School of Public and Population Health students displayed their research at this week’s annual Undergraduate Research Showcase. More than 20 SPPH students presented group research posters — sharing their work with faculty, students and the university community.
The projects ranged from the health benefits of living in blue zones to senior health literacy and the effect of social media influencers on young adult health to the impact of pesticide exposure on farmers in Rwanda.
Student Award Recipients
Students Cayenne Denny (Health Studies), Gabriella Jausoro (Health Studies), Hailey Mock (Public Health), Tori Moxley (Health Studies), Makenna Potter (Health Studies), Daniela Valdez (Health Studies) are this year’s SPPH student recipients of the EURECA award.
The Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (EURECA) honor is a graduation cord that recognizes Boise State students who have demonstrated their commitment to development as a researcher or in creative work while pursuing their undergraduate degree.
Learn about some of these student research projects below:
Name: Cayenne Denny
Project Title: Data driven solutions: Understanding turnover trends and tenure among OIT student employees
“For my individual project, I looked at student employment data and analyzed trends in student tenure and turnover, which ended up showing trends in seasonal turnover. As a student employee myself, I was wondering why a student may leave their position, and was interested in exploring the possible reasons for this further.”
Group: Jessica Buster, Cayenne Denny, Hailey Mock, Tory Moxley
Project Title: Prevalence of Long COVID Amongst Idahoans
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kirk Ketelsen
“We analyzed COVID data provided to us by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. We were excited about the opportunity to explore this data and take a look at the prevalence of long COVID amongst Idahoans. It was exciting to be able to analyze data about a topic that we all lived through and something that the world is still trying to understand the effects of.”
Group: Reagan Delgado,Gabriella Jausoro, Audrey Wilson
Project Title: Understanding Differences in Initial Symptom Burden and Recovery Timeline for Motor Vehicle-Related Concussions.
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kirk Ketelsen
“Our project focused on comparing recovery patterns and symptom severity in patients who sustained concussions through motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) versus other causes. We were interested in this topic because MVAs often involve high-velocity impacts, which may result in unique recovery patterns compared to sports or fall-related concussions. With data from about 3,000 patients at St. Luke’s concussion clinic, we analyzed symptom scores and recovery timelines to better understand how age, sex and mechanism of injury influence concussion outcomes.”
Name: Arturo Valadez
Project Title: Health Impacts of Pesticide Exposure Among Farmers in Rwanda
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cynthia Curl
“My research examines the health risks farmers in Rwanda face from pesticide exposure. Nearly 70% of the population in Rwanda works in the agricultural sector, with 40% of farmers relying heavily on pesticides to protect their crops. However, limited regulations, inadequate safety measures and insufficient training make them vulnerable to harmful exposure. My study highlights both the short-term (acute) effects, such as dizziness, nausea and skin irritation, and long-term (chronic) effects, including neurological disorders and even cancer.
I have always been drawn to environmental and occupational health, and I have a personal connection to the agricultural industry. Growing up, I saw the hard work of farmworkers and have been curious about the health risks they face. This research is important to me because I believe there is a need for awareness and advocacy to improve protection for farmworkers and vulnerable populations worldwide.”