Serena Williams made headlines this week with her return to professional tennis at age 44, entering the doubles draw at the HSBC Championships in London after nearly four years away from the sport. But beyond the fanfare, what does her comeback actually demand of her body?

Matthew Armstrong, assistant professor in the Department of Exercise Science in the David B. Falk College of Sport, says the cardiovascular realities of competing at 44 are significant—and measurable.

The most concrete factor, Armstrong explains, is maximum heart rate (HR), which declines approximately 0.7 to 1 beat per minute per year—a rate that holds regardless of sex or training background. Over two-plus decades of a career, that adds up.

“A 20-year-old would be able to achieve a max HR about 24 BPM higher than a 44-year-old Serena,” Armstrong says. “That is a large delta that would make a difference.”

As for the reconditioning process itself, Armstrong says the fundamentals don’t change much at the elite level. “Realistically, the training is the same. It’s just hard work that needs to be done in order to get to a level that you can compete at.”

One key variable, he notes, is how active Williams remained during her hiatus. “If she has done very little training during her break then the comeback will be difficult—but if she has been training consistently, even though it would not be to a pro athlete standard, then this would make it easier.”

Elite athletes do carry certain cardiovascular advantages into later career stages—structural adaptations like enlarged chamber size and increased stroke volume that make the heart more efficient—but those advantages only go so far against the natural decline in aerobic capacity that comes with age.

With the HSBC Championships beginning June 8, Armstrong says the most fascinating question may be one that only time—and performance data—can answer: whether Williams’ speed, power and endurance on court today match what she brought to the game in the past.

Professor Armstrong is available for interview. If you’d like to connect with him, send written questions or learn more, email Daryl Lovell: dalovell@syr.edu.��

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is sounding the alarm on a growing trend in American schools: the steady erosion of recess. In its first on the subject in over a decade, the AAP recommends that all students—from kindergarten through high school—receive at least 20 minutes of unstructured play each day, and warns that cutting recess puts children’s health, behavior and learning at risk.

Katie Kidwell, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), says the research backs that up. She provides the following quote which can be used directly:

“Play and physical activity are essential for children’s mental and physical health, not optional extras during the school day. Recess supports emotional regulation, attention, stress reduction and social development. Losing recess as punishment can be especially harmful because the children struggling behaviorally are often the ones who most need opportunities for movement and regulation.”

“Research consistently shows that recess and unstructured physical activity support children’s physical and mental health in meaningful ways. Regular opportunities for movement during the school day are associated with better attention, emotional regulation, mood, social functioning and overall well-being. Recess should not be viewed as separate from learning—because children learn through play.”

To arrange an interview with Professor Kidwell, contact Daryl Lovell, associate director of media relations, at dalovell@syr.edu.

For Eva Quackenbush ’26, an interest in maternal and fetal health that began with personal curiosity has grown into a rigorous public health research project with direct implications for how clinicians monitor and make decisions about the most vulnerable newborns.

Quackenbush, a public health major with a concentration in healthcare management in the , worked under the mentorship of , associate professor of public health, on a study examining whether patterns detected in fetal heart tracing—the monitoring of a baby’s heart rate during labor—can predict short-term outcomes for infants born between 23 and 26 weeks of gestation. These babies occupy a narrow clinical window clinicians call “periviable,” a zone where survival has improved in recent decades but where the tools guiding clinical decisions remain poorly understood.

An Understudied Population

Fetal heart tracing is a well-established tool used to signal when medical intervention may be needed in full-term pregnancies. But its predictive value in periviable births has been largely unexplored. That is the gap Quackenbush and Kmush set out to close.

Their study drew on a retrospective cohort of 90 periviable deliveries at a regional referral hospital in upstate New York between January 2017 and August 2022. In their project, two independent maternal-fetal medicine specialists reviewed four key fetal heart tracing indicators—baseline heart rate, variability, accelerations and decelerations—and compared them against an overall composite score. They analyzed those patterns against neonatal outcomes, including lung disease, eye defects, brain hemorrhage and mortality.

The findings were consistent across every model tested: none of the fetal heart tracing patterns were statistically associated with adverse birth outcomes, meaning that the patterns could not reliably predict which babies would fare worse.

“Our research concluded that the heart tracing patterns in this population of periviable infants have no predictive value,” Quackenbush says. That may sound like a null result, but it is a meaningful one, because establishing what does not predict outcomes in this population is itself a critical step toward better clinical understanding, she says.

