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Research Interests
My interests cover among others Ability and ableism ethics and governance; History of thalidomide and thalidomiders; Disability Studies; Social, ethical, legal, economic, environmental, cultural and governance issues of new, emerging and converging sciences and technologies (S&T) such as nanoscale S&T, molecular manufacturing, aging, longevity and immortality research, cognitive sciences, neuromorphic engineering, genetics, synthetic biology, governance of bodily enhancement S&T, in vitro meat, artificial intelligence and robotics; impact of S&T on: marginalized populations especially disabled people; Sports; human security (food, climate, water, energy…), human right, personhood, sentient rights; concept of disability impairment, ableism and transhumanism; models and determinants of health; global health, tele-health, health- (technology assessment, law, care and policies); medical anthropology; foresight studies, history, bioethics issues, biochemistry,

For a full list of my peer reviewed publications go here

all of my publication go here

For CV go here

For research grant descriptions see here

I started to have research students and to supervise students (from York University, Canada and University of Calgary) in 2008. The below list therefore reflects the work of my students from 2008 onwards.

 

I would like to thank my students as their enthusiasm, team spirit and hard work I see as the foundation that led to I receiving the 2012 Faculty of Medicine McLeod award for excellence in teaching.

Current research students:

Newest member listed first

Kaitlyn Brien (2011-) finished first year Bachelor Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies: Research Inquiry course. With great sadness do I announce that Kaitlyn passed away September 03, 2011 :-( See my homage to Kaitlyn here. (Topic: Speech Pathology, history, future)

Camila Sanchez (May 2012-) Faculty of Arts (Topic enhancement and Sport)

Tristan Aronson (May 2012-) finished first year Bachelor Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (Topic enhancement and sport)

Sophya Yumakulov (May-Aug 2010) 4th year Bachelor of Health Science: (USRP supported) (Topics: Children, disabled people, perception , work, ableism) and now again (May 2012-) starting Masters in CHS in Sept 2012 (Topics: social robotics and artificial womb)

Lucy Diep (May 2012-); third year Bachelor Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (Topic: Disabled people and Communication)

Jenna Galloway (January 2012-); second year Bachelor of Health Science (Autism grant) (Topic: Autism related)

Jacqueline Noga (May 2011-) second year Bachelor of Health Science: (Research Inquiry course/ Genome Canada grant since Sept 2011) (Topics: climate change, water, energy policies, economics, disabled people, ableism)

Jeremy Tynedal (May 2011-) Kinesiology student: (Research Inquiry course/ SSHRC-Sport since Sept 2011) (Topics: therapeutic enhancements and sport, Pistorius, Paralympics, ableism)

Alshaba Billawala (Sept 2011-) Third year Bachelor of Health Science (HSOC 408); (Topics: Autism, ableism)

Verlyn Leopatra (Sept 2010) Third year Bachelor of Health Science: (Genome Canada till Sept 2011; SSHRC since Sept 2011; HSOC 408) (Topics: climate change, water, energy, sensors, therapeutic enhancements, disabled people, ableism)

Angelica Martin (Sept 2010-) Third Year Bachelor of Health Science: (SSHRC-enhancement till Sept 2011; HSOC 408) (Topics: veterans, therapeutic enhancements, immigrants, ableism)

Natalie Ball (Sept 2010-) Third year Bachelor of Health Science: (SSHRC CURA till Sept 2011; HSOC 408) (Topics: Eugenics, therapeutic enhancement, neuroenhancement, cognitive enhancement, health promotion, disabled people, ableism)

Emily Hutcheon (June 2010 -) started last year Bachelor of Health Science Honour Thesis now continues as Master student (SSHRC-Sport since Sept 2011); (Topics: education, disabled people, symbolic violence, youth, ableism)

 

Former research students:

Jaskarn Jawanda Oct 2011-April 2012) second year Bachelor of Health Science (UofC bridge fund) (Topics: Therapeutic enhancements, impact on health system, ableism)

Seyyed Ghaderi (Oct 2009-2012) PhD student in ISEEE program (2009-) (Genome Canada) (Topics: Metagenomics, climate change, energy, water, ableism)

Brigid Burke (May-Aug 2010), guest from University of Toronto: Research Inquiry course (Topics: education, BIAS FREE Framework, ableism)

Daniela Navia, Sibat Khwaja, Niklas Bobrovitz (May-Nov 2008) were second year Bachelor of Health Science : (Alberta Innovate supported) (Topics: synthetic biology)

 

Current graduate students:

Supervisor (PhD) Department of Community Health Sciences 

Faisal Albagmi
Deanna Taylor

        Supervisor (Masters) Department of Community Health Sciences 

Emily Hutcheon

Committee member on an interdisciplinary PhD Thesis University of Calgary  

Mark Iantkow
Don Carruthers

Former supervised graduate students

Amy Johnston, MSc, University of Calgary (supervisor; Co-supervisor Richard Scott)

Thesis Scoping the Literature for Synthetic Biology's Envisioned Products: Identifying Potential Impacts on the Lives of Albertans 

York University (Policy asks all the time for a team of two; one the main supervisor, one the advisor)

Esther Lee, MA, York University (supervisor; Advisor Beth Heller) The Future of Staring and Staring Back: Diversity in Ableness in the Present and the Future

Laurent Parent, MA, York University (Supervisor Geoffrey Reaume; I was advisor) The Hegemony of Stairs in the Montreal Metro

Julia Gruson-Wood, MA, York University (supervisor; Advisor Nancy Viva Halifax-Davis) Hacking into high tech embodiment.

Some work of Julia ABLEISM KITSCH: THE AESTHETICS OF DISABILITY-RELATED ETHICS

 

Awards and honours:

Students listed in alphabetical order

Natalie Ball

  • Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Poster Title: Nobel Laureates, Neuroscience and Eugenics  ; Won second place out of 22 submissions at the "Student History of Neuroscience Poster Workshop" -  June-22 of the 16th International Society for the History of the Neurosciences (ISHN) and the 43rd International Society for the History of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Cheiron) meeting;

Alshaba Billawala

Billawala, Alshaba (2012) History of Autism through the NYT; First prize for poster presentation at the 21st History of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary

Niklas Bobrovitz:

  • Bronze Medal at the 2008 IGEM competition

 

Emily Hutcheon:

  • Elected Student Representative for 2011-2012 Canadian Disability Studies Association;
  • Canadian Sociological Association Travel Award

Sibat Khwaja:

  • Bronze Medal at the 2008 IGEM competition

Daniela Navia:

  • Bronze Medal at the 2008 IGEM competition

 

Laurent Parent, York University MA,

  • The Hegemony of Stairs in the Montreal Metro. Second Annual Critical Disability Studies Major Research Paper Human Rights Prize. The winner is selected based on research, writing and originality of topic.

Sophya Yumakulov

  • Yumakulov Sophya, Gregor Wolbring (2011) Comparing perception of people with disabilities through the lens of the New York Times from 1851-today; First prize for poster presentation at the 20th history of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary

  • (2010) USRP undergraduate research award

Output of research students (writings in bold):

 

Natalie Ball

  1. Ball, Natalie (2012) Oral Presentation: Neuroenhancement beyond the normal: A topic for disability studies in development at Canadian Disability Studies conference June 1st;
  2. Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2012) Poster Title: Nobel Laureates, Neuroscience and Eugenics at the 2012 21st History of Medicine Days, International Conference, University of Calgary March 12
  3. Wolbring, G; Yumakulov, S; Ball, N; Tynedal, Jeremy; Martin, A (2012) A Exploring discourse surrounding therapeutic enhancement and veterans under review
  4. Wolbring, G; Martin, A; Ball, N (2012) Neuroenhancement discourses: Canada and USA under review
  5. Wolbring G and Ball N(2012) Nanotechnology goals and disabled people’s goal under review
  6. Wolbring G; Ball, N; Leopatra V (2011) History of Science and Technology (S&T) and Canadians with disabilities: Book Chapter (accepted by editor of book)
  7. Ball, Natalie (2011/2012) Eugenics through the Eyes of Nobel Laureates Book chapter in conference proceedings book of the 2011 History of Medicine Days conference to be published by an academic press (accepted)
  8. Martin, Angelica Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Poster Title: Veterans and human enhancement discourse, Student Union Poster competition, UofC
  9. Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Poster Title: Neuro-enhancement discourses in Canada and USA, Student Union Poster competition, UofC
  10. Ball, Natalie (2011) Guest contribution Eugenics and contemporary disability studies to the Equity matters blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences;
  11. Ball, Natalie (2011) Oral presentation Title: An analysis of eugenic arguments 1900-present and implications for disability studies at Canadian Disability Studies conference ;
  12. Ball, Natalie (2011) Oral presentation Title: Eugenics through the eyes of Nobel Laureates Presented at the 20th history of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary
  13. Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Poster Title: Nobel Laureates, Neuroscience and Eugenics at the 2011 BHSC Research Symposium
  14. Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Poster Title: Nobel Laureates, Neuroscience and Eugenics; at the "Student History of Neuroscience Poster Workshop" - June-22 of the 16th International Society for the History of the Neurosciences (ISHN) and the 43rd International Society for the History of Behavioral and Social Sciences (Cheiron) meeting;

