Human Ecology News Archive

Convocation ‘23: Zoe Wagner, BSc Human Ecology – Clothing, Textiles and Material Culture

Finding a home, and a career, in human ecology

More understanding and support needed for family day home educators, says researcher

Doctoral student draws attention to the challenges they face and the strengths they bring to communities.

Fashion exhibit cracks the codes behind the clothes we wear

Dress is more than just personal preference or self-expression — it can be a “potent social symbol,” say curators.

Why mending it, not ending it, should become the latest fashion trend for consumers

New research suggests a need for more people to consider repairs instead of tossing or donating clothes.

Breakthrough research on protective wear could keep firefighters and other workers safer

Sulphur content in some high-performance fabrics weakens them when exposed to moisture, study shows.

New research dispels ‘happy wife, happy life’ stereotype

Men’s and women’s satisfaction with romantic relationships is equally important to predicting their future happiness, international study shows.

More support options needed for couples considering divorce, study suggests

With few couples seeking traditional therapy, lower-key approaches could help them benefit from professional counselling.

Mural created by U of A researcher blooms for seniors’ residence

Newly unveiled artwork celebrates intergenerational bonds between residents and their community.

Awards and accolades: April 2022

Join us in celebrating some of the recent achievements of our students and faculty members.

Awards and accolades: March 2022

Join us in celebrating some of the recent achievements of our alumni, students and faculty members.

U of A based global research network aims to improve opportunities, outcomes for women

Women’s economic empowerment is the next frontier for social transformation, says researcher.

Awards and accolades: January 2022

Join us in celebrating some of the recent achievements of our students, staff and faculty.

U of A graduates rank among most employable in the world

Strong partnerships with employers bolster university’s position among top 100 globally and top five in Canada, according to latest QS rankings.

Statement from President Turpin

U of A deeply mourns following plane crash in Iran

Not limited to adults': Many Canadian youth are caregivers, says U of A researcher

More than one-quarter of Canadian youth are caregivers, something that a University of Alberta researcher says is limiting their ability to excel in school or in the workplace.

More than a quarter of young Canadians aged 15 to 19 are caregivers, ALES research shows

Caring for family members or friends poses challenges to teens' health, social development and educational prospects, U of A researcher finds.

Why being with someone new won't change old relationship patterns

This story features the research of Matt Johnson (ALES) who found after a failed relationship, people tend to recreate the same dynamics all over again with their new partner, especially after the honeymoon phase of the relationship has ended.

How often should you wash jeans? It's fine to wait weeks - even months, experts say

Human ecology professor Rachel McQueen (ALES) had one of her students, Josh Le, wear a pair of jeans for 15 months straight. The jeans contained the same bacteria levels as they did when he wore them for less than two weeks.

A New Romance Is Likely to End Up Like Your Previous Relationship, Study Finds - but You Can Change the Game

Story cites research by Matt Johnson (ALES) on how new romances took on similar patterns to their previous ones after the honeymoon phase was over.

AVs on a path to overlook the disabled

Design anthropologist Megan Strickfaden (ALES) is co-author of the 2018 study that showed the elderly and disabled risk being kicked to the curb as autonomous-vehicle technology gets set to revolutionize mobility.

U of A grads among most employable in Canada, according to new QS rankings

University ranks second in graduate employment rate and employer-student connections.

Using technology to support caregivers of older people with dementia

Technology can be used to support the caregivers of people living with dementia, however, developers and designers need to take caregiver needs into consideration.

U of A professor partnering on high-performance military fabrics

High-tech body armour project opportunity for collaboration on research to keep Canadian soldiers safe.

Is changing partners really that exciting? Maybe not

We are likely to create the same patterns in successive relationships, according to researcher Matthew Johnson.

Changing partners doesn't change relationship dynamics, study shows

New romances eventually follow patterns similar to old ones, according to U of A relationship researcher who led eight-year study.

