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The College of Human Sciences was strongly represented at Auburn’s 2025 Research Symposium as undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers presented their research and scholarly discoveries through oral and poster presentations on March 26.

Researchers in Human Sciences included attendees from every department — the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences (CADS), the Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS), the Department of Nutritional Sciences and The Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management who participated in the symposium with four students being recognized with top honors.

“The awards attest to the innovative and important research of our students, the commitment of our faculty mentors and the overall quality of College of Human Sciences’ programs.”

Stephen Erath, Human Sciences' associate dean of research and graduate studies

“By participating in the Research Symposium, our students and postdocs share discoveries in human sciences with the rest of the university and foster collaborative interests and opportunities,” said Stephen Erath, the college's associate dean of research and graduate studies. “The awards attest to the innovative and important research of our students, the commitment of our faculty mentors and the overall quality of College of Human Sciences’ programs.”

Human Sciences students honored with university-wide recognition are as follows:

University-Wide Graduate Student Oral Presentation Winners in Human Sciences, Social Sciences, Creative Arts and Humanities:

  • Emma Chandler (HDFS) – First place (When Jekylls become Hydes: unearthing the alter egos masked by social media)
  • Emily Knight (NS) – Second place (Taxonomic and functional composition of the fecal gut microbiota before and after exercise training in diet-induced obese mice)

University-Wide Graduate Student Poster Winners in Human Sciences, Social Sciences, Creative Arts and Humanities:

  • Zeynep Su Altinoz (HDFS) – First place (Detecting adolescent reception of parental support in the context of peer stress: A multi-method study)
  • Nana Adjoa Konadu Attiah (HDFS) – Third place (Storms and Rainbows: Examining Parental Aggravation and Positive Feelings in Single Motherhood)

Human Sciences students were also recognized in the following categories:

College of Human Sciences Graduate Student Oral Presentation Award:

  • Erika Richter (NS) – The epigenetic footprint of sleep timing in children

College of Human Sciences Undergraduate Student Oral Presentation Award:

  • Grayce Andrews (CADS) – Family foundations and the transfer of philanthropic values: A case study

College of Human Sciences Graduate Student Poster Presentation Award:

  • Laura Robinson (NS) – The Impact of Dietary Supplements on Psychological and Physiological Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A Systematic Review

College of Human Sciences Undergraduate Student Poster Presentation Award:

  • Avery Crist (NS) – Investigating the Impact of Stigma and Awareness on College Students’ Access to Food Aid Resources at Auburn University

Alexandra Ehrhardt, a postdoctoral research fellow in HDFS, participated in a lightning talk and panel discussion session and was highly impressed with the event after participating for the first time. In all, the college had three postdoctoral research fellows participate including Morgan Thompson (HDFS), Vikas Mishra (Hunger Solutions Institute) and Ehrhardt.

“For how big Auburn’s Research Symposium is, it is incredibly well organized from a logistical standpoint,” said Ehrhardt. “The pure exposure to so many different lines of work really introduces this bigger chance for collaboration. When your poster is next to, let’s say, a mechanical engineer and you’re thinking okay, engineering? What does that have to do with human development and family science? But you take a moment and chat, and you start to realize that the data is very similar and that’s really cool to see all the resources and collaboration.”

All participants from Human Sciences are listed as follows by department and bold denotes award winner:

Department of Consumer and Design Sciences:

  • FNU Al-Amin
  • Grayce Andrews (Undergraduate Student Oral Presentation Award)
  • Ummey Hani Barsha
  • Jaden Bence
  • Marina Bossle
  • Kate Clifford
  • Laruen Fendley
  • Dina Kisseleva
  • Lauren Lansdell
  • Fnu Parul
  • Ellie Rea
  • Mohammed Siddique
  • Tahseen Tawseef

Department of Human Development and Family Science:

  • Zeynep Su Altinoz (University-Wide Award)
  • Nana Adjoa Konadu Attiah (University-Wide Award)
  • Bruno Ache Akua
  • Aaron Bohn
  • Emma Chandler (University-Wide Award)
  • Melike Coskun
  • Brandy Davis
  • Alexandra Ehrhardt
  • Anthony Espinal
  • Sandra Anti Eyiah
  • Melissa Garnes
  • Jamie Gensbauer
  • Emily Hanson
  • Kaleigh Miller
  • Angela Mintah
  • Margaret Mixon
  • Hannah Montgomery
  • Ivan Enrique Nail Ulloa
  • Susan Osayande
  • Emily Scott
  • Samia Sultana
  • Anne Taylor
  • Morgan Thompson

Department of Nutritional Sciences:

  • Avery Crist (Undergraduate Student Poster Presentation Award)
  • Campbell Jernigan
  • Briana Johnson
  • Jane Greene
  • Emily Knight (University-Wide Award)
  • Lauren McGinness
  • Kaseleigh McCarley
  • Adebowale Samuel Oyerinde
  • Erika Richter (Graduate Student Oral Presentation Award)
  • Laura Robinson (Graduate Student Poster Presentation Award)
  • Mackenzie Wood

Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management:

  • Souji Gopalakrishna Pillai

Want to know more about research in the College of Human Sciences?

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