Researchers and Supervisors

Our faculty members are tackling some of the most complex health issues facing communities — and our students are helping them do it.

As a School of Public Health MACE, MSc or PhD student, you are able to contribute directly to research and to the body of knowledge in your field of choice. Here are some examples of thesis research that MSc students have completed:

• the role of motherhood in the success of participation in a substance abuse treatment program
• how media coverage influences vaccinations
• predictors of successfully coping with pain
• environmental risk factors on the contamination of drinking water
• the role of mental health on diabetes treatments
• the association of leadership skills with childhood health

Students in the MA in Community Engagement (MACE) have completed or are conducting thesis research on the following: 

• Exploring the Intersectionality of Settler-Ally, Reconciliation and Indigenous Resurgence
• The Role Support Networks Play in the Lives of Informal Caregivers of People Living with Dementia 
• Engaging Individuals Experiencing Poverty in Poverty Initiatives
• A Purposeful Music Program for Traumatized Youth
• Climate Resilience Planning with Vulnerable Communities: A Case Study of Engagement and Citizenship in Edmonton, Alberta
• Cultivating Green Space Together: Exploring the Collaborative Planning and Public Engagement of Green Space in Edmonton, Alberta
• We Are All Related: (Re)Storying With Augmented Reality to Build Indigenous-Settler Relations 
• Exploring Social Bridging, Sense of Belonging and Integration Amongst the Syrian Refugee Community 
• Exploring UEval Through Case Study: A Community-Engaged and Pedagogy-Informed Evaluation Education Initiative
• Putting the Community in Community Engagement in an Urban Indigenous Context 
• Enhancing Child and Youth Resilience Through School-Based, Wraparound Supports 
• Rat Routes to Berried Treasure: Recipes as Alternate Narratives of Urban Agriculture
• Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge into Teaching and the Academy 
• Using a Community of Practice Approach to Respond to Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Edmonton, Alberta 
• Understanding the  Role of Allyship in Indigenous Healthcare
• LGBTQIA2S+ University Students’ Experiences with Food Access

Students who have completed their PhD program have investigated:

• the outcome/role of taxing sugar-sweetened beverages on reducing consumption
• the effect of introducing comprehensive school health programs in elementary schools
• the success of harm reduction interventions for illicit substance use
• the factors surrounding adherence to antiretroviral therapy

MSc applicants are not required to select a supervisor prior to submitting an application. However, you will be required to select a supervisor prior to being accepted. MACE applicants are encouraged to identify a potential supervisor(s) with expertise that aligns with their own interests. As a PhD applicant, it is highly recommended that you identify a supervisor for your research prior to completing your application.

Regardless of your program, choosing a supervisor that fits with your specific area of interest is a crucial part of the process, as they will mentor you through your studies. Your supervisor will also help you to negotiate the funding landscape. To begin, read up on our faculty members. If your chosen faculty member is currently accepting students, contact them and introduce yourself — and explain how your experience and research interests align.