Our mission is to advance understanding of how people of all ages – especially children, adolescents, and young adults – grow and change psychologically across the human lifespan. We champion insights and tools for healthy life-stage transitions by exchanging knowledge, insights, and resources among academics, researchers, professionals, and the public.
Housed in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University, The Pickering Centre is Canada’s developmental psychology hub, home to leading researchers advancing our understanding of how people of all ages can adapt and thrive during key periods of growth and change.
The Centre’s operations are partially endowed by a gift from Chester E. Pickering, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and politician with long-standing connections to Ottawa and to the Department of Psychology. Pickering’s daughter, June Pimm, was born and raised in Ottawa and went on to complete a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at Carleton University–an achievement that marked her as the first Ph.D. graduate in our department and first-ever doctorate awarded in the Faculty of Arts at Carleton. Dr. Pimm remains active with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board as coordinator for the provincial Autism Initiative, and is an affiliate member of the Pickering Centre.
The official launch of the Pickering Centre took place on November 3rd, 2011, celebrated with a Research Day featuring student and faculty presentations and a keynote address by Dr. Richard Tremblay, the 2011 recipient of the Pickering Award for Outstanding Contribution to Developmental Psychology in Canada. The Centre’s inaugural Director was Dr. Robert Coplan (2011-2020), succeeded by Dr. Andrea Howard (2020-present).
Pickering Centre Launch – Research Day
The official launch of the Pickering Centre took place on November 3rd, 2011. To mark the occasion, we hosted a Research Day full of events for Centre faculty, students, and members of the public. Thanks to all who helped to make this event a success!
C.E. Pickering
The Pickering Centre for research in Human Development has been partially endowed by a gift from C.E. Pickering.
Chester Everett Pickering, OBE was born September 11, 1881 in Blackstone Massachusetts and died in Ottawa in 1983 aged just short of 102 years old. He came to Canada in 1908 to found a cleaning materials manufacturing firm famous for a floor sweeping compound called Dustbane. The energetic efforts of Mr. Pickering resulted in Dustbane being made available rapidly from coast to coast in Canada. During his lifetime the company expanded its product line and became a significant supplier of an integrated line of cleaning materials and services. Dustbane recently celebrated its own centenary and still operates in Canada under the direction of Mr. John French, whose family acquired the firm following the death of Mr. Pickering.
Mr. Pickering established his firm’s headquarters in The City of Ottawa and became a Canadian citizen soon after his arrival in Canada. “Pick” as he was known to his friends, became active in politics serving on City Council and Board of Control from 1939 until 1950.
While a member of City Council he was always well ahead of his time, For example, The Ottawa Citizen laughingly cartooned him skating on the canal under the Bank Street bridge after he advocated the use of the Rideau Canal as a skating rink in winter, This was more than 30 years before the Rideau Canal became known as the world’s longest skating rink.
One of Mr. Pickering’s most lasting contributions to Ottawa was his initiative in forming a group to build the Lord Elgin Hotel. This Hotel project was intended to provide a much needed wartime addition to accommodation in the City of Ottawa. The Hotel remains a jewel decorating Elgin Street between Slater and Laurier.
Mr. Pickering also made contributions nationally and was awarded the Order of the British Empire following the conclusion of World War Two for his work supporting the civilian war effort and in guiding the Canadian participation in the United Nations Appeal for Children following the war.
Following his political career Mr. Pickering concentrated on building Dustbane, writing his memoirs and searching for ways to support the community he believed had served him well
Mr. Pickering believed personal success was often achieved with the help of luck and being in the right place at the right time. It was also his belief that his own success was largely because of the help he had received from others.
It was because of this belief that Mr. Pickering made a significant bequest to the Psychology Department of Carleton University to support research into ways to improve the start children had in life.
Dr. June Pimm
Dr. June Pimm (née June Pickering) was born in Ottawa and attended Hopewell Ave. School and Glebe Collegiate. She received her B.A. (with Honours) and her M.Ps.Sc. from McGill University, married and returned to Ottawa. Here she enrolled in the doctoral program in Developmental Psychology graduating as Carleton’s first Ph.D. in Arts.
Following graduation from Carleton, Dr. Pimm began a long career in Developmental Psychology (with a brief detour into Health Psychology) which she continues today. Her interest in children with emotional problems began with her first employment at the Ottawa School Board where she established the first public school classroom for “Emotionally Disturbed” children. Trained in the behavioral tradition, June took it upon herself to study with Piaget’s group in Geneva, Switzerland where she co-authored a research study on Moral Development in young children. This research appeared as a chapter in Toward a Theory of Psychological Development, Modgil & Modgil, NFER, 1980) and formed the basis for further work in the area of Juvenile Delinquency for the State of Florida where she lived for more than 20 years.
During her time in Florida, Dr. Pimm established a private practice, contracting to private schools in the Miami area, and to the Florida Juvenile Justice Department. While in Florida she was asked by the Miami Heart Institute to head a project on depression in coronary bypass patients funded by the American Heart Association. She documented the results of this research in the book “Psychological Risks of Coronary Bypass Surgery” (Plenum Press, 1985) with co author Joseph Feist. This was followed by a book targeted to patients co-authored with Carol Cohan “Coping with Coronary Heart Surgery and Bypassing Depression”, Psychosocial Press, 1991 (2nd edition) which continues to help patients deal with the stress of heart surgery.
Dr. Pimm’s last position in Florida was Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine where she worked in the field of Neonatology monitoring the development of very low birthweight infants for their first three years of life. Here she was responsible for the contribution of Psychology to a multi disciplinary clinical team and supervised post doctoral graduate students. The focus of her research was the interaction of environmental factors and medical risks affecting the development of medically “at risk” infants.
Dr. Pimm returned to Ottawa and joined the Psychology department of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board. She currently holds the position of Coordinator of the Autism Initiative for the Board where she supervises the activities of the Autism Spectrum Team and conducts research on a population of over 700 children diagnosed with ASD. Although her doctorate was in behavioral psychology, the influence of Piaget caused her to adopt the developmental model which she considers the best approach to the understanding the enigma of Autism today.
Dr. Pimm is married to Gordon Pimm. They have three children – Martha (Zurich Switzerland), Robert (San Francisco) and Matthew (New York). June and Gordon also have four grand children and four great grand children.
On June 17, 2021, Dr. June Pimm was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Carleton University in recognition of her distinguished career in Developmental Psychology. Dr. Pimm has been an enthusiastic advocate for children’s well-being her entire career. She has a history of lengthy community service, educating the public about autism spectrum disorder and providing supports to parents and educators. She is also our first PhD graduate in Arts (1968). Congratulations Dr. Pimm!
Below are some pictures from the virtual ceremony.
