Each Month the Connected Mind's EDI Committee selects 1-2 professors to feature on our Monthly Musings page.
Professors are recommended for our highlight program, through our online Nomination Package. We encourage you to nominate a colleague to be featured in next month's newsletter.
We encourage you to read through each Professor's page, and learn more about the exciting work Connected Minds members are working on that have lead them to be leaders in their Communities. New members are highlighted every month, perhaps your leadership (or a colleague's) efforts will be on our site next!
Associate Professor, Queen's University
As lead of Connected Minds' EDI committee, plays a pivotal role in driving EDI initiatives within our community. Leveraging his extensive expertise, he has been closely collaborating with Andrew Castillo, EDI & Community Outreach Specialist, and committee members to help develop our EDI action plan.
Beyond his leadership at Connected Minds, Dr. DePaul holds several positions. As Co-PI of the , he co-leads the evaluation and expansion of the program, co-created with older adults to promote healthy aging in retirement communities across Canada. His other collaborative research focuses on stroke mobility recovery, technology in assessment and intervention, and rehabilitation access in low resource environments.
Furthermore, Dr. DePaul has served as Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigeneity, and Accessibility (EDIIA) Lead for the and the within Queen's Health Sciences (QHS). His work towards reconciliation includes serving on the QHS TRC Calls to Action Response Committee, Indigenous Health Education Working Group and mentoring in the program. As Chair of the MScPT Admissions committee, he has championed equitable access for Indigenous and historically excluded student groups. Dr. DePaul's multifaceted contributions underscore his commitment to creating positive societal impact and driving meaningful change in academic and community settings.
Associate Professor,
91亚色
Professor Sean Hillier, a Mi鈥檏maw scholar from the Qalipu First Nation, is the Associate Director of Connected Minds and Director of 91亚色's Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages (CIKL), and the 91亚色 Research Chair in Indigenous Health Policy & One Health.
Professor Hillier demonstrates leadership in decolonization/Indigenization and equity through roles as Chair of the Indigenous Council at 91亚色, Co-Chair of the Working Group on Anti-Black and Anti-Indigenous Racism, and current member of the National Interagency Panel on Research Ethics. He also serves as the president of the and formal on the Board of the
His work with the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network has produced key policy papers on Canada鈥檚 COVID-19 response for Indigenous Peoples. He ranks 3rd in Canada and 7th in North America for research on Alaska Natives, First Nations, and Substance-Related Disorders.
Professor Hillier鈥檚 research spans community engagement, aging, living with HIV and other infectious diseases, and One Health all with a focus on policies affecting health care access for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We celebrate his contributions as a leader in our community and his dedication to advancing community based responses to health equity and social justice with Indigenous communities.
Associate Professor,
91亚色
Dr. Shital Desai, co-lead of the Connected Minds Training Committee & Associate Professor in Interaction Design at AMPD, also holds the 91亚色 Research Chair in Accessible Interaction Design. With nearly 30 years of experience in Robotics & Human-Centered Design, she leads the , supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation. Her work focuses on creating inclusive technologies that advance the UN SDGs, especially in Health and Well-being.
Her research focuses on developing assistive technologies for vulnerable groups, including seniors, children, neurodivergent individuals, & those with speech, physical, cognitive impairments, or dementia, using human-centered design methods. Dr. Desai, a member of the WHO Dementia Knowledge Exchange, contributes to global health policies & care systems. She has received the 2021-22 AMPD Dean鈥檚 Research Award & the Petro Canada Young Innovator Award, & was nominated for the 2023 Postdoctoral Supervisor of the Year Award. As a semi-finalist for the Longitude Dementia Award, she collaborates with researchers in Canada, the UK, & the Netherlands to develop dementia cueing technologies.
Dr. Susan Boehnke has extensive experience teaching foundational & interdisciplinary Neuroscience, including sessions on Neuromarketing & Neurolaw, leads Queen's (NTMC), & conducts research in the fields of sensory, motor & cognitive neuroscience. As lead of the Training Committee, Dr. Boehnke has been instrumental in advancing EDI within the committee.
Recently, Dr. Boehnke & Dr. Desai hosted a strategy meeting where they discussed best practices in peer review, proposed valuable ideas to encourage applications from equity-deserving groups, & focused on building community among trainees, especially Black & Indigenous students. Dr. Boehnke is also dedicated to making NTMC more accessible for trainees & plans on developing modules that integrate EDI within her program.
Associate Professor,
Queen's University
Associate Professor,
91亚色
Ruth Green, Associate Professor & Director of the School of Social Work at 91亚色, is a citizen of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy from the Kanien'keh谩 Nation, & a member of the Turtle Clan. As a vocal member of the EDI committee, she has provided invaluable insights on how EDI can be embedded across various Connected Minds opportunities. Ruth is the Chair of the Indigenous Research Ethics Board at 91亚色 & has served as the co-chair of the Indigenous Council at 91亚色, as well as the Special Advisor to the President on Indigenous Initiatives. Her work in Indigenous education & addressing social issues makes her a key leader in fostering inclusivity within Connected Minds.
Gerome Manson, Assistant Professor at Queen's University, has been a dynamic & vocal member of the Connected Minds EDI Committee. Gerome is also the PI in the at Queen鈥檚 University. His research examines the processes underlying how humans plan, control, & learn skilled movements. His insightful contributions have been invaluable in embedding EDI across various initiatives within the program. He is also a member of the Training Committee, where he is deeply committed to supporting our trainees. His dedication to fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment is helping shape the future of Connected Minds.
Assistant Professor,
Queen's University
Assistant Professor,
Queen's University
Dolleen Manning, an interdisciplinary artist & Queen鈥檚 National Scholar in Anishinaabe Language, Knowledge, & Culture at Queen鈥檚 University, integrates Anishinaabe ontology and mnidoo interrelationality into her work. A member of Kettle & Stoney Point First Nation, her research challenges academic norms through storytelling & community-engaged methods. She leads Earthdiver: Land-Based Worlding & co-directs the Peripheral Visions Co-Lab, advancing Indigenous knowledge & artistic practice while deepening our understanding of Anishinaabe philosophies.
Joseph DeSouza, Associate Professor at 91亚色, advocates for revitalizing n锚hiyaw锚win (Cree) and its healing power for Indigenous communities. His work alongside Belinda Daniels, Assistant Professor at University of Victoria and Founder of the Summer Language Experience, integrates neuroscience with Indigenous language revitalization to explore how re/learning n锚hiyaw锚win impacts holistic health. Joseph's research supports Treaty obligations, preserving Cree language, identity, and well-being for future generations, with a broad impact on Connected Minds and beyond.
Associate Professor,
91亚色
Assistant Professor,
91亚色
Rebecca Caines, an Assistant Professor at 91亚色's School of Media, Performance, & Design, is deeply committed to co-creation & interdisciplinary collaboration. As a Connected Minds Seed Grant recipient, her research connects fine arts, engineering, neuroscience, & Indigenous knowledge systems to address complex social challenges. Through her work with the , she emphasizes community engagement & the development of socially responsible technologies. Rebecca鈥檚 innovative approach fosters meaningful partnerships between academia & communities, advancing both creative practices & knowledge mobilization.
Assistant Professor,
91亚色
Amanda van Beinum is an Assistant Professor at 91亚色 and one of the Connected Minds EDI Committee members. Her research explores the tensions and opportunities between disciplines like sociology of health & medicine, science and technology studies, critical posthumanism, and medical ethics. As a member of the , her current work explores embodied social and technological aspects of brain stimulation technologies as emerging therapies for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. As a member of the EDI Committee, she is constantly pushing for new ways to integrate EDI throughout the entire program.
Keyvan Hashtrudi-Zaad, Professor at Queen鈥檚 University, explores applications of control & intelligent systems in haptics & telerobotics, robotic rehabilitation, & autonomous driving. His research in the control of telerobotic systems is considered as seminal work in the field. He was recently awarded a Connected Minds Seed Grant focusing on developing a home-based robotic rehabilitation system to help stroke survivors regain arm & hand functionality by practicing real-life tasks. In collaboration with a researcher from Providence Care Hospital, the project integrates input from stroke survivors & therapists to ensure the system is engaging, safe, & effective, while addressing potential racial & ethnic differences in stroke outcomes through a diverse sample of participants.
Professor,
Queen's University
Assistant Professor,
Queen's University
Catherine Stinson is an Assistant Professor & Queen鈥檚 National Scholar in Philosophical Implications of AI. As a member of the inaugural EDI Committee at Connected Minds, they helped with the initial development of program initiatives to be launched in 2025. They have an extensive publication history in the philosophy of neuroscience, psychiatry & AI, & tech policy. Their current research interests include algorithmic bias in recommendation & search, regulation of social media platforms, how diversity affects research, the metaphysics of scientific models, the medicalization of gender, & data science for anti-racist advocacy.
Alvine Boaye Belle
Assistant Professor,
91亚色
Alvine Boaye Belle is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at 91亚色. As a member of the inaugural EDI Committee at Connected Minds, Dr. Belle has helped with the development & launch of several Connected-EDI initiatives. Dr. Belle has extensive leadership experience within the field of EDI, & has participated in several mentoring talks to increase the inclusion of Black students in the field of computer science. As the head of the DARE research group, member of several international committees, reviewer of serval high impact journals, & award winning poet, Dr. Belle is working towards the inclusive betterment of the computer science field through her work at & beyond Connected Minds.
