate monetary loss that results from increased travel times; but as Jeremiah explained, there are several other costs associated with road construction that impact more than just individual travel times. Like other state departments of transportation (DOTs), the TDOT generally selects the contractor with the lowest bid for construction projects to maximize the use of available tax dollars. The traditional contractor selection method only considers the dollar value associated with the construction cost incurred by state DOTs and ignores the impact of the road closure to the public. Today, state DOTs have started to quantify the monetary value of such impacts to the road users while evaluating the bids received by state DOTs. However, quantifying these costs presents a significant challenge to those involved in the process. For example, the time value of money for each individual is different; it varies by location, day of the week, and time of the day. No one wants to be late for work and miss an important meeting. The amount of additional fuel required for the trip as a result of the delay might seem too small to consider. However, when tens of thousands of vehicles are waiting

“...there are [environmental and economic] costs associated with road construction that impact more than just individual travel times.”

Jeremiah Adebiyi, presenting at Appalachian Research Business Symposium (ARBS), 2021, virtual conference

Jeremiah Adebiyi

for even 15 more minutes in traffic, it can accumulate to a significant dollar amount. Further, burning more fuel inherently means polluting the environment more. Several studies on environmental sustainability have quantified the impact of environmental pollution in dollar values. When some lanes are closed and others are open because of ongoing construction activities, the likelihood of crashes could increase depending on various factors. Thus, the costs associated with this increased likelihood of crashes – such as fatality, injuries, and property damages should also be considered as a part of the road user costs. Another aspect yet to be explored by most state DOTs is the impact of road construction on the local economy. Longer commute time and traffic detours can lead consumers to visit shopping destinations outside of their normal routine. For example, even though grocery store “A” might be closer to a consumer’s home location, on an average day, road work may force them to visit another, farther 16

Dr. Joseph Shrestha

location out of time convenience or because of a forced detour. Of all of the aspects of road user costs to calculate, this may be the most challenging. The aim of the research Jeremiah is doing is to identify the best practices of calculating road user costs across the country, improve them further, and customize them for Tennessee. To do this, he conducted a nationwide survey questionnaire among DOTs to see what practices are currently in use for determining road user costs. Jeremiah accomplished this by reaching out to engineers in DOTs from all 50 states and administering the questionnaire online to all who were willing to participate by utilizing a service available through ETSU called REDCap (a survey tool). Using information obtained through the survey and existing studies, Jeremiah is creating an Excel-based spreadsheet tool that will allow users (engineers) to input important data attributes such as how long the project will last, number of lanes to be closed, average number of vehicles that use the road every day, and length of the

construction zone. The goal is to find a sweet spot between the level of detailed data required and the level of accuracy desired. Once his methodology is established, he will compare the road user costs obtained from the methodology with the existing models from other states. For Jeremiah, Dr. Shrestha has exceeded all of the expectations he had set in his mind for what he was looking for in a mentor. Coming to the United States for graduate school was a step into the unknown for him, and Dr. Shrestha helped him acclimate to his new life as a graduate student and a researcher in America. Once the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Jeremiah was forced to move all of the meetings that had been scheduled as in-person to Zoom meetings and to work more independently. Dr. Shrestha praises Jeremiah’s hard work and dedication to the project. Despite the challenges he has faced, he is grateful for the opportunity to work with the DOTs, and to observe how DOTs from different states function and go about the process of road user cost calculation. Currently Jeremiah and Dr. Shrestha are in the process of submitting his abstract to the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conference, at which they hope to present. Jeremiah is planning to graduate this May and is in the process of applying to doctoral programs in Construction Engineering, and plans to transition into the construction industry to provide solutions to the underlying problems encountered in the industry.

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RE THEY A E NO R E

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? My initial attraction to ETSU revolved around my outdoor interests with scenic recreation. Interestingly, I quickly discovered that my journey as a pediatric therapist would soon thrive under the Speech Language Pathology and Communication Disorders Program. After learning about ETSU’s extensive pediatric venues for certification, I would not have pursued any other university to develop a skill set in rehabilitative therapeutics.

What is your current position and/or research? I currently serve as an interdisciplinary team member with the Siskin Children’s Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee as a speech-language pathologist.

What does this position/research entail? With a daily rotation among three pediatric departments, I provide therapy services across a Reggio Emilia learning center, an intensive feeding clinic, and in-person coaching services for families enrolled with the Tennessee Early Intervention System. My training to implement “Natural Learning Environment Practices and an Evidence-Based Coaching Framework” from Drs. Dathan Rush and M’Lisa Shelden has graced me with wonderful opportunities to “pay

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? With ETSU’s SLP program, I received clinical training to conduct multidisciplinary evaluations to follow toddlers with complex medical needs, introductory coaching paradigms to support families, and a background in dysphagia care to support pediatric venues that treat feeding disorders.

Nicholas Andal MS, Speech-Language Pathology Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Graduate: MS, 2010

it forward” to the early intervention community at the global level. I have directly supported multiple speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and early childhood educators from England, Australia, and Singapore as they traveled to the US for professional development in early intervention practices.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Allied health, rehab, and early intervention employment settings are all wonderful places to engage as a community advocate. With whatever field that you choose, invest in vocational intricacies that can fuel your passion. Also, make time to grow and share your talents by mentoring incoming professionals. As the world shifts and changes around us, one approach to maintain a balanced perspective within your career is to maintain connections with those whom we have mentored and those who have offered us mentorship.

