Our Research Team
Working together on a collaborative research agenda
DR. JENNIFER JAKOBI PhD
Professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, and Associate Chair for Westcoast Women Engineering Science and Technology (WWEST), University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
Dr. Jakobi’s research focuses on understanding how physical activity and exercise can be applied to maintaining functional independence in older adults. To undertake this Dr. Jakobi’s team is determining the underlying contribution of spinal motorneuron output to the production and control of purposeful movement through lab-based studies, which are applied to field based interventions. Her work in the cluster aims to apply sex, and gender specific approaches to maintain functional independence towards aging-in-place for older women and men.
DR. KATHY RUSH PhD, RN
MSN Program Coordinator
School of Nursing, University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
Dr. Kathy Rush is a professor and the MSN Program Coordinator in the School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia (Okanagan). Dr. Rush’s program of research seeks to enhance the health and well-being of older adults with complex health challenges, across healthcare and geographic contexts. Current projects are looking at virtual healthcare delivery (e.g., telehealth) for rural older adults and the role of technology for health promotion in rural and remote communities.
DR. BRODIE SAKAKIBARA PhD
Assistant Professor with the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
Dr. Sakakibara is also an Investigator with the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Southern Medical Program at UBC – Okanagan. Brodie’s research focuses on chronic disease self-management and behaviour change among people with stroke and heart disease, and on the use of technology for the delivery of health and rehabilitation services.
DR. CHRISTIANE HOPPMANN PhD
Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Psychology & Center
for Hip Health and Mobility, University of British Columbia – Vancouver Campus
Dr. Hoppmann’s research examines the influences of social relationships and motivational processes for wellbeing and health across the adult lifespan. Her goal is to identify key social and motivational resources that contribute to the successful mastery of challenges across different life phases to foster healthy aging. With older adults as key partners, she aims to capture the lived experiences of older adults from all walks of life to identify resources that promote healthier, happier, and more engaged lives. Her research is very collaborative and typically involves partners from different disciplines, local stakeholders, and community organizations.
JON CORBETT PhD, MSc, BA(Hon)
Professor in Community, Culture and Global Studies, University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus
Jon Corbett is a Professor in Community, Culture and Global Studies at UBC Okanagan and the co-director of the Centre for Social, Spatial and Economic Justice. Jon’s community-based research investigates Cartographic processes and tools that are used by local communities to help express their relationship to, and knowledge of, their land and resources. Jon has worked with Indigenous communities in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines and since 2004 with several First Nations communities in British Columbia.
DR. JENNIFER BOGER PhD, PEng
Assistant Professor, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, and Schlegel Chair in Technology for Independent Living, Research Institute for Aging
The individuals in this cluster have contributed world-leading research in terms of originality, impact and rigour.
This research cluster builds on and will significantly advance independent existing programs of research that address older adults, the collaborative focus will be research evidence for older adults to age in place. Maintaining high levels of independent function and offering assistive technologies contributes to building adaptive resilience to challenges that are central to the choice of older adults to age in place.