Faculty Mentor Dashboard
Finding a Faculty Mentor is one of the first steps you will take toward completing your honors thesis/project. You will work one-on-one with your faculty mentor throughout the thesis/project process. Your mentor will provide direction and support for you as you as well as set parameters and expectations for thesis/project deliverables and the thesis/project defense. On this page you will find information about current faculty research projects that are currently recruiting students, as well as a list of COEHP faculty who are willing to serve as a mentor for honors students. This page is updated frequently so check back often!
Current Projects
| Faculty member | Program | Topic/agenda | Related Disciplines | Recruiting through | Next steps/notes |
| Dr. Anqi Deng | Exercise Science |
Mapping the Dynamics of Physical Literacy: Network Analysis for Youth Physical Activity
Participations (research-based)
|
Public Health, Psychology | Sep. 30, 2025 |
Email Dr. Deng directly at adeng@uark.edu |
| Dr. Erin Howie Hickey | Exercise Science |
Understanding and improving recess implementation from policy to practice (research-based)
|
Elementary Education, Special Education | Oct. 1, 2025 |
Email Dr. Howie Hickey at ekhowie@uark.edu |
| Dr. Erin Howie Hickey | Exercise Science |
Exercise is Medicine (research-based)
|
Nursing, Public Health, Pre-Health | Oct. 1, 2025 |
Email Dr. Howie Hickey at ekhowie@uark.edu |
| Ms. Jessica Danley | Communication Sciences & Disorders | Recruiting student to participate in developing vocal wellness education for performers and "vocal athletes" (practice-based) | Dec. 31, 2025 |
Email Ms. Danley at jessicad@uark.edu Note: This is a 2-year project that is only recruiting sophomores or juniors. Seniors are not eligible. |
|
| Dr. Steven Wheeler | Occupational Therapy | Arkansas Traumatic Brain Injury Registry Analysis (research-based) | Jan. 9, 2026 | Email Dr. Wheeler at wheelers@uark.edu | |
| Dr. Lisa Bowers | Communication Sciences & Disorders | Students work with Washington County Head Start Centers to screen children ages 3-5 (practice-based) | Elementary Education, Special Education | May 1, 2026 | Email Dr. Bowers at |
| Dr. Miguel Garcia-Salas | Communication Sciences & Disorders |
Developing an improved lab manual to promote efficiency and precision of shared book
reading coding (practice-based)
|
May 1, 2026 | Email Dr. Garcia-Salas at mg250@uark.edu | |
| Dr. Bonnie King | Childhood & Elementary Education | Impact on K-6 student achievement involving teaching experiences/tutoring and trauma informed classroom management (practice-based) | Aug. 1, 2026 | Email Dr. King at kingb@uark.edu | |
| Dr. Jonathan Wai | Education Policy | Projects related to gifted education policy, higher education policy, or science/educational research communication (research-based) | Education, Higher Education, Psychology, Communication | Aug. 1, 2026 | If you are interested in doing a empirical research project that can lead to a peer reviewed publication in one of these areas of expertise, send an email (jwai@uark.edu) and see if it is a good fit for both of us. |
Faculty members - want to submit your project to this list? Fill out this form.
COEHP Mentors
- Dr. Lisa Bowers
- Literacy, school-based issues, screenings, language
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based
- lmbowers@uark.edu
- Dr. Andrew Bowers
- Sensorimotor integration, speech perception & production, electrophysiology, fluency disorders, speech science
- albowers@uark.edu
- Jessica Danley
- Public health and community education on voice and swallow skills
- jessicad@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Practice-Based
- Dr. Kimberly Frazier Highfill
- Social/pragmatic language disorders, critical thinking, speech sound disorders in children
- kimfraz@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- Dr. Miguel Garcia-Salas
- Promoting early language and literacy development through family-centered initiatives
- mg250@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Practice-Based
- Dr. Rachel Glade
- Hearing loss, pre-professional education, auditory rehabilitation, inter-professional practice, caregiver training
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- rglade@uark.edu
- Stephanie Hicks
- Literacy/Language
- Project tracks: Practice-Based
- sh146@uark.edu
- Dr. Christine Holyfield
- Augmentative and alternative communication, working with individuals with complex communication needs
- ceholyfi@uark.edu
- Dr. Julie Hill
