Alex Lee, a fourth-year Ph. D. candidate in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics (HOBI), has been selected as a winner of the 2019 University Women’s Club (UWC) Graduate Scholarship Award.
Lee was chosen by the UWC because of her research in pediatric obesity, which focuses on identifying methods to effectively empower adolescents to initiate and maintain healthy lifestyle behaviors. Her research explores how certain social factors, such as social status, food insecurity, neighborhood characteristics and discrimination, influence adolescents’ physical activity levels.
Lee was one of five graduate students at UF to receive a $1,000 award from UWC based on scholastic excellence and personal qualities exemplifying character and leadership skills. Lee was nominated by Michelle Cardel, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., an assistant professor at HOBI who serves as Lee’s faculty advisor and research mentor.
“Alex strives to embody the qualities of a servant leader, someone who leads by meeting the needs of others so that they can become the best versions of themselves,” said Cardel. “Her selflessness, grace, and the genuine kindness she extends to others is inspiring to those of us who work with her.”
Lee hopes to use the award toward travel for scientific conferences and research-related expenses associated with her dissertation.
Lee earned her bachelor’s degree in applied physiology and kinesiology from UF in May 2015, and is a certified exercise physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine. She works with the Cardel Lab as a graduate student fellow in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics.