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" I chose to attend SFU to work with Dr. Alex Coates. After listening to her present her research at a conference two years ago, I found her work really interesting and was excited when she announced that she would be starting her own lab here at SFU that was going to focus on areas of human physiology that I am also really interested in. "
Sameen Kaviani
Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology master's student in the Faculty of Science
Tell us a little about yourself, including what inspires you to learn and continue in your chosen field
I'm a first year Master's student in the Exercise Physiology and Performance Laboratory under supervision of Dr. Alex Coates. As an athlete and coach of several years, I became interested in the physiology behind training adaptations in athletes. I had the opportunity to coach a couple of amazing female varsity teams in my undergrad, and they inspired me to pursue research that focused on female-specific exercise physiology.
Why did you choose to come to SFU?
I chose to attend SFU to work with Dr. Alex Coates. After listening to her present her research at a conference two years ago, I found her work really interesting and was excited when she announced that she would be starting her own lab here at SFU that was going to focus on areas of human physiology that I am also really interested in.
How would you describe your research or your program to a family member?
My research is examining whether different menstrual cycle phases affect an athlete's performance. Estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, but we don't have a clear understanding if or how these can impact an athlete's performance. Specifically, I want to look at varsity team sport athletes, and want to compare differences in performance tests that are applicable to the demands of their sports.
What three (3) keywords would you use to describe your research?
Athletic performance, menstrual cycle, substrate utilization
How have your courses, RA-ships, TA-ships, or non-academic school experiences contributed to your academic and/or professional development?
As a student strength and conditioning coach, I had the opportunity to learn about the details that go into strength and conditioning programming for varsity athletes, and the unique training conditions that need to be considered in order to conduct research that is applicable to their athletic performance and our overall understanding of sports physiology.
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
NSERC-CGSM, British Columbia Graduate Scholarship
Contact Sameen:sameen_kaviani@sfu.ca