MEET THE TEAM
Interested in joining the Shintaro's work? Email shintaro.kono@ualberta.ca.
CURRENT STUDENTS
Ph.D. Student
Minchen Huang (He/Him)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Leisure, domestic migration, and constraints
Leisure Interests: Chinese chess, basketball
Ph.D. Student
Megumi Tokuda (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Leisure constraints in international students
Leisure Interests: Kendo, bouldering
Ph.D. Student
Harley (Hanyue) Zheng (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Leisure and
social clock pressure
Leisure Interests: Frisbee, reading
Master's Student
Teresa Curtis (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Indigenous Allyship in Health Promotion
Leisure Interests: Being outdoors, skiing, social connection
Master's Student
Elizabeth Lizotte (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Cross cultural and non-Western leisure in a long-term care setting
Leisure Interests: Travel, crafting, trying new foods
Master's Student
Janessa Morin (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Leisure and mental health
Leisure Interests: Tabletop games, community events, photography
COLLABORATORS
Professor Emiritus
Dr. Jon Dattilo (He/Him)
Pennsylvania State University
Research Interests: Leisure constraints and perceptions
Professor
Dr. Eiji Ito (He/Him)
Chukyo University, Japan
Research Interests: Sport tourism, leisure studies, and culture
Professor
Dr. Kimberly Noels
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Cultural and social
psychology, applied and sociolinguistics, communication science, intercultural communication
Professor
Dr. Bin Zhou (He/Him)
Ningbo University, China
Research Interests: Leisure and well-being, outcomes of therapeutic recreation
Associate Professor
Dr. Taymy Josefa Caso (They/She)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Intersectionality, Transgender and gender diverse inclusive service provision, 2SLGBTQ+ health, Identity-based marginalization, Systemic and structural oppression, Sex therapy
Associate Professor
Dr. Shinichi Nagata (He/Him)
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Research Interests: Therapeutic recreation, mental health and leisure
Associate Professor
Dr. Brian Soebbing
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Sport economics; sport management; socioeconomic impacts of gambling
Associate Professor
Dr. Julie Son (She/Her)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research Interests: Leisure across the lifespan and its relationship to health and well-being
Assistant Professor
Dr. Josephine Marie Godwyll (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Leisure access
Assistant Teaching Professor
Dr. Jingjing Gui (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Leisure and culture
Assistant Professor
Dr. Geri Ruissen (She/Her)
University of Alberta
Research Interests: Ambulatory assessment, causal inference, physical activity, mental health
PAST STUDENTS
Seung Jin Cho (He/Him)
Shin's Master's Student (2022)
Current Role: Assistant Teaching Professor at Pennsylvania State University
Research Interests: Leisure constraints and perceptions
Anne Robins (She/Her)
Shin's Master's Student (2022)
Current Role: Program Head Therapeutic Recreation Diploma Program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Research Interests: Leisure Education in Mental Health Services
Wenzhe Zheng (He/Him)
Shin's Master's Student (2025)
Current Role: Ph.D. student in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Research Interests: Leisure constraints, facilitators, and work-leisure conflict