People

Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at York University
Email: mandell@yorku.ca

Nancy Mandell is a Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at York University. She is also a faculty associate at York University’s Centre for Feminist Research (CFR) and Centre for Asian Research (YCAR). Her research and teaching interests include gender, family, aging, intergenerational relations, migrant settlement, qualitative research methods and community-academic research partnerships. Recently she has published articles and book chapters on rising income inequality in Canada, economic insecurity among senior immigrant families, the contradictory role of families in settlement and integration, intergenerational transnational exchanges in later life families, challenges facing international students, the senior digital divide, and critiques of aging. She is Principal Investigator on the SSHRC-funded research project “The “University to Work Transitions of International Students in Canada” exploring the school to employment transition process experienced by undergraduate and alumni international students at York University and Toronto Metropolitan University.

Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University
Email: sutama@geography.ryerson.ca

Trained in urban social geography, Sutama Ghosh explores the settlement experiences of new immigrants in Canadian cities. How their access to basic needs of life, is related to their social identities and impacts on their levels of integration into the Canadian society.

Her current research focuses on the settlement challenges of international students to Canada.

As a co-investigator of this project, Dr Ghosh is responsible for data collection, analysis, and knowledge mobilization. 

Emeritus Faculty, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. Arts, York University
Email: larrylam@yorku.ca

Lawrence Lam has extensive experience working in migration studies, including writing and co­authoring a book chapter on IS. Lam has worked on several research teams, and has experience with collaborative projects, as well as conducting community­ academic research. He has extensive ties with the Chinese community in the Greater Toronto Area. Areas of research are race and ethnic relations, migration and refugee resettlement.

As a co-investigator, he plays a pivotal role in the recruitment of eligible and potential participants from York University. He also oversees the two RAs from York University regarding their assigned research-related activities ensuring the milestones of project as delineated are achieved and completed on time.

Publication: 2018 With Nancy et al, “Living on the Margins: Economic Security among Senior Immigrants in Canada”, Alternate Routes: A Journal of Critical Social Research, Vol. 29, 2018.

Founder and CEO, Human Endeavour (www.humanendeavour.org)
Email: noor.din@humanendeavour.org

Noor Din is the Founder and CEO of Human Endeavour, formed in 2004 with the vision to improve the socio-economic and living conditions of the York Region community in a timely manner by executing non-traditional and innovative methods at the grass root level. Through Human Endeavour his main focus is on technology, social and economic inclusion, settlement, and health & wellness of newcomers, refugees, seniors, and people with disabilities. He holds a Masters of Computer Engineering degree and has been helping with the digital transformation of the senior services sector during and post-COVID by developing several cutting-edge products and services. Several of his programs have received local, provincial, and national awards and recognitions. Since 2010, he has been actively involved in community-academic research projects and has contributed to research presentations at national and international levels.

PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, at York University
Email: jborras@yorku.ca

Jana Borras is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, at York University. Her research interests include migration, precarious legal status, care work and the incorporation of temporary migrants in Canada. Jana will be working with the UTWT team as a Research Assistant to support the Principal Investigators in conducting the research project.

PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, at York University
Email: jphone77@yorku.ca

Janice Phonepraseuth’s research interests are racial and ethnic relations, migrant integration and settlement, and culture and identities. Janice is a Research Assistant for the UTWT project. Her responsibilities include assisting the team with research design, data collection, and data dissemination.

Currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Policy Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University
Email: selhakmi@torontomu.ca

Saad El Hakmi holds a Master of Arts in Immigration and Settlement Studies and worked on various community-based projects related to immigrants in Canada. His research interests are advocacy for democracy and social inclusion of racialized communities, civic and democratic engagement, labour market experiences of immigrants, immigration laws and policies, and migrants’ identity.

Saad is a recent member of the research team working on “University to Work Transitions of International Students in Canada”, a two-year partnership project between York University and Toronto Metropolitan University.

Ph.D. Candidate in Policy Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University
Email: sshahidnia@torontomu.ca

Sohail Shahidnia is a Ph.D. Candidate in Policy Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University. He is currently working as a Co-Principal Investigator with Professor Sutama Ghosh on a SSHRC funded project, titled, “COVID-19 challenges and resilience of international students and local institutions in the city of Greater Sudbury”.

With his lived experiences as an international student, and while working on several research projects (as a research assistant) in migration studies, Sohail has been developing particular expertise on the migration and settlement experiences of immigrants and refugees in Canada in general, and international students’ pathways of integration into the Canadian society.