Dr. Heather Lawford receives the Research and Creative Activity Award (RCAA)
During the Celebration of Research 2026, Dr. Lawford received the RCAA. The objective of the award is to recognize the outstanding professional accomplishments of the University’s finest researchers, scholars, and creators. The award is designed to recognize someone that is well-established in their field and in the mid- to late stage of their careers.
Dr. Lawford is an expert in Developmental Psychology, in the area of youth development, with specialties in community partnerships and youth engagement. She is an internationally-recognized scholar of youth development, whose research has significantly advanced our understanding of generativity, youth engagement, and moral development. Her ground-breaking work has helped reshape the field.
Generativity is defined as concern for future generations as a legacy of the self. Most research only considers generativity in adults, and young people are often discounted. Dr. Lawford has fundamentally shifted the field through longitudinal, qualitative, and mixed-methods research, demonstrating that young people are profoundly capable of generative action. Her work reframes youth not as problems to be managed, but as partners in building a more just society. This conceptual shift has opened entirely new avenues of inquiry across psychology, education, and social policy, with implications for youth development, identity formation, community engagement, and well-being.
“This recognition means so much because it reflects what I believe research can actually do — bring generations together, amplify youth voices and highlighting the impact of intergenerational spaces. I’m deeply grateful to Bishop’s for valuing interdisciplinary work and for championing undergraduates as co-investigators. The real privilege is doing this work alongside students, community partners and the extraordinary team at the Students Commission of Canada. Our country’s youth aren’t just an idea for tomorrow; they’re essential right now. Together, we are changing culture to include youth generativity and youth voices in working towards a safer and more socially cohesive Canada.”- Dr. Heather Lawford.
Congratulations
Joannie St-Germain B.Sc. ’16, M.Sc. (she/her/elle)
Research Officer
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
819-822-9600 extension 2242
