We are excited to announce that three Institue for Health Equity and Social Justice Research faculty scholars are mentoring three student researchers this spring semester for the PEAK awards. The Institute would like to celebrate the ongoing work our undergraduate researchers are doing alongside our faculty and faculty scholars. Project descriptions and more information on our students can be found below.
Three student researchers and Health Equity Interns were awarded PEAK Experiences Awards for Spring 2023. The Institute would like to celebrate the ongoing work our undergraduate researchers are doing alongside our faculty and faculty scholars. Project descriptions and more information on our students can be found below.
Kaela Herzog Bouvé’25
“Race, Ethnicity, and Nationality: Representation in Autism Research”
Mentor: Leanne Chukoskie, Bouvé, Physical Therapy/Movement/Rehab Science
There are racial/ethnic biases in who receives a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which establishes a system where diagnoses are racialized signifiers of high status. We hope to present a poster at the Eastern Psychological Association’s research conference and write a paper for publication that examines a sample of research articles to see how race/ethnicity is reported, and, crucially, who is included as autistic in research from right before the publication of the DSM-5 to ten years after its publication. While improvements have been made, it is evident that greater inclusion is needed.
Victoria Rivera COE’24
“Development of an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Device with Eye-Tracking Technology to Aid in Social Communication for Minimally Verbal Autistic Children”
Mentor: Leanne Chukoskie, Bouvé, Physical Therapy/Movement/Rehab Science
The goal of this project is to develop an improved augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device prototype, to assist communication in minimally verbal autistic children, that targets some current limitations of current AAC devices. It will be designed according to perspectives gathered from surveying parents of autistic children regarding their ideas around AAC devices and their preferences in communication methods with their children. A co-design process will be conducted alongside surveying families to start evaluating what design requirements to incorporate and adjust accordingly to suit children’s preferences. Outcomes will be shared in a peer-reviewed publication for submission to a journal.
Annie Zhang Bouve’25
“The Carceral Resource Index: The Impact of Carceral and Public Health Expenditures on Overdose Mortality in U.S. Cities”
Mentor: Leo Beletsky, CSSH, Law and Public Policy
We will perform a systematic review to analyze how public carceral or public health spending decision-making in the U.S. affects overdose mortality. We will also develop a new resource index for researchers and policymakers to judge the spending priorities of major U.S. cities and shift drug policy toward harm reduction.
The PEAK Awards are funded by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, a progressively structured sequence of opportunities designed to support learners as they continue climbing to new heights of achievement in undergraduate research and creative endeavor throughout their Northeastern journeys. From the beginner surveying the landscape with a Campfire Chat or establishing a Base Camp, to those gaining experience while making the Ascent and Building Bridges, to those reaching the Summit, Blazing new Trails, and Shouting Out their successes, the PEAK Experiences Awards offer something for everyone.
