K-State horticulture graduate student receives second research award

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Source: Richard Mattson, 785-532-1420, mattson@k-state.edu
Pronouncer: Seong-Hyun is pronounced "Suhn-YUNG."
News release prepared by: Levi Wolters, 785-532-6414, media@k-state.edu

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

K-STATE HORTICULTURE GRADUATE STUDENT RECEIVES SECOND RESEARCH AWARD

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's Seong-Hyun Park, doctoral student in horticulture, has received her second People-Plant Interaction Research Award from the International Society for Horticultural Science.

Park, who first won the award in 2002, was recently honored again at the International Horticulture Congress meetings in Seoul, Korea.

Park's award-winning presentation, "Bring nature into a hospital: The stress reducing effect of plants on surgical patients," investigated the influence of plants and flowers within hospital rooms on patient self-reported pain, anxiety, fatigue, environmental assessment and hospital room satisfaction. She also analyzed patients' medical records of blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, respiratory rate, intake and type of medication, and the number of hospitalization days for recovery.

Park's 2002 research award, received in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, recognized her master's presentation, "Pain tolerance and recovery effect on ornamental indoor plants in a simulated hospital room."

Serving on Park's graduate advisory committee are James Higgins, professor of statistics; Fred Newton, director of counseling services; Susanne Siepl-Coates, professor of architecture; and Richard Mattson, professor of horticulture, forestry and recreation resources.