Psychology

I am interested in the relationship between the brain and our behavior, ultimately asking the question of why we behave the way that we do.

Educational Background: B.A. (Psychology- Honours at Okanagan University College – transferred to University of British Columbia B.A. degree); MSc. (Psychology/Neuroscience: University of Lethbridge, CCBN); PhD. (Neuroscience: University of Lethbridge, CCBN); Postdoc (Neuroscience, Physiology and Behaviour, UBC); Research Associate (Neuroscience, Physiology and Behaviour, UBC); Instructor: Department of Psychology University of British Columbia; Instructor: Psychology Department Thompson Rivers University, Instructor: Corpus Christi College, Instructor: Alexander College.

Courses taught at AC: Psyc 101: Introductory Psychology (basic processes and applications), Psyc 102: Introductory Psychology (Areas of Application), Psyc 217: Thinking Clearly about Psychology (Research Methods)

I am interested in a broad range of topics in applied psychology which fall under the general themes of Human Factors, Ergonomics and Environmental Psychology Educational background: B.A. (Philosophy / Psychology-Honours: University of Prince Edward Island); M.E.S (Environmental Studies: York University); Ph.D. (Expt. Human Factors Psychology-York University), Postdoc (NSERC-Defence Canada – Toronto). Professor: Department of Psychology Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Adjunct Professor: Department of Psychology University of British Columbia

Adjunct Professor: Royal Roads University

Member: Standing Academic Standards Committee Alexander College

Courses Taught at AC: PSYC 101: Introductory Psychology (basic processes and applications), PSYC 102: Introductory Psychology (Areas of Application), PSYC 218 Analysis of Behavioural Data

Andrea’s main background includes cognitive and experimental psychology and neuropsychology. Their teaching interests include biopsychology, neuropsychology, sensation and perception, and statistics. Andrea enjoys conducting research in psychology, and their main research interests focus on visual perception, particularly visual word recognition and face processing in typically developed individuals and in individuals with prosopagnosia, which is the inability to recognize the identity of faces.

Angus holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (2009) and a Master of Education in Educational Psychology (2012) from Simon Fraser University. Along with previously working his second Masters Degree in Divinity at Trinity Western University and his Provincial Instructor Diploma at Vancouver Community College, Angus has also completed his TESOL Standard II at Douglas College, Instructional Skills Workshop at Alexander College, Facilitator Development Workshop at the University of British Columbia, and Instructor Development (Standard First Aid) at St. John Ambulance.

Angus loves to keep on learning and working with others to build people, projects, and programs in growing teams, organizations, and communities. As a holistic educator, Angus continues to engage in a refining process where he is teaching how students can learn effectively while also learning how instructors can teach effectively, where every lesson, workshop, training session, and learning module reflects and records whether all learners have demonstrated that they know what they need to show and they show what they have come to know in academics, research, and career development

Azar started her teaching career from 1999 at IAU. She finished her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology in 2008, during which she was awarded a scholarship to go to Australia as a visiting scholar at Deakin University, Melbourne. In 2016 she was awarded a research grant to work with Simon Fraser University (SFU) as visiting scholar. She has been a member of research team at SFU since then. Azar teaches psychology at different colleges and universities in Vancouver since 2018. Azar has published several articles and has presented at international conferences. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience and during this time she taught in many different universities and institutions and worked in different countries and with different students from different nationalities. In her teaching philosophy she focusses on “learning how to learn” rather than memorizing the materials and students know her as a very kind and knowledgeable person.

Benjamin Wong has been a Registered Clinical Counsellor in BC since 2005. A doctoral student at the University of Illinois, and holder of degrees from the University of British Columbia and Colorado Christian University, Benjamin held clinical positions in sectors including vocational rehabilitation, school counselling, education consultancy, and addictions.

A sought-after advocate in the mindful use of digital technologies, he has spoken at professional conferences throughout North America on the prevention and treatment of Gaming Disorder. Over the past several years, Benjamin has focused his efforts on clinical supervision and teaching, with ongoing appointments at Alexander College. He is also a contractor of outreach services with the BC Government’s Responsible Gambling Program.

Brian Douglas holds a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Science from the University of Guelph. He also obtained a Master’s degree in Psychology from the same university. Prior to his graduate studies, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Ottawa.

Since 2023, he has been teaching psychology courses at Alexander College, including Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology, Research Methods, Cognitive Psychology, Psychopathology and Developmental Psychology.

Emre earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Psychology with a Comprehensive scholarship from Bilkent University. He has participated in more than two hundred testing sessions as an experimenter and coordinated quantitative and qualitative research projects focusing on cognitive and social development. Emre is currently conducting research in the psychology department at Simon Fraser University, focusing on the intersection between artificial intelligence and language development. Emre joined Alexander College in 2019 and has been teaching various courses.

I have been teaching for the last 5 years. The subjects I have taught are Introduction to Psychology, Marital and Family Counseling, Abnormal Psychology, Assessment and Diagnostics, Biological Bases of Behaviour and Counseling certificate and diploma courses. My research interests are concepts of Health Psychology in which I did my PhD as well. As an educator, I constantly strive to make classroom learning an complete experience for my learners as I believe the best kind of learning happens when answers are acquired through engagement.

I believe we learn something new everyday and I try to expand my knowledge on teaching methods and research through seminars and workshops.

Apart from my professional life, I enjoy exploring new places to eat, swimming and painting. I am a beach person, my favourite food is Pav Bhaji and I am a total Potterhead!

