UNMC MMI logo; gold, red, grey header; Chelli in circle frame; Research Achievement details – Title: Bright Futures: Empowering Children with CVI at Munroe-Meyer Institute; Description: The goal of this project is to develop a multidisciplinary cortical visual impairment (CVI) clinic that provides comprehensive and individualized care for children and young adults diagnosed with CVI. Services address functional vision, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), mobility, and positioning needs. The diverse expertise of our team, including specialists in OT, SLP, PT, and engineering, uniquely positions us to integrate clinical insight with innovative adaptations and technologies customized to address each child’s unique needs. Collaborators on this project include: Ryan Thomas (Research), Dr. Susan Fager (Speech Language Pathology), and Dr. Susan Riley (Physical Therapy)

🎉Please join us in congratulating Chelli Westengaard on receiving an MMI Guild Grant!

Chelli is the Director of the Department of Occupational Therapy at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch #ResearchAchievement #Research #mmiOccupationalTherapy #mmiOT

UNMC MMI logo; gold, red, grey header; Mary in circle frame; Research Achievement details – text: Title: Empowering Caregivers: Integrating a Coaching Framework with Project ImPACT; Description: This project will introduce a proven, evidence-based program, Project ImPACT (Improving Parents as Communication Teachers), to the ACT Clinics. Project ImPACT is a model that explores everyday routines and play to help children develop communication, social skills, and engagement. The initiative will elevate caregiver engagement and measurably improve outcomes for children with autism and their families. Collaborators on this project include: Co-investigator Amber Paden (iCASD), Chandler Pederson (iCASD), Eden Bauer (iCASD), and Leslie Castano Van Winkle (Speech Language Pathology)

🎉Please join us in congratulating Dr. Mary Halbur on receiving an MMI Guild Grant!

Mary is an Assistant Professor & Clinical Director of ACTION in the Department of integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch #ResearchAchievement #Research #mmiiCASD

UNMC MMI logo; gold, red, grey header; Rachel in circle frame; Research Achievement details – text: Title: Development of biofeedback instrumentation for the treatment of pediatric feeding disorder; Description: The goals of this project include: 1) Development and testing of a specialized spoon to measure tongue placement and pressure in the treatment of swallowing difficulties, and 2) Development and testing of a utensil to measure bite force when teaching a child how to chew for the first time. Collaborators on this project include: Dr. Amy Drayton (Pediatric Feeding), Dr. Brian Knarr (UNO Biomechanics), Dr. David Kingston (UNO Biomechanics), Dr. Bethany Hansen (Pediatric Feeding), Ilissa Frye (PhD student), and Sidni Trotter (Speech Language Pathology).

🎉Please join us in congratulating Dr. Rachel Knight on receiving an MMI Guild Grant!

Rachel is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatric Feeding Disorders.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch #ResearchAchievement #Research

Research achievement notification; info as listed in post; text: Comparing Structured and Natural Naming Experience on Incidental Bidirectional Naming in Children with Autism; Description: Children with autism and language delays often require direct teaching for every new word, which places a substantial burden on families and clinicians. In contrast, typically developing children learn words naturally through everyday interactions with their caregivers, a skill called incidental bidirectional naming (inc-BiN). This study investigates whether the learning environment affects how well children with autism can be assessed for and taught this critical language skill. The purpose of this study is to investigate if inc-BiN assessment results differ by setting and whether teaching in natural environments produces better generalization than structured teaching.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Katherine Liu on receiving a mini grant from the UNMC Child Health Research Institute (CHRI)!

Katherine is a post-doctoral fellow in the integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch #ResearchAchievement #Research #mmiiCASD

Flyer including photo of five teens standing together, smiling, and giving the “thumbs up” sign; UNMC MMI logo and branding; contact name and info; date and time info. Text: Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a research-supported treatment for teen depression that has been shown to reduce depression symptoms and the negative outcomes associated with depression, such as withdrawal from friends, struggles with school, and increased substance abuse. This spring, the psychology department at MMI will offer a brief group CBT treatment program for 14-17 year-olds with depression as part of an ongoing research study. This program will teach teens to recognize symptoms of depression and building coping strategies for managing depression symptoms. Sessions will be once a week for 8 weeks. Teen already seeing a therapist? -they may still be eligible to participate in our research about this group treatment.

