Written by Justine Pineault
Tell us about yourself
My name is Justine Pineault, and I am currently in the second year of my PhD at the Université de Sherbrooke in community health sciences. I have explored several different fields in my “short” career. I completed my bachelor’s and my master’s in criminology, which is a very multidisciplinary field. It led me to take part in different projects, from the analysis of crime and desistance trajectories to the ethical attitudes of police officers. After my master’s degree, I discovered environmental justice in an internship in a team of sociologists at the Hydro-Québec research center, and that’s when everything clicked for me. After exploring the job market, and working, again, in very different fields (money laundering detection and emergency preparedness to face natural and anthropogenic hazards), I decided to commit to this idea of studying the impact of environmental factors on human health.
Why SMART?
I think my background corresponds particularly well with the SMART Training Platform. I chose this program because it aligns with the nature of my journey in research: multidisciplinary. I think it’s an incredible opportunity to be able to connect with other students and researchers that are all interested in the same outcome (healthy cities), but that all contribute in different ways to achieve this outcome. It is really stimulating and eye-opening!.
Your research & the future…
I am currently working on understanding the associations between gentrification and the mental health of young adults, as well as how they experience these changes and their effects on their mental health. In a way, my project will contribute to creating knowledge about the implementation outcomes (e.g., equity) of an urban revitalization initiative.
I would like to present a portrait of what elements are perceived as causes of gentrification by young adults, so municipalities can consider them when putting in place urban revitalization initiatives to prevent gentrification and its negative effects on mental health. I would also like to help guide the Ministry of Health and community organizations in putting in place interventions that address the different needs of young adults in the context of gentrification (e.g., housing), with the ultimate goal of improving their well-being and mental health.
Justine presenting her work at the International Medical Geography Symposium (IMGS 2024) conference in Atlanta!
