Scholar Connect: Linking Students with Professors
The Canadian Sociological Association’s Student Concerns Subcommittee is launching this pilot program from March through December 2024.
The student members of the CSA have indicated a need for networking facilitation between students and faculty for mentorship as well as research project and co-publishing opportunities. PhD students from smaller departments, and those wishing for options in universities (and faculty) outside their own institution will greatly benefit from this type of program.
Faculty and organizations across Canada will be encouraged to reference the approved profiles and pursue collaboration with the students. The CSA will also share news and information with students in the program directly regarding opportunities as they arise.
Notes:
The CSA cannot guarantee that the students will be contacted or offered opportunities.
It is the responsibility of the students and institution or organization to negotiate any agreements pertaining to the opportunities being offered.
Quick Links
Student Profiles - Meet our featured students
Student List - Summary of Goals and Skills
Student Profiles
Maria Ahmed (she/her)
Maria Ahmed is a PhD candidate in the Sociology program at Western University under the supervision of Dr. Kim Shuey. Her interests are rooted in structural inequalities and their impacts on population health. Maria completed her undergraduate degree in Commerce at Queen’s University with a focus on organizational strategy. During her master’s degree in leadership and policy at the University of Toronto, Maria analyzed how minority populations amass advantages and overcome disadvantages within competitive and institutionalized settings. Building on her background on social structures, Maria’s SSHRC-funded doctoral research aims to examine disparities in healthcare received by marginalized populations, especially within the context of COVID-19 policymaking and the impacts they have had on maternal and child health outcomes. Maria’s research interests are centered around examining structural inequalities within the context of life course theory, the impact of institutional policies on later life health of women and children, as well as the pathways and mechanisms by which health capital is transmitted intergenerationally.
Through the CSA Scholars Connect Program, Maria hopes to connect with scholars that share her research interests to develop mutually beneficial research projects. She is looking for co- publishing opportunities as well as projects that focus on knowledge mobilization and dissemination within the realm of health inequities and population research.
- Learn more about Maria Ahmed
Maria Ahmed (she/her)
PhD Student - University of Western Ontario, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: social stratification, health inequality, structural discrimination, maternal and child health
Skills: Conducting interviews; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Research project coordination; Writing grant applications; Data visualization/infographics
Awards: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Research Fellowship (2023-2026). Consortium on Analytics for Data-Driven Decision-Making (CAnD3) Research Fellowship (2023-2024). Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) (2022-2024).
Past Experience: I am an early-stage scholar and currently have several publications underway.
I have research assistantship experience working with Dr. Kim Shuey examining intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic resources, health and well-being within families and the role of caregiving as a mechanism of disadvantage using data from the 2018 Canadian General Social Survey (GSS).
Daniel Amoah (he/him)
Daniel Kennedy Amoah is currently a PhD Candidate in Sociology at Memorial University in Canada. He also holds an MSc degree in Development Studies (globalization and development) from University of Antwerp, Institute of Development Policy in Belgium, and BA (Hons) in Political Science with Economics from the University of Ghana. His research interests are in urban governance, work and employment issues, gender issues, elections and representation, and political economy of development. He is particularly interested in urban informality, marginality, intersectionality, and contributing to policies in ensuring sustainable cities, decent work, poverty alleviation, and gender equality. Daniel has been privileged to be part of various research projects with work experience in Africa, Europe, and North America. He possesses a broad set of skills applicable across different sectors and roles.
Daniel is looking for Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities; Mentorship and networking opportunities.
- Learn more about Daniel Amoah
Daniel Amoah (he/him)
PhD Candidate - Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities; Mentorship and networking opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: My research interests are in urban governance, work, employment and labour issues, gender issues, elections and representation, and political economy of development. I am particularly interested in urban informality, urban marginality, intersectionality, and contributing to policies in ensuring sustainable cities, decent work, poverty alleviation and gender equality. My PhD project explores the experience of tax payment in the urban informal economy in Ghana especially gendered effect of informal taxation. My study brings new perspectives on how informality, informal taxation, gender, and inequality are understood and framed through intersectional lens.
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Quantitative data management - STATA; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Semiotic/Visual analysis; Writing grant applications; Monitoring and evaluation (M&E), transcription, content analysis
Awards: I was awarded the VLIR-UOS Scholarship for my masters study at University of Antwerp in Belgium and recently the Scotiabank Bursary for International Study for my PhD study at Memorial University
Past Experience: I have professional experience across different sectors and roles. I have beenprivileged to be part of various research projects in Africa, Europe and North America. I successfully researched and evaluated Junior Achievement Africa’s entrepreneurship programs in six African countries. I am a research assistant on the “Housing First project” to examine the local policy-making process of Canada’s National Homelessness Strategy across Atlantic Canada.
