Promotion and Tenure
On May 5, 2026, the Board of Regents approved the following individuals for promotion and/or tenure.
Jessica Hanson, Department of Applied Human Sciences, to full professor
June Lee, Department of Applied Human Sciences, to full professor
Jonathan Phillips, Department of Social Work, to associate professor with indefinite tenure
Ashley Thompson, Department of Psychology, to full professor
Term faculty who were awarded promotions this year:
Matti Erpestad, Department of Applied Human Sciences, to senior instructor
- Christine Schilling-Louzek, Department of Psychology, to teaching associate professor
Publications
Mark Hartman, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, published “Practicing Client Intake Skills Using AI Simulation in an Exercise Prescription Course” in Educational Practices in Kinesiology.
Hartman also co-authored “Exploratory Factor Analyses of the Female and Male Body Checking Questionnaires in Collegiate Athletes, which was published in Research in Psychology and Behavior.
June Lee, professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, co-authored three book chapters and articles with researchers from the University of Tennessee in “Physical activity, health and emerging technologies.”
- "Computer and internet platforms in promoting physical activity and health."
- "Social media in promoting physical activity and health."
- "Augmented and mixed reality in promoting physical activity and health."
Kahyun Nam, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, was the lead author on “Physical Activity Disparities Between Students With and Without Disabilities Across School-Based Physical Activity Contexts, published in the Journal of School Health.
This study examined differences in physical activity levels between students with and without disabilities across school-based settings, such as Physical Education, recess, and other activity opportunities during the school day. The article highlights inequities in access to and engagement in school-based physical activity, emphasizing the need for more inclusive practices and supports to promote equitable participation for students with disabilities.
Nam also co-authored “Compliance With a Statewide Recess Policy and School Recess Practices in Arizona Public Elementary Schools Over 3 Years in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.
This study investigated how Arizona public elementary schools complied with a statewide recess policy over a three-year period from 2021 to 2023. The article describes trends in recess implementation and school recess practices, offering insight into how policy translates into practice and what factors may influence consistent access to recess in elementary schools.
Preston Osborn, assistant professor in the Department of Social Work, published “An exploratory investigation of factors predicting anti-oppressive competencies among White social work students using a socioecological approach” in the Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work.
Osborn was also the lead author of “Peeling back the layers”: Understanding student perceptions of anti-oppressive practice development using a socioecological lens” in Social Work Research.
Lisa Paulson, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, published From Policy to Action: Leveraging the State of the States Report for Advocacy in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance.
Paulson also co-authored “State of the States Policy Report: Physical Education and Physical Activity Policy in the United States and its Territories in the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance.
Claire Underwood, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, was the lead author on "From Inquiry to Action: Leveraging Group Level Assessment to Elevate Teacher Voice" in the Journal of Practitioner Research.
This methodological paper explores the use of Group Level Assessment as a participatory approach to practitioner inquiry within an early childhood education program to facilitate the co-construction of professional knowledge, generate actionable solutions, and reflect on teachers' identity as researchers.
Underwood also co-authored Honoring children’s agency: A systematic review of research with and by children in environmental contexts” in the International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education.
This review critically analyzes theoretical and methodological approaches, highlighting strategies that affirm children’s agency and recognize them as active participants in knowledge production and climate-related action. Findings underscore the importance of reflexivity, collaboration, and the creation of co-research cultures that extend beyond data collection.
Grants
Childhood Nature Studies faculty members Julie Ernst, professor, and Claire Underwood, assistant professor, faculty in Childhood Nature Studies, have been awarded a contract from the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families in partnership with Thelma Natquonabe (EdD '23), Ojibwe knowledge keeper, to develop a statewide coaching initiative to expand outdoor and nature-based learning for young children across Minnesota.
This work builds on years of collaborative research and represents an important step toward nurturing the capacity among educators, programs, and families to ensure that all children have access to nature-based learning that is culturally sustaining and grounded in reciprocity and connection to the land.
