Program: Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)
Supervisor: Dr. Suzanne Huot
Tell us a little bit about your lab!
Our ‘lab’ is not a physical space, but a group of like-minded students interested in Occupational Science and the social and contextual dimensions of health and wellbeing. Our shared Supervisor and mentor is Dr. Suzanne Huot, who is an Occupational Scientist and migration scholar. Several of our projects use occupational concepts to better understand the, often hidden, complexities of migration experience. Another project that several of us are jointly working on is using discourse analysis to understand how community cohesion is discussed in relation to francophone minority communities in Canada.
What project are you currently working on?
My PhD research has developed into a partnership with St. James Music Academy in Downtown Eastside Vancouver, a program that serves many children and youth from immigrant backgrounds. Using narrative and arts-based methods, my project aims to better understand the experiences of music-making and belonging for children in the program, with particular focus on those with immigrant backgrounds. My aim is to involve children and youth participants in the research process as much as possible as I am interested in what this can teach us about the way young people co-construct their sense of belonging in relation to adults and each other.
What do you like to do outside of academia?
In addition to being a student, I am a parent of an adolescent, which means my ‘spare’ time can be limited. For downtime, I have a regular meditation practice, and also run and cycle. I often try to blend my other favorite activities with my social time, which also helps keep me motivated. I share a community garden plot with a friend and really enjoy the time outside and growing some of my own food. The one thing I wish I had more time for is my ukulele practice – hoping the kids at the music school will inspire me!
Congratulations Natasha on being our featured Student of the Month for October! Interested in seeing what else our Rehabilitation Sciences students and trainees are working on? Stay tuned for our next feature!