Academic Year 2012/2013
Daniel Perez, MSc, PhD (Candidate year 4)
Daniel’s Master’s research focused on an innovative survey of exercise frequency and perceptions of ‘walkability’ in the Jane-Finch community of Toronto. His doctoral research focuses on the integration of qualitative and quantitative (survey) research in understanding attitudes towards ethical issues in the pandemic flu preparations of 2010. He is currently conducting qualitative research on multi-ethnic populations who fail to access cancer screening in Ontario and on the consultation process in determining research policy at Cancer Care Ontario. Daniel is the research manager of the Rogers Communications, Inc. Corporate Health project within the Federal Development Project.
Noah Wayne, MSc, CEP-CSEP, PhD (Candidate year 4)
Noah’s Master’s research focused on factors affecting tobacco reduction before and after the Master’s Settlement Agreement (1998). His doctoral research focuses on changes in blood glucose regulation in response to smartphone-assisted health coaching in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes. Noah is currently managing the Public Health Agency of Canada-funded clinical trial at the Black Creek Community Health Centre research site and the Healthy Student Initiative on the York University campus (Federal Development Project). He is an active member of the Fusion Lab, a collaboration of health science and computer science students and professors (Dr. P. Ritvo, Dr. N. Cercone) in creating and testing health-oriented software applications
Shalini Moonsammy, CPT-CSEP, PhD (Student year 2)
Shalini Moonsammy Persaud is currently a Ph.D candidate at York University. She has recently completed her Master’s thesis which focused on assessing the effects of exercise training and cognitive behavioural therapy with patients diagnosed with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in two stages of treatment. Results indicated significant positive changes in fitness outcomes over a six month period. Her research interests are health related quality of life, cancer, exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior change. She also holds certifications with the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology as a Certified Personal Trainer and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Certificate – Level I Counselor.
Meysam Pirbaglou, CEP-CSEP, PhD (Student year 1)
As a first year Ph.D student, Meysam’s research interests revolve around health coaching and the integration of multiple counseling theories in promoting positive changes in physical and mental health. A strong sub-interest is exploring statistical methodologies in assessing mediation models. Previously, he has worked on several projects at the Health Behaviour Change Laboratory, notably the mentoring of high school youth (by university students) and the exercise training of Prostate Cancer Survivors treated with Androgen Deprivation Therapy. He recently finished analyses on a mediation model linking perfectionism and the effects of negative automatic thinking and anxiety sensitivity with distressing anxiety and depression symptoms.
