Grad Chat - Queen's School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs

Dr. Sylvia Pinheiro (Psychology) – Children’s Sharing Behaviours Online

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:01:47 +0000

Join Dr. Slyvia Pinherio, a lab coordinator and researcher in Psychology, for a discussion of her current research project which explores children’s sharing behaviour online. See more of her work with the Social Cognition Lab!

Sophia Charyna (English) – Imagining New Divinities in Twentieth Century Speculative Fiction.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:21:28 +0000

Join Sophia Charyna (English) for a discussion of her research which is titled Imagining New Divinities in Twentieth Century Speculative Fiction.

Chris Greencorn (History) – Race and authenticity in Helen Creighton’s collection of Nova Scotian folk culture

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000

Join Chris Greencorn (History) for a discussion of his research on race and authenticity in Helen Creighton’s collection of Nova Scotian folk culture.

Associate Dean Dr. Ian Matheson – Research Program and New Role

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:03:31 +0000

Join new Associate Dean Dr. Ian Matheson to learn about his research and his new role in the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Hannah Burrows (Psychology) – Dog-human relationships

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:01:54 +0000

Join Hanna Burrows (Psychology) for a discussion of her research on dog-human relationships.

Maximilian Biezenski (Philosophy) – The contemporary significance of Stoic Ethics

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:00:53 +0000

Join Maximilian Biezenski (Philosophy) for a discussion of his research on the contemporary significance of Stoic Ethics.

Anna Smythe (Classics) – Epigraphy, or everyday writing, from subordinate people in pre-Hellenistic Greece

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:15:20 +0000

Join Anna Smythe (Classics) for a discussion of their research on epigraphy, or everyday writing, from subordinate people in pre-Hellenistic Greece.

Getachew Tadese (Rehabilitation Sciences) the role of community-based rehabilitation programming in enabling formal and natural supports for person’s with disabilities and their families in Ethiopia

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:30:45 +0000

Join Getachew Tadese (Rehabilitation Sciences) for a discussion of his work on the role of community-based rehabilitation programming in enabling formal and natural supports for person’s with disabilities and their families in Ethiopia.

Rachel Korchinsky (Chemistry) and Prama Roy (Environmental Studies) on the Contaminants of Emerging Concern – Research Excellence Network

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:00:06 +0000

Join Rachel Korchinsky (Chemistry) and Prama Roy (Environmental Studies) for a discussion of their work as the Youth Public Outreach and Education Coordinators for the Contaminants of Emerging Concern – Research Excellence Network (CEC-REN).

Abigail Bergeron (Philosophy) – Albert Borgmann and the role of technology in modern life

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:29:31 +0000

Join Abigail Bergeron (Philosophy) for a discussion of her dissertation research on American philosopher Albert Borgmann (1937-2023) and his work on the role of technology in modern life.

KM on the FM and Suyin the DJ Bear – Fall Wrap Up Part 2

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:25:27 +0000

Join KM on the FM and Suyin the DJ Bear for a discussion of events, workshops, and support services on campus to explore in 2026.

KM on the FM and Suyin the DJ Bear – Fall Wrap Up Part 1

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:02:07 +0000

Join KM on the FM and Suying the DJ Bear for a review of Grad Chat in Fall 2025.

Dr. Chikezirim Nwoke (Geography and Planning) – Tech-in-to-the-Future: Immigration, Black Youth Empowerment, and Digital Technology in Canada’s Shifting Economy

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:14:32 +0000

Join Dr. Chikezirim Nwoke, a SSHRC postdoc in Geography and Planning, for a discussion of his research “Tech-in-to-the-Future” which explores immigration, Black youth empowerment, and digital technology in Canada’s shifting economy.

Ramtin Mojtahedi (Computing) – Deep learning approaches for liver cancer segmentation, tumour-type classification, and survival prediction from contrast-enhanced CT imaging

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 18:11:33 +0000

Join Ramtin Mojtahedi (Computing) for a discussion of his PhD research on deep learning approaches for liver cancer segmentation, tumour-type classification, and survival prediction from contrast-enhanced CT imaging. Ramtin is open to discussing his research further and can be reached at ramtin.mojtahedi@queensu.ca.

Barb Lotan, Manager of Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Services, Overview of Supports and Services Available

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:27:28 +0000

This week, join Barb Lotan, Manager of Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Services, to learn about the many supports and services the office provides to the Queen’s community.

Emily Croft (Art History) – The development of archaeological museums in Sardinia, Italy between 1861-1939

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:50:54 +0000

Join Emily Croft (Art History) for a discussion of her dissertation research on the development of archaeological museums in Sardinia, Italy between 1861-1939.

Rachel Korchinsky (Chemistry) – Forward osmosis followed by reverse osmosis for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern using a CO2-responsive draw agent

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:08:15 +0000

Join Rachel Korchinsky (Chemistry) for a discussion of her PhD research which utilizes forward osmosis followed by reverse osmosis for the removal of contaminants of emerging concern using a CO2-responsive draw agent. Rachel also discusses her work as a member of Q-ACS (the Queen’s University International Student Chapter of the American Chemical Society).

Emily Ferguson (Kinesiology) – Mitochondrial responses to skeletal muscle-disuse

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:16:01 +0000

This week, join Emily Ferguson (Kinesiology) as she explains her PhD research on mitochondrial responses to skeletal muscle-disuse and other exciting projects happening in the McGlory Lab. To learn more, check out https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat .

Kana Ogawa (Translational Medicine) – The generation of alternative transcripts as a means of regulating phosphorylation in sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:02:07 +0000

Join Kana Ogawa (Translational Medicine) for a discussion of her Master’s research on the generation of alternative transcripts as a means of regulating phosphorylation in sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma. For more information check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Mateus Karvat Camara (Computing) Collaborative Perception Under Adverse Weather Conditions

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:41:31 +0000

Join Mateus Karvat Camara this week for a discussion of his Master’s thesis exploring how collaborative perception can be used to improve autonomous vehicle operation under adverse weather conditions. For more information check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Alicia Cuzner (Education) Decolonizing Educational Environments: An Analysis of Experiences Shared by Educators in the National Capital Region

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 17:44:53 +0000

This week, join Alicia Cuzner for a discussion of her Master of Education research on decolonizing education in the classroom, specifically in the National Capital Region. For more information check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Shelagh Rogers and Colette Steer – Communication Skills

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 13:09:48 +0000

Join CJ the DJ for a very special episode with Queen’s University Chancellor Shelagh Rogers! The show focuses on the importance of strong communication skills, storytelling, and being a good listener. Chancellor Rogers also shares about her career in radio and TV which all started at CFRC. For more information check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Photo by: Johnny C.Y. Lam.

Jessica Caravaggio (English) – Young Adult Fiction, Feminist Theory, and Fandom Studies

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 19:16:39 +0000

Join Jessica Caravaggio (English) for a discussion of her research Fantasy, Fandom, and Feminist Community-Building which explores the connections of young adult fiction, feminist theory, and fandom studies in different communities of readers.

For more information check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Grad Chat Transitions

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:28:48 +0000

This week’s show is hosted by Suyin the DJ Bear. Suyin the DJ Bear interviews CJ the DJ, Colette Steer, and KM on the FM, Katie-Marie McNeill, about Grad Chat’s history and future. As you may have heard, CJ the DJ is retiring from her role at Queen’s University, and she has passed hosting duties of Grad Chat to her colleague KM on the FM.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Peash Saha (Computing) – Improving Efficiency of Societal Services for the Vulnerable through Algorithmic Approach

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 May 2025 20:28:51 +0000

A social choice represents the collective decision of the individuals based on their preferences over the alternatives. There are societal services operated by governmental or non-governmental organizations which implement a social choice model. For example, the allocation of shelters to homeless individuals considers both the preferences of homeless individuals and the shelters. However, the preferences of such vulnerable populations may not be as structured as required in the system for them to receive an effective service. Peash’s research focus is on building a unified preference system to reflect the unconventionality in the natural preferences of the vulnerable attempting to access such services. The novel fairness criteria are defined as an end goal of such allocation of services to improve the service for more individuals and broader communities. Peash designs algorithmic solutions to satisfy such fairness requirements on unified preference models. The research outcome has the potential to improve the operational efficiency of ongoing societal services by providing services to more individuals as required.

Bhavya Bogra (Geography) – Travel Needs of Older Adult Women in Mid-Sized Canadian cities

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:19:47 +0000

With Canada’s aging population and rising immigration rates, this research explores the unique transportation challenges faced by older adult women—both local-born and immigrants—in mid-sized Canadian cities.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Nithikaa Shashikanth (Rehabilitation Science) – Parent-Administered Sensorimotor Intervention (PASI) Program

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:49:39 +0000

Nithikaa looks at the effect of the Parent-Administered Sensorimotor Intervention (PASI) on the developmental outcomes in infants born preterm at 18 months of age and to determine the long-term impact of this program.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Nikta Sadati (English Literature) – Afrofuturism and Diaspora Studies

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:02:53 +0000

Nikta’s research for my dissertation, titled “Queer Remembering: Fractured Memory and Haunted Futures in Contemporary Novels of the Black Diaspora,” focuses on the contemporary re-imagining of archiving Black pasts and futures in Afrofuturist, diasporic, fantasy novels. The authors and texts that I examine refuse the fluidity of time and truth, opting for fantastical representations of space and history. These alternative representations range from ghosts and possessions, to imagining a dystopic life in space. I call these alternative modes of memory, imagination, and geography queer re-membering in the Black diaspora.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Danielle Harper (Pathology & Molecular Medicine) – Genetic disruption to decrease breast cancer metastasis

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:44:59 +0000

Danielle studies triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive breast cancer subtype associated with poor survival. Unlike other subtypes for which there are targeted therapies, treatment options for TNBC are limited. In order to better understand the biology underlying TNBC, she studies a family of proteins called calpains.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Margot Smith (Geography) – An Astrobiologists’s study of lipids in spring waters up in the high Arctic

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:18:45 +0000

The Arctic is host to cold, hypersaline, perennial springs that flow through 600m of permafrost. I studied 44 samples from cores, sediments, filtrates and microbial mats from these springs. Surficial life at these springs has been studied for decades, but this is the first investigation that looks at the deep subsurface life. This is of interest as a Mars analogue site for deep subsurface life on Mars.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Basmah Rahman (English Literature) – Canadian BIPOC Literature and Educational Pedagogies

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:10:23 +0000

Canadian provincial education systems play a vital role in developing the social and academic interests of youth who, typically, spend over thirty hours in classrooms per week. Yet, significant consistency in terms of provincial guidelines and teacher booklists restrict these classrooms’ approaches to diverse literary content. The lack of both diverse content and representative teachers can skew ongoing perceptions of identity, academic success, and later socio-economic security, especially for racialized students.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Alyssa Grocutt (Management) – Employee perceptions and behaviours towards tattooed colleagues

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 20:53:38 +0000

Alyssa’s research focuses on nuances in observer perceptions and treatment of tattooed colleagues based on tattoo content.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Lara Bulger (Cultural Studies) – Documentary Film, how we can use it as a pedagogical tool and a medium for social change

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:19:11 +0000

Lara is looking at Canadian documentary film through both a contemporary and historical lens, as well as the limits of radical pedagogy and activism. Some of the themes that interest her include environmental racism, Indigenous sovereignty and food security.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Zoe Brisson-Tsavoussis (Astro-particle Physics) – Neutrinos, Blazars and Black holes

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 11:57:29 +0000

My research focuses on looking at black holes. Some black holes are so energetic, that they tear up the bright hot matter spinning around them and funnel it into jets shooting out their top and bottom. And once in a while, we luck out and a few black holes are oriented so that the jets are pointed straight towards the earth! We call these kinds of black holes Blazars, and it’s my job to look at their most energetic and extreme cases and try to figure out if there are any neutrinos in those jets! If we can find neutrinos coming out of them, we can follow their trail back to what in the jet created them and learn more about black holes themselves!

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Francisco Zepeda Trujillo (Cultural Studies) – Failed Aspirations: Modernity, Religion, and the Interplay of Social and Political Imaginaries in Twentieth Century Mexico

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 22:17:07 +0000

This research explores the interplay of social and political imaginaries in Mexico, both secular and religious, during the twentieth century. It uses archival research and discourse analysis to examine how liberal and revolutionary political leaders and various Catholic groups have interacted, how they have handled their contradictions, how their relationships and imaginaries have evolved, and what role these imaginaries have played in building Mexico as a modern nation.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Ahmad Nagib (computing) – Building Trust in Reinforcement Learning for Next-Generation Wireless Networks

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 22:09:37 +0000

Machine learning is very popular nowadays for solving problems in many fields, including wireless networks such as 5G networks that we use to make calls and connect to the internet using our phones. Next-generation wireless networks (NGWNs), such as 6G networks, will include more diverse devices and applications that make them more complex to control, even using machine learning approaches. In my Ph.D. thesis, I addressed some of the practical challenges of applying machine learning approaches, specifically reinforcement learning, in real deployments of NGWNs.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Gabby Torretto (Pathology & Molecular Medicine) – Assessing BRCA1 Genetic Variants involved in Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 21:14:53 +0000

Between 5-10% of breast and 20-25% of ovarian cancers are inherited. The majority of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cases are caused by deleterious mutations (variants) in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which normally prevent cancer through protecting and repairing our DNA. Genetic testing is used to identify pathogenic BRCA carriers who would subsequently benefit from personalized screening, preventative and management plans. However, its widespread implementation has resulted in a significant increase in findings of variants of uncertain significance (VUS) – DNA sequence variants with uncertain effects on disease risk. VUSs pose a critical clinical challenge as they limit clinicians’ ability to effectively interpret genetic test results.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Christina Ferazzutti (Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) – Why One Complicated Pregnancy Can Lead to Another: The Role of Immune Memory

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 12:45:57 +0000

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a significant complication linked to uncontrolled inflammation, which not only causes immediate distress but also heightens risks in future pregnancies. It is hypothesized that inflammation during pregnancy induces long-term changes in maternal immune cells, altering their responses in subsequent pregnancies and increasing complications.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

PHD-CI project with KFL&A Public Health

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:35:03 +0000

This session talks about the PhD-Community Initiative program at Queen’s University and one of the projects with a community partner (KFL&A Public Health) to provide a Program Evaluation of the Efforts to Prevent Invasive Meningococcal Disease in Kingston.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Trent Atkinson (MA, Religious Studies) – Muscular Christianity

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 21:02:29 +0000

Rooted in Victorian England as a response to a number of social and religious factors, Muscular Christianity is a set of beliefs that revolves around contact sports, the physicality of the male body, and a return to a “traditional” masculinity (a term always fraught), much writing has been done on Muscular Christianity in it’s heyday during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. What my research aims to do then is to examine the role that it plays in the 21st century through the lens of American sports culture and American colleges, and how Muscular Christianity is shaping a new generation of men.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Allen Tian (Biology) – Assessing the impact of invasive mollusk species on native mollusk communities and algal blooms with eDNA

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 21:22:23 +0000

Zebra mussels are some of the most high profile and impactful invasive species in Canada, and have transformed the Great Lakes watershed in the past three decades. Voracious feeders that consume all algae, they have clarified our lakes, caked our beaches with their sharp shells, and denied other species precious food. Interactions between zebra mussels and algal blooms, another notorious nuisance, are largely unknown. My research uses environmental DNA, an emerging technology, to examine what factors make an ecosystem resilient to zebra mussel invasion, how native mollusk communities react to zebra mussels, and if they help or hinder algal blooms.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

CJ the DJ with DJ Bear – What’s happening in 2025

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 31 Dec 2024 23:00:17 +0000

A look at what graduate events are coming up in 2025 from GRADflix to the Three Minute Thesis.

