SPHHP Students' Work Receives Support

By GRACE LAZZARA

Published July 17, 2020

A number of School of Public Health and Health Professions students have received awards supporting their study.

Keiona Nance, second-year master’s degree student in athletic training

Nance received a $1,000 grant from the Research and Education Foundation of the National Athletic Training Association (NATA) to support her research. Nance’s study is designed to determine if stirring the cold-water bath during Cold Water Immersion (CWI) is necessary and leads to a faster decline in body temperature in patients suffering from heat stroke. If true, continuing to do so will be important to obtain a quicker decline in body temperature. If false, time can be spent monitoring other vitals and performing other life saving measures instead of focusing on stirring the water. Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Riana Pryor, PhD, ATC is mentoring Nance on her study. Nance also received a NATA scholarship earlier this year.

Yadunath Pokharel, MD, MPH candidate

Pokharel was awarded an honorable mention for an Evan Calkins, MD, Community-Based Research Fellowship. The annual award encourages residents, fellows and junior faculty whose career goals are centered around clinical recipients to explore and discover the rewards and opportunities of community-based scholarship or quality-improvement projects.

Pokharel’s project, Working Together to Make Women Healthier, is a community-based quality-improvement project collaborating with OB/GYN and primary care clinics to increase screening to help prevent cardiovascular disease in women. The clinics serve the needs of poor and medically disadvantaged communities. Pokharel was mentored in her work by Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health Ekaterina Noyes, PhD.

Graduate Opportunity Program Recipients

Three SPHHP students received awards from the SUNY-wide Graduate Opportunity Program:

Oscar Martinez, pursuing a BS/MS degree in the Department of Rehabilitation Science

Kayla Revivo, pursuing an MPH in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health

Seara Shams, pursuing an MPH in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior

The Graduate Opportunity Program provides tuition assistance to EOP, HEOP and SEEK graduates undertaking graduate study at participating SUNY institutions such as the University at Buffalo. It provides in-state tuition scholarships to full-time students pursuing graduate or first professional degrees.