Members

Projects: Dementia and Technology: Cogniprompt

Projects: Dementia and Technology: Cogniprompt

Counter Mapping, Relational Communication

Projects: Dementia and Technology

Esther is researching decolonizing design methodologies used in the creation of Indigenous digital platforms, which were developed in partnership with Indigenous communities. Her goal is to address digital equity gaps and increase Indigenous users' comfort with digital services and online self-improvement efforts, fostering an ethical, flexible, and inclusive design that promotes digital fairness and supports human rights, social justice, and the self-determination of Indigenous and First Nations communities. Esther has previously conducted research on digital and eHealth literacy across various populations, as well as a longitudinal study examining the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing electronic medical records among physicians and nurses at two hospitals.

Rupsha's work focuses on Human-Centred Design to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia in global communities. Her master of design thesis focused on building supportive technologies in augmented reality to help people living with dementia with their daily rituals which was supported by a prestigious SSHRC grant. She has worked for a diverse array of clients in government, healthcare, non-profit, and clean beauty space, including the Detox Market, Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region, and the Ontario Public Health Association. With an interdisciplinary approach and an empathetic mindset, she develops meaningful solutions and strives to shape a better future through design education, research and practice.

Mojde Kalantari is a multidisciplinary media artist and researcher exploring the intersections of digital storytelling, health, and technology. Her research investigates the use of virtual reality to support mental health among cancer patients. She holds a Master of Science in Creative Technologies from Illinois State University, where her thesis received first place in the Faculty of Fine Arts and was named first runner-up at the university level.

Her research examines how science, technology and policy intersect in the context of urban planning, energy transitions and environmental conservation. She engages with the tensions between innovation, regulation, and public participation, especially in the introduction of new technologies, across these contexts. She is also involved in civic initiatives in science communication, contributing to projects that bridge research and community engagement.
She has experience in policy, nonprofit fundraising and university administration. Before coming to York, she completed a Masters in Literature and Modernity from the University of Edinburgh, and a Bachelors from Lady Shri Ram College at the University of Delhi. She is a former Young India Fellow.

Shabnam Sukhdev is a filmmaker, educator, and interdisciplinary researcher in Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies at York University. Her award-winning MFA thesis film Unfinished (2021) examines caregiving and mental illness through a maternal lens. Her doctoral research mobilizes performance, media, and community-engaged approaches to investigate processes of family, trauma, and healing in diasporic contexts, focusing on how youth with speech impairments navigate social, cultural, and economic barriers. Grounded in documentary practice, her research-creation engages South Asian identity, intergenerational memory, and lived experience through interpretive autoethnography, devised theatre, and digital storytelling, creating participatory spaces for reflection, resistance, and scholarly dialogue.

Vidhi is a high-school student supporting the research group as a volunteer. She focuses on technology and its interaction with biomedical systems. She is involved in many extra-curriculars, where she explores the usage of Artificial Intelligence and its potential for the future.