CJ the DJ with DJ Bear – 2024, It’s a Wrap!

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 23:00:41 +0000

Reflecting on this years interviews. For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Logan Germain (Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) – The impact of the environmental pollutant triphenyl phosphate on epigenetics in aquatic embryonic cells

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 23:00:04 +0000

Triphenyl phosphate is used as a flame retardant and plasticizer in a wide variety of consumer and industrial products in Canada. TPhP is also an environmental pollutant found in air, water and soil. TPhP has been shown to act as an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical, meaning it interferes with normal hormonal signalling. I’m investigating how epigenetic modifications may lead to changes in hormonal and metabolic pathways during embryonic development.

Eileen O’Brien (Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) – Gut healing: uncovering immune pathways contributing to IBD

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:00:21 +0000

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an immune disorder leading to chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. It affects 0.8% of the Canadian population with a recent increased prevalence in the pediatric population.

Fateme Babaha (Pathology & Molecular Medicine- Investigation of Hemophilia A gene therapy

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 21:03:41 +0000

Hemophilia A (HA) is an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by a mutation in the factor 8 (F8) gene that codes for FVIII coagulation protein. FVIII is naturally synthesized in the liver and the mutation results in the loss of function of FVIII protein which is critical in the blood clotting cascades. HA occurs is 1 to 5000 male births and it is estimated that there are a total of 3000 patients with HA in Canada. Currently, HA patients are treated with replacement therapy of the deficient factor. However, this approach is transient because of the short half-life of recombinant or plasma derived FVIII and is insufficient due to the formation of anti-drug antibodies. The alternative approach which is curative and promises a long-lasting expression of FVIII protein is gene therapy.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website .

Blue Miaoran Dong (Carleton-PhD) – Studying the similarities and differences between tech platforms and privatized infrastructure.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 21:07:38 +0000

Although tech platform companies often claim in their advertisements and public relations efforts that they represent the public interest, as private companies, their primary goal is to maximize their own profits. Equating private interests with public interests not only overlooks the issues arising from the increasingly blurred lines between the two but also worsens the damage that conflicts of interest can cause to sustainable public systems.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Max van Zyl (Chemistry) and the Bader Symposium.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 21:01:19 +0000

The Queen’s chapter and why be part of the American Chemical Society will be hosting the “Celebrating the Late Dr. Alfred R. Bader: A 100th Birthday Symposium” on Monday, November 18th, 2024. This interviews highlights the work of Dr Bader and how Queen’s will showcase his love for chemistry and the arts. To round it off we delve a little bit into Max’s own research- Combining Quantum Chemistry Concepts and Machine Learning for Drug Discovery.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Laura Szczyrba (Geological Sciences) – Modern Coastal Processes

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 13:50:14 +0000

The coastal zone is shaped by sea level change, wave action, geological characteristics, and human decisions. These processes are spatially continuous, therefore techniques that monitor larger regions, such as remote sensing and numerical modeling, allow for a more detailed understanding of the drivers of coastal change. In Laura’s research, she applies these techniques to understand how waves and shoreline erosion evolve during storm events. Her main area of focus is the sandy beaches of the Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA. Here, the rate of erosion is so high that local infrastructure is critically threatened and her research informs better approaches to mitigate local-scale coastal risk.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Rashelle Aldbai (Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) – Impact of cannabis on cancer metastasis mediated through epigenetic rewiring

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 01:54:17 +0000

The plant Cannabis sativa L. has historically served as a herbal remedy, garnering a considerable surge in both recreational and medicinal domains in contemporary times. However, this increased application has not aligned with our clinical awareness regarding the disturbances associated with cannabis. This assumes heightened significance in the context of palliative care for cancer patients, as the parameters controlling the interactions between cannabis and cancer have remained poorly defined.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Kennedy Quigg (Chemistry/Chemistry Biology) – Discovery and Characterization of Putative Thermostable Enzymes for the Degradation of Polyether-Polyurethane Foam

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 12:51:46 +0000

Over 2,000 garbage trucks worth of plastic waste enter our oceans, lakes, rivers, and estuaries every day. Of the 300 million tons of plastic produced annually, only 10% is recycled. Due to the inertness and durability of plastic materials, current industrial recycling processes employ energetically demanding processes such as combustion and melting which further the global climate crisis by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. As such, enzymatic degradation of plastic has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional plastic recycling approaches since enzymes operate under significantly milder and less energetically demanding conditions.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Jessica Burnside (Epidemiology) – The Burden of Steatotic Liver Disease in Canada: Sex Differences in Prevalence and Cardiometabolic Profiles

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 20:26:07 +0000

Jessica discusses the characteristics of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic (fat build up) liver disease (MASLD) in the Canadian context.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Taylor Rae Morrell (Geological Sciences) – how the pre-existing faults in the tectonic plate that is thrust beneath the other plate can be reactivated or move during collision

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:15:14 +0000

Taylor is a structural geologist, which means I study the architecture and processes behind the development of mountain systems. As a structural geologist, I need to factor in all the different aspects of a mountain system to effectively study it and create a comprehensive tectonic model to explain the evolution of the mountain system.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Lyn Wattam (Religious Studies) – The Trump Prophecy Movement

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 11:45:52 +0000

Mapping out and understanding the rise, power and resiliency of modern Christian prophecy among American evangelical voters that relate to Donald Trump’s presidency.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

David McFarlane (TMU) – How we might come to understand the Great Lakes as animated actors in their own rights, with their own unique subjectivities?

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:29:29 +0000

David’s research-creation project draws on his experiences as a musician and visual artist, to employ sonic data gathering techniques such as biodata sonification and field recordings, alongside embodied and Indigenous-informed research methodologies in order to undertake a co-created artistic acoustic ecology with the Great Lakes.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Jenelle Regnier-Davies (Toronto Metropolitan University)- Food security and food insecurity responses on the municipal level

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 21:55:18 +0000

Jenelle’s Ph.D. dissertation research examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on community-based food security responses in Toronto and entails broader examinations of food system governance in practice. Her work interrogates the equitable distribution of resources among the non-profit sector and examines EDI practices within philanthropic and government granting mechanisms.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Jiale Xie (MSc in Translational Medicine) – Personalizing Blood Pressure Targets in the ICU to Improve Survivor Cognitive Outcomes

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:48:31 +0000

Each year, approximately 230,000 Canadians, or 1 in 100, receive ICU care. While over 90% survive, up to 55% of survivors develop long-lasting cognitive impairment within two years of ICU discharge. Recent research suggests that inadequate blood flow to the brain may play a role. The purpose of Jiale’s research is to identify patients’ optimal blood pressure ranges in real-time in the ICU and explore the feasibility of maintaining them within these ranges using clinically available blood pressure infusions.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Debbie Hernandez (English & Film Studies) – Demythologizing Our Stories: (Re)connecting with Cultural Teachings in the Filipino Diaspora

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:13:59 +0000

Debbie Hernandez, a PhD student from Wilfrid Laurier University, explores the importance of cultural teachings in Filipino communities, focusing on how these teachings are remembered, experienced, used, and passed on, despite being marginalized within dominant cultures. Guided by feminist theory and postcolonial studies, particularly M. Jacqui Alexander’s concept of “pedagogies of the Sacred,” herwork respects these belief systems as real and valuable, rather than dismissing them as mere cultural artifacts.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Julianna Petrenko (Biology) – Urban Ecology

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 May 2024 20:18:45 +0000

Julianna talks about how we are losing biodiversity at an alarming rate, largely because of human-caused habitat degradation and loss. Yet, some species are persisting or even increasing for reasons that are often unclear. Some species might persist because of their ability to tolerate life in cities – one of the most dramatically human-modified habitats. Surprisingly, city birds were no more likely to have stable populations than birds that avoid cities, illustrating that urban tolerance does not protect against population declines.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Bilen Mekoonen Araya (Rehabilitation Science) – The experience of infertility and rehabilitation services for women experiencing infertility in Ethiopia

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 09 May 2024 13:08:38 +0000

Infertility – involuntary childlessness – affects millions of people, especially women, globally. In Ethiopia, it causes significant distress and burden on women, but there is limited research on rehabilitation services available to them. Understanding the psychological, social, and financial challenges for women living with infertility in Ethiopia is important.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Jovina Concepcion Bachynski (Nursing) – Kidney Supportive Care

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:22:12 +0000

Kidney supportive care (KSC) is palliative care for people with advanced kidney disease. It provides relief of suffering and improves quality of life through early identification, assessment, and management of the symptom burden associated with kidney disease. KSC encompasses advance care planning (ACP)—a key element—in which patients’ goals, values, and preferences for present and future care are elicited to ensure concordant care. Nephrology nurses have a vital role in the delivery of KSC, particularly to people receiving dialysis, but they do not routinely engage in conversations with patients about their goals regarding critical matters such as end-of-life concerns. The purpose of my constructivist grounded theory method (GTM) study was to construct a substantive theory about the process of engagement in KSC by nurses in Canadian dialysis settings.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Dr Nikhil Arora (Astrophysics) – Comparing cosmological simulations with observations of galaxies to better understand their formation and evolution.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 20:07:44 +0000

Dr Arora’s aim has been to uncover the intricate dynamics and evolutionary pathways of galaxies within our Universe. Through his research, he offers a distinct perspective on these cosmic entities, equipped with the expertise to navigate both theoretical frameworks and observational data. The careful comparison of telescopic observations with theoretical models is pivotal, forming the cornerstone for attaining a comprehensive understanding of galaxy formation and evolution in our cosmos and the role dark matter plays in their formation.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Tibeb Debele (Rehabilitation Science) – Beyond repair: The process of social inclusion of women after Obstetric fistula surgical repair in Ethiopia

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:45:40 +0000

Obstetric fistula is a birth-related injury that results when women go through prolonged and obstructed labor. As a result, some women experience stigma and exclusion from their families and the community. This study focuses on understanding how these women are included in their families and communities after receiving surgical correction.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

April Saleem (Pathology & Molecular Medicine) – Investigating the role of the gut microbiota in depressive disorders

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:08:28 +0000

Depressive disorders effect over 310 million people worldwide, reduce quality of life, co-occur with other physical disorders, and increase risks of premature death. Recent studies have suggested a link between the microbes residing in the human gut and the central nervous system, suggesting a bidirectional interaction called the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Dakota Urban (Classics & Archeology) – Transcultural language in Diasporic Jewish Inscriptions

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 20:42:04 +0000

The diasporic (Jewish) experience is characterized by the dynamics of acculturation and enculturation; a twofold process entailing a degree of integration into the majority culture and at the same time a strong retention of the Jewish identity. The primary purpose of Dakota’s thesis is to demonstrate how diasporic Jewish communities in the Graeco-Roman world adapted to different contexts in which they were the minority, while cultivating their identity within these contexts and making it accessible and receptive for non-Jews. To achieve this, Dakota

explores how transcultural language in Greek-language inscriptions expresses the Jewish identity in a manner fitting both the boundaries of Judaism and the larger societal framework of the Graeco-Roman world.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Riley Cooper (MASc, Electrical & Computer Engineering) – Data-Driven Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for an Autonomous Surface Vessel

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:49:05 +0000

How to improve the autonomy of a robotic boat.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Sofia Skebo and Isaac Emon (Translational Medicine) – Pulmonary Hypertension, what is it?

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:15:40 +0000

Isaac is investigating the role of CHIP mutations and inflammation in pulmonary arterial hypertension, while Sofia is examining the impact of BMPR-II loss on blood vessel growth in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Two different angles, but it is still in relation to pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Mary Johnson (English) – Ecocritical approaches to children’s literature

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 21:55:29 +0000

Mary is interested in exploring intersections of girlhood and wild spaces in “Golden Age” (1865-1926) children’s literature. In particular, I want to consider how relationships with wild spaces (re)configure awareness of the body, especially when contextualized with the ED (disordered eating) rhetoric that continues to be quietly pervasive across children’s literature.

Mary also discusses her first published childrens book called “The curse of Eelgrass Bog”, under the pen name Mary Averling, which is now available via Penguin Random House

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website

Shamus Tobin (MSc, Astronomy) – Investigating Annular Rings in Young Protostellar Disks

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 13:25:51 +0000

During star formation, gas and dust that goes into forming a new star also go to forming an equatorial disk of material known as protostellar disks, these are where planets form. Young disks (<1Myr), as opposed to their older cousins, have only recently been able to be studied in detail thanks to recent advancements in ground based observing facilities. My research focuses on two young protostellar disks that have been found to possess substructures in the form of annular rings. Similar rings have been previously found in much older disks (1-5Myr), but this is some of the first evidence of these kinds of structures existing at such an early stage of a disk’s life. My goal is to accurately model the physical characteristics of these two disks to better understand how they and their rings evolve into their later stages.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Graziella Bedenik (Mechanical & Materials Engineering) – the potential to monitor freshwater lakes using robot swarms

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 21:24:39 +0000

Development and Application of Autonomous Multi-Agent Underwater Robot Swarms for Environmental Monitoring and Response in Canadian Freshwater Lakes.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Sofia Guest & Madeline Myers (Geography) – What We Can Learn from Studying Glaciers in the Arctic

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:57:48 +0000

Sofia Guest (MSc student) talks about precipitation sources and summer snowfall in the Canadian Arctic, while Maddie Myers (PhD candidate) talks about how glacier surface mass change is affected by climate change. Both are part of the ICElab at Queen’s under the supervision of Dr Laura Thompson.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Angela Stanley & Kharoll-Ann Souffrant – Predoctoral Fellows in Black Studies

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 21:21:05 +0000

Kharoll-Ann’s research examines the “#MoiAussi movement (#Metoo)” in the province of Quebec from the perspective of Black feminist activists and black women survivors. Angela Stanley’s research looks at “Queer and Disabled Afterlives of Racial Eugenics”.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

Heather Morrison (PhD, Education) – Could a national museum dedicated to women’s history as a vehicle for public pedagogy strengthen liberal democracy in Canada?

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:46:05 +0000

Heather has two primary objectives. The first is to demonstrate Public Pedagogy’s role as a foundational tenet of liberal democracy in that it promotes responsible citizenship and fuels social change through knowledge acquisition. The second is to build an evidence-based case for establishing a national museum of women’s history, amplifying the little-known and untold stories of the contributions of all women, including pre-colonial women and those who self-identify as women, to the lands now known as Canada.

Evalyn Parry (MA, Cultural Studies) – Distant Early Warnings: Arts Leadership and Creative Practice in Unsettled Times

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 21:17:45 +0000

Evalyn talks about her research-creation project that reflects on the relationship between arts leadership, creative practice, and cultural change. Using songwriting as an embodied, queer feminist method, this ‘portfolio’ format thesis includes three songs and six written chapters to examine the experience of being the Artistic Director of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre between 2015 and 2020.

Here is a link to the 3 songs used in this research project – https://on.soundcloud.com/1MqaMLbqw3ooUpX49

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website.

What’s happening in winter 2024!

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 21:15:17 +0000

A look at what is happening in graduate studies at Queen’s this winter! It’s all about celebrating research.

It’s a Wrap for 2023

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 12:23:25 +0000

Wrapping up what has been going on in 2023 within graduate studies at Queen’s University.

Ozlem Atar (PhD in Cultural Studies) – the “Gradifying” blog, who writes it and why?

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 21:12:31 +0000

Ozlem primarily talks about our weekly blog, Gradifying – Who Writes It, and Why? The beginning of this session however she talks about her own research on “irregular migration from Central America and Mexico to the United States”.

Vince Ha (PHD in Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies) – the intersection of transnational media and queer studies

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 22:03:57 +0000

Vince looks at queer sociality through the Boys Love media, a genre that portrays homoerotic relationships between two men by straight female creators for often assumed straight female readers. This genre was developed in Japan after WWII and was argued to liberate women from gender constraints. Since then, the genre has gained tremendous popularity in other parts of Asia and eventually in Europe and North America. Vince traces this East-to-West media flow to present alternative views of queerness, inspecting the engagement of queer Asian diasporic communities with BL and how it can complicate our Western-centric view of individual and communal identities.

Natasha Lomonossoff (PHD in English Literature) – the religious and political writings of Anna Laetitia Barbauld, a thinker and educator who lived in Britain from 1743-1825

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 21:54:39 +0000

Natasha is particularly interested in Barbauld’s contributions to public debate in the nation following the French Revolution in 1789, which some Britons supported as an example to follow.

Arvind Krishendeholl (Master of Public Health)

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 21:38:19 +0000

Race, Mobilization, and Advocacy: Non-profit Representation in Times of Crisis

Abebe Alemu (Law) – Deaf Access to the Criminal Justice System in Ethiopia

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 16:07:08 +0000

The Ethiopian criminal justice system relies on spoken language and written communication for its day-to-day business. In principle, the system is supposed to serve everyone equally without any discrimination based on legally prohibited grounds. In Ethiopia, there are about 2.5 million Deaf and hard-of-hearing people most of whom rely on either sign language or other methods of communication other than spoken language for their communication. This begs the question of how these groups of people meaningfully interact with the criminal justice system (police, prosecution, judges) as victims of crime, suspects/accused, or witnesses.

Lisa Bas (Psychology) – Exploring the malleability of social preferences: How, when, and why people make altruistic decisions.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 21:25:44 +0000

Society benefits from altruistic individuals, but despite decades of research across disciplines, effective long-term interventions to increase altruistic behavior remain elusive. Therefore, we need to understand why, how, and when individuals will behave altruistically toward others (or not).

Dr Esra Alkim Karaagac (Postdoctoral Fellow), Geography and Planning: “International Student Indebtedness in Canada”

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 04:45:13 +0000

Examing the role of private lending practices in Canada’s international higher education system, focusing on the socio-economic impacts of predatory lending on international student experiences in university towns.

Micky Renders (Environmental Studies) – Arctic Waste in Panniqtuuq (Pangnirtung) on Eastern Baffin Island

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 11:23:10 +0000

My Ph.D. project is a creative research collaboration with Inuit Elders, artists and youth in Panniqtuuq (Pangnirtung), Nunavut, a remote community of 1600 on Eastern Baffin Island. Inuit have identified waste as a serious environmental and health threat. Central to my inquiry is ‘Who gets to define ‘waste’?’ and ‘who is responsible?’ for the myriad of waste-related issues in Inuit Nunangat.

Katie-Marie McNeill – Making the most of opportunities in higher education for your academic, professional and personal growth.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 20:17:59 +0000

A look at what graduate students can participate in during their studies that helps them personally, professionally and academically.

Katie-Marie McNeill (History) – Prisoner Aid Beyond Borders: A Transnational History of Prisoner Aid Societies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, 1930-1970

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:46:49 +0000

The mid-twentieth century saw an increase in the volume and variety of activities that prisoner aid societies in each of the four areas of study conducted both inside and outside of prisons. Treated together, the histories of prisoner aid societies in the key commonwealth nations of Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, and in the close neighbour of the United States offer an opportunity to explore how citizens engaged with justice systems, the role that volunteers played in the rehabilitation of prisoners, and how prisoner aid societies advocated for change in all levels of their respective legal systems.

Zoe Lord (Chemistry) – Testing the impact of cognitive overload on task performance in virtual reality (VR) to provide insights into VR design for chemistry education

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:34:25 +0000

Chemistry educators are turning to new technology like virtual reality (VR) to bring their students three-dimensional, interactive, and user-controlled learning environments to conceptualize molecular models. With the emergence of VR in chemistry classrooms, educators and developers must consider students’ varying spatial abilities in VR design to ensure that students are not overwhelmed. Students may experience cognitive overload in VR, where they exceed the amount of working memory that can be applied to the task.

David Rodrigues (Aging and Health) – Dentures and their Nutritional Impact in Older Adults

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 12:27:43 +0000

Older adults are at an increased risk of experiencing loss of natural dentation; thus experiencing suboptimal nutritional status. So what impact do dentures have on nutritional levels in older adults and what can be done to improve it?

Gabrielle Pulver (Environmental Studies) – “Water is Life”: Creative Action to Heal Bodies of Water

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 11:25:15 +0000

We are all bodies of water, from humans, to other animals, plants, watersheds and waterways; all require water to survive and thrive. Considering ourselves and others bodies of water helps to illustrate the interrelationships between self and others, and water protection involves protecting all life, while also addressing intersecting issues such as racism and colonialism. With a lens of a feminist ethics of care, I explore the role of creative action in the water protection movement at Lake Superior.

Kunal Parikh (Aging and Health) – Virtual Training Programs for Informal Caregivers of Older Adults

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 04:33:19 +0000

Informal caregivers of older adults often feel unprepared and underconfident in their role. Conventional (in-person) caregiver psychoeducation or skills-based interventions are difficult to accommodate in their unpredictable routines. The aim of this study was to map the impact of virtual caregiver psychoeducation interventions on informal caregivers of older adults.

Yvonne Runstedler & James Dixon – The experiences of transgender students in Catholic Secondary Schools

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 21:25:19 +0000

Yvonne Runstedler is doing a PhD in Human Relationships at Wilfrid Laurier University, alongside James Dixon, who is doing a BA in Christian Studies & Global Citizenship. They are special guests this week.

Ontario Catholic schools operate under the authority of the provincial Ministry of Education and have denominational rights under the law. Since these schools are publicly funded, divergent values can cause tension between and among the various public and ecclesiastical stakeholders. Best practices on the inclusion, treatment and belonging of transgender students is a topic that has caused a myriad of responses.

Elizabeth Nelson, PhD in Geography – Designing Intercultural Cities: Community Organizations & Care

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 16:58:13 +0000

This project explores the experiences of a diverse array of community organizations in Kingston, Ottawa, and Cornwall, Ontario, examining their relationship with municipalities and their role in community development. Despite the numerous logistical, spatial, and financial challenges they encounter, community organizations provide invaluable care work and contribute significantly to overall wellbeing and the vibrancy of urban life. This care work is largely under-recognized and unsupported by municipalities, who do not understand their role within the community service landscape.

Elham Yousefinejad (Sociology) – Municipal climate change governance: A pathway to resilience-building and and vulnerability-reduction: A case study of Kingston, Ontario

CFRC Podcast Network — Fri, 19 May 2023 10:09:56 +0000

In 2019, Kingston became the first municipality in Ontario to declare a ‘climate emergency’. This declaration stimulated further commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance community resilience to adapt to climate change impacts. My PhD dissertation research evaluated Kingston municipal government’s climate policies to understand strengths, weaknesses, and areas for potential improvement.

Francesco Marrato (Electrical & Computer Engineering) – Training a robot dog for search and rescue

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 10 May 2023 11:18:06 +0000

Working with the Boston Dynamics Spot robot to develop autonomous exploration systems that use sound as a metric for where to search next.

Adaku Echendu (Environmental Studies) – Urban Flooding and Changing Landscapes: Improving Environmental Sustainability By Incorporating Urban Communities’ Experiences, Perceptions, and Knowledge in Environmental Management in Nigeria

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 03 May 2023 12:10:17 +0000

Flooding is a disaster with ripple effects. Its environmental, social, and economic impacts are significant. Floods annually ravage Nigeria constituting an immediate and growing threat amid the global climate crisis.

Annelies Verellen (Art History) – Women’s Self-portraiture in the Seventeenth Century

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 20:09:10 +0000

Annelies studies women’s strategy of self-fashioning in the early modern period, specifically through their self-portraits. She examines the prejudices embedded within the practice of women looking at themselves in a mirror through vanitas prints and paintings. She is particularly interested in learning how women artists circumvented those prejudices in their self-portraits and how they came up with methods of self-representation that would avoid accusations of vanity or pride.

Paulina Bleah (PhD in Nursing) – The Experience of Living with Diabetes in Liberia

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 20:15:27 +0000

Diabetes is a growing public health concern in Liberia; recent data shows about 2.1% of the population are living with the disease. This figure is likely a gross underestimation of the burden of disease in the country given the limited disease surveillance infrastructures and systems that exist. Diabetes places immense socioeconomic pressure on individuals and their families and burdens an already overstretched healthcare system, still recovering from the destructive effects of the 14-year civil war and the recent West African Ebola virus outbreak. The goal of my study was to explore what is it like to live with diabetes in Liberia.

Olivia Scully (MA in Kinesiology & Health Studies) – Exploring the effects of the body acceptance movement for women and gender diverse people

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 20:08:48 +0000

Olivia investigates how people have taken up the body acceptance movement on social media, and how it has affected their relationships with their bodies, as well as how they navigate diet and wellness culture. She is especially interested in how different identities such as race, gender, and sexuality influence how people experience those spaces.

Bjorn Bols (MA in Classics) – Ancient Greek Wrestling

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 12:05:16 +0000

Wrestling was the first non-running event added to the ancient Olympics in the 18th Olympiad in 708 BCE. Wrestling continued to appear in Greek and Roman art and literature all the way up to the end of antiquity, leaving behind a large archaeological legacy over a period of a thousand years. This long history reflects a level of importance and prestige associated with the sport that is deserving of further study. By applying a modern and practical understanding of grappling sports to the descriptions and images found in the ancient world, this research aims to illuminate further details about the sport.

Experiential Learning in Graduate Studies with Francisco Zepeda Trujillo and Hiwot Mekuanent

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:36:45 +0000

Today we

talk about opportunities that graduate students have during their graduate journey. We all know that for the specific degree there are certain academic requirements – comprehensive exams and ultimately the thesis and defense. But there are other opportunities that graduate students can sign up for if they wish to. We are going to talk about some of those opportunities today and why should they consider them.

Kenneth Gyamerah (Education) – Examining the Role of African knowledge systems and Pedagogies in Decolonizing STEM Education in Ghana

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 21:13:45 +0000

In Ghana, education has been considered the potential driver to achieving sustainable development and reducing systemic inequalities (Ghana Education Service, 2019). Equitable access to inclusive education is inextricably connected to all the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UNESCO, 2020). For several decades, there have been attempts by the government to transform Ghana’s educational system. Nonetheless, key evidence from the Ministry of Education (2018) indicates that, although primary school learners stay in schools between 4 and 7 hours every day for six years, most learners are not achieving the minimum proficiency in basic numeracy and scientific inquiry.

Zoe Davidson, Environmental Studies – Ecological Farmer Training Programs

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 22:12:20 +0000

My research explores the role of ecological farmer training programs in supporting the development of new farm entrants through an in-depth case study of the Kingston and Area Farmer Training Program.

Opeyemi Ajogbeje (Chemical Engineering) – Industrial Production of Water-Soluble Random and Block Polymers

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 21:25:52 +0000

Polymeric materials are used for personal care products, drugs, tissues, organs, sensors, batteries, coatings among numerous applications. Currently, these products are made in organic solvents (e.g., methanol, butanol), which are toxic and incompatible for human use. Therefore, there is a need to make these products in water, which is biocompatible and environmentally friendly. The mass production of these materials will make these products accessible for public use. Water-soluble materials make the world greener and can replace products from these solvents.

Kaitlynn Dewhirst (Rehabilitation & Health Leadership) – Indications for Service Integration for Early Childhood Mental health in Cambridge Bay, NU.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 22:39:02 +0000

Mental health services in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut for children aged 0-5 are fragmented. Supporting mental wellness during the first years of life positively impacts mental and physical health all along the life course. Inuit families experience mental health challenges at higher rates than non-Indigenous Canadians. Utilizing a determinants of health lens to examine the domains that influence early childhood mental health, this research will examine the lived experience of families, caregivers, Elders, service providers and community knowledge holders in Cambridge Bay in accessing services impacting early childhood mental health. The research is meant to map existing supports, identify areas to be developed and describe the degree to which separate program areas ought to be integrated.

