UNews - Olu Awosoga

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers to collaborate on projects funded by Partnership Grants

caroline.zentner — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:59:54 +0000

Several ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are collaborating on recently announced projects funded through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grants.

“ULethbridge researchers involved in these projects are contributing their expertise to studies that have an impact across Canada and around the world,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president research. “Many research projects have an increasingly broad scope and depend on collaborations with researchers at other universities in Canada and abroad. These collaborations transform individual insight into collective knowledge and generate discoveries that a single researcher might not uncover alone.”

Dr. Lisa Starr, dean of the Faculty of Education, and Dr. Kaylan Schwarz, a professor in the School of Liberal Education, are involved in a project called TRANSFORM: Engaging with Young People for Social Change. The project is supported by a $2.5-million Partnership Grant from SSHRC and over $3 million in in-kind and cash contributions from partner universities and organizations.

The project is led by Dr. Claudia Mitchell from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. The researchers will study how young people are pivotal agents of change in gender equality, particularly through visual arts. Using diverse art forms, such as photography, filmmaking, cellphilming (video shot on a cellphone or tablet camera), performance art and textile production, the TRANSFORM project will empower and champion youth-led agendas for transforming gender norms and inequalities. The study has field sites in Africa, South America and India.

Dr. Olu Awosoga, a Faculty of Health Sciences professor with expertise in quantitative research methods, is a co-applicant on a $2.5 million SSHRC Partnership Grant to improve the well-being of Black children and youth in Canada. The project is led by Dr. Bukola Salami at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. The project focuses on experiences with the justice system, the education system, the child welfare system and immigration and settlement. Researchers will conduct a national survey focusing on Black children and youth in Canada — the first of its kind — to gather data on the lived experiences of Black youth.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA’71), DASc ’04), vice-provost of Iniskim Indigenous Relations, is collaborating on a project led by Dr. Shalene Jobin of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. The Critical Approaches to Indigenous Relationality project is supported by a $2.5-million Partnership Grant.

A further project funded by a Partnership Grant and involving ULethbridge researchers is the already announced Gatherings: Archival and Oral Histories of Performance project.

In addition, Dr. Kara Granzow, a sociology professor, is a co-applicant on a SSHRC program called the Reconciliation Network in Response to Call to Action 65 led by Dr. Vanessa Watts at McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. This joint initiative between the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and SSHRC supports the establishment of a national research program to advance the collective understanding of reconciliation. The project Re-Neighbouring as Reconciliation: Indigenous Stories of Resistance was awarded more than $975,000 over five years.

Dr. Michelle Helstein appointed Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

caroline.zentner — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 16:22:10 +0000

Accomplished researcher and senior administrator, Dr. Michelle Helstein, has been appointed Provost and Vice-President (Academic) by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Board of Governors, another significant addition to a leadership core that has seen a dramatic influx of new perspectives in the past six months.

Helstein, who most recently served as ULethbridge’s Interim Deputy Provost, will be a key voice on President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Digvir Jayas’s senior leadership team. Jayas assumed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s presidency on July 1, 2023, and in addition, four new academic deans began their roles at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“Throughout my introduction to ULethbridge and over the first few weeks of my time here, I see how respected Dr. Helstein is by faculty members and others within the senior leadership team,” says Jayas. “I am very impressed with how she is able to articulate the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s mission and am excited to work with her as we look forward and begin to develop, along with our internal and external stakeholders, the next ULethbridge strategic plan.”

Helstein’s role as interim deputy provost offered her the opportunity to work within the senior leadership structure and build on her vast experience as an administrator and academic. Helstein has explored multiple administrative opportunities from her first days at ULethbridge and been eager to lend her voice to the institutional narrative. She has taken on several significant roles characterized by increasing levels of scope, complexity and responsibility. These include oversight of Academic Advising, the Indigenous Student Success Cohort and Cooperative Education, as well as serving as co-Chair in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education and as both Associate Dean and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“You can already see a sense of her leadership tenacity,” says Dr. Olu Awosoga, professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences. “She co-chaired the COVID-19 management team and worked through approving Navitas at the General Faculties Council, amongst others. Her stance on governance is focused on transparency, collaboration and a practical approach to decision-making.”

He adds that Helstein is a respected voice throughout the institution and will provide invaluable support to Jayas in his early days as president.

“Dr. Helstein has promised a more transparent, collaborative and effective governance approach with the ability to carry the students (ULSU, GSA), staff (APO, AUPE), and faculty (ULFA) associations along in the decision-making process,” says Awosoga. “She brings a matchless knowledge and a fantastic understanding of the governance structure of the U of L into the job. This will minimize the transitional hurdles, and she will be able to guide the new president in navigating the system with minimal stress.”

Emma Scott, professional librarian in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library, says Helstein is sincere in raising those around her.

“Alongside a wealth of institutional knowledge, Dr. Helstein brings a passion for supporting all units across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and a desire to see students, staff and faculty succeed,” says Scott. “I am excited to see Dr. Helstein bring her servant leadership style to her new role.”

With several new perspectives coming to campus this summer, Helstein is enthused about the opportunity to connect those voices and help shape the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“It’s an exciting time on campus,” she says. “We have a host of new programs and areas of study, we have great interest in terms of both domestic and international student applications, and we have new faculty members and administrators across the institution who are bringing so much energy with them — it’s an invigorating atmosphere.”

Helstein is confident in the collective strength of the campus community.

“I believe strongly that a university is its people. This role allows me to support the important efforts of faculty, staff, and students and to build contexts that facilitate their teaching, research, and learning so that our university, its people, and the communities we serve, can thrive.”

Jaxon Reiter, president of the Graduate Students’ Association, is excited about the opportunity to work with Helstein.

“I look forward to Dr. Helstein’s initiatives to support undergraduate and graduate students at our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” he says. “I am excited to work with her in creating an environment within which our students, current and future, as well as alumni, can realize success and foster a sense of great pride in our institution.”

Helstein earned a Bachelor of Arts from Augustana ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College and a PhD in Physical Education and Recreation from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. She began her ULethbridge academic career in 2003, focusing her research on breaking down the notion of sport and popular culture as simply innocent, playful, and not worthy of study by highlighting the significant impact and use of popular sporting culture within larger social, political and economic processes.

Her research has been recognized through funding support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and a number of other internal and external research funds, allowing her to explore questions related to representations of female athletes, the complex intersection of public and private sector funding within Canadian sport, and most recently, perspectives of labour within the concussion crisis in sport. Through her research she has actively supported both undergraduate student research and graduate education at ULethbridge.

Her term as Provost and Vice-President (Academic) commences September 1, 2023.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor selected to take part in Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program

trevor.kenney — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:00:42 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Dr. Oluwagbohunmi (Olu) Awosoga has been awarded a fellowship by the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program to travel to Nigeria.

Dr. Olu Awosoga will work with Chrisland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Abeokuta & College of Medicine, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ibadan and Dr. Adesola Odole on research collaboration.

“I am always looking for opportunities to grow both academically and personally, and my appointment as a Carnegie Fellow in the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship program will serve both purposes,” says Awosoga, a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences who is particularly adept at the application of statistics as it relates to health sciences.. “This fellowship will allow me to further my research on how the health status and quality of life of health care workers affect the quality of care received by patients.”

While there, Awosoga will work with Chrisland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Abeokuta & College of Medicine, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ibadan and Dr. Adesola Odole on research collaboration, curriculum co-development, student mentoring, a student exchange program, and host workshops and seminars among other activities.

The project, Curriculum Co-Development for New Programs in Statistics and Basic Medical Sciences Plus Mentorship and Research collaboration, will see Awosoga replicate one of his current research studies from scratch to finish, and mentor students and faculty members on processes involved in an applied research study.

“I plan to deliver workshops and seminars, engage in joint publications, and set in motion a Memorandum of Understanding between the U of L and the two host institutions, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ibadan and Chrisland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” he adds. “This would lay a foundation for international student recruitment, research collaborations with faculty members, and a faculty and student exchange program with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.”

Awosoga is expected to deliver seminars/workshops on mixed methods research design, structural equation modelling, multi-level data psychometric analysis, teaching strategies to improve skills of medical educators, and replicate one of his studies in the vulnerable populations of older adults.

“I plan to use the results of this study to provide immediate recommendations on the health care practices taking place in my home country of Nigeria,” says Awosoga. “The Chrisland ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Abeokuta project is one of 56 projects that pairs African Diaspora scholars with higher education institutions and collaborators in Africa to work together on curriculum co-development, collaborative research, graduate training and mentoring activities.

ABOUT — Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program

The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program, now in its fourth year, is designed to reverse Africa’s brain drain, strengthen capacity at the host institutions, and develop long-term, mutually beneficial collaborations between universities in Africa and the United States and Canada. It is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York and managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with United States International ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ-Africa (USIU-Africa) in Nairobi, Kenya, which coordinates the activities of the Advisory Council. A total of 527 African Diaspora Fellowships have now been awarded for scholars to travel to Africa since the program’s inception in 2013.

Storytelling project seeks to understand Indigenous youth experiences to mitigate youth homelessness

trevor.kenney — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 16:45:06 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor Dr. Janice Victor intends to be part of the solution strategy put forward by Making the Shift Inc. — a Centre of Excellence of Canada that is seeking to shift the focus from management to prevention of youth homelessness.

Dr. Janice Victor's project looks specifically at the disproportionate representation of Indigenous youth in child welfare systems and ensuing poor educational and health outcomes.

Victor has been awarded $85,580 for her project, Ai’aoskiikowaata (providing guidance to youth): Supporting healthy transitions from government care to independent living, which looks specifically at the disproportionate representation of Indigenous youth in child welfare systems and ensuing poor educational and health outcomes. Her project will use a multi-media storytelling methodology (with co-investigator Don McIntyre in the Dhillon School of Business) and post-transition survey (with co-investigator Dr. Olu Awosoga in the Faculty of Health Sciences) to better understand the experiences of youth transitioning out of government care in an effort to identify cultural-appropriate strategies to uphold their cultural connection.

It has been shown through multiple studies that Indigenous children deprived of cultural connections are substantially more susceptible to poor health outcomes, experiencing a higher risk for homelessness, addiction and criminalization. Blackfoot youth in government systems who are disconnected from their culture are just as vulnerable.

“One of the big problems we have is there are not enough Blackfoot foster homes,” says Victor, who teaches in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Faculty of Health Sciences. “We are basically continuing the 60s scoop in a way because we see that disconnection from culture taking place.”

Dealing with the ramifications of culture loss after the fact is a never-ending cycle of continued government care, where Victor and her work would rather focus on finding strategies to ensure Indigenous children maintain cultural connections while in care, which in turn will aid youth as they first transition out of government care with support from their community. Gaining the perspective of those who have travelled through the system is invaluable and storytelling is a natural way to access their lived experiences.

“Through storytelling, you start to see the real struggle youth have and the real underlying questions, the importance of cultural connection and well-being,” she says. “It’s about an identity they have lost, a way of life. Even the term Ai’aoskiikowaata means providing guidance to youth, and it is referring to what the Blackfoot have always known about how these practices give guidance to leading a healthy life.”

Victor will be looking for participants from Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Calgary, and would ideally have 12 participants for the storytelling project from each community. Her results could inform legislators and knowledge users on a wise practice approach specific to individual circumstance, history, geography and educational knowledges.

“One thing I’m really aware of is trying to refine my approach to make sure what we’re doing is grounded in what the community needs and what the Blackfoot community is saying is important,” says Victor, who credits knowledge holders Dan Fox and Tom Chief Calf as providing guidance for the project. “One thing we do understand is that childcare services need to be run by the community, they need to be run by Indigenous peoples because they need to have control over raising their children again — as they did for millennia.”

The study itself will begin with the administration of a large survey to youth people under 30 who have aged out of care in southern Alberta. The storytelling aspect, including interviews and the compilation of the stories, is somewhat dependent on current social distancing restrictions. Victor has set up a website for potential participants at agingoutproject.ca.

“One of the ideas I’d love to pursue once we are finished is to bring the stories from the three locations together and have that as a form of knowledge translation and knowledge sharing amongst one another and with the broader community.”

Piquette eager to assume Chief Marshal role, duties

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 18:06:09 +0000

Dr. Noella Piquette has been a consistent presence at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Convocation ceremonies over the years, as an attending faculty member and convocation volunteer. Beginning with Fall 2019 Convocation, she’ll be front and centre as the new chief marshal.

Piquette, who was handed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Mace from outgoing chief marshal Dr. Olu Awosoga at the conclusion of Spring 2019 Convocation last week, couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity.

Dr. Noella Piquette after officially receiving the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Mace to begin her service as the Convocation Chief Marshal.

“I’ve spoken with Olu about this quite a bit and he has told me how much he’s enjoyed it and I cannot anticipate anything that would not give me joy about this. I’m really looking forward to it,” says Piquette, an associate professor in the Faculty of Education. “I’ll be honoured to be contributing to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.”

Piquette is an unabashed lover of convocation and everything associated with it, especially the tradition and pageantry.

“It is pomp and circumstance and that’s what makes it so wonderful. I think that’s what makes it such a solemn and moving experience too,” she says. “I really enjoy the students’ excitement and the parental pride that is so apparent. The ceremony itself is so rich with tradition, so full of happiness, and it’s an excellent reminder of why post-secondary education is so vital.”

The chief marshal serves a three-year term and sits on the Convocation Committee. Some of the duties associated with the position include encouraging faculty members to participate in convocation, whether it be to attend on the platform or serve as volunteers, and to take part in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ outreach initiatives such as the mace program that takes the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Mace into southern Alberta schools. And, of course, the highlight of the role is to lead each procession of graduands into the ceremony.

This is where the outgoing chief marshal has some sage words of advice.

“He’s told me to wear flat shoes, he seems to be very concerned about this,” laughs Piquette. “Perhaps he’s seen some of my footwear.”

More than anything, the chief marshal is often seen as the face of convocation and Piquette is eager to assume that responsibility.

“I deeply respect the tradition of convocation and the hard work that goes on behind the scenes and the commitment to highlight our students, as well as the larger community. I’m completely moved when I see the shift from student to graduate at the end of our ceremonies,” she says. “I see that what I’m doing is making a difference. All of us at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, whatever we are doing, it doesn’t matter what role we play, every single person is helping the students move through that transition and I can’t emphasize enough how it is opening doors and opportunities for them.”

Faculty of Health Sciences professor Dr. Olu Awosoga named a Board of Governors Teaching Chair

trevor.kenney — Tue, 28 May 2019 16:02:07 +0000

Utilizing a personable approach that always seeks to improve the learning experience for his students, Dr. Olu Awosoga has been named a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Teaching Chair.

Dr. Olu Awosoga sees teaching and learning as a partnership between the teacher and student.

Guided by a belief that the most effective teaching reaches students on an individual level, Awosoga sees teaching and learning as a partnership between the teacher and the student, one that motivates critical thinking and prompts students to take accountability for their learning journey.

Awosoga, an associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences, will be celebrated as a new Board of Governors Teaching Chair at 2019 Spring Convocation Ceremony II on Thursday, May 30 at 2:30 p.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.

Born and raised in Nigeria before moving first to the United States and then to Canada, Awosoga spent the majority of his academic years in Nigeria. Specializing in statistical analysis, he began as an academic assistant in the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2009. By 2011, he was a research affiliate with the Prentice Institute for Global Population & Economy, and in 2018 he was named an associate member of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

His personable nature and a desire to continually improve the learning experience for his students have guided Awosoga as he employs many innovative tactics in his classroom. Understanding that his accent may be difficult for some students to understand, he created lecture materials with PowerPoint slides and an audio track with a female voice to augment his lessons. He regularly uses blended classroom approaches, along with team-based learning, to encourage active engagement, and administers an anonymous mid-term evaluation so that he can address problems and adjust his lessons for the second half of the term.

Testament to Awosoga’s excellence as an instructor is the consistently positive feedback he receives despite the challenging material he is teaching. His blend of compassion and practicality allows his students to tackle intimidating course material with confidence, knowing that he will do whatever it takes to make sure nobody is left behind.

McManus reflects on her time as Convocation Chief Marshal

trevor.kenney — Mon, 30 May 2016 19:24:00 +0000

As the campus community prepares to celebrate the Spring 2016 Convocation this week, we caught up with history professor Dr. Sheila McManus who says her role as chief marshal is, “The best job — ever.”

“As chief marshal, you have that final moment with every single student as they get ready to cross the stage, and you get to say ‘congratulations’ to each of them,” she says. “You get to play this little tiny part in their tremendous accomplishment. It really is the best job ever.”

McManus describes her time as Convocation Chief Marshal as, “The best job — ever.”

Since first being handed the mace in 2013, McManus has witnessed nearly 3,000 students go from graduand to graduate. As chief marshal, she leads a team of seven other marshals and carries the mace while leading the academic procession and recession.

“The ceremony officially begins when we carry the mace into the room and it ends when we leave the room,” she explains. “We really are the protector of the ceremony. It’s a very specific symbolic combination: us, the mace and the students on their convocation day. That’s what we (the marshals) exist for.”

Even after all the convocation ceremonies McManus has attended, she says every ceremony is still emotional and makes her tear up.

“It’s that moment when we are walking up the hill and the parents and families are lined up waiting to take a photo of their student,” she says. “It’s also those moments after the ceremony when you see a student taking a photo with children and you realize, she’s a mother, or when you see the large extended families gathered or when you hear all the different languages being spoken and you realize just how multi-cultural the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is.”

Known for her iconic purple shoes, McManus is looking forward to convocation ceremonies this week with incredible excitement, and a little bit of sadness. The afternoon ceremony on Friday will be her last as chief marshal and she will turn the mace over to Dr. Olu Awosoga, a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

“I’m sad to be done. I am happy that I am turning it over to a very dear friend who will be an amazing chief marshal. And I’m so grateful that I got to do this job.”

Some facts:

- The mace weighs 16 pounds. One end features three elements—mortarboard, gavel and open book. The mortarboard represents the Senate and symbolizes academia with all of its connotations. The gavel represents the Board of Governors and symbolizes management and control, while the open book represents the General Faculties Council and symbolizes teaching, scholarly activity and service. The other end of the mace features a globe set in pronghorn antelope antlers. These represent the mascot of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and our commitment to the physical dimensions of the scholar. The globe symbolizes the universality of knowledge and liberal education in all its dimensions.

- The chief marshal decides if the procession walks inside or outside. “Unless it really isn’t possible, I always choose outside because the walk up the hill is regarded as part of the student experience at the U of L,” says McManus.

Some words of insight Sheila passes onto Olu as he prepares to take on the role of chief marshal.

- “Walk slowly. The walk up the hill is much slower than you realize.”
- “Wear cool shoes and bring dry socks for the afternoon ceremony.” (Hence the iconic purple golf shoes)
- “Wear shoulder pads (I may even bootleg mine to you). Between walking up the hill and standing as the students take their seats in the gym, you will have the 16-pound mace on your shoulder for a good 25 minutes.”
- “At some point during the procession up the hill, turn around. The view of the students lined up is amazing.”

U of L researchers aim to improve health and wellness of rural daycare workers

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Dec 2014 22:41:22 +0000

Parents everywhere can relate to the feeling of relief when their young children are finally tucked into bed. The physical and mental demands of caring for, protecting and entertaining toddlers can be exhausting – and that’s for just a few hours after work.

Drs. Jon Doan and Olu Awosoga are looking to put together an education and exercise package tailored to meet the unique workplace demands of daycare workers.

The wearying fatigue of caring for your child is one thing – now extrapolate that to 10 or more children, over the course of a five-day workweek and under the demands of their individual parents. Such is the challenge facing daycare workers who undoubtedly love their jobs, but face demands that consistently undermine their own health and wellness.

“This is an industry that cries out, and rightly so, about retention problems, burnout of their workers and problems with quality delivery because of worker fatigue,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge kinesiology professor Dr. Jon Doan (PhD '07) “So they need some help.”

Doan and research partner Dr. Olu Awosoga of the Faculty of Health Sciences have been awarded one of two annual Parkland Institute grants to study the situation and hopefully provide help through the delivery of an evidence-based education and work-related exercise program. They have also received funding from the Government of Alberta, Occupational Health and Safety Futures Research Funding Program (2014 competition), to develop an ergonomic intervention for childcare workers.

The idea spawned from Awosoga’s personal connection to the daycare industry. His wife Esther is the director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Daycare and he sees, first-hand, the staffing issues she faces when employee health and wellness is compromised.

“I understand what she goes through. Apart from her administrative work, she would have to be in class if workers call in sick. I would ask her to explain her work and what the problem was,” says Awosoga. “She explained to me how everybody is interested in the quality of work they give to the kids but nobody is interested in the workers themselves. I thought it’d be a great topic to research.”

Awosoga’s background is in analyzing data and applied statistics. He sought out Doan because of his expertise in factors such as ergonomics and physical movement. They also chose to focus their studies on rural daycare providers because of both their limited supply in some areas, and their limited access to wellness opportunities that may be available to workers in urban centres.

“Just looking at it in practical terms, if daycares close because their workers are off on disability leave, then it impacts the parents and it impacts the quality of education for the kids – it’s a real trickle-down effect,” says Doan. “In a rural setting, this is even more acute. You may be looking at single operator day homes and only a small selection of them. If one or more closes for an extended period of time, there are a lot of people who are disadvantaged as a result.”

With input from a project advisory board that included daycare workers and administrators, Doan and Awosoga set out to first evaluate the current health and wellness attitudes of rural daycare workers.

“Olu has really great skills when it comes to big data set analysis,” says Doan. “In the pilot study, we delivered questionnaires to a large number of workers. Olu has the statistical tools and understanding to sift through the data and to pull these answers together and say here are the themes and commonalities that are emerging from this data.”

From there, the group will work to put together an education and exercise package tailored to meet the unique workplace demands of daycare workers.

“As a new investigator, learning from an experienced investigator such as Jon, I bring in how to apply statistics and the quantitative approach,” says Awosoga. “Fortunately for me I am learning a lot about the qualitative aspect as well because I have the opportunity to work with many qualitative researchers.”

The project could have significant public policy implications. Through their work, Doan and Awosoga have discovered a dearth of literature and policy related to the health and safety of daycare workers both in Alberta and across the country.

“From a policy perspective, this is an opportunity to establish something that can be applicable to all those small workplaces that can’t feasibly have their own occupational health and safety awareness programs,” says Doan. “People recognize the importance of this but just don’t know how to support it and we hope to be able to provide that.”

***

Learn more about community-connect research like this at the 2015 Community ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Exchange.

Awosoga finds a way to pay it forward

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:04:02 +0000

When Dr. Olu Awosoga moved from Nigeria to the United States to further his mathematical education, he had a lot more to get used to than just a cold climate.

Dr. Olu Awosoga began contributing to the Supporting Our students campaign immediately upon being hired because he understood students' needs.

With a family to support and a course of study that would require almost all of his time and attention (not to mention the challenges of culture shock), Awosoga understandably felt a bit overwhelmed by what he was facing on the road to a Masters and PhD. He knew he’d have to work while he studied – financially there was no other option, but even with a job funds would still be tight.

Awosoga first attended Central Michigan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, where he taught undergraduate classes while completing a Masters degree, and continued to teach after moving onto Western Michigan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (WMU) to earn a PhD. WMU came through with graduate scholarships which supplemented the income Awosoga earned teaching, and although he was run off his feet between work, studying and family life, Awosoga was grateful that he at least didn’t have to worry about money.

“It’s very difficult to focus on your studies when you have to think about how you’re going to pay rent,” says Awosoga. “I see it all the time with students – they have homework, they have research, they have classes, they have a job, they have a family – it’s a tremendous amount of pressure. I know the reality of the struggle. If I can help make it easier for someone, I’m happy to do that.”

Awosoga decided to pay his good fortune forward through the Supporting Our Students (SOS) program, making his first contribution almost immediately after joining the U of L’s Faculty of Health Sciences in 2009. He has doubled his contribution to the program every year since.

“The effects of the funding don’t just benefit students, they benefit everyone on campus,” says Awosoga. “If students are struggling they tend to miss classes. They’re stressed or even depressed. They don’t function well, which has negative effects for everyone from professors to cafeteria staff. SOS helps to put things on a positive cycle. It works in favour of everyone.”

With the cost of university education continually on the rise, Awosoga says that the need for programs such as SOS is greater than ever.

“��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is incredibly expensive, but think about the cost of not having it. We pay for it as a society if we restrict who is able to attend university or finish their studies because of financial struggle. Students need money. They need support. The government cannot do everything. We have to help fund our own future.”

The popularity of the program has grown since Awosoga first started donating – something the assistant professor is very happy about. Still, Awosoga believes support for SOS could be stronger.

“There should be one hundred percent participation among faculty and staff,” says Awosoga. “Everyone can donate something, no matter how small. Ten dollars, twenty dollars a month – that’s not much. But if we all gave that much it would be a lot. And it would make a big difference.”

Study to examine how social and economic stressors affect Aboriginal health

trevor.kenney — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 17:03:05 +0000

In a first-of-its-kind study, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are examining how the social and economic adversity faced by Aboriginal peoples may affect their biological health.

This new study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, will be co-lead by three researchers at the U of L, pulling together research strengths from health sciences, kinesiology and neuroscience.

"Aboriginal populations experience high levels of chronic stress as they are often marginalized both socially and economically in Canada. We know that over time, high unrelenting stress can have a profound influence on biological systems," says study Co-Lead, Dr. Cheryl Currie, who is a public health researcher at the U of L.

Stressful experiences are an inevitable part of life, but repeated and chronic exposure to uncontrollable stressors can disrupt the function of neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems. Markers of biological disruption can be identified well before the clinical markers of disease are detected.

"We tend to think about social and biological determinants of health separately. Connecting the two is a more comprehensive way to think about health- and may shed new light on why Aboriginal populations are disproportionately affected by chronic disease," says study Co-Lead, Dr. Jennifer Copeland, a U of L kinesiology researcher.

The study will also build on past research by Currie indicating that Aboriginal cultural practices promote resilience against alcohol and drug abuse within Aboriginal populations. In this new study, the team will examine the extent to which Aboriginal cultural practices may promote biologic resilience and improve health. Further, the study will examine the ways in which western approaches to wellness, such as regular physical activity, may also promote resiliency in these populations.

Dr. Gerlinde Metz, a neuroscientist at the U of L's Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience and Co-Lead on the study says understanding the biological effects of adverse social conditions is an important step towards the development of interventions that can improve population health and wellness.

"Information gained from the study will be used to help identify new strategies that can reduce health disparities experienced by Aboriginal populations," says Metz.

The full research team includes Drs. Judith Kulig, Michelle Hogue, and Olu Awosoga from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and Dr. David Olsen from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. Working together with the Aboriginal community in southern Alberta, this cross-disciplinary team will examine how a range of factors - including adverse childhood experiences, poverty, unemployment, single parenthood, living in overcrowded housing and racial discrimination - impact the stress response and biological functioning among Aboriginal adults living in the Lethbridge area.

The U of L study will commence October 2013 with results expected in 2016-17.

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