Community of Scholars

Pedandragogy: A Conceptual Framework for Preparing Adults to Teach Children Across the Professional Continuum

Time: 11:15 - 11:40 AM EST
Location: University Hall 2-048 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Anthea Lavergne | Faculty, Education / CISE / LIFTS (Presenter will be in person)

Educational systems face a fundamental contradiction: educators are expected to create whole-child learning environments while operating within structures that fail to model principles of whole-adult development for the adults who serve children. This tension reflects the Pedandragogical Divide: a systemic failure to conceptualize the shared developmental ecology of adults and children within educational contexts. Pedandragogy is introduced as a conceptual framework that establishes the adult–child developmental intersection as a distinct field of inquiry. Developed through Conceptual Framework Analysis, the framework synthesizes interdisciplinary scholarship from the learning sciences and sociocultural and systems theory into two Root Clusters and four core principles: Pedandragogical Centering, Parity in Growth and Development, Reflexive Praxis, and Parity in Power and Responsibility. This presentation outlines the theoretical foundations of Pedandragogy and examines its implications for educator preparation across the professional continuum.

The Impacts of Virtual Interspecies Parallel Task Completion in a Special Educational Setting

Time: 11:40 AM - 12:05 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-048 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Samantha Passamonti, Student, Education (Presenter will be in person)

Body doubling is a widely-used strategy for individuals with neurodivergence to increase their productivity, time-on-task, and task accountability. With various modalities of body-doubling existing, such as mixed-reality body doubling and virtual-reality body doubling, this research study investigated the potential impacts of Virtual Interspecies Parallel Task Completion – virtual body doubling with animals via nature-based livestream cameras. Participants were observed and self-reporting on their perceived productivity, verbal and physical signs of attention-fatigue, time-on-task, and overall engagement during independent work periods with and without nature-based live cameras playing in a therapeutic classroom. The findings of this research study suggest that Virtual Interspecies Parallel Task Completion had a positive impact on participants’ perceived productivity, attention-fatigue during and after independent work periods, and time-on-task. The findings of this research study indicate further research on this emerging modality of body doubling is worth exploring and the benefits have potential to be generalized across educational settings.

The Modern Resilience Crisis

Time: 12:05 - 12:30 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-048 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Alex Petroulis, Student, Education (Presenter will be in person)

This research seeks to document the notable decline in resilience and emotional regulation in children and young adults, explore why this decline is happening, and ask what can be done to reverse it. Developing resilience in early childhood is crucial to human development throughout the lifespan, and the lack of social/emotional learning at a young age has led to a crisis in resilience being reported from preschool teachers all the way up to college professors. The empirical research suggests the solution lies in the language, literature, and curricula we use with children in their earliest stages of development, and the systems that remain in place throughout their education and society. The change from competitive, product-based curricula to a more mindful, learning-based curricula, as well as a shift in language away from person-based assessment to process-based assessment. Essentially, children need more choice, more play, and more direct experiences in their early childhood education. A child cannot learn to overcome hardship and bounce back from failure if they are never given the room to experience it in the first place. A child must be taught the skills to respond to challenges and regulate the feelings difficulty invokes at an early age or they will not be able to appropriately handle hardships later in life. Therefore, parents, early childhood educators, and lawmakers must work together to address this crisis before more adults enter the world without the necessary skills to thrive in it independently.

The Holocaust & The Ukraine — A Journey Across Europe

Time: 11:15 - 11:40 AM EST
Location: University Hall 2-078 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Matthew Nash, Faculty, Lesley Art + Design / Media Arts (Presenter will be in person)

In April 2025, I was invited to Germany for the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of the Ohrdruf concentration camp. My film (2012) documents the soldiers who liberated the camp. For this trip, I was part of a massive series of ceremonies, workshops & events by local historians, the Arolsen Archives, the Patten Foundation and more. I participated in the historic events in Ohrdruf, including leading workshops & a screening of my film in a 1000-year-old castle. The mayor and city council presented me with an award for my work.

I also participated in the 80th anniversary ceremonies at the massive concentration camp at Buchenwald, which included ceremonies led by the former President of Germany in Weimar.

My travel companion for all this was an American, living in Luxembourg, who volunteers as an ambulance driver in the Ukraine War.

My presentation will blend the Holocaust history of Ohrdruf & Buchenwald with the modern tragedy of the Ukraine.

