Social Work PhD Doc Talks

What is Doc Talks

DocTalks is a semi-annual newsletter celebrating the many achievements of students in the FSW’s doctoral program. Students are invited to submit items related to their studies, research, and personal lives. For this issue, students were invited to share achievements, accomplishments, and good news items that occurred between January 2023 and June 2023.

Program Milestones

• Jason Fernandes’ comprehensive examination proposal, “The Exclusion of Students with Intersecting Marginalized Identities on Higher Education Campuses,” was accepted.
• Bhagwati Gautam defended her comprehensive examination papers, “A Critical Feminist Analysis of Nepali Immigrant Couples’ Employment Integration Experiences.”
• Marianna Healey defended her dissertation proposal, “Towards Practices that Promote Dignity, Self-reliance, and Participation for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Building Expert Consensus for Community Practice.”
• Sarah Pearson completed her data collection in the Fall of 2022 and began writing her dissertation.
• Julia Read received REB ethics approval for her dissertation, “Narrative Resistance: Peer Specialists Experiences of Co-optation, Isolation, and Exploitation in Addiction Services and its Impact on Their Wholistic Health.”
• Stewart J. Smith defended his dissertation, “Best Practices for Social Workers Engaging with Spiritual/Religious Clients” in April and graduated in June.

Awards, Scholarships, Honours, and Community Recognition 

• Amanda Fraser received a SSHRC doctoral award to support their research, “COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery: Wholistic Needs of Indigenous Youth.” Amanda also was awarded an OGS.
• Alexandra Freed received a SSHRC doctoral award to support her research, "Envisioning and Reclaiming a New Approach for the Creation of Program Indicators for Child and Family Well-being: Healing the Pathway to Kinship Responsibility and Sustainability.”
• Marianna Healey received a SSHRC doctoral award to support her research on child rights in childhood disability services.
• Sarah Pearson received an OGS award for the 2022-23 academic year.
• Alisha Stubbs received a SSHRC doctoral award to support her research on the role of school social workers in addressing the non-academic needs of autistic students.
• Laura Thibeault received a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship and OGS funding for the 2023-24 academic year.

These students are some of our students who received support for their research from either OGS or SSHRC this year. Congratulations!

Publications, Presentations, Workshops, Posters, Panels, and Media Attention 

• Amar Ghelani published the paper, “Perspectives Toward Cannabidiol (CBD) Among Youth in Early Psychosis Intervention Programs: A Qualitative Study” in Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/eip.1342
• Maryam Motia presented the paper, “Mental Health and Experiences of Community Art Programs among Immigrant Women in Canada: A Qualitative Inquiry” at the CASWE-ACFTS Conference, York University (June 2023).
• Maryam also presented the paper, “Mental Health and Social Support among Immigrant Women in Canada: An Arts-Based Study” at the International Conference on Mental Health and Addiction, Algoma University (April 2023).
• Julia Read presented the paper, “Narrative Resistance: Peer Specialists Experiences of Co-optation, Isolation, and Exploitation in Addiction Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic” at the International Conference on Addiction and Mental Health, Algoma University (April 2023).

Personal and Career Updates 

• Sarah Pearson had a baby girl, Nina Jane, on January 15. She has put her dissertation writing on hold for a year to be with Nina.
• Julia Read was selected to go to Lake Shift, the writing retreat at Lake Opinicon at the Queen’s University Biology Research Station. This retreat is for PhD Candidates who are at the writing stage of their dissertations.
• Alisha Stubbs was honoured to meet with NDP Party Leader Jagmeet Singh over lunch and discuss inclusive policies and municipal politics. Also, Alisha was the guest of honour at Toronto Police Services 51st Division Pride flag-raising because of her municipal activism efforts.

Congratulations to each of the students named above and all our PhD students for their ongoing achievements and accomplishments!