Concordia University Holiday Experts
With the holiday season now in full swing, and with it the familiar consumer frenzy, now is a good time to take a step back and consider some of the questions that arise every year.
Why drives us to act they way we do at this time of year? Are all those seasonal sales really giving us great deals, or are they simply lures to entice us into spending more? What is happening to our traditional holiday meals? How can we stay in shape and stay mindful of our health? What are the best ways of reducing holiday waste?
Researchers at Concordia are on hand with answers to these and other holiday-related questions.
Greening our Consumption
An assistant professor of Marketing, Roux holds the Concordia University Research Chair in Psychology of Resource Scarcity.
Caroline Roux, John Molson School of Business
514-848-2424, ext. 4182
Available through December 20th.
Language: English and French
Jordan LeBel’s work focuses on food and wine marketing, including chocolate, “ethnic” and organic food, food waste, eating behaviour, the impact of pleasure on consumption decisions and behaviours and Internet branding strategies.
Jordan LeBel, associate professor, Department of Marketing, John Molson School of Business
(514) 848-2424 ext. 2907
Available through December 20th.
Language: English and French
Faisal Shennib
Faisal Shennib, the Environmental Coordinator in the Department of Facilities Management, has several tips you can follow in order to reduce the amount of waste you produce at this time of year.
1. Reuse wrapping paper instead of immediately throwing it out.
2. Use your creativity when it comes to packaging: instead of using wrapping paper, use different materials like tissue paper or even decorative socks to wrap your gifts.
3. Get inspired by the Furoshiki wrapping technique
4. Give experiences instead of gifts. A spa day, cooking lessons or a pass for a day doing an outdoor sport are excellent examples of winter-themed gifts.
Faisal Shennib, Environmental Coordinator, Facilities Management
514 848-2424 ext. 4355 cell: 514-229-6280
Language: English and French
Traveling
The painful cost of free public Wi-Fi
Travelling for the holidays exposes your mobile devices to privacy leakage risks via the WiFi hotspots you’ll find at airports and hotels. Mohammad Mannan is an expert on the topic and can also address Trusted computing, Phishing, Identity fraud, social networking and online banking and PIN security, among other topics.
Mohammad Mannan, associate professor, Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering
(514)-848-2424 ext. 8972
m.mannan@concordia.ca
Language: English
Eat, Drink and Be Merry
The traditions surrounding holiday meals
What do the rituals surrounding the holiday feast says about us?
“Meal-time rituals are a window on our search for our own identities,” says Geneviève Sicotte, a professor in the Department of French Studies. “These rituals are always present, but we pay particular attention to them around the holidays. That is when we prepare and consume dishes that are emblematic of, and often nostalgic about, our various traditions.”
Geneviève Sicotte, Professeure titulaire, Études françaises
514-848-2424 ext. 5598 cell: 514-721-8733
genevieve.sicotte@concordia.ca
Language: English and French
Thea Demmers
Can holiday feasting remain healthy?
Overdoing it at parties and get-togethers is a holiday tradition. But do we have to abandon our healthy eating and exercise habits at this time of year? Théa Demmers, the supervisor of the Nutrition Suite at the PERFORM Centre, has some tips on keeping those good habits going even over the holidays. Here are just a few:
1. Fill half your plate with fruits or vegetables.
2. Find a way of including balanced meals made up of at least three or four different food groups in your daily schedule. Snacks should also include at least two different food groups.
3. Visit Cookspiration.com for help planning healthy holiday meals.
Thea Demmers, supervisor, Nutrition Suite, PERFORM Centre
Thea.Demmers@concordia.ca
Language: English and French
Steering clear of excesses
In alcohol consumption:
With time away from responsibilities and very full social calendars, how can people keep themselves from overindulging in alcohol?
What can parents do to keep their teens safe on New Year’s Eve?
What are some good guidelines for alcohol-related New Years’ resolutions?
Is doing a “Dry January” worth it, or will we fall right back into old habits?
In shopping:
What are some useful tips to make it through the holidays on a budget?
Boxing Day: is it worth it?
Roisin O’Connor, associate professor, Department of Psychology
Language: English
Not available December 22 - 28.
New Year’s resolutions and the quest for control
Adam Radomsky holds the Concordia University Research Chair in Anxiety and Related Disorders. His latest research examines the connection between anxiety disorders and the fear of losing control.
Adam Radomsky, professor, Department of Psychology and member of the Centre for Clinical Research in Health
Tel: 514-848-2424 ext. 2202
adam.radomsky@concordia.ca
Language: English
Making resolutions stick
Sylvia Santosa’s research lab at the PERFORM Centre focuses on obesity, its causes and how to prevent it. Santosa has identified what it takes to live up to that vow to hit the gym more often and develop healthier eating habits.
Studies have shown that it can be hard to shed the extra pounds that we pick up over the holidays. How can we reduce seasonal weight gain?
Veganism as a New Years’ resolution: what do you need to know?
Sylvia Santosa, associate professor, Department of Exercise Science, Canada Research Chair, Clinical Nutrition
Cell: 514-702-8898
s.santosa@concordia.ca
Language: English
