RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
HUMAN SCIENCES AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE
HUMAN SCIENCES AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY
This is a publication of the
Auburn University School
of Human Sciences
June M. Henton,
Dean
Arthur W. Avery,
Associate Dean
for Research
Written and designed by
the Department 
of
Research Information,
Alabama Agricultural
Experiment Station
Katie Smith,
Assistant Editor
Terry Rodriyuez,
Art Designer
The information contained
herein is available to all
persons regardless of race,
color sex, or national
origin.
Research in the School
of Human Sciences focuses on
quality of life issues for individ-
uals and families in 
Alabama,
throughout the nation, and
around the world. We have es-
tablished a faculty alliance for
research excellence dedicated
to improving the human condi-
tion. Our research scientists
address critical interpersonal
concerns and work to solve the
complex problems surrounding
the family and its near environ-
ment. Leading-edge research in
nutrition, food, and health,
complemented by equally sig-
nificant work on individual and
family development and con-
sumer and resource manage-
ment issues, exemplifies faculty
accomplishments. Much of this
research is done through the
Alabama Agricultural Experi-
ment Station in a partnership
approach that has served Ala-
bama well for many years. The
Human Sciences research
agenda calls for a commitment
to scientific excellence and fac-
ulty to serve as academic
leaders for the 21st century.
June M. Henton
Dean
Arthur W. Avery
Associate Dean for
Research
Alliance for Excellence
II
"Alabama,
with its many
textile
and apparel
companies,
has a unique
opportunity"
L
the State's manufacturing jobs.
When foreign competition and
other economic factors began to
cause severe financial problems
for the industry in the early
1980s, the repercussions were felt
in many of those small commu-
nities which relied so heavily on
the economic strength of their lo-
cal textile or apparel plants.
"We knew the economic
impact of these problems was sig-
nificant, but we are just begin-
ning to understand the effect on
the economic base of the com-
munity and the lives of the peo-
ple who work in and rely on these
industries," says Dr. Carol War-
field, a consumer affairs special-
ist and an expert in the areas of
textiles and apparel.
Warfield, who is coordi-
nator of Industry Relations and
an associate professor in the De-
partment of Consumer Affairs,
began to evaluate the conse-
quences of difficulties in the tex-
tile and apparel industry and to
develop a strategy which could
help alleviate current problems
and head off future ones.
"Major retailers 
are in-
creasingly saying they want to
buy more products domestically.
Alabama, with its many textile
and apparel companies, has a
he fabric of a com-
munity is woven from
many economic and social
threads which provide support
and comfort for its residents. In
some towns, the supporting
fibers come from numerous
sources and offer strength in
their diversity. But it is common
in Alabama, particularly in rural
areas of the State, for a single
business or industry to serve as
the common thread that binds a
community together. While these
one-industry communities tend
to be tightly-knit, their depen-
dence on a single enterprise can
also make them vulnerable to fi-
nancial problems within the in-
dustry.
That scenario has been
well documented in Alabama, es-
pecially in the textile and apparel
industry, the single largest em-
ployment sector in the State.
Each of Alabama's 67 counties
contains at least one textile or ap-
parel plant, and this industry
provides more than 25 percent of
2
unique oppor-
tunity to capi-
talize on this
trend," she ex-
plains. Recog-
nizing that po-
tential, Warfield
and her associ-
ates designed a
broad - based
plan which
could help the 4'_ -
State's textile
and apparel
companies take
advantage 
of
these strengths
and also garner
help from out-
side sources.
"Cooperative
action by state and local govern-
ments, universities, and industry
groups formed the base for a net-
work of assistance to support tex-
tiles and apparel," she adds.
The research efforts of
Warfield and her associates focus
on assessing the needs of Ala-
bama's apparel industry, then
developing cooperative programs
to meet those needs. The estab-
lishment of linkages among Ala-
bama producers, as well as
between these producers and re-
tailers, has been a major result of
this cooperative action. In addi-
tion, educational programs have
been developed to help Ala-
bama's apparel companies be-
come more competitive.
The advances made in the
industry have been significant
since this effort first began, but
Warfield notes that more work
will be needed before many of
these issues can be resolved. Fu-
ture research and development
programs will build on estab-
lished networks to address indus-
try's needs and, eventually, to
help provide a blanket of security
for Alabamians and their com-
munities.
