Kylie received her Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies at Trent University Durham in 2023. Kylie is now a Masters student in the Child and Youth Studies Department working under the supervision of Dr. Donato Tarulli and Dr. Heather Ramey.

Kylie’s research interests include critically looking at play within childhood. Using a carnivalesque lens, Kylie strives to better understand how children’s play and laughter can break down power barriers where children create their own play cultures.

My name is Jalen Edwards, and I’m a second year MA student. My research looks at how adolescent athletes experience and respond to high-performance sporting environments! I’m studying under Dawn Zinga. My other interests include reading, listening to music, and playing guitar.

Karyssa graduated from King’s University College at Western University with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Child and Youth Studies. She is currently enrolled in Brock’s MA program in Child and Youth Studies, where she is supervised by Dr. Shauna Pomerantz.

Karyssa has a strong interest in investigating the link between children and youth and the significant impact that social media has on their development. Her work explores the advantages and disadvantages of these relationships in an effort to comprehend how social, emotional, and environmental elements both online and offline affect the development of young people.

Outside of university, she enjoys playing her guitar, writing original songs, playing volleyball, reading, running, and spending time with friends and family.

Amanda received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. Amanda is currently a master’s student in the Child and Youth Studies program, working under the supervision of Dr. Tony Volk and Dr. Natalie Spadafora. Once she has completed her MA in Child and Youth Studies, she hopes to continue on to pursue a PhD.

Amanda’s research interests include peer relationships, bullying, and classroom in/civility. These research interests were strengthened during her undergraduate honours thesis in which she explored the personality differences between adolescent students who were peer-nominated as civil and uncivil classmates.

Outside of her academics, Amanda enjoys shopping/thrifting, spending time with her family and friends, and listening to music.

JaCoya Laplante graduated from Trent University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies. JaCoya is currently a Masters student in the Child and Youth Studies program under the supervision of Dr. Voula Marinos, where they are working on a thesis related to the youth criminal justice system. Their other research interests and passions include neurodiversity, queerness, Indigeneity, and intersectionality. JaCoya looks forward to completing this degree and taking a well-deserved break from academia.

I am a first-year master’s student in the Child and Youth Studies program at Brock University, under the supervision of Dr. Ann Farrell. I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology also at Brock, where I developed a passion for research, especially in the field of developmental psychology. Some of my research interests involve bullying and aggression in children and adolescents, mental health and interpersonal problems including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. A key goal of my research is for it to be implemented in real-world settings to positively impact young people’s development and life trajectories.

Mikey Lewis is a CHYS MA student under the supervision of Dr. Hannah Dyer. Mikey previously graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 2020 with a BA (Hons., Co-Op) in Anthropology and Religious Studies and worked as a queer educator and advocate for several years before starting at Brock.

Mikey’s research is generally focused on how difference is constructed and negotiated between social groups, and how empathy can be facilitated across those boundaries. For their thesis, Mikey hopes to conduct arts-based participatory action research with teens.

In their free time, Mikey enjoys creative pursuits like novel writing and drawing, and they always look forward to video calls with their niblings back in Alberta.

Paige received her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Child and Youth Studies from Brock University, as well as a Master of Science in Early Childhood Education from Niagara University. She is currently in the Child and Youth Studies MA program at Brock, under the supervision of Dr. Shauna Pomerantz.

Paige’s undergraduate thesis explored the portrayal of gender in Disney Princess movies. Her current research interests are in adolescent fandom experiences and their parasocial relationships with celebrities, particularly focusing on the phenomenon surrounding Taylor Swift. She is interested in exploring the community that has formed, as well as the individual experiences of ‘Swifties.’

Outside of her academics, Paige enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading a new book and listening to music.

Whitney earned her Early Childhood Education Diploma from Sheridan College before completing her Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the Child and Youth Studies program under the supervision of Dr. Shauna Pomerantz.

Her research focuses on the concept of the “Model Minority Myth,” which expands upon the notion that Asians do not encounter significant hardships compared to other marginalized ethnic groups. Her work will critically examine the consequences of this stereotype, particularly its role in rendering Asian communities more vulnerable to targeted hate crimes–an issue that has seen an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Luiza graduated with a BA in Psychology in 2018 at UFCSPA (Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre), in Brazil, and completed a 4-year training in Psychoanalytic Therapy. She worked as a Registered Psychotherapist and Counsellor of teens and adults for 5 years.

