Maryam Sheikh

Maryam Sheikh (She/Her/Hers)

Tell us about yourself:

Hi! I'm in my third year of the Justice, Political Philosophy, and Law program with an interdisciplinary minor in Community Engagement at McMaster University. My interests lie in global health, urban planning, and policymaking. I'm interested in exploring how to apply my passion for community work to help strengthen social, health, and legal systems and foster sustainable and inclusive cities.

I joined CityLAB because I was eager to learn more about Hamilton, work alongside peers from different disciplines, and step out of my comfort zone to engage in a unique learning environment.

CityLAB has provided me with this and more. The program has given me the opportunity to work on a complex, real-life issue and has challenged me to view the housing crisis through a critical lens. Through the program, I've met incredible, creative peers and instructors, explored various parts of the city, learned about design thinking, and renewed my love for learning. I've developed my research, project management, and dialogue skills, which will transfer into my future pursuits. I'll also carry my newfound love for The Burnt Tongue throughout the rest of my degree.

How is your project going so far?

My team's project focused on unlocking municipal land as a tool to build more affordable housing. Our project process included conducting research on current housing policies, consultations with city staff, conversations with different stakeholders, and analyzing data. We examined existing mixed-use housing models, historic design processes, and potential sustainable housing solutions. Our work and project findings will inform the City of Hamilton's Housing Sustainability and Investment Roadmap (HSIR).

I'm left with a deeper understanding of how social, political, and economic factors interact to create the housing landscape we see today, as well as an appreciation for all of the work community stakeholders engage in to enhance the experiences of Hamiltonians.

Nivethinie Sivakumar

Nivethinie Sivakumar (She/Her/Hers)

Tell us about yourself:

I am a 4th year undergraduate student at McMaster university, purusing a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Life Sciences. The Life Sciences uses interdisciplinary approaches to studying life and everything that it encompasses. My aspirations are to be of service to humanity in anything I do and to give back to community. I believe CityLAB SIR will contribute to that as my learnings were rooted in social wellbeing and principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

How is your project going so far?

My project focused on the housing crisis in Hamilton, with particular interest on the market home rentals and market homeownership. We set out our goals to engage with and accurately assess the needs of Hamilton residents and stakeholders, as well as to gather research on the current housing market, the historical context, and trajectory of the Hamilton housing crisis. In addition, we aimed to create proposed ideas that would inform the development of a plan to combat the bottle-neck effects in the housing continuum. This would then allow us to design ideas for a plan to make additions to the market housing supply through direct additions or existing housing stock. Throughour our exploration process, we engaged with the Hamilton community, identified relevant stakeholders, and delivered a series of community dialogues that informed our stakeholders, and our project and created a space to discuss feasible solutions. The key findings that informed our recommendations to the City of Hamilton are that protecting tenants ensures security and stability of the market home landscape, additions to the housing stock may not always require new housing development, maintaining the status quo is needed to prevent regression, and that housing as a basic human necessity of shelter has become commodified.

Noor AL Omran

Noor AL Omran (She/Her)

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Noor AL Omran and I am in my third year of the Honours Life Sciences program at McMaster University. My current interests are related to the social determinants of health. Specifically, I am interested in how urban design affects population health, especially in denser cities. I hope to continue learning about this issue through research.

Coming from a traditional science background, CityLab SIR has challenged me in new ways, but given me so many experiences at the same time. It has also inspired my newfound interest in public health, which I am excited to pursue. The interdisciplinary approach to the program is unique and has allowed me to learn countless new skills.

CityLab SIR has given me a new perspective on community-based research and the city of Hamilton itself. As someone coming from Mississauga, I was able to learn more about Hamilton and its history. I have also met new people and learned about different issues residents face in Hamilton. Most of all, I have had the chance to meet new friends and mentors throughout the program.

How is your project going so far?

Our project focus this year was on the housing crisis in Hamilton. My team specifically looked at the issues surrounding market rental housing. Some of the biggest issues include unaffordable/unsuitable housing and renovictions. We also explored how the student population affects market rental housing in Hamilton. Overall, we found that this issue is multifaceted and more complex than we originally imagined.

We have had the chance to speak to many individuals who have insight into the issues within market rental housing. Our research and recommendations will inform the City of Hamilton’s Housing Sustainability and Investment Roadmap. Overall, my experience with this project and CityLab SIR was wonderful, and one I won’t forget.