Building New Skills

Undertaking this clinical research project required Quackenbush to build an entirely new technical skill set. She had no prior experience with coding, but with guidance from Kmush she learned R, the statistical coding language, and applied it to complex regression analyses and data modeling.

“Dr. Kmush has been an incredible mentor for the statistical analysis work that I have been conducting,” Quackenbush says. “She has been guiding my familiarization with R, as well as the process of preparing research for presentation at all levels.”

Quackenbush’s  work in the lab was made possible in part by the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), which helped fund her project and teamed her with Kmush as a faculty mentor. Quackenbush also broadened her clinical health background through involvement with the University’s and an internship with the . And beyond coding, she built competencies in scientific writing and research communication, skills she says she will carry into her next career phase.

This spring, she and Kmush presented their findings at the conference in Baltimore, an unusual distinction for an undergraduate researcher. Quackenbush says they hope their study will serve as a foundation for expanded research in the periviable population, including studies with larger sample sizes to further validate the results.

From Data to Policy

This fall, Quackenbush will begin legal studies at the in New York. Her goal is to work in health policy, focusing on improving health outcomes through policy determinations, compliance issues and interdisciplinary collaboration.

While her future path moves her out of the lab, an experience she says has been as much about personal growth as scientific discovery, Quackenbush sees her time there as central to the work ahead. “While my career won’t be directly related to clinical public health activity, I anticipate including many concepts from the public health field into my work in health policy,” she says.

Whether it’s analyzing data or shaping health policy, Quackenbush says her goal remains to work toward better outcomes for patients. She leaves the lab having contributed one more piece of a puzzle that clinicians, families and policymakers are still working to  solve.

Ready to recharge? Want to improve your health? Perform better? Prioritize your sleep.

Most college students operate on less than seven hours of sleep and that’s just not enough, says , director of counseling with the .

“We forget how essential sleep is to our functioning, our concentration, our physical well-being and our mental well-being,” Brown says. “It’s easy to forget that sleep is really important.”

For the long-term, the human brain isn’t fully formed until age 25, and sleep is one of the most powerful tools that helps support that development.

How much sleep is considered good? Seven to nine hours, Brown says.

How can you get there? The Barnes Center offers ample resources for students struggling to get a good night’s sleep.

“From access to the and other meditation and mindfulness tools to our and the , we’re committed to helping our students improve their sleep quality and help them sleep more,” Brown says.

Here are four things to know about good sleep habits and what to avoid.

Go to Sleep and Let Your Brain Do Its Job

Sleep is essential for the body to repair itself, and our cells grow and regenerate while we’re asleep.

Sleep is also when, in the brain, the hippocampus consolidates information, turning short-term moments into long-term memories. Give your brain a chance to cement all that studying and classroom knowledge.

“Getting deep, restorative sleep is so important for students because they’re doing a lot of academic work and they need to be sharp and focused,” Brown says. “If you start stacking nights of poor sleep, you’ll see poor health habits start to form.”

It can also lead to decreased concentration and focus and increased stress, hypertension, irritability, anxiety and depression.

Tip: Brown recommends students aim to fall asleep and wake up around the same time each day, to help develop and maintain the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock.

Damaging Effects of Screens on Sleep

Whether it’s a cell phone, tablet, laptop or television, the screens we use emit a specific light that disrupts our ability to fall asleep by mimicking daylight and stimulating activity in the brain.

Brown says the blue light suppresses the body’s release of melatonin, which helps naturally prepare the body to fall asleep, and tricks the brain into a state of alertness.

Tip: She recommends getting off your phone or other screens at least 30 minutes and preferably one hour before bedtime, to allow the brain enough time to wind down.

Healthy Alternatives to Screen Time

Instead of scrolling on your phone, Brown suggests keeping a nightly journal, reflecting on the lessons from the day while creating a to-do list for the next day.

“That way, you get everything out of your mind before laying down for bed, and it won’t weigh on you as you fall asleep,” Brown says.

Tip: All University students have premium access to the , which features guided meditation, mindfulness and bedtime exercises and a library of soothing sleep sounds.

What are healthy alternatives to screens?

• Taking a warm bath before bed
• Practicing deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness exercises
• Washing your face with a calming lavender lotion or using pleasing fragrances
• Drinking herbal teas containing chamomile
• Reading a book with dim lighting

“The biggest key is getting yourself ready for sleep,” Brown says. “Having a nighttime routine is great because it helps you stack together good habits that will improve sleep quality.”

