Rod Murray Memorial Address

Created by friends and family, in collaboration with the Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation Graduate Student Society (KSRGSS), the Rod Murray Memorial Award seeks to celebrate the unique contributions Rod made to graduate student life in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation.

This award is given to a doctoral student whose own scholarship and contribution to the academy embodies the qualities that distinctively defined Rod as a scholar: a passionate teacher committed to critical thinking, a steadfast belief in the role of the public intellectual, an intellectual curiosity that is not contained by disciplinary limits, and a thoughtful questioning of the ‘status quo’ regarding the ways in which we teach, conduct research, build relationships with communities, and communicate our scholarship. In short, Rod infused the graduate student community with scholastic vitality and this award will be given to the applicant that seeks to do the same.

We are pleased to announce Erin Ratelle as the winner of this year's Rod Murray Award.

Erin Ratelle (MA) is a PhD student in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta, Canada, specializing in sociocultural studies. Her research interests include the intersections between sport, physical activity, health, and technology. Informed by her experiences as a cyclist, runner and former representative for Team Canada at the Duathlon Age Group World Championships, Erin’s doctoral work focusses on self-tracking practices in sport and physical activity and how these technologies inform our understandings of health, self and embodiment. Erin is also deeply invested in health-based community-based research. Her current community projects include “Falls Prevention in Long Term Care Using Machine Learning,” and “Improving Health Literacy in Cardiac Patient Care.” Erin is also a community advocate for women’s and youth cycling and the development of cycling infrastructure.

Rod Murray Memorial Address: Knowledge Mobilization for Community Building

Community – a contested word, and yet so common in everyday life. Most of us need community, feel community, are part of communities or encounter community in one way or another. We feel the effects of its absence. To be part of a community can feel good, it can also feel terrible. It can do good, but it can also oppress. Drawing from principles in knowledge mobilization, this year’s Rod Murray Address will be a workshop-style presentation where attendees will discuss questions related to community building. What is a community? What do you need for a community? Does your need for community change inside or outside the academy? How can we bridge gaps between staff, faculty and students in KSR?

Want to be part of the discussion on community building but can’t attend the presentation?

We welcome staff, faculty and students to fill out the following Google Form. Information from these forms and the session will be used to help inform upcoming faculty strategic planning. All information will be deidentified prior to submission. If you would like credit for your contributions, please email Erin at ratelle@ualberta.ca.

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