Zeynep Yilmaz

Zeynep Yilmaz (She/Her/Hers)

Tell us about yourself:

I am a third year Political Science student at McMaster University, specializing in Public Law and Judicial Studies. I am very interested in human rights in cyberspace and the means of knowledge mobilization. I received art education from the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in England, as well as my schools in Malaysia, Ghana, and Nigeria. I am uncertain about the line of work I will take up, but I know I want to incorporate the arts into it.

Apart from the academic stuff, I love discovering bits and pieces around Hamilton and asking around about their story. Volunteering in various art spaces and meeting people has been a major reason for why I call this city “my home”. CityLAB allowed me to lean into this passion and made me think of ways I can further it. My personal project (final assignment) also revolved around this idea and my instructors gave helpful directions, which I will continue working on.

How is your project going so far?

The highlight of my CityLAB experience leads back to a specific moment. We had just been placed in our groups and I ended up in the transitional housing group, focusing on precarious to stable housing. We were getting started on our first group assignment around the directions we plan to take with our project. I distinctly remember listening closely and being surprised by how we all had a different reaction to the same question. All my groupmates drew on their unique experiences and programs: his work at the Hub, her health sciences classes, his upcoming exam on electrical resistance and her dedication for accessibility in the education system. That was one rollercoaster of a conversation (positive connotation), which I was not accustomed to in the constraining echo chamber of my program.

I am grateful that the interdisciplinary nature of CityLAB at crossroads with its focus on Hamilton led me to such people: all with their own passions rooted in their own reasons.

Eunice Tunggal

Eunice Tunggal, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

Hi! I’m Eunice (she/her) and am currently in my 5th year of Molecular Biology and Genetics with an interest in pursuing work in public health or public health research. Because I’ve been focused on biology and in lectures for most of my university career, I really wanted a chance to work in an environment that would teach me more about policy and about engaging with the community in meaningful ways. I’m super excited that SIR has given this opportunity to work with diverse, yet like-minded peers on projects that can make impacts in the City of Hamilton– in real time.

How is your project going?

Team 3 is focusing on affordable rentals within the housing continuum and have learned a lot about the barriers that prevent housing from being affordable and accessible for the populations that need it. Factors including (but not limited to) funding, education, unclear definitions, policy and legislation, all contribute to the housing problems we see all along the continuum, but it is difficult to clarify what we need to prioritize within the scope of our work. We hope to engage meaningfully with stakeholders in order to gain more perspective on the housing crisis, and allow that to inform our approach to working on the affordable rental portion of the CoH’s Housing Sustainability and Investment Plan.

Lucas Holler

Lucas Holler, He/Him/His

Tell us about yourself:

I graduated high school in Germany after which I relocated to France to explore some post secondary options. Instead, I joined the Canadian Armed Forces. Upon release I enrolled in an undergrad program at McMaster and am graduating in 2023 with an HBA in Political Science with a minor in Globalization Studies.
I've lived and worked in many places around the world and speak 5 languages so it's rather fitting that I wish to pursue a career as a diplomat in the foreign service.
What I appreciate most about SIR is the interdisciplinary approach we take to the problems and issues we take on.

How is your project going so far?

This year we are focused on housing and this crisis that has been in the making for some years now. Our team is specifically focused on affordable rental. From identifying stakeholders, to understanding and navigating the policy space that governs housing, we realize just how complex housing is. There are no simple solutions and certainly none are one-size-fits-all. Even though our team is focused on a specific part of the housing continuum, it has become evident that the entire spectrum is intrinsically linked together, so collaboration and sharing of information is crucial to the success of the whole group, not just our team. At this stage, we've begun focusing on specific housing policies and will attempt to produce a clear and comprehensive portfolio on how we believe the housing crisis can be mitigated with focus on affordable rental.

Daniel Majik

Daniel Majik (He/Him/His)

Tell us about yourself:

I'm a fourth year student of Justice, Political Philosophy and Law at McMaster. I was born and raised in Hamilton and I love this city for its grit, natural beauty, and unique character. I also have to recognize that it is a place with its own problems, but I'm confident that there are enough good people here with enough energy to make positive change.

