May 8, 2026 By CDHD CDHD student trainees present at OUR Research Symposium You may know the CDHD Student Trainee program offers University of Idaho students the opportunity to gain real-world job experience with our projects. But did you know that they also have the opportunity to undertake research while they’re working with us? Three trainees did just that this semester, working with Interdisciplinary Trainee Program Director Erik Luvaas to complete research projects on topics of their choice. This culminated in all three students presenting their research at the University of Idaho OUR Student Research Symposium. This annual, university-wide event showcases and celebrates undergraduate research in all disciplines. Corey Dix, Natalie Tomsic and Avery Zill all presented their research on disability related subjects. Fellow trainee, Haley Sprague also presented on research she completed outside of the Center related to phase angle and cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults. "Throughout my research process, I have taken the need to reflect students' voices in study results. By conducting one-on-one interviews in addition to a survey about student experience on campus about disability and mental health, I am able to provide insight for those who may be unknowing about this topic at the Undergraduate Research Symposium, "said Corey Dix. "While I am still in the data collection phase, I look forward to future data analysis and proper thematic analysis to fully actualize the benefits of mixed-methods research. This has been an amazing experience!". Mental Health Aid for Students with Disabilities Corey Dix is working on a research project that looks at the unique challenges of students with disabilities with co-occurring mental health issues. This project also examined how structural supports impact university students with disabilities’ mental health. An initial survey gathered information on academics, mental health services and social spheres for university students. This includes campus resources, counseling and mental health center experiences, and social inclusion. 148 students completed the survey, with 58% identifying as having a disability. 26% met the criteria for clinically significant mental health symptoms. Next steps are to collate data and conduct interviews with willing survey participants to better understand their experience. Ultimately, Corey will complete a report of data for the University of Idaho to help improve mental health services on campus. Behavioral and Cognitive Outcomes for Children with ADHD Natalie Tomsic and Avery Zill collaborated on a project examining the impact of emotive intelligent spaces (EIS) on behavioral and cognitive outcomes for children with ADHD. It asked the question of whether EIS affect self-regulation and working memory in children ages 3-12 with ADHD. 30 children participated in the research. Avery and Natalie measured self-regulation and working memory in a simulated classroom before and after lighting changes. It will test the affects of three different settings (natural lighting, child’s preferred lighting, and blue lighting). The hypothesis was that the children would experience improved attention and a more regulated emotional state under their preferred and blue lighting conditions. This project built on a previous study by Shiyi Chen, Minyoung Cerruti, Mona Ghandi and Ling-Ling Tsao that looked at the impact of EIS on children’s behavioral and cognitive outcomes. Avery and Natalie sought to explore the implication that removing visual overstimulation will improve memory and focus for children in classrooms.