Dr. Guy Faulkner joins the Editorial Board of Journal of Physical Activity & Health

Stephen Busch, he/him/his
Degree: 1st year, Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology
Supervisor: Dr. Bill Sheel
Teaching Assistant for KIN 235

What is your research/degree focusing on?
My general research theme focuses on the complex physiological interaction between the human respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular systems in response to our environment. I’m exploring this theme from the perspective of ambient air pollution produced by human sources, which causes imbalance between all three systems even during short term exposure. This imbalance between all three systems may be the precursor to various harmful cardiovascular conditions often seen within individuals exposed to various air pollutants, such as vehicle emissions, over long periods of time. My research will specifically investigate whether the sympathetic nervous system (responsible for controlling our body’s unconscious “fight or flight” response) becomes more active during both acute and repeated exposure to several vehicle emission related by-products, including ozone and particulate matter. In addition, I will also aim to uncover whether the increase in sympathetic activity is the result of sensory mechanisms within the lungs that may become irritated when exposed to air pollution.

Why is this field important to you? Why is it important to the School and/or to society?
Ambient air pollution is an ever-growing topic of concern as we continue to learn more about its effects on human health. Over the past several decades there has been a growing body of evidence demonstrating the numerous adverse health effects that arise from long-term exposure. Air pollution both causes and worsens chronic disease (cardiovascular and respiratory related) while also increasing the risk of premature death for a considerable portion of the global population.

Though Canada has not traditionally seen levels of ambient air pollution comparable to those in other developing regions of the world, the trend for increased urbanization by young Canadians to metropolitan areas is resulting in greater reliance on vehicle transportation for daily commuting. In addition, the effects of climate change on extreme weather events in western Canada is increasing both the duration and severity of wildfire seasons, which also lowers air quality. To understand the pathophysiology behind the negative health outcomes to air pollution exposure, we must also understand the underlying human physiological response at the onset of exposure in both healthy populations and those with pre-existing health conditions. My research aims to provide important insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms that both initially respond and adapt to air pollution, which may eventually lead to long-term autonomic imbalance and cardiovascular dysfunction.

What was your undergraduate degree in? How did your undergraduate studies influence your path to UBC KIN grad school?
I graduated with a BHK from UBC Okanagan in 2014. I was fascinated with the underlying adaptive biological mechanisms that allow humans to thrive across a wide range of global environments, and was nurtured through my undergraduate courses and 4th year research practicum placement with the Centre for Heart, Lung & Vascular Health. My experience at UBCO led me to pursue a MSc from the University of Alberta, where I studied how the sympathetic nervous system controls blood pressure in response to low oxygen environments. The highlight of my Masters was conducting my thesis study during a month-long multinational collaborative research expedition near the base of Mount Everest in 2016. Upon graduating from U of A in 2018, I moved to Vancouver and worked as a research assistant. I applied to the UBC School of Kinesiology in the winter of 2021. UBC was my first choice for my PhD, as I was both inspired and impressed with the breadth of top-quality physiology research being conducted from across faculty members within the School of Kinesiology.

Is your work interdisciplinary? Do you work in research clusters?
The research I do is highly interdisciplinary, as my research questions address a wide range of interconnected physiology topics. I’m fortunate to work in a lab that also examines a diverse range of physiology topics including exercise physiology, biomechanics and clinical rehab, and lung mechanics. In addition, our lab space is shared with other researchers who focus on environmental physiology, sports medicine, muscle molecular biology and muscle protein metabolism.

What do you hope to do with your degree when you are finished grad studies?
I will continue along the path that involves researching the human physiological response to various environmental stressors. Following completion of my doctorate program, I want to continue studying the relatively unknown area of autonomic-cardiovascular control and pollution in order to uncover the physiological mechanisms surrounding air pollution and human illness. I have also developed a love for teaching during my time as a teacher assistant and lab instructor. I want to continue teaching so I can share the same passion I had for environmental physiology during my undergraduate with the next generation of upcoming physiologists.

