Emma Christensen

Biography

Emma is responsible for developing and implementing the employee ergonomics program for over 3400 staff members at WorksafeBC who work in the office, at home, in vehicles and in the field. She also operates a private occupational therapy/ergonomics consulting company providing consultation services to both the public and private sector. Emma has presented at national and international conferences and has been interviewed as a subject matter expert in the area of office ergonomics for various television and radio news outlets as well as online magazines and blogs.  

QUESTIONS

1) What is your current position? What does a typical work day look like for you?   

I work as an Ergonomist for Employee Health, Safety and Wellness at WorksafeBC. I am doing ergonomic assessments in person and virtually; consulting on projects; working with various departments and providing ergonomic input.

2) How did your education in BPK influence your career?

BPK helped me fine tune my skills in activity analysis, posture, and body mechanics.

3) Who in BPK had an impact on you and why?

It was so long ago (around 1989) and I can't recall any names. When I think back to that time, what stands out most are the peers/friends that I made and with who I had great study groups. I had the best labs in Kinesiology. You can't help but bond when you are in a decompression chamber with your friends or taking scuba diving classes as part of your course work for the now dated class title of "Man Beneath the Sea". 

4) What is your favourite memory of your time at SFU as an undergraduate?

I met my husband in Introduction to Kinesiology! He was taking it as his science elective for his teaching degree.

5) What advice would you give to today’s BPK student? 

If you love working with people, this is the career for you! People are the center of it and I've always love being challenged to find creative solutions that take into consideration people's unique skills, limitations and preferences.