She is currently an MA student in Child and Youth Studies at Brock, under the supervision of Dr. Christine Tardif-Williams. Her research interests are child-companion animal relationships, animal-assisted psychotherapy, and children’s mental health.

Outside of university, Luiza is passionate about nature, trying new foods, and learning about diverse cultures. She loves cycling and cooking vegetarian meals.

After graduating from Brock’s Concurrent Education program (BA/BEd) in 2025, Emma is completing her MA in the Department of Child and Youth Studies under the supervision of Dr. Chelsea Temple Jones. Emma’s research focuses on accessible pedagogy and arts experiences, considering how disability justice principles can be prioritized in educational settings. Through her previous undergraduate research and teaching in both post-secondary and elementary school settings, she strives to prioritize access by actively seeking and co-creating knowledge alongside various communities of learners, based on their unique lived experiences and insights.

Outside of academia, Emma enjoys hiking, baking, spending time with her dog, and creating art.

Amy’s work with children and youth began before her academic journey, through administrative roles and volunteer work in schools, community programs, and non-profit organizations. While completing her Child and Youth Care Diploma at Niagara College, she gained hands-on experience that shaped her holistic, praxis-oriented approach to supporting young people. She later completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Child and Youth Studies and Sociology at Brock University, where she deepened her interests in critical theory, trauma, and the ways neoliberal and capitalist governance shapes childhood and youth-serving systems.

As a single parent, Amy’s perspective is informed by navigating complex supports for her daughter, including disability, gender-affirming, and mental health services. These experiences reinforce her commitment to research that bridges critical analysis, relational practice, and advocacy to address structural inequities.

Now a master’s student in the Child and Youth Studies program, supervised by Dr. Allyson Ion, Amy examines how policy, particularly Ontario’s Bill 33, frames children and youth through surveillance, regulation, and carceral logics. Drawing on intersectionality, Indigenous feminism, affect theory, and carceral studies, her work explores how policy produces othering within education and child welfare systems and shapes the lived experiences of young people.

Outside of her academic work, Amy finds grounding in creative expression. She enjoys working on art projects and spending time with her daughter and dog, who both remind her of the relational care, joy, and imagination that inform her research and approach to community engagement.

Ben received his BA in Child and Youth Studies from Trent University, Durham and is currently a first year MA student in the Child and Youth Studies program at Brock. Under the supervision of Dr. Hannah Dyer, he hopes to explore discourses of “coming out” and how youth integrate or resist this process into their everyday lives.

Outside of school, Ben enjoys playing video games, exercising, listening to music, and spending time with his friends and family.

Brianna is a SSHRC-funded doctoral student in the Child and Youth Studies program under the supervision of Dr. Tricia Vause. She has an MPEd in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and a BA in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario, as well as a graduate certificate in Autism and Behavioural Sciences from Fanshawe College.

She is a board-certified Behaviour Analyst with a decade of clinical experience implementing applied behaviour analytic interventions with individuals with developmental disabilities. Her research interests include evaluating the effectiveness of Functional Behaviour-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and compassionate, empirically supported group treatment for addressing obsessive compulsive behaviours in children with developmental disabilities. Brianna’s long-term goal is to continue conducting socially significant research with the aim of improving quality of life for children with developmental disabilities and their families.

Andrew is a PhD student in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, supervised by Dr. Maureen Connolly (Formerly Dr. Richard Mitchell). He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Arts in Social Justice and Equity Studies from Brock.

His research focuses on adoption, fatherhood and belonging through a transdisciplinary autoethnographic approach. His work examines how personal narratives intersect with social, cultural and institutional contexts, with attention to everyday family life and the ethical practice of inquiry. His broader interests include qualitative research, relational ethics and dignity, career development practice and inclusive learning environments.

Andrew also has more than twenty years of experience in career development and post-secondary education and currently serves as Manager of Career and Curriculum Development in Co-op, Career and Experiential Education, supporting student learning across Brock University. He is also an active campus leader through his role as Co-Chair of the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity and Decolonization.

