UPEI Faculty of Education’s Barbara Jane Brewster awarded doctoral fellowship from SSHRC
Barbara Jane Brewster, a PhD student in UPEI’s Faculty of Education, has been awarded a doctoral fellowship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The $80,000 fellowship will allow Brewster to continue her research in the area of mathematics anxiety.
Mathematics anxiety causes fear and trepidation in students when confronted with mathematics. It affects the individual’s ability to perform on achievement tests and limits their choice of educational paths, which can ultimately have a devastating impact on the individual’s career choice. Under the supervision of associate professor Dr. Tess Miller, Brewster will explore the effectiveness of expressive writing as a treatment strategy for mathematics anxiety.
“I am extremely grateful to the Faculty of Education at UPEI for their continued support of my research,” said Brewster. “Dr. Miller has been instrumental in providing guidance and support for the direction of my research. I would also like to acknowledge the assistance of other faculty, in particular, Dr. Anne-Marie FitzGerald, staff, and fellow students in Education who have provided assistance with my SSHRC application.”
“The area research being pursued by Barbara is critically important,” said Dr. Ron MacDonald, dean of the Faculty of Education. “Findings from this study will have wide-ranging implications for a great many students.”
Brewster’s research will add to the body of knowledge about mathematics anxiety by solidifying a working treatment strategy that could be implemented broadly across Canadian college mathematics curriculum.
The SSHRC doctoral fellowships support high-calibre students engaged in doctoral programs in the social sciences and humanities. This support allows scholars to fully concentrate on their doctoral studies, to seek out the best research mentors in their chosen fields, and to contribute to the Canadian research ecosystem during and beyond the tenure of their awards.