Alabama's textile and apparel industry re-
quires both high-tech equipment and a
finely tuned marketing initiative.
3
m
I hildhood is a time
to test social waters and
learn the intricacies and respon-
sibilities of human relationships.
For those children who find suc-
cess in the social arena, it is a
time to experiment with skills
which will also be important in
adult relationships. But for those
children who find it hard to cul-
tivate friends or even casual play-
mates, childhood can be a time
when social and emotional devel-
opment are hindered or dam-
aged.
"Research 
is beginning 
to
document how important friend-
ships are to children," says child
researcher Dr. Jacquelyn Mize.
Not only are children without
friends lonely and often de-
pressed, they also frequently ex-
perience negative consequences
later in life. Once these children
reach adolescence and adult-
hood, they are at risk for such
problems as truancy, delin-
quency, dropping out of school,
/
/
?
/ -" ..
4
II
and mental health difficulties. In
fact, some studies indicate that
the quality of children's relation-
ships with peers is the best pre-
dictor of later adjustment.
Friends help children
learn the skills and rules neces-
sary for operating in work, fam-
ily, and friendship relation-
ships--skills like providing
mutual support, negotiating, and
keeping secrets. According to
Mize, recent work suggests that
"children who 
don't learn 
the
skills of friendship, such as ne-
gotiation and providing support,
may have trouble being good
friends or successful marriage
partners later in life."
Mize, an assistant profes-
sor in the Department of Family
and Child Development, has
been contributing to the base of
knowledge on children's social
skills for the past eight years. As
a former preschool teacher, she
observed firsthand the pain that
being rejected by classmates can
cause even for very young chil-
dren. Based on her own research
and research conducted by oth-
ers, Mize theorized that pre-
schoolers could learn the social
skills necessary for getting along
with peers.
I
"Research is
beginning
to document
how important
friendships
are to
children"
Observing and engaging in play help preschoolers develop essen-
tial social skills that will serve them for a lifetime.
V
their aggres-
siveness. The
research in-
volved divid-
ing the chil-
dren into two
groups, one
receiving so-
cial skills
training and
the other only
receiving sup-
portive adult
contact. Those
children in the
social skills
training group
learned friend-
lier, more pro-
social ideas of
how to solve
social prob-
icms. Follow-
ing training,
for example,
children were
more likely to
suggest a way
of sharing a
toy rather than
grabbing for it.
Also, these
To test this theory, Mize
began working with preschoolers
who had been doing poorly in so-
cial situations. Some of these
children were extremely with-
drawn and others were not ac-
cepted by their peers because of
same children more than dou-
bled their use of the social skills
in classroom interaction with
peers, and they became better
liked by other children. In con-
trast, the group that only re-
ceived supportive adult contact
5
did not improve on any of these
measures. This showed that chil-
dren who received social skills
training were able to retain and
build upon the skills, resulting in
more positive relationships with
others.
The model of training de-
veloped by Mize has been used in
a number of preschool class-
rooms to help children learn less
aggressive and more positive
ways of dealing with peers. In
fact, Mize sees potential for her
research and training model to
form the basis of preschool and
kindergarten programs designed
to prevent more severe interper-
sonal problems in later life. By
teaching children how to estab-
lish and maintain relationships
and negotiate disagreements, it
may be possible to prevent many
of the problems in adolescence
and adulthood that confront peo-
ple who were unable to form re-
warding peer relationships dur-
ing childhood.
I alorie count-
ing has become something
of a national pastime as weight-
conscious Americans strive to
maintain or regain trim bodies.
Believing that sacrifice is the only
way to win the war on weight,
many dieters will pass up such
delights as crusty rolls and fluffy
baked potatoes to lose a few
pounds.
Though calorie counting
is not restricted to gender,
women are notoriously commit-
ted to cutting calories, often leav-
ing entire food groups out of their
diets to achieve their weight
goals. And studies have shown
that female athletes are even
more scrupulous about their cal-
orie intakes, displaying a ten-
dency to consume extremely low
calorie levels.