How the Barnes Center Can Help

Brown says the ability to sleep is closely intertwined with eating habits, which is why help students understand how diet and meal timing affect sleep quality.

Exercise is also connected. Brown says students who regularly engage in physical activity enjoy better sleep quality and are encouraged to connect with recreation staff and personal trainers.

Among the offered to support better sleep and rest habits:

• appointments with or to discuss care options;
• sessions tailored for students struggling with sleep difficulties;
• self-care activities, tools and resources through the Crowley Family MindSpa; and
• .

“People think you can catch up on sleep, but you really can’t reverse everything that happens to your body from constantly not sleeping well,” Brown says. “There’s no substitute for getting a good night’s sleep.”

Syracuse University is home to more than a dozen registered dietitians spread across the , , , and the . Recently, they started meeting as a cross-campus coalition.

The group came together through Molly Morgan, associate director of in Human Resources, who joined the University last year and quickly realized that dietitian colleagues were embedded across a range of schools, colleges and units.

She floated the idea of regular meetups, and the response was unanimous. The coalition’s goal: foster collaboration, align on best practices and amplify the collective impact of their work across the campus community.

As we celebrate in March, six dietitians with wide-ranging expertise share the myths they spend the most time correcting—and the tips they wish more people would actually try.

Myths Worth Busting

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The word “natural” on a label feels reassuring, but it’s an overgeneralization. Plenty of natural substances—lead and arsenic among them—are anything but good for you (remember the apple juice scare of 2024?). Meanwhile, some artificial additives serve real purposes: extending shelf life, improving texture or boosting a food’s nutritional profile. The takeaway? Read the full label, not just the buzzword. — Nikki Beckwith, M.A., RD, CDN, director of the master of arts in nutrition science program, Falk College

Carbs Are the Enemy

A lot of people think that carbohydrates make you gain weight, but in reality they are the body’s main energy source. Whole carbs like fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains deliver fiber, vitamins and sustained energy. The real issue isn’t carbs themselves; it’s the type and quantity people reach for. — Ashley Russo-Leone, M.A., RD, CDN, CNSC, assistant director of nutrition management, Campus Dining

Your Body Needs an Annual Detox or Cleanse

A common myth is that you need to detox or do a “cleanse” at least once per year. The human body has its own detoxification crew working around the clock: the liver, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, colon and skin. Most healthy bodies do not need help eliminating toxins and harmful substances. They need consistent, balanced nutrition. — Ashley Russo-Leone, M.A., RD, CDN, CNSC, assistant director of nutrition management, Campus Dining

A ‘Nutritionist’ and a ‘Registered Dietitian’ Are the Same Thing

In most states, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist—no degree, no exam, no oversight required. Becoming a registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), on the other hand, requires rigorous education, supervised practice hours, a credentialing exam and ongoing continuing education. If you’re managing a health condition, navigating food allergies or fine-tuning athletic performance, that distinction matters. — Molly Morgan, RDN, CDN, CSSD, associate director of health and wellness for faculty and staff

Tips Worth Trying

Think 80/20, Not All-or-Nothing

Dietitians are not the food police. A more sustainable framework: about 80% of the foods you choose should align with your health goals and nutritional needs, leaving 20% for flexibility. Perfection isn’t the point, consistency is. — Jessica Garay, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College

Push Back on the Protein Hype

From protein coffee foams to meat add-ons at every counter, today’s marketing makes it seem like more protein is always better. It’s important, sure, but excess calories from protein can lead to weight gain just like excess calories from anything else. Most people can meet their daily needs without the extras, and over-focusing on protein can crowd out variety and other essential nutrients. Unsure how much you actually need? A registered dietitian can help. — Nikki Beckwith,��M.A., RD, CDN, director of the master of arts in nutrition science program, Falk College

Breakfast Breaks the Fast—Literally

After a full night of sleep, your body’s energy tank is running on empty. Skipping breakfast extends that deficit and can leave you dragging well into the afternoon. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Even a small meal with protein and complex carbs can make a noticeable difference. — Jessica Garay, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College

Feeding Kids? Stock Smart and Let Them Play

When it comes to young eaters, two strategies go a long way. First, focus less on curating a perfect diet and more on what’s visible and convenient in the house. Kids tend to grab what they see, so keeping fruit, yogurt, nuts and whole-grain snacks at eye level—while limiting ultra-processed options—quietly shapes better habits without mealtime battles.

