USU Highlights LGBTQ+ Research for Pride Month
To celebrate Pride Month in June, Utah State Today featured research and projects that relate to or benefit the LGBTQ+ community in a series called Celebrating Pride. Nearly half of the featured faculty and student researchers are part of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, and we are proud to have so many individuals dedicated to new lines of research in this vital and emerging field.
Read on to learn about each researcher and how their work supports the LGBTQ+ community.
Debbie Amundson: Addressing Transgender Voice Concerns through USU's Speech-Language Clinic
Speech-language pathologists can help change the way people speak and sound with voice and communication therapy. At the Speech and Language Clinic in the SCCE, Debbie Amundson provides this life-changing service to transgender individuals who wish to change their speech.
Steven P. Camicia: Creating and Implementing Inclusive Social Studies Standards in Schools
Camicia’s research focuses on ways to create more inclusive social studies curriculum. Camicia examines curriculum standards and instructional materials to identify the historical perspectives that are included and excluded from social studies curriculum.
Renee Galliher: Positive Identity Development Among Youth and Young Adults
Galliher’s lab is focused on identity development processes, emphasizing relational and cultural contexts. Their work examines patterns of risk and resilience related to important family and peer relationships, as well as cultural influences and the impact of prejudice and discrimination.
Colby Tofel-Grehl: CHAOS Learning Lab Provides Space and Resources for Queer Youth
Colby Tofel-Grehl conducts research within USU's CHAOS Learning Lab, which strives to engage teachers in hands-on, arts-integrated STEM, social studies, and computer science learning. They partner with Logan Pride to offer free summer camp and class experiences for LGBTQIA+ youth.
Sean Weeks: Examining the Effect of Psychological Inflexibility on Health in Sexual Minority Youth
Rates of substance abuse and suicidality tend to be worse in the sexual minority adolescent community, a trend often connected to minority stress as a main factor. This study examined psychological inflexibility as a possible further explanation for this disparity.
Mario Suarez: Understanding Factors Impacting Outcomes for Trans-Identified Workers and Students
Mario Suarez is involved in researching working conditions for trans-identified workers in education. The team hopes to influene policy changes that will make it possible for teachers and other workers in the educational system to thrive, be themselves, and serve their communities.
Tyler Lefevor: Understanding the Impact of a Conservative, Religious Upbringing
Tyler Lefevor is interested in understanding how sexual and gender minorities flourish, particularly when raised in conservative religious environments. He hopes to empower sexual and gender minorities, as well as those who care about them, to flourish.
Terry Peak and Julie Gast: Caregiving Among Men Married to Men
Terry Peak (left) and Julie Gast have published numerous studies with men who are married to men to investigate the role of partner support and its relationship to health behaviors in the context of gay marriage.