معرفی
Dr. Mariana Brussoni is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (UBC), serving as Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) and an investigator with the British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute and BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit. She co-founded Outdoor Play Canada and leads national initiatives advancing children's outdoor play.
Her academic journey includes:
- PhD in Developmental Psychology from UBC (2000)
- Post-doctoral training at Birkbeck College (University of London) and University of the West of England (2004-2007)
- Associate Director at BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit (2001)
- Director of HELP since 2021
Mariana's research revolutionizes understanding of child injury prevention and risky play, challenging overprotective norms by demonstrating how reasonable risk exposure supports development. She investigates parent risk perceptions, designs equitable outdoor play environments, and partners with educators, policymakers, and urban planners to create thriving communities for children. Her work bridges injury prevention science with play advocacy, emphasizing that serious injuries are rare despite widespread safety concerns.
Her 2024-2025 publications reveal three critical trends: (1) Rigorous evaluation of outdoor play interventions like the PROmoting trial showing measurable impacts on child development; (2) Advanced methodologies including geospatial playability indices and intergenerational play studies; (3) Growing integration of Indigenous perspectives through initiatives like Nature's Way-Our Way. Her research consistently addresses equity gaps while developing practical tools for educators and municipalities.
Mariana's award-winning contributions include foundational frameworks like the Play, Learn, and Teach Outdoors-Network (PLaTO-Net) terminology system. Though specific awards aren't detailed here, her work has received international recognition for transforming child safety paradigms.
She mentors PhD candidates and postdocs including Desiree Wilson and Breann Corcoran while leading major grants such as the Measuring Early Childhood Outside survey. Her collaborations span early childhood education sectors, municipal planning departments, and recreation authorities to implement evidence-based play policies. Current projects focus on rewilding play environments and addressing pandemic-era movement restrictions.
Mariana directs HELP's interdisciplinary team and co-leads Outdoor Play Canada's national strategy. Her BC Injury Research Unit team develops injury prevention protocols used across Canada, while PLaTO-Net establishes standardized outdoor play research methodologies adopted internationally. She actively partners with Indigenous communities on culturally-grounded play initiatives.
