Utah State senior Aaron Anderson, center, receives the Undergraduate Researcher of the Year award for the College of Family and Human Services. He was joined, from left, by Dr. Brent Miller, vice president of research; Dr. Brian Higginbotham, associate professor, extension specialist and Anderson's faculty mentor; Dr. Tom Lee, head of the family, consumer, and human development department; and Dr. Joyce Kinkead, associate vice president of research. / Photo courtesty of Aaron Anderson

By Dave Archer

April 27, 2007 | Mention the word "research" to college students and most of them will cringe and shudder, relating the word with hours and hours of reading, studying and note taking.

Mention the same word to senior Aaron Anderson, however, and you'll probably get a much different reaction. In fact, that reaction will most likely be a positive one.

Anderson, a senior studying Family and Human Development, was recently awarded the Undergraduate Researcher of the Year award for his respective college. He was just one of six Utah State students to receive the recognition.

Receiving the award came as a shock to the Bear River City, Utah, native.

"It was kind of a surprise, I didn't know (I was being nominated) until the day before," he said. "It was a pleasant surprise, though." Anderson was recognized through his work with Dr. Brian Higginbotham, who joined the Utah State University faculty in 2005. Anderson has worked with Higginbotham on a variety of topics that focus on divorce, step-parenting and remarriage.

"I was researching step-family relationships and how the presence of children affects marital relationships," he said.

Anderson has also accomplished a number of other projects during his time as a research assistant. He assisted with the preparation of a $42,000 grant to the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station and recently proposed and won a $1,000 Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities grant. He has also shared his research at a number of venues, including Undergraduate Research Day at the Utah State Capitol and the Legislator spuses' luncheon in Salt Lake City. He has written two proposals to present nationally at the National Conference on Family Relations in Pennsylvania and Undergraduate Research Day in Washington, D.C. He is also the second author of an article that is currently under review in the Journal of Professional Finance Anderson's parents, Kent and Kathy Anderson, who still reside in Bear River City, are proud of the work their son has done and the recognition that he has received.

"It's outstanding," Kent said. "It makes you feel good when your kids excel." After graduating from Utah State next week with a degree in Family and Human Development, Anderson will be attending graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln next fall.

He lives in Perry with wife Becky and 2-year-old daughter Olivia.

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