The Child Health Lab Wins 2026 Health Messaging Competition

The Child Health Lab is proud to announce that our submission, Microbes & Me: An Educational Coloring Book, has been awarded first place in the inaugural Cross Lerner Center Health Messaging Competition hosted by Columbia University.

To advance to the cross-school competition, our submission first competed in the university-wide preliminary Health Messaging Competition, where it was awarded second place. The top two finalists represented Syracuse University in the cross center competition with sister Lerner Centers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Medical Center.

Click the buttons below to view the placement announcements for the cross center competition and the preliminary SU-wide competition.

2026 Cross Lerner Center Student Competition SU Lerner Center Health Messaging Competition

“This is a really creative, thoughtful project that uses storytelling in a fun and effective way for kids and caregivers. The “microbes as friends” idea works really well and keeps the messaging positive and engaging. The design fits the format, and the plan is solid, with some room to expand reach. Overall, a strong, innovative project with great long-term potential.”

“This is a finished, professionally illustrated product with an exceptional evidence base, a concrete zero-cost dissemination plan, and strong social justice framing (countering harmful appearance-based messaging, free distribution removing cost barriers, reaching WIC and community health clinic families).”

SU Lerner Center Competition judge comments on Microbes & Me

About Microbes & Me

Related Resources

Educational

The Gut Foundation’s KidZone: For fun kid-friendly information about your microbial friends, visit the KidZone webpage on New Zealand’s Gut Foundation website: https://www.thegut.org.nz/kidzone/

Food Pantries

Disclosures

All illustrations and visual elements were hand-drawn by Megan Milligan with the exception of font styles. All text was authored by Milligan and informed by the resources and scholarly sources on the References slide above.

All other team members reviewed and edited the coloring book and oversaw the preparation of slides for competition submission and/or presented the submission at competition meetings.

No generative AI was used in the making of this project.

Prospective PhD Students

Dr. Kidwell will review doctoral student applications for the Fall 2026 semester.

Graduate students in the Child Health Lab are admitted to the clinical psychology doctoral program at Syracuse University and engage in research under the mentorship of Dr. Kidwell. Students interested in pediatric health psychology research would be a good fit for the Child Health Lab. Individuals who are interested in applying to the clinical psychology program are encouraged to meet our team, explore our current and recent projects, and email Dr. Kidwell with any questions at kmkidwel@syr.edu.

Thank you for your interest in our lab!

Psychology Research Building

The Child Health Lab is one of many SU psychology labs conducting child and adolescent research in the Psychology Research Building.

[Photos of CHL lab space coming soon].

Marley Education Center

The CHL uses two research hallways in the Marley Education Center. These consist of multiple workspaces for graduate students and RAs as well as rooms for study administration and group meetings.

One of the two research hallways and an example of a graduate student workspace used as needed by graduate students conducting or overseeing research studies.

There is a designated group space for undergraduate research assistants. RAs may use this space as needed when training, running study visits, or completing any other lab work.

Our Anthropometrics Room provides a private space in which we measure participant height, weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference.

Below is an example of a research administration space (equipped with chairs, a filing cabinet, and a round table).

End-of-Semester Updates: Spring 2025

CHL Publications

Dr. Kidwell and the lab published four peer-reviewed manuscripts in academic journals this semester! See the full citations listed on our Publications page.

  • Adolescent health behavior profiles and associations with mental health in a longitudinal study (Kidwell et al., 2025)
  • COVID-19 worry, coping techniques, and sleep-related impairment (Deyo et al., 2025)
  • Commentary: Teens, screens, and sleep: the important role of screen time in the pathway between adolescent insomnia and obesity (Vrabec & Kidwell, 2025)
  • A meta-analysis of bi-directional associations between sleep health and substance use among U.S. youth: Racial/Ethnic differences (Dobani et al., 2025)

CHL Undergraduate Honors Projects

Congratulations to Olivia Adamson and Grace Engel, two CHL undergraduate RAs who successfully defended their honors research projects this semester!

  • Olivia Adamson completed an honors project entitled A Balancing Act Between Winning and Well-Being: Investigating the Intersection of Student Athlete Mental-Health and Peak Performance.
  • Grace Engel completed an honors project entitled Physical Fitness and the Mind: Exercise and its Impact on Mental Health and Resilience.

CHL featured in SU News Article

CHL featured in SU News Article: Funding Research that Improves Health and Shortens ‘Bench to Bedside’ Time

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 Dr. Kidwell and the CHL were featured in a recent article showcasing Kathy Walters and her husband Stan’s generous support of research through the Walters Endowed Fund for Science Research. This fund supports research and discovery that addresses grand challenges facing global and human health.

Read the full article by Eileen Korey: Funding Research that Improves Health and Shortens ‘Bench to Bedside’ Time