Mom's the word: Patching together child care requires skills of a project manager (CBC)

A new study led by Rhonda Breitkreuz (ALES) shows that mothers are primarily responsible for the daily struggles involved in drawing up plans, and backup plans, for a household's child-care needs.

Painted cottages, tall trees and a barn: Canada builds first-ever village in B.C to house residents with dementia

Comments from Megan Strickfaden (ALES) on the design of a new village created for people with neurological disorders are included.

Remembering that one big ex

Human Ecology professor Matthew Johnson explains why some passionate, short romances stick with us.

Threads of the past

Vlada Blinova finds joy in preserving and telling history through textiles and clothing.

Treasuring our seniors

Megan Strickfaden, a professor in the Department of Human Ecology, is a 2019 recipient of the U of A's Community Scholar Award

Choosing the environment over your laundry

Rachel McQueen (ALES), a professor of human ecology, made headlines with a student who wore the same pair of denim jeans for 15 months without washing them. They discovered the level of bacteria in the jeans was more or less the same after wearing them for two weeks.

Films look at therapeutic value of sentimental objects in seniors' lives

"Objects hold memories and can link to past experiences, can remind a person and others of who they are."

What to wear to keep warm in winter

Tips on how to layer up and stay toasty

Fabric a reflection of ourselves

Fashion in Print exhibit showcases evolving dress styles over 300 years to explore how we see ourselves and the world through what we wear.

U of A's human ecology department celebrates 100th anniversary

Story on centenary of the human ecology department, formerly known as home economics, includes reminiscences by 95-year-old alumna Faye Winning (ALES), who graduated from the program in 1945.

Making to steps to cohabitating? Here are some top tips

The day to day practicalities of sharing a home can involve some adjustments or challenge the notion of happy-ever-after for couples moving in together for the first time. Story cites a University of Alberta 2015 ALES study which found that couples who didn't split chores between them had less relationship satisfaction.

How Texting Affects Your Relationship According To Science

Moods can be illegible in written form, so predictably, the way we communicate these days - almost exclusively via text, what else is there? - can seed a lot of chaos in our relationships. Research by Adam Galovan (ALES) is referenced.

Dementia sets lives adrift

Reimagining the way we care for people. The research of ALES Prof Dr. Megan Strickfaden is helping to find a better way forward.

Frequent Sexting Can Weaken Committed Relationships

The Surprising Keys to a Long-Lasting Relationship

Using everyday objects to see people's needs

Material culture expert creates films for caregivers based on how people relate to their environments

This Is Why Your Activewear Stinks So Much

Why you stink - or not - is covered by researcher Rachel McQueen

Design students find fashion's future in its past

New exhibition threads environmental awareness into restyled old garments

At the top of her class

ALES grad earns Oxford Scholar status

Life lessons learned

Human ecology grad takes her training in seniors housing and living well home to China

Summer's coming: tips on how to stink less

Researcher tests fabric to rank the funk in the armpits of your T-shirts

Keeping your jeans cool

Bestlife website revisits research by human ecology professor Rachel McQueen on bacteria levels in denim

HeCol student turns couture into cash

Graduating student received scholarship for recycling vintage and thrift clothing.

New program tailor-made for future leaders ins business fashion

University of Alberta bachelor degree acknowledges industry growth and the increasing complexity of bringing clothes to market

Consider this: Stirring the pot

Faculty of ALES hosts free, half-day cannabis symposium on March 22

Why marrying too young can be bad for your emotional health

Getting married early was a risk factor for more depression, researcher finds

Those who marry sooner are less happy than those who wait, study finds

Couples who marry early complicate their lives, says researcher Matt Johnson

Marrying later or at same time as peers is best for lasting happiness

Early marriage can lead to less satisfaction in mid-life, long-term study shows

This Dutch nursing home is built like a mini city

Design anthropologist Megan Strickfaden researched a village in the Netherlands completely designed around the needs of residents with dementia.

