This past summer, Dr. Erica Bennett and PhD student Kassi Welch travelled internationally to Basel, Switzerland, and Barcelona, Spain as part of the Forum Basiliense, an interdisciplinary platform that fosters critical dialogue among scholars across the humanities, social sciences, life sciences, and natural sciences.
In collaboration with an international, interdisciplinary research team led by Dr. Sarah Koch in the Department of Sport, Exercise and Health at the University of Basel, Dr. Bennett and Welch contributed to the INCLUDE Project.
The INCLUDE project is a three-year longitudinal study examining how gender, climate change, and urbanization influence physical activity experiences among older adults living with respiratory illness. This mixed-methods initiative is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation under the National Research Programme 83: Gender Medicine and Health.
During their visit, Dr. Bennett and Welch co-led a three-day workshop attending to qualitative research design and its integration within mixed-methods frameworks. They shared insights and facilitated discussions pertaining to methodological approaches to study the intersections of gender, aging, and environmental health.
“This experience was incredibly exciting for me! Meeting and collaborating with international researchers provided an amazing opportunity to connect across disciplines and expand my academic network. I especially valued presenting on qualitative methods and fostering discussions about diverse methodological perspectives to enrich global health research.”
–Kassi Welch (PhD Student) reflecting on her experience abroad.
Additionally, they delivered a research talk at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, presenting their work on Canadian LGBTQ+ older adult’s experiences of aging, highlighting themes of resilience and resistance through physical activity participation.
Dr. Bennett and Welch continue to collaborate with Dr. Koch, Dr. Laura Delgado Ortiz, and the broader INCLUDE team, actively contributing to ongoing international dialogues on aging, physical activity, and the health impacts of climate change.
To learn more about Dr. Bennett and her research, visit here.