Brenda Rossow-Kimball is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies where she teaches adaptive physical activity in the human kinetics degree program. Her research explores the lived stories of individuals living with developmental disabilities and the complexities of the socially constructed ideology of disability. Her most recent projects have sought an understanding of the retirement experiences of older adults labeled with intellectual disabilities, the dynamics in the lives of families who are experiencing disability, and relational autonomy as it is experienced young adults living with complex physical disAbilities. Dr. Rossow-Kimball currently serves as the Fellow for the George Reed Centre for Accessible Communication at the University of Regina, a George Reed Foundation funded entity which supports research that investigates and develops dignifying and usable communication methods for people who do not use spoken word as their main form of communication. She is also the chairperson for the university-based Big Sky Centre for Learning and Being Astonished, a community-based organization that educates others about inclusion and the strengths, dreams, and needs of young adults living with complex physical disAbilities.

In her newest project, Dr. Rossow-Kimball will attempt to uncover undergraduate student beliefs of ableism. While disability is a universal human experience, ableism – whereby people experiencing disability are continuously devalued due to discrimination in favor of ‘able-bodied’ people– is constantly constructed throughout society. Engagement in parasport (sport for athletes with disabilities) by ‘able-bodied’ people may reinforce ableism, however engagement may also blur the lines between ‘us’ (able-bodied) and ‘them’ (people with disabilities). This project will engage Kinesiology undergraduates and parasport athletes to respond to the question: Can ableism be addressed through participation in parasport?