Does single room accommodation housing shape women’s drug- and health-related outcomes, including their risk of overdose?
Alexandra Collins, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Health Sciences, recently won a 2018 Vanier Scholarship to address this question. She is among 167 graduate students Canada-wide to receive a Vanier Scholarship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
The scholarships, awarded annually, recognize graduate students who demonstrate leadership skills and exemplary scholarly achievement.
“When I found out I was one of the recipients, I was extremely ecstatic,” says Collins. “But I was also relieved to get funding for a project I care so much about. It was really great to see that this research is valued.”
With a background in medical anthropology, Collins enjoys learning how social and structural factors can shape health and well-being.
During her MSc health sciences studies at SFU, she worked on a project with professor Susan Erikson, studying international funding impacts on HIV programs in Sierra Leone. Later, she worked at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and BC Centre on Substance Use where she developed an interest in pursuing research around drug use, especially in women.
Remaining at SFU for her doctoral studies lets her continue collaborating with leading researchers in HIV and substance use, such as professors Robert Hogg and Kanna Hayashi.