Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, a professor in the UBC faculty of medicine’s department of medicine and CCDPM Director, has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) for 2023.
Fellows are elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievement. They are distinguished individuals from all branches of learning who have made remarkable contributions in the arts, the humanities and the sciences, as well as in Canadian public life.
Dr. Martin Ginis, also the Reichwald Family UBC Southern Medical Program Chair in Preventative Medicine and director of the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, is the international authority on physical activity behaviour-change interventions and psychosocial outcomes in people with disabilities.
Her innovations in theory, measurement, intervention design and knowledge-translation are used worldwide. She has led international teams that have developed, tested, published and implemented hundreds of evidence-based tools and programs, while advancing scientific rigour and understanding of physical activity behaviour among people with disabilities.
“For over 25 years, I have worked collaboratively with an amazing team of trainees, scientists, and staff to improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities – an equity-owed group often overlooked in health research,” Dr. Martin Ginis said. “I am deeply honoured to become a new Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. This prestigious recognition is another glowing affirmation of my decision to come to UBC Okanagan where my research can flourish in a dynamic, energetic, and supportive environment.”
She is among 10 UBC researchers who were announced by the RSC as new Fellows and as new Members of the RSC College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists and among 101 newly-elected Fellows across Canada. The 2023 Fellows and Members will be welcomed into the RSC in November, at the RSC Celebration of Excellence and Engagement.