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Abir Chakraborty
ASSISTANT, ENGAGEMENT, EVENTS & LOGISTICS
Areas of Focus: Public Programming, Digital Communications, Events & Community
Pronouns: he/him
Email: climday@sfu.ca
Abir is a 3rd year Co-op student at Simon Fraser University studying Communication major with a minor in Interactive Arts and Technology. His academic and creative work focuses on how institutions communicate complex social issues and how design, media and events can lower barriers to participation.
He brings experience in event support, digital content creation and audience-focused communication, with a particular interest in how public spaces; both physical and digital, can encourage reflection rather than reaction. Abir approaches communications as a tool for access: making ideas clearer, conversations more inviting and participation easier for people with different backgrounds and levels of familiarity.
At the Centre for Dialogue, Abir contributes to event coordination, outreach and communications, supporting programs that bring students, faculty, and community members into conversation around challenging and timely issues.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT THE CENTRE FOR DIALOGUE?
My role involves supporting public events and assisting with communications before, during, and after programs. This includes helping with event logistics, promotion, client outreach and digital materials that extend the reach of the Centre’s work. I’m especially interested in how small design and communication choices shape who feels invited into a conversation.
WHAT DOES DIALOGUE MEAN TO YOU?
Dialogue, to me, is less about resolution and more about orientation; how we position ourselves in relation to others. It creates space to sit with complexity, listen without immediately responding, and recognize that understanding often develops unevenly and over time.
WHAT IS A COMMON ASSUMPTION YOU'D LIKE TO DEMYSTIFY?
There’s often an assumption that dialogue is passive or unproductive if it doesn’t produce a clear takeaway. I believe it's useful in helping people articulate uncertainty, question their own assumptions and approach disagreement with more care.