Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Four Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF): Tanya Fawkes, Olivia Ferguson, Jasleen Grewal, Rebeca Hernandez Gamboa, and incoming student Brittany Pousett!
The Four Year Doctoral Fellowship program ensures UBC’s best PhD students are provided with financial support of at least $18,200 per year plus tuition for a maximum of four years of their PhD studies.
Tanya Fawkes
I am grateful to be working with two supervisors / labs with Drs. Bill Miller (Matters Lab) and Ben Mortenson. I have just finished first year coursework and will be working to refine my research questions for my PhD. Generally, I am looking into the value and sustainability of OT led home modifications to support people living in the place they choose regardless of their age or functional changes. Ultimately I hope this research can inform government programs and policy on supporting those wanting to age or live in place.
The 4YF award will help me reduce my work hours so I can focus more on my research and academic career goals.
When I am not working or studying, I am with my three kids. We enjoy being outside, especially surfing and playing near water, and cooking together. Most of my time with them is spent at a sport field or driving them around. If I have downtime, I love getting over to the west coast of the Island and spending time with friends.
Olivia Ferguson
The Cardiopulmonary Exercise Physiology Laboratory does research to better understand the symptom of dyspnea or breathlessness during exercise across the spectrum of health and chronic lung disease. The main focus of my Ph.D. studies is to provide insight into the mechanisms of exercise intolerance in individuals with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) through a comprehensive evaluation of skeletal muscle and lung function using imagine modalities such as MRI, as well as evaluating the use of a novel commercially available supplement.
The Four-year doctoral fellowship will provide me the ability to devote my full focus to my doctoral studies.
Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending time in the beautiful BC mountains, hiking and backcountry camping in the summer, and skiing and snowshoeing in the winter.
Jasleen Grewal
I am a PhD student in the CEDAR Brain Injury Lab (Collaborative Evidence: Developing Awareness and Research). Studies at the CEDAR lab focus on hearing from people with lived experience, community organizations, and practitioners to facilitate improved awareness, resources, and quality of life for people with brain injury. My thesis focuses on investigating if novel rehabilitation approaches such as, virtual reality, can be used to improve daily function after brain injury.
The 4-year fellowship award provides stipend and tuition which will support my project investigating the use of virtual reality to improve daily function after brain injury.
Outside of academia, I like to read, spend time with friends, family and my puppy and spend my time outdoors exploring nature.
Rebeca Hernandez Gamboa
I’m in the Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Health Lab, directed by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose. My research examines the effects of different types of behavioural interventions with exercise on the cognitive health of older adults.
I was very fortunate to win the Four-Year Fellowship (4YF) for PhD students. This will support the rest of my doctoral studies, and will allow me to attend international conferences and other career developing opportunities.
I love music and I’m learning to play the guitar. I also enjoy exercising through boxing, hiking and weightlifting.
Brittany Pousett
I will be joining Dr Bill Miller’s MATTERS Lab this fall exploring Mobility Assistive Technology Evidence for Rehab Science. The MATTERS Lab seeks to enhance the experience and participation of individuals with a wide range of backgrounds though using assistive technology. I will continue building my passion for research that developed while working as a Certified Prosthetist for the last decade, and will explore the physical activity, community participation and prosthesis use of individuals with limb loss.
I am grateful to be awarded the Four-Year Doctoral Fellowship (4YF). This will allow me to focus on my research and explore ways of improving the lives of individuals with limb loss.
When not working or studying, I can be found spending time outside with my husband and young kids. We love living on the coast and frequently spend our days skiing, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, camping, tending our vegetable garden, or doing pretty much anything else outdoor.