Dr. Tammy Harpel
Professor of Human Development and Family Science
Office
TUR Turner Hall 203H
Office Hours
By appointment
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Biography
Dr. Harpel is a Professor of Human Development & Family Science (HDFS). She is a Family Life Educator, a trained birth doula, and a certified leader of the Gottman Institute Bringing Baby Home and Seven Principles for Marriage workshops. She is a Legacy member of the National Council on Family Relations and formerly held leadership roles in the Affiliate Council, Advancing Family Science section, and Board of Directors.
Current Courses
FCS 407.001 Adolescence & Emerging Adulthood in the Cultural Context
FCS 304.001 Adolescence And Emerging Adulthood In Cultural Context
FCS 333.001 Family And Consumer Public Policy
FCS 433.001 Family and Consumer Public Policy
FCS 335.001 Family Life Education Methods
FCS 435.001 Family Life Education Methods
FCS 499.021 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis
FCS 498.001 Professional Practice: Family And Consumer Sciences
FCS 395.001 Sexuality and Family Life
FCS 495.001 Sexuality and Family Life
FCS 291.021 Undergraduate Teaching Experiences In Family And Consumer Sciences
Teaching Interests & Areas
Family crisis, family life education, sexuality, endometriosis, family theory, policy, and statistics
Research Interests & Areas
Dr. Harpel's primary research focuses on: (1) the experiences of women with endomtriosis; (2)the impact of technology on the pregnancy experience and the use of technology for family building during pregnancy, (3) the impact of reproductive health on women and their relationships, and (4) the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning of family science content.
Ph D Child Development and Family Studies
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
MS Applied Family and Child Studies
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, Illinois
BA Psychology
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
CAST Outstanding Teacher Tenured Award
CAST
2022
RISE Award
Illinois State University
2020
CAST Pre-Tenure Teaching Award
College of Applied Science & Technology
2018
Phyllis Memken Outstanding Teacher Award
Department of Family & Consumer Sciences, ISU
2017
Elected to Executive Board Position (President-Elect of Affiliate Council)
National Council on Family Relations
2017
Program Participant - ISU Leadership Initiative
Provost Office
2016
Oustanding Service to Family Science Section
National Council on Family Relations
2012
Teaching Award for 300 and Above Courses
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University
2011
John D. Griffin Award for Outstanding Faculty Service
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University
2010
Twenty Best Work-Family Research Articles of 2009
Center for Families Purdue University and Boston College
2009
Teaching Award for Lower Division Courses
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University
2009
Grants and Contracts
A Daily Diary Analysis of Social Media Use during Pregnancy
Tammy Harpel.
ISU - CAST (URG). July 2017 - June 2018
Facebook and the Pregnancy Experience: Factors Associated with Sharing Pregnancy-Related Information on Facebook
Tammy Harpel.
ISU - CAST (URG). June 2014 - June 2015
Presentation Travel Grant Program
Tammy Harpel.
CAST Illinois State University. October 2012 - November 2012
Teaching Development Travel Grant
Tammy Harpel.
CTLT Illinois State University. October 2012 - November 2012
Literacy promotion in early childhood
Tammy Harpel, Julie Rutledge, Heather McCollum, Laura Chestnut, Anita Pumphrey.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. November 2011 - March 2012
Technological enhancement of the SHARE Library
Tammy Harpel.
Student Technology Board Louisiana Tech University. October 2009 - December 2009
Ultrasound and expectant fatherhood
Tammy Harpel.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. December 2009 - May 2010
Using a simulation to raise awareness of prejudice and discrimination
Tammy Harpel.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. October 2009 - March 2010
SHARE (Strengthening health through age-appropriate resources and education) Library
Tammy Harpel, Lori Myers, Anita Pumphrey.
Louisiana Board of Regents. June 2008 - July 2009
Assessment and prevention of bullying in elementary schools
Tammy Harpel, Lori Myers.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. November 2007 - May 2008
Using games in human ecology educational methods courses
Tammy Harpel, Lori Myers.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. December 2006 - January 2007
Expectant grandparenthood and ultrasound
Tammy Harpel.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. October 2004 - February 2005
Equipping students with assessment tools to identify growth and development of young children
Tammy Harpel, Jan Colvin.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. December 2003 - March 2004
Ultrasound during pregnancy: A family building technology
Tammy Harpel.
College of Applied & Natural Sciences Louisiana Tech University. October 2003 - March 2004
Honan & Talkington Professional Development Fund
Tammy Harpel.
Department of Family & Consumer Sciences. - November 2014
Presentation Travel Grant Program
Tammy Harpel.
CAST Illinois State University. - November 2014
Abstract
Effectiveness of an Intuitive Eating Intervention through Text Messaging among College Students
Tessa Loughran, Tammy Harpel, Rachel Vollmer, Julie Schumacher.
