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Join the MRU ASPIRE Research Participant Registry
ASPIRE: Advancing the Scientific Participation of Infants, Children and Families in Research and Engagement
Are you interested in contributing to research that helps us better understand children and families? The MRU ASPIRE Research Participant Registry connects families like yours with researchers who are studying a range of fascinating and important topics related to child development, learning, mental health, parenting, and more.
Be part of something meaningful — participate in research that supports children and families.
Register your family
The MRU ASPIRE Research Participant Registry is looking for:
- families with a child between the ages of 0 and 14
- with members might be interested in participating in future research at MRU
- parents who want to contribute to family-related research
Registration is quick (about 10 minutes), voluntary, and simply lets us know you're open to hearing about opportunities.
Ongoing and upcoming research
There is a lot of exciting research happening at MRU. By joining the registry, your family can contribute to studies covering:
- Early Literacy and Language: Dr. Wellsby's work examining early literacy, language development and play.
- Parenting and Child Mental Health: Dr. Park's research on parental social support and child mental health.
- Language Learning Strategies: Dr. Foursha-Stevenson's work on the effects of language learning strategies in young children.
Meet the team
Dr. Joanne Park, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Joanne Park is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Mount Royal University. She leads the Parenting Resilient Kids (PaRK) Lab, where her research focuses on parenting, child mental health, and how to support strong parent-child relationships. Her work also explores contemporary issues like screen time, social media, eco-anxiety, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinically, she works with children, teens, and families using evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Dr. Michele Wellsby, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Michele Wellsby's research focuses on language development and language processing. She takes an embodied approach to examine how sensory, motor, and bodily experiences shape how we learn and understand language. Her research interests also include early literacy development and the role of play in child development.
Dr. Cass Foursha-Stevenson, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Dr. Cass Foursha-Stevenson leads the Language Development Lab at MRU, and her research focuses on language acquisition and processing. Topics of investigation include word learning, syntactic comprehension, syntactic awareness, multilingual development, and multilingual influences.
Finding our lab
If you are participating in a study, the MRU Psychology Lab is located in EA2020, which is on the second floor of the English Arts (EA) building (next to the library).
Contact us
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about MRU's ASPIRE Research Participant Registry.
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