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The 2023-2024 Inlight Research Fellowships Support Student Mental Health Research

Seven students from across the University of Toronto are the recipients of the 2023-2024 Inlight Research Fellowships, given out by the Inlight Student Mental Health Research Initiative at the University of Toronto.  

The $10,000 Fellowships support graduate scholars who are currently leading research projects that aim to improve student mental health and well-being on campus and recognize the importance of student-led and co-designed research solutions.  

“The Inlight Research Fellowship Program is dedicated to promoting the development of leaders in post-secondary student mental health research. We are actively supporting impactful research that will grow the perspectives and capacity needed to advance student mental health and wellness, as well as centring research that focuses on engaging the experiences and perspectives of our diverse student community,” says Julius Haag, Inlight’s Associate Director, Education and Training and an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto Mississauga. 

Fellowship recipient Ananya Bhattacharjee wants to improve student mental health using technology. The 4th year PhD candidate in the Department of Computer Science is looking to utilize the capacity of large language models (LLMs) similar to ChatGPT, to have open-ended conversations with students who struggle with procrastination. 

 “Sometimes it is difficult for a student to express their overwhelm, or the multi-faceted dynamic of their stress. For example, they might have a part-time job that starts at 8 am, two exams, a deadline for a course, and relationship problems, thrown into the mix, contributing to their sense of anxiety and exacerbating procrastination” says Bhattacharjee. 

Though LLMs are an emerging technology, Bhattacharjee is optimistic that if designed carefully, they can be helpful in supporting students who struggle with procrastination by providing appropriate suggestions or guidelines, that are co-designed with both students and experts in mental health.  

Co-designing with students is a major component of the projects supported by the Inlight Research Fellowships, including Asma Shamim’s graduate research.  

A PhD student at OISE in Developmental Psychology and Education, Shamim is interested in examining how concepts of wisdom and self-compassion could help undergraduate students living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and those who do not have an official diagnosis, improve their well-being and life satisfaction.  

“Wisdom is a multi-faceted term, but in relation to my research it focuses on a set of skills that include decisiveness, reflective thinking, emotional regulation, social-advising, tolerance and self-compassion,” says Shamim.  

In speaking with students for her study, Shamim sees that many are eager to share their experiences and provide their voice for research that can have a positive impact on student mental health.  

“As we shift towards a strength-based approach in managing mental health conditions, I feel that my work can serve as a positive psychological resource for students,” says Shamim. 

Here is the full list of Inlight’s 2024 research fellowship award recipients: 

Maya Ahia is a master’s student in Clinical Psychology at U of T Scarborough. Her research explores the needs, strengths and lived experiences of students with disabilities in an effort to better understand how to improve the accessibility of postsecondary mental health supports. Student engagement and codesign are central components throughout her project. Her survey-based study has been disseminated to all students currently utilizing Accessibility Services across U of T. Ahia is supervised by Associate Professor Amanda Uliaszek. 

Ananya Bhattacharjee is a PhD candidate in Computer Science at the Faculty of Arts and Science. His work is centered around the development of Large Language Models (LLM’s) that can be carefully designed to deliver personalized advice or strategies for managing procrastination among post-secondary students. In collaboration with students, clinicians and psychologists, his work will adhere to ethical guidelines and revolutionize the use of AI tools in post-secondary student mental health. Battacharjee is supervised by Assistant Professor Joseph Jay Williams. 

JesusMiracle Chiadika is a PhD student in Higher Education, Comparative, International & Development Education at OISE. Her research will aim to understand the mental health experiences of racialized undergraduate students. Using a qualitative approach, Chiadika will explore the surge in demands on services and resources for mental health, and the lack of culturally sensitive support systems tailored to meet the diverse needs of students. Chiadika is supervised by Associate Professor Elizabeth Buckner and Assistant Professor Linda Iwenofu. 

Melissa deJonge is a PhD student at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. Her research project will focus on physical recreation within a campus environment and improved mental health and social connectedness among students. Her work will centre on a co-designed framework that aims to foster social inclusion and mental health through on-campus physical recreation, and will further explore the implementation of a toolkit to promote the benefits of physical recreation and social inclusion on post-secondary campuses. deJonge is supervised by Professor Catherine Sabiston. 

Egag Egag is a PhD student in Social Work at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. Their research explores the experiences of Black post-secondary students accessing counselling support for on-campus experiences of anti-Black Racism. Their study will recruit 25 Black-identified students in Canadian Higher Education and is aligned with similar international studies that aim to amplify the voices of Black students pursuing higher education. They are hopeful that this study will foster effective on-campus counselling and aid Black-identified students in Canada in overcoming the negative impacts of anti-Black racism on their mental health. Egag is supervised by Associate Professor Rachelle Ashcroft. 

Danika Quesnel is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at U of T Scarborough. Her research is focusing on helping student athletes with navigating the unique stressors they encounter while managing their academic responsibilities and  sporting environment. Her study aims to develop and test a student delivered mental health program for student athletes to produce a self-sustaining program that improves the mental health of student athletes during their post-secondary studies and their lifetime. Quesnel is supervised by Professor Catherine Sabiston and Dr. Amanda Uliaszek.   

Asma Shamim is a PhD student in Developmental Psychology and Education at OISE. Her research focuses on the concepts of self-compassion and wisdom as a means of improving life satisfaction among undergraduate students with and without a diagnosis of ADHD. Shamim aims to focus on a strengths-based approach related to ADHD through her study that will survey undergraduate students across the three campuses. Shamim is supervised by Professor Michel Ferrari 

What activities did we engage in for the Inlight Exchange Program? 

