Sam Lapusniak

About

I joined the Digital Health Lab in September 2019. I am originally from the Okanagan. I grew up in Penticton where I attended Okanagan College to earn my diploma in human kinetics. Afterwards, I completed my bachelor's degree in human kinetics with a minor in psychology at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan Campus. 

During my time at UBCO I gained an interest in the mHealth field and the application of theoretical frameworks. My initial interest grew from reading Susan Michie's research about the Behavior Change Taxonomy and the COM-B framework. The practical application of theory and program evaluation led me to focus in the field of health promotion.

My research in the Digital Health Lab is centered on mHealth and the lab's self-developed smartphone game: Draco. It is a virtual pet simulation app where users care for a pet dragon by engaging in healthy behaviors. We are currently evaluating the effectiveness of this app to influence physical activity in children.

Outside of kinesiology, I am a San Jose Sharks and Toronto Raptors fan. I enjoy getting outside in the sun when I can. I've also played Pokémon since I was a child. Pokémon GO was partly an inspiration for my interest in mHealth. A few of my favorites are Murkrow, Mismagius, Primeape and Eiscue.