Eye on the Y: 'Napoleon Dynamite' actor Jon Heder speaks on his BYU education, BYU graduate students research mental health care in Pacific Islander communities and BYU students advance research on chronic conditions

"Napoleon Dynamite," a 2004 comedy, features unforgettable, awkward characters navigating high school. The film launched BYU alumnus Jon Heder's acting career. (Courtesy of Napoleon Pictures)

'Napoleon Dynamite' actor Jon Heder on his education opening Hollywood doors

"Napoleon Dynamite" actor Jon Heder, a Brigham Young University alumnus, said he is grateful for how his time at the university shaped both his artistic development and personal perspective.

“I am very glad I went to BYU,” Heder said. “It helped me in so many ways academically and experience-wise.”

Heder first came to BYU planning to pursue film. His interests in drawing and visual storytelling led him to BYU’s animation program.

His first film, “Napoleon Dynamite,” a 2004 comedy, launched his acting career, unlocking a lot of new opportunities for Heder.

“To me, animation and acting were very similar,” he said. “In both cases, you are bringing characters to life.”

BYU’s Poly Psi research team meets with Pacific Islander communities across the South Pacific. They worked to understand the impact of culturally rooted approaches to mental health. (Courtesy of Kawika Allen)

BYU research highlights cultural barriers to mental health care in Pacific Islander communities

A group of BYU graduate students researched the mental health gap among Pacific Islanders.

Students traveled to islands in the South Pacific between 2018 and 2025, working directly with communities to better understand cultural attitudes toward mental health.

The research found that mental health stigma causes many in these communities to view struggles as a sign of personal weakness, often discouraging people from seeking help.

The project has been published in several major psychology journals and has helped promote more culturally informed mental health practices.

It has also shaped the students’ future careers, encouraging them to prioritize community-based and culturally grounded therapy approaches.

Undergraduate and graduate students participate in research in the Davis Lab at BYU. Davis encouraged students to explore research opportunities with curiosity, initiative and a willingness to fail. (Courtesy of Megan Mulliner)

The Mary Davis Lab: Unraveling chronic illness one gene at a time

Mary Davis and her research team are advancing research on chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis by combining genetic data with clinical records.

Multiple sclerosis can affect people very differently. The goal is to make treatment more personalized, allowing doctors to predict better which treatment to use for individual patients.

In this lab, students analyzed electronic health records using techniques like regression analysis, natural language processing and machine learning.

The lab helps students develop diverse skills in biology, coding and statistics.