 

 

Alshaba Billawala

  1. Billawala, Alshaba (2012) History of Autism through the NYT oral presentation at the Society for Disability Studies 25th Annual Conference: “Collaborations, Cultures, and Communities”, Denver, June 20 – 23, 2012
  2. Wolbring, Gregor, Billawala, Alshaba and Galloway, Jenna (2012) Autism and Neuro-ability expectations; Talk at conference on Social, Political, and Ethical Perspectives on Autism at Bergen Community College, USA April 28th
  3. Billawala, Alshaba (2012) History of Autism through the NYT Poster at the 21th history of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary March 12

 

Niklas Bobrovitz:

  1. Presentation at the 2008 IGEM competition

 

Brigid Burke.

  1. Burke, B; and Wolbring, G. Beyond Education for All: Using ableism studies lens and the BIAS FREE framework. Development 2010; 53 (4):535-539.

 

Jenna Galloway

  1. Wolbring, Gregor, Billawala, Alshaba and Galloway, Jenna (2012) Autism and Neuro-ability expectations; Talk at conference on Social, Political, and Ethical Perspectives on Autism at Bergen Community College, USA, April 28th

 

Seyyed Ghaderi

  1. Ghaderi, Seyyed Jack, T. and Wolbring, G (2011) Water Discourse in Alberta, Education piece
  2. Ghaderi, Seyyed Jack, T.and Wolbring, G (2011) Metagenomics: Education piece
  3. Wolbring Gregor and Ghaderi, Seyyed, 2009 Annotated Bibliography on Energy from Hydrocarbon Discourse
  4. Wolbring Gregor and Ghaderi, Seyyed , 2009 Annotated Bibliography on Metagenomics
  5. Wolbring Gregor and Ghaderi, Seyyed , 2009 Annotated Bibliography on Water Discourse
  6. Wolbring Gregor and Ghaderi, Seyyed, 2009) Annotated Bibliography on Energy and Climate Change Discourse,
  7. Wolbring Gregor and Ghaderi, Seyyed, 2009) Annotated Bibliography Reactions after the Copenhagen Conference (COP-15),

 

Emily Hutcheon

  1. Hutcheon (2012) an exploration of constructs of ‘resilience’ and ‘vulnerability’ as they apply to disabled people oral presentation at the Society for Disability Studies 25th Annual Conference: “Collaborations, Cultures, and Communities”, Denver, June 20 – 23, 2012
  2. Hutcheon, E (2012) Oral Presentation An exploration of constructs of ‘resilience’ and ‘vulnerability’ as they apply to disabled people Canadian Disability Studies conference May 31st
  3. Hutcheon, E (2012) Oral presentation An exploration of construct of resilience and the creation of ‘resilient’ and ‘non-resilient’ categories of ability-diverse (‘disabled’) people CSA Annual Conferences May 30
  4. Hutcheon E (2012) Oral presenting at 8th Annual Critical Disability Studies Graduate Conference on April 14th, 2012 at York University, Toronto
  5. Hutcheon E (2012) spoke at equity panel of Sociology Dept University of Calgary Feb 15
  6. Hutcheon, E; Wolbring G (2012) Equity in Higher Education: An Examination of ‘Disability’ Policy Journal of Diversity in Higher Education 5: 1.
  7. Wolbring, G; Hutcheon E (2011) Educational inclusion of people with disabilities: Where do we stand? Book Chapter (accepted by editor of book)
  8. Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Guest contribution‘ Disability’ Policy and Equity in Higher Education; to the Equity Matters blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences;
  9. Leopatra, Verlyn, Noga, Jacqueline and Hutcheon, Emily (2011 Guest contribution) Able People, Disabling World: Unequal Access to Water to the Equity Matters blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences;
  10. Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Identities amidst social constructions of ability difference: Voices of self-identified ‘disabled’ post-secondary students presentation at 2011 Canadian Disability Studies conference
  11. Leopatra, Verlyn; Noga, Jacqueline, Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Able People, Disabling World: Unequal Access to Water workshop at the Global Youth Assembly conference;

 

Sibat Khwaja

  1. Presentation at the 2008 IGEM competition

 

