Leaving a legacy: Dr. Heather Lawford appointed Canada Research Chair in Youth Development

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Leaving a legacy: Dr. Heather Lawford appointed Canada Research Chair in Youth Development
Dr. Heather Lawford was recently appointed Canada Research Chair in Youth Development to further her research in generativity within youth. (Photo : Emilie Hackett)

By Emilie Hackett, Special to the Record – Bishop’s University’s Dr. Heather Lawford was recently appointed the Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Youth Development, becoming the third faculty member to become a CRC in the last year. The Record met with Lawford yesterday to learn more about her research, focusing on generativity in youth. Lawford became a Bishop’s professor in 2012 within the Psychology Department, after completing a doctorate at Concordia and a post-doctoral fellowship through Brock University and the Centre of Excellence in Youth Engagement. Her interests have always been centered around issues of collaboration with youth and community organizations. “I study what is called generativity,” she explained, “which is usually studied in mid-life and older adults. Generativity is about wanting to leave a legacy and creating a better world for future generations. It can be expressed in parenting, at work, and in a community.” She added that the teaching profession is one of the biggest examples of generativity in the workforce, by expressing a desire to educate the next generation and wanting to help students become contributing citizens. See full story in the Thursday, Jan. 24 edition of The Record.

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