Reflecting on Success and Preparing for the Future
The 2025-26 year was full of hard work, innovative research, and transition as we celebrated the retirement of Center on Health, Aging, and Disability (CHAD) Director Dr. Jeff Woods on June 1 and his many contributions to advancing research, collaboration, and innovation across the College of Applied Health Sciences.
CHAD continued to invest in promising new ideas through our pilot grant program, supporting faculty research that will help generate future discoveries and attract additional external funding. We were excited to award four pilot grants this year to innovative research projects led by AHS faculty.
The college’s sponsored research enterprise reached new heights this year, with more than $15 million in sponsored research expenditures and a substantial increase in external proposal submissions that reflect the hard work of AHS faculty and the dedicated support provided by CHAD staff.
Community engagement remained central to our mission as faculty, staff, and students shared research, resources, and expertise through a wide range of public events and outreach activities. The launch of the new AHS Engaged Research website further highlights the college’s commitment to publicly engaged scholarship and provides resources to support future community-centered research efforts.
In 2025–26, the CHAD research themes continued to connect research, education, and community engagement in meaningful ways. Through Collaborations in the Advancement of Research on Disability (CARD), researchers and community partners expanded opportunities for disability-focused research, student engagement, and advocacy, while Collaborations in Health, Aging, Research, & Technology (CHART) strengthened partnerships and outreach efforts that support healthy aging and an Age-Friendly University. At the McKechnie Family LIFE Home, visitors from across campus and beyond experienced innovative technologies, interdisciplinary research, and collaborative programs designed to improve independence, accessibility, and quality of life for people of all ages and abilities.
As we reflect on another productive year, we are proud of the many accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students. While the coming year will bring changes and opportunities for growth, CHAD remains committed to providing the resources, expertise, and collaborative support needed to strengthen the research enterprise, advance discovery, and ensure continued innovative research across the College of Applied Health Sciences.
Wendy Bartlo, Ph.D.
Interim Director Center on Health, Aging, and Disability
2025-2026 CHAD Activities
Pilot Grants
We are proud to highlight the significant impact of CHAD’s support for AHS researchers. With a total investment of more than $1 million in pilot research grants, our faculty have successfully utilized these initial projects to secure larger funding from federal, foundation and corporate sponsors. Building on this success, in 2026, we awarded four pilot grants to our faculty, fostering innovation and advancing groundbreaking research in the health sciences.
Sarah El-Azab, Assistant Professor, Health and Kinesiology and Shelly Johnson, Teaching Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) Strategy at Financially Vulnerable Hospitals During Acute Policy Disruption: An Illinois Case Study
Megan Huibregtse, Assistant Professor, Health and Kinesiology
Accelerated brain aging after traumatic brain injury and association with quality of life: a pilot ultrahigh field neuroimaging study
Emerson Sebastião, Assistant Professor, Health and Kinesiology
Neural Mechanisms of Stepping Complexity During Square-Stepping Exercise in Older Adults
Charis Tucker, Assistant Professor, Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Embodied Journeys: Exploring Identity, Mobility and Belonging at the World Transplant Games
Travel Grants
CHAD is committed to fostering academic collaboration and knowledge dissemination by offering travel funding opportunities to faculty and academic professionals to present their work at conferences across the globe. In 2025–26, we awarded 29 awards for travel to 21 destinations.
World map infographic showing CHAD travel grant conference destinations across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, highlighting support for faculty and academic professional travel and presentations worldwide.
AHS Sponsored Research Portfolio
AHS researchers achieved a new milestone in FY26, reaching a record $15.1 million in sponsored research expenditures and increasing their external proposal submissions from 86 in FY25 to 139 in FY26, an increase of more than 60%. This remarkable growth reflects the dedication and productivity of AHS faculty, and the outstanding support provided by the staff of the Center on Health, Aging, and Disability, whose expertise and hard work helped faculty pursue a substantially larger portfolio of sponsored research opportunities.
Public Engagement
Public engagement remains a hallmark of our work. Throughout the year, AHS faculty, staff, and students connected with community members at resource and health fairs, festivals, parades, educational events, and farmers markets, sharing research, resources, and expertise while strengthening community partnerships.
The CARD and CHART research themes continued to strengthen community partnerships by hosting events, convening stakeholders, and collaborating with community organizations to identify needs, share knowledge, and advance research that addresses real-world health and disability challenges. You can read more about their specific public engagement activities in those report sections.
To further expand the reach of publicly engaged scholarship, we launched a new Applied Health Sciences Engaged Research website that highlights AHS research initiatives and provides resources to support researchers interested in community-engaged work.
Education
Faculty Academy
In partnership with the AHS Dean’s Office, the AHS Faculty Academy continued its commitment to supporting faculty growth and professional development through a series of workshops and discussions addressing teaching, research, accessibility, student success, and promotion and tenure. During 2025–26, sessions provided faculty with practical guidance on topics including course accessibility and ADA compliance, non-federal funding opportunities, teaching evaluation and feedback, supporting students in distress, promotion and tenure documentation, and incorporating student perspectives into the classroom experience.
ACES Research Academy
Since 2016, CHAD has partnered with the ACES Research Academy to support the success of early-career faculty as they build research programs at the University of Illinois. The semester-long program provides practical training in areas often not covered during doctoral and postdoctoral education, including grant writing, research leadership, collaboration, funding strategies, project management, and responsible conduct of research. A cornerstone of the program is the intensive Grants Craft Workshop, which helps faculty refine their research agendas, develop competitive proposals, and engage directly with federal funding agencies.
In 2025–26, Sarah El-Azab, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology, represented AHS in the program, continuing this successful partnership and investment in faculty development.
Interns
Student interns are essential to CHAD’s mission, providing valuable support to CARD, CHART, and the McKechnie Family LIFE Home while gaining hands-on experience in research, outreach, community engagement, and program development. During 2025–26, interns contributed to a wide range of projects, including the development of the Age-Friendly University website, creation of educational and outreach materials, support for dementia-friendly initiatives, recruitment and community engagement efforts, disability-focused programming, accessible housing research, and communications highlighting CHART and CARD activities. Interns also played an important role in website redesigns, event planning, community partnerships, and dissemination of research to broader audiences.
Beyond supporting day-to-day operations, the internship experience provides meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth. Reflecting on her experience with CHART, intern Nethra Yuvaraj said, “These experiences ultimately strengthened my commitment to serving aging adults and individuals with disabilities and confirmed my goal of becoming a physician assistant.” Similar reflections from interns across CARD and CHART demonstrate how these experiences deepen understanding of disability, aging, accessibility, and inclusion while helping prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals, researchers, and community leaders.
Collaborations in the Advancement of Research on Disability (CARD)
Collaborations in the Advancement of Research on Disability (CARD) brings together researchers, students, individuals with disabilities, service providers, and community organizations to advance research and outreach that improve health, participation, and quality of life for people with disabilities. Guided by a commitment to inclusive and community-engaged scholarship, CARD creates opportunities for collaboration, education, and partnership while supporting research that addresses critical gaps in disability-related knowledge. During 2025–26, CARD expanded its impact through research events, community partnerships, disability advocacy programming, and collaborative working groups that connected campus and community stakeholders around shared goals of accessibility, inclusion, and innovation.
Highlights
AHS Research Fair
The Second Annual CARD Research Fair, hosted on September 10, 2025, at Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES), highlighted disability-related research while creating opportunities for students and faculty to connect around ongoing projects. Students learned about ways to engage in research through study participation, providing feedback, and joining research labs as assistants.
The event also marked the launch of the CARD Fellowship, an initiative designed to help students with disabilities develop research skills through structured training and faculty mentorship. Several CARD-affiliated groups participated, including the Human Factors and Aging Laboratory, TechSAge, McKechnie Family LIFE Home, (dis)Ability Design Studio, DMBL, and the DPQoL Lab. Attendees explored research and fellowship opportunities, met potential mentors, and discussed ways to contribute to ongoing projects.
A Night with David Egan
On September 23, 2025, CARD, CHAD, and the Intellectual Disabilities Communication Lab co-hosted A Night with David Egan at the Beckman Auditorium.
A nationally recognized disability rights advocate, Egan shared how his experiences as a person with Down syndrome have shaped his work promoting inclusion, challenging stereotypes, and advancing disability rights through leadership, advocacy, and involvement with Special Olympics.
Following his presentation, attendees participated in a Q&A session with David and his mother, Kathleen, and one participant received a signed copy of his book, More Alike than Different: My Life with Down Syndrome. A reception afterward provided an opportunity for continued conversation and connection among attendees, community members, and the Egan family.
CARD Collaborative Working Group Meetings
The CARD Collaborative Working Group held a series of meetings throughout the academic year, bringing together community partners, researchers, students, and staff for shared learning and collaboration.
Mel Liong, PACE assistant director and CARD Steering Committee member and Michelle Ingram, PACE executive director, hosted the October 2025 meeting. Attendees toured the facility and connected with staff across programs supporting independent living. Presentations highlighted services for the Deaf community, personal assistant coordination, and accessible housing modifications and transitions, while also emphasizing advocacy efforts, community resources, and workforce development.
Deana McDonagh, Ph.D., professor of Industrial Design, director of the (dis)Ability Design Studio, and CARD Steering Committee member hosted the November 2025 meeting. This interactive session focused on human-centered and empathic design. Students presented a wheelchair headlight prototype aimed at improving safety and visibility, and participants engaged in hands-on activities exploring braille and sensory perception, gaining insight into the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities.
Susann Sears, Ph.D., assistant director of Academic Services, Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES), hosted the February 2026 meeting. The group met at Beckwith Residential Support Services (BRSS), where members toured the highly accessible residence hall and learned about its innovative features and long-standing leadership in disability inclusion at the University of Illinois. Discussions included accessible learning environments and emerging research on assistive technologies.
Danielle Matthews, CEO of the Developmental Services Center and CARD Steering Committee member, hosted the April 2026 meeting. At this final working group meeting of the semester, conversations focused on interdisciplinary collaboration and expanding person-centered services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Research presentations by CARD members, Savanna Brittlebank, Ph.D., Marie Channell, Ph.D., and Laura Mattie, Ph.D., highlighted the importance of early communication, caregiver interaction, and social inclusion.
Spina Bifida Awareness Month Event
The 2025-2026 school year continued to find CARD build and strengthen community partnerships to fulfill its mission of enhancing the health and quality of life of people with disabilities through research that addresses critical gaps in disability-related knowledge and outreach that actively engages individuals with disabilities.
CARD partnered with the Illinois Spina Bifida Association (ISBA) to host a gathering at DRES in recognition of Spina Bifida Awareness Month, bringing together individuals with spina bifida, family members, students, researchers, and advocates to share experiences, discuss research, and highlight resources that support quality of life.
Disability Resource Expo
CARD also expanded its outreach through participation in the Disability Resource Expo, where more than 60 organizations connected individuals and families with services, programs, and research opportunities. CARD’s booth featured projects from several affiliated research groups, providing attendees with opportunities to learn about innovations that promote accessibility, inclusion, and community participation.
