Need help?

Using Microsoft Teams, telephone, or in-person, staff are available to address your questions regarding ethics clearance for research involving human participants by:

  • consulting and providing support during all stages of the application and review process,
  • developing and distributing educational materials, guidelines, procedural information, along with sample documents related to research with human participants,
  • helping to determine if your research is minimal risk and can be reviewed by a delegated reviewer or is greater than minimal risk requiring review by one of the two Research Ethics Boards,
  • facilitating a single ethics review model for multi-jurisdictional research
  • arranging a guest lecturer for a course or to give a presentation on a topic related to research ethics, and
  • discussing the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and how these guidelines apply to your proposed research, or pointing you to other resources if needed.

Book a consultation

Refer to the list below to find the Advisor for your Department.


Don Davies

Manager, Indigenous Research Ethics, ext. 42188

  • advisor for: 
    • research that will be partnering with Indigenous communities

Heather Dekker

Research Ethics Advisor, ext. 41506

  • advisor for: 
    • Faculty of Engineering
    • Faculty of Mathematics
    • School of Pharmacy
    • Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business
    • Games Institute

Joanna Eidse 

Research Ethics Advisor, ext. 47163

  • advisor for:
    • Department of Psychology (cognitive psychology program, industrial/organizational (I/O) program, social psychology program, clinical program, cognitive neuroscience program, developmental program, Centre for Mental Health Research)
    • International Tobacco Control (ITC) project
    • School of Public Health Sciences 
    • Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA)
  • contact for studies being conducted in Waterloo region schools

Julie Joza

Director, Research Ethics, ext. 41063

  • contact for:
    • problems associated with human participant research (adverse events, protocol deviations, incidental/secondary findings)
    • agreements with Canadian or other institutions
    • overall operation of the Research Ethics office

Asima Naeem 

Research Ethics Advisor, ext. 41067

  • advisor for:
    • Department of Kinesiology

Karen Pieters

Manager, Research Ethics, ext. 41495

Heather Root

Senior Manager, Research Ethics, ext. 41469

Erin Van Der Meulen

Research Ethics Advisor, ext. 47046

  • advisor for:
    • Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies
    • Faculty of Arts (excluding Psychology)
    • Affiliated Colleges (Renison University College, St. Jerome's University, Conrad Grebel University College, St. Paul's University College)
    • Basillie School of International Affairs
    • Centre for International Governance Innovation