The Inlight Global Exchange program allowed me to partake in opportunities to connect with and learn from University of Toronto and professionals worldwide working on mental health and wellness services. As global exchange students, we had the unique opportunity to be able to meet and connect with a diverse set of individuals working within the field of post-secondary student mental health and wellness. From partaking in a workshop on developing a community of practice with researchers from all around the world, connecting with staff working on student health and wellness initiatives at the University of Toronto, to joining a speaker series event at CAMH, I was able to broaden my perspectives on the research conducted to promote post-secondary student mental health.  

Furthermore, the opportunity allowed me to be able to engage in conversations on current ongoing research conducted by Professor Chloe Hamza and her team of graduate students in the Coping, Affect, Resilience in Education (CARE) lab. Not only was I able to understand the current research being conducted on an individual scale, I was also able to engage in conversations surrounding research and initiatives occurring on a community level.  

Stephanie

What were the highlights? 

The program began in Vancouver with the launch of the Global Community of Practice (CoP). Across a series of sessions and discussions, students, researchers, and faculty worked together to identify key priorities for advancing postsecondary mental health research globally. We lay a foundation for a stronger and more connected global research community through a collaborative workshop on the University of British Columbia campus. 

In Toronto, we visited the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) — Canada’s largest mental health teaching hospital and one of the world’s leading research centres. Meeting with researchers and learning about their ongoing trials, such as the TAY study, offered incredible insight into how health service delivery and research can be meaningfully integrated. 

William

The key highlight of the program was the opportunity to be able to meet and connect with a diverse set of researchers and experts in their field of work. It was an absolute pleasure being able to not only connect with research on an intellectual level through discussions surrounding ongoing research projects and ideas, but also connect with research on a humanistic level. Being able to hear the stories and trajectories of people within the field and their passion for what they do is an extremely inspiring experience as someone who just started in their field.  

Stephanie

Cultural InsightsThe University of Toronto’s commitment to Indigenous student support was particularly interesting. The Talk and Tour, led by Dr. Lauren Brown of the Multi-Faith center, emphasized the importance of integrating Indigenous spaces and perspectives into academic research and highlighted the university’s efforts in fostering a supportive environment for Indigenous students. The focus on community-driven research, particularly in mental health and wellness, demonstrated the university’s dedication to promoting inclusive and culturally responsive education. 

Cori

What Key Learnings will you take away from this experience? 

The major thing I learned on this Global Exchange is the importance of global collaboration and the exchange of ideas. There are so many people working together to conduct necessary and important research within the field of student mental health worldwide. Each individual may focus on examining health from a different lens, but all of us can learn from each other.  

Stephanie

Shared Challenges, Innovative Solutions: Across the world, youth mental health services are facing similar many of the same challenges, including difficulty in improving access, integrating technology, improving assessment. This exchange taught me that there are many answers to the same problem, though combining them might sometimes be the strongest solution. 

The Power of Connection: Beyond the content, my greatest takeaway on this trip was the connections I formed. It was powerful to step out of my own silo, halfway across the world, and to find researchers who share my passions (and challenges) for improving a better mental health care system. It reinforced the idea that research thrives on relationships for effective collaboration, genuine openness, and mutual curiosity. 

William

How Will It Shape Future Work?  

Participating in the 2025 GlobalCampus Summit and the Global Exchange Program at the University of Toronto greatly expanded my perspective on interdisciplinary collaboration and academic networking. Through a series of speaker sessions, workshops, and one-on-one interactions with researchers and practitioners from various fields, I gained valuable insights, and relationships, that will influence my future work in mental health in academic settings. The program’s focus on mental health and wellness directly aligns with my research interests. I believe these sessions will continue to enhance my approach to integrating community-driven mental health strategies into my own academic and career pursuits. The networking opportunities, including coffee chats with peers and mentors, provided a platform to discuss ongoing challenges and innovative solutions, which will undoubtedly enrich my professional development. These important conversations were even more evident at the GlobalCampus Summit. The brief time together highlighted the need for international collaboration in student mental health research. The establishment of a Community of Practice will provide a foundation for ongoing knowledge exchange and collaborative research opportunities for current and future researchers that I hope to engage in. 

Cori

Participating in the Inlight Exchange was a career-defining experience. As I am in my final year of my PhD, it has given me confidence and motivation to push on and complete my thesis.  Given it was my first time traveling internationally for my research work, it will be difficult to match the impact of those few weeks. I am extremely thankful for all those who made it possible for me to attend the Inlight Global Exchange Program. 

Going forward, I am more committed than ever to pursuing research that bridges disciplines, institutions, and continents. I hope (and expect) to continue to contribute to global conversations on youth mental health through ongoing collaboration with the community of passionate researchers I met through this program. 

William

Cori (she/her) is a second-year Ph.D. candidate at King’s College London, under the mentorship of Dr. Nicola Byrom. Since a personal experience at the age of 17, Cori has dedicated her academic career to understanding and addressing the gaps of adolescent and emerging adult mental health. She holds both a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Communication from James Madison University.  

William Capon is a third-year Ph.D. candidate at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, under the mentorship of Dr. Frank Irofino and Dr. Ian Hickie. With a background in mathematics and neuroscience (BSc, MBMSc), his research explores the use of data and technology to improve youth mental health assessment and individual outcomes. 

Stephanie Fan (she/they) is a first-year Masters Candidate at National Taiwan University under the mentorship of Dr. Shu-Sen Chang and Dr. Po-Han Lee. With a background in psychology, their current research aims to culturally adapt mental health first aid guidelines for sexual and gender minorities in Taiwan.