Rudolf Uher​

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
I am a psychiatrist and a researcher. I believe that we should do research that really matters and improves lives.

I came to Nova Scotia to take the opportunity offered by the Canada Research Chair Program. In my work here, I am studying how to help young people develop mental well-being and avoid mental illness. This work builds on my earlier training in medicine and psychiatry at the Maudsley Hospital in London, UK, and in Prague, in the Czech Republic. In my earlier training, I noticed that adults with mental illness often experience only limited improvement, even with the best available treatment. I often wondered if we could make a bigger difference by working with people when they are younger, when the brain and body are developing.

With my colleagues in Halifax, London, Boston, and elsewhere, I am studying whether we can predict what treatment works best for whom. I am grateful that as a researcher I can help advance knowledge and as a clinician I can put in into practice. When I am not working, I enjoy hiking, observing wildlife, and taking photographs.
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​Jill Cumby​

research manager
As a mental health nurse, I am interested in learning how we may help youth who are at risk of developing a mental illness.

When I was a teenager, my career plan was to help youth in many ways. I wanted to work as a high school teacher and guidance counsellor. I did teach for a while, before going into mental health nursing. I completed my undergraduate nursing degree from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. I then returned to my home province of Newfoundland to complete my master’s in nursing at Memorial University. I have worked as a mental health nurse in Halifax since 2000. Outside of work, I love to sing, practice yoga, do aquafit, as well as spend time with family and friends.
Youth Assessors

Holly Van Gestel

RESEARCH ASSISTANT
I’ve always been passionate about the ways in which we foster healthier minds and bodies. This interest has guided my past and present academic and extracurricular pursuits and is what has guided me to FORBOW. 
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I am currently completing my third year as a student of osteopathic medicine, upon the completion of my master’s degree at Dalhousie University.  My thesis research was a neuroimaging study focused on uncovering the brain regions responsible for the stress response, commonly known as “fight or flight”. I’m excited and honored to be part of the FORBOW team, and to employ the skills that I’ve learned along the way to help explore the developing brain in young people.

Cynthia Howard

Research assistant
My career began in Educational Publishing, where I worked on school and university textbooks for 12 years. When I decided it was time for a new direction, I began working as a research assistant at Dalhousie and I discovered a real love of research with children. I worked  in childhood literacy research at Dalhousie for several years. After that I worked in Autism and Rheumatology research before starting at FORBOW. I am thrilled to be a part of this great team, and am looking forward to meeting  young people and their families.
 
In my free time, I love hiking and kayaking in the summer, and Pilates in the winter. I am a voracious reader with a particular love of the literature of the Victorian era.

Tammy Lamb

RESEARCH ASSISTANT
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Prince Edward Island and have worked in research since 2011. Over the past 6 years, I have had the opportunity to work for Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University, and Mount Saint Vincent University. During my time with these schools, I was fortunate to work on many different studies, investigating language development and acquisition, and social and emotional well-being. The FORBOW study seemed like a natural fit for me and I am excited to be a part of this remarkable team.

In my spare time I enjoy playing softball, watching movies, and road trip adventures exploring this beautiful province with my husband.  

Sheri Rempel

Research assistant
I graduated in 2002 with a B.Sc honours in Psychology from the University of Victoria and in 2006 with a MSc.A in Communication Sciences and Disorders from McGill. I am a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and have been working mostly with school aged children for the past 11 years. I was drawn to FORBOW because of my curiosity about developmental aspects of children other than just speech and language. I love working with children and families and being part of the FORBOW team will allow me to participate in research and increase my understanding of the factors that contribute the well being of children and their families.
 
Other than being Research Assistant and an SLP, I am also an 500hr Registered Yoga Teacher, and I enjoy teaching various levels of yoga classes to children and adults. In my spare time I love to practice Yoga and meditation, run, read books, cook and spend time with friends and family. 

