Tricia Van Rhijn

Dr. Tricia Van Rhijn is a Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph's College of Social & Applied Human Sciences. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on early childhood education, child development, family well-being, and the experiences of non-traditional post-secondary students (e.g., mature students and student parents). She holds a PhD from the University of Guelph (2012) and is a Registered Early Childhood Educator.

Research interests include parent-child relationships, inclusion of children with disabilities in early learning settings, work-life integration for student parents, and policy/practice implications for educational equity. Current projects investigate early childhood services for children with special needs and the dynamics of partnered mature students' academic success.

Her work combines mixed-methods approaches to produce socially impactful knowledge. Recent publications address topics like naturalized playgrounds' educational benefits, LGBTQ+ parental communication about sexuality, and institutional support needs of non-traditional learners.

Dr. Van Rhijn collaborates extensively with students and has led major grants including SSHRC Partnership Grants on family policies and early childhood disability services. She mentors graduate and undergraduate researchers, emphasizing hands-on involvement in the scientific process.