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Mobilize - Being mission-driven

Mission-driven research is rooted in collaboration with end-users and aims to provide solutions, or changes to policy and practice, for real world impact.

Improving sport culture

Professor Sommer Christie

New colleague

Consulting with national sport entities, high-performance athletes, coaches, performers, and health professionals, Professor Sommer Christie from the School of Human Kinetics aims to enhance mental performance while fostering a safe environment and promoting a healthy culture within sport. In a recent project, she is exploring the para-sport classification process to better understand the athlete’s experience, as classification plays a crucial role in their sport trajectory. She plans to collaborate with National Sport Organizations to further define research questions and identify solutions that can enhance athlete support across diverse sport contexts.
Learn more about Professor Christie's research

Well-deserved recognition

Allison Clouthier

Professor Allison Clouthier

Professor Clouthier was recently awarded the 2024 David Winter Early Career Investigator Award. Her research aims to generate knowledge and tools to assist in clinical decision making to optimize treatment and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. She combines biomechanical analyses with artificial intelligence / machine learning to create personalized models of joint geometry and function. This award recognizes her contributions to date and engagement with the Society.

Audrey Giles

Professor Audrey Giles

The Canadian Association for Leisure Studies- Leisure Scholar Award recognizes the significant and unique contributions of a Canadian researcher to leisure studies, acknowledging a notable impact on both the scholarly community and the wider public. With a commitment to community-based research approaches, Professor Giles and her team explore injury prevention (e.g., drowning), sport participation with a focus on gender and culture, as well as sport for development or reconciliation.

Krystina Lewis

Professor Krystina Lewis

Professor Lewis received Heart & Stroke Foundation funding for her impactful work on patient involvement in brain-heart health decisions. Her research focuses on improving health services to promote patient and public engagement in healthcare, achieved through collaboration with various stakeholders to enhance research quality and impact. She is also the recipient of this year’s Faculty of Health Sciences Award of Excellence - Early career researcher.

Patrick O’Byrne

Professor Patrick O'Byrne

Professor O’Byrne was a recipient of the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal for significant contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Canada. His nomination was presented by the Canadian AIDS Committee. Professor O’Byrne established nurse-led preventative interventions, access to HIV testing and linking individuals to care. Professor O’Byrne was also recognized with this year’s Faculty of Health Sciences Award of Excellence - Research impact EDI.

Raising awareness

The LIFE-RI has launched a series of capsules to showcase research pertinent to their vision to comprehensively investigate the physical, mental, and social determinants of aging, influencing whether individuals live long, live well, and live with voice and choice. The short, accessible interviews, hosted by Director Nafissa Ismail, engage the public, strengthen social media presence, and raise awareness of the research conducted within the Institute.  

Visit the LIFE Research Institute's channel

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