Dr. Sharon Hou honoured with CPA President’s New Researcher Award
Dr. Sharon Hou, assistant professor in educational psychology at the 天美mv天美鈥檚 Faculty of Education, has been awarded the . This national honour recognizes outstanding early career contributions to psychological knowledge in Canada.
The CPA President鈥檚 New Researcher Award celebrates exceptional research conducted within five years of completing graduate training. Dr. Hou鈥檚 work was distinguished by its strong interdisciplinary contributions, integrating perspectives from clinical, developmental, and cultural psychology, to advance the health and well-being of children, adolescent, and young adults.
Dr. Hou examines how the cultural contexts shape children鈥檚 health and wellness, focusing on the structural barriers that racialized, immigrant, and other diverse young people and their families when navigating complex systems such as healthcare, education, and community supports. This work is timely, addressing urgent gaps in culturally responsive care and inform interventions that meet the needs of underserved populations.
Reflecting on the recognition, Dr. Hou shared:
Receiving this recognition from the CPA community means a lot to me. I care deeply about honouring and celebrating cultural diversity and incorporating this perspective into my work. This acknowledgement reinforces the value of bringing attention underrepresented voices and perspectives. I am grateful to the peoples and communities that support and enrich me.
The award will be formally presented at the CPA鈥檚 2026 Annual National Convention, taking place in Montr茅al, Qu茅bec, between June 4-6.
This prestigious recognition reflects Dr. Hou鈥檚 significant contributions to clinical child and adolescent psychology and highlights the Faculty of Education鈥檚 commitment to research that supports equity, diversity, and the well-being of children and families.
Congratulations to Dr. Hou on this remarkable achievement.