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Years of improving the settlement and integration journey for newcomers to Canada through real-time research, development of innovative practices and evaluation.
Centre for Immigrant Research
The Centre for Immigrant Research is a community-based research and evaluation entity run by The Immigrant Education Society (TIES). TIES Centre for Immigrant Research aims to move the organization toward greater use of evidence-based knowledge, best practices and data to inform its efforts to help newcomers settle into Canadian society and create a sense of empowerment and belonging.
With a community-based approach, the Centre seeks to produce knowledge that is deeply intertwined with communities and on-the-ground practice. Research projects and programs emerge from and are driven by impacted communities and practitioners. Our projects are founded upon and committed to principles of meaningful participation, co-learning, capacity building, empowerment and action.
Community-based Research
Our ongoing participatory and community-based research approaches allow us to identify and address barriers to integration and share best practices. Our research methods span quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches.
Program Development
Our innovative responses to community needs design new solutions and pilot programs, and evaluate well-established practices to ensure the settlement programming offers the most effective and enriching experiences for immigrants.
Evaluation
Our consulting services include program evaluations, systems mapping, community engagement, staff satisfaction evaluation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) evaluation and training, HR and internal policy and document evaluation.
Our Team
Katerina leverages program management expertise to champion social good. Passionate about equity, climate action, and sustainability, she leads initiatives at The Immigrant Education Society and seeks impactful opportunities to make a positive global difference.
Kreisha, an immigrant shaped by her experiences, is a leader dedicated to rooting herself in her new country and championing social justice. Committed to her advocacy, she empowers communities and uplifts individuals through research and innovative program development.
Fatemeh is an expert in research methodology and data analysis at The Immigrant Education Society. She implements data-driven strategies to support evidence-based decision-making, enhancing the quality of life for immigrant communities through community-based research.
Gurleen is an experienced researcher dedicated to understanding complex social issues through qualitative research. She has worked on program evaluations, environmental scans, and systems mappings. As of 2023, she is leading an arts-based study exploring newcomer 2SLGBTQIA+ youth’s intersecting identities and their experiences with gender-based violence.
Dr. Kassan’s scholarly interests are informed by her own bi-cultural identity, and include presently includes two major foci. First, she is studying immigration experiences across different groups (i.e., newcomer youth, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples). Second, she is researching teaching and learning, investigating cultural and social justice responsiveness in professional psychology.
Dr. Odessa Gonzalez Benson is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Her research focuses on the intersection of immigration, service provision, and social justice, striving to understand and address disparities in access and quality of services for marginalized populations.
Dr. Vadim Besprozvany has scholarly interests in cultural studies, semiotics, and communications theory, focusing on design systems, emotional design, and visual rhetorics. His research also examines travelogues and migration narratives, analyzing their cultural significance and rhetorical strategies.
Jenalyn's (she/her) interests stem from her desire to understand others and promote social justice using an intersectional lens. With knowledge in psychology and women's and gender studies, Jenalyn assists with various immigrant-related research projects and program evaluations at TIES.
Thomas is heading into his final year of his Bachelor of Social Work with minors in Global Development Studies and Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Calgary. He is passionate about the nexus of migration, gender, and sexuality.
Angela is a mixed methods researcher based in Calgary, specializing in issues impacting newcomers and immigrants to Canada. Her work aims to address the unique challenges faced by these communities, also including research engaged at an intersection of digital technologies and humanitarianism.
Rochelle Deloria (she/her) is a second-generation Filipino Canadian settler on Treaty 7 Territory, and Metis District of Alberta, 5 and 6. As a passionate and driven community member, advocate and a Master of Social Work Thesis student at UCalgary Faculty of Social Work, her work and passions are centred on social justice, cross-cultural mental health and transnational experiences for newcomer and racialized youth.
Geneca, also known as Gen, has a strong dedication to research in the settlement sector and academic studies focusing on community development and improvement. At The Immigrant Education Society, she has worked on various projects addressing diverse newcomer experiences, aiming to positively impact their integration and lives in Calgary, creating a more supportive and inclusive community.
Influenced by personal experience, she is passionate about exploring the historical, social, and legal issues surrounding immigrants. She holds a degree in Sociology and has worked with the Centre in various roles, primarily writing about barriers and facilitators to integration.
Patricia Gomez, BA, is a dedicated Research Assistant at TIES. She showcases her qualitative research skills and multicultural experience while her bilingual abilities enrich engagement with marginalized communities. Currently, she is working on the Voices In the Arts project to research the experience of 2SLGBTQIA+ immigrant youth in Calgary.
Master student at the University of Michigan School of Information, Isha is a UX designer and researcher who crafts user-friendly and beautiful digital products. She is passionate about making technology accessible and enjoyable for all.