John Hayford Teye-Kau Chemistry

The Show Must Go On ETSU’s 3MT® Competition Goes Virtual

Shanna Glawson Studio Art

Sharon Bigger Nursing

Written by Emily Redd

Earon Payton II Brand and Media Strategy

In August, 2020, as the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 continued to spread, universities all over the world prepared for a fall semester unlike any they’ve experienced before. Faculty and staff at ETSU had to rethink the delivery method of curriculum, student services, and student opportunities across campus, as students needed more connections and support than ever. In this spirit, the graduate school at ETSU determined that the opportunity to win a scholarship, as with many aspects of our lives, would not be deterred by a worldwide pandemic. So, the newly adopted Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition at ETSU would be virtual. Around the same time as arrangements were being made for a virtual competition at ETSU, the University of Queensland, creator of the 3MT® competition, issued a guide for the preparation of the videos. Some of the stand-out rules to keep the integrity of the competition were: The slide could not be full-screen for more than 1 minute, collectively; videos could not be edited; and the speaker could not show obvious signs of reading. The heats would be converted to YouTube playlists; the people’s choice vote was to be determined via an online survey; and a final awards ceremony would be held live via Zoom. 18

For the students, the execution of this competition would be different,

Thomas Ntim Chemistry

Amy Gravitte Biomedical Sciences

but the takeaway, whether you move on to the finals or not, was to undergo the challenging exercise of distilling their projects into a threeminute presentation designed for a general audience. This challenge included writing and preparing their presentations, practicing the timing, and perfecting their communication skills. The participants were divided into two heats whose topics represented a wide variety of disciplines, including: Audiology, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Brand and Media Strategy, Chemistry, Computer and Information Sciences, Geosciences, Nursing, Public Health, and Studio Art. The top three from each heat advanced to the finals, where a panel of esteemed judges viewed the videos and selected the first and second place winners. The People’s Choice vote determined the third place winner, and was voted on via an online survey that was distributed via social media and other

communication channels.

earning a PhD.

The winner of the 2020 Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition was Sharon Bigger, a doctoral student in the College of Nursing. Her presentation was titled, “Advance Care Planning Protocols and Hospitalization, Rehospitalization, and Emergency Department Use in Home Health.” Sharon, who currently lives in Asheville, North Carolina, is studying advance care planning in home health and its relationship with acute care services utilization.

Thomas Ntim, also a master’s candidate from the Department of Chemistry, received the People’s Choice Award, voted on by viewers. His presentation was titled “Understanding Plant Signaling Towards Improved Energy Crops.” Thomas is from Offinso, Ghana and plans to pursue a PhD and a career in teaching and in the chemical/ pharmaceutical industries.

Second place went to John Hayford Teye-Kau, a master’s candidate from the Department of Chemistry, whose presentation was titled “Synthesis of Phosphatidyl Ethanolamine for Model Studies of the Cell Membrane.” John is from Odumase Krobo, Ghana, and plans to work in herbal medicine and start his own pharmaceutical company in his home country after

The Graduate School at ETSU is proud of our students, and the opportunity to share their scholarship is invaluable. The connection to students, their work, and the communication among all faculty, staff, and students is of the utmost importance. During the Virtual 3MT® Competition in the fall of 2020, we were able to connect in the spirit of friendly competition despite all of the challenges COVID-19 presented. The show must go on.

From left, Sharon Bigger, Thomas Ntim, John Hayford Teye-Kau. Photo courtesy of Ron Campbell, ETSU Photography.

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Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I chose ETSU for my education because it has excellent graduate programs. The PhD in Biomedical Sciences program fit well with my career goals and the Quillen College of Medicine has the most beautiful campus I have ever seen.

What is your current position and/or research? I am an Assistant Professor at Washington State University, and joined WSU in July, 2014 after completing my postdoctoral training at Duke University. I was recently promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure (effective in July 2021). My research program focuses on understanding neural regulation of immunity in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. The nervous and immune systems have been separate research subjects for a century, and their interactions have only become a focus of study in recent years. My research is at the forefront of this cross-disciplinary area. I have identified and characterized three specific neural-immune regulatory circuits that are mediated by the G protein-coupled receptors OCTR-1, NPR-8, and NMUR-1, respectively. My work has greatly improved our understanding of neural-immune regulatory mechanisms.

Jingru Sun PhD, Biomedical Sciences, concentration in Microbiology Department of Biomedical Sciences Graduate: PhD, 2009 What does this position/research entail? The major part of my position is to direct research projects as well as mentor postdocs and graduate students in my laboratory. I also write research articles for publication and grant applications for extramural funding. I actively engage in a number of service activities to make my contributions to WSU and the scientific research community. For example, I serve on the Faculty Council Executive Committee, the Scholarship Standing Committee, and on the doctoral

committees of several PhD graduate students at WSU. I was an ad hoc member to the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council Meeting (NIH/NIGMS). I also served as a grant reviewer on the NIH CMAD study section and the NIH neuroscience AREA study section. I am an editor of the journal Virulence and have been a reviewer for many journals, such as Trends in Neuroscience, PLOS pathogens, mBio, etc. I teach two courses to medical students at WSU: Case-Based Learning and Evidence-Based Medicine.

How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? I received comprehensive training from my PhD advisor, Dr. Robert Schoborg at ETSU including bench skills, science behind experiments, theory development, and scientific writing. Dr. Schoborg always went into detail training me, yet never micromanaged my research projects. He always encouraged me to try new ideas. Because of the rigorous training on techniques and freedom on ideas, I developed solid bench skills and creative thinking, which laid a solid foundation for my research career.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? For me, it is the combination of diligence and higher-level thinking skills that guide me forward in the forefront of biomedical research. Therefore, it is very important to foster hard-working attitudes and creative minds in graduate school.

