Academics

Emily Southmayd receives the Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Emily Southmayd received the Penn State Alumni Association Scholarship for Penn State Alumni in the Graduate School during the annual Graduate Student Awards Luncheon held on April 18 at the Nittany Lion Inn.

The purpose of the scholarship is to provide recognition and financial assistance to students who have been admitted to the Graduate School at Penn State as candidates for a graduate degree, who demonstrate academic excellence, and who received their undergraduate degree from the University.

Southmayd is a doctoral student in kinesiology. Her novel investigation distinguished the unique impact “that energy status and estrogen status have on bone density, geometry, and strength in exercising women.”

Southmayd’s nominator wrote, “This is the first study to isolate the true importance of the energetic component of bone loss independent from the estrogen component, and provides a strong argument to promote proper nutrition in exercising women and female athletes in order to maintain adequate energy stores and prevent metabolic perturbations that lead to bone loss.”

Southmayd also participates in two projects that are examining the impact that hormonal contraceptive use has on bone health. “The results of these investigations have the potential to inform physicians’ decisions about hormonal contraceptive prescription with regard for bone health,” the nominator wrote.  

Last Updated April 26, 2017