Join Our Team
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Lab Director
Dr. Nicole Racine is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, Canada. Dr. Racine received her PhD in Clinical-Developmental Psychology at York University and completed a residency in Clinical and Pediatric Child Psychology at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Her research program examines the impact of early childhood adversity on mental health and wellbeing, risk and resilience processes, and what prevention and intervention strategies break cycles of risk across generations. As a recognized leader in child adversity and mental health, she has received a number of national awards, including the 2021 New Researcher Award from the Canadian Psychological Association and a Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal. Dr. Racine has published more than 127 peer-reviewed papers in top journals in the field of pediatrics and mental health including, JAMA Pediatrics and the Lancet Psychiatry. Several of her research studies have been ranked in the top 5% of all published research in terms of their attention and reach. Her high impact work has been included in key policy documents on children’s mental health by the Royal Society of Canada and has informed bills put forward to the House of Commons. Dr. Racine sits on the board of trustees of Strong Minds Strong Kids, Psychology Canada, a national organization using psychological science to inform programs to promote resilience in children and youth. Dr. Racine’s work has been featured in several prominent news outlets including CBC News, CTV News, and, the Globe and Mail. She regularly provides media interviews both nationally and internationally and writes editorials for the Conversation Canada where her work has received more than 175,000 views. As a practising child psychologist, Dr. Racine believes that innovation and novel solutions happen when science and practice connect.
Be a part of the Early Lab team. View opportunities below:
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We do not have any open positions at this time. Please check back for future opportunities.
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The Early Lab is accepting applications on a rolling basis for undergraduate students who are interested in gaining volunteer research experience in the field of children’s mental health. We are especially looking for students who are detail oriented, self-motivated, enthusiastic, and reliable. Most students commit between 6-8 hours per week. This experience allows students to gain exposure in the research enterprise, gain training in methodological techniques, and interface with other trainees interested in clinical and developmental psychology.
For rolling applications, please email theearlylab@uottawa.ca with your:
1. CV
2. Unofficial transcript
3. A cover letter detailing your previous experience and why you want to volunteer in the Early Lab. At the end of the cover letter, please include the days and times you would be available to volunteer.
We review volunteer applications on a rolling basis and typically onboard new students at the beginning of the Fall and Summer terms.
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Dr Racine has already accepted her honours thesis students for the 2026-2027 academic year.
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Dr Racine has already accepted her graduate student for the 2026-2027 academic year.
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We welcome postdoctoral research fellows who are interested in pursuing research and/or clinical training in the field of early child adversity and intervention. Prospective postdoctoral fellows are encouraged to contact Dr. Racine directly and to review the information provided by the University of Ottawa.
Meet Our Team
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Samantha graduated from the University of Ottawa in 2023 with a BA degree in Psychology. Sam has spent the two years exploring her research interests as a Research Coordinator in Dr. Racine’s Early Lab. Sam plans to pursue graduate school where she will explore her interests in clinical child psychology with a focus on attachment styles, child adversity, and child and family mental health.
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Hannah is a second year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Ottawa, where she is a member of the Early Lab and is under the supervision of Dr. Racine. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Ottawa, a Master of Arts in Experimental Psychology from Brock University, an Honours Diploma in Child and Youth Counselling from Humber College. Hannah’s research focuses on the impact of maternal trauma on child development, parenting, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences.
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Evelyn Chan is a community-based researcher for the Early Relationships Study at Maxxine Wright Community Health Centre, based in Surrey, BC. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from McGill University. In her role, Evelyn is dedicated to elevating the voices of the community to ensure that research directly addresses the needs of those it serves. Her current work involves understanding how interventions in a community setting can impact outcomes for high-risk mothers and their newborn infants. She is also interested in exploring the place of cultural aspects in early childhood intervention and identifying improvements needed to better support systems for families. In her off hours, Evelyn enjoys reading and playing cozy video games with a side of scalding hot tea.
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Enora is a bilingual research assistant at the Early Lab. She is in her final year of the Honours Psychology program at the University of Ottawa and plays on the women’s basketball team. She plans to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. Enora is passionate about mental health, child development, and helping people grow and overcome challenges in their lives.
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Michel-Lloyd is completing an Honours BA in psychology at the University of Ottawa. Michel also graduated from uOttawa with an Honours BHSc in health sciences in 2024, and plans to utilize his knowledge of health sciences to provide a unique perspective to the Early Lab. He is particularly interested in promoting mental wellbeing amongst the youth of historically marginalized communities. Michel intends to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology upon completion of his second bachelor’s degree.