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117, A141, (2018)
Analysis of Pinterest as a Tool for Dissemination of Nutrition Information for Parents of Teenagers
Holly Black, Julie Schumacher, Tammy Harpel, Rachel Vollmer.
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117 (10), A-141, (2017)
Presentations
Endometriosis and partner relationships: Exploring factors associated with a negative impact on the relationship
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Baltimore, MD., November, 2025
The use of digital technology by pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Knowlton, Tammy Harpel, Luke Russell, Chang Su-Russell.
2025 Annual Conference of the Illinois Council on Family Relations, DeKalb, IL, April, 2025
"I'm not good at writing": The One Pager Assignment as an Alternative to Written Papers
Tammy Harpel, Erin Andrea.
Annual Conference, Orlando, IL, November, 2023
Cold, uncomfortable, and exhausted: HDFS students' experiences and lessons learned from a homelessness simulation.
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Conference, online, November 2, 2021
Poverty simulation participation: Transformative learning outcomes among FCS students
Tammy Harpel, Sally Arnett.
National Council on Family and Relations Conference, Fort Worth, TX, November, 2019
Desert within a city: Exploring factors associated with food insecurity among residents
Jamey Baietto, Julie Schumacher, Tammy Harpel, Jacqueline Lanier.
Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, November, 2018
Pedagogical strategies for addressing the challenges of teaching family policy
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Conference, San Diego, CA, November, 2018
Family, Pregnancy and Demographic Characteristics Associated With Sharing Pregnancy-related Information on Facebook,
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, November, 2017
Effectiveness of Intuitive Eating Intervention Through a Text Messaging Program Among College Students
Tessa Loughran, Tammy Harpel, Rachel Vollmer, Julie Schumacher.
FNCE Conference, Chicago, October, 2017
Technology at Mealtimes: Exploring the Relationship Between Food Parenting Practices, Parental Technology Distraction and Child Food Neophobia
Moriah Gramm, Tammy Harpel, Julie Schumacher, Brandon McDaniel, Rachel Vollmer.
Experimental Biology 2017, Chicago, IL, April 25, 2017
Pregnant Women and Facebook: Factors Associated With Sharing Pregnancy‐related Information
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, November 3, 2016
Human Development & Family Science at ISU
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Conference, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, July 19, 2016
Blurred Lines: The Construction and Romanticization of Sex Trafficking in Popular Dark Erotic Romance Novels
Jodie Hertzog, Jodie Simon, Tammy Harpel.
Wichita State Research Symposium, Wichita, KS, March, 2016
The Impact of Ultrasound Technology on Embodied versus Disembodied Knowers
Tammy Harpel.
Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25, 2016
Blurred Lines: The Construction and Romanticization of Sex Trafficking in Popular Dark Erotic Romance Novels
Jodie Hertzog, Jodie Simon, Tammy Harpel.
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM, November 13, 2015
"I felt like a dad": Expectant Fathers and Ultrasounds
Tammy Harpel, Kari Gentry.
NCFR Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, November 19, 2014
Is it bullying, teen dating violence, or both? Student, school staff, & parent perspectives
Jodie Hertzog, Rochelle Rowley, Tammy Harpel.
NCFR Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, November 7, 2013
Principles of effective instruction in online courses: The student perspective
Tammy Harpel, Deb Berke, Kathleen Heiden, Todd Grande, Nicole Kelly, Ashley Ellis.
NCFR Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, November 6, 2013
Reel to reel: Popular films for teaching family studies
Tammy Harpel, Brenda Seery, Theresa Russo.
NCFR Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, November, 2012
Connecting Professionals, Changing Perspectives: Using Simulation to Broaden Worldview of Diversity
Kathleen Heiden, Tammy Harpel.
AAFCS Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN, June, 2012
Gender and ethnic trends in the relation between child obesity and self-esteem
Julie Rutledge, Tammy Harpel, Amy Yates.
LAFCS Annual Conference, Lafayette, LA, February, 2012
Selecting child life interns: Perceptions from Child Life Intern Directors
Caroline Smith, Amy Yates, Tammy Harpel.
LAFCS Annual Conference, Lafayette, LA, February, 2012
Demographic factors associated with bullying among second graders
Ashley Wedderburn, Tammy Harpel, Amy Yates.
LAFCS Annual Conferences, Lafayette, LA, February, 2012
Infant simulators in parenting class: Student performance, difficulty, and attitudes
Tammy Harpel.
NCFR Annual Conference, Orlando, FL, November, 2011
University collaborative efforts
Amy Yates, Tammy Harpel, Heather McCollum, Mary Murimi, Yoen Soo Kim.
Annual Conference, Ruston, LA, May, 2011