Undergraduates

Honour Students

Isabel Ng Yek En

Hello! I’m Isabel, a BA (Hons) Psych international student from Malaysia. Coming from the other side of the world, I’m passionate about exploring intercultural differences and motivations that guide people’s actions. I’m excited to delve into these topics and more in the IC Lab!

Anny Kwon

Hello! My name is Anny Kwon. I am currently a fourth year psychology student in the Honors program. I moved to Canada when I was 10 years old and have grown up in Edmonton since. I have always been interested in social and cultural psychology; specifically conflict in ethnic identity (in my case Korean vs. Canadian) as well as other G1.5 immigrants’ experiences living in a foreign country. I am excited to learn and explore more about these topics, and getting involved in the research field in general through the IC Lab.

Mia Leedell

Hi there! My name is Mia and I am a third-year honours psychology student in the IC Lab. Currently, I’m developing a scoping review concerning thriving and well-being in the context of language learning. I started on this project last year, and I’ve been enjoying learning more about the interplay between aspects of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and well-being!  Outside of research and coursework, I can be found climbing, hiking, reading, or knitting.

Independent Study Students

Madelyn Almedia

My name is Madelyn Almeida. I am a 3rd year Arts Psychology major and Sociology minor. This is my first year in the IC Lab. I joined the IC Lab to gain experience conducting research and am interested in exploring the motivational factors for pursuing language learning. In my free time, I enjoy listening to all different types of music, and reading books. 

Augustine Brown

Hello! My name is Augustine. I am currently volunteering with the ICLab as a Psychology student. My research interests include language motivation and intercultural competence in public health. I have experienced and benefited from the critical importance of effective intercultural communication, and working with the IC Lab affords me with the opportunity to engage in meaningful research on this topic. Beyond my academic pursuits, I enjoy expressing creativity through graphic art and planning new travel experiences.

Melanie Crane

Hi everyone, my name is Melanie and I’m currently in my third year as a Psychology and Women and Genders double major. As a second generation Canadian with UK roots, an American citizen and a Spanish speaker, I’m delighted to find myself in the incredible diversity of the IC Lab! My research interests focus on the interaction of how power and privilege, as well as oppression and deprivation, are distributed throughout society to various subject positions throughout their life course and how to ameliorate psychological impacts on individuals and marginalized communities. In my free time, I spend time with my children, furry friends, and loved ones and engage in multiple creative pursuits. 

Akila Edirisinghe

My name is Akila(he/him). I am a fourth year student studying psychology and computing science. This is my first time being part of the Intercultural Communication lab and I am really excited to learn more about acculturation specifically how conformity to the dominant culture impacts communication within one’s original cultural contexts. Outside of school, I like to play volleyball , break dance and climb a lot. Feel free to ask or join me in my hobbies or topics of interest!

Alyssa Merali

Hello everyone, my name is Alyssa, and I am a second-year student majoring in Psychology! I joined the IC lab as I believe it focuses on an underrepresented area of research. Additionally, the possible applications of this research for informing educational and immigration programming and policy are of great significance. Outside of school, I enjoy travelling, reading, working out, and trying new restaurants around the city.

Ainsley Miller

I’m a fourth-year Biological Sciences student. I am interested in bilingualism as I attended French immersion for elementary and junior high school before switching into English for the rest of my educational journey. In my free time I like playing card and board games, and eating/cooking.  

Cleo Mo

Hi, I’m Cleo from China. I’m currently an undergraduate student in Art Psychology, and this is my first year with ICLab as an independent study student. My research interests include intercultural communication, language learning motivation, and identity development in Chinese immigrants. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss these topics or just want to have a conversation!

Shahzad Moin

Hey, I’m Shahzad and I’m a 4th year BA Psych undergraduate student. I’m an independent study student here at the IC Lab. My research interests are regarding the examination of experiences of multicultural individuals, along with learning about the motivations behind second-language learning and how that could help inform educators. Aside from that, I love solving puzzles and problems (I’d love to be asked a riddle), playing basketball, video games, chess, and the guitar.

