Dr. Stephen Ritchie

Dr. Stephen Ritchie is an Associate Professor in the School of Human Kinetics at Laurentian University. He is also a faculty investigator at the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research (CRaNHR) and the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH). Dr. Ritchie obtained a BPE in Outdoor Pursuits from the University of Calgary before completing an MBA from Concordia University. In 2014, he completed a PhD in Rural and Northern Health at Laurentian University.
Dr. Ritchie’s research began when he was co-investigator on a SSHRC funded project examining youth participation in sport. His doctoral work was dedicated to developing, implementing, and evaluating an Outdoor Adventure Leadership Experience (OALE) designed to promote resilience and well-being for Indigenous youth in Wikwemikong Unceded Reserve.
Currently, Dr. Ritchie’s research is devoted to understanding outdoor adventure and evaluation of experiential education programs in the context of achieving personal growth and health outcomes; the primary population of interest is children and youth. He is currently involved in research projects related to the following: promoting resilience and well-being through outdoor adventure, understanding the educational value and health-realted impacts of immersive outdoor experiences for students, using heart rate variability (HRV) as a psycho-physiological measure of stress and holistic health in nature environments, and promoting health through active interactions with nature.
For a list of selected publications, click here.
Keywords: outdoor education, experiential education, adventure therapy, children’s health
Contact
Telephone: 705-675-1151, ext. 1046
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Ritchie’s research began when he was co-investigator on a SSHRC funded project examining youth participation in sport. His doctoral work was dedicated to developing, implementing, and evaluating an Outdoor Adventure Leadership Experience (OALE) designed to promote resilience and well-being for Indigenous youth in Wikwemikong Unceded Reserve.
Currently, Dr. Ritchie’s research is devoted to understanding outdoor adventure and evaluation of experiential education programs in the context of achieving personal growth and health outcomes; the primary population of interest is children and youth. He is currently involved in research projects related to the following: promoting resilience and well-being through outdoor adventure, understanding the educational value and health-realted impacts of immersive outdoor experiences for students, using heart rate variability (HRV) as a psycho-physiological measure of stress and holistic health in nature environments, and promoting health through active interactions with nature.
For a list of selected publications, click here.
Keywords: outdoor education, experiential education, adventure therapy, children’s health
Contact
Telephone: 705-675-1151, ext. 1046
Email: [email protected]