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Re-imagining Health Care: What We Can Learn from Canada

May 29, 2009

Morna-McEachern-2008

Participating in the Fourth Annual Graduate Student Symposium were (from left) David Pettinicchio, Sociology; Nathalie Hamel, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences; Beth Curry, Oceanography; Li Leung, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Mihyun Seol, Forest Resources; and Morna McEachern, Social Work. Jack Thompson, Public Health, and Michael Orsini, 2008–09 Fulbright Canada Visiting Chair, were respondents.

In early April, six University of Washington graduate students discussed the boundaries of health care at the Fourth Annual Canadian Studies Graduate Symposium. This year’s theme, “Re-imagining Health: What Can We Learn from Canada?,” featured six presenters from a variety of academic disciplines.

David Pettinicchio, a doctoral candidate in Sociology, presented on “Ethnic Nationalism and Flight: Explaining Anglophone Out-Migration from Québec, 1971-1981,” which provided interesting insights into Québec society during the Quiet Revolution.

Li Leung, who recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, presented her study, “FAST Commercial Vehicle Crossing Times between Western Canada and the US.” Li already has four scholarly papers on the Canada-US border under consideration for publication.

Nathalie Hamel from Aquatic and Fishery Sciences was just awarded her doctorate, and presented a paper entitled “Bycatch and Beached Birds: Assessing Mortality Impacts in Coastal Net Fisheries Using Marine Bird Strandings in the Salish Sea.” The Salish Sea includes waters in the Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia off the west coast of British Columbia, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

A recent Master in Science from Oceanography, Beth Curry, presented her study, “Freshwater Transport through the Davis Strait between 2004–2005.” Beth has conducted considerable research east of Baffin Island.

Mihyun Seol, who just advanced to doctoral candidacy in Forest Resources, presented her study, “Potential Markets for Canadian Forest Product Industry: Trade between Canada and China.”

Finally, Morna McEachern presented her research, “Children of a Common Mother: Teen Pregnancy and Political Symbols in US and Canadian Sexual Health Education Guidelines.” Morna will be conducting further research this summer in Canada.
The respondents were Michael Orsini, a University of Ottawa professor who holds the current Fulbright Canada Visiting Research Chair at the UW, and Jack Thompson, Public Health.

The two respondents provided participants with feedback and suggestions for enhancing the Canadian content of their presentations. The last hour of the day was devoted to a roundtable discussion during which the respondents offered practical advice to the presenters and continued an interdisciplinary discussion. After the symposium, Jack Thompson said, “The presentations incorporated both of these approaches into some very excellent and diversified presentations.”

This project was supported, in part, by funding from the Center’s Program Enhancement Grant, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

Morna McEachern, chair of this year’s annual Canadian Studies graduate student symposium, is a doctoral candidate in the School of Social Work. Morna’s dissertation focuses on sexual health education policy in the US and Canada and its political symbolism, history, and practice in relationship to teen pregnancy. She was recently honored as the first runner-up for the Enders Graduate Fellowship from the Association of Canadian Studies in the US.

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