Danielle Shaposhnikov

Hi there, I’m Danielle Shaposhnikov, a fourth-year student majoring in Psychology and Philosophy. Immigrating to Canada at a young age sparked my passion for multiculturalism and its profound impact on mental health. This is my first year with the IC Lab, which I’m thrilled to join as an independent study student. My research focuses on the intersection of mental health and culture, with a special interest in how physical movement varies across cultures and its influence on overall well-being. Outside of my academic work, I’ve authored and illustrated a children’s book series about mental health and the science behind it—a project close to my heart. I’m so excited to be part of the IC Lab and can’t wait to grow, learn, and contribute to the amazing work being done here!

Jana Sleiman

Hello! I am a third-year Psychology student in the Faculty of Arts. I joined the IC Lab to help expand research on minority populations. I feel that there isn’t enough representation and knowledge of minority groups, and I believe the IC Lab is going to change that. I enjoy reading books, playing video games, watching movies, and snowboarding in my free time!

Angela Tan

 I’m Angela, a second year Sciences student majoring in Psychology. As a child of Chinese immigrants, I’m greatly interested in the acculturation of immigrants living in Alberta. I really look forward to exploring this topic further throughout my first year with the IC Lab as an independent study student. Outside of the lab, I enjoy figure skating, crocheting, and baking.

Volunteers

Tiffany Au

Hi everyone, my name is Tiffany, and I’m currently in my fourth year as a Psychology major. My research interests focus on the intersection of cultural competence in mental health settings and its impact on well-being. As an independent study student, I’ve been involved in studies on Chinese immigrant acculturation and thriving in language learning. I’ve really enjoyed these projects, as they have allowed me to grow my skills in research and cultural analysis. In my free time, I love skiing, traveling, and discovering hidden gem restaurants around town.

Manpreet Dhonkal

Hi! I’m Manpreet and I recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology. I was an independent studies student in the IC Lab and am now volunteering. I worked on a scoping review with other lab members about well-being in the context of language learning, which aligned well with my goal to pursue a career in counselling psychology. I’m interested in learning more about how cultural and linguistic factors shape our personal experiences and relationships. In my free time, I love to bake and crochet!

Fatima Khan

I’m Fatima, and I’m a third-year Psychology student at the University of Alberta, minoring in Political Science. This is my first year volunteering with the IC Lab, and I’m excited to explore my research interests in intercultural competence, acculturation, and mental health. Growing up in a multicultural environment, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for the importance of effective intercultural communication, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to meaningful research on these topics through the lab. Outside of academics, I enjoy travelling, socializing and spending time with my cat. 

Heero Perlas

Hello, hello! My name is Heero (she/her). I’m a 4th-year psychology undergraduate who is also an independent studies student at the IC Lab. My research interests include the motivations behind language learning and the process of acculturation. So far, it’s been really exciting to be part of intercultural research! I’m looking forward to learning more. In my free time, I enjoy drawing, collecting stationery, watching horror movies, and more recently, learning how to cook.

Ritika Raval

Hello! I’m Ritika Raval, a third-year Psychology major in the Faculty of Science. As a multilingual international student, I’ve always been fascinated by how language and cultural differences shape an individual’s perception and experiences in this world. I am excited and honored to contribute to this exploration in the lab.

Valeriya Sytnik

Hi! My name is Valerie and I am an after-degree Honors student in Psychology. I also hold a BA (Hons) in International Business from the University of Nottingham, UK. Canada is my 5th country of residence. I was born in Russian, grew up in Kazakhstan, and studied and worked in both Ukraine and China. I conceptualize my identity by thinking of Russia as my mother, Kazakhstan as my father, Ukraine as my grandmother and China as my great-grandfather. My personal experiences with learning different languages and navigating both the positive and negative aspects of living in native and foreign settings drew me to the IC Lab’s research on multinational identity and language learning motivation. This work fascinates me as it helps me better understand my own identity and share my knowledge with others.

Shuier Wei

Hello! I’m Shuier, a fourth year student specialising in Psychology. This is my first year in the IC Lab as an independent study student. I’m really excited to learn more about psychology research, especially for the part of second-language acquisition. For leisure time, I listen to musicals/rock operas, and I play TRPG games.