2024-2025 PD AWARD WINNERS

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Nicole Stuart (she/her) is a PhD student in Health Psychology at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the daily relationship between stress processes and cognitive function across the adult lifespan. She is also interested in how modifiable factors (e.g., physical activity) may attenuate the deleterious relationship between stress and cognitive performance on a momentary and daily level. The Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology Professional Development Award has enabled her to present her work evaluating ambulatory cognitive assessment in older adults at the Society of Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine (SBSM) annual meeting in Seattle, WA.  

I am completing an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioural Psychology at St. Lawrence College. My thesis research explores the impact of music-based psychoeducational peer support groups on perceived social isolation for LGBTQIA2S+ youth. Thanks to the CCDP Professional Development Award, I recently attended the Transformations 2025 conference, hosted by the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy (ICP) in New York City. As one of the longest-running clinical conferences focused on working with Trans and Gender Diverse (TGD) communities in the U.S., Transformations 2025 provided therapist-focused programming aimed at enhancing clinical competencies in supporting TGD individuals across the lifespan. My participation in the conference deepened my understanding of the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQIA2S+ community and informed my approach to developing inclusive, evidence-based mental health supports. The CCDP Professional Development Award greatly supported my ability to attend this conference, contributing significantly to my academic and professional development.

I am first year PhD student studying Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Saint Mary’s University. The professional development award was used to reimburse the costs of attending the 2025 annual Society of Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP) conference in Denver, Colorado, USA. At SIOP I was able to present a portion of my MSc thesis findings to a audience that included academics, graduate students, and professionals who work in the spaces related to I/O psychology. This experience is extremely valuable and has allowed me to grow my professional skills in disseminating knowledge and build my professional network (internationally).