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RE THEY A E NO R E

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I had broad interests coming into graduate school, and it was important to me to be able to test out a few different research areas before making a commitment to a laboratory and research project, which I think is a major strength of the Biomedical Sciences Program at ETSU. I also really liked the size of the program. Having completed my undergraduate degree at a small liberal arts university, I wanted that same feeling in graduate school so that I would be able to interact with and get to know a lot of the other students and professors.

What is your current position and/or research? I recently accepted a position as an assistant professor of biology at the University of Pikeville (UPIKE) in Pikeville, Kentucky.

What does this position/research entail? As a first-year assistant professor, most of my time is spent teaching. I primarily teach microbiology to pre-nursing students and biology majors. I also teach an undergraduate immunology course, serve on committees, work on developing new courses, and provide academic advising to a small number of students. In my position, research is not required but I hope to be able to provide some research opportunities for undergraduate students in the future.

Jessica Slade PhD, Biomedical Sciences, concentration in Microbiology Department of Biomedical Sciences Graduate: PhD, 2016 How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career? I was fortunate to be able to tailor my experience through the Biomedical Sciences Program to fit my career goals. Apart from working on my research project, I was also encouraged to pursue additional routes of professional development that interested me. For example, I sought out teaching opportunities and enjoyed mentoring undergraduate students through

research projects in our lab. These experiences were vital to helping me realize that I wanted to teach specifically at the undergraduate level. Building a foundation in laboratory research, mentoring and teaching while participating in my graduate program at ETSU made it possible for me to continue on a similar trajectory during my postdoctoral years so that I could get the experience necessary to reach my career goal.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? My advice would be to soak up the experience. The more you engage the better off you’ll be in the long run. Graduate school is really about preparing you for what’s next, and it will be a time of tremendous growth. A lot of that growth will happen in the classroom or laboratory, but there are so many other types of experiences to try that could be game-changing. You never know where inspiration will strike, so go to seminars, attend conferences and network with people. If you find yourself spinning your wheels or you aren’t quite sure what’s possible, don’t hesitate to reach out. ETSU has great faculty, staff and other students ready and willing to offer their expertise, share their experiences, and help you get to the next step in your career journey.

Coping with Grief:

Understanding the Lived Experiences of Fathers Who Have Lost a Child

Dynisha Wigginson Nursing, PhD

Dr. Christy Hall, Faculty Advisor Written by Hannah Warren

ynisha Wigginson completed her undergraduate education in biology at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Her plan was to attend medical school; but as she shadowed more physicians, she realized that what she wanted from her career was the patient interaction and work-life balance that came with being a nurse. After graduation she attended the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis to obtain her Master of Science in Nursing degree through their accelerated track and began working as an oncology nurse in 2011. Wanting to advance her career in nursing and pursue research, Dynisha enrolled in ETSU’s PhD in Nursing program in 2014. She selected ETSU’s program after exploring other options, being drawn to the workschool-life balance she wished to maintain that the program offered.

“Rather than expressing a visible sadness...fathers tended to grieve through feelings of anger, frustration, and loss of control.” Throughout her career, Dynisha noticed that in situations where parents experienced the loss of a child, most of the consolation and emotional support went to the mother, leaving the father to “fall apart in silence.” She also noticed a difference in the way fathers reacted to these losses compared to mothers. Rather than expressing a visible sadness in the way the mothers do, fathers tended to grieve through feelings of anger, frustration, and loss of control. Instead of going through their own grieving process, the fathers often pushed aside their own emotional needs to attend to the needs of others in their families. It was witnessing these types of experiences that motivated Dynisha to speak up and be a voice for fathers who grieve the loss of a child for her dissertation.

As she reviewed the literature, Dynisha found that an extensive body of work exists surrounding the loss of a child from a terminal illness, but that scarce research exists that focuses on the unexpected loss of a child due to things like accidents and miscarriages. Research that does exist from either the expected or unexpected loss of a child more frequently describes the experience of the mother or the combined experience of the mother and father, masking the individual experience of the father. While it does not minimize the anguish of loss, a terminal diagnosis gives the family some time to begin to prepare for death. Parents who lose a child unexpectedly do not have this chance to prepare, and this unexpected loss can lead parents (especially fathers) to cope with their loss differently. She wanted to understand the emotions

the fathers experienced, and how those emotions had impacted their daily life. Dynisha’s research used a phenomenological approach (through the lens of the philosopher MerleauPonty) and purposive sampling to recruit eight fathers, a mix of AfricanAmerican and Caucasian men from different states to conduct individual interviews with over Zoom. Some of the fathers had experienced a single loss, while others had experienced cumulative losses. For all the fathers, some time had passed since they had experienced their loss and none of the losses had been recent. As part of this methodological approach, throughout her research, Dynisha used reflective journaling and memoing to catalogue her experience with the interview process and to support her audit trail. In the interviews, Dynisha tried to 23

create an environment that allowed the fathers to express as much detail of their entire experience as they were comfortable with. Initially, she was afraid that it might be hard to get the fathers to open up to her, but she quickly realized that most of the participants were eager for their stories to be heard. As is the iterative nature of phenomenology, Dynisha collected data, transcribed and analyzed it simultaneously looking for saturation themes that repeated across the fathers’ responses, many of which carried undertones of the socio-cultural expectations our society has set for both men and fathers. Consistent with the method, her themes were taken verbatim from participants’ own words to capture the essence of their lived experiences. Those themes are: • • • •

“I done been through hell”; “It really crushed me”; “I’m a protector”; and “Who is there to help me?”

