Dr. Leia Minaker

Associate Professor

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Biography

Leia Minaker is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Future Cities Institute at the University of Waterloo. She holds a PhD in Public Health Sciences from the University of Alberta and has a strong background in health promotion and health studies. Her research interests focus on the intersection of urban environments with health outcomes, particularly concerning chronic disease prevention, food systems, and youth mental health equity. Minaker has led numerous funded projects exploring factors affecting food environments and their implications for public health policy. Through her work, she has contributed to understanding how urban design influences health behaviors and outcomes, advocating for healthier city policies. She also plays an active role in mentoring graduate students, supervising a number of master's and PhD candidates. Her efforts aim to bridge the gap between public health and urban planning, ensuring that research contributions are directly applicable to policy-making for healthier cities.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2019-01-01 — Present

University of Waterloo • Waterloo, ON

Conducting research and teaching courses in urban health and planning.

Director, Future Cities Institute

2020-01-01 — Present

University of Waterloo • Waterloo, ON

Leading interdisciplinary research initiatives focused on urban health and sustainable city design.

Awards

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Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute Career Development Award

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Research Excellence Award

Requirements for University of Waterloo

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
IELTS
Listening
Required:6.5
Reading
Required:6.5
Writing
Required:6.5
Speaking
Required:6.5
Overall
Required:7
TOEFL
Listening
Required:22
Reading
Required:22
Writing
Required:22
Speaking
Required:22
Total
Required:90
Prerequisites
Honours Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Strong background in Statistics
Application Checklist
  • Transcripts
  • 3 Academic References
  • Statement of Interest
  • Supplementary Information Form
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

Includes fields like Clinical, Cognitive, Developmental, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology.