Vanessa Tomas, M.Sc.
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Toronto and Bloorview Research Institute
Vanessa Tomas, M.Sc., is a SSHRC-funded Ph.D. candidate in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience.
Vanessa earned her M.Sc. in Rehabilitation Sciences from McMaster University in 2019. Her research interests include knowledge translation, implementation science, patient-oriented research, youth and young adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities, participation and inclusion, and strengths-based approaches to child/youth development. Most recently, she has brought curiosity to reflecting on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) considerations in knowledge translation and implementation research.
For Vanessa’s doctoral thesis—under the supervision of Dr. Sally Lindsay, and in partnership with autistic youth—she explored experiences and needs surrounding the complex disability disclosure process. The result was a tangible decision-aid tool, using theories and frameworks from knowledge translation. Vanessa hopes this tool will support and build decision-making and self-determination skills for autistic youth.
Vanessa also engages actively as a research trainee with organizations such as CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research and KBHN, to collaborate on and support a variety of initiatives. These include committees, professional development events, research projects, and instruction in the Family Engagement in Research Course.
