Tara Martin has built a long-standing career within UBC Psychology.
Psychology alumna Tara Martin (BA’03) has built a long and varied career within UBC’s Department of Psychology. She came to UBC as a transfer student and took on roles as a Work Learn student, Directed Studies student, Research Assistant, and lab manager before moving into department-wide administration.
Tara completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at UBC in 2003 and is now the department’s Director, Administration. In this role, she oversees human resources, finances, and facilities, and supports both strategic planning and daily operations. She also represents the department at university-wide meetings and serves as a resource for staff and faculty within the department, the Faculty of Arts, and across UBC.
Community building is central to Tara’s work. She volunteers as a convocation marshal and UBC Orientations speaker, sings in the UBC Arts Staff Choir, and participates in the annual United Way campaign. Her commitment to higher education led her to complete a Master of Education in Higher Education at UBC in 2018.
In a Q&A, Tara reflects on how her undergraduate experience shaped her career path, the skills she developed through research and administrative work, and her ongoing commitment to supporting students and faculty.
Why did you choose to study psychology at UBC?
I had completed an Associate of Arts Degree at a local college, where I took a variety of courses ranging from theatre to forensic chemistry to Latin American history. I initially thought I would apply to medical school, but truthfully, I was quite uncertain what career I might pursue. My favorite college courses ended up being psychology research methods and statistics, but I wanted to better understand how research worked in practice. So, I decided to transfer to UBC where I could participate directly in research labs.
How did your early research experiences shape your career?
As an undergraduate, I became involved in research through a Work Learn position in Dr. Christine Chambers’ lab, having met her in the Developmental Psychology course she was teaching at the time. Christine is herself a UBC graduate and had completed her PhD under the supervision of Ken Craig. She introduced me to Dr. Craig who later supervised my directed studies project. After graduating, I took up a CUPE 116 Research Assistant role in Ken’s lab. We were quantifying pain response through facial action coding. It was a fantastic experience, and I was fortunate to work alongside encouraging students and dedicated research staff. It also opened other RA opportunities at UBC and BC Children’s Hospital.
When Dr. Craig retired, I applied for a lab manager position with psychology professors Greg Miller and Edith Chen. I worked in their lab for seven years, which gave me invaluable experience managing research operations and supporting faculty, postdocs, and students. I realized how much I enjoyed the administrative and operational aspects of research, which eventually led me to department administration.
“Staying curious, being open to opportunities, and valuing your experiences can help you find a path that suits you—even if it looks different from what you originally imagined!”
What led you to pursue a career in university administration?
Although I loved working directly in research and with researchers, by that time I had a young family and was looking for more stability and a long-term role. I knew I wanted to continue working at the university and supporting students and faculty. I started watching for administration postings and applied immediately when the position in Psychology was announced. I continue to be grateful that Eric Eich and Alan Kingstone offered me the role.
What inspired you during your time as a student, and an administrator?
I was fortunate to have early experiences working with supportive mentors, particularly Christine Chambers and Ken Craig. They were both incredibly encouraging and invested in the success of their students and research staff.
My peers and fellow lab members were also very important to me. Being on the Psychology Students’ Association executive helped me feel connected to the department and I have a lot of fond memories of events like Day of Longboat, BOHs and intramural volleyball.
On the administrative side, I was inspired by leaders such as Bonnie Schoenberger, the previous department administrator, and Anne-Marie Fenger, who was the Assistant Dean, Administration. They were both generous with their time and showed me that it was possible to build a meaningful and fulfilling career in university administration.
How have your psychology and research experiences influenced your work today?
My background in research helped me understand the needs of labs, faculty, and students. Being involved in research teaches you to stay curious, think critically, and work through complex problems even when there are no immediate, clear answers. Those skills are directly relevant to my role.
Much of what I do now involves problem solving, collaboration, and finding practical solutions that work for both individuals and the institution. That mindset comes directly from my research training. My background in statistics and data analysis has also been helpful, especially with budgets and tracking operations.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
I’m especially proud of seeing students and staff who started in our department go on to build successful careers, many of them within UBC. Being an early employer and mentor for students is very meaningful to me. I always appreciate when they stay connected and let us know where their career has taken them.
I’m also proud of my role in the renovation of the fourth floor of the Kenny Building. Having an entire research area move their labs from the Kenny building represented a major change to our department, and it was a long-term project that took nearly a decade to complete. Having now spent more than 20 years in this building, I feel very connected to Kenny and to the department’s history.
“I’m especially proud of seeing students and staff who started in our department go on to build successful careers, many of them within UBC. Being an early employer and mentor for students is very meaningful to me.”
What advice would you give to current psychology students exploring different career paths?
I would encourage students to recognize the transferable skills they gain through psychology: critical thinking, communication, data analysis, and understanding human behaviour. Psychology provides a strong foundation for many careers. It’s important to reflect on what aspects of your studies you enjoy most and think about how those interests can translate into different fields.
Staying curious, being open to opportunities, and valuing your experiences can help you find a path that suits you—even if it looks different from what you originally imagined!