Look at all the lonely people

Human ecology researcher Janet Fast comments on whether Canada should follow Britain's lead and appoint a government minister of loneliness

People who regularly 'sext' their partner are more insecure in their relationship, study reveals

Sending naughty messages and images can help spice up your love life, but it may be at the expense of other important aspects of your relationship

Discover how fashion affects both ordinary lives, social movements

Annual Fashion Culture Network lecture is free and fascinating

Sexting adds sizzle and strain to relationships, Edmonton study suggests

Sending racy messages may undermine healthy romances, concludes cross-border survey

Sexting adds spice to the bedroom but strains communications: study

New research from the University of Alberta showed couples who sexted often felt less of a secure attachment in their relationship and lower levels of commitment.

Sexting couples have poorer relationships, watch more porn, are less committed: UAlberta study

Lots of sexting can wreck a romance

Tech-communication shortcut undermines features of strong relationships

New degree in Fashion Business Management launches this fall

First such BSc program offered in Western Canada

Global issues, global points of view

Team of international graduate students seek to understand why people do - or don't - adopt new energy technologies

Popular contest rewards ALES students and audience

Macgregor Smith Public Speaking Competition runs January 24

ALES research takes two highest spots in Folio's Top 10 stories of 2017

Studies on tending to relationships and on 'antibiotic-free' meat were most read

How to avoid Yuletide melodrama

Relationship experts offer tips to prevent family tension from erupting into a full-blown meltdown over the holidays

Annual ALES Awards celebrate staff and faculty

Teaching Hall of Fame also adds 2017 members

Two University of Alberta students named Rhodes Scholars

Human Ecology student wins 2018 Rhodes Scholarship

Accomplished BSc undergrad will pursue graduate studies at University of Oxford

A new Golden Age of Canadian comics

Patti LaBoucane-Benson's graphic novel, The Outside Circle, is one of the acclaimed Canadian entries to the comic industry

Consider this: Making an impact across the years

Clothing and Textiles Collection renamed to honour founding curator Anne Lambert

Discover Faculty of ALES' wide array of programs during Open House, Oct. 21

We offer programs in environment, nutrition, textiles and family studies, as well as agriculture, animals

Women, doing all the household chores is bad for your relationship

Recent master's graduate Rebecca Horne discovered that women consistently perform more household chores than men, which another recent study shows can harm couples' relationships.

Project Serve relieves many tensions new students feel

Popular one-day event starts friendships, boosts confidence

Want a divorce? Why you should tell your spouse and give it time

Just because you are thinking about it doesn't mean it's inevitable, says researcher Adam Galovan.

Half of those considering divorce change their feelings within a year

Thoughts of divorce are common and dynamic, study says

Half of people contemplating divorce think differently a year later

Marriages ebb and flow, and many simply need time to rebalance, says family scientist Adam Galovan

Thinking about divorce? Think twice, researchers warn

Attitudes change quickly for about half of the people who have thoughts of divorce, says family scientist Adam Galovan

Why do women's clothes never seem to fit?

Women's clothing sizes are based on the corseted and girdled dress form of the 1940s, says Anne Bissonnette, co-curator of the student-built exhibit Misfits: Bodies, Dress and Sustainability.

Being older not main reason some Canadians struggle with technology

Study shows it's more about income, education, opportunity

Mature student waves off life's curveballs on way to PhD

Her research explores how marriages change after a stroke

Your bicycle is your buddy, Edmonton research suggests

Bike riding allows people to express feelings about their personality and freedom, says Karly Coleman.

Bonding with your bike

Karly Coleman explains how and why people form connections with their bikes and how that enhances their relationships to their environment and their past.

Cyclists form bonds with bikes, University of Alberta researcher says

Karly Coleman discusses her master's thesis on how people's identities are connected to their bikes. Also reported in Cycling Weekly and Canadian Cycling Magazine.