What have you learned from being a TA and what would you advise prospective grad students about these experiences?
I have served as a Student Rep, and in TA positions at several points of my Masters and PhD. These positions have all taught me many unique lessons. However, the common theme amongst them all can be summarized through four main points: i.) Be open to new ideas and learning opportunities. You’re still a student and are also here to learn so be ok with not knowing everything, ii.) Be prepared with a plan but also be flexible for whatever situation may occur. Grad school, research, and teaching will throw many unexpected situations so remain calm, confident, and ready to adapt to what the situation requires, iii.) Be compassionate, patient, and inclusive of your colleagues and (especially) undergraduate students. Encourage students to ask questions and also create learning opportunities from their mistakes. Recognize the diverse background and needs of people that work and study at UBC, and iv.) Be engaging and proud of what you know! Show why you became passionate about your topic. People will pick up on this and be equally excited to learn more about the topics you present or teach.

Do you have any advice to give students who are thinking about grad school?
The choice to pursue grad school is both an exciting and daunting prospect. As in life, grad school is filled with high peaks of exciting accomplishments, challenging low points that you will struggle to overcome and learn from, and a few surprises thrown in to keep grad life interesting. There are many things to consider when applying for grad school. One thing I highly recommend before applying is that you meet both your potential supervisor and lab mates. In this way you will see what the lab dynamic is like and ensure that your supervisor and colleagues work well with your learning style. These people will be your main group for collaboration while also being your cheer squad when you need a little extra support.

Remember that grad school is more than just studying and deepening your understanding in a particular field. Grad life is an important time to discover your own dreams and aspirations, while also encouraging lots of self-reflection. You will meet many people in grad school working on amazing projects, so take time to talk with them and broaden your understanding in different areas.

Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Nous remercions le Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada (CRSNG) de son soutien.

Ahmed Elsayed, he/him
Degree: 1st year of Master of Kinesiology (MKin)
Teaching Assistant for KIN 442

What is your research/degree focusing on?
For my research, I am using clinical applications of exercise prescription to rehabilitate and promote health and wellness in a wide range of populations. These populations vary from post-operational populations learning basic functional movement to creating and altering varsity/elite athlete exercise programs.

Why is this field important to you? Why is it important to the School and/or to society?
Exercise has been a huge relief system for me mentally and physically. The need for exercise as an application to reduce chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and metabolic syndromes, is something that is heavily researched and understood. Unfortunately, it is not implemented enough in healthcare, so I hope to be a part of that change!

What was your undergraduate degree in, and from which university did you graduate? How did your undergraduate studies influence your path to UBC KIN grad school?
I graduated from UBC Vancouver with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to transition into a master’s degree in the same field. Learning about the multifaceted applications of Kinesiology was what initially drew me to the subject. Along with my passion for helping others, Kinesiology was a great program choice for me.

Is your work interdisciplinary? Do you work collaboratively in your research with other students and faculties?
Yes! My work is interdisciplinary and requires me to work in research clusters. I work collaboratively with a group of kinesiologists and undergraduate KIN students for CHANGE BC, where we deliver exercise programs to underserved communities in Northern BC.

What’s the most important thing you have learned in the program so far, and why?
If I had to select one significant thing from my time in Kinesiology, it would be the concept of knowledge translation. Everyone in Kinesiology understands the benefits of exercise, but how you present this understanding in a way that caters to different audiences is a lifelong skill and can be applied to anything you do in life.

Where do issues of inclusion find a place in your life or at work?
Everywhere! That is why tailoring is so imperative in kinesiology. Over the years you learn about different ways to regress and develop programs and concepts in a way that suits the patient and his/her various needs.

Who have been your mentors? What have you learned from them?
Spending my childhood in Sudan has given me a different perspective on health and I met my mentors while growing up there. At a young age, I learned firsthand about the importance of leadership and community development from being around my uncles and aunts, who worked in generally simple jobs. I hope to implement these lessons in my future career as a physician.

