معرفی
Dr. Samantha Dawson is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Psychology program within the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia (Faculty of Arts). She leads the Sexuality and Well-Being (SWell) Lab, conducting research on sexual function and dysfunction in individuals and couples.
Dr. Dawson earned her BA (Honours) and MSc from the University of Lethbridge (2010, 2012), followed by a Ph.D. from Queen's University (2018). She completed a SSHRC Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at Dalhousie University (2018-2020) and an IWK Health Centre Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019-2020).
Her research program focuses on identifying cognitive and affective mechanisms contributing to sexual function, with the goal of developing targeted interventions for sexual dysfunction. She employs both experimental laboratory-based methods (including eye tracking and genital plethysmography) and ecologically valid daily experience methodologies. Her work spans women's sexual health, couples' sexual functioning, and the development of assessment tools for sexual response.
Dr. Dawson's research portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on sexual psychophysiology, with particular attention to women's sexual response patterns, attentional processes during sexual arousal, and the biopsychosocial factors influencing sexual wellbeing across the lifespan. Her work bridges basic science with clinical applications.
- Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Scholar Award (2021)
- Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, SSHRC (2019-2020)
- IWK Health Centre Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019-2020)
- Multiple thesis and manuscript awards from Queen's University and professional associations
Dr. Dawson has successfully mentored multiple graduate students through their MA programs in Clinical Psychology, with recent graduates Marta and Erin moving on to PhD programs. Her lab has conducted large-scale studies including PHASE (Perimenopause, Health, And Sexual Function Study), STORK (Supporting the Transition to Parenthood through Online Sex and Relationship Knowledge), and OCEANS (explOring Cultural Experiences ANd Sexuality), engaging nearly 11,000 participants across various research projects.
The SWell Lab, under Dr. Dawson's leadership, has become a prominent research group in sexual health, collaborating with clinicians, researchers across disciplines, and community partners to advance understanding of sexual wellbeing through rigorous scientific investigation.
