Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Dean Prelock Given Highest Honor by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Patricia Prelock, professor of communication sciences and disorders and dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, received the Honors of the Association award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in recognition of her contributions to the field of speech, language and hearing. Read more >>

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Elizabeth Adams, clinical professor of communication sciences and disorders, presented talks on hearing loss, hearing aid technology, and the role of the audiologist at the Montpelier Senior Center in October.

Mary Alice Favro, clinical assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, together with Christina Melvin, clinical associate professor of nursing, Kelly Melekis (social work), Shelley Velleman, professor and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and Patricia Prelock presented “An Interprofessional End-of-Life Simulation for Educating Students” at the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association Convention in Philadelphia, Pa. in November.

Patricia Prelock published and presented the following:

• Hutchins, T.L., Prelock, P.A., Morris, H., Benner, J.B., LaVigne, T., & Hoza, B. (2016). Theory of mind competence vs. theory of mind performance: A comparison of typically developing males, males with ASD, and males with ADHD. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 21, 94-108.

• DiLaurenzio, A., & Prelock, P.A. (2016). Use of social networking online and social emotions in ASD and neurotypical populations. Austin Journal of Autism & Related Disabilities.

• Menon, P.R., Rabinowitz, T., Prelock, P. A., Rose, G.L., & Stapleton, R.D. (2016). Clinicians’ perceptions of telemedicine for conducting family conferences prior to transfer to a tertiary care center intensive care unit. J Int Soc Telemed eHealth, 4, e20.

• Hutchins, T., & Prelock, P.A. Innovations in Theory of Mind Assessment: Introduction to the Theory of Mind Inventory-2. Short Course presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

• Lemke, A., Meehan, A., Prelock, P.A., Robinson, T., & Snyder, D. Dream More, Learn More, Do More, Become More: Leadership Lessons from the CLC. Seminar presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

• Montgomery, J., Proctor-Williams, K., Wagner, S., & Prelock, P.A. Rewiring the CSD Academic Environment. Seminar presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

• Prelock, P.A., Frost, L., Koenig, M., & Olmedo, E. Teaching Kids with Autism to Talk: How it’s Done! Seminar presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

• Prelock, P.A., Favro, M.A., Velleman, S., Melvin, C., Palumbo, M.V., Beatson, J., O’Rourke, D., & Melekis, K. An Interprofessional End of Life Simulation for Educating Students. Seminar presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

• Long, T., Bruder, M.B., Prelock, P.A., & Schefkind, S. Inter-professional Education: From Developing to Implementing Unified Personnel Competencies for Early Childhood Intervention Across Professional Disciplines. Seminar presented at the SoPAC 2016, Keystone, CO, November, 2016.

• Coufal, K. L., Prelock, P.A., Juliann J. Woods, & Yoshinaga-Itano, C. Inter-professional Education: Developing Unified Competencies for Early Childhood Intervention across Professional Disciplines. Seminar presented at the International Logopedics and Phoniatrics Congress, Dublin, Ireland, August 2016.

Student Presentations*

*O’Neill, A., Hutchins, T., & Prelock, P.A. Mothers’ & Children’s Storytelling: A Study of Dyads with TD Children and Children with ASD. Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016. Designated as a Meritorious Poster Submission.

Potvin, M.C., *Slentz, E., & Prelock, P.A. Context-Focused Parent Focused Intervention: Enhancing Participation in Children with ASD. Technical Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

*Taylor, S., Hutchins, T., & Prelock, P.A. Normative Data for the Theory of Mind Inventory-2 (ToMI-2). Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Philadelphia, November, 2016.

Program Pass Rates

The Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders program achieved a 100% pass rate.

New Faculty and Staff

Nancy Gauvin, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, clinical assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders, joined the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Stephanie Boyd joined the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the role of administrative assistant.

Department of Medical Laboratory and Radiation Sciences

New Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science Degree

This fall the Department launched the Master of Science in Medical Laboratory Science graduate program. The program prepares graduates for leadership opportunities in management, education, research, advanced clinical practice.

Individuals may enter the program via two tracks, depending on their background. Track One is for individuals holding a bachelor's degree who are not certified in Medical Laboratory Science but desire a career in the clinical laboratory sciences. Upon completion of the program, these students will be eligible to take the national certification exam in medical laboratory science offered by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP). Track Two is for medical laboratory science certified graduates who seek graduate training in evidence-based practice, health care management, and scientific research.

Both tracks involve a research-based capstone project that will engage students in hands-on research methodology, experimental practice, and scientific communication. The capstone project provides students with the opportunity to develop important skills in clinically-related research. Program applications are due Feb. 1.

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Paula Deming, endowed professor and chair of the Department of Medical Laboratory and Radiation Sciences, published the following:

• Weir, ME, Mann, JE, Corwin, T, Fulton, ZW, Hao, JM, Maniscalco, JF, Kenney, MC, Roman Roque, KM, Chapdelaine, EF, Stelzl, U, Deming, PB, Ballif , BA Hinkle,KL “Novel autophosphorylation sites of Src family kinases regulate kinase activity and SH2 domain-binding” (2016) FEBS Letters Apr;590(8):1042-52.