Based on True Events: How Regional Literature Relies on Historical Accuracy

Time: 11:40 AM - 12:05 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-078 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Audrey Lee, Student, Lesley Art + Design / MFA Creative Writing (Presenter will be virtual)

The purpose of my research on the historical accuracy of regional literature is to highlight stories from underrepresented communities and examine how that historical accuracy plays a role in the writer’s craft. I developed the literature for this research by reading regional literature and non-fiction sources, and in the process, I gained key insights that regional literature — to a greater degree than general literature — relies on historical accuracy for the inciting incidents and plot.

The resulting critical essay and presentation examine major historical events and their appearance in regional literature. In Appalachia specifically, these events include the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, strip mining, and the Opioid epidemic. Research into regional literature promotes a diversity of voices and stories that are often untold or misunderstood by mainstream media and publishing. By digging into these narratives, a wider range of the American experience and writing interests can be understood.

Improving Confidence and Self-Efficacy with the Unsung Creatives Project

Time: 12:05 - 12:30 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-078 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Ellen Geis, Student, Mental Health and Well-Being / Expressive Therapies (Presenter will be virtual)

This research investigates if completing and sharing creative work publicly can improve confidence and self-efficacy. Research was conducted through a literature review and a quantitative and qualitative study on the Unsung Creatives Project (UCP) – an original eight-week participatory arts program (PAP) created by the researcher to coach participants in completing a creative project, culminating in a public showcase. Existing research on this was limited, but showed effectively designed PAPs can improve confidence. The UCP curriculum was informed by research on effective PAPs, confidence and self-efficacy building, and managing the inner critic. Surveys were administered in weeks one, five, and eight, with field notes taken after each meeting. Data showed significant improvements in confidence (+45%), self-efficacy (+28%), self-compassion (+43%), relationship to creativity (+63%), and mental well-being (+72%), and a significant decrease in self-doubt (-24%), suggesting sharing creative work publicly can improve confidence and self-efficacy with transformative effects on quality of life.

Creating New Antibiotics and Testing Natural Remedies

Time: 1:00 - 1:25 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-048 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Lesley Graduating Students Savannah Gravitt, Allison Eckard, Elizabeth Komar, and Caden Shott; UMASS-Boston Graduating Student Jack Labrecque; and community member Ivan Labrecque (Presenters will be in person)
Instructor: Nataliya Ryzhenko, Liberal Arts and Business / Natural Sciences and Mathematics

In this project, students explored two ways to fight bacterial resistance: synthesizing new antibiotics and testing traditional natural remedies. First, we screened a library of chemical mixtures against E. coli using the Kirby-Bauer well-diffusion test. By measuring clear zones of inhibition on agar plates, we successfully identified and verified a lead candidate.

Next, we applied these same methods to evaluate natural compounds as potential antibiotic medicines. We isolated a wild, environmentally sourced bacterial strain and tested natural remedies such as garlic, onion, cinnamon, and honey. Our presentation will compare the quantitative results—specifically the inhibition zone sizes. By doing so, we aim to demonstrate multiple viable pathways for discovering new treatments against antibiotic resistant bacteria.

The Science of Potato Defense

Time: 1:25 - 1:50 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-048 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Lesley Graduating Students Elizabeth Komar, Savannah Gravitt, Allison Eckard, and Caden Shott; UMass Boston-Graduating Student Jack Labrecque; and community members Ivan Labrecque and Olena Labrecque (Presenters will be in person)
Instructor: Nataliya Ryzhenko, Liberal Arts and Business / Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Why do potatoes turn brown after being sliced? This process, called enzymatic browning, is a sophisticated natural defense mechanism. When a potato is damaged, an enzyme called tyrosinase reacts with oxygen to produce melanin, the pigment coloring our skin, to create a protective barrier against insects and disease. Our study compared the defensive strength of four potato varieties: Red Pontiac, Golden Yukon, Purple Majesty, and Russet. We measured how quickly each variety produced melanin using visual timing and chemical analysis. We discovered the Golden Yukon exhibited the highest tyrosinase activity. This suggests it is naturally more resilient against environmental threats. Understanding these biochemical traits helps identify robust crops, providing valuable insights for both local gardeners and large-scale agriculture. Beyond agriculture, this research presents a unique opportunity to intersect science with art. We plan to turn our science project into art by writing a great tale about the Golden Yukon’s strength.

