During the Jan. 2009 winter academic residency in Dallas, Walden University faculty and students participated in a poster session to share their research. Dr. Vicky Eiben, a new faculty member in The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, and Joann Cloud, a Ph.D. in Public Health student, received awards for their posters.

An Opportunity to Share Research
Poster sessions, held twice a year at residencies, offer students and faculty a friendly and supportive environment in which to present their research, one that allows for long, informal conversations and plenty of constructive feedback, said Dr. George Smeaton, executive director of Walden’s Center for Research Support.

The poster session is a “visual aid for a face-to-face conversation about research,” Smeaton added.

Dr. Vicky Eiben (left)

Digging Into Grassroots Initiatives
At the awards ceremony, Eiben was recognized for her multi-case study investigating success in sustainability in grassroots education initiatives.

Eiben’s research lead to the discovery of three themes: a desire for organizations created around a broader range of human qualities; alignment with living systems and balanced attention to infrastructure, identity and spirit; and community/global connections.

“This is really an honor,” Eiben said as she accepted the award. Eiben’s research centers on an attempt to provide insights into educational innovations. “At the core, it’s about revisions for education,” she said.

Joann Cloud

Investigating Disease Prevalence
Cloud received the award for her research findings on the prevalence of histoplasmosis, a diseased caused by a fungus and which primarily affects the lungs.

Cloud used antigen detection to estimate histoplasmosis levels in varying geographic areas and found that rates were higher in Texas, Arkansas, New York, Iowa and Tennessee. Her data are useful for comparison with previous findings and exposure analysis.

Accepting her award, she said, “I’m grateful to Walden for providing this online environment so that I can actually receive my Ph.D.”

Read more about Walden’s poster sessions.

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