Verlyn Leopatra

  1. Leopatra, Verlyn (2012) Climate change, water, sanitation and energy: Hot topics for disability studies oral presentation at the Society for Disability Studies 25th Annual Conference: “Collaborations, Cultures, and Communities”, Denver, June 20 – 23, 20
  2. Leopatra, Verlyn (2012) A Changing Climate in Static Times: Missing Voices at  "Sustainability & Disability" conference  , Manaus-Amazon, Brazil, June 12 & 13, 2012 per podcast
  3. Leopatra, Verlyn History of health consumers Poster at the 21th history of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary
  4. Wolbring, Gregor; Leopatra; Verlyn, Noga, Jacqueline (2012) The sentiment of waste and the measure of footprints evaluated through an ableism lens in Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics EJAIB Vol. 22 (3) page 117-123
  5. Wolbring, Gregor; Leopatra Verlyn (2012) Climate change, water, sanitation and energy: Hot topics for disability studies Canadian Journal of Disability Studies accepted
  6. Wolbring G; Ball, N; Leopatra V (2012) History of Science and Technology (S&T) and Canadians with disabilities: Book Chapter (accepted by editor of book)
  7. Leopatra Verlyn (2011) Health and sensor information security: Development of a sensor output acceptability index W21C research symposium UofC
  8. Leopatra, Verlyn; Wolbring, Gregor (2011) A Changing Climate in Static Times: Missing Voices, Student Union Poster UofC,
  9. Leopatra, Verlyn; Wolbring Gregor (2011) Energy & the Environment: Influence of Greening Technologies on Public Perception, Student Union Poster UofC,
  10. Leopatra Verlyn (2011) A Changing Climate in Static Times: Perceived Impacts of Climate Change, Water Access, and Energy Access on People with disabilities presentation at 2011 Canadian Disability Studies conference;
  11. Leopatra, Verlyn, Noga, Jacqueline and Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Able People, Disabling World: Unequal Access to Water guest contribution to the Equity Matters blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences;
  12. Leopatra, Verlyn; Noga, Jacqueline, Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Able People, Disabling World: Unequal Access to Water workshop at the Global Youth Assembly conference; lead presenter Verlyn generated the following video Part 1 and Part 2 . This video was the foundation of the workshop;
  13. Leopatra, Verlyn; Wolbring, Gregor (2011) A Changing Climate in Static Times: Missing Voices Poster at the 2011 BHSC Research Symposium
  14. Leopatra, Verlyn; Wolbring Gregor (2011) Energy & the Environment: Influence of Greening Technologies on Public Perception Poster at the 2011 BHSC Research Symposium

 

Angelica Martin

  1. Wolbring, G; Yumakulov, S; Ball, N; Tynedal,Jeremy; Martin, A (2012) A Exploring discourse surrounding therapeutic enhancement and veterans under review
  2. Wolbring, G; Martin, A; Ball, N (2012) Neuroenhancement discourses: Canada and USA under review
  3. Martin, Angelica; Ball, Natalie, Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Poster Title: Veterans and human enhancement discourse Student Union Poster competition UofC
  4. Martin, Angelica (2011) Therapeutic’ Enhancements as a means to boost self-identity, perception and quality of life of people with disabilities: Actions required under various codes of ethics presentation at 2011 Canadian Disability Studies conference

 

Daniela Navia

  1. Presentation at the 2008 IGEM competition

 