While calorie counting is
an undeniably effective dieting
tool, experts warn that those who
trade nutrition for shape may be
eliminating their greatest allies in
6
the struggle tor fitness. For ex-
ample, the dieter who gives up
carbohvdrates to shed unwanted
weight is actually taking away a
vital fuel for the body, a fuel
which can help the body endure
the rigors of dieting, exercise,
and other tasks of everyday life.
"Carbohydrates are brain
and muscle food," explains nutri-
tionist Dr. Bob Keith. By exclud-
ing these foods from the diet,
Keith says, weight watchers are
depriving their bodies and minds
of the very fuel which can help
them function effectively.
Keith, an associate pro-
fessor in the Department of Nu-
trition and Foods and a specialist
on diet and exercise, began
studying the carbohydrate needs
of female athletes after a study of
male athletes showed significant
correlations between carbohy-
drate intake and endurance. No
similar studies had been con-
ducted with females, yet women
could likely benefit more than
male athletes who already con-
sumed fairly normal levels of car-
bohydrates.
Using female endurance
bicyclists, Keith tested the wom-
en's endurance levels on low,
moderate, and high carbohydrate
diets. He found that the partici-
"Carbohydrates
are
brain
and
muscle
food"
pants wxere able to
as much as double
their riding times
by increasing car-
bohydrate levels in
their diets. Keith
also studied a pre-
viously uninvesti-
gated facet of this
research, the effect
of carbohydrates on
the mind. By moni-
toring the emo-
tional responses of
women on these
varying carbohy-
drate levels, Keith -
found that women
on moderate to
high carbohydrate
diets displayed
more vigorous and
positive emotions
than those on low
carbohydrate diets.
For female
athletes, the find-
ings of this 
study
are extremely help-
ful. Increasing car-
bohydrate levels in Research on human dietary needs provides vital information 
which can significantly en-
hance the performance of athletes and other physically active people.
their diets, even if
they keep their calorie counts everyone, whether they are com- 
fact, this and other
low, can give these athletes and peting in the business rat race or formation gatherk
their male counterparts a new trying to keep up with the hectic search can help 1
tool to help them improve both pace of home life, can use this in- population to a lit
their physical and mental perfor- formation to improve their endur- health and vitality.
mances. But Keith notes that ance and attitudes. As a matter of
7
r nutritional in-
ed through re-
ead the entire
fe of improved
-~trip through
any clothing store will con-
firm cotton's popularity among
today's consumers. This natural
fiber is used in everything from
blue jeans to formal wear to lin-
gerie, yet there is one market
where it is conspicuously ab-
sent-children's sleepwear.
Though few fabrics are as well-
suited for sleepwear 
as cotton,
economic and safety factors have
virtually eliminated its use in
children's night clothes.
According to textile and
consumer affairs specialist Dr.
Ian Hardin, cotton was the fabric
of choice for children's sleepwear
until the early 1970s when
youngsters' bed attire was tar-
geted for flammability regula-
tions. Surveys had identified
young children and the elderly as
high risk groups for burn inju-
ries, especially when wearing
loose-fitting garments like night
clothes.
"Treating the
fabric greatly
i .ncreased the
cost of the
garment,
sometimes
as much as
25 percent or
more
''Cottoii didn't lose this
market because it could not be
made flame retardant," Hardin
states. "It lost out because treat-
ing the fabric greatly increased
the cost of the garment, some-
times as much as 25 percent or
more, and because of problems
related to phosphate-free deter-
gents."
Phosphate-free deter-
gents, developed to help combat
water pollution, also caused
some treated cotton to lose its
flame-retardant qualities after
several washings. When this
problem was discovered, re-
searchers began to study the
cause by exploring the burning
process, or pyrolysis, of the fab-
ric. They found a chemical mech-
anism so complex that many
manufacturers gave up the quest
and abandoned cotton for man-
made fibers that didn't lose their
flame retardant characteristics in
the wash.
Hardin, an associate pro-
fessor in the Department of Con-
sumer Affairs who has been
studying textile issues for many
years, has addressed pyrolysis
again from a different perspec-
tive. Instead of analyzing treated
cotton, Hardin is first trying to
understand the process of pyro-
8
lysis of cellulose. lie
explains that long
chains of sugars
form linear mole-
cules of cellulose
which are the basic
components of many
natural fibers, in-
cluding cotton. By
studying cellulose's
chemical reaction to
pyrolysis, Hardin
hopes to find out
how heat breaks it
into smaller particles
which then escape
from the material's
surface in gaseous
form and ignite.
TV,
ID
A
Starting on
this rudimentary level and build-
ing on that knowledge, Hardin
believes the mystery can be un-
raveled. "Once we determine the
basics of this process, we can add
other chemical factors, such as
flame-retardant treatments, to
see what chemical changes oc-
cur," he says. "If we knew exactly
what was going on chemically to
cause this reaction involving
phosphate-free detergent prod-
ucts and treated cotton, we could
probably chemically design a
new type of flame retardant to
solve the problem," he adds.
If this back-to-basics ap-
proach is successful, cotton
sleepwear may soon be available
to all ages, and cotton producers
may find an additional market for
their product.
Improving safety in children's sleepwear is a
central concern of Auburn research scien-
tists.
9
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tend to have children who are
more mentally healthy," says
Vaughn, a professor in the De-
partment of Family and Child De-
velopment.
Vaughn's research has
identified certain characteristics
in children which are good indi-
cators of this development and
disprove popular notions about
child development. For instance,
clinging, whining infants will not
necessarily become spoiled chil-
dren. "All babies cry, but some
stop more quickly when they are
comforted," Vaughn says. "Our
research has shown that these
tendencies relate strongly to the
child's relationship with the par-
ents."
He notes that preco-
ciously independent children,
children who draw away from or
do not respond to their parents at
an early age, often have histories
of poor quality parent-child inter-
action. These children are often
found in families where the par-
ents are not available to respond
to the child's needs or are unpre-
dictable about doing so. Such
children often become overly de-
pendent later in life, he adds.
he first year of life
is a period of unprece-
dented growth, punctuated with
first smiles, first words, and first
steps. Each of these milestones
signals the development of phys-
ical skills essential for a happy,
healthy life. But other, less visible
skills also are being developed-
the social and emotional skills
that are equally vital to a child's
future.
How important are these
skills? Very, says Dr. Brian
Vaughn, a child development re-
searcher who has been studying
the emotional and social devel-
opment of young children since
1975. Vaughn notes that the skills
and attitudes formed in those
early months and years are di-
rectly related to the evolution of
sound mental health as an adult.
And, he adds, parents and care-
givers play a critical role in that
development. "We have found
that those parents who are more
aware of their children's needs
(both physical and emotional)
10
"All babies
cry, but
sonie
stop more
quickly
when
they are
comforted"
Vaughn has also studied
social interactions between
young children and, through his
research, has developed a new
indirect method of measuring so-
cial skills and interactions. Previ-
ously, the best way to evaluate
these social structures and inter-
actions was to question the chil-
dren about their playmates and
their social preferences. But these
tactics tend to invade a child's
time and privacy. Vaughn found
that, by following a child's gaze,
an observer could accurately
identify the social structure of a
play group.
"We discovered that the
children who were looked at a lot
by other children showed more
skilled social behavior and were
more well liked," he explains.
"Using visual regard to evaluate
the social structure of a group of
children, we can gain reliable so-
cial information about a group."
This noninvasive method
may soon be used by Vaughn and
fellow child development experts
to learn more about the social in-
teractions and skills of children.
Positive parent-child interaction is an impor-
tant factor in the successful emotional devel-
opment of infants.
Ultimately, this information can
be used by parents, 
caregivers,
and others to help ensure the
healthy social and emotional 
de-
velopment of children and pro-
vide them with a strong founda-
tion for a happy future.
11
II
-- n an age where
eating right means eating
light, many people have been tak-
ing advantage of fish as a source
of healthful nutrition. The popu-
larity of fish continues to escalate
as researchers find more evi-
dence that certain fish oils may
help reduce the risk of heart at-
tack.
