Meet CRHESI: Abe Oudshoorn

Abe Oudshoorn is Assistant Professor in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at Western University, the Department of Psychiatry Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, and Associate Scientist with Lawson Health Research Institute. Having worked as a nurse with people experiencing homelessness, Abe’s research focuses on health, homelessness, housing policy, and poverty. Outside of the University, Abe has the privilege of chairing the London Homeless Coalition, is a board member with the United Way of London & Middlesex, and sits on the Mayor’s Advisory Panel on Poverty.

Meet CRHESI: Melanie Katsivo

Melanie Katsivo is Research Officer and Adjunct Research Professor at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, where her interests and work are focused on innovative and disruptive approaches to dealing with factors that deter the enjoyment of acceptable levels of good health and overall wellness by individuals in communities. Melanie uses a gender- and human-rights framework to interrogate socio-cultural determinants of wellness.

Meet CRHESI: Carri Hand

Carri Hand is Assistant Professor in the School of Occupational Therapy in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western University. Carri’s research explores physical, social, policy and cultural contextual factors that impact social connectedness, social inclusion and participation in occupations among older adults — all to inform the development of innovative strategies to promote inclusion of older adults in community life. Carri collaborates with community organizations and community members, focusing on vulnerable older adults who may be experiencing poverty, disability, or social isolation. Her current work explores the complex ways in which neighbourhoods can support social connectedness and inclusion; how primary care and neighbourhoods can be integrated to support inclusion and participation; and measurement of meaningful outcomes in primary care as a basis for addressing health inequities.

Meet CRHESI: Marlene Janzen Le Ber

Marlene Janzen Le Ber is Assistant Professor, Leadership at Brescia University College and Adjunct Research Professor at the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at Western University. Her PhD in Business Administration – Strategy followed a MScN, a career in mental health and public health nursing, and over 20 years in hospital and health research administration.

Marlene’s research focuses on the complex processes of leadership in social innovation at both the micro/individual level and at the more macro/organizational/systems level. The two ongoing projects at the individual level are: “Women’s Leader Identity Development” and “Organizational Culture and Leadership: Exploring the Practice of Leadership in a Women’s Circle.” Two additional projects, “From Intractable to Tractable: Transdisciplinary Processes of Innovation” and “Develop and Test Indicators of Ontario Local Public Health Agency Work to Address the Social Determinants of Health to Reduce Health Inequities” are at the organizational/systems level, with a focus on how social systems change. More specifically, Marlene focuses on the processes of social innovation that address issues of social (in)justice and equality for vulnerable, disenfranchised and marginalized populations.

Helene Berman named to Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

September 19, 2016. Congratulations to Helene Berman, PhD, Professor in the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, on her induction as a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). The academy recognizes those who have a history of outstanding performance in the academic health sciences in Canada.

Professor Berman is also the Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Health Sciences and CRHESI co-director.

An internationally recognized scholar, she conducts community-based research focused on the subtle and explicit forms of violence experienced by women and children, social and structural inequalities, and health. She is Past President of the Nursing Network on Violence against Women International and lead editor of the ground-breaking report, In the Best Interests of the Girl Child, that has informed the development of numerous programs and policies in Canada. Her research has been funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Status of Women Canada. Her current research incorporates arts-based approaches in a Youth-Centered Participatory Action Research methodology to examine structural violence in the lives of young people in Canada. Dr. Berman was a leading force in the establishment of the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion and serves as its founding Academic Director.

A dinner honouring the 2016 inductees was held in Montreal on September 15.

About the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

The objective of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences is to provide assessments of and advice on key issues relevant to the health of Canadians. In order to achieve this role it will:

  • Serve as a credible, expert and independent assessor of science and technology (S&T) issues relevant to the health of Canadians;
  • Support the development of timely, informed and strategic advice on urgent health issues;
  • Support the development of sound and informed public policy related to these issues;
  • Enhance understanding of S&T issues affecting the public good by transmitting the results of assessments and providing opportunities for public discussion of these matters;
  • Provide a collective authoritative multi-disciplinary voice of health sciences communities;
  • Represent Canadian health sciences internationally and liaise with like international academies to enhance understanding and potential collaborations on matters of mutual interest.

For more information, visit: www.cahs-acss.ca