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
Letitia Zhu, Ph.D. Student, MAP-SWAN project coordinator (She/her)
Letitia holds a Master’s degree in Engineering from Beijing Forestry University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Gerontology at Simon Fraser University. 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.
Samna Sadaf Khan, 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.
Nosaiba Fayyaz, Ph.D. Student, AIRP project coordinator (She/Her)
Nosaiba holds a Master’s degree in Health and Aging from McMaster University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Gerontology at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests sit at the intersection of aging, housing precarity and social inequities, with a particular focus on the lived experiences, gendered realities and service needs of older adults experiencing homelessness and housing precarity. Through her work, Nosaiba aims to strengthen services, policies and housing supports to better meet the needs of older adults facing housing challenges.
Jean Paul, M.A. Gerontology, AIRP project coordinator (He/Him)
Jean is an international student from Colombia, with a BSc in Psychology at the Universidad de Antioquia. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Gerontology at SFU. His research interests lie at the intersection of aging, identity, and housing, with a focus on how older adults maintain and express their identities in precarious or transitional living situations. More broadly, his research explores housing, accessibility, mobility, and the well-being of older adults, particularly those experiencing or with lived experience of homelessness.
Research Assistants
Xiao (Amy) Sang, B.Sc (She/Her)
Amy Sang is a Bachelor of Science Candidate in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include health promotion in communities, and aging and disability services.
Gehna Malhotra, B.A. (she/her)
Gehna is a Psychology undergraduate pursuing a minor in Gerontology. Her interests focus on aging, housing, and community participation among older adults and individuals with disabilities. Through her work with Burnaby Neighbourhood House, she has collaborated with older adults and community members with lived experience to better understand barriers to inclusion, accessibility, and social engagement.
Olivia Picariello, B.A. (she/her)
Olivia is an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University, completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, along with a Certificate in Social Justice. Her research interests centre on the social and structural factors that shape the well-being of older adults and individuals with disabilities. Drawing on her interdisciplinary background in psychology and social justice, she is eager to further develop her skills in community-based work that supports more inclusive environments.
Melanie Nichele, B.A. (she/her)
Melanie is an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University majoring in Psychology with minors in Counselling and Human Development. Her research interests include increasing advocacy and education accessibility for older adult populations, as well as intergenerational environmental activism efforts.
Nihaarika Naithani, B.Sc. (she/her)
Nihaarika is an undergraduate student at SFU majoring in Data Science. She is interested in using data to explore social and community issues as well as business and organizational challenges, especially in areas related to accessibility, health, and well-being. Through her training in data analysis and applied research, she is developing strong analytical and data storytelling skills to support inclusive, evidence-informed work across social and professional settings.
Shoron Alam, B.Sc., (He/him)
Shoron is completing his undergraduate at SFU with a concentration in Public Health and Data. His academic interests centre on the social determinants of health, health equity, and the ways in which social, economic, and environmental factors shape well-being across the lifespan. He is particularly interested in understanding how structural inequalities influence access to care, community resources, and health outcomes.