MMI poster session winner announced at trainee graduation

The winner of the poster session, Terri Mathews, Ph.D., a post-doctoral psychology fellow, was announced last month at the long-term trainee graduation.

Terri Mathews, Ph.D., a post-doctoral psychology fellow at UNMC’s Munroe-Meyer Institute, was pronounced the winner of MMI’s ninth annual poster session at the long-term trainee graduation held in June.

Dr. Mathews’ pilot study, “Adolescent Girls as Change Agents,” used participatory action research to teach adolescent females from a socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhood how to become “change agents” in their community. The result was the development of a Lead Poisoning Awareness Fair, which led to the identification of two children with elevated lead levels and policy changes for routine lead testing at Girls, Inc.

Judges Wayne Stuberg, Ph.D., professor and director of the physical therapy department at MMI, Cindy Van Riper, director of nutrition at MMI, and Mark Smith, consumer/family program specialist at MMI, commented that Mathews’ poster presentation and encompassing research contained “excellent rationales and implications for research,” “professional discussion,” and “high relevance to maternal and child health,” a staple of the Leadership, Education, Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program.

MMI is one of only 36 programs in 29 states that have been awarded Maternal and Child Health federal training monies to support students in Interdisciplinary LEND. While other MMI trainees and faculty also participated in the poster session, LEND trainees and presenters were highlighted for competition.

Sponsored by the MMI Interdisciplinary Education Team, the poster session served as an opportunity for the interdisciplinary leadership trainees at MMI to disseminate their research activities, said Kellie Ellerbusch, MMI Interdisciplinary Training Coordinator.

“It provides trainees with a forum for developing their presentation and public speaking skills necessary to conduct research or program evaluation, and presenting those findings in their professional careers,” she said.

The research projects addressed the physical, emotional and/or behavioral health of infants, toddlers, school-age children and their parents or caregivers using a protocol and subsequent pre- and post-implementation data.

The players Disciplines involved in the MMI trainee program include developmental medicine, occupational therapy, school and clinical psychology, speech and language pathology, social work, recreation/rehabilitation, education and physical therapy.

“We look at the way the science was done and if they have followed the methodology,” said Dr. Stuberg, who also serves as coordinator of Interdisciplinary Education at MMI. “The projects are typically all done well.”

Former director of MMI, Bruce Buehler, M.D., congratulated the trainees, fellows and interns during his commencement speech at the graduation ceremony.

“This program is about leadership and you all have developed the leadership skills to go out in the world and be leaders in your field,” he said.

Dr. Buehler encouraged the graduates to “go a little bit further because it matters. The harder you work,” he said, “the harder people around you work.”

He also implored the students to think about the future.

“What will be your legacy?” he asked. “What will others remember about you? Making a difference in one family’s life or one child’s life, that’s a legacy.”

Dr. Buehler, who takes college courses and spends two hours a night reading, also stressed the importance of continuing education.

“It’s critical to all of us to keep learning,” he said, “because you all will build the next generation of leaders.”