Deming also presented the following:

• “Fyn regulates cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase A binding interactions”. Invited short talk, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Protein Kinase Signaling Network Regulation., Snowmass, CO, July, 2016.

• Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Grand Rounds, University of Vermont “Keeping Up with the Changing Demands of the Laboratory: MLS Education Today”, April, 2016. 


• Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Vermont, “Functional interaction between growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases and protein kinase A”, April, 2016.

Seth Frietze, assistant professor of medical laboratory science, published the following:

• Cliff S. Han, Melanie Martin, Armand E. K. Dichosa, Ashlynn Daughton , Seth Frietze , Hillard Kaplan , Michael Gurven , Joe Alcock, “Salivary microbiomes of indigenous Tsimane mothers and infants are distinct despite frequent premastication”, Peerj, in press.

• Ye Z, Chen Z, Sunkel B, Seth Frietze, Huang TH, Wang Q, Jin VX.”Genome-wide analysis reveals positional-nucleosome-oriented binding pattern of pioneer factor FOXA1”, Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 Sep 19; 44(16):7540-54.

Student Publications and Presentations*

*Sam Barritt, *Marion E. Weir, Bryan A. Ballif, and Paula B. Deming, “Fyn regulates cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase A binding interactions” Beckman Symposium, Irvine, CA, August, 2016

*Sam Barritt, *Marion E. Weir, Bryan A. Ballif, and Paula B. Deming, “Fyn regulates cyclic-AMP dependent protein kinase A binding interactions”.  Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, Protein Kinase Signaling Network Regulation. Snowmass, CO, July, 2016

*Kayla O’Toole, *Marion Weir, *Samuel Barritt, Bryan Balliff and Paula Deming “Characterizing the Binding Interaction between LARP4 and Protein Kinase A”, University of Vermont Student Research Conference, 2016

*Jenna Todero, *Marion Weir, Bryan Ballif, and Paula Deming, “Src family kinases regulate protein kinase A downstream of growth factor signaling.” University of Vermont Student Research Conference, 2016

*Samuel Barritt, *Marion Weir, Bryan Ballif and Paula Deming, “Fyn-Mediated Regulation of Protein Kinase A”, University of Vermont Student Research Conference, 2016

Department of Nursing

Study: Diagnosis Can Bring Sense of Belonging to Adults with Autism

For most of his life, Kevin Hughes has felt like an outsider. A loner as a child, the 65-year-old comedian struggled socially as a teenager and lacked friends as an adult, often offending people without knowing why.

It wasn't until a few years ago after one of his comedy shows that he first realized he might be among the millions of undiagnosed adults with autism spectrum disorder. Read more >>

Fourth Annual White Coat Ceremony

The Department of Nursing formally welcomed the Class of 2020 on Sept. 23, 2016 with its fourth annual White Coat Ceremony.

The ceremony, which marks the commencement of undergraduate and direct-entry graduate students’ nursing careers, featured the distribution of the symbolic white coats worn by health care staff worldwide. Rosemary Dale, chair of the Department of Nursing, remarked that the white coat is not only a uniform, but “a material symbol of the promise that each wearer has made to each and every patient whom he or she encounters: the promise to heal and to care.” Read more >>

Making a Difference: Postcard Pick-Me-Up

For a child experiencing frequent hospitalizations, a cancer patient who’s received a poor prognosis, or a new resident in a nursing home, the physical and psychological impact of illness can be overwhelming.

Yet even a small act of kindness can have profound and lasting effects on a patient’s wellbeing, according to Dr. Jason Garbarino, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Nursing. Garbarino has worked with thousands of patients, families, and students in a variety of community and hospital-based settings in his practice as a nurse. Read more >>

Program Pass Rate

The undergraduate nursing program achieved a 92% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam.

New Faculty and Staff

Five faculty members joined the Department of Nursing, including: Laura Lewis, Ph.D., RN, assistant professor of nursing; Julie Mazza, M.S.N., RN, clinical instructor of nursing; Genell Mikkalson, M.S.N., RN, CNM, visiting instructor of nursing; Kerry Prendergast, B.S.N., RN, WCC, clinical instructor of nursing; and Lori Vick, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of nursing.

Christina Adamczak joined the Department of Nursing in the role of administrative assistant.

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hendrika Maltby, professor of nursing, published the following:

• Maltby, H. J.  (2016). Ethical photography while on study abroad.  In press: Nurse Educator

• Maltby, H. J., de Vries-Erich, J. M., & Lund, K. D.  (2016). Being the stranger: Comparing study abroad experiences of nursing students in low and high income countries through hermeneutical phenomenology.  Nurse Education Today, 40(2016), 114-119. DOI information: 10.1016/j.nedt.2016.06.025

Mary Val Palumbo, associate professor of nursing, published the following:

• Palumbo, MV, Sandoval M, Hart V, Drill C (2016). Teaching electronic health record communication skills. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing. Jun;34(6):254-8. doi: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000000238

• Palumbo, MV, DeGagne, J. and Murphy, G. (2016) Interprofessional care of elders: utilizing the virtual learning environment.  Journal of American Association of Nurse Practitioners. 2016 May 10 doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12368 

• Morrison, J, Palumbo, MV and Rambur, B. (2016) Reducing preventable hospitalizations with two models of transitional care. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. May;48(3):322-9. doi: 10.1111/jnu.12210

Jessica Sherman, clinical assistant professor of nursing, published the following:

• Sherman, J. (2016). An Initiative to Improve Patient Education by Bedside Nurses. MEDSURG Nursing Journal. 25(5).

Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science

Exercise and Movement Science Students Attend the Northeast American College of Sports Medicine Conference

Lucy Merriam '17, Emily Park '16, and William Traver, '17 represented UVM's Exercise and Movement Science Club at the 2016 Northeast American College of Sports Medicine conference. Read more >>

Alumni Join Senior Seminar

Alumni Gabby Bonfigli, Exercise and Movement Science ’11, current wellness coach at The University of Vermont Medical Center, and Adam Virgile, Exercise and Movement Science ’13, performance analyst with the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers, spoke with students in Jeremy Sibold’s senior seminar about career development.

Annual Diaper Drive Supports Committee on Temporary Shelter

Each fall Professor Justine Dee uses her physical therapy clinic sites to collect diaper donations for children in need. This year more than 44,000 diapers - enough to provide for the youngest children in the care of the Committee on Temporary Shelter for a full year - have been donated. Learn more >>

Program Pass Rates

The Athletic Training Education program earned a 100% first-time pass rate for the sixth year in a row. The 2015 pass rate for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program is 94%, with a three-year average of 98%.

New Faculty

Three faculty members joined the Department, including: Yang Bai, Ph.D., assistant professor of exercise and movement science; Mathew Failla, PT, Ph.D., assistant professor of physical therapy, and Elizabeth Lee, PT, Sc.D., visiting clinical assistant professor of physical therapy.

Faculty Highlights, Publications and Presentations

Justine Dee, clinical assistant professor of rehabilitation and movement science, and Sharon Henry, professor emerita, will present “Psychosocial factors associated with disability in patients with chronic low back pain” at the 2017 APTA Combined Sections Meeting to be held Feb. 15-18 in San Antonio, TX.

Justine Dee, clinical assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, has been selected to present a keynote session at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy Congress 2017. The congress, to be held in Cape Town, Africa on July 2-4, will include 17 symposia featuring 75 speakers from around the world.

Reuben Escorpizo, clinical assistant professor of rehabilitation and movement science, was selected as a keynote speaker for the Fourth Nordic Work and Rehabilitation Conference held Sept. 5-7, 2016 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The conference highlighted progressive healthcare and successful strategies for return to work following injury.

Karen Westervelt, lecturer in physical therapy, published the following with Hendrika Maltby, professor of nursing:

• Westervelt, K., Ellis C,  Ellis L., Quanstrom A.,Wallingford K., Maltby H., Hing, W. (2016)  International Collaboration in Manual Physical Therapy:  An Educational Model. Journal of Physical Therapy Education 30(4).

Jeremy Sibold, associate professor and chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, presented talks on evidence-based exercise prescription for mental health in adolescents and psychological screening for athletic injury prevention at the annual conference of The Family Medicine Foundation of West Virginia in November.

Student Highlights, Publications and Presentations*

Second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy students performed balance screenings and assessed risk factors for falling in older adults through the Stay Steady VT initiative in late September. The screenings, incorporated as part of a professional seminar course taught by professors Rebecca Ouellette-Morton and Paula Smith, offered students an opportunity to help reduce fall risk for Vermonters while getting real-world experience assessing balance and functional movement in older adults. Read more >>

MaryClaire McGovern, D.P.T. '18, collected donations of used ice hockey gear for students at a school in the Indian Himalayas. She will personally deliver the donations to the students over winter break. Learn more >>

Emily Milbank, D.P.T. ’16, published the following:

Milbank, E.J.*, Peterson, D.D., Henry, S.M. The Reliability and Predictive Ability of the Movement Competency Screen in a Military Population. The Sport Journal. August 25, 2016 (42). (http://thesportjournal.org).

UVM Integrative Health

New Integrative Health Courses

UVM Integrative Health has introduced a series of courses that address emerging understandings about health and illness, including: HLTH 101 – Introduction to Integrative Health, HLTH 195- Science and Evidence in Complementary and Alternative Therapies, and NR 107 – Human Health and the Environment. These courses serve as a foundation for the new Integrative Health minor to be offered beginning fall 2017. Learn more >>

Community Integrative Practitioner Forum

UVM Integrative Health also hosts the Community Integrative Practitioner Forum, an interprofessional lecture series on non-drug methods for managing pain. The series is free and open to the public. CME and CE credits are available.

Office of Student Services News

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences First-Year Experience

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ approach to students’ first-year experience is integrated and thoughtful; it includes a required first-year course, a team of four master’s-prepared professional advisors, and a group of enthusiastic and dedicated peer mentors. Read more >>

New Staff

Tammy Bender joined the Office of Student Services as office administrator.