In this episode, Hannah McGurk, (she/her) who completed her Masters degree in the Applied Politics program at Laurier, shares her research findings from a report that analyses municipal responses to homeless encampments. The report emerged from a community-engaged research project with the Region of Waterloo and provides a comparison of encampment protocols among six municipalities, through a human rights lens. As part of her graduate degree, McGurk specialized in Canadian housing policy and co-authored an article on the regulation of unsheltered homelessness in Canada. McGurk’s research has been sought after by the Region of Waterloo and non-profit organizations, including the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.

In this episode, Emily Kraemer (she/her), who completed her Masters degree in the Applied Politics program at Laurier, shares her research findings from an Equity Diversity and Inclusion study completed in partnership with the Region of Waterloo. Emily’s research focused on diversity in municipal policy settings and how diversity enriches good decision-making at the municipal level.

Hari KC, (he/him) is a Post-doctoral Fellow working at the Balsillie School of International Affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University. In this episode, he explains his recently completed PhD research that explored international migration flows, centred on Nepal. His work examines and makes recommendations for changes in international labour migration, through the lens of Nepali women migrant domestic workers. His work details existing gender inequalities in Nepal that are perpetrated by Nepalese migration policies. He is affiliated with the International Migration Research Centre.

This episode features S. Ali Hosseini, (he/him), a PhD student in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. The program is a joint program between Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Waterloo and the Centre for International Governance Innovation. He speaks about his experience working in the United Nations Human Rights Program in Afghanistan which has informed his research focusing on the failure of the international community to assist Afghanistan citizens in accepting democratic values.

In this episode, Carolyn Brown, (she/her) a PhD student in the Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Laurier. Her research focuses on making Environmental Impact Assessments as valuable and informative as possible to address developments' environmental, social, and economic impacts. Specifically, she focuses on fish health near the Mactaquac Electric Generation Station (MGS), upstream of Fredericton, New Brunswick on the Wolastoq | Saint John River.

In this episode, Carla Johnston, (she/her) a PhD student in Global Governance at the School of International Policy and Governance at Laurier and member of the Northern Food Systems Research Group, Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, describes her ongoing research. Her work examines the link between global and local food policy and ensures Indigenous knowledge and voices are included at all levels of food policy discussions.

Hiromichi Kato, (he/him) a PhD student in the Department of Mathematics uses the power of math to inform financial market decisions. Hiro uses mathematical models to calculate accurate derivative values. By providing more accurate derivative values, stock market traders have a better way of assessing credit risks. This ensures that mathematical models that are used to calculate credit risks, as part of risk assessments, better reflect today's real markets and are as useful and accurate as possible tools for financial decision-making.

In this episode, Patrícia Ferreira, (she/her) a PhD student in the Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences and 2022 WinS Hypatia winner, explains that not all animals have a stomach. Her research explores why the stomach evolved and tries to explain what it does. Her research uses the power of CRISPR gene editing to create fish that have no stomachs and then uses these animal models to explore why organisms have stomachs and what the implications are of having a stomach, or not.

This episode interviews Gabe Massarotto, (he/him) a Masters candidate in the Department of Kinesiology at Laurier. His research focuses on the effect of high-intensity exercise on learning and memory. This research, which uses 3D technology to test memory recall, may help explain why high-intensity exercise can benefit memory and navigation recall.

In this episode, Seth McCarthy, (he/him) a PhD student in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at Laurier, and is part of Dr. Tom Hazell’s Energy Metabolism Research Laboratory. His research focuses on the role of lactate, a substance produced in the body when we exercise, and when/if/how we experience hunger after exercising.

The final season 2 episode of Research Chat features Rosemary Dupuis, pronouns she/her, a human rights advocate and feminist pursuing her Ph.D. in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University interviewing Tin Vo, an equity-focused researcher and public health practitioner who is pursuing a PhD in Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work. They have a mutual research interest in safe spaces and inclusion, discrimination, intersectionality and well-being.

This episode of Research Chat features Caitlyn Lyons, a northern ecologist and environmentalist passionate about sustainability and science communication who is pursuing a PhD in Biological and Chemical Sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University, interviewed by Gifty Attiah, an international student pursuing a PhD in Geography, and has a particular interest in using geospatial tools to solve environmental and climate issues. Caitlyn and Gifty are both completing their field work in the Northwest Territories.

The 11th episode of Research Chat Season 2 features Tin Vo, pronouns he/him, an equity-focused researcher and public health practitioner who is pursuing a PhD in Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work interviewing Rosemary Dupuis, a human rights advocate and feminist pursuing her Ph.D. in Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University. They have a mutual research interest in safe spaces and inclusion, discrimination, intersectionality and well-being. They have a mutual research interest in safe spaces and inclusion, discrimination, intersectionality and well-being.

The 9th episode of Research Chat Season 2 features Gifty Attiah, an international student pursuing a PhD in Geography, interviewed by Caitlyn Lyons, a northern ecologist and environmentalist passionate about sustainability and science communication. Caitlyn is pursuing a PhD in Biological and Chemical Sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University.

The 8th episode of Research Chat Season 2 features Ali Diebold, pronouns she/her, is a feminist community-based researcher, social worker, and human rights advocate who is pursuing a PhD in Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University, interviewed by Natasha Martino, a researcher in the realm of homelessness and policing, pursuing a Master of Arts in Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University. Both researchers are examining interactions that vulnerable people have with the criminal justice system.

The 7th episode of Research Chat Season 2 features Natasha Martino, a Masters of Criminology researcher focused on the role that by-law enforcement and municipal ordinances play in the social control and management of homelessness and homeless encampments across Ontario. She is interviewed by Alishau (Ali) Diebold, a feminist community-based researcher, social worker, and human rights advocate who is pursuing a PhD in Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. Both researchers examine the interactions that vulnerable people have with the criminal justice system.

In the 6th episode of Research Chat Season 2, Tyler Pacheco, a PhD student and social psychologist who is working on the research team exploring “Overcoming the unseen: The effects of the COVID-19 crisis on the mental health of Canadian-based workers" is interviewed by Eric Story, a doctoral student in the department of history and a historian of infectious disease in the 20th century. Both researchers study respiratory diseases in different contexts and time periods.

In the 5th episode of Research Chat Season 2, Eric Story, a historian of infectious disease in the 20th century and outreach manager of the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada, is interviewed by Tyler Pacheco, a social psychologist and Research Theme ambassador for Laurier’s research strength area Psychological and Social Determinants of Health and Well-Being. Both Eric and Tyler study respiratory diseases in different contexts and time periods.

In the 4th episode of Research Chat Season 2, Ali Jasemi, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University at the Language & Literacy lab is interviewed by Nelson Graham, a PhD candidate in the Global Governance program of the Balsillie School of International Affairs, hosted by Wilfrid Laurier University. Both researchers study the experiences of newcomers to Canada.

In the 3rd episode of Research Chat Season 2, Nelson Graham, a PhD candidate in the Global Governance program of the Balsillie School of International Affairs, hosted by Wilfrid Laurier is interviewed by Ali Jasemi, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University at the Language & Literacy lab under Dr. Alexandra Gottardo’s supervision. Both researchers study the experiences of newcomers to Canada.