Affiliate Research | CYFS | Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools

CYFS supports eight Layman Award recipients

Eight CEHS faculty received 2015-16 Layman Awards, from top left, Tony Albano, assistant professor; Amy Dent, research assistant professor; Lauren Gatti, assistant professor; Deryl Hatch, assistant professor; Leslie Hawley, research assistant professor; Lorey Wheeler, research assistant professor; Natalie Williams, assistant professor; and Jiangang Xia, assistant professor.

With collaborative support and seed funding, CYFS faculty affiliates are prepared to grow their research base this spring.

The Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools (CYFS) recently provided grant proposal and development assistance to eight CEHS faculty—all of whom received 2015-16 Layman Awards. The award, funded by UNL’s Office of Research and Economic Development, provides $10,000 in seed money for untenured faculty and supports researchers in their pursuit of external funding. Full Article

Bischoff, Springer develop mental health model with global application

Richard Bischoff, chair of child, youth and family studies (left) and Paul Springer, associate professor, are partnering with international colleagues to apply their mental health model overseas. The model was developed in rural Nebraska communities over the past six years, where it continues to be implemented as a means of addressing rural mental health disparities.

Distance technology and community mobilization are transforming the mental health landscape of rural Nebraska, where the success of CYFS affiliates’ research may soon benefit communities worldwide.

Richard Bischoff, chair of child, youth and family studies, and Paul Springer, associate professor, are partnering with international colleagues to address an issue that they say transcends geography and culture—access to mental health services. Their model, which was developed six years ago in rural Nebraska communities, integrates distance technology and begins by drawing community members around the proverbial table. Full Article

Rudasill hosts OTC and highlights UNL’s temperament research in classrooms

UNL Chancellor Professor Victoria Molfese listens to a presentation during the OTC’s poster session. The conference provided formal and informal opportunities to engage in temperament discussion.

The pioneers of modern temperament research, psychiatrists Alexander Thomas and Stella Chess, identified nine traits present at birth that influenced children’s development. Half a century later, temperament research continues to play a key role in unlocking children’s behavioral diversity. Full Article

Program creates pathways to graduation

Michael Scheel, right, with graduate students from the Building Bridges Program.

Donning black gowns and caps, they joined their peers among Lincoln Northeast High School’s 2014 graduating class. They waited patiently to cross the stage, grasp their diploma and finally, after four years, flip the tassel.

They are 37 of the 41 Lincoln Northeast students who, in ninth grade, joined the Building Bridges program — a dropout prevention initiative led by CYFS affiliate Michael Scheel and Gina Kunz, CYFS research associate professor. The program is designed to help freshmen transition to high school and navigate a four-year path to graduation. Full Article