Dr. Natalie Richer completed all of her degrees in human kinetics from the University of Ottawa.

“I was really interested in the motor control and learning courses,” Richer says about her undergraduate studies. “I found it so interesting that I started by doing an undergrad fourth-year research project, and I found that really fun.”

“So then I pursued my master’s degree and then my PhD degree in the same department under the supervision of Dr. Yves Lajoie ... My research focused on postural control and how it changes as we get older.”

Richer went on to study brain imaging after her doctoral studies.

“I moved to Florida to do postdoctoral research, where I learned how to use electroencephalography, or EEG, to study brain activity during human movement, specifically walking.”

She now works as an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Applied Health at the University of Winnipeg. “I moved here during the pandemic ... I’ve made some really good friends, and my colleagues are really great. They’ve been really welcoming. Everyone is so friendly here, I find.”

In addition to conducting research, Richer says she likes teaching. “I love learning, and I think I learn a lot through teaching. And I like having students that are interested in what I teach. It’s so fun to share this knowledge with them,” she says.

“I keep learning because of my students. They ask such interesting questions ... After seeing the same content over and over again, it’s nice to get the student’s perspective, so a different perspective, a fresh question, new things to think about.”

 —

What do you like to do in your spare time?

“I love to cook. I love to play sports. I love spending time with my dog and my family and friends. In the summer, I like gardening, as well.”

What was your worst grade in university?

“My worst grade was 49.5 per cent. It was in chemistry in my first year of my bachelor’s. And I remember it because the prof told me, ‘I rounded it up to 50 per cent so that you could pass the course.’”

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

“I would love to be able to teleport, because I love travelling.”

Published in Volume 77, Number 21 of The Uniter (March 9, 2023)