Stephanie U

Psychology doctoral 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

I am an incoming doctoral student in the Experimental Psychology program, in the Cognitive and Neural Sciences Stream. I will be in the Translational Neuroscience Lab (TNL) where I will be conducting research to examine the role of circadian rhythms in Alzheimer’s disease. I completed by Honour’s degree in Psychology at SFU and my MSc in Population and Public Health at UBC. Throughout my time at SFU and UBC, I’ve worked with researchers in Psychology and Epidemiology and hope to continue my research at the intersection of both fields at SFU.

Why did you choose to come to SFU?

I grew up the Greater Vancouver area and began my SFU journey in my undergraduate program to stay close to the beautiful ocean, mountains, and of course my family. It was only after I became involved in research that I realized the privilege it was to work with the only chronobiologists (researchers who study circadian rhythms) in BC. I’ve always been fascinated with sleep, ever since I wrote a speech in middle school about the importance of dreams, and learning about the biology of it all just made me more curious about the topic. I am excited to begin my doctoral studies and conduct research with Dr. Brianne Kent, who I’ve had the great pleasure of working alongside during and following my undergrad degree at SFU.

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

My research lies at the intersection of neuroscience and public health. I aim to understand why patients with Alzheimer’s disease experience different symptoms despite having similar looking brain scans and the role that circadian rhythms, or their 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, play in older adults.

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

Circadian rhythms, Alzheimer’s disease, Sleep

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

Throughout my master’s program, I had the opportunity to work in two health authorities, Vancouver Coastal Health, and Fraser Health Authority, to support research programs. Both of those opportunities brought me closer to researchers doing amazing work in and alongside health authorities and are one of the reasons I have decided to continue my research journey at SFU. It was so special to see the passion in researchers faces and to see the diversity of work being done across the Lower Mainland was very impactful for me.

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 am extremely grateful to be awarded the Simons Foundation Doctoral Entrance Fellowship. This will help me to begin my doctoral research by engaging with my community and will give me the opportunity to continue to apply for future awards and demonstrate the importance of my research.

Additional Links

• LinkedIn