Hardy earned her PhD in Rehabilitation Science. She is part of the Rehab Med class of 2019 graduates that will cross the stage for convocation on June 4, 2019. (Photo supplied.)
Why did you choose to study rehabilitation science?
As a speech-language pathologist clinician working with the transgender/gender-diverse community, I had many questions about how to make our services better and was particularly interested in finding out what aspects of communication serve as the strongest cues in conveying our gender to other people. These questions fall within the domain of communication sciences, so pursuing a PhD in Rehab Science was a natural fit.
Why did you choose the University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine?
The U of A Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine has a stellar reputation and I was excited to have the opportunity to work with Dr. Carol Boliek and Dr. Jana Rieger. I also had been fortunate to have built relationships and networks within the faculty, the region and the local LGBTQ2S community through my clinical and educational work, which made staying in Edmonton an attractive option. I definitely made the right choice!
What is one of your fondest memories from your time in the program?
My fondest memories of being in the PhD program involved developing relationships with the cohort of people going through the program with me. There's nothing like hard work and commiseration to bond people! In all seriousness, I have developed some close friendships and have cherished the opportunity to meet people from different disciplines, backgrounds, and even countries throughout my years in the program. I remember smiling to myself at the end of journal club one day after a lively debate about statistics or ratings scales and chuckling at the thought that it takes a special kind of person to find that fun. We're all that special kind of person!
"I remember smiling to myself… after a lively debate about statistics or ratings scales and chuckling at the thought that it takes a special kind of person to find that fun. We're all that special kind of person!"
What did you do for your work placements?
As a PhD student, I didn't have a work placement. I did, however, maintain a clinical practice at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital throughout my program.
How are you going to celebrate your graduation?
My mom is coming from Manitoba to watch convocation (for the last time!). After that, she, my boyfriend and I will satisfy my foodie tendencies and go for a fancy dinner. Oh, and bubbles. Celebrations like this definitely call for bubbles.
What are you doing now / going to do next?
I am working on publishing the papers from my dissertation. I'm also continuing my clinical work, teaching and figuring out the next steps.
What does the future hold for you? What are your long-term aspirations?
My hope is to continue to build on what I've started over the course of my program. I would like to create a centre of excellence to support research and service provision in the area of voice and communication modification training for gender-diverse people. I've been working on a few initiatives to increase capacity for care and I'd love to see those get off the ground. I would also like to maintain my links with the university and the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine with teaching or research roles.