Health Beat
April 2026
College of Health newsletter
All the news that's fit to print
We encourage you to scroll through the whole page, but if you want to skip ahead to a particular section, select from the following.
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.
10 Questions with Environmental Epidemiologist Matthew Bozigar
Environmental epidemiologist Matthew Bozigar discusses the impact of geography on health outcomes, the risks of chronic noise exposure, and his research at Oregon State University.
10 Questions with Megan MacDonald, head of the School of Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences
Kinesiology professor and school head Megan MacDonald discusses her research on physical activity and children with disabilities, the IMPACT program, and why getting kids moving starts with meeting them where they are.
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.
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.
COH faculty present on work-life fit at PCOSW event
Kelly Chandler and Kathryn Stroppel presented research and insights on work-life fit and workplace flexibility at an OSU PCOSW supervisor empowerment event.
Nutrition faculty honored by national nutrition organization
Former COH Dean Tammy Bray and OSU Distinguished Professor Emily Ho have been selected for top honors by the American Society for Nutrition, to be recognized at NUTRITION 2026 in July.
HDFS doctoral student Sara King selected for international summer school in the Netherlands
HDFS doctoral student Sara King is one of 24 scholars selected worldwide for the 2026 EADP-EARA-SRA International Summer School in the Netherlands.
Kinesiology students present at 2026 Association for Applied Sport Psychology regional conference
OSU kinesiology students presented at the 2026 Association for Applied Sport Psychology Pacific Northwest Regional Conference in Boise.
OSU nutrition faculty, students and alumni sweep awards at 2026 Oregon Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conference
OSU nutrition faculty, students and alumni swept four awards at the 2026 Oregon Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference, led by Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Michelle Bump.
Brian Primack co-authors study on vaping devices marketed to young children on Instagram
Brian Primack served as senior author on a study documenting vaping devices shaped like sippy cups being marketed to young children on Instagram, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
College of Health team walks in Out of Darkness campus event for second year
Instructor Joe Leykam organized a College of Health team for the Out of Darkness Campus Walk on April 18, bringing together faculty and students for suicide prevention awareness.
David Rothwell receives Russell Sage Foundation grant to study paid family leave and economic security
David Rothwell has received a competitive Russell Sage Foundation grant to study how paid family leave policies affect mothers' employment and use of public assistance in Oregon.
Megan McClelland moderates national panel on self-regulation, joins PBS Kids school readiness webinar
Megan McClelland moderated a Children & Screens national panel on self-regulation and joined a PBS Kids school readiness webinar, sharing her expertise in human development and family sciences.
Hallie E. Ford Center Director Megan McClelland and colleagues publish new research on early childhood development
Megan McClelland and colleagues published two new studies on early childhood self-regulation and executive function, including research spanning Poland, Iran and the United States.
Interdisciplinary MPH student bridges environmental health, toxicology and medical research
MPH environmental and occupational health student Zach Kowash presented research on cadmium-induced molecular mechanisms linked to Alzheimer’s disease at the Society of Toxicology conference, exemplifying the interdisciplinary strength of the EOH program.
OSU's Early Learning Systems Initiative highlighted in Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion 2026 Impact Report
OSU's Early Learning Systems Initiative was featured in the Oregon Early Childhood Inclusion 2026 Impact Report for training thousands of early childhood professionals and strengthening family engagement across Oregon.
Kinesiology students attend American College of Sports Medicine Northwest Annual Meeting
Jay Penry led kinesiology undergraduates to the 2026 ACSM Northwest Annual Meeting at the University of Idaho, offering students professional development experience.
Physical therapy professor JJ Hannigan quoted in New York Times and Super Age on running shoes
OSU-Cascades physical therapy assistant professor JJ Hannigan was quoted in the New York Times and Super Age on running shoe replacement and maximal shoe design.
New research seeks to answer: Can alternative credentials promote economic mobility?
Richard Settersten is co-leading a national study examining whether alternative credentials such as microcredentials and bootcamps promote economic mobility or deepen inequality.
PAC golf classes receive equipment donation from Trysting Tree Golf Club
PAC instructor Bob Janes coordinated a $5,000 golf ball donation from Trysting Tree Golf Club, adding valuable equipment to OSU's physical activity golf classes.
HDFS doctoral student Tosin Alabi presents foster care research at SSWR 2026
HDFS doctoral student Tosin Alabi moderated a session and presented research on youth engagement in foster care at the SSWR 2026 Conference in Washington, D.C.
OSU Dance Sport claims three national titles at USA Dance Collegiate Nationals
Three OSU Dance Sport couples were named national champions at USA Dance's Collegiate Nationals, with many competitors getting their start in PAC courses.
PAC ballet students perform choreographed piece at Corvallis' Majestic Theatre
Four OSU PAC ballet students performed a piece choreographed by instructor Megan Skinner at the Terpsichore Dance Concert at Corvallis' Majestic Theatre in April.
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:
How do the places where we live, work, and grow old affect our chances of developing Alzheimer's and other dementias—and how can scientists do a better job of measuring those environmental influences to help prevent the disease?
If we adopt more environmentally friendly rice farming watering practices, are we accidentally making rice more toxic for people to eat, and if so, for which contaminants and by how much?
What does spaceflight do to bones, and can we trust what mice and rats tell us about it?
Does non-dairy milk (human breast milk) and cow's milk respond differently when you try to kill dangerous bacteria in them — and does that difference matter for safety?
Does playing pretend in a sophisticated, organized way help preschoolers get better at controlling themselves — and if so, which parts of pretend play matter most?
Does living through extreme weather events and resource shortages make young women in Kenya more likely to get urinary tract infections?
Do the same factors that help kids in the U.S. develop self-control and do well in school also matter for kids in Iran — and how do the two groups compare?
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
April is National Pesticide Safety Education Month!
April 2026
- Happy Earth Day: April 22
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Environmental Education Week
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National Healthy Schools Day
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Protecting Public Health in the Columbia River Gorge
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ASPIRE Library Explorers Discovery Guide: April 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.