Zihang Bu is a PhD student in the CHYS department under the co-supervision of Dr. Ayda Tekok-Kilic and Dr. Dan Cui.

She graduated from Dalian Medical University in China and received the BSc degree in Applied Psychology. After half a year of working and volunteering in the hospital and primary school, she was interested in further investigating children and adolescents’ mental health. She then moved to Canada and earned a Masters degree in Child and Youth Study at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Now she is interested in developmental psychopathology, biopsychosocial approach, cross-culture study, intervention and evaluation of children and adolescents’ mental issues.

Daryl Niko Cempron is a PhD student in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, supervised by Dr. Hannah Dyer. Their research explores the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, gathering insight into the experiences of children who come from families that are racialized and minoritized based on gender and sexuality, drawing from queer and trans studies, childhood studies, and critical race theory. The project further examines how some theories of child development have hurt children. In response, the work seeks to contribute to critical childhood studies by prioritizing the needs of queer, trans, and racialized young people, and help enlarge imaginaries of what futures can be built when children’s perspectives on gender are better understood. Daryl has a subtle talent for naturalistic observation, developed over years of teaching and research as a former Child Development lecturer at Central Mindanao University in the Philippines. During that time, Daryl published and co-authored articles and manuals and created a self-analysis method based on the theories of Erik Erikson and Urie Bronfenbrenner, and a technique for child observation reporting, which are both copyright-registered in the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. Daryl is also currently a member of “The Playground”, a research lab led by Dr. Dyer that focuses on critical childhood studies. Beyond scholarly work, Daryl is a quiet fellow traveler in climate justice advocacy and a lifelong admirer of science’s unfolding wonder. 

Keith Cunningham is a second-year PhD student and Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Faculty of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University. He also works as a part-time faculty member at Humber College and is a practicing child and youth psychotherapist. Keith has held leadership roles in children’s mental health and various social service organizations across Toronto. He holds a certified micro-credential from Dalhousie University, qualifying him to conduct Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) to support judicial decision-making in Ontario sentencing processes for Black people who are incarcerated. His doctoral research critically examines the systemic criminalization of Black boys within the child welfare system in Ontario. This research is, in part, informed by his lived experience growing up in Jamaica, where strong familial and community-based support contrasted sharply with the state-mediated care experienced by many Black boys in Ontario; experiences that are often marked by marginalization, racialization, and limited access to opportunity resources to compete in higher education and employment. Outside of his academic and professional commitments, Keith enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and jogging, and values opportunities to expand his professional and social networks.

Sarah completed a Master of Arts in Applied Disability Studies with a specialization in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). She is Registered Behaviour Analyst (Ontario) with experience working with neurodiverse children and youth. Sarah is currently completing her PhD in Child and Youth Studies, under the co-supervision of Drs. Tricia Vause and Kendra Thomson. Sarah’s current research interests include the application of behaviour analysis in the dance context to support children’s participation and promote positive outcomes. 

Laurel has a Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership Degree, a B.Ed. in primary and Junior Education and a MA in Early Childhood Education, which she received from The University of British Columbia. She is a registered Early Childhood Educator and has experience working with young children in a variety of early years settings for over eight years. Her research is grounded in children’s rights with a focus on children’s voices and more specifically looking at children’s perspectives of outdoor play spaces within early childhood settings.

Laurel is currently involved in a research project as a research assistant with Dr. Rebecca Raby that focuses on children’s experiences during Covid-19 through online video calling interviews. Laurel is a second year PhD student in CHYS and her supervisor is Rebecca Raby.

Fueled by equal parts coffee and curiosity, Aayushi is a PhD student in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, supervised by Dr. Rebecca Raby and collaborating in Dr. Ann Farrell’s research lab. Her work, grounded in a socio-ecological perspective, explores how children make sense of power, emotion, and belonging within school settings — essentially, what happens when tiny humans meet big systems. A proud qualitative researcher, Aayushi brings a storytelling lens to questions often answered with numbers, uncovering how children’s lived experiences reveal the subtle politics of care, compliance, and resistance in everyday interactions.

Before beginning her doctorate, Aayushi completed her Master’s in International Relations–Political Science, graduating as a gold medalist. She has worked as an Associate School Counsellor and as a Research Consultant with the Government of Gujarat and UNICEF, where she contributed to child rights, education, and social policy initiatives. Her professional training includes Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Child Abuse Awareness.

Now working in Dr. Farrell’s lab, Aayushi is part of a multidisciplinary team exploring children’s developmental and ecological contexts through large-scale datasets and qualitative insights. Her research continues to bridge psychology and sociology, aiming to amplify children’s voices in policy and practice. When she’s not knee-deep in transcripts or toddler toys, she’s likely re-reading her favorite theorists, mapping new research ideas, or convincing herself that coffee counts as a research method.

Emily has an MA in Applied Behaviour Analysis and is presently a doctoral student in Child and Youth Studies under the co-supervision of Dr. Jan Frijters and Dr. Tricia Vause. Her previous research focused on interventions for children with intellectual disabilities and obsessive compulsive behaviours under the supervision of Dr. Vause. Continuing with her interest in comorbidity and intervention response, Emily is presently studying risk factors for dyslexia including ADHD and anxiety.

She is also investigating how these factors influence longitudinal acquisition of reading skills. In the long term, Emily aspires to use advanced quantitative methods to facilitate an inter- or transdisciplinary collaboration between fields whose methods may have been previously incompatible.

Rawan El Haj joined the Child and Youth Studies PhD program at Brock University after completing a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Industries and Public Health, with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, in her home country, Lebanon. She is supervised by Dr. Christiana Okyere Folson.

Rawan’s research interests include refugee children and youth, health outcomes and belonging, narrative and qualitative inquiry, and constructivist and critical theoretical perspectives, which align with broader critical social justice approaches. Her work explores how refugee children experience inclusion and exclusion in healthcare systems and Canadian societies and how their voices can inform more equitable and compassionate policies and practices.

Alongside her studies, Rawan is passionate about teaching and community engagement. Upon graduation, she hopes to continue her academic career while contributing to advocacy and policy initiatives that promote the rights and well-being of refugee and marginalized children in Canada and in Lebanon.

Matt joined the Child and Youth Studies department at Brock University as a PhD student after completing degrees at the University of Western Ontario. Student accessibility services is Matt’s primary research interest, which he studies under the supervision of Dr. Donato Tarulli. Outside of academic life, Matt enjoys intensive mixed martial arts training.

Ikechukwu Ikerionwu (Ike) has a BA in History from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nigeria. He studied at the University of Massachusetts, US, where he earned an MA in Peace and Conflict Resolution with concentration on Policy Analysis. He also studied Child and Youth Care at the University of Victoria, BC as a post graduate student.

Ike is presently a Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. Richard Mitchell.

Ike, an advocate for children and youth rights, has worked extensively with vulnerable and socially stigmatized youth in the US experiencing social injustice and its adverse effects, especially how punishment and reward are used to address delinquency and youth culture, which contributes to his orientation of critical pedagogy and concern for social justice, equity, and human rights.

Ike’s research interests are entwined with real world praxis regarding young people on the cliff of risk and potentials and in the creation and evaluation of psychosocial intervention programs to address the perennial issues surrounding at risk and proven risk children and youth.

Michelle Janzen is completing her Ph.D. within the Child and Youth Studies under the supervision of Dr. Maureen Connolly, and previously received both her BA and MA in Child and Youth Studies from Brock ,as well as an undergraduate degree in Sociology. For over a decade Michelle has worked with children and youth experiencing various disabilities and mental health issues which has influenced her research interests and focus. Michelle is specifically interested in Disability and Human Rights and is highly interested in special education policy and practice. Throughout her research she has focused on the experiences of parents advocating for children and youth within the education system, and investigating the inequalities experienced by families due to policies and practices implemented within the education system. Currently within her Ph.D. programming, Michelle is studying the effect the Pandemic has had on parents with children who have complex care needs (those that are medically fragile or with dual diagnosis), as well as youth experiencing disabilities and the effect the Pandemic has had on community service providers that support families of children and youth with complex care needs.

