Backgrounder: Better health starts here

Here is an inspiring round-up of recent stories about students and researchers who will continue to create impact through UVic’s new Faculty of Health:

Indigenous nursing master’s program marks milestones

In the fall, 25 First Nations and Métis nurses from across BC will embark officially on their graduate studies at their home institutions —including eight students at UVic—as part of the Indigenous Graduate Education in Nursing (I-GEN) program.

Creative ways to move

Ryan Rhodes, Professor at the School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, is known for his expertise in the psychology of physical activity and sedentary behaviour.  Rhodes has been exploring innovative ways to promote physical activity and health which led his team to examine the effectiveness of Virtual Reality workouts, specifically the Flow and Boxing modes on Supernatural from META. 

Moving abortion access forward for Indigenous communities in Canada

The Fireweed Project is a community-led, UVic-based research project within the School of Public Health and Social Policy that was recently awarded $1.9 million in funding. This project is the first of its kind in Canada, aiming to improve supports and remove barriers to abortion services for Indigenous Women, Two-Spirit and LGBTQQIA+ People in Canada. 

Protecting our brains

A new provincial proclamation announced last month will mark Concussion Awareness Week (September 22-28), bringing greater awareness to an issue that impacts many Canadians. The Brian Christie lab in Neuroscience is heavily focused on in-community partnerships to better understand traumatic brain injury impacts and solutions for rehabilitation. 

Gitxsan student research to improve her community’s health

An ambitious chemistry student’s career path is focusing on solutions to improve health outcomes for rural and remote communities, including her own.

Inclusive path forward for public health

Public Health and Social Policy’s Nathan Lachowsky’s research focuses on filling knowledge gaps in sexual and reproductive health in queer communities in Canada. The 2S/LGBTQQIA+ community is often overlooked in mainstream sexual and reproductive health research and current public health surveillance. 

A collaborative approach to mental health research

One in eight people lives with mental health disorders and there is no one solution to tackle this complex issue. UVic’s Mental Health Research Cluster brings together 20 UVic researchers from eight departments to provide the diverse perspectives required to improve well-being, foster prevention, promote recovery and prevent stigma. 

Learn more about the new Faculty of Health in our Nov 5, 2024 announcement.