I also worked as a Research Assistant on the International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD), WIEGO, and the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research’s (ISSER) informal taxation and gender in the informal economy in Accra project, among others. I have presented my research in various international and national conferences. I have also engage various communities and stakeholders in research dissemination.
Kevin Bonnell (he/him)
In my academic journey, I am deeply immersed in exploring housing justice within the intricate interplay of racialization, evictions, and resistance. Leveraging frameworks from Racial Capitalism and Critical Race Theory, I dissect the nuanced dynamics marginalized groups face within urban contexts. My research methodology, rooted in institutional ethnography, focuses on uncovering and challenging institutional policies perpetuating housing inequality. My interest in intersections of marginalization and racialization was sparked during earlier studies in health science and community psychology. With a multidisciplinary lens, I aim to contribute to radical transformative changes in planning and social justice disciplines, advocating for equitable housing solutions and uplifting the voices of marginalized communities.
- Learn more about Kevin Bonnell
Kevin Bonnell (he/him)
PhD Student - University of Waterloo, School of Planning
Program Goals: Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: I am deeply immersed in exploring housing justice within the intricate interplay of racialization, evictions, and resistance. My academic journey is anchored in leveraging frameworks from Racial Capitalism, and Critical Race Theory to dissect the nuanced dynamics that marginalized groups face within urban contexts. My research methodology is rooted in institutional ethnography, focusing on the lived experiences, work, activities, and practices of tenants and their organizations. This approach allows me to uncover and challenge the institutional policies and hidden power dynamics perpetuating housing inequality. My interest in the intersections of marginalization and racialization in Canada was sparked during my earlier studies in health science and community psychology. My background has provided me with a profound understanding of the complexities involved in addressing socio-economic disparities, further fueling my determination to advocate for equitable housing solutions. My work aims to make a significant impact on planning and social justice disciplines by illuminating the structural barriers faced by disadvantaged communities and advocating for radical transformative changes. Through a multidisciplinary lens and a dedicated focus on uplifting the voices of those denied equity, I strive to contribute to the creation of a more just and equitable urban environment.
Skills: Conducting interviews; Ethnography; Qualitative data managment - NVivo
Awards: OGS
Past Experience: In collaboration with the PI, I developed data collection systems for open data that provide a comprehensive set of online resources that can be used to generate insights and conducted literature reviews of current research in Black geographies, algorithmic bias, data justice, gentrification, displacement, and novel forms of place-based research. I have assisted with the development of online educational workshops for public and private entities that align with and support curriculum outcomes in areas such as geography, media arts and culture and society. I have supported knowledge mobilization strategies through website development, social media support and conference presentations.
Jay Cavanagh (he/him)
Jay Cavanagh (he/him) is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Calgary, where he works under the supervision of Professor Ariel Ducey. An historian by training, Jay holds a BA (Hons.) degree in History from the University of Leicester and an MA in History from the University of Toronto, where he was also a Junior Fellow at Massey College. Jay’s research draws from critical phenomenological frames of analysis and methods to probe the mediation of emotions, senses, affects and knowledges in experiences of borderline personality disorder (BPD). In addition to this, his work also examines knowledge production and mediation in the clinics of psychiatrist Nise da Silveira in twentieth-century Brazil through archival and arts-based methods. A lived-experience scholar, Jay’s work extends beyond the academy and into the community, where he co-hosts The BPD Bunch video podcast and facilitates virtual peer support groups as a trained peer facilitator for the Borderline Personality Disorder Society of British Columbia (BPD Society of BC). His participation in the Scholars Connect Program serves as an opportunity for personal and academic growth, as he hopes to develop meaningful professional relationships with other scholars for opportunities to collaborate for research, publishing, and community-based activities.
- Learn more about Jay Cavanagh
Jay Cavanagh (He/him)
PhD Student - University of Calgary, Department of Sociology
Professional Website | CNPq Lattes
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities; Guest lecture/speaker opportunities
Language(s): English, Brazilian Portuguese
Research Interests: I am interested in the sociology of health and illness, mental health, and knowledge. I am also interested specifically in experiences of borderline personality disorder from a lived-experience perspective. I predominantly engage with community-based, qualitative, methods and am particularly interested in critical phenomenological work.
Skills: Conducting interviews; Ethnography; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Qualitative data management - MAXQDA; Research project coordination; Translation; Archival/Document Analyses; Thematic/Content Analyses.