Istvan brings a diverse academic background and a deep passion for exploring the intersection of biology and psychology. With a strong foundation in science—holding a biology-chemistry teaching degree—he has conducted experimental research with both animals (M.Sc. in animal associative learning) and humans (Ph.D. research using EEG to study attentional processes).

Over the past three decades, Istvan has taught a wide range of psychology courses at post-secondary institutions in his native Hungary and Canada. His primary teaching interests include Introduction to Psychology, Brain and Behavior, and Cognitive Psychology, areas where he combines scientific rigor with a student-centered approach.

While his main focus has been on teaching, Istvan has also contributed to research projects in neuroscience and youth health, and is a co-author of five peer-reviewed scientific articles. In his free time, Istvan enjoys jogging and walking in nature.

Jame Batara has over a decade of teaching experience in university and organizational settings. His academic credentials are a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Social Psychology from the University of San Carlos, a Provincial Instructor Diploma from Vancouver Community College, and a Master of Education in Post-Secondary Curriculum and Instruction. He is pursuing his PhD in Educational Research specializing in Adult Learning. He has taught a broad range of psychology courses, combining social psychology and applied psychology expertise with a passion for fostering inclusivity and encouraging student experimentation and growth.

His academic leadership includes serving as Curriculum Coordinator, where he pioneered outcomes-based syllabi and led the development of a student-centred, internationally aligned psychology curriculum. As Research Coordinator, he organized the first national Psychology Research Congress for undergraduates and significantly boosted faculty research engagement through mentorship and collaborative initiatives. Jame co-led research and ethics review at the department, college, and university levels.

Beyond academia, Jame integrates research with community service, applying social psychology theories to address real-world issues. He documents his research and academic journey in his blog (www.flowjame.com). His commitment to impactful teaching, research innovation, and community engagement defines his professional journey.

Jolene Muckle is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Adler University in Vancouver, in my second year of studies. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Bournemouth University (UK) and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Honors from James Cook University (Singapore). Her research interests focus on the intersection of mental health and therapeutic interventions through a multicultural lens. Her published dissertation explored the benefits of animal-assisted activities for students in Singapore, incorporating both psychological and physiological measures (doi:10.1111/ajsp.12166). She also has contributed to research investigating the role of oxytocin in face processing while at Bournemouth University.

In addition to my passion for teaching, I enjoy doing research in psychology. When I am not teaching, I run my own consulting business where I use my research skills to assist organizations with their research needs.

Educational background: B.A. (Psychology; Justice Studies – Honours: Northeastern Illinois University); M.A. (Social Sciences / Human Development: University of Chicago); Ph.D. (Educational Psychology: University of British Columbia).

Instructor: School of Computing and Academic Studies: Psychology at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

Instructor: Psychology at Alexander College

Courses Taught at AC: PSYC 101: Introductory Psychology (Basic Processes and Applications), PSYC 102: Introductory Psychology (Areas of Application)

Coming soon.

Navdeep holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a practicing clinician in the province of British Columbia. Her professional experience covers clinical counselling, research and post secondary teaching. She has authored several book chapters and also contributed to number of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, including her work on online teaching innovations. Her main research interests include cross cultural psychology and social psychology.

Navdeep constantly renews her teaching and personal philosophy in response to cultural and academic innovations. Indeed, with recent advances in artificial intelligence, her philosophy these days is, “I think, therefore I am not – with no offence to Descartes and his legacy!

Pocholo has been teaching psychology since 2007 and plans to continue teaching psychology for as long as he is able to.

He holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. He finished his Masters in Counseling Psychology and Bachelor of Science degrees from the same university. He has published studies in international journals and serves as a reviewer for some of them. He is a licensed psychologist in the Philippines.

He teaches Abnormal Psychology, human development, and introductory psychology classes at Alexander College. He is also an adjunct faculty in Adler University-Vancouver and serves as a member of the research ethics board of Adler. He has previously taught in other institutions in the Vancouver area.

He likes turtles.

Rajpreet Kaur Harry holds a Master of Arts in Psychology (2015) from Panjab University, Chandigarh where she graduated as a gold medalist and a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities (2013) from the same institution. She is currently pursuing the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program (PIDP) at Vancouver Community College. In addition to her academic background, Rajpreet has completed multiple professional development programs, including refresher courses in advanced research methodology and online teaching.

With over seven years of experience teaching psychology at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, Rajpreet brings a student-centered approach to the classroom that blends theory with real-world application. Her teaching practice is rooted in inclusivity, mentorship, and active engagement, and she is passionate about fostering critical thinking and well-being among students.

Rajpreet’s research focuses on mental health, psychological well-being, addiction, and stress management. Her peer-reviewed publications include work on internet addiction and gender differences in self-esteem, along with contributions to academic books on the psychological effects of social distancing and the role of yoga and music in workplace stress.

Rajpreet is also a practicing mental health advocate and has been featured as a guest expert on Canadian media platforms, discussing topics such as social media addiction, suicide awareness, and anxiety. As an educator, Rajpreet continues to evolve her pedagogical approach to help students not only learn effectively but also apply psychological insights meaningfully in academics and everyday life.

As a sociocultural educator, I am committed to fostering inclusive, relationship-centered, and collaborative learning environments that honor the diverse experiences of all students. Grounded in principles of relational pedagogy, social learning, and personal connection to knowledge, my teaching practice centers student voices, encourages active participation, and integrates culturally responsive strategies to make learning meaningful and relevant. My research interests relate to student learning, discourses that position students in specific ways, and the use of large language models in educational settings. Whether through community-building activities, collaborative dialogue, or responsive curriculum design, I strive to create spaces where learners feel seen, valued, and empowered to succeed.

Coming soon.