Category: Faculty Partner Research

Heather Eicher-Miller – A 2026 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examines how proposed changes to SNAP, specifically expanded work requirements and the elimination of SNAP-Ed, could influence food security, diet quality, and public health in the United States. The research highlights how income instability, employment disruptions, and reduced access to nutrition education may impact families’ access to nutritious food, with potential trade-offs for health outcomes. These findings provide timely insights for understanding the connections between program design, nutrition, and overall well-being.

Meingold Chan is uncovering how culture and behavior interact with biology to shape children’s development at the cellular level. By connecting social-emotional experiences with epigenetic processes, this work offers new insight into how early environments can influence long-term health and well-being. The research highlights the importance of integrating social, cultural and biological perspectives to better understand human development and inform more effective interventions.

Ellen Ernst Kossek – New research shows that formal work–family policies alone are not enough to close gender career gaps. By fostering a workplace climate that values employees’ personal lives, organizations can reduce personal life stigma and improve retention and promotion outcomes for women.

Sooyeon Jeong – Friendly robots, the ones people love to love, are quirky: R2-D2, C-3PO, WALL-E, BB-8, Marvin, Roz and Baymax. They’re emotional, prone to panic or bossy, empathetic and able to communicate like humans do — even when they communicate in only beeps and bloops. At Purdue University, Sooyeon Jeong, robot communication and behavior expert, is working to make robots as friendly and helpful as possible in nonfictional settings.

Arielle Borovsky – Deaf children acquiring American Sign Language (ASL) perceive both linguistic and non-linguistic information through the visual mode. Thus, signing deaf children face a unique task in word learning, in that mapping objects to referents requires careful allocation of visual attention.

Susan South – A new edition of Psychopathology and Mental Health brings together leading scholars to explore the biological, psychological and social dimensions of mental disorders, integrating the latest research on diagnosis and treatment.

Kristine Marceau – A new study from the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohort shows that high maternal stress during pregnancy is linked to increased ADHD risk and symptoms in children. The research highlights the importance of stress reduction during pregnancy to support healthy child development.

Annabelle Atkin – Researchers developed and validated the first Gendered Racial Socialization Scale for Asian American women, identifying seven key factors such as filial piety, beauty ideals, and preparation for bias. The study highlights how gendered and racial messages from parents influence self-esteem, body shame, and depressive symptoms, offering insights for researchers, clinicians, and families.

Breanya Hougue – The Purdue CDF Freedom School at First United Methodist Church in West Lafayette offers a free six‑week summer literacy and enrichment program for K‑8 students, combining reading, STEM and community activities. Founded by Dr. Breanya Hogue of Purdue’s College of Education, the program fosters academic growth, leadership and a love of learning for area children.

Kim Updegraff – A new study of 246 U.S. Mexican-origin families examines how maternal and paternal warmth and sibling intimacy influence youth familism values from ages 12 to 22. Results show that mothers’ warmth most strongly predicts familism during mid-adolescence, fathers’ warmth influences values across ages 12–21, and sibling intimacy becomes important in young adulthood. Findings highlight the evolving role of family relationships in fostering family-oriented values and inform family-based prevention programs.