Dr. Robert McMahon with the Department of Psychology has been appointed Chair of a new Leading Edge Endowment Fund (LEEF) position on youth violence. As Chair, Dr. McMahon will launch a program of interdisciplinary research to better understand the causes and development of violence and other serious conduct problems in children and adolescents. Most critically, he will work to develop more effective prevention and treatment strategies.

The total chair endowment is $4.5 million, with $2.25 million provided by the provincial government, and matching funds provided by SFU. The matching funds include a leadership gift from Len and Judy Libin whose son, Joel, was a victim of youth violence. The chair will also establish an institute for the reduction of youth violence at both SFU and the Child and Family Research Institute (CFRI). It will conduct research on risk and protective factors and developmental pathways of youth violence and other conduct problems, as well as evidence-based preventive and treatment interventions.