Second, let little ones explore. Touching, smelling, squishing, and yes, making a mess with food are legitimate steps toward acceptance. Food play is food learning, and pressuring a child to “just take a bite” often backfires.��— Maryam Yuhas, Ph.D., RD, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, and Lynn S. Brann, Ph.D., RDN, FAND, associate professor of food and nutrition studies, Falk College

Hungry at Night? Eat. (Just Eat Smart.)

Hunger is hunger, regardless of what time the clock reads. If you’re genuinely hungry at night, eat something, ideally a reasonable portion with both carbohydrates and protein. Protein promotes fullness and helps slow the rate at which carbs hit your bloodstream, which beats the alternative of raiding the chips bag on autopilot. — Jessica Garay, Ph.D., RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND, assistant professor of nutrition and food studies, Falk College

The way society talks about autism is changing — and for Syracuse University researcher , that shift carries real consequences for science, diagnosis and daily life.

“The move from awareness to acceptance has been welcome,” says Russo, an associate professor of psychology in the and director of the . “It has led to a bigger focus on accepting differences and working with people’s strengths, rather than expecting everyone to learn or function in the same ways.”

But Russo cautions that the “autism as superpower” narrative, while helpful in reducing stigma, can create a skewed public image that doesn’t reflect the full range of autistic experiences—particularly for those who require significant daily support. As the diagnostic criteria have broadened over time to include more individuals with subtler presentations, she notes that research attention has drifted toward those with lower support needs, leaving a gap for autistic people whose daily lives require more intensive care.

The CARE Lab studies how autistic individuals process and integrate sensory information—work that has identified distinct brain signatures underlying those differences. Autistic people consistently show earlier and sometimes stronger neural responses to what they hear and see, responses that are linked to a range of sensory and behavioral characteristics.

Sensory differences are now part of autism’s official diagnostic criteria, and they vary widely: some individuals are hypersensitive to sound or touch, while others actively seek out sensory experiences. Russo encourages those wanting to understand the day-to-day reality of autistic life to seek out first-person accounts written by autistic people themselves.

The diagnostic picture is also more complicated than many realize. “If you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism,” Russo says—a reminder that variability between autistic individuals is vast. Autism presents differently across age, gender and cognitive ability, and co-occurring conditions like ADHD, anxiety and depression are common. Researchers found that girls and women are often diagnosed later, and that clinicians may need to look for different behavioral patterns within the same diagnostic categories when evaluating female patients.

On a broader level, Russo urges the public to be mindful of the unconscious biases that can shape how autistic people are perceived and treated.

“Autism is a disability, but part of that has to do with social and systemic barriers that make it hard for autistic people to flourish,” she says. “Be aware of your biases. How you treat people has an impact.”

World Autism Awareness Day is observed annually on April 2.

February marks , a time to spotlight cardiovascular health and heart disease prevention. University faculty and staff answered the call, with an estimated 500-plus employees submitting photos of themselves wearing red on , Friday, Feb. 6.

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting both men and women. National Wear Red Day serves as a reminder to prioritize heart health through regular exercise, healthy eating, stress management and preventive care.

Below are just some of the photo submissions that were received. Participants were also asked to offer perspectives on what heart health means to them—read on for some of their responses.

Participation from schools, colleges and business units across campus demonstrated that heart health means different things to different community members—but all perspectives emphasize care, connection and well-being.

“Heart health to our team means being there for each other to help manage stress at work,” shared the School of Architecture. “We celebrate when we succeed and we are there with support when we face challenges. We are a small school with a big heart.”

For Art Museum staff, heart health connects directly to family. “Heart health means making sure I’m healthy enough and live long enough to enjoy time with my loved ones,” one employee shared. “My heart is full when we’re together, and heart health keeps us together.”

Barnes Center at The Arch Counseling emphasized their commitment to integrated health, including heart disease awareness and prevention. Meanwhile, Advancement and External Affairs emphasized its focus on investing in physical health to strengthen meaningful connections within the Orange family.

Participants now await the results of a friendly competition: the unit with the highest percentage of employee participation will win a dark chocolate party for their entire team. Winners will be announced on the and in its , which faculty and staff can join by request.

After successfully accomplishing a thorough assessment process, the Barnes Center at The Arch has achieved renewal accreditation by the (AAAHC). As a repeat recipient, this continued benchmark of success further distinguishes the health and wellness team through its adherence to rigorous standards of student-focused care and safety.