CARD Hosts Cross-Sector Luncheon Focused on Accessibility and Inclusion
CARD hosted a luncheon at DRES that brought together leaders in adaptive sports, disability services, and research, including representatives from Prairieland Adaptive, DRES, Beckwith Residential Support Services, and the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Discussions focused on collaboration, student engagement, adaptive recreation, and expanding opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Collaborations in Health, Aging, Research and Technology (CHART)
Collaborations in Health, Aging, Research and Technology (CHART) brings together University of Illinois researchers, healthcare professionals, community organizations, and older adults to advance research, education, and outreach focused on healthy aging and the role of technology in supporting independence and quality of life. In 2025–26, CHART strengthened community partnerships, promoted the Age-Friendly University initiative, supported public engagement activities, and facilitated conversations on topics ranging from retirement and caregiving to innovative technologies that support aging in place.
Highlights
Walk to End Alzheimer’s
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Team CHART – Illinois gathered at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana to participate in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s alongside 417 participants and 75 teams. CHART’s team of 28 members raised $700 for the Alzheimer’s Association and completed the 1.5-mile walk in honor of those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The CHART team took part in activities such as the Promise Garden, memory wall, and community tables, including a card writing station hosted by CHART partner CRIS Healthy Aging. CHART was proud of its largest team since the team’s inception. Learn more about the 2025 Walk here.
Redefining Retirement in Academia
In collaboration with Amy Santos, associate provost for Faculty Affairs, CHART helped organize the Redefining Retirement in Academia Series, a webinar series designed to support faculty as they prepare for and navigate retirement. The series explored the intellectual, social, and physical aspects of retirement while encouraging participants to envision a meaningful and engaged next chapter.
David J. Ekerdt, professor emeritus of Sociology and Gerontology at the University of Kansas and Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, presented “The Prospect of Retirement—Soon or Someday?”, sharing research-based insights and practical considerations for faculty planning their transition to retirement.
Wendy Rogers and Carrie Wennerdahl presented a session on the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network, highlighting the University of Illinois’ commitment to supporting lifelong learning, mentoring, research, and community engagement throughout the lifespan. Participants also provided feedback on the development of an Age-Friendly University website, including desired features and content. In collaboration with Amy Santos, associate provost for Faculty Affairs, CHART helped organize the Redefining Retirement in Academia Series, a webinar series designed to support faculty as they prepare for and navigate retirement. The series explored the intellectual, social, and physical aspects of retirement while encouraging participants to envision a meaningful and engaged next chapter.
Advocates for Aging Care Workshop
On February 26, 2026, CHART partnered with Advocates for Aging Care (AAC) to host a strategic planning workshop focused on addressing Champaign County’s shortage of skilled nursing beds. The event brought together university researchers, healthcare professionals, and community leaders to explore the development of a Green House–style skilled nursing facility that integrates research, education, and person-centered care. Workshop participants identified key priorities and next steps to advance the initiative. To read more about the workshop and its outcomes, click here.
Affordable Assisted Living Coalition of Illinois Annual Meeting
On May 6, 2026, the CHART team traveled to Springfield to present at the Affordable Assisted Living Coalition of Illinois (AACL) Annual Meeting. Wendy Rogers and Carrie Wennerdahl presented “Technology Initiatives to Support Aging Adults,” highlighting how technologies such as mobile applications, in-home assistive tools, robotics, telepresence, and virtual reality can enhance health, safety, independence, and quality of life for older adults. The presentation emphasized the importance of designing technologies around the needs and preferences of aging adults and showcased CHART’s ongoing research and innovation efforts.
Age-Friendly University
In 2025–26, CHART expanded its commitment to the Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative by increasing awareness, engagement, and integration of age-friendly principles across its activities. Carrie Wennerdahl, CHART coordinator, participated in a Gerontological Society of America workshop on Age-Friendly Universities and presented CHART’s community-engaged research at the organization’s annual meeting. CHART also remained active in the AFU North American Regional Network, contributing to ongoing collaboration with peer institutions. To further support these efforts, CHART launched a redesigned website highlighting its age-friendly initiatives, programs, and partnerships. The redesign was supported by a team of CHART interns, whose contributions helped strengthen the site’s content while advancing CHART’s commitment to student engagement and intergenerational collaboration.
Other Activities
In addition to the activities highlighted in this report, CHART supported numerous other initiatives throughout the year, including steering committee and community advisory panel meetings, outreach and engagement events, collaborations with aging and assistive technology organizations, participation in LIFE Home open houses, and ongoing dissemination and support activities related to aging, disability, and technology research.
- CHART Steering Committee Meetings
- CHART Community Advisory Panel Meetings
- CHART’s Participation and Support of open houses at the McKechnie Family LIFE Home
- CHART Collaboration at the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging (ECIAAA) Annual Meeting
- Gerontological Society of America Illinois Alumni & Friends Reception
- Illinois Assistive Technology Program visit with CHART Faculty and Students
- TechSAge Outreach and Support
The McKechnie Family LIFE Home
The McKechnie Family LIFE Home continues to serve as a unique hub for interdisciplinary research, education, and community engagement focused on improving quality of life through innovative home-based technologies. By bringing together researchers, students, industry partners, healthcare professionals, and community members. Throughout 2025–26, the LIFE Home hosted a variety of visitors, educational programs, and public events that showcased emerging research and fostered new opportunities for collaboration.
2025-26 McKechnie Family LIFE Home Highlights
Chancellor Charles Isbell and Provost John Coleman Visit the McKechnie Family LIFE Home
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chancellor Charles L. Isbell Jr. and Provost John Coleman visited the McKechnie Family LIFE Home, joining College of Applied Health Sciences Dean Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell and Associate Dean Amy Woods for a tour and discussion of the facility’s role in advancing research, education, and community engagement. The tour was led by LIFE Home Director Wendy Rogers who highlighted the LIFE Home’s mission to support interdisciplinary research, industry collaboration, community partnerships, and educational opportunities that advance technologies for independent living, healthcare needs, social interaction, and everyday activities in the home. Chancellor Isbell was impressed with the various research spaces and the ongoing research collaboration at the LIFE Home and Provost Coleman enjoyed seeing some of the new developments since his previous visit.
Big Ten Alliance – Academic Leadership Program
The McKechnie Family LIFE Home hosted fellows from the Big Ten Alliance Academic Leadership Program, showcasing innovative research, smart home technologies, robotics, and virtual reality applications designed to support health, independence, and quality of life. Fellows toured the facility, interacted with emerging technologies, learned about federally funded research projects, and explored opportunities for future collaboration across Big Ten institutions. Read more about the fellows visit here.
Chez Veterans Warrior Scholars Program
The McKechnie Family LIFE Home welcomed students from the Chez Veterans Center’s Warrior Scholar Program. This annual visit gave veterans the opportunity to explore the LIFE Home’s smart home research environment and learn more about technologies designed to support independence, health, and everyday activities in the home. During the tour, the scholars interacted with LIFE Home staff and interns while experiencing demonstrations of several innovative technologies, including the Ohmni telepresence robot, the Stretch assistive robot, and the Gita cargo-carrying robot.
Beckwith Students Tour the McKechnie Family LIFE Home
Students and staff from the Beckwith Residential Community visited the McKechnie Family LIFE Home to explore technologies that support accessibility, independence, and daily living. During the visit, they interacted with social and assistive robots, smart home technologies, virtual reality applications, and other research demonstrations. Following the tour, participants shared creative ideas about how technology could better support their everyday activities, helping inform future research and collaboration aimed at creating more inclusive living environments. Learn more here.
Fall 2025 Open House
On October 7, 2025, the McKechnie Family LIFE Home welcomed approximately 100 guests to its Fall Open House, themed “Smart Living for Everyone.” Visitors explored interactive demonstrations showcasing smart home technologies, robotics, virtual reality applications, and interdisciplinary research designed to support healthy aging, disability, rehabilitation, and independent living. The event brought together faculty, students, donors, community members, and collaborators from across Illinois to learn about emerging innovations and opportunities for partnership. Read more about the event here.