This spring, the #mmiPsychology department at #unmcMMI will offer a #GroupTherapy CBT treatment program for teens with depression as part of a research study. Teens will learn how to recognize depression symptoms and build coping strategies.

#mmiResearch #TeenDepression

UNMC MMI logo and branding; Brandy in circle frame; Research Achievement details – text: Brandy L. Clarke, PhD, Professor, Director, Psychology. Title: Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration Grant Description: The goals are: (1) to expand the number of certified and licensed school psychologists training in comprehensive school mental health programming in rural and urban high-need local education agencies; and (2) improve the infrastructure of high-need local education agencies to build comprehensive programming. They will achieve these goals by attracting school psychology trainees to internship and fellowship training programs with placement sites in high-need schools and provide professional development for educators to increase capacity for supporting student wellbeing.

Congratulations to Dr. Brandy Clarke on receiving a demonstration grant from the Nebraska Department of Education! The grant is a collaboration with Dr. Amber Harstock as the Project Director and Dr. Clarke as the Project Co-Director.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch #ResearchAchievement #Research

UNMC MMI logo and branding; Erika in circle frame; Research Achievement details – text: Erika Franta Bretscher, PhD, Assistant Professor, Program Director of School Strategy, Psychology. Title: Nebraska's Expanded School-Based Mental Health Services Program Description: The goals are: (1) Increase the number of credentialed school psychologists servicing students in local education agencies with demonstrated needs participating in the project through recruitment and retention efforts with partnership educational service units and (2) Increase the number of credentialed school psychologists serving students in local education agencies with demonstrated needs participating in the project through respecialization efforts with partnership with UNL School Psychology Program.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Erika Franta on receiving a School-Based Mental Health Services Grant! The grant is a collaboration with the NE Dept of Edu with Dr. Amber Harstock as the Project Director & Erika as the MMI Project Director.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch #ResearchAchievement #Research

Research Achievement highlight; UNMC MMI logo and branding; Nikki in circle frame with name and title; award details; Text: Negative reinforcement learning in alcohol use disorder. Description: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a debilitating condition with poor long-term treatment outcomes, despite effective treatments for initial recovery. A common cause of relapse is anxiety that develops during abstinence, where individuals use alcohol for its negative reinforcing properties to remove anxiety that they experience. This project aims to better understand changes in negative reinforcement behaviors and their associated neural network during early abstinence from an AUD and in those not abstinent from an AUD.

Please join us in congratulating Nikki Zabik on receiving a Loan Repayment grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Dr. Zabik is a Research Assistant Professor in the Emotional Research Laboratory/Blackford Neuroscience Team.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

UNMC MMI logo and branding; Andrea in circle frame; text: Research achievement; R15 grant from the National Institute of Health; Andrea Baraldi Cunha, PT, PhD, Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy. Title: Enhancing Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Neurodiverse Children: BCI-Mediated Neurofeedback and Virtual Reality for Improved Engagement and Training Quality Description: The BCI-HABIT-VR project integrates brain-computer interface (BCI) technology with MMI's Virtual Reality therapy games to detect a child’s intention to move and stimulate their muscles, providing both sensory feedback and motor assistance. By linking brain signals to real-time feedback in an engaging VR environment, the system helps strengthen the brain-body connection during rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy. This project aims to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of BCI-HABIT-VR in improving upper extremity function in children with cerebral palsy, compared to HABIT-VR alone. Collaborators: Principal Investigator: Dr. Ahad Behboodi (UNO, Department of Biomechanics), Collaborators: Ryan Thomas (Department of Research), Elizabeth Fortin (Department of Physical Therapy), Consultant: Dr. James Gehringer. NIH R15 grants are research enhancement awards that support small-scale research projects at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees for a significant number of the Nation’s research scientists but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. 

Please join us in congratulating Andrea Cunha on receiving a R15 grant from the National Institute of Health. Dr. Cunha is a Co-Investigator on the project.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Research Achievement Highlight; UNMC MMI logo and branding; Alice Shillingsburg in circle frame; text: Award, Alice Shillingsburg, PhD, BCBA-D, LP, LBA, Professor, Department Director, Integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD); Investigating the Role of Gestures in Language Learning with Children with Autism; Early gesture use predicts later language milestones in neurotypically developing children and those with autism. It is hypothesized that deficits in initiating with and responding to gestures may impede language learning in the autistic population. Using a randomized between-subjects design we will compare word learning in young children with autism assigned to three experimental conditions with variations of gesture use during word-learning opportunities. Dr. Sarah Frampton is a Co-Investigator on this project.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Alice Shillingsburg on receiving a University of Nebraska Collaboration Initiative Grant from the Nebraska Research Initiative (NRI)!

