Health Beat
March 2026
College of Health newsletter
All the news that's fit to print
Health Beat March 2026 newsletter covers the latest developments from Oregon State's College of Health, including news about the Center for Healthy Aging Research, spotlight stories on health equity and aging, student internship opportunities in public health and kinesiology, faculty and staff recognition, recent research publications on health topics, spring seminar speakers and upcoming events. The newsletter also features bonus content on nutrition, children's environmental health and parenting resources.
We encourage you to scroll through the whole page, but if you want to skip ahead to a particular section, select from the following.
CEPH re-accreditation comment period
The Public Health Program at Oregon State University is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) and we are currently undergoing the re-accreditation process.
Part of this process includes the provision of a third-party comment period, which allows anyone, including students, alumni, faculty, staff, community and practice partners, and members of the public, to share relevant information about the program directly with CEPH.
If you have any information about the program you would like to share with CEPH to inform their review, email your comments to CEPH by September 15, 2026.
Visibility
News and stories
These stories are predominately made up from the college's alumni magazine, press releases from OSU News and Research Communications, and media mentions.
Spotlight on The Center for Healthy Aging Research in the College of Health
OSU's Center for Healthy Aging Research connects 40+ faculty across eight colleges to advance interdisciplinary science — from lab bench to clinical practice — helping people age healthier at every stage of life.
Why every Oregon State student should take a College of Health Core Education course
Oregon State's College of Health Core Education courses invite students from every academic path to explore connections between health, equity and the human experience—while building transferable skills like critical thinking, teamwork and problem-solving.
Talking With Your Children About Current US Events in 2026
The news is hard right now, for adults and kids both. This post from OPEC's Megan McQueen helps parents decide when to talk, how much to share, and what to do when children feel scared. Includes book recommendations and resources for families affected by immigration enforcement.
Mammography, self-exams, prioritizing your health
Mammograms save lives — but they don't catch everything. OSU College of Health researcher Veronica Irvin and Samaritan Health Services studied interval breast cancers to find out why self-exams still play a critical role in early detection.
Protecting public health in the Columbia River Gorge
OSU Extension Family and Community Health partnered with local organizations to install more than 50 air quality monitors across the Columbia Gorge, giving schools, employers and residents real-time data to respond to wildfire smoke and protect public health.
Shannon B. Wanless, PhD '09, Named 2026 OSU Alumni Fellow
Shannon Wanless, Ph.D. '09, has been named a 2026 OSU Alumni Fellow and will be honored by the College of Health at the OSUAA Alumni Fellows Awards Dinner on April 23 in Corvallis.
Parenting Children with Disabilities
Learn practical strategies for raising a child with a disability, from seeking early intervention and building support networks to managing your emotions as a caregiver.
Poet Laureate of the Locker Room
For 35 years, William "Ropes" Robertson was Oregon State's beloved athletic trainer and storyteller, mentoring generations of Beaver athletes with humor, wisdom and an unforgettable presence.
A transformative approach to mentoring
Moving beyond traditional top-down mentorship, College of Health faculty have developed a novel approach that centers relationship-building and mutual learning between students and educators.
Students
Internship spotlights
See how COH students are applying classroom knowledge, building professional networks, and testing out fulfilling careers in health and well-being.
Meet all the internship spotlight students.
Public health, BS
Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services
Public health student Mohamed Aboumengel interned with Clackamas County Health, Housing and Human Services, where he gained hands-on experience with immunization recordkeeping and learned how state and county health departments work together.
Public health, BS
Texas Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
Public health student Kylee Sharp Gonzalez is gaining hands-on experience with Texas WIC, where she works to educate healthcare providers, promote breastfeeding support and strengthen community partnerships to expand access to services.
Good News!
Good News
Our faculty, staff and students do amazing things!
They receive national, university and college honors; publish books and articles; serve on editorial boards and much more.
Did you or someone you know do something we should share? Let us know by submitting some Good News.
HDFS student advocates for OSU-Cascades health and recreation center and wins
HDFS student Allison Barr advocated in Salem for a Student Health and Recreation Center at OSU-Cascades — and the Oregon legislature approved funding for the project.
Lila Reid facilitates PAC Dance Showcase
Lila Reid facilitated the Winter 2026 PAC Dance Showcase, drawing hundreds of OSU students to an evening of dance and community celebration.
Kinesiology student Jordan Varneau publishes guest column in Bend Bulletin
Kinesiology senior Jordan Varneau published a guest column in the Bend Bulletin on surgical trends in youth baseball, written as part of a class assignment at OSU-Cascades.
HDFS Club students volunteer with Corvallis nonprofit Vina Moses
Students from the Human Development and Family Sciences Club volunteered with Vina Moses, a Corvallis nonprofit serving more than 8,000 people annually.
HDFS doctoral student presents flood relief mental health research at SSWR 2026
Mehwish Dawood, a doctoral student in human development and family sciences, presented research on a mental health intervention for flood-affected women in Pakistan at the SSWR 2026 conference in Washington, D.C.
