The Pacific Northwest Exercise Group (PNWEG) was revived this year, bringing together exercise physiology researchers and graduate trainees from across the Lower Mainland.
PNWEG began in the early 1990s as an initiative of Dr. Don McKenzie, who envisioned a regional meeting where graduate trainees could share their research and connect with colleagues. The meeting continued through the early 2000s before taking a break.
This year, Dr. Robert Boushel (UBC) and Dr. Dave Clarke (SFU) resurrected the meeting in response to the growing critical mass of exercise physiology researchers in the Lower Mainland, including several new faces and research programs. The goal was to create an opportunity for researchers and trainees to learn more about each other’s work and connect around ongoing projects in the region.
The day was designed to be trainee-focused, with opportunities to learn about local research programs, share ongoing projects, and build connections across institutions. Support from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) helped keep costs to a minimum and made it possible to bring the local research community together.
The enthusiasm generated by this year’s meeting has led to interest in making PNWEG an annual event, providing an ongoing forum for graduate trainees and exercise physiology researchers across the Lower Mainland to connect and share their work.