Meet the Directors

Deborah Good and Samantha Harden are the program co-directors for the TOUR Scholars.

Deborah Good is an associate professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, with adjunct appointments in the Department of Biochemistry, and the Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health graduate program. Her research studies the role of a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, Nhlh2, in hypothalamic body weight regulation through motivated exercise. Good has more than 20 years experience in mentoring undergraduates in research projects, and more than 10 years experience in running undergraduate research programs at Virginia Tech.

As an associate professor with the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Samantha Harden has both a research and Extension appointment. She directs the Physical Activity Research and Community Implementation (PARCI) Laboratory, where the overarching goal of her research is to decrease health risks, such as diabetes, obesity, and other related co-morbidities through targeted community-based health and lifestyle interventions. Two cornerstones of Harden’s work include group dynamics and integrated research-practice partnerships. She has successfully mentored graduate students at both the master's and doctoral levels.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

• Anne Brown, assistant professor, Department of Biochemistry
  
• Carmen Byker-Shanks, assistant professor, University of Montana, former USDA Scholar
• Alicia Cohen, associate director of Diversity Education, Office of Diversity and Inclusion
• Emily Evans-Hoeker, ex officio
• Deborah Good, ex officio
• Samantha Harden, associate professor, Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
• Amanda MacDonald, librarian, Undergraduate Research Services
  
• Keri Swabi, director, Office of Undergraduate Research
• Kevin Davy, professor, Deptartment of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise