Maliha, Kate

Maliha, Kate

Prior to attending UBC, Kate worked in fitness club management as the Fitness Director of The Sussex Club in Ottawa, and as the Fitness Programs Manager of the Vancouver Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club. While working in the fitness industry, Kate developed a passion for helping those who are marginalized or challenged by negative cultural experiences of exercise. One important project included working with young women who had body image and eating disorders. The program consisted of visualization, dance, artistic expression, and mindfulness practices. During this time, Kate realized there was also a need to address the challenges of another marginalized group; older adults engaged in normative fitness practices.

A desire to explore the benefits and challenges of older adults participating in fitness programs led Kate to pursue her master’s degree in the socio-cultural stream. She is grateful to her mentor Dr. Laura Hurd, whose research examining the embodied experiences of older adults was greatly influential. Kate was also guided by the work of Dr. Patricia Vertinsky and Dr. Mark Beauchamp, which provided historical and psychological context. Kate’s master’s research study investigated socio-cultural aspects and benefits of exercise for older adults, with findings emphasizing the important role of social support in peer-group exercise programs. Another highlight of Kate’s experience under Dr. Hurd’s mentorship was co-authoring work published in Aging & Society.

After graduating in 2010, Kate founded Love Your Age Fitness Inc. Bringing her education into practice, Kate and her team have developed inclusive, unique and creative exercise spaces and programs for older adults. Kate continues to be influenced by UBC researchers in Kinesiology and in related fields of psychology, physiotherapy, and neurology, such as Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose’s work on exercise and cognition.

With a mandate to be both inclusive and innovative, in 2014 Kate and her team created their first version of the current Brain & Body program, prior to the wider availability of similar industry offerings. In addition to exploring new ways to help marginalized older adults, other recent projects include implementing socially inclusive, interactive and multi-modal exercise classes in various natural spaces.

Professor Guy Faulkner on Keeping Fit During COVID-19 Isolation


“Often when we are in situations like the one that we’re currently in, we may lose interest in doing things because we may not be able to access them,” he says. “Then we are inactive, which then that reinforces a sense of not being able to do the things that you we enjoy.”

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Eveline Pasman’s PhD Research Journey: Interplays in Brain, Balance and Parkinson’s Disease

My name is Eveline Pasman and I’m an international student from The Netherlands about to finish my PhD in Kinesiology. My PhD is focused on increasing our understanding of what areas of the brain control healthy balance and how these areas are affected in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

My interest in neurology and neuroscience started at a young age, as I grew up in a healthcare-oriented family. Following in my dad’s footsteps, I went to medical school in my hometown Nijmegen (The Netherlands).

My first exposure to doing research was when I completed a research internship of 9 months at UBC’s School of Kinesiology in 2008/2009. The decision to do this internship in Vancouver was a deliberate one. When I was 10 years old, my parents took me to Canada for a family vacation. It was when we visited Vancouver that I informed my family that I intended to live in Vancouver someday.

The opportunity to complete my 9-month research internship in Dr. Mark Carpenter’s lab was more random. It turned out one of the neurologists my dad worked with was an old friend of Dr. Carpenter and was willing to put me in touch with him. In Dr. Carpenter’s Neural Control of Posture and Movement Lab, I investigated the effect of fear and anxiety on balance control in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Previous research had shown fear and anxiety influence balance control in healthy young and older adults, but it was unclear if this was also the case in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The results of my study were published in an article titled, “Balance problems with Parkinson’s disease: are they anxiety-dependent?” in the journal Neuroscience.

After completing the research internship in Vancouver, I headed back to the Netherlands to finish medical school. During the last year of clinical internships, I focused on caring for patients with neurological problems, while continuing to be involved in research related to balance problems in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. My exposure to research during medical school solidified the idea that doing a PhD was the right path for me. I was happy to learn that Dr. Carpenter was open to me coming back to Vancouver to start my PhD and continue doing research on balance control in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects 1 in 500 Canadians. Balance problems and resultant falls are very common and debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, most treatments currently used for Parkinson’s disease do not alleviate, and sometimes even worsen, the balance problems. The ultimate goal of my PhD research is to identify regions of the brain that could serve as new targets for treatment interventions in Parkinson’s disease. Investigating the brain regions involved in balance control is complicated by the fact that most MRI scanners are horizontally based. For my PhD we, therefore, designed and custom-built a balance simulator. The balance simulator allows participants to perform balancing tasks while supine in the MRI scanner.

We recently showed the balance simulator was easy to use for both healthy elderly participants as well as individuals with Parkinson’s disease. In addition, we showed differences in upright standing balance control between healthy participants and individuals with Parkinson’s disease could also be detected using the balance simulator. The results of our work were published in an article titled, “A novel MRI compatible balance simulator to detect postural instability in Parkinson’s disease” in the journal Frontiers in Neurology. I’m currently analyzing and interpreting the brain activation data we were able to collect in healthy participants and individuals with Parkinson’s disease using our balance simulator in the MRI scanner. We hope to identify key regions of the brain that are contributing to balance problems in Parkinson’s disease and that might be used as targets for new treatment interventions.

Student profile: Nikol Grishin on her Special Olympics BC community project

Hi! My name is Nikol and I’m in my final year in Kinesiology, specializing in Health Sciences. Many of you may already know me as the KUS President! However, in my downtime I unwind by attending spin classes, spending time with friends and loved ones, and spending time on one of my guilty pleasures – binge-watching reality TV! My main interests in Kinesiology lie within the realm of physiology, but some of my fondest undergrad memories have been the many opportunities for personal growth on an academic and personal level, particularly through leadership positions.

This year, another opportunity for leadership appeared when I was honoured to win the UBC Chapman and Innovation Grant, which offers UBC students the opportunity to initiate meaningful community projects to tackle issues affecting underrepresented populations in their local communities. I decided to implement a program with the aim of breaking down the barriers for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their capabilities. In this program, I invited Special Olympics BC (SOBC) athletes to teach their sport to students in five Lower Mainland elementary schools.

I knew that I wanted to work with SOBC from the beginning. Earlier in the year I heard SOBC Community Development Coordinator, Chelsea Rogers, speak in class about leisure opportunities for individuals with disabilities. I thought their work was phenomenal! Sports have been an important part of my life for a long time, and even as a kid, inclusiveness was very important to me. I had witnessed many instances where children were being excluded from activities because they were different. In high school, standing up for these individuals resulted in a lot of arguments and long-lasting tensions between friends, because being popular was more important than treating everyone with respect. To me people are people – we are all different in our own ways, so to exclude someone because of something that makes them unique was absurd. Because of this, I thought it was especially important to implement the program in Elementary schools to instill values of inclusiveness and acceptance in our younger generations.

It was incredibly inspiring to see the warm response from the participating students and teachers, and the thoughtful leadership by the Special Olympics athletes. Though you could tell some athletes were a little nervous at the start, they gradually became more confident and did a great job of making students feel welcome, included and comfortable. A lot of students looked up to the athletes. I heard many of them talking to the athletes and asking questions about their sport experiences. One class even came prepared with papers and pens and asked for the autographs of all the athletes. It was an amazing thing to see!

Piloting this project has been a great way to wrap up my undergraduate experience. In the future, I plan to pursue an MSc in Kinesiology here at UBC. And then, depending on how I enjoy research, I will either pursue Medicine, a PhD, or maybe even an MBA – who knows! Check back with me 3 years from now to see where my journey takes me.

Maddison Chow on Indigenous Student Research in Kinesiology

My name is Maddison Chow and I am a 5th year Kinesiology student in the Health Sciences stream, minoring in Biology. I am currently a mentee in the Indigenous Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (IURMP), which provides a four-month opportunity for Indigenous students to explore the world of research through partnership with a UBC faculty member.

As an undergraduate student, I had struggled to find an area of study that I was truly passionate about. IURMP sounded like a wonderful chance to gain hands-on experience, connect with prestigious professors, and conduct interesting research that could help benefit and empower Indigenous communities. Eager to find a research interest that clicked with me, I took the plunge and signed up!

Through the IURMP, I have focused on assisting with community-based initiatives and daily activities in the Indigenous Studies in Kinesiology (ISK) laboratory. One of the greatest aspects of the IURMP is being able to take Kinesiology knowledge and theory out of the classroom, and into a practical setting — like learning how to conduct a VO2max test! In addition to gaining hands-on practice, a valuable experience has been learning all about community health & wellness, and the importance of developing culturally safe programs to better the lives of Indigenous peoples.

Thankfully, I have been paired with exceptional mentors who have listened to my interests and created a personalized plan for my education in IURMP.  The leadership and support of Dr. Darren Warburton and Dr. Shannon Bredin, as well as the mentorship and wisdom of Dr. Rosalin Miles, have been instrumental to my undergraduate learning experience. As a Métis student in Kinesiology, I am grateful to be able to assist with their research. Their work unites my history with my educational passions, while showing tangible and direct impact on the Indigenous community – as a result, this research is very important and dear to my heart.

After graduation, I would like to further my education by pursuing graduate studies in either Physiotherapy or Experimental Medicine at UBC.

 

 

Dr. Guy Faulkner speaks about physical activity and mental health

Mar. 2, 2020 – Dr. Guy Faulkner, Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Public Health Agency of Canada (CIHR-PHAC) Chair in Applied Public Health, speaks on how physical activity can alleviate mental health issues. Watch it here!

 

Chong, Tyler

With over 9 years of exercise and training experience, Tyler turned his passion for health and fitness into a career by becoming a full-time physiotherapist. As a fellow alumnus, He completed his Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2015 and graduated with a Masters of Physical Therapy from UBC in 2017. In his physiotherapy practice, Tyler works in orthopaedic clinics that specialize in the management of sport and work related injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and vestibular conditions. Tyler’s treatment philosophy revolves around the body’s natural ability to adapt and recover. As a result, he prioritizes the return to normal movement patterns by creating individualized exercise programs for all his patients.

During his time as an undergraduate student, Tyler remained involved on campus by volunteering as the Kinesiology Undergraduate Society website coordinator, KIN tutor, Imagine Day orientation leader, and most notably serving as the VP of Sponsorships – Planning Committee for KIN Games 2015. His past academic achievements include being awarded the Kinesiology Undergraduate Society Prize and the Physiotherapy Association of BC Student Engagement Award upon graduation. Tyler believes in giving back to the community as gratitude for the support that he had received growing up. He has volunteered as an assistant coach for the Vancouver Special Olympics, exercise assistant for ICORD, and is currently a mentor in the KIN Mentorship Program.

With the evolving field of physiotherapy, Tyler is committed to keeping his practice up-to-date with modern research by reviewing new literature, and taking continuing education courses. At the moment, Tyler is learning to improve his skills with vestibular and concussion management. Tyler mentions, “Becoming a physiotherapist was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I am so grateful to have a career that doesn’t feel like work…It is honestly the most rewarding feeling when I see the smiles on my patients’ faces when they return to an activity that they thought they could never do again. I am so thankful to God, my family and friends for their undying support throughout this lifelong journey of learning and growth!”

Aspiring Indigenous Student Researchers Paired with KIN Faculty Mentors

The Indigenous Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program (IURMP) is a UBC initiative for Indigenous undergraduate students who wish to gain a glimpse into the world of research by being paired with a faculty member on campus. This is the fourth year the program has run. Past students have credited their ability to obtain paid undergraduate research work, employment opportunities after graduation, and enrolment in graduate programs, to their participation in the IURMP.

This term, 45 Indigenous students applied to the program at the Vancouver campus. Of these applicants, 24 were selected, including 1 student based in Prince George who is piloting an e-mentorship.

The program involves a four-month mentorship program (January-April) in which students receive guided experience in a research setting related to their field of interest. The students are expected to complete approximately 4-5 hours/week of research activity in their mentorship – this includes a wide variety of activities including meeting with their mentors, participating in lab training and onboarding, and reading academic publications. They are also required to submit weekly reflections on their mentorship – journaling their experience in the program.

The UBC School of Kinesiology is one of 8 other UBC Vancouver Schools and Faculties participating in the program. On January 16, 2020, the Indigenous Undergraduate Research Mentorship Program held a Kick-off Event at the Great Hall of the UBC First Nations Longhouse to which IURMP Students, Faculty Mentors, and supporting staff academic advisors, and FNHL Leadership were invited and welcomed into the program. The evening was meant to set the participants up for success and was an opportunity to meet each other and to provide an overview of timelines and activities over the course of the program.

We are happy to say that three of the 24 participating students are in the School of Kinesiology and they have been paired with KIN faculty mentors Drs. Bill Sheel, Darren Warburton and John Kramer. Congratulations to our students! Students and faculty mentors will have a mid-term meet-up to check in with each other about their mentorship experience. We look forward to hearing how the program went for both students and professors at the end of April.

Free Screening of “Running Free” at NVCL

Feb. 26, 2020 – The North Vancouver City Library (NVCL) will be hosting a free screening of the documentary Running Free: Children’s Independent Mobility followed by a discussion and Q&A session with PhD candidate Negin Riazi. The event will be on Saturday, February 29th, 2020 from 2-3:30pm. More details here!

 

New Paper Out

Feb. 26, 2020 – New paper out by Dr. Marc Mitchell, Dr. Erica Lau, Lauren White, and Dr. Guy Faulkner examining “whether a multi-component commercial app rewarding users with digital incentives for walking was associated with an increase in physical activity over one year.” Read it here!