Many of the fathers mentioned that during their experiences, they had either tried to avoid seeming vulnerable or simply did not have time to grieve because of the provider role they played in their family; but that talking with Dynisha and being able to dissect their experience had been therapeutic. When asked how the experience and grief had impacted their life, there were mentions of depression and suicidal thoughts, highlighting how crucial it is that healthcare providers and society destigmatize grief experienced by males. The themes she discovered and the emotions the fathers described feeling further demonstrated the gap Dynisha first observed in her work and highlights the need for further research in this area. Dynisha chose to seek out Dr. Christy Hall as the chair for her dissertation, because she knew that Dr. Hall would 24

Dynisha Wigginson

Dr. Christy Hall

“...themes that repeated across the fathers’ responses...carried undertones of the socio-cultural expectations our society has set for both men and fathers.” be serious about helping her produce a quality study and be assertive in holding her accountable to the deadlines she set: Something that she felt was necessary since she holds a full-time teaching position and is a new mother. Dr. Hall has met and exceeded every goal Dynisha has asked of her as her chair, and helped to refuel her passion for research. Dynisha is also grateful that the program has consistently allowed her to balance her work, school, and life throughout the entirety of her degree. Dr. Hall commends Dynisha for her persistence and commitment to her dissertation, and is hoping against all COVID-19 odds that she will be able to ceremoniously place Dynisha’s hood on her at graduation. Encouraged by

Dr. Hall, Dynisha hopes to publish and present the findings of her dissertation once it is complete. She hopes that her research will bring awareness to the suffering that is experienced by fathers who grieve the loss of a child, and that one day, meaningful interventions that are father-specific might be put into action. While Dynisha currently works at a technical college in Memphis teaching in their Department of Licensed Practical Nursing, going through the dissertation process has reawakened her passion for research, and she hopes to eventually transition to the research path full-time.

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RE THEY A E NO R E How did your time at ETSU prepare you for this career?

Why did you choose ETSU for your education?

My time at ETSU prepared me to better understand the role of leadership within school systems with a deeper understanding of early childhood education and the importance of the ECE programs from the “ground up” on a student’s entire public education experience.

I completed my master’s degree with ETSU and had an excellent experience. My passion is for Early Childhood Education, and ETSU offered a Doctoral program with that concentration.

What is your current position and/or research? Serving as the Superintendent of Norton City Schools.

What does this position/research entail? I am directly responsible for a school division of 120 employees and approximately 800 students. I have the opportunity to utilize my doctorate degree as our Pre-k programs in Norton City Schools are funded through the Virginia Preschool Initiative. I also serve as the coordinator for these programs, and use the CLASS model to evaluate and inspire our teachers with professional development opportunities and creative teaching strategies.

Gina Wohlford PhD, Early Childhood Education Department of Early Childhood Education Graduate: PhD, 2018

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Stay the course as you endeavor in your educational experience. More than likely, there will be bumps in the road, but it was my experience that the professors were encouraging, flexible, and wanted me to be successful. Develop a professional relationship with them and rely on their expert guidance as you continue to gain your graduate degree.

Anything else you would like to add: Make each day of this journey great, or not, the choice is yours!

I have recently been selected to serve on the Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee for the Virginia State Board of Education.

RESEARCH GRANT AWARDS 1. Mitchell Long, Biology Project Title: Illuminating a Confounding Factor in Chronoecological Research Research Advisor: Dr. Thomas Jones 2. QuiJu Tian, Early Childhood Education Project Title: The Impact of an Integrated STEM Collaborative Approach on Preservice Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Curricular Role Identity for Teaching Science Research Advisor: Dr. Alissa Lange

Photo by Emily Redd

3. Darian Bouvier, Geosciences, Paleontology Project Title: The Past is the Key to the Present: The Paleoecology of Bison from High Elevation Ice Patches in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and implications for modern Bison conservation Research Advisor: Dr. Chris Widga 4. Lukman Fashina, Geosciences, Geospatial Analysis Project Title: Water Quality Assessment of Karst Springwater as a Private Water Supply Source, Northeast Tennessee Research Advisor: Dr. Ingrid Luffman

GRADUATE SCHOOL 2021 5. Hannah Trynham, Studio Arts, Ceramics Project Title: Connection to Place, Stories in Space, and Impermanence Research Advisor: Ms. Lindsay Rogers 6. Deepshila Gautam, Biology, Biomedical Sciences Project Title: Phenotypic Characterization of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Mutants in the Moss (Physcomitrium patens) Research Advisor: Dr. Aruna Kilaru

7. Loren Peters, Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Project Title: Cdh-13: Neurobiological Candidate for Drug Abuse Vulnerability in Schizophrenia Research Advisor: Dr. Russell Brown 8. Muhammad Ummear Raza, Biomedical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences Project Title: Augmentation of 40 Hz auditory steady-state response without increasing resting state gamma by using NR2Bselective NMDA receptor antagonist CP-101,606. Research Advisor: Dr. Siva Digavalli

9. Gabriela Abrego, Public Health, Epidemiology Project Title: Flu Vaccination Uptake in the Hispanic and Latino Community of East Tennessee Research Advisor: Dr. Mildred Maisonet 10. Aaron Birchfield, Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry Project Title: Structural Characterization of a Unique Plant Glucosyltransferase Using X-ray Crystallography Research Advisor: Dr. Cecelia McIntosh

Opioid Cravings Among People in CourtMandated Substance Use Treatment: What Role Does Emotion Play?

