College of Education gives researchers recognition

For Anthony Cuvo and Dale Ritzel, serving SIUC for more than 30 years finally earned them a day of recognition.

The College of Education and Human Resources had their first-ever Researchers of the Year awards Wednesday morning in the University Museum Auditorium in Faner Hall. The two men gave a lecture to a roomful of faculty and students on the research that earned them their awards, which include $2,000 for research expenses and each man also received a plaque.

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Norma Ewing, associate dean for Academic and Student Affairs, said the event came about when Keith Hillkirk, dean of the College of Education and Human Resources, as well as the some of the department chairs met last year and decided some of the researchers in the college deserved some kind of recognition.

Cuvo, professor in the Rehabilitation Institute, won for his research on some of the social interaction of autistic children. Cuvo went over some of the common problems autistic children often have with communication including posture, facial orientation and the possibility of attacking others. He also went over some of the misconceptions like autism being a form of mental retardation and the condition being caused by bad parenting.

It’s a neurological problem, Cuvo said.

His study included observing two groups of autistic children, the first being from the ages of three to four and the second group were as old as six.

The research, which began in fall 2000, included observing the children at school, collaborating with graduate students and lab work. Much of the study attempted to improve the social skills of the children through games and activities. One gave three children cookies, icing and sprinkles. Each child had control over one of the items and they had to work together to complete the pastries.

The project improved the social skills of the children and even got them to take part in show-and-tell. Cuvo said the subjects managed to socialize better and proved that they could co-exist with other children of their age group. He said one was actually in advanced reading.

He’s not that different from other children, Cuvo said.

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Ritzel, a professor in the department of Health Education and Recreation, focused his research on youths that were a bit older. Ritzel spent more than two years studying attitudes and behaviors of high school students toward drinking and driving and to develop media materials about the problem.

Ritzel chose four high schools from each of the 10 regions of the Illinois High School and College Driver Education Association and distributed 30 to 40 surveys to each. He also studied 10 private schools. The study found that 78 percent of the students said they had their first drink by the age of 16, but 53 percent said they do not participate in binge drinking. Ritzel said one of the most disturbing parts of the study found that 40 percent listed the car as their drinking location.

However, the study also showed that more than 60 percent of the students never took part in drinking and driving in the past year and another study, conducted at several universities, showed that 91 percent of college students do not attempt to drive after five drinks.

In creating a campaign against drinking and driving, Ritzel found print media, such as brochures, to be the most effective source. He said to develop a message, it was important to keep it simple, tell the truth, be consistent and highlight the norm of moderation. Ritzel said while the messages should be successful, teens and alcohol continue to be a dangerous subject.

I wish we could take a 12-year-old and make him 20 for his next birthday and just skip the teen years, Ritzel said.

After the lectures, Ewing said they went well and the department is hoping to make it an annual event.

Ritzel said he was honored to receive the award and welcomes the extra money, but the most important part of the reward is to bring attention to his research and what it finds.

[The reward] is something you don’t necessarily think about, Ritzel said. The monetary is not important. The recognition is what’s important.

Reporter Codell Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected]