Dr. Julia Brassolotto, an Associate Professor in the Public Health program at the University of Lethbridge, has been appointed Associate Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences. She assumed her new role on July 1, 2024.
Brassolotto earned her undergraduate degree at McMaster University and moved to York University to complete her master’s and a PhD in Health Policy and Equity.
She joined the University of Lethbridge in 2016 and was appointed the Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions (AIHS) Research Chair in Healthy Futures and Well-being in Rural Settings. Broadly, Brassolotto’s research looks at issues related to aging and dying. Her research has examined long-term care in rural Alberta, sexual expression in continuing care homes, age-friendly communities and Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in rural communities. Through a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) grant, she and co-investigators from the University of Toronto and Brock University are looking to develop and evaluate a toolkit designed to help support safe and healthy sexual expression for people living with dementia. Her Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded research continues to examine MAiD, with a focus on the discourse surrounding concepts of autonomy and vulnerability.
Most recently, Brassolotto has collaborated with Dr. Phil Bonnaventure in the geography department, two graduate students and the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization to create a digital interactive map of publicly accessible washrooms in the City of Lethbridge. This applied research project recognizes public washroom availability as a health-equity issue and an important component of an age-friendly community.
“I am thrilled to have Dr. Brassolotto accept the associate dean role for the Faculty of Health Sciences,” says Dr. Jon Doan (PhD ’06), Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. “Julia brings a clarity and a vision to every project she works on, and her thoughtful and thorough approach and her capacity for clear and effective communication will be very welcome as our group continues to evaluate and evolve our academic programs and develop our next strategic plan. I look forward to working with Julia and our academic and support staff on the important opportunities and challenges that connect with Health Sciences and the health of our community and beyond.”