School of Geography
 

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Stephanie Coen

Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences

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Biography

I am an interdisciplinary health geographer using qualitative, arts-based, and participatory methods to identify and intervene in health disparities.

A core strand of my research investigates gendered inequities in physical activity and sport using creative qualitative approaches to bridge research and practice. I am Co-Lead (with Dr Joanne Parsons) of the Environments Designed for Gender Equity in Sport & Physical Activity Lab (EDGE Lab), where our mission is to reimagine equitable and inclusive sport and physical activity through a gendered environmental approach.

My other strand of research uses youth-driven participatory methodologies that are nimble and responsive to the health priorities young people identify as mattering to them. Within this, I am co-leading our 4-year CIHR-funded E-Prevention And Vaping (EPAV) Project to co-produce scalable vaping prevention messages with youth.

Cross-cutting my research interests is my commitment to making research more useful and applicable in the real-world so that it can be used as an instrument for positive change. Part of this work involves my collaboration as member of the Sex/Gender Methods Group, to understand how sex and gender shape the very production of health research knowledge and to develop tools to better integrate sex and gender considerations in health research practice.

I completed my BA Honours (2004) and MA (2006) in geography at McGill University (Canada) with Prof Nancy Ross & Prof Sarah Turner. I then gained experience as a Research Manager and a Knowledge Translation Manager in multidisciplinary health research environments before pursing my PhD (2017) in geography at Queen's University (Canada) with Prof Mark Rosenberg & Dr Joyce Davidson. I undertook postdoctoral training at the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory (HEAL) in the Department of Geography at Western University (Canada) with Prof Jason Gilliland. My PhD and Postdoctoral Fellowship were supported by awards from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Click here for my ORCID page.

My pronouns are she/her/hers.

Teaching Summary

I contribute to the following undergraduate modules:

  • Exploring Human Geography (Year 1)
  • Tutorials (Year 1)
  • Careers Skills in Human Geography (Year 1, module convenor)
  • Research Tutorial (Year 2)
  • Dissertation Preparation (Year 2)
  • Dissertation (Year 3)
  • Health Geographies (Year 3, co-convenor)

Postgraduate supervision:

I'm open to supervising master's and PhD students across a range of critical health geographies topics using qualitative methodologies (especially participatory approaches and creative/arts-based methods). If you are interested in discussing potential supervision with me, please feel welcome to contact me via email.

Current postgraduate students:

  • Gabrielle Guy, PhD candidate (Geography, UoN), Thesis title: "Dry leaf don't rot same time it falls": Exploring wellbeing in contemporary Tobagonian family food practices. (Lead Supervisor)
  • Shawna Lewkowitz, PhD candidate (Geography, Western University, Canada), Thesis title: A Place to Pee: Examining Gendered Experiences of Public Spaces through the Lens of Public Toilets. (Thesis Advisory Committee Member & Comprehensive Exam Committee Member)
  • Gráinne Fay, PhD candidate (Geography, UoN), Thesis title: A matter of life and breath: A biosocial geography of Cambodian women garment workers experiences of respiratory ill-health (Co-Supervisor with Sabina Lawreniuk)

Completed postgraduate students:

  • Harriet Cameron, PhD (Computer Science, 2023), Thesis title: Outdata-ed Museums: Creating Ethical and Transparent Data Collection Processes in Museums. Part of the Horizon CDT and supported by the EPSRC [grant number EP/L015463/1] and the Nottingham Contemporary. (Co-Supervisor)

Research Summary

Co-Principal Investigator. (2023-2027). E-Prevention and Vaping (EPAV): Mobilizing youth-generated evidence to co-produce a digital e-cigarette intervention. Canadian Institutes of Health Research… read more

Recent Publications

Select media coverage

  1. "Team ACL: The growing women's soccer club that no player wants to join." Interviewed by Ella Brockaway in The Washington Post (18 July 2023) https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/18/acl-injury-tear-womens-soccer-female-athletes/

  2. 'Why Are Female Athletes At A Higher Risk Of ACL Injuries?' (1 July 2022). Interview with Ira Flatow on Science Friday (syndicated across 400 National Public Radio Stations in the US). https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/female-athletes-ACL-injuries/

  3. "A Gender Gap at the Gym Is Keeping Women From Working Out" (5 March 2019). Interviewed in article by Garnet Henderson in Glamour magazine: https://www.glamour.com/story/a-gender-gap-at-the-gym-is-keeping-women-from-working-out

Select blog posts & podcasts

"What is going on with ACLs in women's football?" Counter Pressed podcast interview with Flo Lloyd-Hughes and friends 12 Jan. 2023. Available at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/23Le3l4xnyviafQ5IIU3kr?si=6a19a63151b14c37&nd=1

Challenging gendered norms in sport and physical activity: implications for injury prevention. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Part of the BJSM's #KnowledgeTranslation blog series: https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2021/05/17/challenging-gendered-norms-in-sport-and-physical-activity-implications-for-injury-prevention/

"Beyond biology: a gendered approach to injury with Joanne Parsons and Stephanie Coen. Ep #478." 4 June 2021. BMJ Talk Medicine podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/beyond-biology-a-gendered-approach-to-injury-with-joanne-parsons-and-stephanie-coen-ep-478?in=bmjpodcasts/sets/bjsm-1

"How you feel in the gym matters. It's a matter of social justice." Geography Directions (blog of the Royal British Geographical Society with the Institute of British Geographers publications): https://blog.geographydirections.com/2019/10/15/how-you-feel-in-the-gym-matters-its-a-matter-of-social-justice/

Current Research

  1. Co-Principal Investigator. (2023-2027). E-Prevention and Vaping (EPAV): Mobilizing youth-generated evidence to co-produce a digital e-cigarette intervention. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Spring Project Grant Competition. (Co-PIs: Struik, Coen, & Martin). (CA$695,141)
  2. Principal Investigator. (2023-2024). Levelling the playing field: social innovations for addressing gendered inequities in sports injury. British Academy Innovation Fellowships Scheme - Route A: Researcher Led. (BA funded amount: £119,931.40; Full economic cost: £149,914.25)
  3. Principal Investigator. (2022-2023). Applying a gendered environmental approach in women's sport: A knowledge exchange workshop. University of Nottingham ESRC Impact Acceleration Account ES/T501992/1. (£4,992.26)
  4. Co-Investigator. (2022-2023). Mental health resilience and first aid across schools and departments of geography across UK higher education. (PI: N. Clare). Royal Geographical Society. (£1,980)
  5. Co-Investigator. (2021-2023). Gendered environments in sport settings: a scoping review. (PI: J. Parsons). Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. (CA$6,875)
  6. Co-Principal Investigator. (2021-2023). QuaranTEENing: Understanding the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Wellbeing and Health-Related, Social, and Environmental Behaviours of Teens. Canadian Institutes of Health Research. (CA$150,000)
  7. Co-Principal Investigator. (2020-2021). Teens talk vaping: A qualitative integrated knowledge translation study to co-produce vaping research and educational tools with teens. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). (CA$100,000)
  8. Co-Investigator. (2020-2025). Examining the influence of a school travel planning intervention on children's travel behaviour, physical activity, and exposure to pollution around their schools. (PI: J. Gilliland). Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). (CA$1,005,975)

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