Falk College strives to achieve excellence in education not only through good teaching but also through participation in active research. Our students benefit by learning from researchers who are working at the cutting-edge of knowledge, within well-equipped laboratories, and in projects that are both domestic and abroad. We encourage both undergraduates and graduate engagement to achieve not only a rewarding educational experience but also enhanced career opportunities upon graduation. Learn more about the different types of research awards.
Extramural AwardFood Farmacy Lessons Learned
Kay Stearns Bruening (NFS-NSD) PI, and Xiafei Wang (SWK) co-I, Food Farmacy Lessons Learned, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center / Mother Cabrini Foundation. 1/1/23-12/31/23 The Falk College nutrition programs will provide support to the St. Joseph’s H…
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Extramural AwardThe Impact of Longitudinal Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Adolescent Reproductive Health: Examining Factors that Promote Resilience
Sara Vasilenko (HDFS) PI, Xiafei Wang (SWK) MPI, and Rachel Razza (HDFS) co-I, The Impact of Longitudinal Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Adolescent Reproductive Health: Examining Factors that Promote Resilience, NIH. 9/19/23-8/31/25 This…
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2023-2024 Falk Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Seed Grant AwardPatterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Drug Use, Abuse, and Dependence
Sara Vasilenko (HDFS) PI and Xiafei Wang (SWK) co-PI, Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Drug Use, Abuse, and Dependence Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with substance use, abuse, and dependence, making them an important…
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2023-2024 Falk Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Seed Grant AwardInvestigating the Complex Pathway from Environmental Adversity during Childhood (9-11 years of age) to Young Adult (age 18-20) Social Functioning and Behavior
Stefanie Pilkay (SWK) PI and Xiafei Wang (SWK) co-PI, Investigating the Complex Pathway from Environmental Adversity during Childhood (9-11 years of age) to Young Adult (age 18-20) Social Functioning and Behavior Based on a sample from the Syracuse Lea…
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Extramural AwardCamden Life Center Project, Center for Family Life and Recovery
Camden Life Center is an impact center with multiple agencies that offer coordinated care for the community. Camden Life Center provides mental health care, addiction treatment, case management, food resources, and pregnancy and parenting services for a rural area plagued by opioid overdose, adolescent suicide, and intergenerational trauma.
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2022-2023 Falk Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Seed Grant AwardLongitudinal Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
Adverse childhood experiences (ACES) are associated with early onset of sexual intercourse, having more sexual partners, and contracting HIV, making them an important public health concern
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Extramural AwardAccess to Healthcare for People with Disability: Physical Accessibility of Primary Care Providers
This project, with Mary Lou Breslin of DREDF, seeks to learn the frequency and geographic distribution of disability-accessible medical examination equipment (MDE) in primary care offices, and match location of MDE to potential need. With audit data from Medicaid managed care participating practices in Los Angeles County, the number of practices with MDE within a zip code is mapped against the Census zip code count of persons with mobility impairments. Regression analysis is used to assess zip code population demographics as predictors of the presence/absence of MDE. The sparse number and distribution of MDE suggest that few patients with mobility impairments will receive healthcare using accessible MDE. This disability-related access barrier affects equity of care and is an essential social determinant of health disparities of people with disabilities.
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Extramural AwardInterdisciplinary Collaborative Training for Integrated Behavioral Health Care, Health Resources & Services Administration
Xiafei Wang | Kenneth James Marfilius | Tracy Walker | Kristin Esposito | Matthew C. Spitzmueller | Nancy R. Mudrick | Kendra DeLoach McCutcheon | Carrie J. Smith |Like communities across the United States, Central New York faces an acute shortage of mental health professionals, particularly those who work with children and families. The stigma of mental health issues, combined with long waits to see psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors and social workers, often means that families don’t seek help until they face a significant crisis. That’s why the School of Social Work in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, the School of Education’s Department of Counseling and Human Services, the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Upstate University’s Psychiatry Faculty Practice have joined forces to create a collaborative training program to serve high-need and high-demand populations in urban and rural areas in the Central New York region.
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2020-2021 Falk Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Seed Grant AwardIntergenerational Transmission of Trauma in Military Families
Child maltreatment is a significant issue in the U.S. military, with evidence showing elevated levels of fatal child maltreatment and shaken baby syndrome in military communities. The unique characteristics and circumstances of military families underscore the need for understanding child maltreatment in military families.
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