Jessica Hanson, interim associate CEHSP dean and professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, and an interdisciplinary team of colleagues from UMD and Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institute of Health. This new partnership will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary biomedical research that spans the two institutions’ resources and areas of expertise.
Professor June Lee and Associate Professor Mary Stenson in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, received a Chancellor's Small Grant to study “Comparison of Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality Exercise Interventions on Psychological and Physiological Outcomes in Young Adults.”
Department of Social Work faculty, including Nomi Ostrander, associate professor and department head, Anthony Banks, assistant professor, and Jon Phillips, associate professor, received an Innovation Grant from the Chancellor. The Rural Interprofessional Partnerships for Learning and Equity (RIPPLE) will involve a collaboration with colleagues from the Medical School and the College of Pharmacy to create two transdisciplinary teams to look at social determinants of health in the rural communities of Two Harbors and Cloquet.
Sean Wachsmuth, associate professor in the Department of Education, received a $200,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Education for the Northern Minnesota Rural Schools Special Education Teacher Residency and Apprenticeship Planning Project, which aims to establish a robust alternative pathway to special education licensure at UMD.
Presentations
Mark Hartman, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, presented the guest lecture “The use and limitations of transcranial electric current stimulation in exercise research” at the Northland American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference in Sioux Falls, SD, in March.
Kahyun Nam, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, had two international presentation proposals accepted for this summer: AIESEP International Conference 2026 and International Conference on the Spectrum of Teaching Styles 2026.
Lisa Paulson, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, presented several sessions at the 2026 Society of Health and Physical Educators America National Convention and Expo in Kansas City, MO, as well as sessions at the 2026 National Association of Kinesiology in Higher Education Conference in Nashville, TN.
Sharyl Samargia-Grivette, associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, presented “Can differences in resting state EEG serve as a neurophysiologic marker for posterior fossa syndrome in children?” at the Posterior Fossa Society 3rd Global Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. This study was funded by a Chancellor's Small Grant.
Samargia-Grivette also serves as the current president of the Posterior Fossa Society and provided the welcome address and moderated sessions.
Claire Underwood, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, presented a webinar, “Nature preschool adaptations for a changing climate,” for the Natural Start Alliance in January.
For the webinar, she presented findings from a national study exploring how nature-based early learning programs across the country are responding to climate-related challenges. Participants learned about what strategies are working, where programs are facing barriers, and how educators are innovating to keep children safe, connected to nature, and thriving outdoors.
Underwood also presented “Honoring place together: An introduction to land-based Teaching,” at the Grow North Conference in Virginia, MN, in February.
The presentation introduced early childhood educators from across Northern Minnesota to land-based learning through a Two-Worlds Approach that acknowledges and affirms the differences between the knowledge systems of Indigenous and Western perspectives, centering each in its own integrity.
Awards & Honors
Faculty Recognition
Jessica Hanson, interim associate CEHSP dean and professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, received the 2026 Community-Engaged Scholar Award from the University of Minnesota Office for Public Engagement.
Lara LaCaille, professor in the Department of Psychology, received the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Advisor Award.
Preston Osborn, assistant professor in the Department of Social Work, was named a Health Equity Leadership & Mentoring (HELP) fellow. HELM fosters leadership and career development among early-career scholars who are committed to improving disparate health outcomes through research and/or clinical care.
Kahyun Nam, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, received the Innovative Paper Award from the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America at a March convention in Kansas City, MO.
Amy Versnik Nowak, associate professor, Department of Applied Human Sciences, received the Outstanding Undergraduate Faculty Advisor Award.
Staff Recognition
CEHSP Staff Award. These awards were created to recognize exceptional service in leadership on the job, customer service, and quality of service.
- Lynn McGraw, Department of Applied Human Sciences
- Melissa Plante, Dean's Office
Program Recognition
The Master of Social Work program received an Excellence in Assessment award.
Additional Accomplishments
Lisa Paulson, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences, was elected to the Douglas County School Board.