THUNDER BAY – Lakehead University has named Dr. Mirella Stroink as dean of health and behavioural sciences.
Stroink, who will take the reins on Aug. 1, is currently a professor in the department of psychology at the Thunder Bay school, where she has served two terms as chair between 2015 and 2021.
She said she’s ready for the challenge, especially at this critical time.
“The pandemic, climate change, and Canada’s growing recognition of the need for reconciliation have made the importance of our disciplines even more visible,” she said in a release issued on Wednesday by the university.
Stroink said she plans to leverage the faculty’s strengths to demonstrate the value of the school’s program, citing opportunities for experiential, inter-professional and community-based learning.
“The faculty of health and behavioural sciences at Lakehead University provides world-class professional programs with outstanding opportunities for experiential, inter-professional, and community-based learning,” she said.
“We are also explicitly grounded in our solid foundation of behavioural science and the arts and science disciplines of Lakehead University. I am excited to foster a culture of engagement and innovation, and to build environments and networks that enable our faculty, students, and staff to develop and thrive in a dynamic environment.”
The school’s provost and vice-president (academic), David Barnett, said he’ll work with Stroink to build and expand the program’s strengths.
“Dr. Stroink is an accomplished scholar and leader. She brings a commitment to people and understands the importance of the faculty in educating the next generation of graduates who can make significant contributions in health-related fields.”
Stroink has also taught at University of Toronto Scarborough, Trent University, and York University, before arriving at Lakehead.
Recent projects include the psychology of systems thinking, the dynamics of meaning-making, the psycho-social dimensions of food systems, and the role of behavioural adaptation in psychological resilience in response to COVID-19.
