Elyse Collyer

Social Psychology master's student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field

Spending most of my childhood outdoors, I developed a passion for environmental justice and addressing climate change. As a graduate student in social psychology, I aim to understand how to encourage people to take action for a better world. I believe climate change is not as much an individual behavioral issue as it is a systemic issue, which requires system-changing action to address. Using an intersectional ecofeminist lens, my work applies social psychology to create interventions to educate people about the complementarity of environmental and social goals to increase willingness to take pro-environmental action.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I came to SFU to work with Dr. Michael Schmitt, who is a leader in the field of pro-environmental psychology. Additionally, I was attracted to the numerous community engagement partnership opportunities in Vancouver and SFU.

How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?

I study how to best teach people about the compatibility between social and environmental goals to encourage pro-environmental action.

What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?

Environmental justice, Social change, pro-environmental psychology

How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?

Prior to my graduate career at SFU, I attended St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. As an honors student, I participated in multiple research projects, started and led a campus organization to help engage students with outdoor activities while increasing environmental activism, participated in an internship working with a non-profit called Clean Water Action, and volunteered at a regenerative community garden. These opportunities have helped ground my research in practical experiences, giving me a more well-rounded academic career. Currently at SFU, my work in the Sustainability, Identity, and Social Change (SISC) Lab has further expanded my understanding of the essential skills required for impactful research. Additionally, through a MITACS-funded partnership with a local NGO called Swim Drink Fish, I am applying my knowledge to help them understand how people living near and visiting local parks in Vancouver are connected to the water.

Have you been the recipient of any major or donor-funded awards? If so, please tell us which ones and a little about how the awards have impacted your studies and/or research

I received a master's SSHRC graduate award in 2024 that will support my master's thesis: A Game-Styled Intervention to Enhance the Perception of Complementarity Between Social and Environmental Goals. This award allows me to focus on my thesis, which happens to be a bit larger of a project than a typical psychology MA thesis, as I am developing an original video game. I have also received funding for a MITACS community partnership with Swim Drink Fish to examine peoples' connection to water at three parks on the Burrard Inlet in Vancouver. This MITACS project has allowed me to apply my academic research experiences to help Swim Drink Fish achieve its goals while connecting to communities in Vancouver.

Contact Elyse:elyse_collyer@sfu.ca

Additional Links

• LinkedIn