Aurae Beidler earns Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives designation
Aurae Beidler has earned the FACHE designation, receiving the honor at the American College of Healthcare Executives Convocation in Houston.
Hillary Smith defends dissertation, accepts tenure-track faculty position at University of Wyoming
Hillary Smith has defended her dissertation and accepted a tenure-track assistant professor position at the University of Wyoming, where she will continue her global health research.
Karen Elliott and Aurae Beidler earn Quality Matters verification for Ecampus course development
Karen Elliott and Aurae Beidler have earned Quality Matters verification for their Ecampus course development, joining College of Health colleagues recognized for rigorous online course design.
Alum Dakota Witzel named 2026 Outstanding Researcher at South Dakota State
Alum Dakota Witzel, human development and family sciences PhD ’22, was named a 2026 Outstanding Researcher by South Dakota State University’s College of Education and Human Sciences.
John Schuna quoted in Washington Post article on walking pace and healthy aging
John Schuna, associate professor of kinesiology, was quoted in a Washington Post article on walking pace and healthy aging.
Research
Publications
Check out the recent publications from researchers across the college over the past month. See if you can guess the researcher(s) based solely on publication titles:
Why does your body hold onto one specific form of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and get rid of all the others?
Does legalizing or loosening cannabis laws change how strongly depression drives college students to use cannabis?
Does breathing dirty air raise a child's chances of getting a serious respiratory infection — and if so, does that risk play out the same way everywhere across sub-Saharan Africa?
Does the size of a curved surface that a tendon bends around affect how well the tendon holds up over time?
What are countries in the Middle East and North Africa doing to protect outdoor workers from dangerous heat — and is it enough?
Does breathing dirty air raise a child's chances of getting a serious respiratory infection — and if so, does that risk play out the same way everywhere across sub-Saharan Africa?
Does outdoor temperature actually reflect what pregnant women (and those trying to conceive) are personally experiencing in terms of heat? If scientists are using outdoor temperature to study heat's effects on fertility and pregnancy outcomes, they may be working with a pretty imprecise measurement — which could cause them to underestimate (or mischaracterize) the real risks.
Can a structured counseling program help couples cope with the sexual and intimacy challenges that come with metastatic breast cancer, and does it work better than just giving them a detailed information booklet?
What happens when a woman gets a clean mammogram but then develops breast cancer anyway — and what can we learn from her experience? How can we better prepare and educate others?
Spring term 2026 seminars
Fridays, noon to 1 p.m.
April 10
Beyond Gamification: Using Robots to Unlock the Power of People through Play
Presented by Dr. Naomi T. Fitter, Associate Professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University.
Attend in person (HFC #115) or watch via Zoom.
April 24
Oregon Health Data Linkages: Current Research and Future Opportunities
Presented by a faculty panel: Jeff Luck, Denise Hynes, Perry Hystad, David Rothwell, and Chris Gonzales.
Attend in person (HFC #115) or watch via Zoom.
May 8
What Health Science Research Brought to Grassy Narrows First Nation's 50-year Struggle for the Recognition of Mercury Poisoning
Presented by Dr. Donna Mergler, Professor Emerita, Department of Biological Sciences, Université du Québec à Montréal.
Zoom only
Watch via Zoom.
May 22
Modern Computational Approaches for Predicting Infectious Disease Dynamics in Cities
Presented by Ben Dalziel, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Integrative Biology, Oregon State University.
Attend in person (HFC #115) or watch via Zoom.
May 29
The Enduring Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Research Examining Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders at Midlife
Presented by Dr. Susan Stoner, Research Associate Professor and Ann Streissguth Endowed Professor of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Addictions, Drug, and Alcohol Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine.
First lecture of the HFC Schild Nicholson Neurodiversity Lecture Series.
Attend in person (HFC #115) or watch via Zoom.
Events
Mark your calendars!
May 20 Bray Health Leadership Lecture
Is Healthcare in a Period of Crisis, Chaos or Transformation? Where do Opportunities Exist?
Robin Richardson drives enterprise-wide innovation, Medicaid strategy, and value-based care transformation and oversees key initiatives that position Moda at the forefront of integrated healthcare delivery. This includes leading Coordinated Care Organizations (EOCCO and OHSU IDS) and strategic partnerships with major state accounts.
Bonus!
ASPIRE Children's Environmental Health Center
March is National Nutrition Month!
March 2026
- March is National Nutrition Month
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Eating Healthy on a Budget
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Safer Spring Cleaning
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Prepare Indoor Air for Allergy Season
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ASPIRE Library Explorers Discovery Guide: March Edition
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What we are looking forward to!
Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative (OPEC)
OPEC publishes useful information for families, caregivers, and professionals who support children and families.
- Parenting Educator Post for March (p.s. the OPEC conference is sold out)
- Developmental Disability Awareness Month
- Mes de la concienciación sobre las discapacidades del desarrollo
- Parenting Children with Disabilities
- Crianza de niños con discapacidades
- Talking With Your Children About Current US Events (2026)
- Cómo hablar con sus hijos sobre los acontecimientos actuales en Estados Unidos (2026)