Beatrice Ohene-Nyako (Professional Master of Public Administration) – affordable housing

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 21:16:26 +0000

Why is there need for affordable housing and how can policies assist?

Mona Kanso (Chemical Engineering) – Coronavirus from an engineering perspective

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 21:22:31 +0000

With the unprecedented events around COVID Mona decided to leverage her polymer knowledge and apply it to better understand the Corona virus.

Bailey Milne – PhD in Epidemiology – “Effect of infertility, mode of conception and endometriosis on congenital anomalies”

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 21:12:30 +0000

The effects of infertility, mode of conception and endometriosis on congenital anomalies are unknown. The overall objective of this study is to fill this knowledge gap and delineate the effects of infertility, mode of conception and endometriosis on the risk of congenital anomalies using population-based administrative data in Ontario.

The Centre for Teaching & Learning @ Queen’s – who is it for and why?

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 12:40:17 +0000

Education Development Associates (EDAs) are graduate students who work closely with an Educational Developer at the Centre of Teaching and Learning (CTL) to design and deliver programming to support graduate students’ and post-doctoral fellows’ ongoing professional development as educators. In this episode of grad chat, Karalyn McRae and Clarissa de Leon from the EDA team will share the wide variety of ways graduate students and post-doctoral fellows can connect with the CTL. Specifically, they will be sharing information about two recently launched online modules on Indigenizing and decolonizing teaching and learning and anti-racist learning environments.

Grad Chat -Suyin Olguin & Colette Steer: What to Expect in 2023

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 11:27:13 +0000

Grad Chat -Suyin Olguin & Colette Steer: What to Expect in 2023

Grad Chat: X-Mas Wrap-Up with Suyin Olguin and Colette Steer

CFRC Podcast Network — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 16:20:20 +0000

Grad Chat: X-Mas Wrap-Up with Suyin Olguin and Colette Steer

Ali Sheikh (Mechanical & Materials Engineering) -Acoustics and the Aviation Industry

CFRC Podcast Network — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 19:55:40 +0000

Ali Sheikh (Mechanical & Materials Engineering) -Acoustics and the Aviation Industry.

Synopsis of Research: A novel acoustic panel that allows for sub-wavelength attenuation of specific, tunable frequencies at ultra-thin depths.

Paulina Finak, Grad Chat

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:21:50 +0000

Paulina Finak — Environmental Factors Related to Literacy Development for People with Physical Disabilities who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Supervised by Dr. Beata Batorowicz

Paola Dantonio & Nathan Howell – The Science To Business Network (2SBN)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 23:16:33 +0000

Two students in very different fields of research (Cancer Research and Biomedical Engineering) discuss the opportunities of being a part of the S2BN.

Derek Russell (Chemical Engineering) – finding water soluable and degradeable polymers to help in wastewater treatment

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 21:08:40 +0000

Assessing how to guide the selection of appropriate treatments using polymers for environmental remediation.

Isabella Asselstine (Biology) – What we can learn about sleep disorders from worms!

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 21:50:15 +0000

Isabella’s research stems from a desire to learn more about the biological basis of narcolepsy, a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and “sleep attacks”. The cause of narcolepsy has previously been linked to a neuropeptide called orexin that is involved in keeping us awake. When orexin signalling is disrupted, either by altering orexin itself or its receptors, the result is narcoleptic behaviour. Model organisms provide researchers with a simplified system in which complex disorders can be studied. One such organisms widely used in genetic studies is Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a small, soil-dwelling nematode worm.

Özlem Atar (Cultural Studies) – Justice in Trump Era Family Narratives of Irregular Migration from Central America and Mexico to the United States

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 21:04:29 +0000

Ozlem investigates five Trump Era narratives of irregular migration from Central America and Mexico to the United States with respect to their discussion of justice.

Katie Zutautas,PhD in Biomedical & Molecular Sciences- The contribution of Interleukin-33 driven group 2 innate lymphoid cells in endometriosis pathophysiology and their therapeutic targeting

CFRC Podcast Network — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 23:50:12 +0000

Our lab studies immune dysfunction within the female gynecological disease of endometriosis. My specific project is looking at the relationship between a protein called interleukin 33, or IL-33, and a type of immune cell known as group 2 innate lymphoid cells, and how their contributing to disease severity and symptomology.

CJ the DJ does a mid-term wrap

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 13:41:22 +0000

Ever wondered what it means for students to practice presenting and talking about their research? Then this session runs through just that.

Daphne Brouwer, PhD in Cultural Studies – The cultural perception of liminal animals in Western and non-Western cultures

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 20:14:19 +0000

I research how humans perceive liminal animals in Western society – which is very negatively – and how we could improve this. To establish that this perception is rooted within our cultural understanding of liminal animals, I built on personal experience of living in multiple countries all over the world as well as research done by other scholars as to why the same liminal animals are perceived differently around the world. Confirming that there is indeed a cultural bias against liminal animals, I establish a framework for how these animals are perceived negatively and what can be done to change these (often wrong) perceptions.

Dan Reddy, Chemistry – Preparation and Testing of a Volumetrically-Accurate Open Surface Energy Trap (oSET) Wand for Liquid Transfer applications

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 20:32:49 +0000

OR in other words – Precisely and Reliably Capturing Tiny Liquid Volumes

The challenge of pipetting small volumes, i.e., sub-microliter amounts, is ubiquitous among the fields of biology, chemistry, and engineering. While accurately and precisely pipetting at the sub-microliter level is indeed a dilemma, the issue is further compounded when dealing with non-aqueous solutions, e.g., biofluids, non-volatile organics, and volatile organics, especially at non-ambient conditions, i.e., elevated or lowered temperatures. Furthermore, given a suitable sub-microliter pipetting technique that accommodates these challenging liquids and their idiosyncrasies, the technique should be potentially automatable, or integrable with automation, for use with assay development and high-throughput screening. My research project aims to circumvent some of the issues associated with handling small volumes of challenging liquids in a manner that is compatible with existing automation systems, namely modified 3D printers and a commercially-available pipetting robot. By using cheap stock materials and pre-existing automation systems, this project will develop a novel “pipetting” technique that reproducibly meters nanoliter-scale liquid volumes for subsequent proof-of-concept testing with an automated well plate-based assay

Alyssa Burrows (Translational Medicine) – Identifying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with and without allergic diseases.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 21:17:07 +0000

Everyone’s immune systems work a bit differently. Many Canadians have allergic diseases such as asthma, food allergy and allergic rhinitis. These people are subject to Th2 skewing which is when there is more Th2 cytokines in their body. It is unknown if underlying Th2 skewing impacts one’s response to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Understanding the antibody responses of this specific population s could allow us to make suggestions on vaccine schedules for this population. Further the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted those with chronic illness, including allergic disease, which we will also investigate.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs – website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Paula Muis (Health Professions Education) – Interprofessional experiential education of post-secondary public health learners: a scoping review protocol.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 20:21:01 +0000

Interprofessional education (IPE) activities have occurred in health education institutions in over 40 countries worldwide (Herath et al., 2017). The World Health Organization (2010) defines interprofessional education as students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chap webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Matt Shepherd, LLM in Law – The Digital Tightrope: Examining the Complex Regulatory Landscape for Visual Asset Management in Canadian Higher Education

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 12:44:54 +0000

Overview of the tapestry of Canadian law that governs privacy, especially around photo/video gathering and use at higher education institutions in Canada.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Caitlin Muhl (Health Quality,PhD candidate) – Moving Health Care Upstream to Advance Health, Health Quality, and Health Equity: Defining Social Prescribing and Exploring the Impact on Children and Youth

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 22:12:59 +0000

The aim of this dissertation is to address notable gaps in the literature on social prescribing, namely the lack of an agreed definition of social prescribing and the lack of evidence around social prescribing for children and youth.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chap webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Caitlin Muhl

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 21:00:31 +0000

CJ the DJ chats with Caitlin Muhl in this episode.

Chatting with Julia Hale

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 12:16:22 +0000

In this episode of Grad Chat, host Colette Steer sits down with Julia Hale who just defended her Master of Education thesis on the “Connection between physical coordination and school success in high school students.” Hale’s work was supervised by Dr. Kristy Timmons.

Navjit Gaurav, (Rehabilitation Science): Community schools in India: Design considerations to improve inclusion for children with physical disabilities

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 03 May 2022 22:13:09 +0000

India, over 6 million primary school-age children do not attend school, and among them, children with disabilities are disproportionately represented. The school’s built environment is one important aspect that influences access to education as it can enable or restrict the participation of children with disabilities.

Balancing Life

CFRC Podcast Network — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 18:01:26 +0000

As with the rest of the world, University life is ever changing and not just because of COVID-19. Suyin talks about how school has changed for her, how her aspirations have changed and how she has managed to balance her studies and her personal life.

Alyssa Grocutt (Management) – Workplace Safety

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:53:07 +0000

Alyssa studies the indirect victims of workplace safety incidents, from family members to leaders at work. Her goal is to gain an understanding of how best we can support leaders and families when severe safety incidents and tragedies occur.

Yiyi He (Cultural Studies) – Ec(h)oing across Borders: Contemporary Environmental Literature and Ecocriticism in China and the Asian North American Context

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 20:08:49 +0000

Yiyi’s research engages in a critical dialogue between contemporary environmental writing and ecocriticism in China and the Asian North American context. Specifically, she introduces

recent scholarly developments in contemporary Chinese ecocriticism, including increasing interest in Chinese North American environmental literature, to Western academe. The overall objective is to promote knowledge mobility in general, and international ecocritical dialogue in particular, between East and West, with a focus on the intersection of the environment and race as represented in literary works.

Collette Pilsworth PhD student in Geological Sciences – Advancing tools and techniques for the exploration of undercover ore deposits

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:10:46 +0000

A geochemical and mineralogical study of drill core fracture coatings from the Oberon gold deposit, Northern Territory, Australia.

Understanding how elements move around near ore systems and how those signatures are recorded within the surrounding rocks and overburden is very important for reducing the search space in mineral exploration, which in term reduces the cost associated with ore discovery.

Melanie Proulx (Cultural Studies) – The representation of sexual violence in comics

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 21:04:56 +0000

This doctoral research-creation project uses an embodied auto-ethnographic methodology to investigate how comics about sexual violence can reduce survivors’ risk of reception (the risk of being triggered) through the implementation of distancing narrative features (aesthetics that provide emotional distance).

Melanie has also co-authored a book called “The Bum Drum Conundrum” that teaches children about consent and that it is ok to say “no”.

Warning – The following episode of Grad Chat will discuss sexual violence, which some listeners might find troubling and/or triggering. Discretion is advised.

Abdul Rahman Alashraf (Postdoctoral Fellow) – Wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 Initiative

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 12:42:45 +0000

University researchers from the Beaty Water Research Centre (BWRC) with universities and utility companies across Ontario are collaborating through the Wastewater Surveillance Initiative (WSI).

Through the collaborative efforts of scientists, engineers and epidemiologists, wastewater surveillance of COVID-19 RNA has rapidly evolved.

Lacey Wice, (Anatomical Sciences) – Conservation of Mechanical and Material Properties in Phenol-Based Soft Embalmed Cadaveric Tissues and Joints

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 22:10:38 +0000

In cadaveric biomechanics, fresh-frozen (FF) thawed specimens are considered the industry standard; maintaining high fidelity to in vivo counterparts. However, longevity concerns associated with rapid decomposition of soft tissues result in low reproducibility of testing and a short working window for these specimens. There are alternatives, but which is best?

Bryan Collins (Environmental Studies) – What makes a resilient farm? Exploring transitions in Southeastern Ontario towards resilient agriculture.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 21:46:26 +0000

Using an interdisciplinary approach, Bryan questions

how farmers in our region are coping with some of the agriculture sectors biggest risks; climate change, environmental degradation, and market volatility. Studying a diverse set of farmers, ranging from small scale organic vegetable farmers to large scale corn and soy farmers, reveals varying ideas of what exactly makes up a resilient farm.

Janet Lawson (Kinesiology and Health Studies) – How to increase participation rates by improving peoples’ experiences with parasport.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 21:22:03 +0000

Exploring how those involved in parasport learn about classification so as to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational tool to teach parasport stakeholders about classification.

Emilia Ganslandt, (Environmental Studies), Exploring the Methods and Goals of the Young Climate Movement

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 21:25:46 +0000

While the young climate movement has gained increasing attention in popular media, the movement is still largely absent from the climate literature. The studies that have been done tend to focus on one type of activism and not include the voices of activists themselves. This research aims to understand what motivations lie behind these organizations and how that may differ between them based on perceptions, goals, and objectives.

Saskia de Wildt, (Environmental Studies) – Exploring Polar Bear Research as Ethical Space, Practice and Process of Engagement (between science and Indigenous knowledge)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 22:06:33 +0000

I examine what affective change towards an ethical space, process and practice of engagement can be achieved in polar bear research and management through aesthetic action? For more information on Saskia’s work go to her website – https://www.gingertheworld.com/

Hilal Kara, PhD candidate in Geography and Planning, on Precarious Work Among Young Graduates in Turkey: A Gendered Spatial and Temporal Analysis

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 22:44:58 +0000

Situating itself within the context of the COVID-19 outbreak that crystallizes the blurring separation between life and work, this paper explores how young graduates living in the urban in Turkey navigate uncertainty in the face of the shifting the meaning of work and education, increasing precarity and the rise of mental health issues associated with the loss of safety nets and the prolonged exposure to social and physical isolation.

Emily Harmsen, Cultural Studies, Topic: Inclusive/Accessible Design.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 21:28:10 +0000

Studying accessible and inclusive design practices in the apparel industry.

For more information on Emily’s start up where she is putting theory into practice go to her website – Emske Designs

Lama Moukahal, Postdoctoral Fellow (Computing) – Cybersecurity of Automotive Systems

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 21:14:01 +0000

In an era of connectivity and automation, the vehicle industry is adopting various technologies to transfer driver-centric vehicles to intelligent mechanical devices driven by software components. However, software integration and network connectivity inherit numerous security issues. Despite the raised necessity to adopt security methodologies during the development of automotive systems, we notice a lack of studies recognizing the importance of security during vehicle software engineering. Our research strives to provide practical and comprehensive solutions that manage the unique architecture of Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) and strengthen the security of automotive software systems, making CAVs more resilient to cyberattacks.

CJ the DJ and the DJ Bear – What Can We Expect in 2022!

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 13:47:42 +0000

What’s happening in 2022 for the School of Graduate Studies, our graduate students and our postdoctoral fellows

CJ the DJ and Suyin the DJ Bear – 2021 – It’s a Wrap!

CFRC Podcast Network — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 18:26:59 +0000

Wrapping up 2021, the 2nd year of the pandemic did not stop our graduate students and their research.

Hannah Hunter, PhD candidate in Human Geography – Listening to the sounds of extinct birds

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 13:49:35 +0000

What does it mean to have sound recordings of extinct birds, and how do they alter/ impact the ways that we remember and mourn lost species.

Stephanie Woolridge, PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology – Improving outcomes following early-episode psychosis

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 21:43:57 +0000

People experiencing psychosis identify intimate/romantic/sexual relationships as integral to their well-being, quality of life, and recovery. However, the experience of psychotic symptoms, cognitive deficits, and stigma during early episode psychosis disrupts one’s ability to develop the interpersonal skills, mastery, and confidence necessary to form these relationships.

Emma LeBlanc. PhD candidate in Biomedical & Molecular Sciences – Conserved Mechanisms of Coronavirus Attachment to Cell Surfaces

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 21:24:02 +0000

I aim to identify prototype pan-coronavirus attachment inhibitors to enhance our pandemic preparedness

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chap webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies website – https://www.queensu.ca/sgs/grad-chat

Line Drapeau, PhD candidate in Management (Finance) – Product market competition and corporate finance

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 22:16:19 +0000

Line will discuss her research, and her journey as a graduate student to prepare for the job market.

Spencer Huesken (Sociology), on the Sociological examination of Hybrid work and digital working practices.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 22:18:40 +0000

Starting off with discussing Queen’s recent Digitalization Conference and then how the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically shifted the ways in which we understand and engage with the workplace.

Rubaiyat Jabeen, Education – Culture behind Writing: An Inquiry into the Challenges and Cultural Influences on Second Language Writing in the Canadian Academic Context

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 21:48:16 +0000

Starting off with discussing Queen’s first International Education Week and why this event was such a good match to Rubaiyat’s own research. The purpose of her study is to investigate the influence of first language (L1) and individual culture of multilingual international undergraduate students (MIUS) on their academic English language (L2) writing, and how best to support them to become successful L2 writers in the Canadian academic context.

Laura Szczyrba, Geological Sciences – Nearshore Surf Zone Wave Angle Variability and Hydrodynamics

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 01:25:03 +0000

Laura’s research at Queen’s combines numerical modeling, remote sensing, and in-situ observational data to offer a more comprehensive understanding of the coastal nearshore environment especially during coastal storm events, such as hurricanes.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chap webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Stud

ies website – https://www.queensu.ca/sgs/grad-chat

Quentin Tsang (Translational Medicine) – Using cannabinoids to reduce opioid dosage to treat abdominal pain in inflammatory bowel disease.

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 13:41:05 +0000

Canada has the highest prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the world; 1 in 140 Canadians suffer from the disease. One of the most common and debilitating symptoms of IBD is abdominal pain. Traditionally, opioids are used to manage pain. While effective, they are accompanied by severe side effects (e.g., addiction and increased risk of death). Thus, there is an unmet need for safe and effective strategies to manage pain in IBD, without the adverse side effects associated with conventional opioid treatment. The legalization of cannabis in Canada may increase the number of patients with IBD who choose to use cannabis to manage pain.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chap webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies website – https://www.queensu.ca/sgs/grad-chat

Grad Chat – 26th October 2021, Using your graduate journey to help you plan ahead

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:45:57 +0000

Homecoming and the importance of alumni connections, what an IDP can do to help you in your journey, our new professional development framework and why we wanted to change it.

To find out what’s coming up next go to

Grad Chat 19th October 2021 – Emily Cervenka and Kristen Hayward, Biology – Queen’s Outdoor Field Experience Initiative (QOFEI)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 21:28:00 +0000

When you see barriers to getting involved in field research, what do you do about it? Emily and Kristen share their passion that resulted in the formation of QOFEI (pronounced Coffee).

To see upcoming Grad Chats go to – https://www.queensu.ca/sgs/grad-chat

Yuxi Zhang, PhD in Biomedical Engineering: Reducing the Foreign Body Immune Response towards Biomaterial

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 20:31:49 +0000

Overview: My research topic is around the foreign body reaction (FBR) which describes a patient’s biological response to an implanted material or device, and includes tissue injury, blood-material interactions, provisional matrix formation, acute and chronic inflammation, and fibrous matrix deposition surrounding the implant. The inflammatory response to the implant can impair its performance and lifespan. This research focus is on strategies to attenuate the foreign body response (FBR) towards implanted biomaterial without losing the protection of host immune system.

For upcoming interviews check out the Grad Chap webpage on Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies website – https://www.queensu.ca/sgs/grad-chat

Megan McAllister PhD in Kinesiology & Health Studies – Biomechanics and Neuromechanics

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 21:39:01 +0000

Overview: I am interested in understanding how and why people walk the way they do. I leverage robotic exoskeletons to change people’s natural way of walking, and I investigate how they adapt to this new environment. I am also the manager of the Queen’s Ergonomics Consulting Program (QECP), and we conduct ergonomic assessments for Queen’s staff and faculty members. Recently, we conducted a survey to investigate how everyone adapted to working from home

To see more upcoming Grad Chats visit the Queen’s School of Graduate Studies website.

Sareena McDonald MSc in Epidemiology – Measuring race as a variable in epidemiological research

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 21:06:40 +0000

“In response to ongoing and systemic Racism in both Canada and the United States, students within the Queen’s University Department of Public Health Sciences expressed interest in improving our understanding of Racist Policy in epidemiology and public health. With this, we decided to form the Racial Considerations in Epidemiology (RaCE) Task Force, where we could meet to develop, share, and express our ideas and understanding of the literature on this topic.”

For more episodes of Grad Chat go to Queen’s University, School of Graduate Studies website

Suyin (English) interviews Colette (CJ the DJ)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 20:00:11 +0000

Topic: What’s happening in Fall 2021!

Overview: Looking at professional development workshops, the new Individual Development Plan, Career Week and more

Emma, Nancy, Skylar, Philip and mentor Jane

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 20:00:26 +0000

A look into Queen’s PHD-Community Initiative – Team United talks about their project titled “Resilient Kingston”

Presented by Team United – Emma, Nancy, Skylar, Philip and mentor Jane

CJ the DJ talks with Kim Krezenoski

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 25 May 2021 20:00:29 +0000

CJ the DJ talks to Kim Krezenozki from the School of Graduate Studies on a new initiative for grad students, the Summer Wellness Series.

CJ the DJ and Suyin the DJ Bear

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 20:00:24 +0000

Topic: Wrap up for the Winter term

Overview: Bloopers, wellness, technology, community. Listen in to find out how we have all fared over the past year and what’s install for summer. Here about our students resiliency.

Daenis Camire, MSc candidate Healthcare Quality

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 20:00:48 +0000

Topic: How does a Resident in Anesthesiology fit in time to do a masters and what is the connection?

Overview: Daenis comes from a nursing background, is now an MD and doing his residency in Anesthesiology, it is no wonder he wants to contribute in other areas. The MSc in Healthcare Quality, helps improve healthcare quality, risk and safety in Canada and worldwide. Daenis explains how.

Zongwe Binesikwe, PhD candidate, Nursing, supervised by Dr Mary Smith

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 20:00:39 +0000

Topic: Storytelling as Medicine: Autoethnography of a Two-Spirit Anishinaabe Nurse Practitioner.

Overview: Looking at decolonising health care practices, Zongwe’s research will explore the use of a ceremonial self-reflective practice to promote resilience and address compassion fatigue in nurses.

Zongwe creates social change through storytelling in her podcast, “Under the Same Stars” and weekly radio show, “Zee’s Place” on CILU 102.7FM. Want to learn more? Go to Zongwe’s website – https://www.zongwebinesikwe.com/

Carrie Ewins (Biology), Carolyn Bonta and Yifeng Wang (Geography & Planning)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 20:00:41 +0000

Topic: Queen’s Annual Northern Research Symposium.

Overview: What is the Northern Research Symposium and why it is important to all of us.

Learn more and how to participate on the Symposium website

Robert Mackowiak, MSc candidate, Biomechanics (Kinesiology & Health Studies), supervised by Dr Pat Costigan

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 20:00:53 +0000

Topic: “How does the coordination of your lower body change based on how high you jump?”.

Overview: By understanding the lower extremity coordination patterns that people use to jump to submaximal and maximal heights, my research can help further knowledge in how to train athletes to jump higher and how to help athletes recover following injury.

If you are interested in finding out more about Robert’s work, follow his twitter account – www.twitter.com/RobMackowiak

Madison Robertson, PhD candidate, Health Quality, supervised by Dr Rylan Egan

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 20:00:18 +0000

Topic: Understanding the lived experiences of spouses who are separated in long-term care facilities. .

Overview: The aim of my research is to explore the lived experiences of older adults who are separated from their partners in two separate long-term care facilities – specifically in relation to feelings of loneliness and isolation

Isabella Aung PhD candidate, Political Studies, supervised by Dr Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant & Dr Stephanie Martel

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 20:00:23 +0000

Topic: Women’s Representation in New Democracies: Underrepresentation of Ethnic Minority Women in Burmese Politics.

Overview: My research will investigate how political parties’ actions and attitudes contribute to this underrepresentation, particularly in regions with high concentrations of ethnic minorities.

Diane Whitelaw, PhD candidate, History, supervised by Dr Mark Epprecht

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 21:00:06 +0000

Topic: Zambian Political History.

Overview: I am studying the Chona Commission, a constitutional review commission that ushered in the era of the single party state in post colonial Zambia, 1972/3

Trinda Penniston, MSc candidate, Psychology, supervised by Dr Meredith Chivers

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:00:56 +0000

Topic: Racialized sexual attractions and sexual responses

Overview: I’m specifically interested in examining Black people’s sexual responses relative to white people’s.

Annie Jian, Masters student in Earth and Energy Resources Leadership

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 21:00:28 +0000

Topic: ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) in the Canadian energy sector

Overview: I am taking a deep dive into sustainability reporting for major Canadian energy companies to identify gaps and key areas that are material to their business, which may help to de-risk some of the social, political, and technological issues as well as public perception related to different types of energy development (fossil fuels, nuclear, renewables etc.).

Samantha Twietmeyer, PhD candidate, Political Studies, supervised by Dr John McGarry

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 21:00:46 +0000

Topic: The Double Minority Dilemma and Conflict Settlement Negotiations in Cyprus and Northern Ireland.

Overview: My research outlines the theory of the Double Minority Dilemma (DMD) which argues that each community’s security dilemma is defined by their perception of their own minority status both domestically and in combination with the geopolitical environment of third-party actors, which serves to justify their “cause.”.

Iman Abdali Mashhadi, PhD candidate, Electrical & Computer Engineering, supervised by Dr Majid Pahlevani

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 21:00:25 +0000

Topic: Retinal Implants.

Overview: My research looks at ways to lower the cost of retinal implants for people with age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa, two of the most common outer retinal degenerative problems and the predominant cause of most blind related diseases.

Deborah Francis, DSc candidate, Rehabilitation & Health Leadership, supervised by Dr Janet Jull

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 21:00:01 +0000

Topic: Changing the landscape: A critical race informed narrative inquiry of a Canadian University told by racialized students..

Overview: The proposed research study will use community based participatory research principle that prioritize racialized student experiences to design, conduct and assess a training resource to progress diversity , equity and inclusion from a state of awareness to action for faculty and staff.

Connor Stone, PhD candidate, Astrophysics, supervised by Professor Stephane Courteau

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 21:00:41 +0000

Topic: The Galaxy Manifold: A statistical and systematic analysis of intrinsic galaxy properties.

Overview: I am exploring a multi-dimensional approach to galaxy modeling. Most traditional analysis is performed on correlations of two parameters at a time. I am developing a framework for examining trends in any number of parameters simultaneously. I use machine learning models and techniques to fully extract all available information. By determining which parameters are fundamentally linked to each other, I can connect models of galaxy formation to real observations and possibly learn about the nature of dark matter.

Listen to Fast Radio Bursts on podcast, bring exciting space news hot off the telescope into your ears.

Branaavan Sivarajah, PhD candidate, Biology, supervised by Dr John Smol

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 21:00:46 +0000

Topic: The long-term ecological consequences of gold mining operations, urbanization, and climatic changes on sub-Arctic lakes near Yellowknife (Northwest Territories, Canada).

Overview: The lack of long-term environmental monitoring data poses significant challenges to understanding the impacts of past anthropogenic activities on freshwater ecosystems. However, we can use natural archives (e.g. lake sediments that accumulate continuously) to fill this knowledge gap.

Matthew Duda, PhD candidate, Biology, supervised by Dr John Smol

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 21:00:31 +0000

Topic: Using paleolimnology to reconstruct past seabird populations.

Overview: Most seabird populations are in decline. However, because of sparse monitoring it is impossible to know when the population began to decline. My research uses lake sediments to address this lack in delivery. I am to answer key questions in conservation biology, such as “What are the drivers of seabird decline” and “what is natural, before human interference?”

Andrew Moffitt, PhD candidate, English Language & Literature, supervised by Dr Gabrielle McIntire

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:00:25 +0000

Topic: Ideology, Production, and Reproduction in the work of Virginia Woolf, Marie Stopes, and H.D.

Overview: My research looks at how the emergence of debates in the 1920s and 30s regarding reproduction and sexuality influenced the work of three modernist writers.

Suyin interviews CJ the DJ

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 21:00:36 +0000

Topic: What’s Up 2021!

Overview: Suyin (aka DJ Bear), asks CJ the DJ what to expect in 2021.

Bailey Brant, MS Candidate, Neuroscience, supervised by Dr Stephen Vanner & Dr Alan Lomax

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 21:00:58 +0000

Topic: Diet, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Pain

Overview: My research looks at how a popular food additive, monosodium glutamate (MSG), can cause pain in a pre-clinical model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). The goal is to provide a neuronal mechanism that underlies MSG’s ability to trigger pain in this patient group.

Cheryl Bruce, PhD Candidate, Cultural Studies, supervised by Dr Colleen Renihan

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 21:00:43 +0000

Topic: The rold of women orchestral conductors, particularly within the Canadian context.

Overview: Although in the early stages of my research, my current focus has been identifying some of the ways in which women are excluded from orchestral conducting at the highest levels. This includes mentorship and educational shortfalls, gender bias and media representation.

