The UBC School of Kinesiology is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael (Mick) Leahy as an Assistant Professor in Cardiovascular Exercise Physiology.
Dr. Leahy joins the School following a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center where his research program sought to investigate the influence of skeletal muscle on cardiovascular control and the limitations of hemodynamic function in health, ageing, and disease. His interdisciplinary work is a product of support from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the American Heart Association, with a track record of industry collaboration including Lululemon Athletica and Nike. Beyond research, Dr. Leahy is a certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP) with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP). Dr. Leahy brings evidence-based practice to the classroom as well as a passion for students to develop practical skills as working kinesiologists and physiologists. Dr. Leahy completed his B.Kin. at Acadia University, received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Health and Integrative Physiology here at the University of British Columbia.
Please join the School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education in welcoming Dr. Leahy in his new role beginning July 1, 2026.
On May 7, 2026, the School of Kinesiology hosted Graduate Research Day in the Gateway Health Building, bringing together graduate students from across research and applied pathways to share their work, exchange ideas, and engage in interdisciplinary dialogue.
The event created a shared space for students in Neuromechanical, Socio-Cultural, Psychological, Biological and Physiological pathways, as well as the Master of Kinesiology program, to connect across different areas of kinesiology. While these approaches may not always intersect in daily lab or program settings, Graduate Research Day offered an opportunity to learn from one another’s perspectives, and areas of expertise.
Throughout the day, students presented their research in a variety of formats. The 3-Minute Thesis sessions challenged presenters to communicate their work clearly and compellingly to a broad audience in a short time span, while the 10-Minute Oral presentations provided space for more focused discussion and scholarly exchange. During lunch, the poster session in Gateway B1102 encouraged unceremonious conversation, allowing students and faculty to engage with research in a more interactive setting.
The day also featured an interdisciplinary panel, where five researchers explored how collaboration across disciplines can advance the field of kinesiology. Together, the presentations, posters, and panel discussions reflected the depth and diversity of graduate research within the School.
Congratulations to all the students who presented and participated in the 2026 Graduate Research Day!
Congratulations to the UBC Kin games team for winning first place overall (first in academics, third in athletics, third in dance, fifth in spirit) at the 2026 Kinesiology (Kin) Game Conference in Sudbury, Ontario. This impressive achievement highlights the passion, academic excellence, and unity of UBC Kinesiology students at the national stage. Dylan Pryde, Lyla Hirsh, and Piper Gregory-Reid, UBC Kinesiology students and captains for the upcoming 2026–2027 Kin Games season, share their experiences from the previous season.
What is Kin Games?
Kin Games is the largest student-run kinesiology conference in Canada, bringing together teams from over 25 universities and more than 500 students from across the country.
Throughout the conference, teams compete in the four pillars of Kin Games: Dance, Athletics, Academics, and Spirit. Each team performs a 1-minute and 30-second dance, competes in athletic events, and takes part in academic challenges. Athletic events include games like dodgeball, kickball, and capture the flag. Academic events range from presentations and escape rooms to Family Feud-style competitions. Teams also complete spirit challenges and bring energy, enthusiasm, and school pride throughout the event.
The conference takes place over four days every March, with this year’s Kin Games hosted in Sudbury, Ontario. However, Kin Games is much more than just the conference weekend. Throughout the year, teams fundraise, practice their dance, complete pre-conference challenges, and build strong connections with one another.
A meaningful part of Kin Games is the Motionball Cup, which takes place during the month of February. Team members record activity minutes, post sweaty selfies, and fundraise for Motionball in support of Special Olympics athletes. This aspect of Kin Games is especially heartwarming, as it helps raise awareness, promote inclusion, and support Special Olympics sport across Canada.
While this explains what Kin Games is on paper, Kin Games goes far beyond being just a conference. It is a family that brings together 16 unique individuals who support one another, work toward a shared goal, and create a positive, inclusive, and unforgettable community.
What makes UBC’s Kin Games team extraordinary or unique?
