Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

9 Winners Selected Among Record 66 Entries in Falk Student Research Celebration

Monday, April 18, 2022, By Matt Michael
Share
Falk College of Sport and Human DynamicsResearch and Creativestudent research

With a record 66 poster submissions, picking the winners of the sixth annual Falk Student Research Celebration was more difficult than ever.

“I have to thank the (Research Celebration) committee–that was a tough job to decide,” says Sara Vasilenko, the committee chair and an assistant professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. “The incredible participation shows the vitality of the research that’s being done at Falk.”

Held virtually March 29, the Research Celebration highlighted students’ research collaborations with their faculty mentors. Undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students who are enrolled in a Falk degree, minor or CAS (Certificate of Advanced Study) submitted electronic posters of completed or in-progress empirical, exploratory, policy analytic, systematic review, or hypothesis-driving research projects using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods for display.

2022 Falk Student Research Celebration

Graduate student Abigail Picinich (right) submitted one of the winning posters for this year’s Falk Student Research Celebration. She’s standing in front of her poster with faculty mentor Sara Vasilenko.

The committee selected nine winners—three each in the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral categories (the winners are listed at the end of this story). Kathryn Gratien, research operations specialist in the Falk College Research Center and a member of the Research Celebration committee, says the winning posters are displayed on the third floor of White Hall in the Falk Complex, across from the Research Center (Room 344).

“Congratulations to all the students and faculty mentors for an outstanding virtual display of research projects,” Gratien says. “We are so excited that the interest and participation in the Falk Student Research Celebration keeps growing each year and thank you to all the students and their mentors for their hard work and high-quality poster submissions.”

The posters were judged by the Research Celebration committee, which is comprised of faculty and staff. Faculty mentors who are on the committee did not participate in rating their students’ posters.

“I want to thank all of the faculty members who were involved in mentoring the students,” Vasilenko says. “There’s so much great research happening at Falk involving students, and that’s something the faculty should be really proud of.”

2022 Falk Research Celebration Winners

Undergraduate Student Poster Winners

  • Accumulative Effects of Novel Biomarkers on Identification of Individuals at Increased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)

Names: Nathan Redmond, Jared Rosenberg and Professor Joon Young Kim

Program/Major: Health and Exercise Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Joon Young Kim

2022 Falk Student Research Celebration

The poster from Samantha Jezak (left) and Olivia Templeton was selected as one of the three winners for undergraduate students. Their faculty mentor is Jessica Garay.

  • The Effect of a 3-month Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet Intervention on Diet Quality

Names: Olivia Templeton and Samantha Jezak

Program/Major: Nutrition Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Jessica Garay 

  • Association between Cognitive Function and Metabolic Syndrome in US Firefighters: Does Metabolic Syndrome (MetSyn) Matter?

Names: Sewina Yu, Professor Joon Young Kim and Myong-Won Seo

Program/Major: Health and Exercise Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Joon Young Kim

Graduate Student Poster Winners

  • Risks and Protective Factors for Veterans’ PTSD, Mental Well-being, and Substance use During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Names: Jacqueline Allen, Professor Xiafei Wang and Professor Ken Marfilius

Program/Major: Social Work

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Ken Marfilius 

  • Interparental Conflict in Early Childhood as a Predictor of Adolescent Depression and Anxiety

Name: Abigail Picinich

Program/Major: Human Development and Family Studies

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Sara Vasilenko 

  • Paternal Obesity and Effect of Fish Oil Supplementation on Offspring Metabolic Health

Names: Akriti Shrestha, Mariana Perez Lugo and Professor Latha Ramalingam

Program/Major: Nutrition Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Latha Ramalingam

 Doctoral Student Poster Winners 

  • Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Healthy Young Adults With and Without History of COVID-19

Names: Burak Cilhoroz, Sydney Brackett, Leah Rozumov, Sophia Luchs, Zachary Greely and Professor Kevin Heffernan

Program/Major: Exercise Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Kevin Heffernan 

  • Examining Cardiometabolic Disease Risk in Normal Weight (NW) and Overweight/Obese (OB) Individuals: Results from 2017-2020 NHANES

Names: Lindsey Clark, Myong-Won Seo and Professor Joon Young Kim

Program/Major: Exercise Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Joon Young Kim 

  • The Effect of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Cardiorespiratory Function

Names: Andrew Heckel, Danielle Arcidiacono, Kailee Coonan, Jacob DeBlois, Alaina Glasgow and Professor Kevin Heffernan

Program/Major: Exercise Science

Faculty Research Mentor: Professor Kevin Heffernan

About the Falk College Research Center

The Falk College Research Center promotes a robust, collaborative research community in which students play an active role. At Falk, graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to work directly with faculty to collect data, analyze findings and draw conclusions on relevant topics surrounding public health, food studies, nutrition, sport management, human development and family science, social work, exercise science, and marriage and family therapy.

  • Author

Matt Michael

  • Recent
  • Empowering Learners With Personalized Microcredentials, Stackable Badges
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Hope Alvarez
  • WISE Women’s Business Center Awarded Grant From Empire State Development, Celebrates Entrepreneur of the Year Award
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Dawn McWilliams
  • Rose Tardiff ’15: Sparking Innovation With Data, Mapping and More
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By News Staff
  • Paulo De Miranda G’00 Received ‘Much More Than a Formal Education’ From Maxwell
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Jessica Youngman
  • Law Professor Receives 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award
    Thursday, July 3, 2025, By Robert Conrad

More In Campus & Community

Rose Tardiff ’15: Sparking Innovation With Data, Mapping and More

While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in geography in the Maxwell School, Rose Tardiff ’15 became involved with the Salt City Harvest Farm, a community farm near Syracuse where newcomers from all over the world grow food and make social connections….

Paulo De Miranda G’00 Received ‘Much More Than a Formal Education’ From Maxwell

Early in his career, Paulo De Miranda G’00 embarked on several humanitarian aid and peacekeeping assignments around the world. “When we concluded our tasks, we wrote reports about our field work, but many times felt that little insight was given…

Law Professor Receives 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award

College of Law Professor Suzette Meléndez, director of the Syracuse Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic, was honored with a 2025 Onondaga County NAACP Freedom Fund Award at their 45th Annual Freedom Fund Award Dinner. Meléndez received the Maye, McKinney & Melchor Freedom…

A&S Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to Retire; New Appointment Announced

After over four decades of dedicated service to the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), Professor Gerald Greenberg is retiring at the end of 2025. He transitioned from his role as A&S senior associate dean for academic affairs; humanities; and…

Delaware Nonprofit Leader Begins 2-Year Term as Alumni Association President

Alonna Berry ’11, executive director of the Delaware Center for Justice and a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, is the new president of the Syracuse University Alumni Association (SUAA) Board of Directors, as of July 1, 2025….

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.