Jacqueline Noga

  1. Noga, Jacqueline (2012) The Potential Economic Benefits of Including People with Disabilities in Water and Sanitation Access Policies Poster at Internationnal
    Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions, Paris, July 21-25
  2. Noga, Jacqueline (2012) Water and Sanitation access for people with disabilities: An area of future focus for disability studies scholar and opportunity for selling disability studies scholarship as a value added to other academic fields and policy institutions oral presentation at the Society for Disability Studies 25th Annual Conference: “Collaborations, Cultures, and Communities”, Denver, June 20 – 23, 2012
  3. Noga, Jacqueline (2012) The Economic and Individual Benefits of Including People with Disabilities in Water Access and Sanitation Policies: A calculation of the costs and returns associated with access to clean water at "Sustainability & Disability" conference, Manaus-Amazon, Brazil, June 12 & 13, 2012 per podcast
  4. Noga, Jacqueline (2012)Analyzing Waste Footprints and Wasteful using Ableism at "Sustainability & Disability" conference , Manaus-Amazon, Brazil, June 12 & 13, 2012 per podcast
  5. Wolbring, Gregor; Leopatra; Verlyn, Noga, Jacqueline (2012) The sentiment of waste and the measure of footprints evaluated through an ableism lens in Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics EJAIB Vol. 22 (3) page 117-123
  6. Noga Jacqueline (2012) Footprint Hierarchy: A Public Health Issue Poster presentation at the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) 2012 Annual Conference. June 11-14
  7. Noga Jacqueline (2012) Oral Presentation Water and Sanitation access for people with disabilities: An area of future focus for disability studies scholar and opportunity for selling disability studies scholarship as a value added to other academic fields and policy institutions Canadian Disability Studies conference June 1st
  8. Wolbring, Gregor; Leopatra; Verlyn, Noga, Jacqueline (2011) The sentiment of waste and the measure of footprints evaluated through an ableism lens Student Union Poster competition UofC
  9. Leopatra, Verlyn, Noga, Jacqueline and Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Able People, Disabling World: Unequal Access to Water guest contribution to the Equity Matters blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences;
  10. Leopatra, Verlyn; Noga, Jacqueline, Hutcheon, Emily (2011) Able People, Disabling World: Unequal Access to Water workshop at the Global Youth Assembly conference;

Jeremy Tynedal

  1. Tynedal, Jeremy and Wolbring Gregor (2012) Paralympics and its athletes through the lens of the New York Times under review
  2. Wolbring, G; Yumakulov, S; Ball, N; Tynedal, Jeremy; Martin, A (2012) A Exploring discourse surrounding therapeutic enhancement and veterans under review
  3. Wolbring, Gregor, Tynedal, Jeremy (2012) Pistorius and the media: missed story angles International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching accepted
  4. Tynedal, Jeremy (2012) History of Paralympics through NYT oral presentation at the Society for Disability Studies 25th Annual Conference: “Collaborations, Cultures, and Communities”, Denver, June 20 – 23, 2012
  5. Tynedal, Jeremy (2012) Sustainability of Separation between Olympics and Paralympics "Sustainability & Disability" , Manaus-Amazon, Brazil, June 12 & 13, 2012 per podcast
  6. Tynedal, Jeremy (2012) Disabled Bodies, Normative Concepts and the Emergence of Functional Enhancement Views in Public Perceptions of the Paralympic Movement – A Longitudinal Study of the New York Times Newspaper, 1930-2010” at North American Society for Sport History June 1-4
  7. Stahnisch FW (Co-App of my SSHRC grant), Tynedal Jeremy. Sir Ludwig Guttmann (1899-1980). J Neurol. 2012 Feb 2. . 
  8. Tynedal, Jeremy, Stahnisch Frank, Wolbring Gregor (2012) Life and Work of Sir Ludwig Guttmann: A Bibliography
  9. Tynedal, Jeremy (2012) History of Paralympics through NYT Poster at the 21th history at of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary
  10. Tynedal, Jeremy (2012) Oral Presentation: Representation of Paralympic athletes in the New York Time sat Canadian Disability Studies conference June 1st;
  11. Tynedal, Jeremy; Wolbring, Gregor (2011) Paralympic sand its athletes through the lens of the New York Times, Student Union Poster UofC,
  12. Tynedal, Jeremy (2011) Sociological Insights about Prosthetics in Sport from the Athletic Story of "Blade Runner" Pistorius presentation at 2011 Canadian Disability Studies conference;
  13. Tynedal, Jeremy (2011) Guest contribution Sport through a disability studies lens to the Equity Matters blog of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences;

 

Sophya Yumakulov

  1. Wolbring, G; Yumakulov, S; Ball, N; Tynedal, Jeremy; Martin, A (2012) A Exploring discourse surrounding therapeutic enhancement and veterans under review
  2. Yumakulov Sophya, Gregor Wolbring (2011) Comparing perception of people with disabilities through the lens of the New York Times from 1851-today; student union undergraduate competition hosted at the University of Calgary,
  3. Wolbring, Gregor and Yumakulov Sophya (2011) Perception of disabled people and work through the lens of the NY Times at Conference on Work and Disability, Re conceptualizing the Burden of Disability University of Guelph, Canada
  4. Yumakulov Sophya, Gregor Wolbring (2011) Comparing perception of people with disabilities through the lens of the New York Times from 1851-today at the 20th history of Medicine days international conference, hosted at the University of Calgary,
  5. Yumakulov, Sophya (2011) Comparing perception of people with disabilities through the lens of the New York Times from 1851-today; presentation at 2011 Canadian Disability Studies conference