Team Members
Inclusive Environments Lab Lead
Atiya Mahmood, Ph.D. (she/her)
Dr. Mahmood is a Professor in the Gerontology Department at SFU with a research focus on older adults, persons with disability, mobility, social inclusion/exclusion and participation, physical environment and health. Her expertise includes qualitative, mixed-method and community-based participatory research.
Her recent research in MAP can be summarized as: a) development of comprehensive and validated user-led tools in environmental assessments for older adults and people with disabilities; b) development of evidence-based Knowledge Translation tools in mobility and participation for diverse group of people using a community-based participatory process.
Research Coordinators
, M.A. Student, MAP-SWAN project coordinator (she/her)
Rojan completed her Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Tehran and is currently pursuing a second Master's degree in the Department of Gerontology. Her research is centered around environmental gerontology, with a specific focus on designing walkable cities that provide support and accessibility for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
, Ph.D. Candidate, MAP-SWAN project co-coordinator (She/her)
Letitia holds a Master鈥檚 degree in Engineering from Beijing Forestry University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Gerontology at 尤物视频. Her research interests lie at the intersection of art-based methods, community-engaged research, and technology, with a focus on older adults with disabilities.
Cindy Wei, NeighbourABLE & COPE project coordinator (she/her)
Cindy completed her Bachelor's and Master's of Science at the University of Waterloo. In her MSc Kinesiology, she had a focus on nutrition for older adults. She has worked for several Canadian universities, under Dr. Travis Saunders (UPEI), Dr. Jenna Gibbs (McGill), and Dr. Heather Keller (UWaterloo). In her free time, Cindy works as an academic consultant, yoga teacher, and sewist.
, Knowledge mobilization coordinator (she/her)
Samna's educational background is in architecture, followed by a research Master's in Urban Management & Development from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Her professional training has focused on interdisciplinary and collaborative planning approaches for sustainable cities. Her research interests include design of inclusive public spaces, accessibility and walkability within neighborhoods.
Graduate Research Assistants
, M.A. (he/him)
Sepehr completed his Master's degree in "Regional Planning" from the University of Tehran and is currently pursuing a second Master's degree in the Department of Urban Studies. His interest lies in urban social issues and how urban environments can create inclusive spaces for all segments of society, particularly for adults and people with disabilities.
Sarah Sikder, MPH (She/her)
Sarah completed her BSc in Biology and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health. Drawing on her public health background, she is interested in investigating how social and environmental factors influence the well-being and mobility of older adults and individuals with disabilities. She is driven by a passion for knowledge mobilization, ensuring that research findings reach stakeholders and community members to foster meaningful impact.
Kishore Seetharaman, Ph.D. Candidate (he/him)
Kishore's educational background is in architecture and environmental psychology. His current research is centered around examining the impact of neighborhood-built environments on the out-of-home mobility and social participation of individuals with dementia. His research interests broadly encompass the intersection of design, dementia, disability, and mobility.