The 2025 Zeigler Research Forum, hosted by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, took place on May 7 at the Davis Center. This year’s forum featured a record 80 poster presentations and five oral presentations, reflecting the college’s ongoing emphasis on student-led research and faculty mentorship. The event served as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and scholarly exchange across nursing, biomedical and health sciences, rehabilitation and movement sciences, and communication sciences and disorders.

The forum featured a keynote address by Leah Robinson, Ph.D., professor of movement science at the University of Michigan. Her lecture, “Shaping the Future Through Pediatric Health and Mentorship Research,” highlighted her work in motor skill acquisition and developmental health, as well as her growing focus on mentoring early-career scholars.

Audience listening to Zeigler Forum keynote
Audience members listen during the keynote at the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum, held at the Davis Center on May 7.

Selected Poster Topics

Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences

  • Adaptive apparel and quality of life for individuals with disabilities
  • Inclusive recreation resources for athletes with spinal cord injuries
  • Occupational therapy’s role in maternal postpartum support
  • High-intensity balance training for individuals with multiple sclerosis
Dean Anderson speaks with student researcher
Dean Anderson (at right) chats with a student researcher during the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum, highlighting the college’s commitment to mentorship and student-led scholarship.

Biomedical and Health Sciences

  • Community-based well water testing to address contamination in Vermont
  • Peer-to-peer health coaching to support mental health
  • Genetic and immunological control of gammaherpesvirus replication
  • Lung adenocarcinoma research focusing on STK11 mutations and cancer stemness
Nursing Professor Theresa Graziano takes a closer look at a student’s poster presentation during the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum
Nursing Professor Theresa Graziano takes a closer look at a student’s poster presentation during the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum.

Nursing

  • AI-enhanced conversational tools for chronic pain management
  • Universal anxiety screening in pediatric primary care
  • Enhancing LGBTQ+ healthcare through improved data collection
  • Culinary medicine resources for migrant workers with chronic diseases
A student describes their research poster to an engaged listener at the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum, sharing their findings and answering questions.
A student describes their research poster to an engaged listener at the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum, sharing their findings and answering questions.

Communication Sciences and Disorders

  • Virtual reality paradigms for studying social stress
  • Gender-affirming voice therapy: effective components
  • Autobiographical memory screening tools for autism
  • Social communication interventions for neurodivergent youth
Kelsey Gleason, Sc.D., M.S., 2024 CNHS Research Incentive Grant winner, discussed her research at the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum.
Kelsey Gleason, Sc.D., M.S., 2024 CNHS Research Incentive Grant winner and assistant professor of biomedical and health sciences, discusses her research on understanding childhood diarrheal disease using machine learning at the 2025 Zeigler Research Forum.

The forum concluded with a Data Blitz and awards ceremony, celebrating research excellence and reinforcing the college’s commitment to advancing health sciences through student–faculty collaboration. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences currently manages $2.3 million in active research funding.

Zeigler Research Forum