Awards: Top 3 Students: University of Leicester (2016); University of Leicester Students’ Union Outstanding Volunteer Award (2018); National Union of Students (NUS) LGBT+ Campaign of the Year Award (2018); University of Leicester Students’ Union Student Voice Awards: Most Impactful Officer Project of the Year Award (2018); Suzanne Kanuka Award (2022); Doctoral Entrance Scholarship (2023-2024); Michael &; Michelle Williams STEM-studies Award (2024).
Past Experience: I am currently the Lead RA for a study on Youth and Cyber Risk during COVID-19, for which I conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews with participants, handle recruitment, and conduct data analysis, with some experience also of transcribing the data. In addition to this, I am currently an independent P.I. for a project that I have designed and am conducting on experience and mad knowledge in the clinics of Nise da Silveira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As part of my work on both projects mentioned here, I am progressing towards publishing papers and book chapters. I also have extensive community engagement experience; details can be provided upon request.
Annie Chau (she/her)
Annie Chau is a PhD candidate in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto. Her research interests include narrative inquiry, decolonial feminisms, social reproduction, Asian Canadian studies, and critical refugee studies. She looks forward to participating in the Scholars Connects program to build for herself a scholarly community for publication and teaching.
- Learn more about Annie Chau
Annie Chau (she/her)
PhD Candidate - University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Social Justice Education
Program Goals: Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities; Teaching opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: My research interests include narrative inquiry, decolonial feminisms, social reproduction, Asian Canadian studies, and critical refugee studies.
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative; Ethnography; Media analysis; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Writing grant applications; Teaching – undergraduate courses.
Awards: My academic awards include: the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, University of Toronto (2022-2024); the Congress Graduate Merit Award, Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences (2023); and the Marie Gillen Award, Adult Education, St. Francis Xavier University (2016).
Past Experience:
Research Assistance: From 2021-2023, I was a Graduate Assistant and Research Fellow for a forthcoming book. From 2012-2020, I was a Community Facilitator and Researcher with the Antigonish Women’s Centre in Nova Scotia, working on several projects with Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation, St. Francis Xavier University, and the Strait Regional Centre for Education.
Publishing: I have been published in the Canadian Review of Sociology and the Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education. I also have 2 forthcoming publications in the works.
Community Engagement: I acted as the Operations Manager for the Antigonish Women’s Centre between 2020 and 2021, a role that has further supported my skills in partnership and community building, advocacy, report preparing, grant writing, and capacity strengthening. I participated in several national groups and networks as an expert consultant. I was a Working Group Member of Women’s Shelters Canada’s National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Violence in 2021 and a Woman Leader for the Gender Equality Network Canada, convened by the Canadian Women’s Foundation and Women and Gender Equality Canada, from 2017-2020. In 2018, I stood as a witness before the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights to advocate for Bill C-309, An Act to establish Gender Equality Week.
Teaching: For the past two terms (Fall 2023 and Winter 2024), I have taught fourth-year courses for the Bachelor of Social and Community Development program at Sheridan College. These courses are Arts-Based Community Approaches to Advocacy and Research and Social Movement and Social Change.
Heather Dicks (she/her)
Heather Dicks (she/her) is a PhD candidate within the Sociology Department at Memorial University in St John’s, Newfoundland; and her present research is centered on the nexus between Global Development and Migration. Prior to starting her PhD, Heather spent over a decade working in the field of global development; this included work with the Canadian government, the United Nations, and several non-governmental organizations. Alongside her thesis, Heather has also worked as a Research Assistant on two SSHRC-funded research projects, employing both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Heather holds a master’s degree in Globalization and International Development from the University of Ottawa and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from Carleton University.
- Learn more about Heather Dicks
Heather Dicks (she/her)
PhD candidate - Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities.
Language(s): English; French; Spanish
Research Interests: Global development, inequality, Indigenous studies, and migration
Skills: Conducting interviews; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Quantitative data management - STATA; Research project coordination; Writing grant applications
Awards: SSHRC Doctoral fellowship; ISER Doctoral fellowship; SSHRC storyteller finalist; 3MT second place winner.
Past Experience: My dissertation is a qualitative research project, which utilizes multilingual (English, French and Spanish) interviews to explore the effects of COVID-19 on financial and social remittances.
Aside from my thesis, I also have experience working as a Research Assistant on two SSHRC grants. The first project is a quantitative research initiative, which utilizes Statistics Canada data and employs multilevel modeling using Stata software. The second project is a mixed-methods community-engaged research initiative, which employs bilingual (English and French) surveys alongside semi-structured participant interviews. Throughout these projects, I have been involved in data collection and analysis, presenting our findings and leading and/or supporting several written outcomes, including peer-reviewed journal articles and general audience reports.
Beyond these larger SSHRC initiatives, I have also provided ad hoc research and analytical support to both scholars and community organizations engaged in research related to global development and inequality.
As a final note, prior to pursuing my doctoral studies, I benefited from over a decade of experience working in the field of global development. This included working with the Canadian government, the United Nations, and several non-governmental organizations, both in Canada and abroad.
Rezvaneh Erfani (she/her)
I am an environmental sociologist researching environmental and climate activism in the Middle East. Immigrant identity and sense of belonging is my second area of expertise. I look forward to connecting and collaborating with other scholars through the Scholar Connect Program. I am looking for postdoc, teaching, and research opportunities.
- Learn more about Rezvaneh Erfani
Rezvaneh Erfani (she/her)
PhD Candidate (ABD) - University of Alberta, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty and students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities.
Language(s): English, Persian (Farsi), Turkish, Arabic
Research Interests: environmental justice, environmental activism and advocacy, social movements, Islam and democracy, ecofeminism, interrelations of democracy and the environment, postcolonial theory, gender and politics in the Middle East.
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Critical discourse analysis; Designing and conducting surveys – qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys – quantitative; Ethnography; Media analysis; Qualitative data management – Nvivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Semiotic/Visual analysis; Writing grant applications.
Awards: SSHRC Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (2018-2021), Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship (2020-2022), Dorothy J Killam Memorial Graduate Prize (2020), Canada Graduate Scholarship, Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement (2022), President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction (2018-2021), among other awards.
Past Experience:
Research: I have been a collaborator on an Insight Development Grant (2023, successful), research intern for a project on post-Secondary Student Homelessness (PSSH) in Canada (2022-2023), research assistant in the department of sociology at the University of Alberta for four different projects (2017-2022).
Publishing: I have been published in Ethics and the Environment, Al-Raida Journal (Arab Institute for Women), the Journal of Postcolonial Writing, Postcolonial Studies, and in the books Reading Sociology: Decolonizing Canada (4 th edition), Trauma-Informed Placemaking, and Exploring Sociology: A Canadian Perspectives (5 th edition). I also have 3 forthcoming book sections in the works.
Community Engagement: I currently serve as a member on the Committee on Racial Inclusion, Equity, and Justice at the American Sociological Association Environmental Sociology Section, Climate Change Interest Group at the American Anthropological Association, and on the Canadian Review of Sociology Student Advisory Board to the Editors. I have years of academic and non-academic volunteer involvement in a variety of settings including mentoring activities.
Shreyashi Ganguly (she/her)
My name is Shreyashi Ganguly, and I am currently a 3rd year PhD candidate in the graduate program in Sociology at York University, Toronto. My research looks at how the Indian diaspora in Canada performs long-distance nationalism through participation in performative humor. In other words, I am interested in finding out how stand-up comedy can serve as an entry point for probing into questions about nationalism, belonging and identity. I am interested in connecting with scholars who work in the field of diaspora studies and migration and transnationalism studies, and I am particularly interested in collaborating with researchers with a South Asia focus. To achieve this, I have founded the South Asia research cluster at the Canadian Sociological Association that offers early career researchers, graduate students and faculty working on South Asia an opportunity to connect and share ideas. The research cluster is designed to be a safe space for intellectual exchange. I am also interested in research opportunities in the broad domains of diaspora and migration studies, popular culture studies and nationalism studies and I am hopeful that the Scholars’ Connect program will help me access some meaningful research experience in these fields.
- Learn more about Shreyashi Ganguly
Shreyashi Ganguly (she/her)
PhD Candidate - York University, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities.
Language(s): English
Research Interests: My research looks at how the Indian diaspora in Canada practices long-distance nationalism through humour. It uses stand-up comedy as an avenue to probe into questions of national identity, belonging and exclusion.
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Ethnography;Media analysis; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Quantitative data management - STATA; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews
Past Experience: I have peer reviewed publications and experience as a Graduate Research Assistant on several projects.
Keif Godbout-Kinney (he/him)
My doctoral research focuses on the intersection of automation, human relations, and symbolic capital. I am interested in the rise of automation in the form of artificial intelligence and robotics, the potential implications for human relationality, and how we can make technological processes more just. My current research is on automation in hospitals, symbolic capital, and surgeon meaning-making and identity. I am also working to develop a sociology of robots/robotics and a sociology of artificial intelligence. I’m hoping to connect with scholars (students and faculty) undertaking work in technology, automation, and labour.
- Learn more about Keif Godbout-Kinney
Keif Godbout-Kinney (he/him)
PhD Candidate - Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities.
Language(s): English
Research Interests: Technology and Society, Automation, Artificial Intelligence, Social Robotics, Sociology of Robots, Sociology of AI, Sociology of Medicine, Sociology of Labour, Symbolic Capital.
