Brown School students earn top honors at Graduate Research Symposium   

Several students from the Brown School were recognized for their outstanding research at the 30th Annual Graduate Research Symposium, held March 27 at the Eric P. Newman Education Center on the Medical Campus. 

Hosted by the Graduate and Professional Student Council in partnership with the Graduate Center, the symposium featured more than 90 graduate and professional students from a wide range of academic disciplines. Participants competed for cash prizes in both oral and poster presentations, which were judged on content, clarity, and delivery. 

• Isheeta Gupta, a dual-degree master’s student in public health and social work, earned first place overall for her poster “Social Comparison: An Analysis of the Impact of Increased Use of Social Media on Self-Esteem in Emerging Adult Population.” Her research examined how social media use affects self-esteem among emerging adults, with a focus on demographic factors. 
  
  
• Gifty Aboagye-Mensah, who is set to graduate in May with a master’s in public health, won first place in the Professional category and received the Excellence in Research on Social Themes Award. Her poster, “Empowering Haitian Infants by Translating Dietary Diversity into Developmental Gains,” explored the relationship between dietary diversity and developmental outcomes in infants across several domains, including communication, motor skills and problem-solving. 
  
  
• Vishnuvardhan Thotakura, who’s also set to graduate in May with an MPH, took second place in the Professional category for his poster, “Association of BMI and Predictors with Coronary Heart Disease: A Secondary Analysis.” His study investigated the relationship between body mass index and the risk of coronary heart disease. 
  
  
• Jihye Lee, a PhD student in social work, earned second place in the Social Science category for her oral presentation, “Multidimensional Deprivation Among Newly Resettled Afghans in the U.S.” Her research highlights the complex dimensions of poverty shaping Afghan refugees’ economic integration in St. Louis, which draws from Russell Sage Foundation-funded study on Economic Integration and Poverty Among Newly Resettled Afghans.

The symposium showcased a wide range of scholarly work from across the university, including primary research, literature reviews, case studies and methodological innovations. In addition to the presentations, the event featured networking opportunities and a keynote address, underscoring the university’s commitment to academic excellence and cross-disciplinary collaboration.