For the last two years I have been volunteering at the Hub, a drop-in centre that provides food, clothing, hygiene products, harm reduction supplies, and connections to social services to people in Hamilton. As a shift-leader and coordinator at the Hub I have had the opportunity to get to know many people who are experiencing homelessness in Hamilton. My experience at CityLAB has been illuminating as I have been able to take a top-down view of our system of social services and see how different levels of government intend to combat homelessness.

I hope to continue my work in this area and incorporate what I have learned at CityLAB and the Hub to help vulnerable communities and make Hamilton even better.

How is your project going so far?

Our group is concentrating on issues surrounding transitional housing. We've tried to get an understanding of what transitional housing services are available in Hamilton and how they fit into a wider system of social and housing supports. We have found that this is a very complicated system with many different organizations and stakeholders involved. We are focusing on finding ways that these groups and the city can better collaborate in order to more effectively provide services and work together to achieve shared goals.

Rachel Long

Rachel Long, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

I'm in my final year of PNB (Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour) at McMaster. I light up when I'm able to ideate creative solutions to complex problems, and forge meaningful connections. Citylab is built with these priorities in mind, and I appreciate how much better it's made me at navigating ambiguity and engaging with my community, as well as introducing me to so many incredible people.

Through this experience I've discovered great cafes like Redchurch, explored chedoke, ate top notch pancakes, thought a lot about my own privilege and realized my fascination for public transportation. I've also fallen in love with Hamilton.

I walk away from SIR with a forever changed perspective on housing, a "just dive in" attitude and aspirations to amplify silenced voices in my future work.

How is your project going so far?

My team is tackling affordable housing, specifically affordable home ownership. For context, affordable housing is generally subsidized housing at 30% of the gross house income. Affordable ownership falls between affordable rental & market rent, and within Hamilton is primarily championed by organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. These organizations pay the down payment (the main barrier for ownership for many) and home owners pay their mortgage back to the organization.

Our understanding of this area of the continuum has been informed by multiple conversations with key stakeholders throughout Hamilton, and working closely with city staff. We've begun to better understand Affordable housing challenges such as funding, application/building delays, long waitlists and supply problems. We've had some really poignant conversations on who we should be building for and how to incorporate sustainability into these processes. Our deliverables include sourcing recommendations to bring forward to the city in order to inform the Housing Sustainability & Investment plan, and increased ability to manage complex projects.

Riya Patel

Riya Patel, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Riya Patel and I am currently a fourth-year in the Honours Life Sciences program at McMaster! My focus thus far in my academic portfolio tends to highlight science communication and interdisciplinary engagement. My future is uncertain right now but I'm definitely developing an interest in policy and implementation, which are both aspects emphasized in SIR thus far.

Personally, SIR has been an incredible new experience for me and broadened my worldview by providing a way to connect and learn about real challenges and issues currently affecting Hamilton. It challenges me to constantly improve my soft skills and efficiently collaborate with my team to problem-solve and adapt with our peers in a like-minded environment and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

How is your project going so far?

My project group has been focusing on the far right of the housing continuum, specifically looking at the current state of market housing ownership as well as the transition from market rentals to ownership. We're taking a look at most, if not all, of the contributing factors and the trickle down effect occurring downstream from market ownership. My team and I have found that our own research may fall short of representing the views of not just the residents, but everyone involved and impacted by housing issues. We have strived to reach out and connect with a variety of different stakeholders, understanding development, housing, and priorities through the lens of different perspectives. Our aim is to create a comprehensive knowledge base outlining potential solutions and/or avenues for future City decisions to combat the challenges that residents face in terms of housing.

Val Flores

Val Flores, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

I'm a 4th year History student with a minor in English and Cultural Studies. I'm hoping to be a professor one day. In the meantime, I love working in community engagement, research, and logistics. CityLAB SIR has helped me develop my professional skills and continues to encourage me to pursue opportunities outside my area of comfort. The knowledge I've gained in project management, dialogue, design, and city building has been instrumental in decisions I've made about what my future looks like and the kind of work I want to do to change the world.

How is your project going so far?

Our project this semester focuses on the current housing crisis in the Hamilton area. My team studies the trends from Affordable Ownership to Market Ownership with a focus on Market Rental. As we've been researching this area of the housing continuum, we've been specializing in the influence students and student housing has on the general rental market and the "missing middle" where people struggle to move from Market Rental to Market Ownership because of the way the system is currently operating. It's been complicated understanding all the factors that affect Market Rental but having the opportunity to communicate with stakeholders has been clarifying.