Skills: Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Media analysis; Scoping literature reviews
Awards: I have won awards for teaching at my institution, as well as the Dean's Excellence award for academic achievement.
Past Experience: I have worked as an RA for a number of professors at multiple levels within my institution on projects ranging from queer ethnographies to surveys of university administrators. I have published in higher education, am currently co-authoring a second piece in higher education, and have several manuscripts in development in the field of automation, labour, and society.
Unfortunately, there have not been many opportunities for community engagement, but this is something I am very open to.
Susan Goli (she/her)
The intersection of discrimination and online interactions has always fascinated me, prompting my deep dive into online hate speech. The shifts in targets of hate speech piqued my curiosity, and I would like to gain a deeper understanding of how and why these changes happen. As I step into the CSA networking program, I am eager to engage with thought leaders and change-makers who share a commitment to promote equity and equality online. This program is not just a stepping stone for me but a launchpad to elevate my research to new global heights, where the impact can be felt across hate speech regulations while protecting free speech.
- Learn more about Susan Goli
Susan Goli (she/her)
PhD Student - Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: I work on racial inequality and discrimination and specifically focus on online hate speech on social media. I'll appreciate this opportunity to connect with a scholar in social media analysis and/or racial inequality areas.
Skills: Conducting interviews; Ethnography; Media analysis; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R
Awards: I receive funding as a PhD student from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Past Experience: Research assistance in the Collective Interchange (tailoring social media content for various events and occasions), working as a volunteer in The Rooms museum school program (guiding children toward museum tours, assisting them, and providing information regarding their questions), and copy editing for Symbolic Interactionism Journal.
Gabriel Lévesque (he/him)
My name is Gabriel Lévesque and I am a PhD student in Sociology and Tomlinson Doctoral Fellow at McGill University. I study regulatory power and the role of expertise in social processes. In my dissertation, I investigate the politics of regulatory change with a substantive focus on toxic substances in Canada and the United States. I hope this program is an opportunity to meet, share ideas with, as well as learn from faculty and students with similar interests.
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Gabriel Lévesque (He/Him)
PhD Student - McGill University, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Connecting with faculty and students working in similar research areas outside of my institution
Language(s): English; French
Research Interests: Political sociology; Environmental sociology; STS/expertise; Comparative-historical sociology
Skills: Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Writing grant applications
Awards: SSHRC/CGS-Bombardier; Tomlinson Fellowship; FRQSC
Past Experience:
Shayan Morshedi
My main research area is collective memory, social media, and social cognition. Based on previous research and work, I have experiences in disability inclusion, conservatism, and empathy too. I am familiar with both the quantitative and qualitative approaches. I am interested in collaboration with other students and faculties for research and thought-sharing.
- Learn more about Shayan Morshedi
Shayan Morshedi
PhD Student - Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: Collective memory, Social media, Social cognition
Skills: Conducting interviews; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews
Awards: Awarded as the best MA thesis in "The second national competition of graduate dissertations with a focus on preventing violence which was published in the period of 2015-2020" in Iran.
Past Experience:
Selected Working Experience: research associate at IDEA (2023-Ongoing), research and content advisor at Maghzijat Media (2021), and instructor teaching Fundamentals of Cognitive Science and Philosophy of Mind (2020-2022).
Selected Publications:
Morshedi, S. (2023). Why do some Violent Events stick in our Collective Memory while others Fade Away?. Sociology on the Rock, 23, 12-14.
Selected Lectures and Presentations:
Morshedi, S. “How to design research about Collective memory.” Guest Lecturer, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Research Design Course, 29 November 2023 & 25 March 2024
Morshedi, S. Content Analysis of Iranian Users’ Reactions on Social Media. Presentation at the 39th Annual Qualitative Analysis Conference and Couch-Stone Symposium; June 15, 2023; Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Morshedi, S. (2022, February). Fake News and Cognitive Science. Lecture presented at the Social Cognition Journal Club.
Morshedi, S. (2021, June). Conservative Mind. Lecture presented at the Tehran University's Cognitive & Social Sciences Study Group
J Overholser (Ze/Zir, They/Them)
J Overholser is a PhD student in sociology at the University of Calgary. They also hold an MA in gender studies (with distinction) from the University of Leeds. Zir research interests currently focus on trans and queer studies, fandom and fanworks, and intersectional queer approaches to traditional research methods. They also have a strong interest in pedagogy, primarily focused around making both academia and university learning environments more inclusive and accessible. J has worked as a research assistant for several different projects, employing a wide variety of research approaches, and often working with marginalized and vulnerable populations. Ze is most looking forward to participating in the Scholars Connect program to further grow their diverse network of fellow scholars for research, publishing, and teaching opportunities.
