Asma Khanani (she/her) is a PhD student in the Department of Geography and Environment at Western University under the supervision of Dr. Jason Gilliland within the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory. Asma is interested in how youth are affected by their environment, socio-economic issues, peer influences and how that plays a role in youth behaviours and mental well-being.

Asma is interested in merging academic research and creative qualitative methods in a participatory approach to work with youth opportunities for collaborative, youth-led research, arts-based dissemination and social interventions. Asma is using a creative approach in data collection through to the culmination of her research and encourages youth to use their own perspectives in positively affecting and influencing change amongst their own and other peer groups.

Based on her previous work in art, design and strategy, Asma feels that visual and digital messaging on youth issues are particularly relevant subjects of study at our current crossroads, where social media and social distancing have collided due to the global pandemic and its subsequent impact on youth. A key component to her research lies in developing a transferable methodology with which to engage youth and re-approach how we understand youth issues, youth behaviours and how youth can educate youth.