Ivan Kredl

Ivan Kredl, He/Him/His

Tell us about yourself:

Hello, my name is Ivan Kredl and I am currently in my fourth year of the Arts and Science program at McMaster University. After spending three years working as a stonemason and stone carver, I decided to embark on an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree at McMaster. Although I have not explicitly specialized during my Arts and Science degree, a focus of mine has been the social determinants of mental health as I have taken and been a Teachers Assistant for many classes in this area throughout my undergraduate career. I am currently completing a thesis which has been highly informed by my SIR experience thus far. I knew I wanted to involve critical perspectives of mental health in my thesis work from the beginning but was unsure what my explicit focus would be. As I began SIR and my interest in urban planning and housing flourished, I realized late one night that I ought to combine the topics of urban design in Hamilton and mental health for my thesis. As of right now, I am planning on conducting a case study digging into the degree to which the City of Hamilton's urban design approach takes into account mental health outcomes while also providing evidence-based recommendations for how the city might improve its approach in this area. I have a radio show on CFMU from 4:30-5:30 on Saturdays and I am on the planning committee of the OPIRG McMaster Community Garden.

How is your project going?

The project my team is embarking on falls into the "affordable rental" part of the housing continuum. This part of the continuum falls between transitional/community housing and market housing. The biggest issue facing our type of housing right now is what some are calling "The Missing Middle". The "middle" this concept refers to is the space between affordable/subsidized housing and market housing. As market rents and house prices have stayed unaffordable for great portions of the population, people's ability to make the jump from affordable/subsidized housing to market housing remains extremely limited. As a result, this causes immense pressures on subsidized housing projects as demand greatly increases. We are addressing this issue by engaging experts with many different perspectives. Each and every person we speak with has something different to offer when it comes to our topic of interest. Whether it be city staff, CEOs from non-profits, developers or community groups, there are many different ways to understand this problem as well as address it. We are currently looking to bring stakeholders from the sectors listed above to a dialogue to further this discussion and forge connections between people and organization who might not have collaborated on such issues in the past.

Kenneth Chen

Kenneth Chen, He/Him/His

Tell me about yourself:

My name is Kenneth Chen; I am in the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) program at McMaster University. I am interested in exploring the intersection of health and community engagement to understand the manifestations of health on a societal level. I further aspire to improve the health of communities and populations through advocacy and research.

Coming from a program that has been a vocal proponent of interdisciplinary education and problem-based learning, I have gained ample exposure to the theories of community engagement through coursework early on in my undergraduate career. Inspired to see theory transformed into action, I joined the CityLAB Semester in Residence (SIR) program to take on a semester-long, community-engaged project––an ambitious undertaking I would have never imagined myself committing to entering into university.

CityLAB has been instrumental in broadening my horizon around municipal politics, policymaking, design thinking, dialogue skills, community engagement, and much more. It has enabled me to become a more informed and engaged member of the various communities I interact with daily. The skills and experiences I will take away from CityLAB will equip me to act as an effective agent of social change well beyond my time in university.

How is your project going so far?

My team is investigating solutions targeting the market rental housing and market home ownership aspects of the housing continuum.

There currently exists a bottleneck effect across the housing continuum for individuals and families attempting to access the most suitable housing for their needs. My team and I recognize that by ensuring the health and sustainability of the market home rental and ownership aspects of the continuum, we may then be able to alleviate burdens on other areas.

The research, dialogues, and potential solutions that result from our project will inform the City of Hamilton’s Housing Sustainability and Investment Roadmap. In this process, we aim to engage and accurately assess the needs of Hamilton residents and relevant stakeholders.

Eden Pang

Eden Pang, He/Him/His

Tell us about yourself:

I am a student currently enrolled in a degree in Environment and Society, mostly focusing on Urban planning and GIS. My goal and interest is to find out how cities could be improved practically on the basis of development. I really hope that efforts we make in CityLAB will help citizens live better and feel better. CityLAB had exposed me to real world experiences that cannot be taught in a textbook or regular courses. It is tremendously helping me to realize the need of Hamiltonians as well as the realities they are facing.

How is your project going so far?

The project our group is focusing on is home ownership. We aim to provide a better chance for Hamiltonians to access home ownership as well as building foundations towards it. There are lots of challenges in regards to the housing crisis in Hamilton. Most of the issues are related to the fact that home ownership is closely tied to private developers. By this means, the market has the most control over the issue. However, we are constantly engaging with stakeholders to seek for alternatives.

