Lab Director
Eli Puterman, PhD
Canada Research Chair Tier 2 in Physical Activity and Health (2015-2025) Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar (2016-2021) Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education Investigator, Healthy Starts Theme, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute Associate Editor, Health Psychology Scientific Advisory Board Member, John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation Executive Board Member, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research Eli is passionate about supporting individuals to move their bodies more and to understand how movement can improve the healthspan and lifespan. He’s committed to walking the walk, and spends most of his free time walking his crazy dog with his husband, taking his son to parks, and working out in the gym.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Gabriel Zieff, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Gabriel Zieff is a Killam and Canadian Institutes of Health Research Postdoctoral Fellow. He received his Master’s in Exercise Physiology and PhD in Human Movement Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Gabriel’s broad research interests encompass the effects of lifestyle factors on cardiometabolic and mental health with an emphasis on the role of psychological stress as a contributing factor to disease states. Gabriel’s work at UBC examines how aerobic exercise may help promote healthy regulation of biological stress networks and improve mental health in adults who have experienced adverse childhood events. Gabriel is co-supervised by Dr. Joelle LeMoult in the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Laboratory within the UBC Department of Psychology.
Kyle Gooderham, PhD
Dr. Kyle Gooderham is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow supported by a Peter Wall Legacy Award. Kyle joined the School of Kinesiology after receiving his Master’s and PhD in Psychology from the University of British Columbia. His research integrates civil engineering, urban planning, kinesiology, and psychology to develop transportation infrastructure design that equitably attracts people to use sustainable modes of travel and fosters positive experiences. Kyle is co-supervised by Dr. Alex Bigazzi from the Department of Civil Engineering and School of Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia.
Graduate Students
Benjamin Hives, PhD Candidate
Currently in the third year of the PhD Program, Ben (he, him, his) has a BKIN and MSc from UBC, as well as a diploma in the Culinary Arts at Vancouver Community College. His research interest includes cardiovascular stress responses to stress and statistical method evaluation. He has been a Teaching Assistant (TA) for the School of Kinesiology's Introduction to Statistics, Research Methods, and Sport's Nutrition courses. Ben also has a keen interest in statistical methods, baseball, and programming in R.
Brook Hadwen, PhD Student
Brook (she/her) is a doctoral student in the FAST lab. Brook has Master of Science degree from Western University in Epidemiology and Biostatistics and completed her undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences at Western University. Her research interests include exploring how adverse childhood experiences affect physical activity habits, and how chronic stress may impair physiological responses to physical activity. Brook grew up as a competitive dancer, and also enjoys running and hiking.
Naomi Maldonado-Rodriguez, PhD Candidate
Naomi is a doctoral student in the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia. She holds a Master of Science in Health and Exercise Sciences from the University of British Columbia Okanagan where she studied blood biomarkers of brain injury in women who have experienced intimate partner violence. She is interested in intersectional and participatory approaches to health promotion and equity, as well as mixed-methods, collaborative, and embodied approaches to health research.
Isabella Ravaglia, MSc Student
Isabella (she/her) is an Ms.c. student in the lab. She is originally from California in the U.S. and holds a B.A. in Neuroscience from Bryn Mawr College. She is interested in how exercise influences the neurobiological response to stress and the role of the endocrine system in this process. When she is not in the lab, she enjoys distance running and exploring the nearby mountains.
Staff
Leo McHegg, Project Manager
Leo (he/him) is a project manager at the FAST Lab. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of British Columbia and has a keen interest in the intersections between clinical and health psychology. Outside the lab, Leo enjoys running, reading non-fiction, and exploring the amazing Vancouver food scene.
Alumni
Nicole Mazara, PhD Student Luke Peddie, PhD Student Joshua Webster, MSc Student Nikol Grishin, Lab Coordinator Brook Haight, MSc Student Boaz Injege, MSc Hana Hicks, MSc Vincent Gosselin Boucher, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Sierra Moores, MSc Student Erica Bennett, Postdoctoral Fellow Anne Lasinsky, Postdoctoral Fellow Sarah Koch, Postdoctoral Fellow Renee Reimer, MSc Student Adam Caplin, MSc StudentGraduate Student Directed Studies
Matthew Noseworthy – Directed Studies in Kinesiology (2021)
Nikol Grishin – Directed Studies in Kinesiology (2021)
Angelo Graffos – Directed Studies in Kinesiology (2019)