For Position of Chair-Elect of the Social and Personality Section
Cheryl Harasymchuk
Biography
Cheryl Harasymchuk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa. Her research background is in Social Psychology with a focus on the study of intimate relationships. Dr. Harasymchuk’s research interests center on how people maintain satisfying relationships (dating, marital, friendship) and is an active member of the International Association for Relationship Research. Her current SSHRC-funded line of research centers on the role of individual growth experiences (learning, exploration, and personal development from hobbies and personal interests) in shaping relationship quality.
Dr. Harasymchuk obtained her doctorate degree in 2009 at the University of Manitoba, under the supervision of Beverley Fehr, and was awarded a CPA Certificate of Academic Excellence for her doctoral work on relational boredom. Following graduation, she worked as a term-appointed Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg in the Department of Psychology. Following her one-year appointment, she began her employment at Carleton University in the Department of Psychology as an Assistant Professor. She was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor in 2016.
Dr. Harasymchuk has won awards for excellence in teaching and mentorship of graduate students from her university. She is also strongly committed to service and leadership within her department, her university, and the larger academic community. She is currently the Student Experiential Learning Chair and was previously the Associate Chair of her department and an executive board member of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Additionally, Dr. Harasymchuk plays active leadership roles in the International Association for Relationship Research (e.g., Chair of the Teaching Committee 2016-2018, Chair of 2019 conference on ‘Positive Action in Relationships’, Editorial Board member).
Statement of Goals
I have several goals in becoming involved as the Chair-Elect of the CPA Social and Personality section. First, I would like to promote a sense of community for social and personality psychologists across Canada. My fondest memories earlier in my career were of experiences connecting with other scholars at the preconferences in a more intimate setting than the larger conference. The preconferences not only provided a sense of belongingness, they promoted valuable networking opportunities. My main goal as Chair-Elect would be to facilitate this goal by re-establishing the tradition of hosting preconferences, starting with the 2020 CPA conference in Montreal. Given my recent experience organizing a conference in 2019 for the International Association for Relationship Research, I have the expertise to coordinate this event. Second, I would like to focus on promoting excellence in our research practises. Psychology researchers are facing challenging times as our research findings and practises are coming into question. I believe it is important that our section support and encourage best scientific practises that emphasize transparency. Third, another goal will be to promote the interests of our section members–students, emerging, established—in the larger CPA organization. If I were elected to be the Chair-Elect for the Social and Personality section of CPA, I would use this transition year to actively listen to the needs and concerns of current members and learn about the inner workings of the section and the organization. In sum, if elected as the Chair-Elect of the CPA Social and Personality section, I would aim to recruit and unify Canadian social and personality psychologists of varying stages of their academic career, foster open and optimal scientific practises, as well as listen to and learn about the needs of our section members to promote them in the larger CPA organization.