Welcome to my website. What has remained consistent throughout my academic and research trajectory is my interest in quantitative research methods. After secondary school, I completed a Forestry technician diploma at Algonquin College, Pembroke Ontario. At that time, I discovered the magic of sampling and population estimates, and I was captivated by the research at the Petawawa Research Forest Institute. One project consisted of determining the ideal spacing between trees in plantations to maximize growth and volume.
After a few years working in forestry mainly as a scaler, I completed my BA (Honours) in Psychology at Nipissing University in North Bay Ontario and my graduate training here at Western University in Psychology (Measurement) from 1992 to 1998 under the supervision of R. C. Gardner. My doctoral research focused on academic motivation concepts based on Gardner’s socio-educational model on second language learning and motivational theories in psychology. Prior to joining the Psychology department at Western in 2013 as a faculty member, I was a Scientist and a Research Associate at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) for over twelve years, researching individual differences in alcohol consumption patterns, depressive symptoms, and academic outcomes in young adults.
I am particularly interested in the methods themselves—the measurement, design, and statistical modeling tools used in psychology and related disciplines. Much of my research in those areas focus on the development of pedagogy for graduate courses in quantitative methods. This involves developing good demos and simulation material as well as supporting students in their individual projects. In measurement, I study the different ways that latent variables are conceptualized – for example, the distinction between reflective and formative constructs, and alternative conceptualizations such as mixture and network models. At the design level, I work with several colleagues who study change, specifically variability of individual trajectories of change and day-to-day within individual covariation using diary studies. In statistical modeling, I use a mix of SEM and MLM procedures in longitudinal studies and simulation studies for understanding complex relations and standard errors prior to testing the models with real data, or for sample size and power estimation. The research of my own graduate students fits broadly within the measurement of individual differences in personality and mental health and projects that support construct validation. I also collaborate with several colleagues in various domains. Google Scholar Page
Education in Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods. I consider my most significant academic contribution so far to have been the graduate courses in quantitative methods that I have developed and updated to provide our graduate students state of the art training for their own research and career trajectories. I developed and taught Structural Equation Modeling (PSY9555), Multilevel Modeling (PSY9542), Longitudinal Methods (PSY9556), and Advanced Latent Variables Models (PSY9548). I have also continued to update and teach the foundational Research Design and Statistical Modeling (PSY9540) course that Dr. Gardner taught for over 50 years since 1961. And in 2023 I developed a Meta-Analysis course (PSY4853) that serves as an undergraduate Honours thesis option.