Dr. Jen Theule, School Psychology Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba, shared the following words about Dr. Walker at the award event.
MASP Award of Excellence for outstanding contribution and innovation resulting in a qualitative change in the lives of children and adolescents is being awarded to Dr. John Walker who I have had the pleasure to work with over my time at U of M. Barry Mallin nominated John for this award, but unfortunately couldn’t be here today, and so asked me to share some of my thoughts about John as well as some of Barry’s.
Personally, John is one of the kindest, most giving people I know. He and I had a meeting just last week, and on top of the this wonderful research project he was sharing with me, he brought 8 boxes of books! 8! Who does that? John.
Those of you who know him will know that John is the archetypal Scientist-Practitioner. He isn’t just a researcher who does some clinical work; or a clinical who does some research: he is strong in both. His clinical expertise in the treatment of anxiety disorders is highly respected by his colleagues and he is famous for taking any case no matter how difficult. He has also been a relentless researcher since graduate school and all of his clinical work is strongly informed by science. He is a highly productive writer of papers and books and he has secured some very large grants to conduct research, particularly in the area of Knowledge Translation.
John is obsessed with getting the benefits of psychological science to as many people as possible. His work is the core of the self-help programming used by the Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba, which he handed over to them for free. He was the catalyst for bringing the Triple P Parenting Program to Manitoba that is now supported by the provincial government. Lately, he has been investing heavily in developing online clinical and self-help programming, especially targeting children and youth.
He has been such a friend to school psychology and to the children of this province both as a clinician and as a researcher. He really does exemplify excellence in services to children and youth.