Bianca Magdalinis

Bianca Magdalinis, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

Hello! I’m in my fourth year of Health Sciences with an interdisciplinary minor in Community Engagement at McMaster, and I am beyond honoured to take part of CityLAB this year. My academic interests include the social determinants of health, disability justice, and environmental sustainability; these are all aspects that intersect with helping create a housing strategy for Hamilton. CityLAB allows me to apply my academic interests in a tangible way, while also leaving room for exploration to discover new interests and ideas.

How is your project going so far?

My teammates and I are exploring the affordable rental aspect of the housing continuum. We engage with various stakeholders and conduct research to gather information and ultimately inform a housing strategy. There are many aspects related to affordable rental housing that we can’t tackle, which can be challenging, but we are engaging in dialogue to prioritize and set achievable goals.

Sneha Mukherjee

Sneha Mukherjee, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

Hello! I'm a student in the Health Sciences program at McMaster, with an Interdisciplinary Minor in Community Engagement and a Concurrent Certificate in Leadership, Equity & Social Change. I am interested in considering systems-level solutions to improve access to healthcare, and contribute to the evolution of Ontario's healthcare system into a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive space for people with different identities. Through CityLAB SIR, I have further developed my understanding of:

1. The intersection between housing and healthcare

2. The importance of municipal politics in advocacy

3. How to reach out to and have a dialogue with stakeholders

4. EDI considerations

These skills are highly transferable to my own passions, and I hope that through the CityLAB SIR program, I can become a more informed and compassionate advocate both within and beyond healthcare spaces.

How is your project going so far?

My group is focused on transitional housing, which consists of temporary housing accommodations (stay limits of three months to three years) intended to act as an intermediate step between emergency housing and permanent, stable housing. So far, we have engaged in meaningful dialogue with four stakeholders (The Hub, the YMCA, the YWCA, and the City of Hamilton) – each of whom represent different populations involved in transitional housing. Using their viewpoints and experiences, we aim to consolidate our findings and refine our recommendations to address transitional housing complexities within the city.

Anastasija Zecevic

Anastasija Zecevic, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

Hi, My name is Anastasija Zecevic! I am a fourth year student at McMaster University and I am currently majoring in Honours Political Science. My academic interests include international and corporate law and I am hoping to attend law school in the near future. Outside of academics, I love to explore new places and travel but also spend quality time with friends and family.

How is your project going so far?

With the 2022 CityLAB theme focused on contributions to the Housing Investment and Strategy Plan, the sector my team is challenging under the housing continuum is known as Affordable Ownership. In our project, we have identified that this area of the continuum is experiencing features of funding constraints, backlog in planning resources and inflated external market values. However, by engaging in meaningful dialogue and consultations with stakeholders we have shifted focus on project deliverables that can improve the connections and logistics within the City of Hamilton's engagement. Therefore, we look to overcome the challenges facing Affordable Ownership through a grassroots approach and coordinate tangible ways to alleviate the current housing pressures.

Elza Joji

Elza Joji, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Elza Joji and I am a third-year student in the Honours Life Sciences program, specializing in Origins of Disease at McMaster University. After graduation, I plan to continue my education in order to pursue a career in the medical field. In my spare time, I enjoy drawing, painting, cooking, watching movies, and listening to music on Spotify. Thanks to SIR, I've learned more about project management and how to have meaningful dialogue with stakeholders as well as with people I work with on a regular basis, while keeping principles of community engagement in mind. Moving forward, I hope to strengthen my connection to the city of Hamilton, a place I consider my home in Canada.

How is your project going so far?

Our project focuses on potential improvements that could be made to provide Hamilton residents a more secure and feasible housing investment and sustainability plan. Our main focus is on community housing, which is a type of housing that is affordable to low-income families or those who cannot afford market rentals. So far, we've had fruitful dialogues with stakeholders and gathered information on a variety of problems, including tenant circulation issues and a lack of social services available to them. Through increased levels of community engagement, we hope to explore more challenges and barriers faced by individuals in community housing in Hamilton.

