Dr. Jason Steffener

Associate Professor

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Biography

Jason Steffener’s research focuses on understanding neuroplastic changes that maintain cognitive performance throughout normal aging, disease, and injury. His studies investigate how individual differences, including lifetime exposures like education and physical activity, facilitate the brain's adaptability. His doctorate centered on signal processing, specifically olfactory processing in the brain using MRI techniques. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive aging under the mentorship of Dr. Yaakov Stern at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. Following his fellowship, he served as an assistant professor before joining the faculty at Concordia University and then the University of Ottawa. Professor Steffener is currently open to supervising new thesis students. His research interests encompass cognitive reserve, cognitive assessments, brain imaging, and aging research, focusing on neural mechanisms involved in healthy cognitive aging within an interdisciplinary framework. This includes the development of open-source cognitive behavioral assessment tools and using neural measures with statistical models to better understand cognition, brain structure, brain function, and lifestyle in the context of healthy cognitive aging.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of Ottawa

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6.5
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:22
Speaking
Required:22
Total
Required:86
Prerequisites
Honours BA in History or equivalent
Application Checklist
  • Official Transcripts
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Resume
  • Statement of Interest
Specialization Notes

Department of History