Rachelle Kromash

Psychology, PhD, concentration in Clinical Psychology Dr. Kelly Moore, Faculty Advisor Written by Hannah Warren

achelle Kromash began working with individuals diagnosed with a substance use disorder in court-mandated substance use treatment programs while completing her Master’s in clinical psychological science at the University of Maryland, College Park. There, she found her passion for helping state-funded substance use treatment facilities incorporate evidencebased practices into their programming. In particular, when Rachelle conducted diagnostic interviews with people enrolled in a court-mandated program in Washington D.C., she noticed gaps in the treatment process including the use of stigmatizing language, minimal implementation of evidence-based practices, and little assistance being given to the individuals during their re-entry into the community post-incarceration. Rachelle decided to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology to fill these gaps through research and clinical practice. During her master’s program, Rachelle also worked as a lab manager at George Mason University for Dr. June Tangney, PhD who told her about Dr. Kelly Moore’s research lab, as Dr. Tangney was Dr. Moore’s clinical psychology PhD program advisor. Dr. Moore is an assistant professor in ETSU’s Department of Psychology and head of the Crime, Addiction, Re-Entry (CARE) Lab, where Rachelle is now a graduate research assistant. Dr. Moore and the CARE lab conduct

research that addresses barriers justice-involved individuals face to community integration, such as stigma and lack of access to evidence-based treatments for addiction. Rachelle’s passion for bringing addiction science to underserved populations led her to ETSU and the CARE lab, and she has pursued several novel research areas since she started her doctorate. Because justice-involved populations are among the most significantly impacted by the current opioid epidemic, and among the least likely to receive evidence-based opioid treatment, Rachelle decided to narrow in on opioid use for her

“Research involving justiceinvolved populations is limited and requires more attention, given the significant risk of opioid-related overdose upon release from incarceration and higher rates of treatment failure.” 29

thesis. Rachelle is exploring the relationship between anhedonia (loss of pleasure) and opioid cravings among individuals enrolled in a court-mandated substance use treatment program. Opioid cravings were defined as a strong desire or urge to use opioids (i.e., heroin or prescription opioid medications), and are important because they are highly predictive of treatment failure (i.e., the more cravings people have, the more difficult it is to complete treatment). Rachelle was interested in psychological variables, particularly emotion variables, that predict opioid craving, as doing so may help identify who is at risk of struggling in treatment. Anhedonia, a common feature of several mental health disorders, refers to losing pleasure in activities that you used to enjoy. It caught Rachelle’s attention as being especially important to assess in relation to opioid craving due to a recent review published by Kiluk and colleagues (2019). The review made a call to action, specifically highlighting the role that anhedonia in particular may have in opioid use and treatment. Kiluk et al. (2019) reviewed 11 studies which measured anhedonia and opioid use, only two of which measured the relationship between anhedonia and opioid cravings, and none of the studies measured this relationship in a justice-involved population. There is already an established relationship between these two variables, where increases in anhedonia lead to increases in substance use (and vice versa). However, very few studies have looked specifically at the relationship between anhedonia and opioid cravings, which may be particularly important in order to understand who is most at risk of struggling in OUD treatment. These findings, in conjunction with the self-medication hypothesis and other addiction models, helped to inform the foundation of the thesis. This hypothesis and other models propose 30

Rachelle Kromash

that individuals, at first, have the inability to feel pleasure and try to fill the gap with opioids. Then, individuals keep using opioids to avoid negative withdrawal symptoms (e.g., sweating). In addition to examining anhedonia, Rachelle is exploring another emotion construct, emotion dysregulation, which is characterized by responding to emotions maladaptively, including lack of awareness/clarity about emotional responses, nonacceptance of emotions, inability to control impulses or pursue goals during emotional distress, and lack of access to emotion regulation strategies. It stands to reason that emotion dysregulation could strengthen the relationship between anhedonia and opioid cravings, but this has never been examined. For her research, Rachelle used data that her advisor, Dr. Kelly Moore’s, colleagues collected from a court-mandated treatment program in the Midwest. Individuals come to be enrolled in treatment programs, such as the one Rachelle’s data came from, through an order from the court system; and therapies used in these programs vary greatly to address substance use and mental health symptoms. Rachelle hypothesizes that participants who experience anhedonia and who have high levels of emotion dysregulation will be the most

Dr. Kelly Moore

likely to experience opioid cravings. Likewise, if participants experience anhedonia and better regulation of their emotions, they will be less likely to experience opioid cravings. Rachelle hopes that her research will inspire other researchers and clinicians working in substance use treatment settings to continue to consider mood and other mental health symptoms in relation to opioid cravings in this population. Research with justice-involved populations is limited and requires more attention, given the significant risk of opioidrelated overdose upon release from incarceration and higher rates of treatment failure. Rachelle’s thesis intends to identify the attributes that put someone at risk of these adverse outcomes. In order to increase treatment completion, we need to understand the factors that contribute to it; for example, anhedonia and other mental health symptoms that span multiple clinical disorders. After she completes her PhD, Rachelle would like to continue doing research in the government sector, specifically conducting research to inform policy. This will involve program evaluation, treatment development, and scaling effective treatment models to target the criminal justice system as a whole.

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Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I had a passion for studying behavioral ecology of spiders as an undergraduate researcher, but I wanted to explore the underlying mechanisms of behavior, specifically the neurophysiology of spiders. Spiders, while not the first animal that comes to everyone’s mind for behavior, are the perfect model for teasing apart nearly every complex question on behavior. From predator/prey interactions, sexual selection, or even sociality, spiders truly are amazing. I had met my PhD advisor Dr. Jones (aka TJ) at an arachnological conference my last year of my undergraduate degree and was absolutely captivated by his work studying circadian rhythms of spider behavior, specifically aggression. Not only had TJ started teasing apart how some compounds influence aggression, he also identified the fact that some spider species have very strange circadian rhythms. While nearly every organism has a “normal” 24-hour internal clock, some spider species have much shorter free-running periods of 19 hours, or even extremely long free-running periods of 33 hours! For my PhD project, I wanted to explore how aggression fluctuated over the course of day in conjunction with neurochemicals, like octopamine and serotonin.

