Faculty Research - UCF College of Health Professions and Sciences

The College of Health Professions and Sciences is home to federal, state and local government grants and contracts. Current funding agencies include the National Institutes of Health and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Faculty members seek opportunities to collaborate with researchers across the campus and around the world, and they frequently engage students in their research activities.

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Faculty Research Interests

Kim Anderson

Interim Center Co-Director, Public Affairs-Social Work Program Liaison

E-mail: kim.anderson@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-5201

Assessment of trauma and recovery for survivors of violence
Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth in Trauma Populations
Intimate partner violence - including rural and Native American populations
Childhood exposure to domestic violence across the lifespan
Digital Storytellng as a trauma narrative intervention

Morris Beato

Clinical Assistant Professor

E-mail: Morris.Beato@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-1864

Stroke rehabilitation
Neuromotor Interventions for Neurologic Conditions
Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation

Keith Brazendale

Assistant Professor

E-mail: keith.brazendale@ucf.edu

Childhood Obesity
Physical Activity
Sedentary Behavior
sleep

Mary Ann Burg

Professor

E-mail: m.burg@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-6167

Women's health
Cancer survivorship and access to care
Cancer health disparities
Integrated behavioral healthcare

Giselle Carnaby

ASHA Fellow, Professor

E-mail: giselle.carnaby@ucf.edu

Phone: (407) 823-4801

Swallowing Disorders

Cecyle Carson

Associate Professor

E-mail: cecyle.carson@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4797

Neurogenic Communication Disorders
Voice disorders
Articulation/Phonological Disorders
Speech disorders
Cleft palate

Reshawna Chapple

Assistant Professor

E-mail: rchapple@ucf.edu

Phone: (407) 823-2958

Black and African American Communities
Critical Race Feminism and Standpoint Theory
Critical Deaf Studies and Deaf Cultural Identity
Culturally Responsive Social Work Practice
Intersection of Race, Gender and Disability
Intimate Partner Violence and Trauma Recovery
Mental Health Treatment and Barriers to Access

Janel Cosby

Audiologist, Lecturer

E-mail: janel.cosby@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0481

Cochlear Implants
Auditory Training
Cognitive Processing
Aural (Re)habilitation
Auditory Processing
Early Intervention
Hearing Conservation
Hearing Disorders Across the Lifespan
Aging

Michael Crary

ASHA Fellow, ASHA Honors of the Association, Professor

E-mail: michael.crary@ucf.edu

Phone: 470-823-4762

Swallowing Disorders

Nicole Dawson

Assistant Professor, Co-Director - Innovative Mobility Initiative (IMOVE) Lab

E-mail: nicole.dawson@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-1863

Non-pharmacological interventions for older adults
Predictors of successful and optimal aging
Risk factors for falls in older adults with cognitive impairment
Understanding the illness experience for individuals with dementia

Joseph DiNapoli

Associate Instructor

E-mail: joseph.dinapoli@ucf.edu

Phone: 321-433-7856

Cognitive-Communication Disorders
Language Acquisition
Language disorders
Neurogenic Communication Disorders
Speech disorders
Swallowing Disorders

Gillian Dreilinger

Associate Instructor

E-mail: gillian.dreilinger@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0470

Accent Modification
Articulation/Phonological Disorders
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Central Auditory Processing
Cleft palate
Cultural and Linguistic Variables
Diagnostic/Clinical Processes
Language Acquisition
Language disorders
Linguistics/Psychololinguistics
Literacy
Speech Acquisition
Speech disorders
Supervision

Sophia Dziegielewski

Professor

E-mail: sophia.dziegielewski@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-6342

Human subject research and protection of the rights of human subjects
Child protection
Mental health assessment and treatment
Health and wellness
Standardized testing strategies and continuing education and training
Psychopharmacology

Katia Ferdowsi

Lecturer

E-mail: katia.ferdowsi@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-1446

Disease prevention
Public Health
common and preventable diseases in youth
Global Health

Todd R. Fix

Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Instructor, Internship Coordinator

E-mail: todd.fix@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0484

Supervision
Swallowing Disorders
Dysphagia
Adult neurogenic/acquired motor-speech
Language disorders
Acquired Brain Injury/Cognitive Communication.

David Fukuda

Associate Professor, Division Head

E-mail: David.Fukuda@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-0442

Performance-based testing methodologies
Exercise training and nutritional interventions in varying populations
Fatigue thresholds and metabolic responses to exercise
Martial arts and combat sports

Denise Gammonley

Associate Professor, Interim Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Affairs

E-mail: denise.gammonley@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-2215

Elder care workforce development
Person-centered care practices
Global social work practice
Scholarship of teaching and learning

Jeanette Garcia

Assistant Professor

E-mail: jeanette.garcia@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3207

Health behaviors in youth with social/emotional/behavioral disorders
Community-based health interventions
Link between health behaviors (physical activity, nutrition, sleep, screen time) & academic performance

Kimberley Gryglewicz

Assistant Professor, Interim Center Co-Director

E-mail: kgryglew@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-2954

Suicide prevention
Health and mental health
Family engagement & caregiving issues
Systems of care
Program implementation and evaluation

William Hanney

Associate Professor

E-mail: William.j.hanney@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-0217

Predictive models for physical therapy treatment outcomes
Exercise based interventions in treatment of low back pain
Exercise based interventions in treatment of neck pain

Nancy Harrington

Assistive Technology Professional, Associate Instructor, FAAST Center/AAC Lab Research Grant Coordinator

E-mail: nancy.harrington@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0465

Language Acquisition
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Assistive Technology

Bari Hoffman Ruddy

ASHA Fellow, Interim Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, Professor

E-mail: bari.hoffmanruddy@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4804

Voice disorders
Vocal health and Prevention
Upper Airway Disorders
Head and Neck Cancer
Respiratory Muscle Strength Training

Jane Hostetler

Associate Instructor

E-mail: jane.hostetler@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0462

Neurogenic Communication Disorders
Supervision

Jennifer Kent-Walsh

ASHA Fellow, Associate Dean of Research, FAAST Center Director, Interim School Director, Professor

E-mail: jkentwalsh@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4800

Language disorders
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Assistive Technology
Service-Learning / Scholarship of Teaching and Learning

Debra Knox

Associate Instructor, Clinical Board of Educators Coordinator

E-mail: debra.knox@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0464

Cochlear Implants
Hearing Aids
Hearing Disorders
Language disorders
Supervision

Anthony Pak Hin Kong

Associate Professor

E-mail: antkong@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4791

Adult neurogenic communication disorders
Aphasia
Bilingualism
Cognitive-communicative disorders
Discourse analysis

Shawn Lawrence

Associate Professor

E-mail: shawn.lawrence@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3112

Obesity and Stigma
Substance Abuse
Student learning environments and outcomes

Ana Leon

Interim Associate Director of the School of Social Work, Professor

E-mail: ana.leon@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-6195

Pediatric health and mental health
Infant mental health
Chronic illness in children and parental stress
Latino children and families

Humberto Lopez Castillo

Assistant Professor

E-mail: dr.hlc@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3012

Alcohol use and abuse
Risky sexual behaviors
Cardiovascular health
Sexual minority populations
Secondary data analyses
Sexual and reproductive health

L. Colby Mangum

Assistant Professor

E-mail: lauren.mangum@ucf.edu

Lumbopelvic-Hip Complex Muscle Function
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging
Core Stability and Athletic Function
Innovative Assessment and Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain, Patellofemoral Pain

Julie Matura

Instructor, Internship Coordinator

E-mail: julie.matura@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0449

Cognitive-Communication Disorders
Diagnostic/Clinical Processes
Genetics
Language disorders
Neurogenic Communication Disorders
Swallowing Disorders

Olga Molina

Associate Professor

E-mail: omolina@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-6793

Divorce
Intimate partner violence
African American and Latino/a Families
Undocumented Families
Mental health
Groupwork

Matthew Munyon

Director of Planning and Knowledge Management

E-mail: matthew.munyon@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-0664

Advanced analytics and statistics (SPSS, SAS, SmartPLS, MiniTab, R, Python)
Data visualizations (Tableau, SAS Enterprise Miner, SPSS, Advanced Excel, R, Python)
Data narratives (scholarly written and oral communication via reports, manuscripts, proposals, presentations)
Organized project management (Gantt charts, task tracking, timely and transparent team communication and planning)
Research methodology (quantitative and qualitative)

Eunji Nam

Assistant Professor

E-mail: enam@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3642

Young Adults with Mental Health Conditions
Co-occurrence of Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders
Mental Health Service Utilization
Health and Mental Health Care Access and Barriers
Social Support Networks
Program Development and Evaluation

Laurie Neely

Clinical Assistant Professor, Director of Clinical Education

E-mail: laurie.neely@ucf.edu

Interprofessional Education and Interprofessional Collaborative Practice
Physical Therapy Clinical Education
Evidence based practice and application in the clinical setting with medically complex patients

Patrick Pabian

Associate School Director - School of Kinesiology & Physical Therapy, Division Head & Program Director - Division of Physical therapy

E-mail: patrick.pabian@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3457

Interprofessional education and interprofessional practice
Contemporary issues in professional education
Strength and function recovery in post-surgical orthopedic interventions
Interventions and collaborative care in sports medicine