Dr. Shillingsburg is Professor and Director of #mmiiCASD.

Learn more:
www.unmc.edu/mmi/services...

#unmcMMI #MMIresearch

Research Achievement Highlight; UNMC MMI logo and branding; Allison Grennan in circle frame; text: Bureau of Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals (BHWET) Grant; Allison Grennan, PhD, Associate Professor, Psychology; Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Grant; The BHWET is one of the major grants that supports the training of psychologists at MMI. With this grant, the training program is fully funded!

Please join us in congratulating Allison Grennan on receiving a Bureau of Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals (BHWET) grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). With this grant, the training program is fully funded!

#unmcMMI #MMIresearch

Research Achievement Highlight; UNMC MMI logo and branding; Rebecca Barall in circle frame; text: Public Awareness Grant from the Society for Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA). Rebecca Barall, Doctoral Student, ABA Doctoral Program. Applied Behavior Analysis for Neurorehabilitation: A Website to Disseminate Accurate Information and Resources. This grant will support the development of a public-facing website designed to disseminate accurate, evidence-based information on the use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in neurorehabilitation, providing accessible resources for individuals with acquired brain injuries, their caregivers, and families. Collaborators: Thurka Thillainathan, Chris Schaub, and Dr. Mike Mozzini.

Please join us in congratulating Rebecca Barall on receiving a Public Awareness Grant from the Society for Advancement of Behavior Analysis (SABA)!

Rebecca is a doctoral student in the ABA program and works in the integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Research Achievement Highlight; UNMC MMI logo and branding; Sangyoo in circle frame; text: "National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families Fellowship; Sangyoo Lee, PhD, Assistant Professor, EDUCATION; Sangyoo Lee was selected for the 2025 Fellowship Program for Research on Early Care and Education and Economic Well-Being Among Hispanic Children and Families. She is one of five early career scientists chosen for this program. This 12-month fellowship program provides seed research funds, mentorship, and professional development training for early career scholars. Her project will focus on determining how increases in SNAP benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic affected food sufficiency, health and healthcare utilization, and learning outcomes for families with young children, especially among Hispanic households."

Please join us in congratulating Sangyoo Lee on being selected for the 2025 Fellowship Program for Research on Early Care and Education and Economic Well-Being Among Hispanic Children and Families. She is one of five early career scientists chosen for this program.

#unmcMMI #MMIresearch

Research Achievement Highlight, UNMC MMI logo and branding, Holly in circle frame, text: HRSA Graduate Psychology Education Training Grant. Holly Roberts, PhD. Professor, Program Director of Integrated Primary Care. Psychology. Holly Roberts has received a Graduate Psychology Education Training Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This is one of the major funding sources for the MMI Psychology training program and a huge accomplishment! Holly Roberts is a Professor in the Department of Psychology.

Please join us in congratulating Holly Roberts on receiving a Graduate Psychology Education Training Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), one of the major funding sources for MMI's Psychology training program. What a huge accomplishment!

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Research Achievement Highlight, UNMC MMI logo and branding, Nikki in circle frame, text: Early Career Investigator Outstanding Paper Award, Nikki Zabik, PhD, Assistant Professor, Emotional Neuroscience Lab. Bed Nucledu of the stria terminalis network responses to unpredictable threat in early alcohol abstinence. Dr. Zabik received the 2025 Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research Journal Award for Early Career Investigator. This award is given to an early career investigator who recently published an outstanding paper in ACER that has a substantial impact on the field of alcohol research.

Join us in congratulating Nicole Zabik for receiving the annual award for Early Career Investigator Outstanding Paper from Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. This is the journal for the Research Society on Alcoholism, the national alcohol research society.

#unmcMMI #MMIresearch

Gold, red, grey header; white UNMC MMI logo and text reading "Research Achievement"; Chelli and Samantha in circle frames; text reads "MMI Guild Grant. Michelle Westengaard, OTR/L, BCP, Samantha Montemarano, MOT, OTR/L; Occupational Therapy. Title: Foundational Driving and Community Mobility Program for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Description: This program will help individuals who face challenges accessing local transportation to achieve independent mobility. Existing driving education often does not address diverse needs of the population. This pre-driving program will provide individuals with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with skills and confidence to navigate safely. It also will create a community driving track to teach individuals how to navigate public transit."

