Faculty Profile for Dr. Sylvia L Crixell

profile photo for Dr. Sylvia L Crixell
Dr. Sylvia L Crixell
Professor — School of Family & Consumer Sciences
FCS 101
phone: (512) 245-2155

Biography Section

Biography and Education

Dr. Crixell earned her MS in Biology at Texas State University in 1991 and her PhD in Biological Sciences/Nutrition at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Crixell is co-director of Best Food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (Best Food FITS), a community organization dedicated to improving children's health, and a nutrition consultant for WellCats, the employee wellness program at Texas State University. Her research addresses child nutrition and adult wellness.

Research Interests

adult wellness; child obesity; child nutrition; community health

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Smith, R. J., Alvarez, C. G., Crixell, S. L., & Lane, M. A. (2021). The Food, Feelings, and Family Study: comparison of the efficacy of traditional methods, social media, and broadcast email to recruit pregnant women to an observational, longitudinal nutrition study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 21(203). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03680-1
  • Markides, B. R., Crixell, S. L., & Page, J. D. (2020). High Protein Intake Among Preschoolers in Childcare in a Region at Elevated Risk for Obesity. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 24(8), 1008–1018.
  • Menge, L. D., Hu, Y., Crixell, S. L., Lloyd, L. K., Bezner, J. R., & Burke, P. J. (2018). Influences on catered event ordering in a university workplace: development and validation of the Understanding Food Ordering survey. American Journal of Health Promotion, October, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117118807217
  • Bezner, J. R., Franklin, K., Lloyd, L. K., & Crixell, S. L. (2018). Effect of Group Behavior Change Coaching on Psychosocial Constructs Associated with Physical Activity Among University Employees. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1–15. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2018.1462232
  • Scott, C. A., Padilla, V., Markides, B., Biediger-Friedman, L. M., & Crixell, S. L. (2021). O47 Chat with Maya: Assessing the Usability of the Texas WIC Chatbot. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 53(7), S22–S23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2021.04.056

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: Health Scholar Showcase Award, User-Centered Design of a Texas WIC ChatBot: Formative Investigation. February 2019
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alpha Chi. 2018
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Graduate College Outstanding Mentor Award 2017-2018, Graduate College Texas State University. 2017 - 2018
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Favorite Professor, Alpha Chi. 2017
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Runner-Up for Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship, College of Applied Arts, Texas State University. 2016

Selected Grants

  • Crixell, Sylvia L (Co-Principal), Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Co-Principal). Chat with WIC: Innovating WIC Services with a Chatbot, Texas WIC: Texas Health and Human Services, Federal, $101000. (Funded: 2018). Grant.
  • Thornton, Hannah (Co-Principal), Crixell, Sylvia L (Co-Principal). TEACHING AND LEARNING TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION GRANT: ADVANCING VIDEOGRAPHY INSTRUCTION IN NUTRITION, Technology Innovation Office, Texas State University, $3600. (Submitted: April 1, 2019, Funded: September 1, 2019 - Present). Grant.
  • Crixell, Sylvia (Co-Principal), Biediger-Friedman, Lesli M (Co-Principal). Chat with WIC: Innovating WIC Services with a ChatBot, USDA - Texas WIC HHSC, Federal, $101000. (Submitted: August 2017, Funded: September 2018 - August 2021). Grant.
  • Lane, Michelle A, Crixell, Sylvia L. Diet, BFNF, and BPA Exposure as Predictors for Postpartum Behavioral Impairment in Low Income Women, Research Enhancement Program, Texas State University, $16000. (Submitted: October 2017, Funded: January 2018 - Present). Grant.
  • Biediger-Friedman, L. (Principal), Crixell, Sylvia L (Co-Principal). Video contest to improve feeding practices of low-income community infants and toddlers, Faculty REP, $13120. (Funded: 2016). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Program Coordinator
Nutrition and Foods
2019-Present
Member
Faculty Annual Evaluation Committee (Scholarship)
2012-Present
Other
Healthy City Task Force
2012-Present
Co-Director
Best Food for Families, Infants, and Toddlers (Best Food FITS!) City of San Marcos, Chapultepec Housing Center
2011-Present
Member
WellCats Team
2019-2019