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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 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ. 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 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ. 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 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏwith 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 Project Manager

Mayela González Vázquez is a Research Project Manager and Research Assistant at the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Lab at 51ÉçÇøºÚÁÏ, 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.

Cindy Wei 

Research Coordinator

Cindy Wei is a research coordinator for COPE-Engage. She has completed her Bachelor's and Master's of Science at the University of Waterloo, where she studied Kinesiology with a focus on nutrition for older adults. She is the recipient of several notable graduate and undergraduate prizes, including the Ontario Graduate Scholarship [OGS], the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Scholarship [CIHR], and the Schulich Scholarship. She has worked for several Canadian universities, under Dr. Travis Saunders (UPEI), Dr. Jenna Gibbs (McGill), and Dr. Heather Keller (UWaterloo). In her free time, Cindy works as an academic consultant, yoga teacher, and sewist.

Join our Team

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

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