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

Rebecca Wilson PhD, Biomedical Sciences, concentration in Pharmacology Department of Biomedical Sciences Graduate: PhD, 2018 What is your current position and/or research? I am a senior scientist at Medpace Reference Laboratories.

What does this position/research entail? I oversee laboratory testing for clinical research trials. I specifically oversee clinical chemistry, immunology, and nephelometry testing.

While everyone’s graduate school experience can be unique, I felt that ETSU allowed a great foundation for all graduate students to explore a wide range of academic, scientific, and professional opportunities. I was extremely fortunate to have an advisor that gave me tremendous support with my project, but also gave me freedom to pursue opportunities outside of the laboratory. This allowed me to take additional classes, take on leadership roles in the Graduate and Professional Student Association, and even complete an internship at a local pharmaceutical company.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Take every opportunity you can. Looking back, I had definitely gone a little overboard at times with juggling multiple roles as a student and researcher, but it was worth it in the end. Second, research is research, no matter if you study spiders or cancer biology in human cell lines. Follow your passion no matter what people say.

Anything else you would like to add? I want to thank my PhD advisor TJ for nominating me for this! Cheers!

Life History and Longevity of Daphnia magna Millicent Ekwudo

Biology, MS, concentration in Biomedical Sciences

Daphnia head stained for mitochondria (green)

Dr. Lev Yampolsky, Faculty Advisor Written by Hannah Warren

illicent earned her Bachelor of Science in human physiology at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in her home country of Nigeria. As she began looking at universities to attend for her master’s degree in biology, she thought a lot about the type of atmosphere she wanted to attend in terms of both physical environment and cultural environment. In a sense, she never wanted to “feel far from home.” ETSU checked both of those boxes for her. The faculty of the Department of Biology are research-focused, and there is a strong Nigerian graduate student community.

Daphnia excretory appendages stained for mitochondria (green) and lipids (orange)

Daphnia excretory appendages stained for mitochondria (green)

For her master’s thesis, Millicent is working under the guidance of Dr. Lev Yampolsky to investigate potential environmental and ecological interventions that might improve the overall health and longevity of Daphnia magna, a small but significant crustacean that can be found in a variety of aquatic environments. Millicent chose to use Daphnia for her research because it is readily available, easy to culture in lab settings, can reproduce asexually, which allows them to give rise to genetically uniform offspring, and exhibits behavior patterns that can easily be observed. In addition to their convenience in the lab setting, Daphnia are highly sensitive to environmental changes and stress, and have long been used as model organisms for pharmaceutical toxicity, and more recently for ecotoxicology and environmental genomic studies to understand how changes in their environment can impact their health. This and future research on Daphnia could have important implications for humans since the genome of Daphnia share a high degree of similarity with the human

genome. As humans age, a lot of the physiological processes and functions decline and become less effective. Her research is divided into three main parts: Investigating the effects of chronic, mild-intermittent hypoxia; investigating mitochondrial uncoupling, a process of “slowing down” mitochondria by introducing a chemical that lets protons diffuse across the membrane, much like opening a safety valve on an overheated engine; and understanding how gene expression changes as a result of these factors. She wants to understand how each of these factors might contribute to the life history

“...future research on Daphnia could have important implications for humans.”

Millicent Ekwudo

Daphnia magna

of Daphnia and hopes to answer the following questions relating to how various degrees of hypoxia influence their life history traits such as organism size, timing of reproduction and number of offspring, feeding behaviors, and longevity. In the first part of her research to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to mild intermittent hypoxia, she exposed Daphnia to environments with varying concentrations of oxygen, below the 8 mg/L that is normally present in their environment. In the second part of her project examining the effects of mitochondrial uncoupling, Millicent exposed groups of Daphnia magna to varying

concentrations of dinitrophenol (a chemical long used to stimulate weight loss, but now abandoned due to toxic effects) to measure their response to toxic stress. In years past, other researchers have demonstrated that exposure to hypoxic conditions can activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, which plays a key role in regulation of cellular growth and metabolism. Additionally, this pathway helps to mitigate damage done to cells by oxidative stress, which plays a role in aging. Because of AMPK’s ability to mitigate these factors it is also known as the longevity pathway. Developing a better understanding of this pathway in species such as Daphnia might lead to a better understanding of this pathway in the human aging process. In the final portion of the research, Millicent wants to understand how these forms of toxic stress affect the organism’s transcriptome, the collection of all the coding RNAs within each cell. RNA functions as a messenger transmitting the genetic information stored in DNA into proteins to guide all processes within the body. To examine changes in gene expression in Daphnia, she is using a type of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), specifically Oxford Nanopore Sequencing. This methodology for genetic sequencing is much more time efficient and sensitive to changes than the previously favored Sanger sequencing method. This process allows Millicent to extract RNA from the Daphnia and sequence it to get an idea as to what genes have been expressed at specific times in the research process. Millicent is almost finished with her research and already has some interesting findings from the data that have been analyzed so far. She found that neither hypoxia nor dinitrophenol increased lifespan in Daphnia, but there were significant genotype-by-environment interactions. It means that different genotypes responded to the treatments 34

Millicent Ekwudo

Dr. Lev Yampolsky

“...this project has been about diving deeper into biological factors that might play a role in aging and ways to potentially aid in providing humans more and healthier years of life.”

in different ways, and this opens up an opportunity to investigate which genes are responsible for differential tolerance to these respiratory perturbations.

to prepare her for her future academic endeavors. Dr. Yampolsky says that her work as a researcher speaks for itself and that she possesses an incredible desire to learn.

