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As summer is wrapping up (even through it feels like it just started) I wanted to reflect on the work that I have done. This is an attempt to help me realize that I did actually get stuff done :-).<\/p>\nAs summer is wrapping up (even through it feels like it just started) I wanted to reflect on the work that I have done. This is an attempt to help me realize that I did actually get stuff done :-).<\/p>\n
CLASSES<\/strong><\/p>\n I have prepped all of my classes. One class was pretty straightforward as I have taught it two times before. I organize a speaker series for PR students with local PR professionals. I\u2019m very happy with this lineup and I think the students will get a lot out of it. I\u2019m particularly excited to welcome Brian O\u2019Connor, VP, Brand & Corporate Communications, Emily Guerrant, VP for Media and Public Information and University Spokesperson, MSU, and Zach Pohl, Director of Communications, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Office, as new additions to the class. You can check out the entire schedule\u00a0here.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n I am also teaching my first PhD course, Media and Technology<\/a><\/span>, and have been working hard to put together the content. This was a great opportunity to reread a lot of the seminal works and a bunch of new papers. It re-invigorated me and thinking about my research path moving forward. I am looking forward to the class and the interesting discussions we will have as a class.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n HEALTH & RISK COMMUNICATION MASTERS PROGRAM<\/strong><\/p>\n As the new director of the Health and Risk Communication Masters program<\/a><\/span>, I was charged to develop a strategic plan for the program. This gave me the opportunity to review the program\u2019s past and what the future could be, as the program heads into its 25th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary in 2024. The four priorities that have been identified in collaboration with Maria Lapinski, Sandi Smith, Marge Barkman, and Prabu David. These priorities include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n RESEARCH<\/strong><\/p>\n As far as my research, I submitted two papers. One examined the experiences of first generation college students on campus and their overall health. The other paper was the results of the MyT1DHero<\/a> <\/span><\/span>pilot project, in which we found some promising results. I\u2019m currently finishing up a revision of a paper, a content analysis of diabetes websites, and hope to get that out in the next week or so. And I have three papers that are in progress, an exploratory study examining social support on Instagram, analyzing results of a survey regarding the MySSP project<\/a><\/span><\/span>, and a content analysis on the American Diabetes Association’s presence on Facebook.<\/p>\n Collaborations. <\/strong><\/p>\n Additionally, I had a great meeting on building collaborations with faculty members from Wayne State University and University of Michigan. I am looking forward to working together to develop new and exciting projects.<\/p>\n New Studies.<\/strong><\/p>\n Along with my research assistant, Katie Mitchell, we started a messaging study for parents with kids with type 1 diabetes. Since it is blinded, I really can\u2019t provide too much information on it now. But just looking at some preliminary data points, I think we will find some interesting findings. I am also starting to look into using HINTS data<\/a><\/span><\/span>. I\u2019ve never used this data set before and am excited to start exploring.<\/p>\n GRANTS<\/strong><\/p>\n In grant news, I\u2019m a co-investigator on an NIH grant with Susan Wysche and we got word this summer that our project has been funded. It\u2019s to build capacity to develop a diabetes app in Kenya<\/span><\/span><\/a>. We are going to Kenya at the end of September. I also submitted a proposal to the American Diabetes Association. I also received my comments back from my first<\/strong><\/em> R01 submission to the NIH, it wasn\u2019t funded, but scored. I hoping to review those comments, make revisions, and resubmit the grant.<\/p>\n FALL<\/strong><\/p>\n Looking forward to the beginning of the semester, I am hoping to:<\/p>\n\n