Nabila Rahman Biju

Research question and motivation

Grades alone do not describe the conditions in which students study. Sleep, financial strain, work obligations, physical capacity, and social support may all be relevant to understanding academic progress. The project asks how these dimensions relate to one another and to subsequent academic outcomes—not whether one simple measure explains student success.

Study design and data

I developed this interdisciplinary project from an initial research question into an original data-collection effort, working with undergraduate researchers and collaborators. The study established a matched survey-and-laboratory dataset for 105 Berea students. Its next stage links those measures with institutional academic and labor records.

Survey measures

Survey domains include general health, resilience, perceived stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, food security, sleep, fatigue, financial strain, work demands, and social support. The project combines established instruments with student-context questions.

Laboratory assessments

Laboratory assessments include body composition, handgrip strength, balance, squat performance, vertical jump, and isometric mid-thigh pull. Trial-level force and power records provide objective measures alongside students’ self-reported experiences.

Academic and labor records

Planned institutional-record linkage includes cumulative and term GPA, credits attempted and earned, persistence, course outcomes, academic standing, and relevant work or labor context. Record linkage and academic-outcome analyses remain in development.

Questions under investigation

1. How do physical-performance measures relate to later academic performance after accounting for prior academic achievement and relevant student characteristics?
2. How are stress, sleep, financial strain, work demands, and social support associated with students’ well-being and academic experiences?
3. Which combinations of student resources and demands merit further study when designing support for academic progress?

Undergraduate research

Two undergraduate research scholars participated in the original URCPP data-collection effort. My broader research mentorship now includes six economics majors, including students developing questions from this dataset. Their work involves literature review, research design, data preparation, interpretation, and scholarly communication.

Progress and planned outputs

• Completed
  Study development & original data collection

  A matched survey-and-laboratory dataset for 105 students, with two undergraduate research scholars.

• In progress
  Data preparation & institutional linkage

  Preparing measurements and connecting the research data with approved academic and labor records.

• In development
  Analyses, student projects & manuscripts

  Developing related research questions and preparing scholarly outputs; publication is not yet claimed.

The matched survey-and-laboratory dataset has been established. Data preparation, institutional-record linkage, related analyses, and manuscripts are in development. This website does not report finalized academic-outcome findings.

Research materials

A separate resource page documents the survey domains and laboratory recording structure. A read-only laboratory preview is available for visitors.