- Chronic illness, disability, career exploration, psychosocial adaptation, quality of life
- Project tracks: Research-based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- jch029@uark.edu
- Dr. Jennifer Beasley
- Differentiated instruction, differentiated instruction in virtual schools, teacher education, curriculum & instruction
- jgbeasle@uark.edu
- Dr. Alissa Blair
- Multilingual learners, language & literacy teaching in the content areas, home-school community partnerships, bilingual education, teacher preparation, culturally responsive pedagogy
- ab139@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- Dr. Stephen Burgin
- Science education
- srburgin@uark.edu
- Dr. Vinson Carter
- STEM education
- vcarter@uark.edu
- Dr. Albert Cheng
- Classical Education
- axc070@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- Dr. Sean Connors
- Adolescent literacy, multimodal literacy practices
- sconnors@uark.edu
- Dr. Michael Daugherty
- STEM education, technological literacy, problem-based learning
- mkd03@uark.edu
- Dr. Sheri Deaton
- Infant feeding, project based learning, career and technical education, effective pedagogical practices, artificial intelligence
- sddeato@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based
- Dr. Angela Elsass
- Classroom management, literacy assessment, effective practices in teaching literacy, motivation & engagement in the classroom, parental involvement in early literacy development
- aelsass@uark.edu
- Dr. Jason Endacott
- History education, historical empathy & lived experiences
- jendacot@uark.edu
- Dr. Christian Goering
- English/Language Arts methods, arts based education, adolescent literacy, education policy, rural schools & teachers
- cgoering@uark.edu
- Dr. Mehmet Gultekin
- Social Justice Education, Culturally Relevant Practices, Multicultural Children's Literature, Interactive Read-Alouds
- mehmet1@uark.edu
- Dr. Rhett Hutchins
- Religious education, religious literacy, science literacy, history of education
- rjhutchi@uark.edu
- Dr. Marcia Imbeau
- Differentiated instruction, gifted & talented identification
- mimbeau@uark.edu
- Dr. Bonnie King
- Trauma Informed Education; Field Experience Partnerships; Classroom Management; Literacy
- kingb@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- Dr. Suzanne Kucharczyk
- Research practices for Autism Spectrum Disorders, transition services to adult life
- suzannek@uark.edu
- Dr. Yi-Jung Lee
- Mathematics education, mathematics game design, cognitively guided instruction
- yl049@uark.edu
- Dr. Elizabeth Lorah
- Artificial intelligence for parent training, applied behavioral analysis, augmentative and alternative communication, Autism Spectrum Disorder
- lorah@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- Dr. Sarah McKenzie
- Arkansas education, school accountability, Value-Added models
- scmcken@uark.edu
- Project types: Research-Based
- Dr. Derrick Mears
- Educational media, web design, technology integration in schools, personalized learning
- dmears@uark.edu
- Dr. Denise Mounts
- Mentoring practices, emotional intelligence
- dmounts@uark.edu
- Dr. Betsy Orr
- Teacher education, artificial intelligence, technology in teaching, business technology
- Project tracks: Expanded Literature Review
- borr@uark.edu
- Dr. Christine Ralston
- Literacy, assessment, action research, STEM, makerspace, tutoring
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- cralston@uark.edu
- Dr. Melissa Savage
- Physical activity, intellectual disability, autism, assistive technology, adaptive movement, nutrition
- Project tracks: Research-based
- mns029@uark.edu
- Dr. Tom Smith
- Disabilities-related inclusion & legal issues
- tecsmith@uark.edu
- Dr. Renee Speight
- Special education
- rspeight@uark.edu
- Dr. Jonathan Wai
- Education policy, psychology, gifted education, talent development, expertise
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- jwai@uark.edu
- Dr. Peggy Ward
- Science education, scientific literacy, inquiry, learning theory, culturally relevant teaching, AI in education
- pdward@uark.edu
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- Dr. Cathy Wissehr
- Environmental science education, informal outdoor learning, rural education
- cwissehr@uark.edu
- Dr. Heather Young
- Literacy education & assessment, children's literature
- hkindall@uark.edu
- Dr. Anqi Deng
- Developing innovative and holistic physical activity interventions for K-12 youth and their key social influencers, including teachers, staff, and parents, with the goal of promoting lifelong physical activity (physical literacy) within school and community settings.
