Stephanie Girard

Stephanie Girard is a Professor in the Department of Physical Activity Sciences at the University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières (UQTR), where she holds a Junior Research Chair in Motivation, Inclusion, and Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary School Adaptation from the University of Montreal, followed by a Master's degree and Doctorate in Educational Psychology specializing in physical and health education, also from the University of Montreal.

Dr. Girard's research program focuses on establishing engaging and inclusive motivational climates to support physical literacy development in young people from early childhood through adolescence across various environments including daycare settings, day camps, and schools. Her work emphasizes supporting and training stakeholders who work with these youth populations. Her expertise extends to quantitative methods, particularly latent variable interactions and structural equation modeling.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on motivational climate in physical education, inclusion practices for children with special needs, physical literacy development, and professional development for educators. Her research spans multiple contexts including schools, summer camps, and childcare settings, with particular attention to vulnerable populations such as children with disabilities. The methodological sophistication of her work is evident in her use of advanced statistical techniques to examine complex relationships between motivational factors and physical activity behaviors.

• Doctoral Scholarship from Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et Culture

Dr. Girard actively supervises numerous graduate students at both master's and doctoral levels, with her students exploring diverse topics related to physical education, motivation, inclusion, and physical activity across various age groups and contexts. She has established international research collaborations with institutions in France, Switzerland, and UNESCO. Her community engagement includes membership on the Provincial Table on Physical Education and Health (TPÉPS) and leadership of projects like "Motiver pour mieux apprendre" with the Quebec Federation of Physical Education Teachers.