Maya Povhe is a Management, International Business, and Economics student at the University of Toronto. Throughout her degree, she has completed co-op internships in finance and politics, and is a student governor on the University of Toronto Governing Council. She is a co-chair of Rotary International’s Youth Advisory Council and has participated in SDG-focused Rotary projects around the world.
Maya’s work focuses on SDG 4 (Quality Education), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Her interdisciplinary research interests in inclusivity and human capital development stems from her work with the Reach Alliance, the Canadian Economics Association, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation.
Dr. Tracey Bowen is a Professor, Teaching Stream at University of Toronto Mississauga Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology, and an accomplished visual artist in her own right. Her research spans a diverse range of fields including visual literacy, multimodal writing, work-integrated learning, and student identity construction. She is currently Vice Dean of Teaching and Learning at UTM.
Professor Negin Dahya completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature and Psychology at the University of British Columbia, and her M.Ed. and PhD at York University’s Faculty of Education, with a focus on digital media production, learning, and representation among young people of colour. From 2014-2019, Professor Dahya was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, Information School in Seattle, WA.
Professor Dahya’s research explores the social and cultural context of digital media production and use with a focus on learning contexts and non-dominant communities. She conduct qualitative, feminist, and visual research with girls and women of colour and other non-dominant communities, including young people who are or have been incarcerated and refugee communities. Her work is situated at the intersection of education, media and cultural studies, and sociotechnical theory, with a focus on postcolonial feminist and critical race theories. Methodologically, she primarily adopts interview methods and visual research methods.
She has also published in the following journals: Comparative Education, American Educational Research Journal, Learning, Media & Technology, and Information, Communication & Society.
Samar Sabie is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology (ICCIT) at the University of Toronto. She is also the founder and director of the Open Design Collaboratory at ICCIT and holds a graduate appointment at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Landscape and the School of Information. Dr. Sabie's research focuses on the intersection of design, society, culture, and politics, particularly how design can support communities in reconfiguring or reimagining their environments in more equitable and sustainable ways. This research builds on her interdisciplinary training in architecture, computer science, and information science . Dr. Sabie is currently leading two long-term projects related to sustainability. The first is focused on improving the inclusivity and quality of education for communities in Canada through the development of socio-technological infrastructures that support the needs of homeschooling families. The second project examines how a university makerspace can serve as catalysts for advocacy and collaborations across communities in the Greater Toronto Area to support social and economic sustainability.
Ahmed is currently pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Science (HBSc) at the University of Toronto Mississauga, where he is majoring in Biology for Health Science and Chemistry. He has a deep interest in sustainable development, particularly within the realms of public health and environmental sustainability. Ahmed is passionate about finding innovative ways to address pressing global challenges, such as health disparities, climate change, and environmental degradation. He believes that fostering a healthier planet and society requires a holistic approach, integrating sustainable practices across various sectors.
Ahmed’s commitment to sustainability has been recognized through a Certificate of Achievement from the University of Toronto’s Sustainability Office. This accolade reflects his dedication to advancing initiatives that promote sustainable practices and environmental stewardship within his academic and local communities. Ahmed is driven by a desire to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on areas such as health, education, and environmental sustainability.
Dr. Tingting Zhu is an Assistant Professor of Geography, Geomatics, and Environment with a profound expertise in spatial data science and geographic information systems (GIS). Her research interests lie at the intersection of computer science and GIS, particularly in spatial database management, data structures, and advanced spatial analysis techniques.
In addition to her research pursuits, Dr. Zhu is deeply committed to innovative teaching methods and interdisciplinary learning. Her pedagogical research delves into the science of learning and explores effective strategies for interdisciplinary education.
With a passion for both research and teaching, Dr. Zhu strives to advance knowledge in spatial data science while fostering a dynamic learning environment that inspires students to excel in their academic pursuits.