Associate Professor,
Queen's University
Claire Davies is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at Queen鈥檚. Having volunteered at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, she has dedicated her research career to improve the lives of people with disabilities by covering three main areas: biomaterials, motion analysis & assistive technology. Through interdisciplinary work, Prof. Davies collaborates with clinicians & engineers to design medical technologies in her Building & Designing Assistive Technology (BDAT) Lab in hopes of increasing productiveness of all individuals to be more confident members of society.
Mahtot Gebresselassie is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change at 91亚色. Prof. Gebresselassie鈥檚 research focuses on Uber/Lyft & transportation equity in relation to people with disabilities & low-income earners. Through studying disabled accessibility in human-computer interactions, smart mobility policy & accessibility in urban design, Prof. Gebresselassie鈥檚 research engages with emerging tech & equity. Her recent Connected Minds Seed Grant, "Developing an AI-Based Tool for Optimizing Disability Accessibility of Pedestrian Networks in Marginalized Neighborhoods." will help transform pedestrian networks into inclusive pathways, supporting equitable access to transportation in marginalized communities.
Assistant Professor,
91亚色
Associate Professor, Queen's University
Eun-Young Lee is an Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Studies at Queen鈥檚, an Affiliated Investigator with the Children鈥檚 Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute & the Institute of Sport Science at Seoul National University. As Team Lead of the lab, their research is focused on bridging social issues & theories with quantitative research methodology to advance population health in cross-cultural & global contexts. Their impactful research on children鈥檚 physical activity parallels the community-level impact they provide by participating on the board of children鈥檚 physical education programs, & , & as co-founder of . As a member of the Climate Action Committee for the , they continue to demonstrate the impacts of collaborative work to solve global challenges for a better future.
Ozzy Mermut is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Science at 91亚色. Her research in biophotonics converges optical & life sciences by harnessing the power of light to study structural-functional changes in humans in the aging processes. As lead of the , the team is focused on developing pre-diagnostic metrics & intelligent phototherapeutic approaches for minimally invasive, real-time interventions from studying hallmark feature of degenerative diseases. Her recent CM Seed Grant, 鈥Erasing Racism in Optical Technologies鈥 aims to identify & eliminate racial bias in optical devices by evaluating the accuracy of optical devices based on their responses to variations in skin melanin. By collaborating with the & , the project seeks to establish new standards for more inclusive optical technologies.
Ozzy Mermut
Associate Professor,
91亚色
Associate Professor, Queen's University
Monakshi Sawhney is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Science at Queen鈥檚. Dr. Sawhney鈥檚 main focus of research is in pain management & has helped increase awareness regarding EDI issues in healthcare & educational settings. At the individual level, she has mentored a student developing a pilot study evaluating post-surgery pain assessments in patients of different ethnic backgrounds using video vignettes. She helped create the that assists students & faculty learn how to navigate racism in hospital settings, resulting in 2 peer reviewed manuscripts evaluating their experiences. At the national level, she鈥檚 working on addressing bias in the healthcare system using participatory theatre, presenting her work on equity in healthcare education & evaluating AI enhanced virtual reality simulation in nursing education across Canada & the Caribbean. Her experience & leadership has allowed her to take on the role of EDI lead within the School of Nursing at Queen's University.
Post-Doctoral Fellow,
91亚色
Frederic Fu is a Postdoc Fellow at 91亚色 in 鈥檚 Data & Text Analytics Lab () in the School of Health Policy & Management. Dr. Fu is also one of two trainee reps on the Connected Minds EDI Committee.
Dr. Fu鈥檚 research interests lie in computerized, statistics-based public health research, currently with a specific focus on analyzing neurological & mental health risks among people experiencing homelessness (PEH). His innovative data collection strategies have helped to better understand the health disparities faced by PEH through active engagement with affected communities, nonprofit organization, & community partners providing real world-contexts & culturally sensitive & effective interventions to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations in Canada.
His work has been published in several public health journal, presented internationally & continues to positively impact both scholarly research & community impact!
Assistant Professor,
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science,
Queen鈥檚 University
is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Queen鈥檚 University combining numerical modelling, community engagement, fieldwork and laboratory analysis together in their research.
Dr. Devoie鈥檚 transdisciplinary research focuses on responsible and productive ways to study the impact of climate change impacting frozen soils, and how these changes are felt, especially by communities directly affected by thawing permafrost. Dr. Devoie is helping to lead work in responsible community engagement and improving predictive capacity of climate change in permafrost environments by combining modelling and fieldwork. By bringing together researchers across unique disciplines and Indigenous community members they are working together to co-create and develop nuanced research questions that align with community priorities and drive the study of hydrology and hydrogeology forward.
