Team Members
SWAN Tool Development Lead & MAP Project Co-Investigator
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.
MAP Principal Investigator
Dr. Mortenson is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses are assistive technology, social participation, caregiving and outcome measurement.
Dr. Mortenson is involved in the Mobility, Access, and Participation (MAP) Research Project as the Principal Investigator and is leading the following projects: Accessibility Advisory Committees/Disability Advocacy, Intersectional Sensitivity Training for Service Providers, COVID-19 and Making Streets for People, Communications Committee.
Research Coordinators
Niloofar Hedayati, M.A. Student (she/her)
Niloofar holds a Master's degree in Architecture and has a background in environmental design, with a focus on designing for diverse social groups, including older adults. Her interest in gerontology stems from this experience. Her research interests lie at the intersection of environmental psychology, well-being, and older adults.
Rojan Nasiri, M.A. Student (she/her)
Rojan completed her Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Tehran and is currently pursuing a second Master's degree in the Department of Gerontology. Her research is centered around environmental gerontology, with a specific focus on designing walkable cities that provide support and accessibility for older adults and individuals with disabilities.
Graduate Research Assistants
Sogol Haji Hosseini, M.A. (she/her)
Sogol, a Master's degree holder in Urban Planning from the University of Tehran, is currently pursuing her studies in Gerontology. Her interests have shifted towards the aging population, particularly their mobility, due to her past work on promoting active mobility and public health. She aims to research age-friendly cities and how to improve mobility for older adults in urban areas.
Sepehr Pandsheno, M.A. (he/him)
Sepehr completed his Master's degree in "Regional Planning" from the University of Tehran and is currently pursuing a second Master's degree in the Department of Urban Studies. His interest lies in urban social issues and how urban environments can create inclusive spaces for all segments of society, particularly for adults and people with disabilities.
Kishore Seetharaman, Ph.D. Candidate (he/him)
Kishore's educational background is in architecture and environmental psychology. His current research is centered around examining the impact of neighborhood-built environments on the out-of-home mobility and social participation of individuals with dementia. His research interests broadly encompass the intersection of design, dementia, disability, and mobility.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Jason Fan, Political Science BA Candidate (He/him)
Jason is currently an undergraduate student at Simon Fraser University, where he is majoring in Political Science and minoring in International Studies. Drawn by the interdisciplinary nature of gerontology, Jason's interest converge around exploring the intricate dynamics of the built environment. He is particularly focused on equitable development policies , combating hostile infrastructures, and the promotion of healthy ageing through age-friendly cities.
Siding Wang (She/Her)
Siding is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Philosophy at Peking University, with a minor in Sociology. Her interests focus on social work with a mix of both micro and macro approaches, particularly in the areas of community building and public health.
Caitlin Eleanor Cook (She/Her)
Caitlin is a current undergraduate student at the University of Nottingham. She was inspired to join the research team at SFU as a result of her experience working with vulnerable elderly populations in the UK and her research interests in mental health and well-being.