Sofia Melendez, M.Ed Candidate, Education, supervised by Dr Saad Chahine

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 21:00:46 +0000

Topic: Towards improving the education that mental health professionals receive about transgender-spectrum health

Overview: Sofia’s Master’s thesis aims to develop an instrument that measures mental health professionals’ knowledge, skills, and awareness (KSA) about trans health. Having this instrument is an essential starting point for the design of better educational practices that will improve mental health trainees’ KSA towards trans healthcare. Her work on this project is funded through the Ontario Women’s Health Scholars award and the Canadian Graduate Scholar Master’s level award (SSHRC).

Suyin Olguin, PhD Candidate, English Language & Literature

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 21:00:15 +0000

Topic: Grad Student, Parent, Teacher – Coping with Covid

Overview: Join CJ the DJ and Suyin Olguin as they chat about a grad students life during the pandemic. How you balance your own work, with parenting and teaching duties.

Candi Raudebaugh, DSc in Rehabilitation Health Leadership, supervised by Dr Marcia Finlayson and Dr Kathleen Norman

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 21:00:03 +0000

Topic: Life Skills Training For Therapy Assistant Students

Overview: College students often struggle with basic life skills such as coping skills and managing finances, leading to challenges with coping, academic performance, practicum, and employability. Rehabilitation students who are expected to work on life skills with clients can face particular challenges if they lack experience or competence in these areas themselves, so this research targets students in rehabilitation diploma programs. The purpose of this study is to improve therapy assistant students’ life skills to improve their short-term success as students and long-term success in launching their careers.

Maleeka Thaker, MES in Environmental Studies

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 21:00:14 +0000

Topic: Studying bird-window collisions on the Queen’s University main campus

Overview: Aiming to estimate the number of annual collisions on main campus and test the effectiveness of collision mitigation film so it can be incorporated into campus planning.

Siobhan Speiran, PhD in Environmental Studies, supervised by Dr Alice Hovorka

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 21:00:45 +0000

Topic: The Lives of Monkeys in Costa Rican Sanctuaries

Overview: Despite Costa Ricas’ ‘green’ reputation, their monkey populations are at risk. My work addresses the call for interdisciplinary in tourism research by drawing on animal welfare, conservation, tourism and animal studies to understand the entangled lives of monkeys and humans, and what a ‘good life’ looks like for a monkey in a sanctuary.

Brianna Bradley, PhD in Chemical Engineering, supervised by Dr Carlos Escobedo

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 20:00:41 +0000

Topic: Microfluidics for cell studies

Overview: The microfluidic devices are well suited for the study of individual cells since the small scale of operation allows for the manipulation of these cells. Microfluidic devices can be used to sort and isolate individual cells for analysis as well as to create different on-chip conditions to study the cells’ responses. In my research, I design these devices, computationally simulate the conditions in the device, and fabricate these devices for experimentation with the cells.

Clarissa de Leon, PhD in Education

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 20:00:56 +0000

Topic: Queen’s Reads – Other Side of the Game

Overview: Clarissa will explain this year’s programming for Queen’s Read book, the Other Side of the Game, by Amanda Parris.

Susan Bazely (PhD Geography & Planning), Sean Marrs (PhD History), Carrie Ewins (MSc Biology)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 20:00:17 +0000

Topic: Queen’s Grad Students In Action – Part 2

Overview: Want to know what some of our graduate students do on the side! Three grad students will talk about their research and volunteering with tours recently during Doors Open Kingston at the Lower Burial Ground.

Susan Bazely, PhD in Geography & Planning, Sean Marrs (Phd History), Carrie Ewins (MSc Biology)

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 20:00:24 +0000

Topic: Queen’s Grad Students In Action – Part 1

Overview: Want to know what some of our graduate students do on the side! Listen to 3 grad students talk about their research and volunteering with tours recently during Doors Open Kingston at the Lower Burial Ground.

Claire Lee and Stephan Kukkonen, MPL in Geography & Planning, supervised by Dr Ajay Agarwal and Dr Patricia Collins

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 20:00:47 +0000

Topic: How planners can help Cities and Towns even during a pandemic

Overview: Claire talks about “Public transportation Covid-19 response and recovery” and Stephan talks about the “Quite Streets Pilot in Kingston”

Rachel Fernandes, PhD in English Language & Literature, supervised by Dr Petra Fachinger

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 20:00:06 +0000

Topic: Asian Mixed Race Identity Creation in Contemporary North American Literature.

Overview: I am interested in looking at genres and forms of literature to see how multiracial people with Asian heritage construct their identities. These forms include the novel, memoir/creative non-fiction, and poetry

Sarah Flisikowski, Master in Environmental Studies, supervised by Dr Tristan Pearce & Dr Graham Whitelaw

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 20:00:33 +0000

Topic: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Polar Bear Co-Management in a Changing Arctic.

Overview: Polar bears are a species of significance to Inuit culturally, spiritually, economically, and for subsistence. This makes including Inuit understandings of polar bear health under changing climatic conditions of great importance to the co-management of polar bears across the Canadian Arctic..

Olivia Manning, PhD student in Rehabilitation Science.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of A Community-based Water Exercise Transition Program for Individuals with Chronic Stroke.

Overview: Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in Canada. By designing a step-down exercise program to bridge the gap between formal rehabilitation and community exercise, I hope to demonstrate a feasible and acceptable option to manage and support chronic stroke survivors in our communities.

Stephanie Nijhuis, MA student in Religious Studies.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: How perceptions of Greco-Roman cults affected the development and use of music in Early Christianity

Overview: Throughout my research, I hope to show a lineage of how trance and altered states of consciousness (ASCs) induced through music function within the religious experience of Dionysian rituals and how it leads to how early Christians either accepted or rejected specific musical practices throughout their own rituals and worship, especially surrounding percussive instruments and dance.

Robyn Carruthers, PhD in English Language & Literature, supervised by Drs Asha Varadharajan & Yael Schlilk

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Foreign Relations: Contemporary Travel Writing and the Unsettling Poetics of Foreign Space

Overview: Robyn studies contemporary travel writing and how it shapes our ideas about what it means for a person, place, or thing to be ‘foreign’ in the world today.

Jhordan Layne, PhD in English Language & Literature, supervised by Dr Chris Bongie

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Celestial Bodies and Spiritual Possessions

Overview: Jhordan's thesis explores the representation of religion and superstition in the work of two Jamaican novelists Kei Miller and Marlon James. Through that exploration he also uncovers new perspectives on the colonial and postcolonial histories of Jamaica that continue to shape ideas of race, gender, and violence throughout the Caribbean Diaspora. In his research he reveals pathways to self-possession that complicate ideas of religious freedom, poetic faith, and the praxis of being human Volume 90%00:00

Safa Moussoud, PhD in English Language & Literature, supervised by Dr Petra Fachinger

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: The cultural production of Muslim youth of the 1.5 and second generation

Overview: My research is interested in the identity construction of Muslim youth who grew up in the shadow of 9/11 and more importantly the global war on terror. I examine art by and about Muslim youth to analyze how the ongoing social and political discussion around Islam and Muslims shaped the identity of young Muslims who have not known a world prior to the events of 9/11.

Suyin, Jhordan, Safa, Aprajita

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Scholars of Colour in Watson Hall

Overview: Join CJ the DJ for a conversation with Scholars of Colour at Watson Hall. Safa Moussoud, Jhordan Layne, Suyin Olguin (PhD English), & recent graduate Dr. Aprajita Sarcar (PhD History will be discussing their academic research and their experiences of being graduate students of colour at Queen's.

Web page - https://scholarsofcolourwatsonhall.wordpress.com/

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/2137437043038266/posts/3032486900199938/?vh=e&d=n

Martina Jakubchik-Paloheimo, PhD in Human Geography supervised by Dr Heather Castleden

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Land reconciliation, a new critical geography of peace in the Ecuadorian Amazon: Empowering Shuar resilience and resurgence through two-eyed learning.

Overview: This research will work in collaboration with the Shuar community in Ecuador, specifically with the community of Chiriap, Shuar family lineage who are seeking to conserve and preserve both their ancestral knowledge and land against rising mining interests in their territory.

For more information and to help this community go to the crowdfunding campaign

Joshua Jones, PhD in Environmental Studies supervised by Dr Mick Smith

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 26 May 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: The Emptiness of Ecological Loss and Extinction.

Overview: The goal of my research is to rethink the notions of ecology and extinction so that we can better understand the connections they have to emptiness, as well as explore the ramifications of emptiness for both the human, and more-than-human, world.

Rachel Kuzmich, PhD in Geography & Planning supervised by Dr Paul Treitz

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 May 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Examining bird habitat structure across space and over time using remote sensing data.

Overview: My research will contribute to an enhanced understanding of habitat occupancy by using airborne laser scanning to describe and quantify relevant habitat structure. It will also make a methodological contribution to the emerging field of ecoacoustics by developing and testing a method for using bird recording data captured at survey points in the field.

Brittany Jennings and Andrew Evans, MEERL;

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 May 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Everything you wanted to know about MEERL!

Overview: MEERL or Master of Earth and Energy Resources Leadership program. What is the significance of this program and how has it impacted industry?

Megan Tucker, M.Ed in Education, supervised by Dr Elizabeth MacEachren

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 May 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Experiences that inspires one to be an Environmentalist

Overview: The purpose of this research is to explore environmentalists’ perceptions and sense of oneness with the natural world. By listening to the stories of environmentalists, this study will explore participants’ significant life experiences, and the everlasting sensory impression of those experiences on current understanding of their sense of oneness with the natural world. Lastly, this study will explore the significance of environmentalists’ in sharing their personal stories.

Claudia Hirtenfelder, PhD in Geography & Planning, supervised by Drs Laura Cameron and Carolyn Prouse

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Cast Out Urbanites: A comparative history and geography of how cows disappeared from Kingston and Cape Town

Overview: Today, while certainly not absent in all cities, cows are invisible as lively beings in many urban areas in which they once lived, illustrating the changing multi-species nature of urbanisation. Historically, cows were present in urban settlements and were used by humans as sources of milk, meat, leather, and labour. While humans continue to use cows for much the same, the spatiality and scale of these relations has undergone dramatic changes. In order to understand how urbanisation is shaped through processes of multi-species inclusion and exclusion, this research aims to unpack how cows became absent in two cities, Cape Town (South Africa) and Kingston (Canada).

Suyin Olguin, PhD in English Language & Literature, supervised by Dr Brooke Cameron

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: What's it like being a student parent during Covid-19

Overview: Tips on how to keep your kids occupied, home schooled, feel special and still get your research done too.

Alastair Keirulf, PhD in Chemistry, supervised by Dr Diane Beauchemin

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Working remotely

Overview: Tips on how to continue to move forward with your research, keep positive and look after yourself, family and friends.

Leo Erlikhman, Masters in Sociology & Public Administration, supervised by Drs Victoria Sytsma and Heather Murray

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Youth Alcohol in Kingston

Overview: Recent evidence shows an increase in alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits among youth. We sought to quantify the impact of ED visits (type and frequency, patient characteristics and resource use) related to alcohol in our centre

Leo Erlikhman, Masters in Sociology & Public Administration, supervised by Drs Victoria Sytsma and Heather Murray

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:31:00 +0000

Topic: Youth Alcohol in Kingston

Zuhaib Mir, MSc in Epidemiology, supervised by Dr Patti Groome

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Postoperative liver decompensation events following partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with cirrhosis

Overview: My research is focused on studying adverse outcomes after surgical resection of liver tumours. Specifically, the majority of patients with liver cancer also have underlying liver disease, called cirrhosis. So, the decision to remove the cancerous portion of their liver must also take into account the function of the remaining liver left behind

Jennifer Ritonja, PhD in Epidemiology, supervised by Dr Kristan Aronson

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: Night shift work, melatonin, and circadian gene methylation in the development of breast cancer

Overview: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Canada and globally. Breast cancer etiology is complex, and work environment as a risk factor is still poorly understood, particularly with respect to night shift work. It is estimated that 10-30% of the global working population are night shift workers. While research indicates that night shift work raises the risk of breast cancer, not all research is consistent, due to differences across studies. Further, it is still unclear how night work may make an individual more susceptible to breast cancer.

Jackson Pind, PhD in Education, supervised by Dr Theodore Christou

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 20:00:00 +0000

Topic: The history of Indian Day Schools in Ontario between 1920-2000

Overview: My research will conduct oral history Interviews with Indian Day School survivors by using Indigenous methods of data collection. I will then contextualize these histories with additional archival research conducted at the Library and Archives of Canada. This research will inform our understandings of Canada’s colonial educational system and provide a voice for survivors to share their stories that have yet to be documented in Ontario.

Sherri Dutton, PhD in Public Health Sciences, supervised by Dr Colleen Davison

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: The use of arts-based methods in health research

Overview: I will be talking about my Master's work and what I intend to do with my PhD exploring the use of arts-based methods in health research and incorporating a collage activity into that research as well.

Morgan Lehtinen, PhD in Chemistry, supervised by Dr Guojun Liu

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: H2Only: Smart Filters for Efficient Oil/Water Separation.

Overview: In a world that relies heavily on the use of crude oil as an energy source, clean oil recovery and spill remediation is of dire importance. Removing oil from surfactant stabilized oil-in-water emulsions has become an issue in numerous industries as current separation processes are tedious and wasteful of resources. Our research group has developed functionalized 'smart' filters that can selectively and efficiently separate the oil from oil-in-water emulsions. I will discuss the environmental and operational advantages of this novel filter and its potential to improve the cleanliness of a normally dirty industry.

Keegan Turner-Wood, PhD in Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, supervised by Dr Steven Smith

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: How to gain access to energy stored in plants by designing biological nanomachines which can efficiently release trapped energy.

Overview: With the continued depletion of fossil fuels the search for new sources of renewable energy are growing ever more urgent. One possible source of energy is the vast repository of carbon found within plant biomass. We aim to gain access to this functionally limitless pool of energy by designing biological nanomachines which can efficiently release their trapped energy

Jasmin Manseau, PhD in Management, supervised by Dr Tracy Jenkin.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: “The Future of Work”

Overview: I am interested in the future of work and the changing nature of work more specifically how employees are beginning to use artificial intelligence at work through interactions with chatbots (i.e. IBM Watson) and intelligent employee assistants (i.e. Alexa for Business, Google Home at work, etc.). What is the work of tomorrow shaping to be like?