Spring 2026 Open House
On April 24, the McKechnie Family LIFE Home welcomed over 100 guests to our Spring Open House, bringing together campus researchers, students, community partners, and visitors for an afternoon of interactive demonstrations and research showcases.
The theme for the Spring Open House was “Student Engagement in Research.” Students and their mentors from the College of Applied Health Sciences and the Grainger College of Engineering presented a variety of ongoing interdisciplinary research projects, with interactive demos.
Visitors explored a variety of student-led demonstrations featuring robotics, virtual reality, assistive technologies, and innovative systems designed to support independence and accessibility. Illinois State Senator Paul Faraci attended the event, meeting with researchers and learning about the LIFE Home’s efforts to advance technologies that enhance quality of life and independent living.
Lastly, the LIFE Home team and the McKechnie family recognized the retirement of Dr. Jeff Woods, the associate dean of research in the College of Applied Health Sciences, as he retires and starts a new chapter in his life. Dr. Woods’s leadership and guidance was vital in the establishment and continuous development of the LIFE Home. We were delighted to have donors Jim and Karen McKechnie and Dan Fisk present to share in the celebration of Jeff’s contributions as the LIFE Home staff presented Dr. Woods with a commemorative gift. You can read more here.
25-26 PEOPLE
Thank you to all the people who work hard to support CHAD throughout the 2025–26 year.
Staff
- Jeff Woods, Director
- Laura Rice, Associate Director, and Director of CARD
- Wendy Bartlo, Associate Director of Research Services, Relations and Strategic Initiatives
- Heidi Krahling, Grant proposal Specialist
- Amanda Valentine, Grant Proposal Specialist
- Carrie Wennerdahl, Research Coordinator
- Wendy Rogers, Director of the McKechnie Family LIFE Home and Director of CHART
- Harshal Mahajan, Assistant Director of Research, McKechnie Family LIFE Home
- Shafiqul Islam, Postdoctoral Research Associate, McKechnie Family LIFE Home
- Yvona Vlach, Operations Coordinator, McKechnie Family LIFE Home
CHAD Senior Faculty Committee
- Naiman Khan (chair)
- Laura Payne
- Brian Monson
- Shannon Mejía
- Wendy Bartlo (ex-officio)
- Laura Rice (ex-officio)
CARD Steering Committee
- Valerie Driscoll-Kirk
- Hoda Ismail
- Matt Hanks
- Laura Hetrick
- Mel Liong
- Michael Lotspeich-Yadao
- Danielle Matthews
- Laura Mattie
- Deana McDonagh
- Emily Tarconish
CHART Steering Committee
- Liza Berdychevsky
- Chelsey Byers
- Tanya Gallagher
- Kathleen Holden
- Raksha Mudar
- Brian Pastor
- Deb Reardanz
- Andiara Schwingel
- Abigail Wooldridge
- Wendy Bartlo (ex-officio)
- Laura Rice (ex-officio)
- Jeff Woods (ex-officio)
CHART Community Advisory Panel
- Claire Barker
- Bob Boucek
- Sue Boucek
- Urias Betoel Escobar
- Jim Fawcett
- Marge Moluf
- Lenny Pitt
- Past Members:
- Marianne Downey (2022-2025)
- Joan Zernich (2022-2025)
CHART Visiting Scholar
- Yue (Zoey) Hu, Ph.D., Nethersole School of Nursing in the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Interns
- Emma Huseman (CARD)
- Maheen Kashif (CARD)
- Patrick Pekala (CARD)
- Nethra Yuvaraj (CHART)
- Meghan Edwards (CHART)
- Yuheng (Leo) Wang (McKechnie Family LIFE Home)
- Srivishnu Vusirikala (McKechnie Family LIFE Home)
- Praachi Mudar (McKechnie Family LIFE Home)
- Tanvi Khadse (McKechnie Family LIFE Home)