Jennifer Plant

Associate Instructor, Clinical Education Coordinator

E-mail: jennifer.plant@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-5232

Role strain of graduate and post-graduate athletic training students
Scapular dyskinesis in overhead athletes
Changes in lower extremity biomechanics following chronic ankle sprains
Perceptions of barriers in the implementation of evidence based practice among athletic training clinical instructors
Best methods for transitioning young athletic training professionals into a clinical practice environment - both from the professional education side and the employer side

David Ratusnik

ASHA Fellow, Professor

E-mail: david.ratusnik@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4803

Neurogenic Communication Disorders
Cognitive-Communication Disorders
Language disorders
Fluency
Articulation/Phonological Disorders
Cultural and Linguistic Variables
Speech Acquisition
Autism Spectrum Disorder

Kenyatta Rivers

ASHA Fellow, Associate Professor

E-mail: kenyatta.rivers@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4828

Cultural and Linguistic Variables
Language Acquisition
Evidence-based practice
Language/Literacy Disorders and Differences in Children and Adolescents

Linda I. Rosa-Lugo

Associate Dean of Faculty Excellence and Graduate and Global Affairs

E-mail: linda.rosa-lugo@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4805

Articulation/Phonological Disorders
Aural Re(Habilitation)/Listening and Spoken Language
Language and Literacy Disorders
Professional Preparation Practices
Second Language Acquisition

Carey Rothschild

Clinical Assistant Professor

E-mail: carey.rothschild@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-1439

Predictors of injury in athletic and artistic populations
Prevention and treatment of injuries in runners
Prevention and treatment of postpartum musculoskeletal conditions
Conditions of the female athlete

Michael J. Rovito

Assistant Professor

E-mail: michael.rovito@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3888

Men's health
Health behavior sciences
Health communication
Public Health
Health education

John Ryalls

ASHA Fellow, Professor

E-mail: ryalls@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4806

Cognitive-Communication Disorders
Speech disorders

Suha Saleh

Clinical Associate Professor, Program Director

E-mail: suha.saleh@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-6761

Health education
College student health
Eye disorders and diabetes

Kristen Couper Schellhase

Associate Lecturer, Dean's Faculty Fellow, Program Director

E-mail: kristen.schellhase@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3463

Organization & Administration in Athletic Training
AT Knowledge of Therapeutic Modalities
AT Education

Gerald Smith

Associate Professor

E-mail: gerald.smith@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-882-0094

Stroke rehabilitation
Neural plasticity

James Sonne

Assistant Professor

E-mail: james.sonne@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4026

Parkinson's Disease
Animal Models
Immunohistology
Early Detection and Prevention
Neurodegeneration
Growth factors and neuron survival

Julie Steen

Associate Director of Research, Associate Professor

E-mail: julie.steen@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-6452

Child welfare organizations
Child Welfare Policy
Human Rights Education

Matt Stock

Associate Professor

E-mail: matt.stock@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-0364

Aging
Motor Unit Control
Neuromuscular Physiology
Strength Training
Fatigue

Jeffrey Stout

Professor, School Director

E-mail: Jeffrey.Stout@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-0211

Validity and Reliability of Body Composition Assessment methodologies
Exercise training and nutritional interventions in varying populations
Fatigue thresholds and metabolic responses to exercise

Jacqueline Towson

Assistant Professor, Graduate Program Director

E-mail: jacqueline.towson@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-0346

Language disorders
Language Acquisition
Emergent Literacy
Preschool And School-Age Speech Language Pathology
Language And Literacy

Jennifer Tucker

Assistant Professor

E-mail: jennifer.tucker@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3461

Physical activity in children
Physical activity in children with special needs/chronic disease
Effective parent education
Service delivery models for pediatric physical therapy

Martine Vanryckeghem

ASHA Fellow, Board Certified Fluency Specialist, Pegasus Professor

E-mail: martinev@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-4808

Fluency disorders

Sharon (Xiaochuan) Wang

Assistant Professor

E-mail: xiaochuan.wang@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3705

Health and Mental Health Disparities
Service Access and Utilization
Social Support
Culturally Sensitive Care for Older People of Color

Adam J. Wells

Assistant Professor

E-mail: adam.wells@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-3906

Supplements for performance and recovery
Inflammatory and immune responses to resistance exercise
Soccer performance

Tracy Wharton

Assistant Professor, Assoc Dir of Research: McCormick Research Institute, IPE & Clinic Outreach Behavioral Health Team Lead, Social Work Honors in the Major Coordinator

E-mail: Tracy.Wharton@ucf.edu

Phone: 407-823-2819