Several years ago, scien-
tists noticed a low incidence of
heart disease among people who
consumed large quantities of cold
water, marine fish, such as
salmon and cod. Studies showed
that oils of these fish contained
omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fats
that may influence the body's ei-
cosanoid system. Eicosanoids are
part of the body's cellular com-
munication system, sending
messages from one cell to an-
other. Eicosanoids in the circula-
tory system include prostacyclin
and thromboxane which exist in a
delicate balance to help promote
proper blood flow and clotting in
the body. An imbalance of these
12
eicosanoids can cause cardiovas-
cular problems. Omega-3 fatty
acids influence that balance by al-
tering the chemical structure of
prostacyclin and thromboxane
and by improving blood flow.
Now scientists, including
Auburn University nutrition re-
searcher Dr. Margaret Craig-
Schmidt, are studying the effects
of omega-3 fatty acids on other
body systems.
"If fish oils can help the
cardiovascular system, they may
have a beneficial effect on other
systems as well," says Craig-
Schmidt, who began studying di-
etary fats while in graduate
school. "We want to see what ef-
fects fish oils have on the produc-
tion of eicosanoids in the respi-
ratory system and the retina, and
in the treatment or prevention of
breast cancer."
Craig-Schmidt, an assis-
tant professor in the Department
of Nutrition and Foods, explains
that respiratory and retina re-
search will focus on neonatal de-
velopment. Preliminary research
indicates that omega-3 fatty acids
may be necessary for the proper
development of the retina in in-
fants. Studies have already
shown that newborn infants
placed in incubators may suffer
"If fish oils
can help
the cardiovascular
system,
they may have
a beneficial effect
o01 other systems
as well"
II
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Research into the effects of dietary fats provides answers to health problems plaguing both children and adults.
damage to their lungs and reti-
nas. Dietary omega-3 fatty acids
could protect against this damage
and possibly aid in the normal
development of these systems.
Using laboratory animals
as neonatal models, Craig-
Schmidt is studying the effect of
omega-3 fatty acids on damage
and development of eyes and
lungs. "We may find that fish oils
can be added to infant formulas
or to the diets of lactating moth-
ers so the omega-3 fatty acids are
available to infants," she says.
Another phase of Craig-
Schmidt's fish oil research could
benefit adults as well. This study
is comparing the influence of
corn, fish, and coconut oil on can-
cer in laboratory animals to deter-
mine if these oils affect the inci-
dence and deadliness of breast
cancer.
Craig-Schmidt noted that
omega-3 fatty acids are found in
other foods, such as vegetables
and seed oils. Her research has
already shown that people in the
United States consume 10 times
more of the type of omega-3 fatty
acids found in vegetables than
the type found in fish. "If the in-
fluence of these omega-3 fatty
acids from plants is similar to fish
oil, we may find an alternate
source of omega-3 fatty acids that
would be particularly attractive to
people who do not routinely con-
sume seafood," she says.
This research will provide
new knowledge about the effects
of dietary fat on the human body,
knowledge that may help control
or prevent myriad health prob-
lems afflicting both children and
adults.
13
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CAROL WARFIELD
Carol Warfield's expertise in
textile and apparel science and in
consumer affairs takes her all around
the world, yet Alabama is still the
hub of her career. Warfield, who
joined the Auburn staff in 1977, re-
ceived her bachelor's degree from
South Dakota State University and
went on to the University of Illinois
to earn a master's in textiles and
clothing and a Ph.D. in family and
consumption economics. She later
received the Alumni Award of Merit
from the University of Illinois School
of Human Resources and Family
Studies.
She was lured to Alabama by
the State's abundant 
textile and ap-
parel industry and by the unique
blend of textile science and con-
sumer affairs found in Auburn's
School of Human Sciences. Warfield,
an associate professor and coordi-
nator of Industry Relations for the
Department, believed these two dis-
ciplines should work hand-in-hand.
Her work to preserve and develop
the State's textile and apparel indus-
try has earned her worldwide ac-
claim as an authority on the interac-
tion between the textile and apparel
industry and consumer issues.
Though she is a regular contributor
to national and international publi-
cations and conferences, her empha-
sis remains close to home and her
research efforts have benefitted Ala-
bama's textile and apparel industry,
as well as the many Alabamians who
rely on this industry for jobs.