Please join us in congratulating Chelli Westengaard and Samantha Montemarano on receiving an MMI Guild Grant!

Other collaborators: Rachel Van Robays.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Gold, red, grey header; white UNMC MMI logo and text reading "Research Achievement"; Dr. Solness in circle frame; text reads "MMI Guild Grant; Cara Solness, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychology. Title: NICU Engaged Families Project: Addressing Disparities in Engagement Using Bedside Telehealth. Description: The project will create a telehealth platform allowing parents to connect with infants in the NICU remotely. Many families face barriers when a child is in the neonatal intensive care unit, including mental health challenges, distance, transportation issues and competing responsibilities. This program will support essential parent-infant interactions and promote healthy development. It aims to enhance parent engagement, responsiveness and sensitivity, ensuring that children reach their developmental potential. Dr. Varshney is a collaborator on this project."

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Cara Solness on receiving a MMI Guild Grant!

Other collaborators: Dr. Nishank Varshney.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Gold, red, grey header; white UNMC MMI logo and text reading "Research Achievement"; Dr. Shillingsburg in circle frame; text reads "Autism Science Foundation; Alice Shillingsburg, PhD, Professor, Department Director Integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD). Title: Empowering Profound Autism Caregivers to Improve their Child’s Independence. Description: Caregivers of children with profound autism often struggle to balance the need for constant care for their child with their own personal and social needs. This intervention will train caregivers to use picture-based activity schedules to improve their child’s independence. By assessing the effectiveness of this method through a randomized controlled trial, the study will provide valuable tools for caregivers, ultimately enhancing both the child’s independence and the family’s quality of life. Collaborators: Dr. Sullivan, Dr. Kupzyk, and Dr. Frampton."

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Alice Shillingsburg on receiving a grant from the Autism Science Foundation!

Other collaborators: Dr. Emily Sullivan, Dr. Kevin Kupzyk, Dr. Sarah Frampton.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Gold, red, grey header; white UNMC MMI logo and text reading "Research Achievement"; Nicole in circle frame; text reads "Child Health Research Institute Grant (CHRI). Nicole M. Rodriguez, PhD, Professor, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Title: Immersive virtual reality for teaching pedestrian safety skills for autistic children Description:  Autistic children face a higher risk of pedestrian accidents; teaching pedestrian safety skills in real-world environments can be dangerous, as many autistic children require repeated practice to learn new safety behaviors. This study proposes the development of a fully immersive VR training program designed to teach pedestrian safety skills to autistic children. Our study leverages realistic traffic scenarios and an omnidirectional treadmill to enhance engagement, promote naturalistic movement, and improve skill acquisition. Collaborators: Dr. Agana and Ryan Thomas."

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Nicole Rodriguez on receiving her Child Health Research Institute (CHRI) Grant!

Dr. Rodriguez is a Professor in the integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD).

Other collaborators: Dr. Toni Rose Agana and Ryan Thomas.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Gold, red, grey header; white UNMC MMI logo and text reading "Research Achievement"; Sidni in circle frame; text reads "MMI Guild Grant. Sidni Trotter, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language pathologist, Speech-Language Pathology. Title: Pediatric and Adult IDD Swallowing Assessment and Resource Program. Description: This project will develop a Pediatric and Adult IDD Swallowing Assessment and Resource program at MMI. The program would provide opportunities for individuals with IDD to prepare for assessments before their scheduled appointments, increasing the likelihood of their success, minimizing distress, and ultimately leading to improved outcomes. To reduce unfamiliarity and anxiety around the assessment, we aim to develop and use video-based educational resources and exposure-based behavioral interventions by exposing individuals to assessment processes, in person at MMI with purchased equipment, via video modules, and/or during practice visits at the main campus. Collaborators: Carol Gaebler, Dr. Gormley, and Dr. Knight."

Please join us in congratulating Sidni Trotter on receiving a MMI Guild Grant!

Sidni is a speech-language pathologist in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology.

Other collaborators: Carol Gaebler, Dr. Jessica Gormley, and Dr. Rachel Knight.

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch

Congratulations to my amazing post-doc, Dr. Nikki Zabik. She has received an F32 Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

#unmcMMI #mmiResearch