One of the most important messages conveyed throughout the entire Kin Games conference, aimed at uniting the schools in spirit, is the phrase, “We are all best friends.” Yet this very slogan is also the reason why UBC’s team is so extraordinary — because for us, it is actually true.
Thinking back to when we first met as a team, we came from a range of different backgrounds, year levels, and levels of experience when it came to knowing what to expect at Kin Games. It was hard to imagine that such a diverse group of people could become so close over the course of just one year.
The first real breakthrough moment for us as a group was our first retreat, where the captains invested time and energy into creating activities that would not only bond the team, but also help build trust with one another. This later became so important at the conference and inevitably helped us come home as champions.
A highlight for everyone at the retreat was Hot Seat, where we truly got to understand each person on the team at a much deeper level.
After our retreat, the energy within the team shifted. We started to hang out more, whether that meant sitting in classes and studying together or challenging our marketing skills through our various fundraising attempts. It didn’t feel awkward to be with anyone on the team. In fact, it felt like extra time on top of all our practices where we could connect with some of our closest friends.
So, if you asked anyone on the team what the most unique thing about us is, everyone would say that our team is more than a team. It’s a family, and there’s nothing more special than that.
How did UBC Kin contribute to your achievement of first place?
UBC Kin played an important role in supporting our team’s journey to Kin Games in Sudbury, Ontario. Their support helped make our trip possible and allowed us to represent UBC Kinesiology in the best way we could.
Throughout the year, UBC Kin also supported our team by helping us secure practice spaces for dance practices and providing guidance as we prepared for the conference. We are incredibly grateful for their contribution to our Kin Games experience and for helping us showcase what it means to be a UBC Kin student.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to our Student Engagement Officer, Emily Speidel, for her ongoing support with logistics and planning throughout the year. Thank you as well to all of our professors who supported us along the way.
What was the team’s favorite memory?
The dance is one of the most anticipated pillars of Kin Games. A major part of our practices throughout the year, up to three times per week for two hours each, is dedicated to learning and perfecting our dance. This is something we are especially proud of, as many team members come in with little to no dance experience. Because of this, performing in front of the entire conference is such a meaningful moment. It is the chance to showcase all of the hard work, dedication, and energy that everyone has put in throughout the year. In total, over 80 hours were spent choreographing, practicing, and dancing together as a team.
The nerves and excitement before stepping on stage, combined with the sense of accomplishment and relief after performing, made the dance one of our most memorable experiences. We are incredibly proud to have placed 3rd out of 25 universities.
Travelling with the team was also memorable, although maybe not our favourite memory at the time. Our journey can best be described as “phase two fun,” where it was difficult in the moment, but funny and unforgettable looking back. Our trip had continuous flight and bus cancellations, and we titled this part of our trip the “Tumultuous 36.” This name came from our 36-hour travel journey, which included sleeping on the airport floor and living off our $15 food vouchers, which we were still very grateful for. Although challenging, travelling together became a major bonding experience and helped define how our team approached the rest of the conference.
Lastly, one of our proudest moments was winning 1st place overall. UBC Kin Games placed 1st in Academics, 3rd in Dance, 3rd in Athletics, and 5th in Spirit. We are so proud of what our team accomplished and even more grateful for the experience we shared. It would not have been the same without the incredible energy, support, and spirit brought by every school at Kin Games.
How can future students get involved in Kin Games?
Students can get involved by applying for our team in September and by getting involved in the KUS and UBC Kin community. UBC Kin Games strongly encourages all students to get involved in the Kin-munity, and if you are interested in being on our team next year, we absolutely encourage you to apply!
If anything about Kin Games interests you and you want to learn more, you can follow us on Instagram at @ubckingames or send the 2027 captains an email at kingamesubc@gmail.com.
The 2027 Kin Games captains will be Dylan Pryde, Lyla Hirsh, and Piper Gregory-Reid. We are happy to answer any questions and share more about what Kin Games means to us. Kin Games 2027 will be hosted in Lethbridge, Alberta, and we are so excited for another memorable year and hopefully to win the shoe again!
Thank you to Dylan, Lyla, and Piper for this interview and congratulations to the entire UBC Kin Games team for this amazing achievement. Please see below for a full roster of the 2025-2026 UBC Kin Games team.
Captains: Ian Zhou, Sofia Lorenti, Dylan Pryde Veterans: Austin Gou, Miguel Santos Rookies: Bosco Wong, Sylvia Hamilton, Dorothy Yuen, Keegan Fitzpatrick, Sian Huang, Ellie Irvine, Lyla Hirsh, Piper Gregory-Reid, Ryan Stewart, Mason Stafford, Vian Hu
The UBC School of Kinesiology is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Patric Gonçalves, a Team-Based Practice Educator in Clinical Exercise Physiology.
Mr. Gonçalves joins the School from interdisciplinary settings where he has taught, mentored, and supported student learning across institutions including the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, and Douglas College. He has contributed to programs in Kinesiology, Sports Science, and Physiotherapy. Mr. Gonçalves practices at Harrison Healthcare primary care clinic, delivering individualized exercise interventions for individuals with chronic conditions within an interdisciplinary care model. His work focuses on evidence-informed clinical exercise prescription, mentorship, and the integration of exercise into team-based healthcare. Mr. Gonçalves will spend 50% of his time as a Lecturer in the School of Kinesiology and 50% of his time as a Clinical Instructor in the UBC Gateway Team-Based Care Teaching Clinic.
Please join the School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education in welcoming Mr. Patric Gonçalves in his new role, beginning May 19, 2026.
On April 9, 2026, students in Dr. Andrea Bundon’s KIN 464: Health Promotion and Physical Activity course presented their research at the annual Student Poster Presentation event. Over several months, students surveyed individuals who study, work, live, and play at UBC to better understand their physical activity patterns, as well as their health needs and aspirations.
Working with campus partners and guided by the central question—how can we make our campus a place that enhances health and promotes physical activity?—students explored a range of relevant topics, including:
Barriers and facilitators to physical activity participation on campus
Challenges within existing School outreach programs
Factors influencing engagement across campus sports and recreation facilities
Opportunities to redesign and optimize UBC health and wellbeing initiatives
This work culminated in a series of impactful projects, such as evaluating physical activity engagement in relation to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and identifying strategies to increase participation in UBC BodyWorks among university employees.
View all the research posters below.
Poster Gallery
Click on the image to enlarge.
Congratulations to all of our KIN 464 students!
To view all the photos from the event, please click here
On March 13, 2026, the Kinesiology Undergraduate Advising Office marked a milestone with its first in-person Kinesiology Undergraduate Research Symposium, hosted in the newly opened Gateway Health Building. The event brought together undergraduate students, faculty, staff, and alumni to celebrate the depth and diversity of research within the kinesiology community.
This year’s symposium featured a concise and engaging Three Minute Thesis (3MT) format, where 15 undergraduate presenters each had just three minutes to share their research and its impact. The fast-paced structure challenged students to distill complex ideas into clear, accessible insights—highlighting not only the quality of their work, but also their communication skills.
Presentations spanned a wide range of topics, from biomechanics and exercise physiology to health promotion and rehabilitation sciences. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to engage with presenters, ask questions, and explore how classroom learning translates into real-world research applications.
For many students, the event represented more than just an academic showcase—it was a chance to share months of work with peers and mentors in a supportive, in-person environment. The energy in the Gateway Health Building reflected that excitement, as conversations continued well beyond each presentation.
Congratulations to the following student presenters:
Abaigeal Kelso
Sydney Cormack
Rojina Nariman
Nardine Estawro
Molly Strain
Yasmeen Jalil
Kyra McKinnon
James Gao
Lauren Poliquin
Harjas Walia
Felix Chong
Erika Laurence
Bailey Perin
Cyanea Zheng
Carson Wong
A special thanks to the Kinesiology Undergraduate Advising office and Jessika Baroi for organizing this event.
