When school health care providers and researchers from around the nation gather in Denver in October, they will get an eyeful of Fort Valley State University.

Fourteen of the 19 student research presentations accepted for the 83rd annual American School Health Association National Conference are the work of graduates of the master’s of public health program at the university’s Warner Robins campus.

“Our students select research thesis topics that are important to them and are relevant to national public health concerns,” said William Zimmerli, professor and research thesis advisor to the graduates. “That so many of our graduates’ work was accepted by the selection committee says a lot about the quality of their research.”

Presentations from local students at the conference include:

• “Home Environment Influences on African American Adolescents’ Smoking Habits,” by Larry Bell;

• “Investigation of Environmental Influences on Juvenile Behavior Associated with Incarceration,” by Murielle Scott;

• “An Investigation of the Effects of Smoke-Free Ordinances on Restaurant Business,” by Patricia Grubbs McKenzie;

• “Assessing Environmental Attitudes at Fort Valley State University,” by Jacqueline Ragin;

• “Examining the Differences in Environmental Awareness between Undergraduate and Graduate students at Fort Valley State University,” by Chizu Hirata;

• “A Comparative Study of the Prevalence Rate of Cancer within a Three-Mile Radius of the Powersville Landfill, Peach County, Georgia,” by Pinky Patel;

• “A Meta-Analysis of Studies That Investigated Stress as an Environmental Cause of Preterm Births,” by Beverly Jean Kelly;

• “Investigating the Relationship between Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease, Poverty Levels and Household Income in Georgia,” by Erica Wilson;

• “Investigating Storm Drainage Ponds and Stagnated Areas for West Nile Virus Mosquitoes,” by Kaye Knowles;

• “Determining the Presence of West Nile Virus in Commercial Nurseries,” by Oreta Samples;

• “African American Women: South Beach Diet and Weight Loss,” by JoAnne Nobles;

• “A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship of Dietary and Intraperitoneal Acrylamide Exposure and Hemoglobin Adduct Levels in Rats,” by Antoinette Robinson-Smith;

• “African American Cultural Eating Patterns and the South Beach Diet,” by Nancy Jeffery; and

• “Environmental Factors Influencing Female College Students Decisions about Sexual Health,” by Yoshika Eason.

The conference will take place Oct. 28-31. The American School Health Association focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration, professional development and research to build and strengthen effective school health programs.