Anne Seatiel Cruz Tinio

Anne Seatiel Cruz Tinio, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

My name is Anne Tinio and I am in my fourth year of Honours Life Sciences, specializing in Sensory Motor Systems and minoring in Psychology at McMaster University. I am from Toronto, but continuing my studies remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic has made me appreciate Hamilton more and made me want to learn more about the city. It is for this reason that I applied to CityLAB. Besides gaining a more hands-on experience that is structured away from your typical lecture-based learning, CityLAB has allowed me to find what I am truly passionate about - public health and health policy. Before applying to CityLAB, I was unsure about what I wanted to do after my undergraduate studies. However, after being enrolled in CityLAB, I truly realized that I find fulfillment and joy connecting working with people in the community, which led me to pursuing public health, in the hopes of working to protecting and improving the health of communities and its peoples. CityLAB has forced me to explore things outside of my comfort zone, allowed me to enhance my public-speaking and community engagement skills, and meet and collaborate with so many amazing people. Above all, CityLAB has shown me how my actions and decisions impact my community, and how we have the ability to make changes when we all work together.

Outside of academia, I love traveling, listening to music, going to the gym and working out, hanging out with friends, and trying new things.

How is your project going so far?

My team focuses on the affordable rental housing portion of the housing continuum. Throughout the first few weeks of the semester, we have focused on having effective dialogue with various stakeholders who we identified will offer different perspectives on the housing crisis in the City of Hamilton. In each conversation, we asked stakeholders various topics that may play a role surrounding housing affordability, such as identifying gaps in research, barriers that residents may face when seeking affordable housing, efficiency of public policies, the flawed definition of "affordability", and identifying whose voices tend to be silent and unheard. Through these conversations, we are hoping to pinpoint overarching and emerging factors in affordable housing, which can help us make recommendations in potential and feasible solutions for the residents of the City of Hamilton who are facing difficulties either gaining access to affordable housing, or transitioning further in the continuum. Because we are hearing from different stakeholders, both in the private and public sectors, one of the biggest difficulties my team is facing is honing in on one focus area out of all the problems the stakeholders have identified. To overcome this barrier, my team is looking at the commonalities that all stakeholders have identified, which signifies that it is a pressing matter that affects all parties involved, as well as identifying what aspects we have the most control over (or what is mostly in-scope), and focusing on that rather than also working on things we have no control over (out-of-scope). Currently, we are still gathering data and identifying what we have the most control over before ideating potential solutions.

Nate Steeves

Nate Steeves, He/Him/His

Tell us about yourself:

Hello, my name is Nate Steeves. I am currently in my 3rd year of Combined Honors Arts and Science, and Physics. I was born and raised in Hamilton, both in the Downtown and East End. I was drawn to CityLAB SIR because it is an opportunity to learn about the City in a more engaging way than the classroom. I care deeply about Hamilton and want to be able to afford a house here as an adult, but this is becoming more and more unlikely. I hope to help make lasting changes to the housing landscape in Hamilton, and make renting and home ownership one less thing people have to worry about. The focus on project management, creative problem solving, and community engagement will be helpful as I pursue a career in urban planning, architecture, or building development.

How is your project going so far?

The project my team is undertaking addresses the transitional housing system. We hope to make recommendations to address key concerns we have identified from stakeholders. Some of these include government funding, relief and aid processes, and collaboration between organizations.

Alexandria Gonzales

Alexandria Gonzales, She/Her/Hers

Tell us about yourself:

Hi everyone! My name is Alexandria (Alex) Gonzales and I am in my 4th year of Honours Life Sciences. I am from Burlington, so I’ve always observed Hamilton from a nearby perspective. It wasn’t until CityLAB SIR, however, that I fully immersed myself into learning more about the city. Between our trips to Hamilton landmarks and conversations with city staff, I’ve already learned so much (and look forward to more!)

Improving accessibility is at the forefront of what I want to accomplish in my future career. SIR has brought me closer to my goal by teaching me fundamental lessons of collaboration, dialogue, and project management. It’s also so fulfilling to work with students and faculty from different disciplines! I can guarantee that what I learn from SIR will carry into whatever I pursue next.

How is your project going so far?

My group is focused on identifying experiences and needs within transitional housing in Hamilton. From this, we plan on forming recommendations for the City, which they can use to refine their ongoing housing strategy. Between meeting with relevant stakeholders and narrowing our project scope, my group is steadily moving towards our final deliverable. What I love most about my group is our different backgrounds–be it in arts, sciences, or both! Our diverse perspectives allow us to tackle any issues head-on and in an equitable way.