About Us
May 28, 2024
Author: Melissa L. Weber
John Bolte, PhD, professor and Director of Research in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, introduced the third annual Research Day with an important question: “Why are we here?”
While his rhetorical response (“Because we do research!”) was the obvious answer, the nuanced view includes many more reasons for this annual event.
How it started
As director of the Injury Biomechanics Research Center, Bolte realized many faculty were unaware of research being conducted by their peers in HRS. He spent two years serving on the Promotion and Tenure committee and saw opportunities to support faculty research in concrete ways.
When he was appointed director for research, he started by asking questions, looking for common themes.
“I wanted to understand their research goals and aspirations,” Bolte said. “Were they struggling with IRB approval? Did they need help with their budget?” He wanted to connect faculty with similar interests and help them overcome details that might waste time.
“This place offers everything,” he said. Bolte envisioned future collaborations for interdisciplinary research across divisions in HRS as faculty recognized opportunities for crossover and collaboration.
Bolte also realized undergraduate students were unaware of the number of labs in the school. Nor did they realize they could participate in research projects.
He established Research Day as a solution to all those issues. He believed the event would offer an opportunity for faculty and students to showcase research projects and give everyone the chance to see the breadth of work underway in the school. Research Day would also allow faculty to connect and realize new ways to work together.
Bolte scheduled the first HRS Research Day in 2022, mere days after becoming assistant dean for research. He hoped it would also encourage faculty to include more undergraduates in research opportunities.
How it’s going
In 2024, 16 undergraduate students presented research on topics ranging from local collegiate issues like body composition changes for marching band artists during and after football season, to international needs such as wheelchairs for physically disabled children in India. Oral presentations were limited to five minutes, and students answered questions during two poster sessions following their talks.
“Feedback from the students and faculty has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Bolte. “They appreciate the opportunity to applaud and celebrate their hard work and dedication over the year.”
The event also helps students prepare for Ohio State’s Denman Undergraduate Research Forum, as well as research conferences in their fields. Graduate students benefit from the experience as well and faculty appreciate the opportunity to support students and expand their collaborative opportunities.
This year’s winners were:
Best undergraduate presentation: Kalor Greve, Influence of Sex and Marching Band Experience on Eating Disorder Risk and Perceived Stress in Collegiate Marching Artists.
Best Poster: Samantha DeAngelo, Youth Football Head Impact Exposure Differences Based on Four Data Cleaning Methods.
Best oral presentation: Amy Watson-Grace, Exploring Potential Bias in Clinician Pain Assessment for Individuals with Autism or Intellectual Disability.