Biography for Dr. Lori Ann Vallis, Ph.D.
Professor in the Dept of Human Health & Nutritional Sciences
University of Guelph Guelph ON N1G 3C9
Email: lvallis@uoguelph.ca
Lori Ann Vallis graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelors Degree in Human Kinetics in 1995 and a Masters degree in 1997. She commenced her Ph.D. at the University of Waterloo (Dept of Kinesiology- Biomechanics specialization) in 1998 where she studied under the supervision of the late Dr. Aftab Patla. Her Doctoral work examined the role of the visual, vestibular and neck proprioceptive systems in the control of locomotion. After completing her Doctoral work in 2001 she commenced a 1-year post-doctoral fellowship at the Université of Laval/Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (CIRRIS) Québec, Canada under the supervision of Dr. Bradford McFadyen. Her work at CIRRIS examined the role of vision during transient changes in travel direction in healthy children and adults as well as children and adults following an acquired brain injury. In September 2002 she accepted a faculty appointment in the Department of Human Health & Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph. Dr. Vallis teaches in the Undergraduate Human Kinetics program and in the Biomechanics & Neuroscience Graduate program in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences.
Her NSERC funded research program broadly examines the role of cognition in the control of locomotion, with a special interest in changes that occur in visuo-locomotor across the lifespan, from childhood to older adulthood. She is also involved in several collaborative research projects. One study involves individuals with Parkinson’s Disease and is examining the efficacy of high-intensity interval training versus continuous moderate intensity training in producing superior cardiorespiratory, biomechanical, neuromuscular and clinical adaptations (funded by Parksinsons Canada).
She is also a co-applicant for two CIHR funded research projects. The Family Stress Study is a collaboration between researchers from McMaster University and the University of Guelph which examines how chronic or long-term stress affects children (https://www.famstress.com/) and The Guelph Family Health Study which is a long-term study designed to follow families over many years as we explore new ways to help families set good routines for eating, activity, sleep and screen time at home (https://guelphfamilyhealthstudy.com/).
