The OpenThink Initiative – Research-inspired blogs from 10 Dalhousie PhD students

Md Asif Hasan Anik

Civil and Resource Engineering PhD (’25)

Creating a "crystal ball" to predict better cities

Emilee Fackelmann

Health PhD (’27)

Re-imagining inclusion through belonging for disabled youth in school

Mozammel Bin Motalab

Agricultural Sciences PhD (’25)

Adding a touch of AI to existing farm machinery

Patrick Hickey

Psychology and Neuroscience PhD (’27)

Measuring mental health needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ and determining the virtual services needed

Robert Morissette

Mathematics and Statistics PhD (’26)

Studying categories: collections of objects that have ways of sending messages to each other

Nachum Gabler

Interdisciplinary, Public Administration PhD (’27)

Understanding why public servants want to help you

Jamil Muradov

Medical Neuroscience PhD (’25)

Researching traumatic brain injuries and abnormal brain activity

Shahrooz Motahari

Electrical & Computer Engineering PhD (’25)

Developing lab-on-chip sensors for environmental monitoring and biomarker detection.

Mohamad Alikhani

Law PhD (’25)

Exploring transformation of law to ensure ecologically sustainable development of offshore wind energy.

Al Muktadir Munam

Community Health and Epidemiology PhD (’27)

Predicting areas of concern for mental health

Sigma Jahan

Computer Science PhD (’25)

Developing intelligent tools to find and correct errors in AI systems

Helen Pinsent

English PhD (’25)

Investigating mobility in American Gothic literature and the American Dream

Bimpe Ayoola

Computer Science PhD (’26)

Blending social values and software development

Grace Wang

Clinical Psychology PhD (’27)

Exploring emotions in couples and the effects on their sexual well-being

Chioma Abuba

History PhD (’24)

Interrogating our understanding of African colonial and postcolonial histories

Ben Collison

Interdisciplinary PhD (’26)

Reducing the impact of forestry activities on freshwater environments

What does it mean to OpenThink?

Each month, PhD researchers from across Dalhousie University draw on their studies to publish articles that provide context for the world’s toughest challenges, highlight thorny issues we’ve not even begun to contemplate and open up fascinating worlds to inspire our spirits. Learn more about the program and get the latest via Twitter at @DalOpenThink.