Master of Public Health and Doctor of Philosophy in Public and Population Health Leadership students displayed their research at Boise State University’s annual Graduate Student Showcase. Seventeen SPPH students presented research posters — sharing their work with faculty, students and the university community.
The projects ranged from research on wildland firefighter brain health to sustainable public health programming in Hispanic communities and examining risk and protective factors in loneliness and cervical cancer knowledge and prevention among Tamang women.
Learn more about some of these student projects below.
Name: Oluwakemi Mary Bolarinwa
Project Title: Housing and Transportation as Determinants of WIC Program Utilization
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ellen Schafer and Dr. Mac McCullough
“I was interested in examining the barriers to WIC participation, specifically focusing on how housing instability and transportation access impact the program’s utilization. This research is important for improving accessibility to public health services, especially among vulnerable populations.” – Oluwakemi Mary Bolarinwa
Name: Jasmine Ducusin
Project Title: Bridging the Knowledge Gap: Racial Disparities in WIC Awareness and Participation in Southwest Idaho
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ellen Schafer
“With a professional background in public health nutrition in the Philippines, I was excited when I was first assigned to this project because it perfectly aligned with my interests and existing skill set. As my research progressed, I realized how much more there was for me to learn — not just about public health programs in the US and research methods — but also about the broader context of health equity.” – Jasmine Ducusin
Name: Alex Honn
Project Title: Wildland Firefighter Brain Health, a Scoping Review
“The field of wildland fire is generally understudied, both in management and health outcomes, yet there is an urgent need to protect and improve health outcomes of the men and women on the frontlines as fire activity increases (in frequency, intensity, and duration) worldwide. Better understanding of exposures can help inform interventions to improve acute, subacute, and long-term health outcomes, which may help recruit and retain more people to the fire service in a time of need.” – Alex Honn
Name: Jennifer Nguyen
Project Title: Understanding the Needs of Family Caregivers in Idaho: Insights from a Statewide Survey
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ellen Schafer
“When I learned about the unique challenges family caregivers face — especially the emotional, financial, and physical toll it can take — I wanted to be part of a project that could lead to systemic change. This research was an opportunity to give voice to caregivers across Idaho and contribute to solutions that make their roles more sustainable and supported.” – Jennifer Nguyen
Name: Rayne Robinson
Project Title: Optimizing Community Health Needs Assessments: Best Practices for Data Integration and Strategic Planning
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Ellen Schafer
“I was originally interested in the topic of looking at how a community health needs assessment (CHNA) data is taken and then used in action with a community health improvement plan (CHIP) so work is done on the identified health priorities. I’ve been looking at having evidence-based solutions that we know are addressing an issue in a community instead of solutions based on assumptions.” – Rayne Robinson
Name: Adrián-Miguel Rodríguez
Project Title: Bridging the Gap: A Public Health Framework for Sustainable Hispanic Engagement.
“Addressing minority disparities has always interested me. Representing more than 13% of Idaho’s population, Hispanics are the largest minority group in our state. Outreach and community engagement to this minority group have been the focus of my research during my academic career. During which, I noticed a lack of sustainable and culturally responsive engagement strategies in public health programming.” – Adrián-Miguel Rodríguez
Name: Meredith Spivak
Project Title: Sex Differences in Acute Occupational Pesticide Poisonings Among Farmworkers in the Northwest
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Cynthia Curl
“I have been interested in women’s health since at least high school, when I interned in maternal and child health programs at the Cabarrus Health Alliance in North Carolina. When I moved to Idaho, where agriculture is such a major part of the economy and employment opportunities for both men and women, I saw an immediate connection between my interest in women’s health and the local community. The result of that interest is this pesticides project that focuses on occupational risks for women farmworkers.” – Meredith Spivak
Name: Archer Ward
Project Title: Adolescent Developmental Domains: Examining Risk and Protective Factors in Loneliness
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Megan Smith, Dr. Anne Abbott, Dr. Taylor Neher
“Adolescent mental health is such a current topic due to the impacts it’s having on young people today. I did not have any previous experience in space before and was sold on the project when I learned how devastating the experience of loneliness can be.” – Archer Ward
Learn about all the student projects presented at the showcase here.