Faculty, staff and students are committed to improving well-being through the college’s premier research, outreach and educational programs.
With a new name and bolder, more expansive vision, the College of Health & Human Sciences is educating tomorrow’s leaders while striving to respond to today’s challenges through teaching and research. This article is the first in a series sharing the wide variety of research taking place within the college.
From the moment faculty and students step into the College of Health & Human Sciences, they begin to advance a collective mission to improve and enhance the human condition.
Through multidisciplinary education, research, and service focused on individuals, families, and their environments, students are empowered to make a difference as educators, healthcare professionals, financial planners, hospitality managers, fashion merchandisers, designers, counselors, nutrition experts, and more.
These opportunities have always impressed Christy Rogers, an assistant professor of Human Development & Family Sciences who is studying how siblings influence one another during adolescent years.
“When I talk to undergrads in the hallway, they seem so happy,” she shared. “It’s been a beautiful process to get undergraduate students involved in research and see them thrive. They get to attend national conferences with me and share their cool findings from the study, and that’s typically not something undergrads do. That’s been an impactful part of my work.”
Rogers is among faculty, staff and students who advance research directly addressing aspects of human health or components related to healthy human development, relationships and environments.
Through engaged scholarship, Health & Human Sciences advances the impact of these research projects by connecting local, state, national and international communities with knowledge that will directly alleviate social issues and advance public well-being.
“The research projects taking place in the College of Health & Human Sciences highlight the importance of innovation and collaboration,” said Tim Dodd, the college’s dean. “The projects impact lives and help change communities.”
In addition, many students turn to Health & Human Sciences for pathways to health careers, gaining insight into nursing, medicine, mental health counseling, dietetics, health care management, and occupational and physical therapy.
However, all departments incorporate aspects of health even if it’s not apparent at first glance. The School of Financial Planning is an example of this as it teaches a practice integral to a healthy life.
Associate professor Sarah Asebedo said she was drawn to become director of the School of Financial Planning because of its reputation as the best in U.S. She wanted to surround herself with the brightest minds as she researches topics such as financial health and wellness through interventions informed by positive psychology.
“I love the stature, the rigor of the school, and that it is in the College of Health & Human Sciences because that positioning is a great representation of how financial planning and personal finance is centered around the human – not the money, but the person we’re advising to help achieve financial health and wellness,” she explained. “There’s a really excellent connection with the College of Health & Human Sciences and the multidisciplinary aspect of personal finance, which involves a therapeutic approach.”
Much of the Department of Hospitality & Retail Management’s focus has turned to healthy workplace practices as well as health aspects for consumers. Hyo Jung (Julie) Chang, an associate professor in retail management, said she feels blessed to work in a department that supports her research into technology that would enable senior citizens to interact with retailers – keeping them both independent and safe.
“I see that my work really aligns with what Texas Tech is looking for with our One Health initiative and our college’s goal to help improve human well-being and enhance the human condition,” she said. “These both really align well with what I’m aiming for in terms of my research.”
Apparel Design & Manufacturing also plays a key role in designing healthcare garments. Mahendran Balasubramanian, an assistant professor in the Department of Design, has relished the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research in the human and health sciences field – work he hopes will lead to his development of a better brace for idiopathic scoliosis patients.
“The Department of Design has been keen to support new research initiatives,” he said. “With support from the department, college and university, I was able to set up a 3D digital anthropometry lab that hosts advanced body scanner equipment among other things. The college’s mission on human health has accentuated significantly its alignment with my research expertise and interests, making it a perfect scaffold for emerging research endeavors.”
Other research projects investigating health-related topics across the human lifespan aim to alleviate obesity, prevent Alzheimer’s, prove the impact of therapeutic interventions for mental illness, design healthy homes and workplaces, market strategies for health-conscious consumers, enhance recovery science, and impact retirement planning and living. Those efforts and their intended impact will continue to be featured on Texas Tech Now.
As the human condition continues to change, the College of Health & Human Sciences will stay dedicated to adapting and meeting those demands.
“Achieving human health and wellness requires a multifaceted approach,” Dodd said. “This makes each research project essential to our collective goal of improving and enhancing the lives of individuals around the world.”