Cynthia Belaskie makes every moment special

“People of McMaster celebrates the incredible people who help make McMaster a great place to work, learn, teach and conduct research. Click here for the rest of the series . Cynthia Belaski’s interview has barely begun when there’s a gentle knock at her door. It’s Tim Goodacre, the highest-level competitive figure skater with Down syndrome in the world. Belaskie lights up at the sight of him. Goodacre enters the room smiling, takes a seat and waits patiently. In that brief exchange, Belaskie’s nature is unmistakable. She creates space for people, and their trust follows naturally. “Tim and I work together every Friday,” she says. “I’m a Special Olympics figure skating coach — but more on that later.” When she’s not coaching elite athletes, Belaskie is the research facility manager at the LIVELab, a unique performance and research space housed atop the Psychology Building, where artists, scientists, engineers and audiences come together to explore human connection. While Goodacre sits quietly listening to our conversation, Belaskie speaks about her work, her journey and the philosophy that guides her. Tell me about your role at LIVELab. My role is part HR, part finance, part performance venue manager, part researcher support, and part community builder. That’s a lot of parts. On the surface, it’s coordinating concerts, booking research studies and facilitating educational visits, but there is a lot happening underneath. We train students, prepare equipment, check cables, set up sensors and make sure the experience feels natural. I don’t necessarily do each of those things, but I make sure the right people are here to get it all done. Audiences shouldn’t feel like they are entering a lab. They should feel like they’re entering a welcoming arts venue where something special is about to happen. If an audience member enjoys a show or a researcher collects clean data, that means all the invisible pieces worked. What do you enjoy most about the work you do here? I love creating moments that make people feel special. It might be welcoming a nervous high school student, supporting a PhD researcher or helping an elderly couple secure an easy parking spot so they can attend a concert at the lab. These things may not seem huge, but they change how people experience the world. That matters to me. You’ve had a fascinating journey at McMaster. Can you tell us about it? I began in the central research office supporting faculty with grant applications, then moved to Social Sciences to help researchers plan long-term research goals and build partnerships. Later, I joined the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative (CHEC), working on a national partnership that connected academics, governments, NGOs and practitioners across Canada. When that project was ending, someone from the LIVELab team encouraged me to apply here. At first, I thought I didn’t belong in a science environment. But the LIVELab isn’t just a science lab, it’s something different. Here, performance, research and community overlap. This is a place where all the pieces of my career and my love of performance, music and the arts all make sense together. You talk about making people feel special. Where does that come from? It comes from growing up in figure skating. On the ice, I was allowed to take up space, to be expressive, to move with power. As a young girl in the 1980s, that wasn’t always encouraged, but at the rink I was supported by coaches, volunteers and staff who believed in me. They made me feel like I could do anything. I want others to feel that way too. It sounds like skating plays a huge role in your life. How does it shape who you are today? My life is so much fuller and busier than it was when I skated as a kid, but I still prioritize getting my blades on the ice as often as possible. I still compete in Masters-level events, and I coach adults and Special Olympics athletes, including Tim. Coaching others, especially adults, reminds me that people can grow at any age. There was a time when a chronic illness made daily life very difficult for me, but skating remained a place where I felt strong. Even on the days when I could barely lace up my skates, being on the ice helped my body remember it was capable. It gave me resilience, community and purpose. What excites you the most about working at McMaster? The people. Every day I get to interact with someone new, whether it’s a student, a researcher or a community member. I love watching people light up when they come to the LIVELab and realize they belong here. It reminds me that community can be built in the smallest moments. That’s what keeps me excited. The post Cynthia Belaskie makes every moment special appeared first on McMaster News .

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