Welcome Amber Mosewich!
The Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation welcomed Dr. Amber Mosewich in January. An Assistant Professor in Sport Performance/Sport Coaching, Amber joins the faculty from the University of South Australia in Adelaide.
Born and raised in Watrous, Saskatchewan, Amber began her academic journey at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, which saw her through to the completion of her Master's degree.
We were able to catch up with Amber to learn more about her journey to the University of Alberta and her current research initiatives.
What drove you to first attending University of Saskatchewan for your Kinesiology B.Sc.? What career were you hoping to pursue after graduating?
There were a few reasons why I chose the U of S. The strong reputation of the University and the College of Kinesiology was a major factor, and there were many program and course options. Studying at the U of S also allowed me to stay near family and friends and remained involved in the Saskatoon community. By choosing the U of S, I also had a chance to be a Huskie Athlete and compete within the CIS. While I studied, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to continue my involvement in track and field with the Huskies and train with amazing people.
When I started university I wasn't entirely sure where I would specialize, though involvement in research was always one of my goals. I was interested in sport and health, and found all domains really fascinating - physiology, psychology, sociology, motor learning and control, biomechanics - I wanted to learn about it all. I appreciated the interdisciplinary nature of Kinesiology. It provided a way to see the larger perspective. I hoped that exposure would help me become more clear on the area that was the best fit for me and the one in which I was best positioned to make a contribution.
What role did your education play in guiding your research interests?
As I said, I have always been interested in pursuing research but I also think that my education did play a large role in leading me to academia and the area of study I focus on today. As I mentioned, I was interested in a variety of domains. When I was an undergraduate student, I was provided with the opportunity to be a research assistant, and the majority of the projects I was involved with were related to sport psychology. Throughout high school and into university I was becoming increasingly curious about the psychological side of sport - an interest initially sparked by seeing its impact in my own sport experience. Being an RA gave me the chance to learn about the research process and current areas of focus in sport psychology. Seeing how we discover what we then teach and apply was thrilling. I wanted to be part of that process.
What was your most proud and/or significant moment as a student?
My most proud and significant moments coincide with my MSc and PhD defenses. While I was nervous leading up to both, actually going through the process and reflecting back on it was so rewarding. My graduate programs were a process, and I saw the defense as the culmination, similar to when you peak during a sport season. Defenses allow the opportunity to address your work, and also discuss it with experts in the field. My labmates, supervisors and committee members were there and were so supportive. Their encouragement throughout my whole program was so vital, and they were also the ones who acknowledged the outcome in a way that made both events really special.
How did you come into your role at University of South Australia?
I was nearing the final stages of my PhD and I saw a job advertised for a Lecturer position (similar to Assistant Professor in Canada) at the University of South Australia. I was thinking about options post-PhD, and was looking for opportunities to continue in academia. I thought I would apply for the position and at the very least would gain experience in preparing an academic job application. I was thrilled when I was offered the opportunity to interview, seeing it as great experience for the future. You can imagine how excited and shocked I was to be offered the position. It was a big move, but one that really broadened my perspectives and helped me to grow personally and professionally.
Do you have any advice for current PhD students on how to achieve a career in the academic/research-field?
Being passionate about your work is an important part, as that passion will drive you to do the hard work required to succeed in the field. Find what you are passionate about, be clear on why you are passionate about that area, and pursue that path while being open to new ideas and extensions. Having a vision is important. No one study can answer every question, and oftentimes with research comes new questions, which links back to my point on the importance of openness. Mapping out what you want to accomplish and the research "steps" required to get you there will help you build a coherent line of research and establish a research program that extends beyond graduate school. Also, be supportive of those around you - labmates, colleagues, etc. Everyone accomplishes more together.
Your research is focused on the examination of stress, coping, emotion, and resultant cognitive and behavioural responses within the sport domain. Why do you think it's important to investigate these areas?
Understanding stress, coping, emotions, and responses in a sport domain has the potential to inform athlete support and development, pointing to areas of strength that can be further promoted, and also to areas of challenge that can be targeted and addressed. An understanding in this area positions those involved in sport to help cultivate positive sport experiences - ones that are healthy, enjoyable, and result in an athlete reaching his or her potential.
Your current research project is investigating self-compassion as a potential coping resource for athletes. What have you discovered so far in your methodologies? What impact do you hope your research will have on athletes in the future?
Self-compassion intervention in sport is still in its early stages, but there have been some promising results. My colleagues and I found that women varsity athletes completing a 1 week self-compassion psycho-education and writing intervention reported increased self-compassion and decreased self-criticism, rumination, and excessive concern over mistakes compared to an attention control group at one week post-intervention. These changes were maintained at a one month follow up. A case study focusing on experiences of learning self-compassion and mindfulness also suggested that skills around self-compassion and mindfulness can be learned and effectively integrated into an existing high performance training and competition routine. The athlete in this study found the skills particularly helpful for emotion regulation, attention, and refocusing. It is my hope that this line of research will identify and inform use of additional resources athletes can use to manage the demands of their sport pursuits to promote not only successful performances, but healthy and positive experiences in sport as a whole.
What has been your most proud and/or significant moment as a researcher?
My most proud moment to date is when an athlete who had participated in my first self-compassion intervention study emailed me over two years after the program concluded to let me know that she was still using the skills. She told me she had integrated the approach into her sport routine and found it helpful to her performance and to her mindset in sport. Hearing that the program made an impact in that athlete's sport experience and having an example of research leading to practice was really exciting.
Are you supervising any Graduate or Undergraduate students at the moment?
I am currently co-supervising one PhD and one MA student, who are both still based at the University of South Australia. I am also on supervisory committees for two MA students in Canada as well. I'm currently accepting more students, so I encourage anyone interested in sport psychology, particularly in the areas of stress, coping, and emotion and athlete support and development, to contact me.
Thank you Dr. Mosewich and welcome to the University of Alberta!
Thank you! I'll just wrap up by saying that I am excited to be at the University of Alberta. There are so many exciting opportunities within the Faculty and the University as a whole. Thanks to everyone who helped make my transition back to a Canada a smooth one! If I haven't crossed paths with you yet, I hope to soon.