Alastair Keirulf, PhD in Chemistry, supervised by Dr Diane Beauchemin

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: Developing the Continuous Online Leaching Method for use in Bioaccessibility Risk Assessments

Overview: When soil is contaminated, we must perform a risk assessment to determine the potential for hazard towards humans who may work, play, or live in contact with the soil. A common method for modeling this soil exposure is through a bioaccessibility study, which can be performed in-lab without the need for animal subjects. My work is on validating a continuous on-line leaching method. Conventional methods use a batch method of analysis, which can take hours to complete, but we have seen results with the online leaching method take as low as 30 minutes!

Jen McConnel, PhD in Education, supervised by Dr Pamela Beach.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: “Academic literacy in first year college (the necessary “language” for communicating successfully in college)”

Overview: I’m researching the perceptions teachers and students have of academic literacy in the first-year of college.

Terry Soleas, Jennifer Guiho, Bessi Qorri

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: “TEDx Annual Conference

Overview: Grad students discuss what it means to do a TED talk

Shannon Hill, PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences, supervised by Dr Heidi Cramm

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: Understanding and Supporting the School Transitions of Military-Connected Adolescents

Overview: The purpose of my two-phased sequential qualitative study is to (1) provide an in-depth, multi-perspective understanding of the school transition experiences of military-connected adolescents in Ontario, and (2) provide recommendations to inform policy and practice related to the school transition experiences of military-connected adolescents across Canada

Linda Mussell, PhD in Political Studies, supervised by Dr Margaret Little.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: “Handing Over The Keys: Intergenerational Legacies of Incarceration Policy in Canada, Australia, and Aotearoa/New Zealand.”

Overview: I use critical policy analysis to unpack the legacies of incarceral policies in three countries, where generations of people within one family or community can be criminalized and experience institutionalization.

CJ the DJ and Suyin DJ Bear.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 31 Dec 2019 21:00:00 +0000

Overview: It's New Year's Eve but we are still on the air! Hear what is in store for grad studies in 2020

CJ the DJ and Suyin DJ Bear.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 21:00:00 +0000

Overview: It's a special day, so with that comes a special edition of Grad Chat as we wrap up 2019.

Abbey Lee Hallett, Masters in Art Leadership.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 21:00:00 +0000

Abbey Lee Hallett, Masters in Art Leadership.

Overview: Abbey Lee talks about the Arts Leadership program and why it is important to train the next group of Arts Leaders who can lead the next generation of our country's arts and culture.

Sidra Shafique, PhD in Biomedical & Molecular Sciences.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: Valproic acid induced neural tube defects.

Overview: Deviations in embryonic cell signaling induces birth defects such as neural tube defects seen in children born to mothers who are exposed to valproic acid during pregnancy.

Aprajita Sarcar, PhD in History.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: Mythical Families in Mythical Cities: Small Family Norm in India, 1955-77.

Overview: I trace the emergence of India's first advocacy campaign about the nuclear family. Through it, I analyze the nuclear family's rise in metropolitan India. The project studies urbanization patterns with an eye on contraceptive use amongst families.

Maram Taibah, PhD in Cultural Studies.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 21:00:00 +0000

Topic: Gender Performance in Children's Literature and Media in the Middle East.

Overview: As a writer with an MA in film production, I have explored the child’s perspective in both fiction and screenplays. For the past year, I’ve been engaged with a body of fantasy fiction where the story is told through the eyes of an eleven-year-old girl living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The heroine strives to reconcile certain systems and doctrines in her environment with what she sees in the magical worlds that she travels to. This work brings to my attention the need for a closer look at how Arab children’s identities are shaped by the storytelling that they consume, be it offered by close loved ones or the media machine.

For more information on Maram's books and short films, check out her website at https://www.maram-taibah.com/

Amanda Guarino, MA in History.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 21:00:22 +0000

Topic: Treating hunger: medical expertise, nutritional science, and the development of technical food solutions.

Overview: I looked at how, starting with World War II until contemporary times, hunger came to be predominantly seen as a medical object, and food relief was reconceptualized as medical treatment. The scientific community's research of hunger gave it a medical connotation that influenced the way hunger was managed: from the development of technically-engineered nutrition solutions that were guided by medical expertise to making hunger relief subjected to medical supervision. A medical framework reduces hunger to a biological problem, missing the socio-cultural experience and politico-economic roots of hunger. Further, it favors fast-acting, industrialized, expert-designed, and short-term nutritional solutions. This materialized in various products starting in the 1950s until current times. In viewing hunger through a medical prism, the broader structural causes of hunger and socio-cultural meanings of food are more easily obscured, favoring technical solutions that emphasize immediate, efficient and effective medical and nutritional results. If you want to learn more about Big Bothers Big Sisters and perhaps volunteer then go to their website at - https://kingston.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/

Sam MacLennan, MA student in Religious Studies.

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 05:36:31 +0000

Topic: The role of medicine in investigating stigmata, the (re)appearance of Christ’s Holy Wounds on various bodies, in the context of Catholic canonization procedures. Overview: Stigmata are the focus of this research as they are constantly being interpreted and reinterpreted by various groups, going all the way back to St. Francis. I am focused on 20th century stigmatics, as their lives coincide with the rise of professionalized medical organizations, as well as significant global events related to religion, secularity, and secularism (e.g. WWI & WWII, the Cold War, Vatican II reforms, etc.). Despite popular tendencies to see Catholicism and scientific, empirical inquiry as oppositional, this project shows that clinical medicine and the Catholic hierarchy cooperate and overlap in investigative approaches and how they expect stigmatic-patients to present themselves to inquiry.

Sam Maclennan, MA student in Religious Studies.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 21:00:52 +0000

Topic: The role of medicine in investigating stigmata, the (re)appearance of Christ’s Holy Wounds on various bodies, in the context of Catholic canonization procedures.

Overview: Stigmata are the focus of this research as they are constantly being interpreted and reinterpreted by various groups, going all the way back to St. Francis. I am focused on 20th century stigmatics, as their lives coincide with the rise of professionalized medical organizations, as well as significant global events related to religion, secularity, and secularism (e.g. WWI & WWII, the Cold War, Vatican II reforms, etc.). Despite popular tendencies to see Catholicism and scientific, empirical inquiry as oppositional, this project shows that clinical medicine and the Catholic hierarchy cooperate and overlap in investigative approaches and how they expect stigmatic-patients to present themselves to inquiry.

Rebecca Stroud-Stasel, PhD student in Education.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 21:00:30 +0000

Topic: Teacher acculturation in the context of sojourning overseas.

Overview: While overseas teaching can offer many capacity-increasing opportunities plus a chance to see the world, there are many complicating factors that deserve greater scrutiny. For one thing, teacher turnover is higher overseas and in some schools, the rate in which teachers break their contracts is concerning. Among many challenges facing new teachers, those who go overseas to teach must additionally confront culture shock—or acculturation—as well as policyscapes.

Suyin Olguin, PhD student in English Language & Literature.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:00:57 +0000

Topic: Halloween Special - Vampires and Garlic: the Science, Literature, and Folklore of Fending off Vampirism".

Overview: Why does learning more about vampires and garlic matter?

Erin Gallagher-Cohoon, PhD student in History.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 20:00:25 +0000

Topic: Canadian history of gay and lesbian/queer parenting.

Overview: My research looks at gay parenting from the 1970's to 2005, looking at custody cases in the 1970s where a parent's, often a mothers, sexuality was raised as a potential reason for withholding custody and ending with the ways in which a symbolic child and the presumed childlessness of queer couples was raised in the House of Commons debates on same sex marriage.

Carmel Mikol, MA student in English Language & Literature.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Oct 2019 20:00:04 +0000

Topic: Disappearance narratives in contemporary global women's literature.

Overview: My research seeks to identify the social and political uses of disappearance narratives by post-war women writers. Also Carmel speaks about her podcast hyacinthpodcast.com

Jeffrey Allan, PhD student in Political Studies, supervised by Dr Christian Leuprecht

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 20:00:10 +0000

Topic: Why come back to graduate studies now?

Overview: After a successful career as a journalist for the CBC and then a member of various United Nations departments, Jeff has come back to do a PhD. This interview will discuss why some students start their graduate life a little later in their career.

Kyle Vader, PhD student in Rehabilitation Science, supervised by Dr Jordan Miller

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 20:00:05 +0000

Topic: Chronic pain management in primary health care

Overview: The overarching purpose of my thesis is to understand social contributors to chronic pain as well as experiences, barriers, and facilitators to inter-professional chronic pain management in primary health care.

Derya Gungor, PhD in Sociology supervised by Dr Annette Burfoot.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 20:00:48 +0000

Topic: The feminist IMPLICATIONS OF maternal and infant health promotion in turkey through the current FAMILY medicine model’s pregnancy-monitoring mandate.

Overview: In my PhD research, I examined the implications of a Turkish health policy that has a national level mandate to register pregnant women from a feminist perspective. The documented objective of this program and its pregnancy-monitoring mandate is to improve the maternal and infant health rates of the country by providing prenatal medical care and pregnancy-related health-promotion education to all pregnant women.

Ashley Williams, PhD student in Rehabilitation Science supervised by Drs Catherine Donnelly and Heidi Cramm .

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 17 Sep 2019 20:00:36 +0000

Topic: Access to primary health care during the military to civilian transition.

Overview: My research is focused on how do Canadian Veterans experience the transition from the Canadian Forces Health Services to provincial primary care during military to civilian transition and how do provincial interdisciplinary primary care teams provide service to Veterans.

Stephanie Gauvin, PhD student in Clinical Psychology, supervised by Dr Caroline Pukall

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 20:00:09 +0000

Topic: Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics for Queer Men

Overview: Stephanie and her collaborators have put together a comic book anthology. This is an exciting way to explore the consequences of body dissatisfaction to the health of queer men and to highlight the resilience that queer men experience against body dissatisfaction.

A launch of the comic books is coming soon to Kingston. If you are interested and what to find out more follow Stephanie's group on the Twitter handle @QueerBodies

Sue Bazely (PhD student) and Paulina Marczak (MSc student) both in Geography and Planning

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 07 May 2019 20:00:22 +0000

Overview: Sue and Paulina discuss the "Stage 1 Cultural Resource Recording Project: Under the St. Paul’s Church Hall, Lower Burial Ground in Kingston" and how you can also get involved.

See the Kingston Lower Burial Ground website for more details and how to volunteer.

Branaavan Sivarajah , PhD student in Biology, supervised by Dr John Smol. Wraps up the Symposium

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 20:00:54 +0000

Russell Turner, MSc student in Biology, supervised by Dr Vicki Frieisen. Research topic - Population genomics of an Arctic seabird, the majestic Common Eider sea duck!

Christina Braybrook , MSc student in Geography, supervised by Dr Neal Scott and Dr Paul Treitz. Research topic - Modelling growing season net CO2 exchange for High Arctic mesic tundra using high resolution remote sensing data.

Overview: Part 3 of the Northern Research Symposium, the graduate students assisting in the program and how their research is related to the North.

Kayla Dettinger, M.A (History), supervised by Dr Sandra den Otter

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 20:00:08 +0000

Research: The history of the UK charity the Pilgrim Trust from 1930-1960 and its efforts to come to the "rescue of the things that mattered in our country" as a self-defined "salvage corps".

Overview: Talking on both Kayla's Master's experience as well as her role now with University Relations and how her graduate experience helped her with this job.

Branaavan Sivarajah , PhD student in Biology, supervised by Dr John Smol. Talks about the Symposium

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 20:00:16 +0000

Lila Colston-Nepali , MSc student in Biology, supervised by Dr Vicki Frieisen. Research topic - Using genomic tools to answer conservation questions in an arctic seabird, the Northern Fulmar

Jacqueline Hung , PhD student in Geography, supervised by Dr Neal Scott and Dr Paul Treitz. Research topic - Seasonal controls on terrestrial carbon and nutrient cycling in the Canadian High Arctic.

Overview: Part 2 of the Northern Research Symposium, the graduate students assisting in the program and how their research is related to the North. For more information go to the Symposium website

Branaavan Sivarajah , PhD student in Biology, supervised by Dr John Smol. Talks about the Symposium

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 20:00:11 +0000

Greg Robson , MSc student in Geography, supervised by Dr Paul Treitz and Dr Scott Lamoureux. Research topic - Risk assessment of permafrost disturbances via differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DinSAR)

Dana Stephenson , MSc student in Geography, supervised by Dr Laura Thomson. Research topic - Glaciology, glacier dynamics.

Overview: An introduction to the Northern Research Symposium, the graduate students assisting in the program and how their research is related to the North. For more information go to the Symposium website

Carolyn DeLoyde , PhD student in Geography, supervised by Dr Warren Mabee.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 20:00:56 +0000

Topic: Quantifying ecosystem services to enhance the use of Natural Heritage Systems to respond to climate change.

Overview: My research is focused on developing better responses to climate change within the context of land use planning. I am exploring the potential of Ontario’s Natural Heritage System (NHS) planning approach to facilitate this.

Julian Yang , PhD student in Medieval History, supervised by Dr Richard Greenfield.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 20:00:03 +0000

Topic: Constructing holiness and unholiness through writing and reflection of authorial motivations in Christian literary works produced in medieval Byzantium.

Overview: For the successful completion of this project, examining the authorial role in composing hagiographical literature and possible motivations behind hagiographers for promoting the cult of saints is paramount. Medieval Byzantium was actually quite a skeptical society, and as such, hagiographers were necessitated to bolster the persuasiveness of their narrative by using various literary techniques for a successful fashioning of their protagonists as saints. Spiritual and religious motivations were not the only inspirations of their strong dedication, however, because in Byzantium, ecclesiastical, imperial, or popular recognition of the cult could result in substantial economic and political benefits for its followers. These apparent circumstances around the genre of hagiographical literature and the cult of saints in Byzantium are deeply considered at the heart of my historical investigation.

Nasreen Sultana, supervised by Dr Liying Cheng.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 20:00:53 +0000

Topic: Influence of an English public examination on classroom teaching and learning: A washback study.

Overview: My research investigates the washback effect of the biggest secondary public English examination in Bangladesh on classroom instruction. The results of the exam work as the gatekeeper to higher studies, better career as well as better financial prospects.

Karina Gerhardt-Strachan , Masters in Kinesiology & Health Studies, supervised by Dr Elaine Power.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 20:00:13 +0000

Topic: Exploring the place of spirituality in Canadian health promotion.

Overview: Advocating a holistic approach, health promotion examines many aspects of health and well-being, including physical, mental, sexual, community, social and ecological health. Despite this holism, there is a noticeable absence of discussion surrounding spirituality and spiritual health. For this thesis project, I was interested in exploring how leading scholars in the field of health promotion, in Canada, understand the place of spirituality in health promotion

Drs Caroline Tuck & Sean Bennet, supervised by Dr Stephen Vanner.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 21:00:07 +0000

Topic: The role of diet in gastrointestinal disorders on gut health.