BRIAN VAUGIIN
Brian Vaughn had already
received a B.A. in psychology from
Arizona State University and was in
graduate training in child psychol-
ogy at the University of Minnesota
when he became interested in study-
ing the psychological development of
very young children. An advisor
who was using video equipment to
study infants' social behavior piqued
Vaughn's interest in studying the
emotional development which oc-
curs during the first year of life. He
has since developed that interest into
a distinguished career and earned
the reputation as an innovative re-
searcher of infant social develop-
ment.
Vaughn went on to earn his
Ph.D. in child psychology from Min-
nesota and serve as a post-doctoral
fellow at UCLA. He came to Auburn
as a professor in the Department of
Family and Child Development in
1988 where he has continued to ex-
plore new, fascinating aspects of in-
fant development. Vaughn serves on
the editorial board of Child Develop-
ment and Developmental Review and as
a reviewer and contributor to many
other professional publications.
Through his studies, Vaughn has de-
veloped ways to monitor the social
skills of very young children without
invading their privacy. This ap-
proach has yielded significant new
findings about the social develop-
ment of infants and the impact that
development can have on the healthy
emotional growth of children.
IAN HARDIN
A scholarship in textile sci-
ence not only allowed lan Hardin to
attend college, it also helped him fo-
cus his interest in engineering and
science on a very specific discipline.
Hardin was able to earn his bache-
lor's degree in textile science from
Auburn University through a schol-
arship funded by a major textile
manufacturer. Hardin went on to
earn his M.S. in textile engineering
from the Institute of Textile Technol-
ogy in Virginia, his Ph.D. in Chem-
istry from Clemson University, and
serve as a post-doctoral fellow at the
Macromolecular Research Institute
at the University of Michigan.
While in school, Hardin
spent his summers working in the
private textile industry but returned
to Auburn in 1971 where he now
serves as an associate professor in
the Department of Consumer Af-
fairs. He has continued to assist pri-
vate industry as a consultant for
such firms as Butterick Publishing
Company and West Point 
Pepperell,
Inc. and has also earned acclaim for
his research efforts in many diverse
areas of textile science. Much of his
work has concentrated on cotton, a
fiber important to Alabama's agri-
cultural and textile economies.
Through funding from such sources
as Cotton Inc. and the USDA Agri-
cultural Research Service, Hardin
has conducted studies which have
helped enhance cotton's perfor-
mance and improve its acceptance
among consumers.
14
If ~
JACQUELYN MIZE
Bob Keith grew up loving
sports and became intrigued with
the importance of nutrition at an
early age. When it came time to
choose a career, he combined the
two interests and has emerged as a
leading researcher in the field of
sports nutrition.
Keith, an associate professor
in Auburn's Department of Nutri-
tion and Foods, received his B.S. de-
gree in biology and M.S. in human
nutrition from Florida State Univer-
sity before earning a Ph.D. in human
nutrition from Virginia Tech. Since
joining the Auburn staff in 1983, he
has conducted research which has
helped identify the nutritional needs
of athletes. In addition to his regular
contributions to professional confer-
ences and publications, Keith also
lends his expertise to popular sport
and fitness magazines such as The
Runner and Amnrican, Health. Keith is
also an active member of the South-
eastern Chapter of the American
College of Sports Medicine and the
Sports and Cardiovascular Nutrition
Practice Group of the American Di-
etetic Association. His studies,
which have received funding from
the American Institute for Cancer
Research and the U.S Olympic Com-
mittee, have helped identify ways to
improve the performance of athletes
and nonathletes alike by providing
new insights into the influence of nu-
trition on human performance.
As a preschool teacher, Jac-
quelyn Mize witnessed firsthand the
importance of social development in
young children. That experience
formed the foundation of her career
as a child development expert. A
Magna Cum Laude graduate of the
University of Georgia with a bache-
lor's degree in anthropology, Mize
went on to earn her M.A. in Child
and Family Development from Geor-
gia and the Ph.D. in Child Develop-
ment and Family Studies from Pur-
due University.
Since she joined the Auburn
faculty in 1984 she has assisted in the
continued development of the Child
Study Center and was nominated for
the Burlington Northern Foundation
Faculty Achievement Award in 1985.
