Science Atlantic Psychology Undergraduate Student Research Conference 2025

Adventures in psychology: Reflections on a 30-year journey.

Michelle Lafrance is a Professor of Psychology at St. Thomas University. Her research and teaching interests are rooted in critical and feminist approaches, exploring the social construction of distress and wellbeing. She has published and presented in the areas of women’s experiences of depression, self-care, leisure, and sexuality, including critical explorations of the DSM and the medicalization of women’s distress. Her most recent research explores the experiences of caregivers of older adults and has resulted in the creation of “Aging in New Brunswick: A User’s Guide”, a bilingual tool that helps New Brunswickers navigate the health and home care systems in the province. Over the course of her career, Dr. Lafrance has been awarded multiple distinctions for excellence in research, including by the British Psychological Society, the American Association for Women in Psychology, and the Canadian Psychological Association. She was also the winner of the Dr. John McKendy Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2013 and the Dr. Sheila Andrew Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2006.

Dr. Rachel Ouellette is a general consulting pediatrician and clinical department head at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton. She graduated from St. Thomas in 2003 with an honours degree in psychology before completing medical school at Memorial University and Pediatrics at Queen’s University. She remains involved in medical education at Dalhousie and Memorial University. She received the NBMS Garfield Moffatt award in 2020 in recognition of her commitment to excellence of patient care, medical education, community at large, and the quality of life. She will offer an insightful and inspirational talk, reflecting on her career trajectory and the transferable skills she developed in her undergraduate degree.