Millicent had read about Dr. Yampolsky’s work and knew before even setting foot on ETSU’s campus that she wanted him to serve as her mentor throughout her master’s course of study. When she came to ETSU, her research experience was limited. Over the last year and a half, Dr. Yampolsky has helped her to develop a solid research background in experimental design, data handling, and in her opinion, has gone above and beyond what is expected of him as a professor

For Millicent, this project has been about diving deeper into biological factors that might play a role in aging and ways to potentially aid in providing humans more and healthier years of life. She hopes that one day, studies such as the one she is conducting might lead to development of therapeutic strategies for humans. Millicent is currently in the process of applying to doctoral programs for clinical pharmacology. She plans to pursue a career in research in this field.

Jacob Mitchell Photo by Emily Redd

Representation of Females in Athletic Administrative and Head Coaching Positions in New Jersey Brittany F. Morrone

Global Sport Leadership, EdD Dr. Brian Johnston, Faculty Advisor Written by Hannah Warren

s a South Jersey native, Brittany Morrone graduated from Kean University (a Division III school in North Jersey) with a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Physical Education and a master’s degree in Exercise Science. She also served as a CrossFit coach for four years prior to opening her own business that offered personal training and nutrition services. She had always had a personal goal of getting a

doctorate degree, so as she approached completion of her master’s, she began researching doctoral programs related to sport and exercise science. In her search she came across ETSU’s Ed.D. program in Global Sport Leadership. Brittany has a variety of interests within the field of sport and fitness, and completed research during her master’s on balance between genders of CrossFit athletes. For her capstone project in Global Sport Leadership, Brittany is working on a project titled the Underrepresentation of Women in College Athletics Across All Three Divisions in New Jersey. The goal of her project was to compare male and female representation at the level of athletic director or head coach in the state of New Jersey to their representation in the rest of the schools in all three divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). While other studies of gender representation in sport have focused primarily on specific conferences or regions, few studies have examined a particular

“Diversity in hiring is critical to bringing about innovation and growth in athletic departments, just as it is in any other field.”

Brittany Morrone

state. Female underrepresentation in sport is not a new subject. Gender has been an issue in sport since before the passage of Title IX in 1972, which prohibited discrimination based on gender in any school or educational program that receives federal funding, including school-based athletic programs. Despite the passage of Title IX women have continued to be underrepresented in leadership positions in athletics. Diversity in hiring is critical to bringing about innovation and growth in athletic departments, just as it is in any other field; it fosters new perspective and unites individuals from various walks of life. Without diversity, athletic departments are left with gaps in their methodologies and practices. To collect her data, she searched through biographical texts from athletic staff directories of NCAA institutions to identify the staff members who held the positions of interest and noted the pronouns (he/ him, she/her, they/them) being used in the language of their biography. From

there she further divided the data into sections of female head coaches that coach female teams, female head coaches that coach male teams, male head coaches that coach female teams, and male head coaches that coach male teams, along with their Division (I, II, or III). Previously, the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota compared female representation in college athletics. Brittany utilized tactics from their studies to shape

Dr. Brian Johnston

her methodologies and analyses. She inputted her data into software including Microsoft Excel and SPSS in order to perform frequency analyses and create pivot charts to analyze the data and compare each of the created categories to one another, looking for percent differences and potential outliers among the groups. In all, Brittany’s data included 456 head coaches and 27 athletic directors

Brittany “Britt” Morrone, 2019 Mid Atlantic Affiliate Challenge

2019 Asbury Park Games

across 27 schools. In her analysis she found that the data for head coaches from New Jersey aligned closely with that of most other NCAA institutions, with the largest discrepancies existing among the number of females serving as athletic directors. In this instance, Brittany notes that New Jersey had a higher proportion of athletic directors that were female but the finding was likely due to the total number of athletic directors in New Jersey being lower than the total number of athletic directors in NCAA member institutions across the country. Brittany hopes that her research will aid other institutions in understanding the benefits of female diversity and encourage athletic departments to discuss strategies for increasing and advancing women within the pipeline of athletic leadership.

One of Brittany’s favorite things about working with her advisor (Dr. Brian Johnston) has been the freedom to explore a variety of research avenues as a graduate student, including

2018 Mid Atlantic Affiliate Challenge

“Sport is a vehicle for change.” - Britt Morrone changing topics mid program to fulfill her research interests. Regarding Brittany’s work, Dr. Johnston spoke to how much faculty can learn from their students. Her work in particular has been beneficial to him and the other male faculty of the department who have been involved in her research process, allowing them to examine gender and other forms of diversity within ETSU’s own Department of Athletics. Conversations generated through this process have been one of the most meaningful aspects of

the research journey for Brittany. Working on this project has led her to be more conscious of diversity in other interactions of her life, from the weight room to Zoom calls. For her, it is important to inspire, empower, and advocate for women in athletics and fitness. After her graduation in May, Brittany plans to pursue a profession in academics where she can continue to build intentional relationships with faculty, staff and students involved in athletic departments and champion women in sports.

