Two CFYS Research Fellows receive Research Accelerator Fund funding for research on the COVID-19 pandemic
This spring, UVic introduced a seed fund to support research at the university. The first round of the Research Accelerator Fund (RAF) focuses on COVID-19 research aimed at creating stronger communities both locally and abroad. Included in the first round of RAF funding is research by two CFYS Research Fellows, Dr. Brianna Turner and Dr. Catherine Costigan, both of the psychology department.
Dr. Turner, along with colleague Dr. Theone Paterson, is leading a nationwide survey on the effect of COVID-19 on the daily life of Canadians. This research is in partnership with researchers from 10 other countries seeking to identify the helpful and harmful factors on well-being during the pandemic with additional funding from the following partners: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR).
Dr. Costigan and fellow psychology professor Dr. Erica Wooden are partnering with the Victoria Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program, an interdisciplinary team approach to the stabilization and rehabilitation of community members experiencing severe mental illness. Amidst COVID-19, ACT team members are experiencing higher levels of stress, leading researchers to begin analyzing the practices to support the teams' well-being.