This month, we are happy to kick-off this year's Fellows Feature series with two of our wonderful CAnD3 Fellows, Aimy Croner and Anwar Sheluchin. Learn more about the pivotal moments that shaped their research journeys, the projects they’re most proud of, and the interests that inspire them outside the world of data.
Let’s start with your journeys. Was there a defining moment that shaped how you think about research, and how has CAnD3 played a role along the way?
Aimy: Working on immigrant health has always been a passion of mine. As a first-generation immigrant, I’ve seen firsthand how education can transform and improve health outcomes in Canada. My first introduction to CAnD3 was as an employee, where I got to see the inner workings of research projects and the support systems available to students beyond their institutions. That experience showed me what meaningful research can look like. Now, as a Fellow, I’m surrounded by peers who are equally eager to learn and build their own toolkits. It feels like a safe and empowering space that has given me the confidence to fully pursue my research on immigrant health.
Anwar: For me, the turning point came in the first year of my PhD, when I was introduced to quantitative methods and the R programming language. Suddenly, I could do so much more with the data I had, visualizing patterns and asking more complex questions. That sparked a curiosity that led me to further training at ICPSR and the Essex Summer School. CAnD3 feels like a natural extension of that journey. The PopAging DataViz workshop, in particular, opened my eyes to new ways of visualizing data that I hadn’t considered before.
Tell us about a recent project or presentation you’re especially proud of. What made it exciting or potentially challenging?
Aimy: I am proud to have completed Aim 1 of Divine-Favour’s thesis. This was particularly challenging, as we had to build a data bank from scratch, which involved consulting multiple sources, cross-checking facts, and verifying each other’s work. It was my first experience with this process, and it was a wonderful opportunity to develop and refine my data-gathering skills. I am very happy with the results and the growth that came from this experience. Furthermore, I am pleased to report that I have also successfully defended my master’s thesis proposal. This was a daunting journey at first. Refining my methods, research question, and absorbing as much literature as possible felt overwhelming, but it was incredibly worth it for the result. I am now excited to start writing my thesis!
Anwar: I have a paper under R&R so ask me how that's going in a few weeks! Over the summer I presented a paper at CPSA that examined how framing and elite cues shape public attitudes toward central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Previous research suggests that the public does care about CBDCs, but they don't know much about them. To dig deeper, my colleagues and I designed an experimental survey to measure attitudes. One of the challenges was that CBDCs are not yet a salient issue, but they are likely to become an important policy option in the future. That made it both exciting and tricky, trying to anticipate how people might respond to policy that doesn't yet exist in practice. Another highlight for me was presenting at the Future of Finance Summit, where I shared findings from my project, CryptoCommons.ca, which tracks statements made by politicians in the House of Commons about digital currencies. It was great to be able to share that data with academics, industry, and government, and to see how digital currencies are being discussed in Canada's policy landscape.
Research can be demanding. What helps you recharge outside of your academic work?
Aimy: I enjoy spending time with my dog, Milo, a rescue pitbull. Ending each day with a walk together provides me with peace and allows me to reconnect with him after long days. Simply caring for him brightens my day. There truly is nothing better than seeing how happy he gets when I get back home. Also, since he is a rescue, his training has been a little more on the difficult side. He has past traumas and inevitable public fear of him that play an important role in how willing he is to be vulnerable. As a result of this, I have started an Instagram page (@milos_pawspective) for him, aiming to showcase that pitbulls are not inherently violent by highlighting his playful and joyful personality.
Anwar: Outside of research, I really enjoy hiking. Living in Hamilton makes that especially easy since the city has so many beautiful trails and waterfalls. For me, it's a great way to spend time with my family and take a real break from screens. Being surrounded by nature also brings a sense of clarity, and I often find that some of my best ideas come after a long trek in the forest.
Finally, if your research were a food, what would it be and why?
Aimy: I think my research would be a traditional biriyani. Just like biriyani, my research contains multiple essential ingredients that are foundational to the topic (the impacts of education (the rice), literacy (spices) on the relationship between immigrant status and self-reported health in Canada (the meat). My research is similar to biriyani in the sense that it is complex to achieve but comforting in the end.
Anwar: I'd say Chicago-style popcorn. Each chapter of my thesis brings something different (i.e., methods, theoretical contribution, empirics), but together they create a full, complementary mix.
Whether through the layered nourishment of lasagna or the sweet-and-salty mix of popcorn, Aimy and Anwar capture the spirit of the CAnD3 program: research that is rigorous, creative, and deeply connected to the world around us.
