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Who we are

Our Team

Dr. Theresa Pauly

Assistant Professor

Dr. Theresa Pauly is an Assistant Professor, Canada Research Chair, and the Lab Director for the Lifelong Health & Wellbeing Lab at ÌìÃÀmvÌìÃÀ. Dr. Pauly completed her PhD at the University of British Columbia in 2020. Her research program broadly assesses how psychosocial contexts get under our skin to influence health and well-being in old age.

     theresa_pauly@sfu.ca                                                                                                   

Dr. Victoria Michalowski 

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Victoria Michalowski is a Postdoctoral Fellow, working with the COPE Study at the Lifelong Health & Wellbeing Lab at ÌìÃÀmvÌìÃÀ. Dr. Michalowski earned her PhD in Health Psychology at the University of British Columbia. Her research interests broadly include determinants of positive aging, health behaviour change, and stress & coping. She has expertise in advanced quantitative data analysis and ambulatory assessment methods. Dr. Michalowski’s current research is focused on investigating everyday facilitators and barriers to coping with extreme heat events (e.g., heat waves, heat domes) among older adults.

 

Julie Rempel

Research Study Manager

Julie brings a diverse professional background in Nutrition, Psychology, and Public Health. Her work reflects a strong commitment to advancing scientific understanding and enhancing community well-being. With a passion for lifestyle medicine, Julie focuses on promoting health through sustainable, evidence-based practices. She is enthusiastic about applying her skills and experience to the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Lab, particularly in the research project "Daily Social Experiences and Health in Older Age."

Dr. Yoonseok Choi

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Yoonseok Choi is a Postdoctoral Fellow researching aging immigrants’ health care access and utilization using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. His work is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR; 2025–2028). Dr. Choi received his PhD in Psychology from the University of British Columbia. His research broadly focuses on culture, aging, and health, using longitudinal approaches such as daily life assessments.

Graduate Students

Aryana Mohammed

MA student

Aryana Mohammed is a performing artist, and former high school drama teacher from Trinidad and Tobago. Aryana is currently pursuing her MA in Gerontology at ÌìÃÀmvÌìÃÀ with a research focus on understanding how group storytelling can be used to promote psychological resilience and wellbeing among older individuals experiencing psychological trauma. Aryana holds a BSc Psychology (Special) degree from the University of the West Indies and a BFA in Performing Arts (Acting) degree from the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Her aim is to use her expertise in mental health and the performing arts to advocate for social prescribing among the older adults.

Mayela González Vázquez

Research Manager / Research Assistant 

Mayela González Vázquez is a Research Project Manager and Research Assistant at the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Lab at ÌìÃÀmvÌìÃÀ, in the COPE and DASH studies. She holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of British Columbia. Mayela is passionate about aging research and understanding how psychosocial and environmental factors shape health outcomes later in life. Her academic and research interests are rooted in a commitment to social justice and improving the lives of marginalized populations.

Parinaz Amirimoghadam

PhD student of Gerontology / Research Assistant

I have always considered myself a lifelong learner, gradually developing an interest in aging, health behavior, and gerontology through both my studies and experiences in healthcare. As a licensed pharmacist with post-secondary education in Canada, I have had the privilege of interacting closely with older adults, which has deepened my curiosity about how they understand and manage their health. I hope my work can contribute, even in a small way, to supporting and advocating for healthier aging populations.

 

Shivani Ratnayake

Research Assistant

Shivani Ratnayake has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, with a concentration in Counselling and Human Development from ÌìÃÀmvÌìÃÀ. She is a Research Assistant for ÌìÃÀmvÌìÃÀ's Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Lab, for the Daily Activities, Social Events, and Health  Study, in the Gerontology Department. Her interests are in understanding effective, psychological, healthy aging for older adults. 

 

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Are you looking for opportunities to join our team as a graduate student or collaborator? Get in touch now. 

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