Dr. Carmen Poulin

Dr. Carmen Poulin (BA’80) joined the University of New Brunswick in 1991 as an assistant professor, became an associate professor in 1993 and was promoted to professor in 1999. She retired in 2025 after more than 34 years of service.

A graduate of UNB, Dr. Poulin earned her master of arts (1982) and PhD (1989) in psychology from Queen’s University. Her teaching and mentorship have shaped countless undergraduate and graduate students. She supervised 34 research students, 31 honours projects, eight masters students and 17 doctoral candidates, 14 of whom completed their degrees. Her supervisory and research activities are ongoing as Honorary Research Professor.

Dr. Poulin co-founded and co-directs the Psycho-Social Ethnography of the Commonplace research group, focusing on the examination of the experience of marginalized groups, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring emerging scholars. Her research is grounded in feminist epistemology and examines how social practices and ideologies shape the experiences of marginalized groups in hierarchical institutions. Through P-SEC, she advanced understanding of marginalized groups such as 90+ years old elders, women firefighters, LGBTQ2S+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and Métis individuals with ties to the east of the Manitoba-Ontario border.

In 2017, Dr. Poulin organized UNB’s first Queer Research Day, a landmark event promoting inclusivity and scholarly dialogue. At UNB, her leadership extended to roles such as coordinator of UNB’s gender and women’s studies program, director of the Honours Program in psychology, Director of the Graduate Studies in psychology, acting chair of the department of psychology, and associate dean of the faculty of arts. She also occupied the role of president of the Canadian Research Institute on Women and of the Section on feminist research of the Canadian Psychological Association.

Dr. Poulin was named a fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association in 2024; received the Denmark-Gunvald Award for Feminist Research and Service from the International Council of Psychologists in 2018; was awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the Leadership Institute of Women in Psychology of the American Psychological Association; and received the UNB Arts Faculty Teaching Award for full-time faculty members in 2012.

Her record includes 75 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, 18 research reports, 185 conference presentations, 77 invited keynote addresses, and 79 media appearances supported by nearly $2 million in research funding.