Many of our graduate students are athletes or incorporate exercise into their lifestyle. Do you incorporate physical activity in your life? If so which ones? Feel free to elaborate on this.
I am a pretty washed-up basketball player, but I played competitively in high school. Funnily enough, I would say that I could have made it to the NBA if it weren’t for my knees. I play mostly recreational football, and the occasional drop-in basketball in the summertime. I spend most of my leisure time resistance training, I find it can be a great stress relief especially after a tough finals’ week. I hope to one day complete in a local bodybuilding competition— mainly for the experience but also to show off my major gains.

Have you worked as a TA, Student Rep or in another leadership position? What have you learned from these experiences? And what would you advise prospective grad students about these experiences?
I currently work as a TA for KIN 442 here at UBC. I took this exact course the year before as an undergraduate student and learned to appreciate the course a whole lot more while being a TA. As an undergraduate student, you are eager to chase after the grade and forget to appreciate the course material. Now, I can honestly say that I have learned more in this course as a TA than when I was doing my undergrad.

This experience has helped me apply and develop my leadership skills. I would recommend it to any graduate student, not only to those wanting to pursue a career in teaching. My time as a TA taught me how to professionally manage and communicate with individuals that evidently share the same passion for health and wellness as I do. One piece of advice I have to prospective TA’s is to communicate any questions or concerns you have early on, and do not leave marking to the last minute!

What do you hope to do with your degree when you finish your grad studies?
I will be pursuing a career in medicine and use my knowledge of kinesiology, and exercise prescription, in conjunction with what I will learn in medical school. I hope to bolster my scope of medical practice when prescribing treatments for future patients as a future family physician!

Julia McKenna, she/her
Degree: 1st year of Master of Science in Kinesiology (MSc)
Supervisor: Dr. Guy Faulkner
Teaching Assistant for KIN 205 and KIN 363

What is your research/degree focusing on?
In the Population Physical Activity Lab, my research focuses on population-level health promotion through physical activity. In simple words, most people know physical activity is good for you, but how can we actually get people to BE active? To answer this question, my research interests focus on designing and evaluating physical activity interventions, guideline dissemination and implementation, and investigating the effect of physical activity on mental health.

Why is this field important to you? Why is it important to the School and/or to society?
I’m a huge believer that exercise is medicine. Physical activity offers numerous benefits to our physical and mental well-being, yet a large proportion of our populations are physically inactive. I hope to encourage individuals to move more in their everyday lives.

What was your undergraduate degree in, and from which university did you graduate? How did your undergraduate studies influence your path to UBC KIN grad school?
I received my BSc in Kinesiology from Queen’s University. I completed the research mini-stream, in which I contributed to knowledge translation projects; specifically, efforts to implement the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults (24HMG). My involvement there connected me to Dr. Faulkner, inspiring me to take the next step of my academic career at UBCKin.

Is your work interdisciplinary? Do you work in research clusters?
My research draws on multiple fields including physiology, sociology and psychology. My supervisor often works in conjunction with Drs. Eli Puterman, Mark Beauchamp, and Andrea Bundon.

What do you hope to do with your degree when you are finished grad studies?
After grad studies, I hope to work for public health organization such as CSEP or ParticipACTION to continue my work in physical activity and health promotion efforts.

Do you incorporate physical activity in your life?
I swam varsity in my undergrad, and recently hung up the cap and goggles upon graduation. I still love being active whenever I can – whether it’s at a lap swim, biking around the sea-wall, or hitting one of the many amazing running routes in the Kits area.

What have you learned from being a TA?
Through my experience as a TA for both KIN 205 and KIN 363, I have enjoyed the opportunity to challenge my own knowledge and expertise of the field, and develop unique skills to apply them towards the teaching experience. I’ve been able to strengthen my reading, writing, critical thinking, and oral communication skills while also creating meaningful connections with the students I interact with. Most of all, I love sharing my research passions with others!

What would you advise prospective grad students about these experiences?
I would encourage new TAs to take advantage of the connection you are able to make with the students and professors – use this as an opportunity to both give and receive knowledge.

Do you have any advice to give students who are thinking about grad school?
Follow your passion! Grad school is all about studying exactly what YOU are passionate about. Since you will be spending countless hours dedicated to reading and writing about a particular interest, make sure you are choosing something that sparks joy and excitement.