Department of Family Studies & Gerontology
Please click on a faculty person’s name to find out more about their research.
Janice Keefe, Ph.D. (Guelph)
Department Chair
(902) 457-6466
janice.keefe@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Family/friend caregiving
- Alzheimer disease & related dementia
- Seniors housing
- Continuing care policy
Áine Humble, Ph.D. (Oregon State)
Graduate Program Coordinator
(902) 457-6109
aine.humble@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Division of unpaid family work
- Family rituals
- Healthy aging
- Intimate relationships
- Qualitative methodology
- Qualitative data analysis software
- Same-sex families
- Social construction of gender
- Women and retirement
Deborah Norris, Ph.D. (Dalhousie)
Dr. Norris is on sabbatical until December 1, 2024
(902) 457-6376
deborah.norris@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Military families
- Critical theories
- Family relations and social support
- Qualitative research
- Health and social service needs of persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities
- Family violence
Zachary Zimmer, Ph.D. (Michigan)
(902) 457-5541
zachary.zimmer@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Intergenerational relations
- Disablement
- Global population aging
- Migration
- Demographic change
- Health disparities
Katie Aubrecht, PhD (OISE, University of Toronto)
Adjunct Professor
(902) 789-0800
Email: katie.aubrecht@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Dementia care education, policies and practice
- Mental health and resilience across the life span
- Health equity and social justice
- Intersectionality
- Critical social theory in disability studies and aging studies
- Qualitative research methodologies
Susan Stevens, BSW, MEd, RSW
Adjunct Professor
(902) 579-7796
Email: susan.stevens2@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Home care and long term care policy
- Family/friend care giving
- Person centred care
- First Nations continuing care
John Whelan, Ph.D. (New Brunswick)
Adjunct Professor
Email: John.Whelan2@msvu.ca
Research Interest(s):
- Social determinants of mental health
- Military cultural identity and traumatic stress reactions
- Masculine values in first response organizations
- Psychological sense of community and mental health
- Group therapy applications