- Learn moe about J Overholser
J Overholser (Ze/Zir, They/Them)
PhD Student - University of Calgary, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities; Teaching/ Guest Speaker Opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: My primary research areas are: queer & trans studies, fandom & fan studies, popular culture, nerd culture, gender & sexuality, as well as assessible and inclusive teaching and learning methods. In particular, my dissertation focuses on how trans* individuals use online queer fanworks and fanwork spaces as an avenue for gender exploration and development. In terms of my pedagogical interests, my work focuses on using UDL and other key principles to improve both the accessibility and inclusivity of academia and university learning environments.
Skills: Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Media analysis;Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Qualitative data management - MAXQDA; Quantitative data management - STATA; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Semiotic/Visual analysis; Writing grant applications; Narrative Inquiry & Analysis, Community Engagement with Research; Data visualization/infographics; Informal communication
Awards: University of Calgary Teaching and Learning Grant; Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship (AGES) – International; University of Calgary Graduate Research Scholarship; Taylor Institute’s Conference on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching Registration Grant; University of Calgary Graduate Research Scholarship; Sociology Professors’ Entrance Scholarship.
Past Experience: I am currently a co-PI for a development and innovations project on teaching social research methods online. This project utilizes various EDIA and UDL principles and works in collaboration with university students to develop and refine an online version of the social research methods course offered in the sociology department at the University of Calgary. With this project, we have applied for and been awards the full funding needed, and I was awarded a separate Emerging Scholars supplement. I have held various research assistant positions and worked closely with different community service provider partners. I also worked on various knowledge mobilization projects during several RA positions to address gaps in resources identified by community members. Much of my background both outside of and within academia comes from working with 2SLGBTQ+ outreach organizations and programs to ensure that the work that I do continues to center the marginalized communities that I work with.
Obasanjo Oyedele (He/him)
I am interested in environmental activism among coastal communities where large-scale resource extraction intersects with intersectional issues of land sovereignty, resource control, inequality, poverty, environmental degradation, and climate change. In the area of development studies, I focus on Africa and its struggles to overcome socio-economic, cultural, environmental, and political challenges and how its relations with other parts of the world shape these realities. How these two large areas are portrayed or constructed in the media is very important to me. With this program, I want to learn from experienced scholars before me. I was a teacher and I want to teach again after my degree in Canada. Therefore, I need a mentor whom I could publish with and who will guide me into this noble career in Canada or elsewhere. I seek potential collaborations, remote assistantships, postdoctoral fellowships, and a full-time appointment as a lecturer after my degree. I seek face-to-face interactions with seasoned environmental sociologists in Canada and the USA for mentorship.
- Learn more about Obasanjo Oyedele
Obasanjo Oyedele (He/him)
PhD Student - Memorial University of Newfoundland, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: Environment, climate change, social movements, development, media, intersectionality
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative; Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative; Media analysis; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews
Awards: I received my first Ph.D. on climate change communication to farmers in Nigeria from the Department of Communication and Language Arts University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where I also had my first and second degrees (B.A. & M.A.), and was a Teaching Assistant for five years.
Past Experience: I was a research assistant to two lead researchers on grants won by the Department of Communication and Language Arts, University of Ibadan. Also in Nigeria, I was a lecturer and researcher at Bowen University Iwo, Osun State, and Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, before coming to Canada for another Ph.D. in environmental sociology. My research interests are in environment, social movements, development, climate change, health, and media. I have contributed more than twenty publications on some of these cross-disciplinary areas to scholarship and attended research training, summer schools and conferences both in Nigeria and abroad.
Karmvir Padda (She/Her)
Karmvir Padda is currently a Ph.D. Candidate [ABD status] in the Sociology and Legal Studies department at the University of Waterloo. She completed her MA in Criminology from Simon Fraser University. Her research mainly focuses on radicalization, extremists' use of the internet, right-wing extremism, online foreign interference (disinformation/misinformation), hate crime, research methods and methodology, and computational methods. Her research is generously supported by the Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship (SSHRC CGS-D). She also received a Scholar Award given by the International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.
- Learn more about Karmvir Padda
Karmvir Padda (She/Her)
PhD Candidate [ABD Status] - University of Waterloo, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Collaborating with faculty members outside my institution who work in similar research areas and exploring opportunities for co-publishing.
Language(s): English
Research Interests: Extremists' Use of the Internet, Radicalization, Extremism, Research Methods (quantitative and qualitative), and Computational Social Science.
Skills: Critical discourse ananlysis; Ethnography; Media analysis; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Semiotic/Visual analysis; Writing grant applications
Awards: Joseph-Armand Bombardier CGS Doctoral Scholarship (SSHRC CGS-D); President Scholarship; and P.E.O. Scholar Award.