The focus of the study is to examine systemic inequalities and policies that affect families, children, youth, and providers during times of national crisis or disaster. Michelle is also interested in youth mental health and is hopes to investigate how peers influence mental health recovery trajectories for youth attending mental health treatment programming and the implications this may have for educational policy and practice once youth leave treatment and return to their general education classes. Lastly Michelle is interested in examining the human rights of Autistic youth in their ability to have their sexual and gender identities recognized as authentic as these identities are often viewed as a symptom of being on the Autism spectrum, rather than as an authentic self.  She is interested in how to better support these youth and how to prevent them from experiencing potential mental health disorders as a result.

PJ holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Carleton University and is currently pursuing their PhD degree in the Child and Youth Studies program at Brock University. They are supervised by Dr. Hannah Dyer and have a variety of research interests including race/racialization and diaspora, children’s art and aesthetics, critical theories of childhood, behavioural assessment, and treatment for children/youth with ASD. Upon graduation, PJ plans to become a board certified behaviour analyst as well as continue research and teaching as a professor.

Pawandeep Kaur is a PhD student in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, supervised by Dr. Dan Cui. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Child and Youth Care from Toronto Metropolitan University, where she developed a strong foundation in child and youth care practices, research, and advocacy.

Pawandeep is interested in exploring International student mobility, with a particular focus on undergraduate students from India. She is hoping to examine how recent Canadian policy changes may be affecting these students and is curious about the broader social and political forces that shape their experiences such as shifting immigration policies, global education markets, and family expectations tied to success and status. She also has an interest in the experiences of second-generation South Asian youth in Canada, with attention to themes like “eldest daughter syndrome” and parentification, and how these young people navigate identity, aspirations, and belonging.

Her learning motto is: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step—but sometimes the steps that lead off the path are the ones that teach us the most.” – Inspired by Lao Tzu.

Erin is a PhD student in the Department of Child and Youth Studies under the supervision of Dr. Naomi Andrews. She received an MSc in Rehabilitation Science and an MSc in Occupational Therapy, both from McMaster University and an Honours BA in Child and Youth Studies with a minor in Music from Brock.

Erin is a registered occupational therapist in Ontario and New York State with clinical experience in all aspects of pediatric rehabilitation and school therapy. Erin’s research interests include children’s mental health, social-emotional learning, self-regulation, school systems and supports, and family-centred services.

Sandra received her Honours B.Sc in Psychology at Brock University and completed her M.A in Gender Studies and Feminist Research at McMaster University. Upon completing her second M.A in Social Justice at Brock University she wishes to continue her goal of compiling a case against Precarious Work in Canada. Working with Dr. Tom O’Neill in the Child and Youth PhD program, she hopes to add how children and youth are negatively affected by their engagement with precarious work or vicariously through their parents’ precarious jobs.

Her previous research has involved the breaking down binaristic thinking and resolving dualisms (Reason & Emotion, Male & Female, Quantitative & Qualitative) this time she will look at resolving Love & Work.

My name is Jake Maiuri and I am in my third year of Brock University’s PhD Child and Youth Studies (CHYS) program. This is actually my 9th year in a row as a Brock Badger. Before I entered into graduate studies, I had completed the Concurrent Education Primary/Junior CHYS Bachelor of Arts (Honours) program and the Master of Arts CHYS Program. I am working under the supervision of Dr. John McNamara, interested in the field of learning disabilities, whom I also worked with throughout my undergraduate and MA thesis projects. I am currently studying the effects of prenatal heroin exposure on neonatal learning development over time.

I am looking at what pre-existing literature suggests on the effect of maternal heroin use on a newborn child’s learning development throughout a single illustrative-case study and if it can be combatted through intensive support and tutoring. My long-term goal is to address a significant gap in this area of research that is extremely relevant but scarcely studied. I hope this research will inform and educate many areas including hospitals, orphanages and foster homes.

Alicia is a PhD student in the Child and Youth Studies department and is under the supervision of Ayda Tekok-Kilic. She has received her Honours of Bachelors in Child and Youth Studies from Brock University and completed a Masters of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Toronto.

She is working on becoming a Qualifying Psychotherapist at this time. Alicia is employed at Pathstone Mental Health and volunteers at Resilience Connections Niagara. She provides academic support, emotional regulation and life skill development to youth ages 12-18 who are struggling on areas such as family breakdown, trauma and abuse, mental health and developmental challenges. In doing this she uses a multidisciplinary and trauma informed framework when working with clients.

