Dr. Beets’ research employs a public health, community-based participatory approach with a focus on identifying real-world and scalable strategies to prevent or reverse obesity and improve children’s overall health. Beets leads the Arnold Health Kids Initiative which focuses on improving the health and well-being of children.
Dr. Weaver's work focuses on helping professionals that teach and care for school age children to create safe and healthy environments. He is currently conducting research in schools and out of school time programs to address unhealthy weight gain in youth. Dr. Weaver has expertise in physical education, promotion of youth healthy eating and physical activity, and measurement of healthy eating and physical activity.
Dr. Armstrong’s research examines the etiology of health behaviors related to pediatric obesity. Her work aims to leverage intensive longitudinal data to examine the predictors and dynamics health behaviors including sleep, screen time, sedentary behavior, and mental health. Based in a socio-ecological perspective, her work spans multiple levels of influence, from environmental, to social/interpersonal and biological.
Elizabeth Adams' research includes the promotion of healthful dietary and sleep patterns to promote child well-being. Her nutrition-related work investigates federal nutrition assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and school meal programs, to ensure children from all income levels have access to healthful nutrition for chronic disease prevention. Her sleep-related work involves developing and testing parenting interventions to improve sleep patterns in young children and their families.
Dr. Burkart's research aims to 1) understand the individual, family, social, and environmental factors that contribute to children's sleep health 2) examine underlying mechanisms that lead to inconsistent sleep behavior, and 3) develop and test novel intervention strategies to enhance children's health and well-being. Dr. Burkart completed her postdoctoral training at the University of South Carolina. She earned her MS in Kinesiology, MPH in Epidemiology, and PhD in Kinesiology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Dr. Kiely received his doctorate degree in epidemiology from the Georgia Southern University, where he was the director of the Center for Rehabilitation and Independent Living and specialized in physical activity programs for children and adolescents with disabilities. He is a post-doctoral fellow at the Arnold School of Public Health and will be assisting Dr. Glen Weaver with his several R01 Grants.
Michelle Perry has been a member of the Arnold Healthy Kids Initiative at the University of South Carolina for the past 10 years. In her role, she contributes to several research projects focused on improving the health and well-being of children, families, and communities. Her work supports the planning, coordination, and implementation of research activities that promote healthy behaviors and active lifestyles. Michelle holds a master’s degree in public health with a focus on physical activity.
Jamal has begun his second year with AHKI in a measurement coordinator position for the Wearables for Kids study. He is a 2022 graduate of the University of South Carolina with his master’s degree in Public Health and a 2021 graduate of Claflin University with his bachelor’s degree in Biology. He loves being active and engaging with the community to promote healthier lifestyles.
John Sloan is a Program Coordinator with the Arnold Healthy Kids Initiative, where he supports the Healthy Seasons Project and several other community-based research initiatives, including Beyond the Bell, DOSE, Summer Voucher, Wearables, and What’s Up with Summer. He holds a Master of Public Health in Physical Activity in Public Health from the University of South Carolina and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Clemson University. After 10 years in the fitness industry, John returned to school to pursue public health, allowing him to combine his background in exercise and fitness with his passion for improving health and well-being in the community.
Taylor is a Project Coordinator for the Tots and Tech Study. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of South Carolina and has been involved with the Tots and Tech Study since her sophomore year of college. Through her work on the study, she has developed a strong interest in medical research and its potential to improve health outcomes. Taylor plans to pursue an MD/PhD at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, where she hopes to continue her career in medical research.
Heather is a Project Coordinator for the Veggie Vouchers and Meals Matter studies. She is also a Licensed Master Social Worker and holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of South Carolina. Heather has worked with many diverse populations and enjoys applying those experiences to connecting with others as part of ongoing research projects.
Sydney is project coordinator for Sleep Tight and a co-coordinator on Meals Matter, both under Dr. Adams. Sydney moved here from Savannah, GA and received her BS in Psychology from USC in 2023. She previously worked in the Research Center for Child Well-Being before joining the AHKI team.
Meghan is a first year PhD student working with Dr. Adams. Meghan is originally from Pittsburgh PA where she attended Slippery Rock University for a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and the University of Pittsburgh for a master’s degree in Health and Human Development Programming and Promotion. Meghan will be focusing on the RISE study while assisting with the “Sleep Tight” study and Veggie Vouchers.
Nicholas is a Ph.D. student in Biostatistics with research interests in Bayesian statistics, functional data analysis, machine learning, Markov modeling, and wearable sensing technologies. His work focuses on developing statistical methods and reproducible software for analyzing behavioral and health data collected through wearable sensors, time-use diaries, and clinical studies. As a Data Manager on projects led by Dr. Michael Beets, he supports data cleaning, raw wearable sensor data processing, and data management for behavioral health research aimed at improving the health and well-being of children. He earned a bachelor's degree in Statistics from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
My name is Kaia Bowen and I am a first year PhD student working with Dr. Armstrong. I am from Champaign, Illinois, and I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University, where I also played collegiate basketball, and my master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Bradley University. My interests include community health interventions, serving marginalized communities, and children’s overall emotional and physical well-being. I will be working with Dr. Armstrong on the Tot’s and Tech study.
Erika Hagen is a second-year MS student in Exercise Science working with Dr. Armstrong on the PATCH project. She is from Chicago, IL, and earned her BS in Engineering Physics from Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Through the PATCH project, she is able to combine her engineering background with wearable-sensor research to advance open and accessible approaches to studying movement and health.
Anissa is an MPH student in the Health, Promotion, Education & Behavior department. She is originally from Kansas City, KS and earned her bachelor's degree in Community Health from the University of Kansas. She will be working with Dr. Adams on the Veggie Vouchers project during her time at USC. Previously, she worked as a certified Community Health Worker at a medical university and other health clinic settings. Her interests include health equity, program evaluation, advocacy, and community engagement.
Frederick Danquah is a graduate student in Exercise Science from Ghana. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Ghana and a Master of Public Health from the Catholic University of Ghana. His research interests focus on the complex etiology of obesity among children and adolescents, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). He is interested in understanding obesogenic behaviors and the social, environmental, and behavioral factors that influence health outcomes across the life course. His work aims to inform evidence-based, multilevel interventions that prevent and manage obesity while promoting health equity among young populations. Outside of academia, Fred enjoys spending time with family and friends, farming, traveling, and working out.
Sidney is a first-year PhD student working with Dr. Adams. Originally from Stone Mountain, Georgia, she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Missouri and her master’s degree in public health from Emory University. Her research interests focus on equitable access to nutrition and health-promoting resources. Sidney primarily works on the SIPS and Veggie Vouchers studies and contributes to the Sleep Tight and Meals Matters studies.