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- adeng@uark.edu
- Dr. Robert Elbin
- Effects of sport-related concussion in youth and adolescent populations, risk & recovery from sport-related concussion, best practices for assessment, management & treatment of concussion
- rjelbin@uark.edu
- Dr. Kaitlin Gallagher
-
Biomechanics, ergonomics, occupational health, pain, workplace health, musculoskeletal health
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- kmg014@uark.edu
-
- Dr. Michelle Gray
- Exercise training among older adults, importance of lean mass in older adults, cognition throughout the lifespan
- rgray@uark.edu
- Dr. Nicholas Greene
- Instigating factors of muscle wasting, specifically cancer cachexia
- npgreene@uark.edu
- Dr. Erin Howie Hickey
- Physical activity interventions in children, effects of chronic & acute physical activity on educational outcomes, influence of mobile technology on children's activity, movement, and behavior
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- ekhowie@uark.edu
- Dr. Ashlyn Jendro
- Gait biomechanics
- amjendro@uark.edu
- Dr. Brendon McDermott
- Preventive measures and treatment modalities for heat illness, hydration behaviors and fluid balance factors, interaction between beverage consumption, heat and work stress on the kidneys
- brendonm@uark.edu
- Dr. Zachary McKenna
- Investigating the effects of exercise and environmental stressors (namely heat and hypoxia) on integrative physiology in health and disease states
- ztmckenn@uark.edu
- Dr. Kevin Murach
- Adult skeletal muscle mass regulation in the context of exercise, aging, and beyond
- kmurach@uark.edu
- Dr. Megan Rosa-Caldwell
- Muscle, anorexia nervosa, physiology, mitochondria, animal research, molecular biology
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- mrosa@uark.edu
- Dr. Abigail Schmitt
- Understanding how gait and postural control are altered by injury and disease
- acs063@uark.edu
- Dr. Tyrone Washington
- Cellular signaling within skeletal muscle induced by aging, obesity, cancer cachexia, regeneration, or altered loading
- tawashing@uark.edu
- Jeanice Ball
- Maternal Health and School Nursing
- jeaniceb@uark.edu
- Dr. Hope Ballentine
- Prenatal care, nutrition, integrative health, nursing curriculum
- hopeb@uark.edu
- Diana Dunbar
- Critical care, family practice, hospice
- drdunbar@uark.edu
- BJ Garrett
- Palliative care/end of life, study skills, gastrointestinal disorders
- bg020@uark.edu
- Dr. Kelsey Gilmet
- Vulnerable populations, adolescent health, public health nursing, resilience
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Practice-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- gilmet@uark.edu
- David Hall
- Pathophysiology and nursing education
- dhhall@uark.edu
- Dr. Michele Kilmer
- Animal-assisted therapy, pediatric autism, barriers to access of care
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- michelek@uark.edu
- Dr. Thomas Kippenbrock
- Nurse Practitioners providing health care to rural Arkansas, the Mississippi Delta, and the Southern region
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- tkippen@uark.edu
- Dr. Peggy Lee
- Nursing workforce and faculty, generational differences in nursing
- pblee@uark.edu
- Dr. Marilou Shreve
- Pediatric health, Pediatric obesity, Health Promotion in Pediatrics
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- mdshreve@uark.edu
- Dr. Kelly Vowell Johnson
- Tiny Tusks, lactation support
- kvjohnso@uark.edu
- Dr. Steven Wheeler
- Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery and Rehabilitation
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- wheelers@uark.edu
- Dr. Divya Bhagianadh
- Home and community based services, end-of-life care, healthy aging, policy evaluation
- divyab@uark.edu
- Dr. Shristi Bhochhibhoya
- Adolescent health, sexual health, social determinants of health
- Project tracks: Research-Based, Expanded Literature Review
- shristib@uark.edu
- Dr. Mance Buttram
- Social environmental context of substance use and related HIV transmission risk behaviors, diversion and non-medical use of prescription drugs
- mance@uark.edu
- Dr. Robert Davis
- Behavioral domain of substance use, behavioral theory
- red007@uark.edu
- Dr. Page Dobbs
- Tobacco regulatory science, quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, mixed-methods research
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- pdobbs@uark.edu
- Dr. Bart Hammig
- Unintentional injury, substance use, firearms, violence, suicide
- Project tracks: Research-Based
- bhammig@uark.edu
- Dr. Ches Jones
- Sports and recreational injury prevention, childhood and adolescent injury prevention
- ches@uark.edu
- Dr. Beth Weichold
- Faculty sexual misconduct on students in higher education, sexual health, sexual violence prevention and management, impacts of purity culture
- weichold@uark.edu
- Dr. Michael Hoover
- Leadership development in outdoor recreation, outdoor recreation participant and visitor experiences, risk management strategies in outdoor recreation
- mdhoover@uark.edu
- Dr. Anup K C
- Outdoor recreation and its impact on local economy and health, risk of vector borne (mosquito and tick borne) diseases in parks and outdoor recreational areas, environmental attitudes/behaviors of outdoor recreationists, outdoor recreation/parks and environmental issues
- akc@uark.edu
- Dr. Craig Schmitt
- Dr. Jack Kern
- Physical education curricula & methodology
- jkern@uark.edu
- Dr. Cathy Lirgg
- Self-efficacy, adapted physical education
- clirgg@uark.edu
- Dr. Angela Smith-Nix
- Legal issues & risk management in physical education, athletics, coaching, teaching, and aquatic management
- ansmith@uark.edu
Other Tips for Finding a Mentor
Sometimes finding your faculty mentor isn't as easy as choosing a name from a list. Other great ways to research possible faculty mentors include utilizing directory pages on department websites and viewing examples of past honors theses/projects in ScholarWorks.
You can also work with a faculty mentor from outside your program or outside of the college, if desired. The Honors College Futures Hub has additional information about finding a faculty mentor.