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

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I saw the first piece promoting this program at ETSU while I was in undergrad on “CollegeAD.” I looked into ETSU further and reached out to mentors of mine who both went to and worked at ETSU. They had nothing but positive things to say about the institution, the professors, and their experience. ETSU had the program I wanted, it was a strong academic institution, and I ended up only being 60 miles from it for the last few years of the program.

What is your current position and/or research? I am currently the Associate Director of Development for Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, Close School of Entrepreneurship, and Goodwin College of Professional Studies. I am also an author and adjunct professor at Drexel for the MS in Nonprofit Management, and will begin teaching as an adjunct in the Sport Management program at the Wittenborg University of Applied Science in Appledoorn, Netherlands in September.

What does this position/research entail? I am a philanthropic gift advisor to alumni, parents, friends, and corporate entities who would like to be involved with those three schools within Drexel University. Simply put, I find out what the values and missions of those groups are, if they

Daniel Freeman EdD, Global Sport Leadership College of Graduate and Continuing Studies Graduate: EdD, 2020 match Drexel’s, and how we can work together to solve problems at Drexel, in the community, and for the future. I wrote my first book during my last year in the GSLD program. It is called the “Athletic Giving Handbook” and is on Amazon. I am currently in the development phase of another book with my mentor. That book will focus on communication between young professionals and their supervisors; it will have conversations on how to motivate, define impact, and develop talent. I recently guest lectured at the University of Paris Saclay and have 3-4 more on the docket for 2021. Teaching and education is a passion of mine.

My ETSU program was specifically made for practitioners. I truly believe it was a defining factor as to why I am in the position I am in right now. It forced me to take a hard look at myself and not just be detail oriented, but to always take the right road, not the quick. It taught me perspective, what I am worth, and the quality of work that I am capable of.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Don’t wait. I went from my bachelors, to masters, to my doctorate. If you are able to financially handle the investment, don’t put off getting the degree. Use this time as a graduate student (or soon to be) to shape your own values and mission statement. The sooner you understand what is truly important to you in life, the sooner you can apply those principles to everything that you do, and the decisions that you will soon be making.

Anything else you would like to add? My professors were tough, and I would not have had it any other way. They pushed me just like my coaches would, and it helped me. They not only pushed me, but they guided me at the same time, they offered assistance, and they made me push myself. With Dr. Brian Johnston and Doc Sander at the helm, I cannot wait to see this program continue to grow and gain national prominence. 39

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

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? In 2009, a friend/co-worker started giving me gemstones and explained to me their qualities. A few months later I started looking for schools, which might teach more about gemstones. I found out that ETSU has a Geology Department. Therefore, I enrolled and enjoyed every one of my Geoscience classes.

What is your current position and/or research? Currently, I work at Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as a Watershed Representative.

In graduate school, I took a Topics class. This class places you in a group with other Geoscience Graduate students. During this class we had to come up with a project and find a stakeholder for said project. That experience certainly prepared me for the stakeholder roles needed at TVA.

Jana Archer MS, Geosciences, concentration in Geospatial Analysis Department of Geosciences

What does this position/research entail? My boss and I work with stakeholders across the Tennessse River basin to fund programs,W which enhance aquatic biodiversity. We work a lot with fish reintroductions, wetlands restorations, streambank restoration, collaborative research, working with big datasets, and assist with an annual meeting called the Tennessee River Basin Network Meeting.

Undergraduate: BS, Year Graduate: MS, 2017

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Networking, networking, networking! Go to every conference you can attend! Mingle with people! Go talk to people at booths! Don’t be shy and really put yourself out there during conferences! Engage with speakers who present on things that interest you. Also, present at conferences; I received a lot of leads as a presenter. This is how I landed my position at TVA, and I feel it is the only reason I was able to start in a TVA stakeholder position rather than a lower

Anything else you would like to add: Respect your advisor, even when things get tough. They are genuinely looking out for your best interests. They want to see you succeed!

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

Why did you choose ETSU for your education? I wanted to stay in the area, near my family. The faculty were doing research I was interested in, and the program offered the kind of coursework I was looking for. I was pleased that I could pursue the degree I was seeking at home, in Appalachia.

What is your current position and/or research? I am a research assistant in the lab of Professor Nicole Borel in the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

What does this position/research entail? I am the lead researcher on a four-year project funded to Prof. Borel by the Swiss National Science Foundation, and in collaboration with Professor Rob Schoborg at ETSU, Quillen College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences entitled “Elucidating the pathogenic interplay between Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Shedding light on increased susceptibility to infection and treatment failure.” I both carry out research myself, and supervise a PhD candidate at the University of Zurich working on the project. I advise and collaborate with other members of the Borel lab on various related projects,

Cory Leonard PhD, Biomedical Sciences, concentration in Microbiology Department of Biomedical Sciences Graduate: PhD, 2013

mainly focusing on human and animal Chlamydia. I publish research and review articles, present findings at local and international meetings, teach courses in scientific communication, and collaborate with external labs carrying out related research.

I learned to work independently with guidance from my graduate advisor, Prof. Russ Hayman, and as part of a team--especially learning the importance of scientific collaboration from my graduate committee member Prof. Rob Schoborg. It may sound a bit cliché, because it is a common feature of almost every job advertisement, but it truly is essential to be both independent and team-oriented in this career. All the members of my graduate committee, as well as other members of ETSU/QCOM faculty/staff and students, contributed significantly to my education and career offering advice, technical assistance, ideas and many discussions about the joys and pains of research.

What advice would you offer current or future graduate students? Get to know your fellow students and the faculty/staff in your program and university. Coursework and research may be the core of your education, but you will learn far more from informal interactions than you expect.

Photo by Emily Redd 42

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