News Stories
Unravelling the mystery of “mommy brain”
March 1, 2024
VIU Psychology Professor Dr. Marla Morden is using innovative eye-tracking technology to conduct her research. Dr. Marla Morden, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Psychology Professor, is researching the phenomenon commonly called “mommy brain” or “baby brain.” It is typically viewed as a time of cognitive decline with symptoms such as memory loss or brain fog. However, Morden says researchers... Read more
Alum of the Month: Jordyn Monaghan
January 27, 2024
Jordyn Monaghan is passionate about supporting the community with a trauma-informed, harm-reduction and strength-based approach. That passion guided her through her undergraduate degree at VIU, where she studied Psychology and Criminology. Monaghan is now doing a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We caught up with her to find out more... Read more
What is climate anxiety?
July 28, 2023
Expert Q&A with environmental psychologist Dr. Lindsay McCunn VIU Psychology Professor Dr. Lindsay McCunn Dr. Lindsay McCunn is a VIU Psychology Professor and the Director of VIU’s Environmental Psychology Research Lab. In her role as chair of the environmental psychology section of the Canadian Psychological Association, and as the co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Environmental... Read more
Creating the next generation of treatments for substance abuse disorders
January 23, 2023
VIU Psychology alum Dr. Travis Baker receives $2.5-million grant for research Little did Dr. Travis Baker know when he first came to Vancouver Island University more than 20 years ago that it would be the start of a successful career in researching new treatments for addiction. Now an Assistant Professor at Rutgers University-Newark’s Centre for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, he recently... Read more
VIU Psychology Student Researching Stress, Resilience in Romantic Relationships of Firefighters
February 28, 2022
Emmerson Pollard is investigating how romantic relationships impact firefighters’ ability to cope with stress. Whether it’s work-related stress, a family issue, financial worries or an unexpected challenge, all romantic relationships have their ups and downs. And while much has been written about relationship challenges in general, Vancouver Island University (VIU) student Emmerson Pollard is... Read more
Alum of the Month: Katelyn Horsley
January 26, 2022
VIU Psychology alum Katelyn Horsley is pursuing a graduate science degree with an undergraduate degree in the arts. After graduating from Vancouver Island University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours in Psychology, she began a Master of Science degree at the University of Calgary. Horsley credits her undergraduate experiences at VIU with setting her on her current journey. Why did you... Read more
VIU Researcher Investigates Hospital Design Elements to Improve Employee Well-being
May 20, 2021
VIU researcher surveying Island Health employees working in Cowichan District Hospital to understand what physical architectural features make a difference in their work satisfaction and well-being. Vancouver Island University (VIU) Psychology Professor Dr. Lindsay McCunn is working with Island Health on a research project that could help the hospital replacement planning team consider which... Read more
Alum of the Month: Megan Yim
January 14, 2021
Dr. Megan Yim (Bachelor of Arts ’15, Major in Psychology) is passionate about helping people reach their full health potential. Yim, who went on to complete a master’s degree in experimental neuropsychology at the University of Victoria and then a Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, is now working as a chiropractor at Backfit Clinic in Victoria,... Read more
VIU Professors Examine the Social Impacts of Wearing Masks
November 6, 2020
Expert Commentary: As the number of businesses and organizations implementing mask-wearing policies and guidelines increases, we were curious about some of the effects of this new way of interacting with one another. Dr. Lindsay McCunn, a VIU Psychology Professor, and Maureen O’Connor, a VIU Bachelor of Science in Nursing Professor, share some thoughts. Wearing a mask is one way to minimize the... Read more
VIU Research Will Study Rising Stresses on Fragile Mountain Ecosystems
July 22, 2019
VIU researchers launch far-reaching study on Mount Arrowsmith in collaboration with The Canadian Mountain Network. A team of Vancouver Island University (VIU) researchers is ascending to new heights for an in-depth analysis that will project 100 years into the future to get a better understanding of what is happening in our mountain environments. One-quarter of Canada’s land mass is made up of... Read more