IODE War Memorial Scholarship Award Recipients for 2021/2022

At the 121st Annual Meeting held virtually on 04 June 2021, IODE Canada announced the winners of three IODE War Memorial Scholarships for doctoral study. The value of the awards are $15,000 each for 2021-2022.

IODE Canada instituted the IODE War Memorial Scholarship program in 1918 to commemorate Canadians who sacrificed their lives or were permanently disabled while fighting for Canada. Today, applicants must be Canadian citizens, in their second year of a doctoral program at a Canadian or Commonwealth university and are selected for academic achievement and potential.

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Stephanie Gumuchian, Concordia University

Stephanie Gumuchian, Montreal, QC, completed her BSc Honours in Psychology from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, her MSc in Psychiatry from McGill University, and is now pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Concordia University.  She is highly interested in conducting clinical research and her dissertation focuses on understanding fear of depression recurrence among individuals who have experienced depression. More specifically, she hopes to create a questionnaire that can assess how much someone may worry about their depression returning and then use this information to potentially predict future depression relapse. Upon graduating, Stephanie’s future plans include moving to Vancouver, BC, to work as a psychologist within the public healthcare system and to continue conducting clinically oriented research.

Stephanie has an impressive research and publication record with several first-authored journal publications. She has also presented her research at numerous national and international conferences.  

Throughout her life, Stephanie has always been actively engaged in volunteer work both within and outside of academic contexts. She has spent many years mentoring and tutoring new students, serving as the student representative on academic committees across institutions, supporting mental health initiatives, and volunteering for community organizations (e.g., AMI Quebec, Canadian Cancer Society).

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David Kim, University British Columbia

David Kim received his Honours Bachelor of Science in the Life Sciences Program at the University of Toronto, where he double-majored in Human Biology and Animal Physiology. His undergraduate research involved examination of regulated necrosis in the rat skeletal muscle following exercise-associated damage. David then received his Master of Science in the Experimental Medicine Program at the University of British Columbia, where he integrated two fields of study, kinesiology and psychopharmacology, to investigate the effects of antipsychotic treatment on cardiovascular function and fitness in individuals with schizophrenia. After completing his master’s degree, David decided to expand his research interest in psychopharmacology and started his PhD in Pharmacology at the University of British Columbia. His PhD project investigates drug-induced movement disorders in individuals living in precarious housing and homelessness in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, BC. David aims to characterize how different types of drugs of abuse and movement disorders are associated with each other, and how neuroimaging abnormalities might underly these associations. In parallel with his PhD project, David continues to pursue his research interests in the efficacy and adverse effects of antipsychotics as well as the impact of non-pharmacological interventions (i.e., physical activity and exercise) in various psychiatric populations.

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Katherine Rose, University of British Columbia 

Katherine Rose is proudly born and raised in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2014. She relocated to Kelowna to attain her Master’s in Psychological Science from the University of British Columbia, Okanagan (UBCO). Katherine is currently a third-year doctoral student of Clinical Psychology at UBCO where she is building a skillset in brief interventions, long-term treatment, and neuropsychological assessments across the lifespan. She is a sessional lecturer of Cyberpsychology, and is passionate about applying research to real-world issues.  Katherine’s research lies at the intersection of psychology and law, including young offenders, personality, cybercrime, and police interviewing. Her dissertation examines interview techniques in a sample of Canadian homicide interviews, with the goal of informing safe and effective practices. Katherine is an advocate for improved procedures and policies in mental health, particularly for post-secondary students. She is an active member of multiple groups who share this passion, including Jack.org, the BC Schizophrenia Society, UBCO’s Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy Club, and the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee. Katherine aspires to be a practicing psychologist in the Okanagan region, with a concentration in developmental and forensic psychology.