CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development presented the HHD Research Excellence and Innovation Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 6 and Thursday, Nov. 7 at the USU East Conference Center. The conference was established in the 2022-2023 academic year by the Dean of HHD, Mechelle Best to highlight research and collaboration within the college.

The event featured a variety of presentations, including workshops, panel discussions, academic papers, live research presentations, posters and exhibits. Guest speakers included Mike Paciello, chief accessibility officer at AudioEye, a company that focuses on making the internet accessible for the one in six people globally living with a disability.

“I aligned with the mission of the college itself, because being a kind of a leading institution in terms of developing professionals in the field of health and human development– that includes a whole plethora of different advocacy, or– not advocacy– job opportunities in terms of professional development,” said Paciello. “I was very, very overwhelmed and very thankful, very appreciative of the heroes award that was given to me and to further encourage the college to expand on the efforts they’ve already made.”

Paciello received the HHD Heroes Award, a CSUN Award that honors and recognizes a community member who has excelled in their profession. He emphasized the importance of caregiving, the need to improve nursing homes and expressed his gratitude for being invited to the event.

Andrew Spencer, president of the Caribbean Maritime University and former CEO of Jamaica Tourism Authority was another keynote speaker. He discussed the importance of integrating creative and scientific approaches, highlighting his efforts to partner the university with banks, art ministries, entertainers and other fields of innovation.

“Usually there are parameters and borders that restrict how much ideation can take place outside of the norms. And I’m saying normal thinking has never led to any real breakthrough in this world. So that’s what I’m saying, it almost needs to become revolutionary and disciplinary for us to be able to have the next wave of innovations,” said Spencer.

Students also had the opportunity to showcase their research to the broader spectrum within the College of Health and Human Development. Rachel Regi, a communication disorders and science student, noted the conference’s value as a resource for aspiring researchers.

“I think it’s good supplemental information to what you’re learning in your classes. If you kind of have an inkling that you want to get into research, it’s a good starting point to see what gaps there are right now, just to see what you could potentially look into more,” said Regi.

The conference demonstrated the creativity and innovation within the College of Health and Human Development, offering attendees a chance to engage with diverse ideas and highlight the efforts of various institutions and students working towards a better future.