Overview: Our research investigates the role of dietary modification and its effect on gut health including the microbiota, metabolomics and symptom profiles.

Want to help out with the research? Caroline and Sean are looking for volunteers to help with two studies and need some people to act as controls and also people who have irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease.

Contact Celine Morissette (Hotel Dieu Hospital) - 613 544 3400 ext 2479 or email celine.morissette@kingstonhsc.ca OR

Contact Caroline Tuck - 613 549 6666 ext 6526 or email caroline.tuck@queensu.ca

Follow what is going on twitter - @tuck_caroline or @DrSeanBennet

Kaj Sullivan, PhD in Geological Sciences, supervised by Drs Daniel Layton-Matthews and Matthew Leybourne.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 19 Feb 2019 21:00:03 +0000

Topic: Postprandial zinc isotopic effect in human serum.

Overview: My research will help ensure the best representative sample is taken in future studies investigating the potential of zinc isotopes as biological markers of disease like breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Nevena Martinovic, PhD in English Language and Literature, supervised by Professor Leslie Ritchie.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 21:00:43 +0000

Topic: 18th Century Theatre. Aging actress on the long 18th C London stage.

Overview: Women were first allowed on stage in London in 1667 when the theatres reopened after the Interregnum. I’m interested in how these first female players navigated the negative reception to their aging bodies and how they represented themselves in the face of it

Jill Price, PhD in Cultural Studies, supervised by Professor Matt Rogalsky.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 21:56:28 +0000

Topic: ReCraftivism: Unmaking One’s Way Out of the Anthropocene.

Overview: My research asks, how can reclaiming, and recrafting of textiles offer technologies of resistance and restorative narratives to counteract capitalist ideologies and the phenomena of consumptionism found in the shadows of Canada’s colonial history?

See some of Jill's work on her website at www.jillpricestudios.ca

Shikha Gupta, PhD in Rehabilitation Science, supervised by Professor MaryAnn McColl.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 21:00:26 +0000

Shikha Gupta, PhD in Rehabilitation Science, supervised by Professor MaryAnn McColl.Topic: Extent, determinants, and consequences of cost-related non-adherence to prescription medications among people with spinal cord injuries in Canada.

Overview: Many people in Canada have to forgo their medications due to cost; a phenomenon called "cost-related non-adherence." Despite emerging evidence, there is little conceptualization or exploration of cost-related prescription non-adherence with respect to disability in Canada. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most catastrophic and devastating disability for patients, their families, the community, and the healthcare system. Although people with SCI are high users of medications, evidence is missing regarding implications of medication-related costs on their health and social outcomes. This research aims to address this.

John David More, PhD in History of Pre-Confederation Canada, supervised by Professor Jane Errington.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 21:00:00 +0000

John David More, PhD in History of Pre-Confederation Canada, supervised by Professor Jane Errington.

Topic: French-Canadian Mariners on Canada’s Fourth Coast During the Early Post-Conquest era, 1760-1815.

Overview: Thousands of Canadien mariners, including shipmasters, officers, sailors, boatmen and shipbuilders were essential to the successful defense of Quebec and Upper Canada during American invasions of 1775-6 and 1812-14. My research into their complex histories deepens our understanding of French-English relations during this crucially important period in Canadian History..

Luissa Vahedi, MSc in Epidemiology, supervised by Dr Susan Bartels and Dr Heather Stuart.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 21:00:26 +0000

Topic: ‘Even Peacekeepers Expect Something in Return’: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Analysis of Sexual Interactions Between UN Peacekeepers and Haitian Citizens.

Overview: In 2004, the United Nations (UN) Security Council established Resolution 1542: The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). MINUSTAH officially began in June of 2004 and ended in October 2017, making it the longest UN peace operation in Haiti. During this time, allegations of sexual interactions between male UN peacekeepers and female Haitian civilians, including sexual abuse and exploitation, surfaced in the media. The UN frames civilian-peacekeeper sexual interactions as inherently exploitative and abusive, thereby supporting a zero-tolerance policy on sexual interactions with beneficiaries of assistance. However, during MINUSTAH civilian-peacekeeper sexual interactions were widespread and, in some cases, conceived children fathered by peacekeepers born to Haitian women- known as peace babies. The UN does not claim responsibility for children fathered by peace keepers, resulting in Haitian women bearing the burden of establishing the paternity of their children. My research will examine community-level narratives of sexual relationships between Haitians and United Nations (UN) peacekeepers during the MINUSTAH. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, this thesis will aim to: (1) Understand the lived experiences of Haitian women who are raising peace babies conceived during MINUSTAH; (2) Investigate the association between geographical location and community-level accounts of sexual interactions between Haitian citizens and MINUSTAH peacekeepers; (3) Investigate the relationship between the subject matter of participants’ narratives and perceptions of UN legitimacy in Haiti.

Michael Wood, PhD in Neuroscience, supervised by Dr J. Gordon Boyd.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 21:00:34 +0000

Topic: Low levels of brain tissue oxygenation during critical illness may be associated with the subsequent development of delirium and cognitive impairment.

Overview: Survivors of life support often develop newly-acquired impairments that reduce their quality of life (e.g., ability to live independently). An early indicator of neurological dysfunction while on life support is the onset of delirium, which is characterized by inattention, altered levels of consciousness, or disorganized thinking. However, the underlying cause of delirium, as well as long-term cognitive dysfunction, remains poorly understood. Approximately 230,000 Canadians are cared for in ICUs annually, and the majority of these patients will experience delirium. As the mere presence of delirium has been associated with debilitating outcomes, delirium represents a major public health concern.

CJ the DJ. and Chantal Valkenborg.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 21:00:20 +0000

Topic: What to expect in 2019.

Overview: From workshops to community events, find out what is happening in graduate studies for the winter and summer terms.

CJ the DJ is being interviewed by Suyin Olguin (DJ Bear) as we wrap up 2018

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 21:00:56 +0000

Topic: What happened in 2018?.

Overview: The wrap up Grad Chat 2018.

Lauren Welte, PhD in Mechanical & Materials Engineering, supervised by Dr Michael Rainbow.

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 21:00:15 +0000

Topic: Fundamental research in how the human foot functions during walking and running.

Overview: We investigated how modifying the shape of the arch of the human foot affects the energy absorbed and returned during a dynamic compression. To change the shape of the arch, we engaged the windlass mechanism of the plantar fascia by elevating the toes, which then causes the arch to be higher, but shorter in length. This mechanism has previously been suggested to stiffen the foot to prepare the foot for push – off while walking. However, we found that the foot absorbs and dissipates more energy when the windlass was engaged, compared to when the toes were lowered. This means that the foot was less stiff when the windlass was engaged. This has implications in shoe and foot orthosis design, where a change in the toe angle could affect the way the arch of the foot absorbs and dissipates energy.

Susan Bazely, PhD in Geography, supervised by Drs Brian Osborne & Joan Schwartz

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 21:00:19 +0000

Topic: Changing heritage practice on the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications World Heritage Site.

Overview: The Rideau Canal corridor is comprised of a complex combination of resources, stories and activities that today serve multiple interests. The philosophies, policies, and management of heritage sites are experiencing pressures emanating from the demands of ‘experiential tourism’, the opportunities and challenges of ‘virtual reality’ presentations, and the economic pressures of escalating maintenance costs. My research will assess the current value of, and potential threats to the Rideau Canal and Kingston Fortifications and its UNESCO World Heritage designation by examining how this landscape resource is perceived today. During this research the interrelationship between the site, interpretation, presentation, stewardship, public use and experiences with the site are explored, considering threats and benefits to the site, the communities and world heritage status.

Bailey Gerrits, PhD in Political Studies, supervised by Drs Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant & Margaret Little

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 27 Nov 2018 21:00:28 +0000

Topic: Who’s Responsible?: Explaining How Contemporary Canadian Newspapers Frame Domestic Violence.

Overview: My research in gender and politics advances an understanding of the political economic relationships that shape public discourses about gendered violence. I specifically examine contemporary Canadian newspaper coverage of domestic violence, documenting the patterns of coverage and illustrating how actors and structures interact to influence these news productions..

James Anderson, MA in Political Studies, supervised by Dr David Haglund

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 21:00:49 +0000

Topic: Canada-US defense relations in the age of America First.

Overview: My research seeks to examine Canada-US defense relations in the age of America First. Specifically, I will look at Canadian Strategic Culture to investigative any possible shifts/changes that could occur in our continental relationship on topical issues like NORAD, Counter-ISIS, Arctic Security, Space policy, and the Defense Industrial Base. As he embarks on his Fulbright scholarship, I am anxious to experience Canada’s personal story, to delve into the importance of national culture, network with Canadian-American defense professionals, with hopes of identifying new avenues for interstate cooperation between the U.S. and Canada.

Camille Usher, PhD in Cultural Studies, supervised by Dr Dylan Robinson

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 21:00:37 +0000

Topic: Urban experiences of Indigenous folks, learning about who we are, away from where our ancestors are from.

Overview: It is often through a complex web that urban Indigenous peoples understand and learn about their ancestors, a further level of difficulty is added when the place in which we are learning is so far removed from where we are from. This work, tentatively titled Subtle Gestures: Sovereignty through Indigenous Stories of Public Mark Making is seeking to begin answering how Indigenous peoples are revolutionizing the stewardship of land and space by new activations of public colonial structures through their art and their bodies. Furthermore, my research questions how this spatial reactivation is publicly reclaiming what Gerald Vizenor termed as survivance, melding together survival and resistance. Survivance expresses how Indigenous peoples can use the strength of our cultures to fight colonialism and what Glen Coulthard has termed Urbs Nullius, “urban space void of Indigenous sovereign presence.”.

Christine Moon, MD/PhD; PhD in Sociocultural Studies in Kinesiology, supervised by Dr Sammi King

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 21:00:08 +0000

Topic: Experiences of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) for Racialized Canadians.

Overview: Medical assistance in dying (MAID) has recently been legalized in Canada. My dissertation research will explore experiences of racialized Canadians with MAID. My proposed doctoral work will help us understand what assisted dying means to racialized Canadians, who are often left out of local and national discourses. It will provide a previously unexplored, qualitative and in-depth look at how assisted dying plays out in everyday lives of people who are thinking about, requesting, or receiving assisted dying. .

Christiana Okyere, PhD in Rehabilitation Science, supervised by Drs Heather Aldersey and Rosemary Lysaght

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 20:00:34 +0000

Topic: Inclusive Education for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Ghana.

Overview: The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and Human Rights Conventions such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability have recognized the right of children with disabilities to be included in general education settings. Several empirical global studies on inclusion and disability have shown that inclusive education provides the best opportunity to support the development of persons with disabilities. However, implementing inclusive education in developing countries such as Ghana where disability often signifies a complete disqualification from education can be challenging. The overarching goal of my research is to understand the experience and implementation of inclusive education with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in Accra, Ghana.

Leo Erlikhman, MA in Sociology, supervised by Drs Victoria Sytsma, Heather Murray and David Walker

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 20:00:10 +0000

Topic: Youth Alcohol in Kingston.

Overview: Our objective is to describe youth presentation at the Emergency department from alcohol related issues. Information gathered will allow for temporal maps to be developed along with demographic profiles of those who access services.

Sawyer Hogenkamp, Master of Education, supervised by Dr Ben Bolden

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 20:00:20 +0000

Topic: Bus Drivers Perceptions’ of Bullying on the Bus.

Overview: Through surveys and interviews with Ontario bus drivers, I uncovered how they perceived bullying, the strategies they used to address bullying, and gained an overall sense of what is working/not working for them when dealing with bullying on school buses.

Eric Bateman, PhD in History, supervised by Dr Adnan Hussain

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 20:00:48 +0000

Topic: Inter-religious encounters during the Crusades (Medieval History).

Overview: My research focuses on the emotional and affective aspects of Muslim-Christian encounters during the Crusades (1095-1291). I am currently focusing on reading and re-evaluating the written chronicles of the first Crusade (1095-1099) in order to pay attention to the emotional, gestural and affective practices at play in the texts.

Grad Chat: Vanessa Silva e Silva, Organ Donation

CFRC Podcast Network — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 22:58:05 +0000

Vanessa Silva e Silva, PhD student in Nursing supervised by Dr Joan Tranmer

Topic: Organ Donation Program Evaluation/Quality Assurance

Overview: My research focuses on improving the quality of organ donation programs through studying in depth organ donation processes to increase the number of organs available for transplantation.

Vanessa di Battista, PhD in Civil Engineering, supervised by Dr Kerry Rowe

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:00:21 +0000

Topic: Geosynthetics in Site Remediation.

Overview: Contaminated sites are a worldwide problem from fuel spill affected areas in Antarctica to brownfield site reuse in urban areas. This research has focused on investigating the use of geosynthetic (geomembranes and geosynthetic clay liners) barrier systems in the remediation and reuse of these sites..

Evan Keys MNSc in Nursing, supervised by Dr Marian Luctkar-Flude

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 20:00:17 +0000

Topic: The integration of virtual simulation into undergraduate nursing training in resuscitation science.

Overview: Virtual simulation, or ‘serious games’, are educational games which enable students to learn course content through an engaging and innovative modality. Virtual simulation has shown promising results in a variety of nursing roles, and therefore it is imperative that we evaluate the potential benefit of virtual simulation in improving the training of one of nursing’s most crucial tasks.

Natasha Larkin, MN (PHCNP) in Nursing

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 20:00:33 +0000

Topic: The implications for travelling for childbirth from rural and remote areas to urban centers

Overview: Last summer I did a Joanna Briggs Institute systematic review as a part of a masters requirement course on the experiences of women who travel for childbirth. Women from rural and remote areas who have to travel for childbirth experience emotional and financial stressors, as well as negative impacts on their relationships and feelings of autonomy. Current practice does not align with evidence, and contributes to the vulnerability of an already vulnerable population.

Vanessa Silva e Silva, PhD student in Nursing supervised by Dr Joan Tranmer

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 20:00:14 +0000

Topic: Organ Donation Program Evaluation/Quality Assurance

CJ the DJ reports back from the School of Graduate Studies Welcome & Resource Fair for new graduate students

CFRC Podcast Network — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 20:00:33 +0000

Overview: During the Welcome event, several new graduate students will be interviewed. Listen to what their first impressions are and what they came to Queen’s to study.