Elsa Labuschagne ’09, B.Sc. Honours, Psychology, Lakefield, ON

“This was where my view of psychology and research began to be shaped.”

Ms. Elsa Labuschagne is a recipient of the Symons Medal.  This medal is awarded to students in the Honours program who achieve high overall standing on graduation.

Elsa discovered her research interests in psychology as she worked closely with other students and professors in Trent’s psychology laboratories. She credits her experience as a volunteer research assistant with shaping her view of psychology and research.  She is interested in how cognitive functions such as reading and problem solving are influenced by various contexts and individual differences. 

In addition to the Symons Medal, Elsa has received several other awards and scholarships including the Canada Graduate Scholarship from the NSERC for her first year of Master’s studies.  With regard to her Undergraduate Student Research Awards she says, “These awards enable me to continue doing research with my supervisors during the summer, which is a great time to learn and acquire new skills.”

Ms. Labuschagne also volunteered as a peer mentor at Trent. She will begin her graduate studies in Cognitive Psychology in the fall at the University of Waterloo.

About Winning the Symons Medal:
Elsa is very grateful to receive the award.

What will you do with your Trent degree?
I will be starting my graduate education in the Cognitive Psychology program at the University of Waterloo in the fall.  Following that, I am keeping my mind open to whatever opportunities present themselves. 

What did you get out of your Trent degree?
I’ve come to appreciate the scientific method, how it has been used in the past, and how it continues to be used to learn more about the world.  My experiences at Trent have changed the way I view life in general.  No other period in my life has shaped my thinking as substantially as my time at Trent.

What is the best thing about studying at Trent?
The best thing about studying at Trent was being able to form close ties with faculty and other students.  Each of my instructors put forth a great effort to get to know each student by name.  Though I can mainly speak of the psychology faculty, my experience has been that instructors take true interest in their students’ progress and go out of their way to assist students who seek help.

Can you give an example of how Trent professors had a special impact?

I’ve had the privilege of being in close contact with several professors in the psychology department.  It is a very friendly department with many opportunities to work alongside professors.  During my thesis research my supervisors were only a few steps away at most times.  It was a great learning experience that was made possible by the availability and willingness of faculty to be involved in and take interest in their students’ wellbeing and academic progress.

Research Interests / Area of Study:
I am interested in how attention, reading, problem solving, and other cognitive processes function in different contexts, as well as how they are influenced by individual differences.

My research interests were not planned and were in fact quite unexpected.  They developed most by interacting with professors and students in research labs.  With the help and guidance of my first-year instructor, Dr. Brenda Smith-Chant, I volunteered as a research assistant in Dr. Liana Brown’s Action and Cognition lab during my first summer at Trent. This was where my view of psychology and research began to be shaped.

Subsequently I worked with Dr. Michael Chan-Reynolds and Dr. Laura Summerfeldt whom later became my thesis supervisors.  This was where my love for research really developed.  I did not really choose my research interests, but rather took the opportunities that were made available to me by Trent’s psychology faculty.

Volunteer work:
I volunteered as a peer mentor, which was a great way to help others and reinforce what I had learned in some courses that I took.

Awards and Scholarships received at Trent University:

• Symons Medal (2013)
• NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship (2013)
• NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (2012-2013)
• Trent Renewable Entrance Scholarships (2009-2013)