News | College of Health and Human Sciences

The West Calumet Housing Complex was built in East Chicago in Northwest Indiana in the early 1970s, on the site of former plants that smelted, refined and salvaged lead. Even then, officials were unsure if the land previously zoned for heavy industry could be safe for residential housing. Research in the 1980s and ’90s revealed many of the 90% Black or Latino residents, especially children, had elevated blood lead levels. In 2009, the complex was declared a Superfund site that is severely polluted and was added to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List. In 2016, approximately 1,100 residents were told they should move out of the complex for their safety — initially with only 60 days’ notice.

The resulting media coverage and public and community meetings attracted Ellen Wells’ attention. Wells, a professor in the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences’ Department of Public Health and School of Health Sciences, studies environmental epidemiology, or how environmental issues impact the distribution, patterns and effects of disease in a population.

Written By: Stacey Mickelbart, smickelb@purdue.edu https://youtu.be/-mVQtwu8klc Videographer: Kelsey Getzin The West Calumet Housing Complex was built in East Chicago in Northwest Indiana in the early 1970s, on the site of former plants that smelted, refined and salvaged lead. Even then,...

For years, Laura Murray-Kolb, professor and head of Nutrition Science in the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences, has made strides in understanding iron deficiency in children and women of reproductive age — two groups that are statistically more susceptible to iron deficiencies according to the National Center for Health Statistics. While anemia is the most commonly thought-of form of iron deficiency, the condition across all its levels — mild, moderate or severe (anemia) — results in significant health consequences globally.

Written By: Rebecca Hoffa, rhoffa@purdue.edu For years, Laura Murray-Kolb, professor and head of Nutrition Science in the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences, has made strides in understanding iron deficiency in children and women of reproductive age —...

Dizzy Free PT concentrates on clients’ dizziness, vertigo and imbalance, including symptoms related to vestibular migraine, visual motion sensitivity and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, a common inner ear disorder that causes sudden episodes of a spinning sensation when the position of the head is changed. Owner and HHS alumna Carly Clevenger’s mission is to help clients feel steady and get their lives back.

Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu Finding the right career fit can be dizzying for an undergraduate student. That dizziness can also be a spark of inspiration. Carly (Francis) Clevenger, a 2016 Purdue University School of Health Sciences alumna, knew she...

Harmony Oliver and her 10 classmates are the first College of Health and Human Sciences undergraduates at Purdue in Indianapolis. The hospitality and tourism management major in Indianapolis was launched in August along with Department of Health and Kinesiology graduate programs in athletic training and sport management.

Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu For Harmony Oliver, being one of the first Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences undergraduates in Indianapolis means being close to home. The Indianapolis native chose the Purdue White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School...

When Purdue University Department of Nutrition Science alumna Mary Ellen Gilliam was a young girl, she was part of the free and reduced lunch program in her hometown of Gary, Indiana. Now assistant director of child nutrition for the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township and board president of the Indiana School Nutrition Association, Gilliam is making a difference for kids just like her.

Written By: Rebecca Hoffa, rhoffa@purdue.edu When Purdue University Department of Nutrition Science alumna Mary Ellen Gilliam was a young girl, she was part of the free and reduced lunch program in her hometown of Gary, Indiana. Now assistant director of...

Perfectionism, conscientiousness and orderliness tend to be seen as positive traits of high-achieving individuals. But what happens when they start affecting that individual’s relationships or ability to function in life?

Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is exactly that: a mental health condition centered around extreme perfectionism, conscientiousness and control. Unlike obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which is a mental health condition that includes unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and actions to mitigate the perceived threat (compulsions), OCPD isn’t perceived as a nuisance to the person experiencing the condition; it’s often first identified by the people closest to them in their lives.

Doug Samuel, professor of psychological sciences in Purdue University’s College of Health and Human Sciences, has focused a significant portion of his research on OCPD. He has recently made strides in helping provide frameworks for clinicians to assess when these traits are becoming problematic to ultimately help their patients live happier, more functional lives.

Written By: Rebecca Hoffa, rhoffa@purdue.edu Perfectionism, conscientiousness and orderliness tend to be seen as positive traits of high-achieving individuals. But what happens when they start affecting that individual’s relationships or ability to function in life? Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)...