Past Experience: I have more than six years of experience in research, during which I have co-published six book chapters and six journal articles. I am currently looking for opportunities to collaborate with. other scholars in the field, learn from their expertise, and share my own knowledge and skills with them.
Kayla Preston (she/her)
Kayla Preston is a PhD candidate in the department of sociology at the University of Toronto. Her areas of interest include student activism, the far right, gender, political sociology, and race and colonization. She has published research in Canadian Review of Sociology, Current Sociology, Men and Masculinities, New Media & Society, Postcolonial Studies, Journal of Critical Race Inquiry and in the edited collections Gendering Globalization, Globalizing Gender: Postcolonial Perspectives and The Ethics of Researching the Far Right. Kayla has also been featured discussing her above mentioned research interests on various Canadian media outlets such as CTV, Global News, Toronto Star and Toronto Radio. She has also written for The Conversation. She is interested in research opportunities, co-authorship, and building networks across Canada!
- Learn more about Kayla Preston
Kayla Preston (she/her)
PhD candidate - University of Toronto, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: I broadly research the far right in Canada and the United States. I am also interested in nationalism, social movements and student activism.
Skills: Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Ethnography; Media analysis; Qualitative data managment - NVivo; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Writing grant applications
Awards: Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships- Doctoral- Social Science and Humanities Research Council- University of Toronto; C. David Naylor University Scholarship- University of Toronto; S.D. Clark Fellowship – University of Toronto; Sociology Admission Merit Award- University of Toronto.
Past Experience: Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles; Book Chapters; Graduate Research Assistant andInterviewer/Interview; Research Assistant for manuscript preparation.
Gillian Robinson (she/her)
Gillian Robinson is a white settler school teacher in Alberta, Canada, living on amiskwaciwâskahikan. She has been a classroom social studies teacher for sixteen years and is a PhD candidate of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta, where she is an instructor and an instructional coach. Her passion lies in the work of anti-oppressive education, with a specific focus on queer and trans theory and sexual violence. She aims to improve queer-inclusive policy frameworks for better student outcomes, while mobilizing the work of Black, Indigenous, and feminist of color theorists to understand how institutional whiteness blocks transformative change in schools. Her research interests include queer studies, anti-oppressive education, institutional whiteness, sexuality in schools, and sexual health education.
- Learn more about Gillian Robinson
Gillian Robinson (she/her)
PhD candidate - University of Alberta, Educational Policy Studies, Social Justice and International Studies
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English; French
Research Interests: Queer studies, anti-oppressive education, institutional whiteness, sexual health education, and sexuality in schools
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Critical discourse ananlysis; Research project coordination; Writing grant applications
Awards: Graduate Student Teaching Award; SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship; Faculty of Education Nominee for SSHRC Impact Talent Award; Benita Mayers and Orville Fifield Award for Sexual Health.
Past Experience: Research assistant on Ministry of Alberta Education funded project Compulsory Aboriginal Education Coursework Toward a Revised TQS Implementation and Compliance; Published article and reader, peer review and editing.
Zhen Wang (She/her)
I am an ex-accountant turned sociology PhD student, and my research interests include economic sociology, financialization, and organizational studies. My current work focuses on behavioral differences among large, medium, and small banks in the U.S. since deregulation, particularly in risk-taking. Another project investigates smaller banks in Canada on their practices and strategies to survive in a concentrated market with rigorous financial regulations. I am a quantitative researcher (mainly in R), and I engage theories from institutional studies, social networks, and financialization in my work. I look forward to meeting folks from institutions across Canada with similar research interests and forming connections for potential research assistant and co-publishing opportunities.
- Learn more about Zhen Wang
Zhen Wang (She/her)
PhD Student - University of Toronto, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Research Assistant opportunities; Community engagement opportunities; Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English
Research Interests: My research interests include economic sociology, financialization, and organizational studies. My current research focuses on behavioral differences among large, medium, and small banks in the U.S. since deregulation, particularly in the realm of risk-taking. Another project investigates smaller banks in Canada on their practices and strategies to survive in a concentrated market with rigorous financial regulations. From studying commercial banks, I aim to theorize how institutions of different sizes react to macroeconomic shifts in general through institutional and network theories.
Skills: Critical discourse ananlysis; Quantitative data management - SPSS or R; Research project coordination; Scoping literature reviews; Writing grant applications
Awards: Canada Graduate Scholarship - Doctoral Award (CGS D) by SSHRC; Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS); University of Toronto Fellowship; Raymond Breton Graduate Scholarship at University of Toronto; Sociology Admission Merit Award at University of Toronto.