Her research experience involves working with Ayda on projects related to ADHD and Anxiety. She is currently working on a collaborative-capacity building project at Pathstone Mental Health in the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab (CAN) where they will be screening temperament, sensory patterns and executive functions as risk factors for externalizing and internalizing challenges in young children. Alicia also participates in the Developmental Neuroscience Lab (DN) at Brock University. She hopes to continue this research using a transdisciplinary framework. Other research interests include areas such as, mental health, addictions, trauma and resiliency in children, adolescence and adults.

Melody is a PhD student under the supervision of Rebecca Raby. She completed her Master of Education at York University and additionally holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a Bachelor of Arts with a focus in psychology from the University of Guelph. As a scholar with a background in transdisciplinary approaches and multicultural education, they are interested in how the environment affects inclusion and education for children. Melody is interested in children’s voices and their experiences of the interaction of space/place and learning. Their background in landscape architecture and work in education built their holistic approach exploring how the educational experience is not separate from the learning environment and is impacted by social and environmental concerns. Outside of her academics, Melody enjoys sewing clothes and trying out new baking recipes.

Emily is a PhD student in Child and Youth Studies and is primarily interested in youth subcultures, aesthetic modes of survival and creative means of resistance. Her SSHRC-funded dissertation research, under the joint supervision of Dr. Hannah Dyer and Dr. Chelsea Jones, explores the practice of “raving” as a queer mode of relation and a means to reckon with generational inheritances, in the context of Toronto’s queer DIY rave scene. This work also pays considerable attention to the activist and mutual-aid networks forged on the dance floor.

Her work incorporates psychoanalysis, queer theory, cultural studies, affect theory, and crip theory and she approaches research with a transdisciplinary mindset—seeking out methodologies that accommodate messy and multiple ways of knowing and forms of knowledge dissemination that extend beyond the academic manuscript. Emily is a graduate student affiliate of the Posthumanism Research Institute at Brock University and a co-founder of SOAK, a Toronto-based collective aimed at supporting people of marginalized genders in experimental electronic music.

Rebekah’s academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Studies at Queen’s University, where she focused on understanding health and wellness through psychological, sociological, and environmental perspectives. After learning of the term ‘young carer,’ she decided to pursue a master’s degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo to contextualize her own experience supporting a parent with mental illness and explore leisure in the lives of young carers. In her master’s degree, she facilitated a critical participatory action research project in partnership with The Young Caregivers Association, The Young Carers Program, and four young carers. In their research, they explored leisure in the lives of young carers, challenging dominant discourses of childhood and finding ways to better support young carers in their care roles. Rebekah recently entered into a PhD in Child and Youth Studies, where she hopes to engage in autoethnography to bring awareness to the experience of supporting a parent with mental illness. She is extremely passionate about working in partnership with young carers and their families and intend to dedicate my academic career to further understanding and supporting young carers in their unique and complex experiences.

Frederick Oppong is a multidisciplinary researcher and PhD student in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University, Canada, where he is studying under Dr. Rebecca Raby. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Sustainability Studies from Trent University.

His research interests include children and youth homelessness, housing policy, the lived experiences of racialized immigrant children, and the advancement of Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Grounded in both sustainability and social justice frameworks, Frederick’s work examines how racialized immigrant children living in homeless shelters with their families navigate online space spaces to maintain social connections and negotiate their sense of belonging.

Through centring children’s perspectives, Frederick aims to inform more equitable shelter policy and the design of culturally responsive, child-centred shelter programs.

Manmit Rakhra began her academic journey in 2014 at Humber College where she graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Child and Youth Care. She then went on to acquire her Bachelor of Applied Science in Psychology at the University of Guelph-Humber. Her interest in school psychology and children’s mental health then led her to the Master of Arts in Child and Youth Care program at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson University).

Currently, Manmit is a doctoral student in the Child and Youth Studies program working under the supervision of Dr. Shannon Moore. Her research explores the mental health and behavioural challenges of children in school settings specifically in Ontario, which includes: access to mental health services, peer interactions and relationships, school staff training and education, school discipline, and early interventions. She hopes to include the voices of young people in her research and collaborate with diverse communities to ensure culture specific recommendations are considered. Concurrently, Manmit is working towards registering as a Psychotherapist.

