Main Research Priorities

Developing holistic health interventions for those in need.

Understanding the needs and desires of target populations.

Examine the contexts and environmental factors that influence health:

  • Occupation
  • Rurality
  • Family and chiildren

Primary Location: 279B Forker Building

The health intervention research team (HIRT) utilizes multiple, cutting-edge technology to design, test, and implement health promotion interventions. We utilize a shared space model in our department with in-person data collection occurring in Dr. Welk’s Physical Activity and Health Promotion Lab (Room 164L and 164M Forker Building), intervention space in Forker (189 Forker), and an off-campus intervention and research suite at Research Park (RP6). For all other tasks, remote data collection, data analysis, workstations, and equipment storage are housed in 279B Forker Building.

Health Intervention Research Laboratory (279B) – under development

  • Workstations for data processing
  • Docking stations for monitors and devices
  • activPALs (physical activity and sedentary behavior measures)
  • GENEActive (sleep and physical activity measures)
  • Video conferencing capabilities for remote visits
  • REDCap and Qualtrics access
  • R and SAS statistical software packages

Intervention Spaces (RP6 and 189)

  • Private assessment rooms
  • DEXA
  • BodPod
  • Treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals, and Lode ergometers (1 tradition & 1 recombinant) for exercise testing (with associated Lode software installed)
  • Keiser with Keiser chips: Leg press, squat machine, leg curl, leg extension, triceps extension, biceps curl, chest press, row, military press, and lat pull down
  • Additional exercise equipment – exercise mats & exercise bands

Director: Jacob Gallagher

Key Collaborators and Contributors:

  • Greg Welk (Kinesiology)
  • Lyndi Buckingham-Schutt (Family Science and Human Nutrition)
  • David Brown (Mental Health extension and Outreach Specialist)
  • Andrea Bjornestad (Mental Health Extension, South Dakota State University)
  • Kara Whitaker (Pregnancy, University of Iowa)