Professor of Kinesiology
Research Professor in Charge
Summary Statement
Lacy Alexander’s research utilizes the human cutaneous circulation to examine the underlying signaling mechanisms mediating microvascular dysfunction in diseases, as well as the influence of drug-interventions.
Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Summary Statement
Daily stress processes; adult development; family factors in mental health; work and family linkages; fatherhood; statistical techniques for measuring change.
Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Associate Director, Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Associate Director, Penn State Social Science Research Institute
Summary Statement
Orfeu Buxton directs the Sleep, Health & Society Collaboratory and is the recipient of the 2024 Pattishall Outstanding Research Achievement Award Lecture.
The purpose of my research is to understand ways to support people who encounter challenges to experiencing leisure. I teach about inclusive leisure services, leisure philosophy and theories, and research methods.
Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and Physiology
Summary Statement
Mary Jane De Souza specializes in the etiology of and treatment of the Female Athlete Triad, skeletal health in exercising women and athletes, reproductive endocrinology of menstrual disorders in exercising women, and RCTs of increased food intake in exercising wome
Assistant Director for Research, Center for Healthy Aging
Professor of Psychology
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Associate Department Head for Instruction
Jonathan Dingwell focuses on the biomechanics, dynamics and neuromuscular control processes that govern complex adaptive human movements with a primary emphasis on improving human health.
Christopher Engeland is interested in how stress, age, gender, and hormones affect immunity, inflammation, and health. He has a particular interest in wound healing and surgical recovery, dementia, depression, and preterm birth.
Associate Professor
Professor in Charge of Graduate Program
NBASLH Adviser
Summary Statement
Nicole Etter investigates sensorimotor control for skilled orofacial activities (speech and swallowing) in healthy aging adults and clinical populations. Additional collaborative research lines study voice in occupational voice users and people with Parkinson’s disease.
Elouise Ross Eberly Professor of Nursing
Professor of Medicine
Director, Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at Penn State
Editor, Journal of Gerontological Nursing
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
Associate Professor of Psychology
Edna P. Bennett Faculty Fellow in Prevention Research
Summary Statement
Steffany Fredman studies the intimate relationship context of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions across the lifespan and couple-based interventions for PTSD that simultaneously treat the disorder and enhance couple/family functioning.
Associate Director, Center for Healthy Aging
Elizabeth Fenton Susman Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Summary Statement
Jenn Graham-Engeland, Director of the MESH Lab, investigates the associations between psychological stress and stress responses with physical health and well-being.
Assistant Research Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Summary Statement
Margeaux Gray's translational sleep research is focused on nonpharmacologic interventions to improve sleep quality and continuity, with topics of emphasis including the interaction among sleep, pain, and attention, and sleep fragmentation's impact on daytime function.
Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Biobehavioral Health
Summary Statement
I am a neuropharmacologist with interests in G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, nutritional neuroscience, neuroendocrine physiology, and preclinical drug discovery.
Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies (courtesy)
Summary Statement
Stephanie Lanza's career is devoted to advancing research in behavioral health through the development and application of innovative quantitative methods; much of her work leverages intensive longitudinal methods and focuses on young adult substance use behavior.
Lynn Martire’s research aims to identify the ways in which close relationships in adulthood affect health and chronic illness management, and the effects of chronic illness on close relationships.
Kyle Murdock focuses on the neurological, biological, and behavioral pathways through which emotions and interpersonal relationships may impact health outcomes using innovative/multidisciplinary research methods.
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
ICDS Faculty Co-Hire
Summary Statement
Zita Oravecz's research work has been focused on developing and disseminating innovative computational and statistical techniques for addressing questions related to emotional and cognitive functioning and development.
Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, and Demography
Director, Morbidity, Mortality and Demography Lab
Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Center for Healthy Aging
My research is focused on understanding how biopsychosocial processes across the lifespan, and at multiple time scales, influence variability in systemic dysfunction, aging and disease decades later, through changes in biological aging.
Assistant Teaching Professor, Human Development and Family Studies
HHD Faculty Council Communications Liaison
Summary Statement
Kristopher Struckmeyer’s interest has centered around how aging families interact with their environments to improve their well-being, aiding in his focus on applicability in teaching.
Assistant Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Assistant Professor of Statistics
Summary Statement
Dr. Veturi’s research includes integration of high-dimensional data with electronic health records to dissect shared genetics among complex human traits/diseases and to understand sex and ethnic differences in cognitive decline.