Dr. Kimberly Thomson Returns to HELP as Affiliate Faculty Member

The Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) is pleased to announce the addition of another esteemed affiliate faculty member, Dr. Kimberly Thomson. Having previously completed her PhD with HELP and UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, this appointment will mark Thomson’s return to the research centre, after recently joining the Children’s Health Policy Centre within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University (SFU) as an Assistant Professor.

“I am absolutely delighted to join HELP as an affiliate faculty member,” says Thomson. “HELP’s mission to contribute to a world where children have an equitable start to life, along with a dedicated collaborative community-based approach, have inspired me since first joining the team as a Master’s graduate. To get to now contribute and lead research towards these goals alongside my long-time friends and colleagues is a dream come true.”

Thomson’s expertise lies in applying public health perspectives to her teaching and research, investigating the social context factors that influence children’s early environments and their impact on future mental health and well-being not only throughout the life course, but also into the next generation. She is particularly interested in research that informs policy, partnering with community leaders, health service providers, and policy-makers to generate evidence to promote optimal environments for children.

“We feel incredibly fortunate to welcome back one of our own as an affiliate faculty member,” says Dr. Mariana Brussoni, HELP’s director. “Kim was a long-time HELPer during her training and postgraduate work and we are delighted to have her contributions again through her new faculty appointment at SFU’s Children’s Health Policy Centre.”