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Emma is currently completing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Feminist and Gender Studies at the University of Ottawa. She is a research assistant at the Early Lab, where she conducts literature reviews and has contributed to a book chapter on trauma-informed, resilience-oriented approaches to supporting mothers and children across systems of care. She is interested in interventions to support child and youth mental health and plans to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology.
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Kafui Sawyer is a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholar in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa. With over 15 years of experience as a Psychotherapist, Family Therapist, and Trauma Consultant, she has been a national leader in advancing culturally responsive mental health care. She is the Founding Chair of the Black Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association and Co-Founder of the Black, Indigenous, and Racialized People Psychology Web.
Kafui’s doctoral research, supervised by Dr. Nicole Racine, focuses on breaking the cycle of intergenerational transmission of child maltreatment in Black families. Her work addresses urgent mental health disparities through community-rooted, trauma-informed care. She has provided Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) training and clinical support to diverse populations across Canada, including Indigenous communities in the Arctic.
Her contributions span clinical, academic, and community settings, including work with the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, Health Canada, Joy Health and Research Centre, the Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa, and the Ministry of Children and Family Development in British Columbia.
Kafui is also a mother of three and enjoys cooking, dancing, singing, attending church, and playing soccer. She is a dedicated social justice advocate for equitable mental health care in Canada.
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Rebecca is a Community-Based Researcher at Mothercraft’s Breaking the Cycle program, where she supports the Early Relationship Study. She holds a Master of Science in Community Health with a focus on Addiction and Mental Health, and her research interests center on these areas, particularly within community-based and applied research settings. Looking ahead, Rebecca hopes to work in roles where research can be directly translated into real-world impact through policy development, program design, and knowledge translation efforts that meaningfully inform communities. In her free time, she enjoys staying active through volleyball and pickleball, getting creative with crafts, and spending quality time with friends and family.
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Artina holds an Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology from the University of Ottawa. She is currently involved in a social prescribing project that integrates community-based supports into the traditional medical model, promoting more holistic, person-centered care. She is deeply interested in the intersection of psychology and medicine, particularly in how integrated approaches can enhance both mental and physical health outcomes for patients.
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Cynthia is a second year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Ottawa, working under the supervision of Dr. Racine. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Psychology from the University of Manitoba. Cynthia's research is in collaboration with the Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion team at SickKids, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Nurturing the Seed, a developmental screening and planning tool designed for and with First Nation Communities. As a Red River Métis citizen, Cynthia is passionate about advancing safe, accessible, and culturally responsive care for Indigenous communities, with a particular emphasis on early intervention programs for families. Outside of research, Cynthia is a nationally certified hockey referee with aspirations to officiate at international events. In her free time, she enjoys leisure sports, spending quality time with friends, and experimenting with new recipes.
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Ruth is a trilingual Research Assistant at the Early Lab. She completed a directed research course examining the impact of maternal substance use on early childhood development under the supervision of Dr. Nicole Racine. She has contributed to a scoping review and a national conference poster as part of her role. She is currently in her final year of the Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and plans to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. Ruth is passionate about research that informs early intervention strategies supporting children’s mental well-being. In her free time, she enjoys staying active through strength training, swimming, and beach volleyball.
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Ella is a third-year student in the Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (French Immersion) program at the University of Ottawa. She is a research assistant at the Early Lab, where she contributes to research on child and youth mental health and community-informed interventions. In collaboration with the Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion team at SickKids, she supports Cynthia Côté's evaluation of Nurturing the Seed, a culturally grounded developmental screening and planning tool developed with and for Indigenous communities. Ella is passionate about child and family mental health, with a particular interest in intergenerational trauma and adversity, and plans to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology.
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Kate Fitzgerald is currently completing a Honours BSc in Psychology at the University of Ottawa and plans to pursue a master’s degree in Counselling Psychology afterwards. She has previously volunteered with both the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the uOttawa Language Development Lab. Through her time with The Early Lab, Kate hopes to further strengthen and develop her research skills. Her research interests include developmental psychology, child psychopathology, and counselling psychology, with a particular passion in expanding her knowledge of the predeterminants of mental health disorders in youth.
Meet Our Alumni
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Sophie Barriault
Celeste Holy
Harpreet Bath
Snimer Nagi
Deenah Wright
Anara Hopley
Lamia Firasta
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Sunny Zhong
Sara Dyyat
Amina Dali
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Anara Hopely
Milan Le
Lara Masri
Dominique Roy
Ganaelle Brunet
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Maria Pavlova
Jessica Turgeon