About
Dr. Brenda Bruner is a Professor in the Department of Physical and Health Education at Nipissing University’s Schulich School of Education. She holds a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan and specializes in community-based physical activity health promotion. Her work focuses on Indigenous health, youth development, and healthy eating interventions. As a Full-Time Faculty member, she contributes to graduate programs and has secured over $1.7 million in CIHR and institutional grants, including leadership roles in projects addressing Indigenous post-secondary student health and childhood movement patterns.
Education:
- BSc, University of Saskatchewan
- MSc, University of Saskatchewan
- PhD, University of Saskatchewan
Research Interests: Dr. Bruner’s research emphasizes culturally responsive health interventions for Indigenous communities, adolescent health behaviors, and physical literacy. She has pioneered studies on food rewards in youth sports, school-based physical activity programs, and cancer patients’ health behavior post-diagnosis. Her work bridges academic research with practical applications in schools and community settings.
Funding Highlights:
- CIHR $1M: Indigenous Mentorship Network Program (Co-Applicant)
- CIHR $504K: Whole School Approach to Children’s Movement Patterns (Co-PI)
- CIHR $149K: Indigenous Health Resiliency Model (PI)
Grants & Collaborations: Her projects integrate multidisciplinary teams across health sciences, education, and social work. Recent studies explore post-pandemic youth mental health, rural health equity, and culturally tailored physical activity programs for Indigenous youth.
