Supporting a new generation of social scientists in abortion and contraception research
Abortion, Contraception
Awarded 2016
Midcareer/Mentor Grants
Angel Foster, MD, DPhil, AM
University of Ottawa
$80,000

As an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa, my research program is dedicated to conducting policy relevant and action- and intervention-oriented research on comprehensive reproductive health issues. My research includes multi-methods social science research and health policy analysis and I work at the local, provincial, national, and international levels. United by substantive pillars and methodological approaches, my research portfolio centers on four main streams: a) Expanding access to emergency contraception; b) Increasing access to safe, high quality, and affordable abortion services; c) Improving the reproductive health training of health service professionals; and d) Identifying and addressing the reproductive health needs of vulnerable populations. I am committed to exposing undergraduate and graduate students to interdisciplinary perspectives on reproductive health and engaging, developing, and mentoring the next generation of contraception and abortion social science researchers. Since arriving at the University of Ottawa in 2011, I have supervised 29 graduate students in population health, health sciences, women’s studies, and international development studies, 58 undergraduate honors students, and three medical students. A Midcareer/Mentor Grants grant from the Society of Family Planning will allow me to support additional graduate students and their projects, further expanding what has become a dynamic reproductive health community in Ontario. Through personal and individualized mentorship of a diverse group of students pursuing degrees in a range of fields, I envision the emergence of a generation of researchers, policy makers, and activists dedicated to advancing reproductive health and justice in various arenas in North America and the world.