Meet our Student Researcher – Hui-Chi Hsieh
Apr 26, 2023 | Research Centre
Hui-Chi Hsieh (Chi) graduated from National Sun Yat-San University with a Master's in Education after obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Special Education in Taiwan. She has 15 years of experience as a special education teacher in Taiwan. Then, in 2021, she decided to study in Canada and enrolled in a one-year Behavioural Science Technician diploma programme at George Brown College in Toronto. After that, in the fall of 2022, she began a one-year Social Service Worker program at Canadore College.
According to Chi, the most rewarding aspect of her involvement with the Research Centre has been learning about the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborating with a diverse team of other graduate students, researchers, faculty, and staff. Chi was the student researcher hired from a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant led by Dr. Kelsey Harvey at McMaster University, of which Canadore’s faculty Teri-Lynn Christie, Brenna Beard, and Jennifer Taun are all co-Investigators. Chi conducted literature reviews and supported the team with environmental scans of post-secondary practices in IPE for this project. Her main goal was to learn research skills and understand the research types that people in the social service field conduct to help inform her future career and programming.
Chi also asserts that "some people might feel that research skills do not apply to their job," but she believes that developing research skills improves job performance. For her, "Applied Research is a method that uses results from research to improve people's lives." She hopes that by teaching students how to read research results and where to find research resources, they will be able to apply the research skills they learn to solve problems at work. Because the analysis is based on evidence, it can be pretty insightful and valuable for students' studies and careers. Her professor, Megan Odd, also invited her class to learn about the concept of research, how to conduct research, and how to set up our own research projects.
With the Research Centre, Chi learned how to analyze scientific literature, how to find references and apply this knowledge to her role. She was surprised to find that the Research Centre works with Social Services and Human Care organizations in North Bay to help develop solutions for them. This allowed her to gain a better understanding of the various organizations that exist in the area and meet new partners. In future, she would like to work with children, and has an inherent interest in trauma-informed care and methodology in treatment; and given Chi’s background and educational training coupled with her experience in the Research Centre, we are confident she will be able to add valuable skills and insights to any work environment.