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

Shay Azeem

Hi, I’m Shay (she/her). I majored in Psychology at the University of Alberta and have always been interested in how language and culture influence the ways we connect with others. Moving to Canada at a young age sparked my curiosity about how learning new languages can shape communication, identity, and belonging across different environments. I’m excited to contribute to the Intercultural Communication Lab and explore these ideas in a deeper and more meaningful way. In my free time, I enjoy painting, baking, and learning new languages.

Japnoor Khehra

Hello, my name is Japnoor, and I am entering my fourth year of a Bachelor of Science
degree with a specialization in Psychology. My interest in joining the Intercultural
Communications Lab was inspired by taking Dr. Noels’ course, which deepened my
understanding of intercultural communication. I am eager to gain hands-on research
experience and further explore the field of psychology, specifically how cultural contexts
impact communication and identity. Under the guidance of Dr. Noels, I hope to investigate
how rising levels of both online and in-person hostility has affected the Canadian identity
of individuals within the South Asian community.

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!

Amira Stewart

Hey! My name is Amira and I’m in my third year as a psychology major and philosophy minor. I’m excited to be joining the IC Lab as an independent study student this semester. I’m interested in intercultural communication and how it shapes both individual identity and group dynamics. This summer I’ll be studying abroad in Ireland and trying to soak up as much culture (and see as many castles) as possible. In the meantime I’ve been getting travel tips from customers while working at an Irish pub. Outside of academics I enjoy reading in the sun, and spending time in nature and with friends.

Keqing Shi

Hello!！My name is Keqing Shi.I am a junior (BS) psychology student and I am doing my own independent research in IC lab!! This is my first year in IC lab. I am very interested in different cultures and I love learning different languages. I am looking forward to my research life in IC lab!! Besides that, I like to travel in my free time and go trail with my dog.

Maki Muthu

Heyo! My name is Maki and I’m a Psychology major in the Faculty of Arts. I am currently interested in looking into the motivations for learning other languages and understanding the experiences that people with multicultural backgrounds face. In my free time, I like collecting random things like vinyls or enamel pins and hanging out with my cat Mocha.

Glory Okebugwu

Hello! My name is Glory Okebugwu, and I’m a third year student in the Faculty of Arts, majoring in Psychology. I’m especially interested in exploring intercultural differences—particularly how youth from immigrant backgrounds navigate acculturation. I’m fascinated by how the process of adapting to a new culture while maintaining aspects of one’s original culture shapes personality and social interactions. I’m excited to dive deeper into this area through both research and lived experience.

Volunteers

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.