Hi! I’m not Keith/Kenneth/Kennith, but you can call me Kangaroo 🙂 . I’m the manager and data analyst of the lab. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and a Master’s degree in Linguistics. Fun fact, I’m not quinquelingual, but I’m fluent in Hong Kong Sign Language. I was also a presnter in a TV program about sign language and Deaf culture!

Hi! I’m Sofia. I’m a first-year PhD student doing research at the intersection of psychometrics, well-being, and mental health. I hold an Honours B.A in Psychology from the University of Toronto. I primarily work with secondary data analysis of large longitudinal datasets like the Gallup World Poll. I am interested in leveraging a combination of Big Data with rich qualitative interviews to develop individual well-being profiles and personalized well-being interventions. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy exploring Toronto, listening to podcasts, and practicing piano.

Freeman is a fourth-year undergrad at U of T specializing in psychology and minoring in philosophy and ecology. He is still exploring what he wants to do with his psychology degree after graduation – hopefully something related to mental health. In his spare time, he likes to play basketball, draw, and think about random things.

Tiffany is a third-year psychology specialist and physiology minor. She is working in the lab as a research opportunities program student and is interested in clinical psychology, developmental psychology, and their relationship with well-being. Outside of the lab, Tiffany is the co-secretary of the Psychology Students’ Association, a cannon guard, and a receptionist at University College residences.

Natalie is currently a second year ROP student specialising in psychology and minoring in economics. She is interested in researching how wellbeing is mediated by varying cultural and social circumstances, as well as what constitutes a happy, meaningful life. In her free time, she enjoys playing and listening to music, napping, and exploring the city! 

Anna earned her master’s degree in psychology from Leipzig University in Germany and joined the lab for a research stay. She plans on entering a PhD program in Germany afterwards. She pursues her interest in Positive Psychology and is interested in factors that contribute to higher well-being and how major individual or population events affect well-being. Besides her studies, she loves the outdoors, sports like Yoga and climbing and reading and spending time with others.

Kenneth is entering his fourth year at the University of Toronto and is majoring in Cognitive Science and minoring in Digital Humanities & Statistics. He is interested in managing data sets and creating interactive graphs in order to display research findings. In his spare time, he likes to play football, listen to music, and try new local restaurants.

Hi! My name is William and I’m a second-year student at U of T studying computer science and economics. It’s my first year at PWB, and I’m hoping to use machine learning tools to investigate the relationship between democratic backsliding and well-being. Outside of the lab, I’m part of the You’re Next Career Network and enjoy performing and writing music! Sometimes those musical projects end up on YouTube and I spend too long looking at the analytics.

Hi! My name is Muhammad, and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a double major in Economics and Public Policy, with a Focus in Data Analytics and a Minor in Political Science.

At the Population Well-being Lab, I am researching how GDP is linked with subjective well-being within and across countries around the world. Specifically, I am trying to see if the Easterlin Paradox exists, using results from the Gallup World Poll.

Outside of the lab, I enjoy listening to podcasts, and trying new fried chicken places around the City!

Hi, my name is Jessie! I’m a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. I will be going to the University of Toronto as an exchange student to work on my independent research project. In my free time, I like trying out new restaurants and sightseeing!!

Ria is a third year undergraduate Mathematical Physics student at the University of Waterloo. In the past, she’s worked at Canada’s particle accelerator and various quantum computing projects in both an academic and industry setting. Her main interests lie within evaluating and guiding policy regarding wellbeing. Outside of research, you can find her hiking, playing the piano or working on digital or acrylic-based art pieces.

Cookie is a 3rd year Psychology specialist and Fundamental genetics major. Her research interests fall across multiple disciplines, like social psych, personality psych, and genetics, as she explores the ultimate question of “What makes us who we are?”. Outside of academia, she enjoys badminton, cycling in nature, learning Japanese culture, and playing Switch.

Hi! My name is Yiyang, and I am currently a first-year master’s student in the Faculty of Information studying Human-Centred Data Science. I did my undergraduate studies at UofT in applied statistics and mathematics with a focus in economics. My research interests include well-being and public health related topics. In my spare, I enjoy exploring new restaurants and spending time cuddling with my cat.

Hi, my name is Rachel! I am a third-year psychology research specialist interested in the factors that determine the well-being of neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals. I am also particularly passionate about how social development influences determinants of well-being. Apart from research, I enjoy travelling and exploring local coffee spots!

Manhal Sultana is a 4th year Honours B.Sc. student at the University of Toronto, with a Specialist in Psychology. She is a research assistant with the Population Well-Being lab, where she is currently exploring vaccine hesitancy amongst the pandemic. Her research interests are in psychopathology, neurocognitive disorders, and promoting psychological well-being. Outside of the lab, she is a research trainee at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), where she focuses on disease management within schizophrenia patients.

Hello! My name is Jialin and I’m entering my fourth year of the psychology specialist program in the fall. I’ll be completing a thesis in the Population Well-being Lab this year. My research interests are varied and span mental, emotional and physical health-related topics. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing games, and learning languages.

Hi, my name is Amanda Solomon and I am a third-year independent project student in the Population Well-Being Lab. I am a Psychology Specialist and Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health Minor. My research interests include well-being and election outcomes, which I am currently studying, as well as income inequality and class based differences in well-being. Outside of the lab I love photography and collecting records. A fun fact about me is that I am a twin!

Hi! My name is Hajar Seiyad (she/her), and I’m working on an independent project with this lab. I’m a 4th-year undergraduate student doing a double major in Mental Health Studies and Political Science. My research interests include youth mental health, disparities in health and educational outcomes, memory, and perception. In my free time I enjoy reading and baking!

I am a first-time volunteer with the PWB lab, and I’m starting my third year of undergrad majoring in International Relations and Criminology. My main interests are in comparative law and in the different ways that justice systems reinforce inequalities. I’m hoping to translate this into a lab-related project on how societal well-being affects the frequency of crime and other deviant behaviours. Lastly, some things that make me happy are: puzzles, pets (I have three!) and playing the piano… and alliteration 🙂