Past Experience: I have presented my research at the American Sociological Association (ASA), the Canadian Sociological Association (CSA), and the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) annual conferences. I am a graduate student intern for the Socio-Economic Review (SER) journal. I am a co-manager for the CSA economic sociology cluster, and I am an editor for the ASA Economic Sociology Section Account Newsletter. I have a co-authored paper in progress on asset inflation, wage stagnation, monetary/fiscal policies, and multiple other research assistance projects in the areas of economic sociology and organizational studies.
Tori Shucheng Yang (she/they)
Tori Shucheng Yang is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of British Columbia. My research interests include transnational migration, gender and sexuality, and social theory. My dissertation explores the intersectional identities and migration trajectories of Chinese LGBTQ+ migrants in the United States and Canada. Through this program, I hope to seek mentorship outside of my home department and foster more research opportunities.
- Learn more about Tori Shucheng Yang
Tori Shucheng Yang (she/they)
PhD Student – University of British Columbia, Department of Sociology
Program Goals: Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution; Co-publishing opportunities
Language(s): English, Chinese
Research Interests: LGBTQ+, migration, gender, social theory
Skills: Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews; Qualitative data management - MAXQDA; Quantitative data management - STATA
Awards: Patricia Marchak International Research Scholarship in Sociology; Kurt and Anne Paulus Memorial Scholarship in Sociology (2022); President's Academic Excellence Initiative PhD Award (2020)
Past Experience: Research assistant
Student List
| Student | Program Goals | Skills | Learn More |
| Ahmed, M |
Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Designing and conducting surveys - qualitativ Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Research project coordination Writing grant applications Data visualization/infographics |
|
| Amoah, D |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities Mentorship and networking opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Quantitative data management - STATA Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews Semiotic/Visual analysis Writing grant applications Monitoring and evaluation (M&E), transcription, content analysis |
|
| Bonnell, K |
Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Ethnography Qualitative data managment - NVivo |
|
| Cavanagh, J |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities Guest lecture/speaker opportunities |
Conducting interviews Ethnography Qualitative data managment - NVivo Qualitative data management - MAXQDA Research project coordination Translation Archival/Document Analyses Thematic/Content Analyses |
Professional Website |
| Chau, A |
Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities Teaching opportunities |
Conducting focus groups; Conducting interviews Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative Ethnography Media analysis Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews Writing grant applications Teaching – undergraduate courses |
|
| Dicks, H |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Quantitative data management - STATA Research project coordination Writing grant applications |
|
| Erfani, R |
Research assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty and students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Critical discourse analysis Designing and conducting surveys – qualitative Designing and conducting surveys – quantitative Ethnography Media analysis Qualitative data managment – Nvivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews Semiotic/Visual analysis Writing grant applications |
|
| Ganguly, S |
Research Assistant opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Ethnography Media analysis Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Quantitative data management - STATA Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews |
|
| Godbout-Kinney, K |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Media analysis Scoping literature reviews |
|
| Goli, S |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Ethnography Media analysis Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R |
|
| Lévesque, G | Connecting with faculty and students working in similar research areas outside of my institution |
Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Writing grant applications |
|
| Morshedi, S |
Research Assistant opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews |
|
| Overholser, J |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities Teaching/ Guest Speaker Opportunities |
Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Media analysis Qualitative data managment - NVivo Qualitative data management - MAXQDA Quantitative data management - STATA Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews Semiotic/Visual analysis Writing grant applications Narrative Inquiry & Analysis, Community Engagement with Research Data visualization and infographics Informal communication |
|
| Oyedele, O |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Designing and conducting surveys - quantitative Media analysis Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews |
|
| Padda, K |
Collaborating with faculty members outside my institution who work in similar research areas Co-publishing opportunities |
Critical discourse ananlysis Ethnography Media analysis Qualitative data managment - NVivo Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews Semiotic/Visual analysis Writing grant applications |
|
| Preston, K |
Research Assistant opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Ethnography Media analysis Qualitative data managment - NVivo Research project coordinatio Scoping literature reviews Writing grant applications |
|
| Robinson, G |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Research project coordination Writing grant applications |
|
| Sherry, L |
Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Critical discourse ananlysis Designing and conducting surveys - qualitative Qualitative data management - MAXQDA Scoping literature reviews Writing grant applications Indigenous Research Storywork |
|
| Wang, Z |
Research Assistant opportunities Community engagement opportunities Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Critical discourse ananlysis Quantitative data management - SPSS or R Research project coordination Scoping literature reviews Writing grant applications |
|
| Yang, T |
Connecting with faculty working in similar research areas outside of my institution Connecting with students working in similar research areas outside of my institution Co-publishing opportunities |
Conducting focus groups Conducting interviews Qualitative data management - MAXQDA Quantitative data management - STATA |