“This AAAHC reaccreditation marks a significant milestone in the continued growth and success of the Barnes Center at The Arch,”  says Cory Wallack, associate vice president of student health and wellness. “Guided by the leadership of Lisa GreenPope, director of operations, and Kathleen Coughlin, director of health care, this recognition reflects the high level of excellence the Barnes Center consistently demonstrates and its unwavering pursuit of continued improvement.”

Status as an organization that has earned accreditation means the Barnes Center at The Arch has met the highest level of nationally recognized standards for the provision of quality health care set by AAAHC. Highlights that supported the team’s reaccreditation include evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, ongoing performance improvement strategies and an effective organizational infrastructure aimed at providing safe and effective care.

For more information or questions, please  or call 315.443.8000.

The Barnes Center at The Arch, a national pioneer of student-focused holistic health and wellness, has been named to the . The Barnes Center is one of only 30 recipients of this prestigious nationwide award.

“Our starting catalysts of success began in 2019 with the grand opening of the Barnes Center alongside Syracuse University’s commitment to being a national leader in integrated wellness,” says Cory Wallack, Ph.D., associate vice president of student health and wellness.

“The Princeton Review naming us to the Mental Health Services Honor Roll and more importantly, doing so for our work in student-focused holistic wellness, proactive and preventative skill-building, in addition to cultivating a campus culture fueled to support wellness, is a wonderful recognition of the hard work everyone has contributed to support student wellness.”

The 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll is a celebration of undergraduate institutions for their exceptional dedication and commitment to their students’ mental health and well-being. Through intentionally empowering students by placing them into the driver’s seat of their uniquely defined wellness journeys, coast-to-coast the Barnes Center has been established as a student experience success leader.

Uniting Wellness for Individualized Student Success

At the forefront of this honor is the recognition of the Barnes Center’s intentional and trailblazing work to implement an Integrated Wellness Model. This model intentionally weaves together Health Care, Counseling, Health Promotion and Recreation teams, services and programs, yielding countless student support success outcomes it continues to see accomplished.

“As a national leader our Integrated Wellness Model continues to be unique. While other campuses have integrated parts of these systems, Syracuse University is one of the only universities in the United States that has integrated services to the extent that we have,” Wallack says.

The Barnes Center is centrally located on campus and physically hosts the wellness team (Health Care, Counseling, Health Promotion and Recreation) under one sprawling roof. This shared location naturally creates and strengthens integration of student wellness experiences. At the Barnes Center, all are encouraged and empowered to “be well” in their own unique, ever-evolving wellness journey. In addition to integrating teams, this holistic wellness approach also intentionally encompasses mind, body, spirit and community.

The Princeton Review Names Barnes Center on 2026 Mental Health Services Honor Roll

The Princeton Review and partners selected honorees based on data from its 2025 Campus Mental Health Survey and those that have shown a strong commitment to their students’ mental health and well-being. Recipients, such as the Barnes Center, scored highly in campus quality of life, overall well-being, student empowerment and education, offerings (e.g., services, programs and resources) and administrative support (e.g., policies, staffing).

“One of the key strengths of our campus is the intentional way we foster a quality of life that supports students’ overall well-being,” says .

Among the other criteria that supported the Barnes Center’s honor roll placement are:

• Authentic Holistic Wellness Approach: Demonstrated through a broad range of services integrating mental and physical health, emotional resilience, identity development and community connection.
• Proactive and Preventative Skill-Building: A strong emphasis on equipping students to navigate stress, conflict and transitions.
• Campus Culture Prioritizing Holistic Wellness: A united campus in the pursuit of student well-being and a community of care, supported by data-driven presentations and trainings for faculty, staff and students.

Shaping Tomorrow’s Wellness with the Data of Today

“To ensure that the Barnes Center remains responsive to students’ evolving needs, we pursue continuous assessment comprised of collaboration and adaptation. Ultimately, we strive to remain curious and connected to the student experience, adapting our approach as new needs emerge and ensuring that wellness remains welcoming and a shared community-wide responsibility,” Brown says.

For the dedicated Barnes Center health and wellness team, this honor is just one of many milestones to come in the evolving pursuit of defining student wellness on a national level. Fueling a future of success is the ongoing commitment to data-informed decision-making.

“Our ongoing commitment to utilizing data to inform integrated health and wellness programs and services is a priority,” says Veronica Whalen Jones, director of health promotion.

“In addition to tracking utilization, we are committed to assessing impact through program assessment and focus groups to ensure we are meeting the needs of the student community now and into the future.”