Queen’s professor Jean Côté’s and new colleague Luc Martin are leading the Sport Psychology lab at Queen’s.  The Queen’s University Sport Psychology Lab has a distinctly international flavor, this year, as five students from around the world are working with their research team with a sixth joining the group in August.

Postdoctoral fellow Ian Cowburn (United Kingdom), visiting graduate student Joelle Deventer (Germany), visiting graduate student Marcus Mizoguchi (Brazil), visiting scholar Mauro Sanchez (Spain) and visiting graduate student Ahmet Yapar (Turkey) are working on various projects in the lab. Visiting scholar Niels Rossing (Denmark) arrives in the summer.

“They are very involved in my research program and are also working closely with my doctoral students,” says Dr. Côté, who is also director of the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies. “They are all involved in the policies of sport in their countries and hosting them is a wonderful opportunity for the sport psychology lab and for Queen’s.”

Many of the students met Dr. Côté while attending research conferences. The international students were intrigued by the opportunity to work with Dr. Côté, one of the leading researchers into the ways in which the interaction of children, parents and coaches impacts the development of talent in sport and how sport contributes to the personal development of young people.

“I met Dr. Côté at a conference in 2013 and, when the government provided me with a scholarship to continue my studies, I applied to complete part of my PhD with Dr. Côté,” explains Mr. Mizoguchi, who is a professor back in Brazil. “It’s an amazing opportunity to study in Canada.”

Mr. Yapar, who moved his entire family to Kingston, explains he met Dr. Côté during a conference in Belgium in 2014 and knew he wanted, one day, to work in his lab in Kingston. “I applied for a scholarship to study in Kingston and received funding for one year. I was already familiar with Dr. Côté’s work as I had used some of his models for my own research.”

“My biggest takeaway from this opportunity is the research skills I have learned,” says Dr. Cowburn. “I’ve headed up a couple of projects during my time in Kingston and that’s provided me with new job skills. It’s an amazing opportunity as I continue my career.”

Ms. Deventer comes from a psychology background and is looking to expand her research by working with Dr. Côté in his sports psychology lab. “Working here has given me unique opportunities. I was able to present some of my work at a sport conference which is a little different for me.”

Dr. Côté adds that the research partnerships speak to the university’s focus on increasing international research collaborations and expanding global engagement.