Mize, an assistant professor in the
Department of Family and Child De-
velopment, is a leading researcher in
the area of early childhood peer re-
lationships as well as other social de-
velopment issues such as latchkey
children. A regular contributor to
many professional and lay publica-
tions, books and professional confer-
ences, Mize also serves as a reviewer
for professional journals and has
consulted on child development
texts for leading book publishers.
Her greatest impact on the early
childhood development field, how-
ever, has come through her research.
Results of her studies have helped
generate methods of monitoring and
improving the social skills of pre-
school children, talents vitally im-
portant to the development of
healthy, well-adjusted adults.
15
BoB KEl t It
~~c
MARGARET CRAIG-SCHMIDT
Usually commonplace prob-
lems inspire scientists to develop
and research theoretical solutions.
For Margaret Craig-Schmidt, how-
ever, the study of human nutrition
progressed in the reverse 
order,
from theory to practical application.
Craig-Schmidt entered Duke Univer-
sity as a chemistry major with an in-
terest in biochemical theory and the
medical sciences. While working on
a Ph.D in physiological chemistry at
the University of Wisconsin, she
studied very specific dietary issues.
After graduation, her focus broad-
ened to encompass the practical
study of human nutrition.
Craig-Schmidt, who joined
the Department of Nutrition and
Foods as an assistant professor in
1984, has focused her research on
the potential benefits and hazards of
various nutritional factors such as di-
etary fat. Her studies have examined
the influence of dietary fat on infant
and maternal nutrition as well as the
impact these dietary factors have on
human disease. Craig-Schmidt's
projects have received funding from
the USDA Competitive Grants Pro-
gram and the Cystic Fibrosis Foun-
dation, she has been featured on a
nationally televised health 
program,
and she is a frequent contributor to
professional publications and meet-
ings. Her research continues to un-
ravel the intricate system of human
nutrition, clarify myths about nutri-
tional fads, and document the im-
portant role proper nutrition plays in
the health and well-being of the hu-
man race.
GRADUATE STUDY IN HUMAN SCIENCES
An integral part of most
successful research programs in-
volves the education and training
of graduate students. The School
of Human Sciences is recognized
for its quality graduate programs
in Consumer Affairs, Family and
Child Development, and Nutri-
tion and Foods.
The Department of Con-
sumer Affairs offers graduate in-
struction leading to the Master of
Science Degree. Concentrations
are available in textiles and ap-
parel. A joint Master of Science
Degree in Textile Science is avail-
able through the Departments of
Consumer Affairs and Textile En-
gineering. Major areas of study
include design arid utilization of
textile products, engineering and
technology of textile production,
textile science, and textile chem-
istry.
The Department of Fam-
ily and Child Development offers
graduate education leading to the
Master of Science Degree and
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
with concentrations in child de-
velopment and family studies,
the Master of Science Degree in
Marriage and Family Therapy,
and the Master of Arts in College
Teaching. The Department em-
phasizes the integration of
knowledge from various fields for
the purpose of understanding
and developing professional
skills for careers in college teach-
ing and research, teaching and
supervision of programs for
young children, parent educa-
tion, marriage and family ther-
apy, community service, busi-
ness, and industry.
The Department of Nutri-
tion and Foods offers graduate
instruction leading to the Master
of Science Degree or Master of
Arts in College Teaching. Major
concentration areas are available
in nutrition and food science. The
Department also administers an
Interdepartmental Graduate Pro-
gram of study and research in no-
triti()n leading to the degrees of
Master of Science and Doctor of
Philosophy. Students may elect to
specialize in nutritional biochem-
istry or the more applied areas of
human nutrition, large or small
animal nutrition, poultry nutri-
tion, or fish nutrition.
Individuals interested in
pursuing graduate study in the
School of Human Sciences should
contact the Graduate School, Au-
burn University, AL 36849-5122,
for an admission application and
a copy of the Graduate School
Bulletin.
The Bulletin provides de-
tailed information on the regula-
tions of the Graduate School,
courses offered for graduate
credit, requirements for degrees,
financial aid, and other matters
pertaining to graduate educa-
tion. For more detailed informa-
tion on a specific graduate pro-
gram within the School of
Human Sciences, contact the
Graduate Program Officer of the
appropriate department, School
of Human Sciences, Auburn Uni-
versity, AL 36849-5601.
Alliance for Excellence
16