Shannon Neville​

research assistant
I graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 2014 with my Honours Degree in Psychology. During my time at SMU, I worked on various research projects which really opened my eyes to the value of experimental psychology. When I first heard about the FORBOW study, I was amazed at the team’s initiative and was very enthusiastic when asked to join such an innovative study. I began working with the FORBOW team in June of 2014 as a Research Assistant. In May 2016 I started a new position as the Research Psychometrist for Dalhousie’s Department of Psychiatry. I am continuing my work with FORBOW and am also involved in several other studies within the department. I always look forward to my days at FORBOW and meeting new participants!
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When I am not working, I enjoy being active and outdoors. My interests include: hiking, canoeing, fishing, and exploring new places! I also love spending time with my family, friends, and pets (a dachshund, two ferrets, two snakes, and lots of fish).

Jackie Glover​

research assistant
I worked in a research lab focused on child development before joining the FORBOW team of researchers.

I’ve always had an interest in counselling and helping others. This led to my passion for psychology, which I pursued in my degree from Dalhousie University. I’ve worked with children since I was a teenager. From an early age I have always known that I wanted a career that could combine my interests in psychology and working with children and youth. I am really happy to be a part of the FORBOW study and to help promote well-being in youth and their families. When I’m not working I love to cook, travel, spend time with my family, husband and friends, and play soccer.
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Students

Lynn Mackenzie​

clinical phd student
I greatly enjoy working as a member of the FORBOW research team. I am happy that this innovative project is happening in Nova Scotia. I believe that FORBOW will help to promote health and well-being in young people across the province.

My first career was as a teacher. I discovered my true passion is clinical psychology, and then took a master’s degree in psychology at Columbia University, in New York, in 2011. In 2012, I joined the FORBOW research team. As a research associate, I gather information that the children share as part of the study.

As a PhD student, in clinical psychology, my research will focus on autism, brain imaging, therapeutic interventions, and a range of mental-health concerns in children and adolescents. Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, sailing, yoga, kayaking, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Alyson Zwicker​

PATHOLOGY PHD student
I graduated from Western University with a BSc in Psychology in 2015, and joined the FORBOW team shortly thereafter. As a graduate student at Dalhousie, my work with FORBOW involves studying genetic factors that influence the development of mental health, environmental exposures that could have adverse effects on mental health, and interactions between the two.

Vlad Drobinin​

medical neuroscience phd student
I am excited to be a resident of this beautiful city and a researcher with this innovative study.

My work with FORBOW gives me the unique opportunity of studying how the young brain develops. Please see the video to find out more about how we do that!

I’m also interested in rectangles. We use rectangles of different sizes every day. These include cellphones, tablets, laptops, and TVs. The types of things that we do with our screens matter. My goal is to find out how technology affects humans.

In my spare time, I enjoy photography, technology, reading, movies, meditation, and a stroll by the harbour.
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Victoria Patterson​

clinical phd student
My background is in psychology, having obtained an Honours Degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s University; I hope to continue my education in Clinical Psychology at the graduate level soon! Being a part of the FORBOW team has been such an incredible experience because it allows me to combine my passion for both research and resilience, and I am always learning something new!

My role at FORBOW is to work with children of all ages, and to lead the substudy Early Life Focus (ELF) which involves working with young children aged 0 to 4 and their caregivers.
In my free time, I love to cook, bake (gluten free!), read, walk along the waterfront, do cyberbullying research, and spend time with my loved ones.

Emily Howes Vallis​

MASTERS IN PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH STUDENT
I graduated from Dalhousie in 2016 with an Honours Degree in Psychology. While studying at Dalhousie, I had the opportunity to work on diverse research projects, which is where I developed a love of experimental psychology and a passion for mental health. I am excited to continue pursuing my interests in research and mental health as a member of the FORBOW team.
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In my spare time, I teach ballet and I enjoy cooking, practicing yoga, and spending time outdoors.

I’m looking forward to meeting participants and their families!

Niamh Campbell​

MEDICAL STUDENT
I graduated from Dalhousie in 2015 with a BSc in Psychology. My research background includes: ADHD, sleep, e-interventions, and nicotine expectancy effects. In 2016 I completed a six-month research internship in the Department of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin where I worked on two pilot clinical trials for the use of ketamine in depression relapse prevention with an in-patient psychiatric population. This opportunity reinforced my interest in psychiatric research and, in particular, the prevention and early identification of serious mental illness. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with the FORBOW team and contribute to a better understanding of what keeps young people healthy and well.