Sydney received her BA in Psychology from the University of Ottawa and completed her MA in Child and Youth Studies here at Brock, under the supervision of Dr. Tony Volk. Her research interests include adolescent dating, peer relationships, mating strategies, and adolescent social dynamics. Her MA thesis, “Who Dates Who? Using Latent Profiles to Characterize Adolescents’ Mate Value,” explored these topics from a person-centered approach.

Now pursuing her PhD in Child and Youth Studies at Brock, also under the supervision of Dr. Volk, Sydney is excited to continue her research. She is also a proud member of Brock’s BRAVE group (Brock Research on Aggression and Victimization Experiences)—a team of researchers, faculty, and students committed to studying aggression in order to prevent it and support those affected. Sydney enjoys being involved in a variety of research projects and is always open to exploring different research methodologies.

Outside of academia, Sydney enjoys listening to Taylor Swift, crafting, baking, and cuddling with her cat, Cara. You can often find her yapping in the department—feel free to say hi!

If you could understand how children learn, you could positively impact their lives and society for generations to come.

Decades of participation in high-performance sports, both as an athlete and mentor, combined with a BA in Sports Psychology, a Bachelor of Education, and an MA in Child and Youth Studies (under the guidance of Dr. Heather Ramey), have rewarded me with an incredible variety of experiences, which I have learned, earned and thoroughly enjoyed.

My future holds more exciting and engaging experiences, and I hope to make many more valuable contributions.

Lauren is currently a PhD student in the Developmental Neuroscience Lab under the supervision of Dr. Ayda Tekok-Kilic. She graduated from her undergraduate degree in 2022 from Brock’s Neuroscience program where she completed her honours thesis on sex differences in anxiety and temperament in the DNLab.

Lauren has been a research assistant on a project in collaboration with Pathstone Mental Health which she enjoys as she is passionate about learning about and improving mental health of children and youth. In 2024, she graduated with her Masters, researching highly sensitive children and how their environmental sensitivity to auditory and visual stimuli impacts cognitive performance. She is interested in studying this to gain insight regarding how sensitive children may be better supported in school and other noisy or overstimulating environments while learning, doing schoolwork, and performing daily tasks. Lauren is thrilled to be pursuing her PhD in the DNLab, where she will use psychophysiological measures like EEG, as well as neuropsychological and questionnaire data, to study how individual differences—such as sensory sensitivity and anxiety—impact executive functions, including attentional and inhibitory control.

Sierra began her academic journey with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Studies at Trent University, where she developed a keen interest in research, children’s rights and disability studies. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Education at Trent, gaining valuable hands-on experience in diverse educational settings. This practical foundation deepened her passion for research and academia.

Inspired by her volunteer coaching with Special Olympics Ontario, Sierra pursued graduate studies to explore the experiences of intellectually disabled young people in physical activity and organized sport. Drawing on Critical Disability Studies and Disabled Children’s Childhood Studies, her OGS-funded Master’s research at Toronto Metropolitan University examined the culture of athleticism among intellectually disabled adolescents participating in Special Olympics.

Currently, Sierra is a PhD student in the Child and Youth Studies department, under the supervision of Dr. Chelsea Jones. Through her doctoral studies, Sierra aims to build on her previous work by using arts-based methods to explore how intellectually disabled youth navigate their roles in athletic communities and how these roles shape their social relationships and sense of belonging. She is deeply committed to supporting intellectually disabled young people and their families, advocating for inclusive, empowering sport experiences that promote well-being and meaningful participation.

Kay had the privilege of receiving her undergraduate degree in Forensic Psychology and a her Masters Degree in Applied Disability Studies; both right here at Brock. Kay is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Child & Youth Studies at Brock University, whose primary research interests include transdisciplinary theorizing about the lives of children and youth with respect to education, educational experiences, policy and procedures from an anti-racist or decolonial framework under the supervision of Dr. Maureen Connolly.

Kay’s plans are to continue to center the lives of marginalized children and youth, particularly Black Children in her work. To continue to prioritize these voices and stories which are historically lacking in representation. This doesn’t feel like popular work, it feels like passionate work. This doctoral program has allowed Kay the freedom and safe space to explore these thoughts and feelings.