Material and Design Innovations in Soft Robotics

Time: 1:50 - 2:15 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-048 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Lesley Graduating Students Savannah Gravitt, Allison Eckard, Elizabeth Komar, Caden Shott; Lumen Academy Students Anna Labrecque; UMass, Biochemistry and Psychology Graduate Derek Ho; UMass Boston Graduating Student Jack Labrecque (Presenters will be in person)
Instructor: Nataliya Ryzhenko, Liberal Arts and Business / Natural Sciences and Mathematics

This interdisciplinary project explores the creation and practical application of soft robotic actuators. Led by chemistry and mathematics students, the team will evaluate three hyperelastic materials: platinum-cure silicones, ultra-soft thermoplastic elastomers, and edible gelatin-glycerin biopolymers.

Moving beyond basic formulation, students will cast these materials into custom 3D-printed molds. They will test how distinct morphologies dictate real-world performance by quantifying parameters such as maximum stretch, fatigue resistance, pneumatic bending angles, and seal integrity.

Furthermore, a mathematical modeling component will utilize non-linear material models to predict how these structures deform under varied pressures. By bridging theoretical math with empirical hands-on testing, this research aims to optimize soft robots for medical science, advancing high-impact applications like minimally invasive surgical tools, wearable physical therapy devices, and biodegradable ingestible robotics.

Long-term Effects of Family Violence on Adolescents

Time: 1:00 - 1:25 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-078 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Jean Clarke-Mitchell, Faculty, Mental Health and Well-Being / Social Work and Human Services (Presenter will be virtual)

The presentation discusses caregivers’ knowledge of the risks and effects of adolescent exposure to intimate partner family violence (IPV), the strategies they use to mitigate harm, and the barriers they encounter when seeking support in rural western Massachusetts. The study utilized a demographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 21 caregivers representing diverse backgrounds. Findings revealed that while most caregivers recognized several immediate emotional and behavioral effects of IPV exposure on adolescents, few were able to identify potential long-term impacts. Caregivers described multiple strategies to reduce harm, including prioritizing adolescents’ safety, separating them from violent situations, providing reassurance and emotional support, encouraging open communication, and connecting adolescents with formal and informal supports. Some caregivers also attempted to shield adolescents from the full nature of the abuse. However, barriers to seeking help included limited knowledge of available services, personal and emotional obstacles, and insufficient or inaccessible resources in rural communities. Implications for research, clinical practice, policy, and social work education will be discussed.

Feasibility of Staff Training in Facilitating Affirmative Moving with Unhoused LGBTQ+ Individuals

Time: 1:25 - 1:50 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-078 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Sujin Ma, Student, Mental Health and Well-Being / Expressive Therapies (Presenter will be virtual)

Homelessness-service environments require non-clinical frontline staff to support sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals experiencing trauma and minority stress. Yet staff training often prioritizes didactic knowledge over embodied relational skills. This mixed-methods study examined the feasibility of an embodied training preparing staff to facilitate Affirmative Moving (AM), a movement-based LGBTQ+-affirming support group model.

Seven staff completed three training sessions and facilitated three AM groups with 15 SGM adults experiencing homelessness. Quantitative measures included the Brief MAIA-2 and DERS-SF; qualitative data came from a staff focus group.

Results indicated increased interoceptive awareness and worry about bodily sensations alongside increased perceived emotion regulation difficulty, suggesting heightened emotional awareness with perceived regulatory demands during early embodied learning. Client outcomes showed minimal change. Qualitative findings supported feasibility, highlighting practical training content, facilitator competence through experiential learning, and structural implementation challenges. Findings suggest AM may support embodied awareness and identity-affirming relational practice among frontline staff.

Cardiac Problems Among Children of Immigrants: Implications of Immigrant Generation and Family Socio-Economic Status

Time: 1:50 - 2:15 PM EST
Location: University Hall 2-078 and Zoom –– Join virtual session

Jina Chang, Faculty, Mental Health and Well-Being / Social Work and Human Services (Presenter will be virtual)

Children diagnosed with cardiovascular disease have a lifelong likelihood of comorbidities, surgical interventions, and need of health services. However, few studies examined the prevalence of cardiovascular disease among children of immigrants, the fastest-growing population in the US. This study examines the rates of cardiovascular disease among children of immigrants compared to children of US-born parents and their relationship with immigrant generation and family poverty status.

Using the National Health Interview Survey, this study finds that children of immigrants, both first- and second-generation children are protected from cardiovascular diseases compared to children of US-born parents irrespective of family poverty status. Alternatively, the findings may indicate reduced chances to visit health professionals for screening and diagnosis among immigrant families despite CHIPRA and ACA intervention.