Sean Lessard, University of Alberta

Research

Healthy Eating Mental Health Physical Activity Social Connection Diabetes Prevention Indigenous People

Latest papers

Narrative Coherence and Relational Agency: Unraveling Transitions Into and Out of Alberta Correctional Facilities for People Living With HIV.
Qualitative health research · 2025
"Nothing Is Gonna Change If We Don't Care for Everyone": A Narrative Inquiry Alongside Urban Indigenous Youth in an Afterschool Physical Activity Wellness Program.
Frontiers in sports and active living · 2022

All 2 publications

Latest funding

Healthy Fit and Strong - Changing the Story for Indigenous Youth and Young Adults
CIHR · 2022 · Principal investigator
$1,000,000
Mitho Miskawawin: Moving well together to enhance Indigenous girls sport and physical activity opportunities
SSHRC · 2021 · Co-investigator
$159,336
CHANGE Health - Building Communities and Changing Lives
CIHR · 2021 · Principal investigator
$24,970

All 7 grants and awards

2 publications.

01

Narrative Coherence and Relational Agency: Unraveling Transitions Into and Out of Alberta Correctional Facilities for People Living With HIV.

Wadams M, Grekul J, Lessard S, de Padua A, Caine V

Qualitative health research2025

DOI: 10.1177/10497323241278537 PMID: 39499498

02

"Nothing Is Gonna Change If We Don't Care for Everyone": A Narrative Inquiry Alongside Urban Indigenous Youth in an Afterschool Physical Activity Wellness Program.

Lewis B, Schaefer L, Lessard S, Koch J

Frontiers in sports and active living2022

DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2022.822547 PMID: 36187714

Healthy Fit and Strong - Changing the Story for Indigenous Youth and Young Adults

Principal investigatorCIHR2022Operating Gr.: DPP&S - Indigenous YYA T2D Prevention & Self-Management

Principal investigators: Klein, Doug; Lessard, Sean M

Keywords: Diabetes Prevention; Healthy Eating; Indigenous People; Mental Health; Physical Activity; Social Connection

$1,000,000

Mitho Miskawawin: Moving well together to enhance Indigenous girls sport and physical activity opportunities

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Race, Gender and Diversity Joint Initiative

Principal investigators: Schaefer, Lee

Keywords: Anti-colonial; Indigenous youth development; Wellness; Physical Activity; Community based participatory action research; girls and women; mentorship

$159,336

CHANGE Health - Building Communities and Changing Lives

Principal investigatorCIHR2021Team Grant: HCIS - LOI - Urban Indigenous Health

Principal investigators: Klein, Doug; Lessard, Sean M; Boushel, Robert C; Svrcek, Clark; Wicklum, Sonja C

Keywords: Healthy Eating; Mental Health; Physical Activity; Social Connection

$24,970

Stories to lead by: Attending to Indigenous youth as they compose their lives as leaders

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Insight Development Grant

Principal investigators: Dubnewick, Michael

Keywords: Indigenous youth; Leadership; After-school programming; Recreation, sport, and wellness; Familial knowledge; Narrative inquiry; Community-based research

$65,156

Living relationally in afterschool wellness programming: Experiences of Indigenous youth

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Insight Development Grant

Principal investigators: Hopper, Tristan

Keywords: sport; recreation; wellness; after-school programming; relationships; Indigenous; qualitative; youth-led participatory action research; policy

$61,860

Mitho Miskawawin: Moving well together to enhance Indigenous girls sport and physical activity opportunities

Co-investigatorSSHRC2021Race, Gender and Diversity Joint Initiative

Principal investigators: Schaefer, Lee

Keywords: Anti-colonial; Indigenous youth development; Wellness; Physical Activity; Community based participatory action research; girls and women; mentorship

$252,450

A narrative inquiry into the experiences of refugee families with preschool children

Co-investigatorSSHRC2017Insight Grants

Principal investigators: Caine, Vera F.J.

Keywords: refugee; early childhood; education; social inclusion; narrative inquiry

$228,489

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2022

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Healthy Eating Dear Professor Lessard, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Narrative Coherence and Relational Agency: Unraveling Transitions Into and Out of Alberta Correctional Facilities for People Living With HIV." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Healthy Fit and Strong - Changing the Story for Indigenous Youth and Young Adults" (2022), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]