Life Span Institute Blog

Here you can read our researchers' stories, special achievements, and other personable narratives.

Life Span Institute director honored

Colleagues and administrators gathered on Feb. 16 to honor Life Span Institute Director John Colombo for his service in interim roles during the past five years at KU.

KU Research Supports Competitive, Integrated Employment for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Research by KU scientists and others has long reinforced that career development opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities provide not only financial benefits, but improved physical and mental health, and better quality of life. Researchers also have established that with appropriate supports, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can participate in competitive integrated employment.

The LSI 2023 Collaboratory

More than 100 researchers, staff and graduate students from the KU Life Span Institute gathered in person for the 2023 Collaboratory on Jan. 12 to learn about the health of institute, discuss ways the COVID-19 pandemic has changed their work, and to focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in research. Director John Colombo gave an overview of the Life Span Institute and its 12 research centers. 

Keep in control of alcohol intake over the holidays with these tips

During the holidays, we are often inundated with opportunities for merry-making, but too much of some seasonal spirits can leave you feeling wrung out.

Staff Share Systems of Support for Employment and Transition with Disability Caucus

Staff from the KU Life Span Institute joined dozens of individuals with disabilities, advocates and professionals from across the state Aug. 10-12 at the Kansas Disability Caucus in Topeka, Kan. The event aims to provide opportunities for Kansans with disabilities to learn, share, and provide solutions to issues faced by the disability community. 

Mosconi to Co-Chair Annual Meeting of International Society for Autism Research

Matt Mosconi, interim associate director and senior scientist at the KU Life Span Institute, has been selected to help lead the scientific program for the International Society for Autism Research, or INSAR, over the next two years.

REDCap Reports With Longitudinal Data

This post will illustrate how to use reports and calculated fields in REDCap to “flatten” data across events and arms. It will cover the basics of setting up Events and Arms in a project, and then illustrate the problem with the default data “report” of all data. Finally, it will step through adding calculated fields in specific instruments to copy data across events.

KU Life Span Institute Finance Administrator Named Haskell Board of Regents President

Brittany Hall, a staff member at the KU Life Span Institute, has been elected president of the National Board of Regents of Haskell Indian Nations University. Hall has served as the board's alumni representative for more than a year and is a former adjunct instructor at Haskell. She will serve a two-year term that began in May 2022.

Online Surveys and Data Collection Tools

If you plan to have an open research survey that you distribute through email lists or social media, especially if you indicate that you will be compensating your survey subjects, you should expect to have your survey completed by “bots” and should plan accordingly. This post will try to address the specific scope of the problem and provide suggestions for how to make your survey less likely to be targeted by “bot” authors and other bad actors.

New members welcomed at SWIFT Education Center

In the last year, SWIFT Education Center welcomed more new staff members to their team. The expanded team will help the Center bring an equity-based, multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) to school districts across the country.