ACOTUP - Newsletter - Issue 26 - 2015

6 / 11

6
Research Collaboration: The CanWheel Emerging CIHR
Team inWheeled Mobility for Older Adults: I recruited this
team of 16 investigators from across Canada to come to-
gether with a mandate to improve wheeled mobility for vul-
nerable older adults with mobility limitations. The diverse
team consists of experts in the fields of biomechanics, com-
puter science, engineering, epidemiology, gerontology, oc-
cupational therapy, physiatry, and sociology representing 4
provinces and 6 academic institutions. Together we have
developed a program of research spanning 5 key research
projects to be conducted over a 6-year period. Put simply,
our research will address: 1) how older adults use their
power wheelchairs; 2) how power wheelchairs can be bet-
ter designed through collaborative control (wheelchair user
working in conjunction with the power wheelchair); and 3)
how to better train individuals to use their power wheel-
chairs. We have also validated a Power Mobility toolkit to
better measure important aspects of power wheelchair use
including social participation and caregiver burden.
To view this profile in its entirety, please click here:
Name of Researcher: Brenda L. Beagan, Dalhousie Uni-
versity
Degrees and Professional Qualifications (including fel-
lowships): Postdoctoral fellowship (medical education);
PhD (Medical Sociology) BA & MA (Sociology)
Area of Research: My research focuses on the ways social
inequalities shape and are shaped by occupational engage-
ment and meaning. In other words, how what we do (and
don’t do) constructs gender, ethnicity, class, culture etc,
even as sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, ableism, heterosex-
ism, classism etc shape what we do and don’t do. I also
study how social inequalities affect the everyday experi-
ences of health professional education and practice.
Research Related Awards and Honours:
Tier II Canada Research Chair, Women & Health, •
Dalhousie University ($500,000)(2007-12)
Grants/Funding History:
Co-PI: Brenda Beagan, Lisa Goldberg; Co-I: Sue •
Atkinson, Mary Bryson, Cressida Heyes. (2009-14).
Health care practices and relationships: The experi-
ences of queer women and primary care providers.
CIHR Operating Grant ($293,874).
PI: Brenda Beagan. (2009-12). Infrastructure to sup- •
port the development of a centre for research in the
social determinants of women's health. Canadian
Foundation for Innovation ($131,454).
Co-PI: Brenda Beagan, Gwen Chapman; Co-I: Joseé •
Johnson, Elaine Power, Helen Vallianatos. (2007-12).
Local food cultures and socioeconomic status as so-
cial determinants of nutritional health: exploring fam-
ily food practices. CIHR Operating Grant
($560,211).
Research Collaboration: : I have worked with Gwen Chap-
man (UBC) since 1998, initially as a research assistant on
one of her projects while I was doing my PhD in another
department. At first it was a way to earn rent money while
doing something interesting. But even after the grant ran
out, I continued to work with Gwen, writing and publishing
the data. When I got a faculty position, we were co-PIs on
my first CIHR grant. We recently co-led a national CIHR-
funded team in a study that has resulted in a forthcoming
book. I learned from Gwen how important it is to support
research assistants and other trainees to work to their full
potential, designing the work so they can stretch to new
accomplishments – which means trusting people to do
good work, and supporting them with regular contact to
make sure they have what they need to do so. And I have
learned the value of complementary skills and abilities on
a team... Gwen and I work quite differently, but together
we run a great team.
To view this profile in its entirety, please click here
...Continued from previous page