Here at the University of Evansville, we are blessed to have many talented faculty who are dedicated to both teaching and research. Our faculty profoundly impact not only the students they teach here at UE but also the many communities touched by their research. In October I had the pleasure of sitting down with Dr. William Miller from the School of Health Sciences to talk about a new research study that will connect UE’s exercise and sport science students and faculty with doctors, professors, and patients across the Evansville area and positively impact the health of our community. The conversation reminded me instantly of the University of Evansville’s new motto, “Changing Lives, Changing the World.” Here is a glimpse into how doctors are changing lives right here in Evansville and empowering UE’s exercise and sports science students to do the same. 

Dr. Miller is only in his third year as a professor at the University of Evansville but is already well-connected with the local health sciences community. He and a team of doctors and professors will be bringing change to underserved patients in the Evansville area through their project “Building Bridges: A Community-University Partnership for a Home-Based Resistance-Band Exercise Study in Prediabetics from Underserved Communities.” The goal of the program is to help those at risk for diabetes by implementing an exercise program to lower their blood sugar and body fat and increase their muscle mass. At the same time, participants will learn about the importance of physical activity and form healthy habits during the three-month exercise program. 

Diabetes and community-based programs are both new research directions for Dr. Miller, but collaborating with other local professionals is allowing him to use his exercise physiology expertise to help those who are already working with prediabetic communities in need of care. Dr. Miller stressed the importance of networking, explaining that research opportunities can come down to who you know, but the only way to get to know people is to be proactive and get outside your comfort zone. This is especially true early in a career, and it’s never too soon to start! 

Tips for Networking:

1. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and put yourself out there. 

2. Take advantage of the small departments and class sizes at UE to ask questions and talk with your advisor and professors. 

3. Pursue a wide variety of interests and experiences that will make you well-rounded. You never know what will interest you or what you’ll find helpful in your career! 

Dr. Miller came across this research opportunity while talking with one of his colleagues right here at the University of Evansville, showing how the personal connections forged within departments at small colleges like UE can pay off. Since then, a team of professors and doctors from three universities and two medical facilities has joined forces to shape the research study. After many meetings spent planning, the project is now ready to launch a mock trial in the spring 2025 semester before beginning to accept patients from Evansville shortly thereafter. Different team members will handle different aspects of the project from physical exams and facilities to scheduling and recruitment to the student help with leading the exercise sessions. 

Collaboration is Key: A local network of doctors is making this project possible.   

Dr. William Miller, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor in the School of Health Sciences, University of Evansville 

Dr. Cody Strom, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Sport, University of Southern Indiana

Dr. Pearl Quartey-Kumapley, M.D. – Medical Director, Deaconess Clinic Memorial

Dr. David Lippman, M.D. – Medical Director, Evansville Community Healthcare Center

Dr. Kara Garcia, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University

Dr. Josh Wildeman – Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Southern Indiana

David Goodrich – Director, Deaconess Research Institute at Deaconess Health System

As I mentioned, Dr. Miller and the rest of the research team have put an incredible amount of planning into setting this program up for success. It is difficult to fully account for every problem or logistical detail that will arise in a project like this one, but their goal is to anticipate as many as possible to streamline the research process. Local doctors who are already working with underserved patients have used their first-hand experience to help identify and plan for potential challenges such as by providing Uber gift cards to accommodate patients’ lack of transportation to and from clinics. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for a wide variety of people to participate and include individuals previously excluded from health care. 

In addition to planning, it also takes a lot of funding to make programs like these possible. Finding adequate funding is perhaps a universal struggle within academic research, and yet grant writing is not a skill typically taught in classes. Therefore, I was interested to hear Dr. Miller’s thoughts and experiences in this area of his research planning. Dr. Miller learned to write grants while looking for funding during his master’s program and has been applying for them ever since. Through his efforts, the Building Bridges research program received a $25,000 Trailblazer Grant through Indiana’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI), which makes grants available specifically for projects forming new community partnerships. These grants generally go to much larger schools like Indiana University and Purdue, which speaks well of the quality of research being done by Dr. Miller and his team. 

Tips for Applying for Funding: 

1. Do research into the organization you’re applying to and follow the instructions or template they give you. 

2. Explain your project in a way that those evaluating your proposal can understand it and grasp its importance even if they aren’t experts in your field. 

3. Break time-consuming or overwhelming applications into bite-sized chunks and start far in advance of the deadline. 

4. Don’t be afraid to ask businesses or organizations if they give discounts to students or people using their products or services for research purposes. 

5. Be prepared to write an accurate budget and justify your costs. When doing so, remember to leave funding for unforeseen complications and costs. 

6. Seek advice from people who have been successful grant writers and remember it’s ok to ask for help. 

7. Don’t be afraid to fail and always learn from the feedback you receive on your applications. 

Besides funding, another challenge in research is the sheer amount of time involved. Large-scale research studies like this one take time to plan, execute, and document and are usually not a part of a professor’s “real job” (i.e., teaching students). Dr. Miller’s story of balancing time spent teaching, researching, and fulfilling other commitments was reminiscent of college students’ busy schedules and reminded me that time management will always be a crucial skill. 

Once the program is running, doctors and student assistants will take at least 50 volunteers through a three-month course of exercise classes to head off diabetes by replacing sedentary lifestyles with healthy exercise habits. By using simple equipment like resistance bands and virtual classes available on the patients’ cell phones, the team hopes to overcome barriers to health care by providing education about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and increasing the patient’s sense of self-efficacy. These lessons have the potential to yield life-long benefits for patients well beyond the time spent in this program.  

In addition to helping lessen the massive health disparity in Vanderburgh County, this project will also benefit students at UE by giving them valuable experience with research and practice in teaching, motivating, and guiding patients during the health program. Students will lead the virtual exercise sessions in the program next spring and summer and help present the study’s results after the first round of patients finish the three-month program by the fall of 2025. From there, the research team hopes to use the data they collect in the first phase to build their case for future grants to expand the scope and geographic area of the project. 

Dr. Miller’s research project provides a fantastic example of the ways that students can get involved in tackling real-world problems here at the University of Evansville. Dr. Miller encouraged all students to get involved in research if they are interested, no matter what their department. From taking advantage of opportunities for research papers or projects within coursework to working with professors on their projects, students at UE have the chance to take learning into their own hands. Throughout the interview, Dr. Miller often reiterated “You get out what you put in.” As students, we can start having amazing academic experiences right now if we aren’t afraid to seek out and create opportunities. 

Stay tuned for future faculty research spotlights in upcoming issues of Crescent Magazine! 

Are you a faculty member who is interested in being featured? Contact Grace Gleisner at gg126@evansville.edu.