Two Connected Minds members are being highlighted as recipients of the inaugural EDI Committee Member Initiated Funds opportunity at Connected. Each member has established strong connections with local, international and/or Indigenous communities ensuring projects are focused on community needs. and demonstrated how impactful co-creating projects build sustainability in community and more inclusive research practices for the future.
Artist-in-Residence,
Connected Minds
Project Title: 鈥淏iometrics & Cartoons鈥 Community Initiatives
, Artist in Residence (Connected Minds)
Organized and facilitated a workshop series 鈥溾 exposing biometric concepts (technical and sociocultural) to students and professionals in the Jane & Finch community, prioritizing minoritized folks and learners of colour. Through partnering with 91亚色鈥檚 TD Engagement Community Centre (TD CEC), 91亚色 Jane Finch Social Innovation Hub (JFSIH), and Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character-Led Education (YAAACE), to promote, coordinate space and facilities, and disseminate workshop material to the community for future summer and fall programming, respectively.
Associate Professor,
Film & Media,
Queen's University
Project Title: Post-Exhibition Strategies: Exploring Critical and Multisensorial Access to Digital Arts
, Associate Professor, Film & Media, Queen鈥檚 University
This initiative supports an ongoing collaboration with grassroots association Zentrum f眉r Netzkunst (Center for Netart) to increase accessibility to new media and technological arts. Zentrum has identified key barriers to audience engagement, low technological literacy, lack of resources, and sensory disabilities, the project combines curatorial and participatory research to explore how accessibility-first strategies reshape media production. It includes two main activities: integrating local community members with disabilities into Zentrum鈥檚 programming committee to identify accessibility challenges and accompanying mediation strategies, and hosting a workshop on 鈥渧ersioning鈥 artworks to enhance accessibility, especially in immersive virtual environments. The project fosters inclusion, and supports knowledge exchange through Zentrum鈥檚 online presence and networks across Canada, Europe, and Latin America.
Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell, C.Psych, FCAHS,
Professor, Faculty of Health,
91亚色
Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell, C.Psych., FCAHS, is a Professor of Clinical-Developmental Psychology in the Faculty of Health at 91亚色. As the Director of the Opportunities to Understand Childhood Hurt (OUCH) Laboratory, Dr. Pillai Riddell currently leads a multi-national, multi-million dollar research program that studies preterm infants and their parents in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Outside of her lab work, she has also been involved extensively in supporting EDI initiatives in research contexts at both the institutional and federal levels. She is the founding director of the POLARIS training collaboration to teach academics how to adjudicate faculty for awards and jobs inclusively. Additionally she is the Nominated Principal Investigator for DIVERT Mental Health, 聽a multi-million-dollar CIHR-funded national training program setting out to disrupt the Canadian mental health system by innovating curriculum for mental health trainees, focusing on more diverse knowledges and leveraging technology to increase access to mental health resources.聽
Two Connected Minds members are being highlighted as recipients of the EDI Committee Member Initiated Funds opportunity at Connected. Each member has established strong connections with local, international and/or Indigenous communities ensuring projects are focused on community needs. and demonstrated how impactful co-creating projects build sustainability in community and more inclusive research practices for the future.
,
Associate Professor,
Glendon,
91亚色
Project Title: How to Care: Mentorship, Wellness, and Community-Driven Initiatives for EDI
is an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Communications and Cultures at Glendon College at 91亚色. Prof. Harvey鈥檚 initiative aims to bring together internationally tech-focused experts with the scholarly and practical knowledge to share and develop community-led strategies for EDI. The initiative bridges disciplinary silos and centers around hosting a local workshop, international symposium, and an edited collection based on the exchanges.
,
Artist-in-Residence,
Connected Minds
Project Title: UNDOCTORED: Investigating the Mental Health Crisis in STEM Higher Ed
is an Artist-in-Residence at Connected Minds. Their project, UNDOCTORED: Investigating the Mental Health Crisis in STEM Higher Ed, is focused on conducting interviews on mental health, IBPOC/BIPOC identity, and the culture of STEM research. By conducting and transforming these interviews into visual stories, and by sharing personal experiences as BIPOC STEM researchers and practitioners, the project goal will amplify both longstanding inequities and best academic practices that value people over published papers.
Assistant Professor,
School of Rehabilitation Therapy,
Queen鈥檚 University
is an Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen鈥檚 University. As a neurological physiotherapist, Prof. Fakolade鈥檚 research is focused on understanding the impact of disability on both people with disabilities, particularly multiple sclerosis, and their family caregivers, and developing effective intervention strategies to enhance their collective well-being to lead healthy and meaningful lives. Her research examines factors influencing wellness needs, outcomes and experiences, exploring the role of remotely delivered interventions using technology-support tools for wellness programming, and developing and evaluating theoretically grounded wellness interventions for people with multiple sclerosis and their family care-partners.