Scholarship@Western

Jehan, Azmat

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Creating Care That Respects Culture: Voices from Long-Term 
Care 
Azmat Jehan 
Western University of Health Sciences, ajehan@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Jehan, Azmat, "Creating Care That Respects Culture: Voices from Long-Term Care" (2025). Inspiring 
Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 799. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/799 
Name: Azmat Jehan  
 
Title:  Creating Care That Respects Culture: Voices from Long-Term Care 
Canada’s aging population is growing more diverse, bringing unique cultural traditions and 
caregiving styles into long-term care (LTC) homes. My research explores how LTC services in 
Ontario support older adults and their care partners from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds. 
Through interviews with residents, care partners, healthcare providers, and administrators, I 
listen to stories about communication, respect, and family involvement. This study aims to 
uncover what culturally safe care truly means and how LTC homes can become more inclusive, 
responsive, and welcoming for everyone. By sharing these voices, my work hopes to influence 
policies and practices that foster equity, dignity, and belonging for all residents. Everyone 
deserves care that honors their identity, heritage, and stories. This research contributes to a more 
compassionate LTC system—where people feel seen, valued, and supported throughout their 
aging journey. Inspiring Minds lets me share this passion with a broad audience, highlighting 
voices and inspiring change beyond academia. 


Creating Care That Respects Culture: Voices from Long-Term Care

Bataineh, Jana N

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Primary Care Pathways to Implement Holistic Hearing Healthcare 
for Older Adults 
Jana N. Bataineh 
Western University, jbataine@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Bataineh, Jana N., "Primary Care Pathways to Implement Holistic Hearing Healthcare for Older Adults" 
(2025). Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative 
Activity. 810. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/810 
Primary Care Pathways to Implement Holistic Hearing Healthcare for Older 
Adults 
Jana Bataineh, BSc (Hons.), MPH 
Hearing loss is highly prevalent yet regularly unaddressed in older 
populations. Untreated hearing loss takes away a fundamental component of 
everyday life, the ability to communicate. When left untreated, hearing loss 
has been linked to increased risk of adverse medical conditions such as 
dementia, poor quality of life, and increased costs to the healthcare system. 
Coordinated access to audiologists and healthcare professionals with 
expertise in the identification and management of hearing conditions as part 
of an interprofessional primary care setting helps ensure hearing needs are 
well-integrated into the care process. First, patients will be interviewed to 
share lived experiences with hearing loss and insights around navigating 
Ontario’s hearing healthcare system to identify gaps and opportunities. Next, 
feedback will be elicited from clinicians to develop a primary care hearing 
pathway. This research aims to support policy and implementation work to 
advocate for integration of hearing healthcare services into primary care.  
 


Primary Care Pathways to Implement Holistic Hearing Healthcare for Older Adults

Oklikah, Desmond Ofori

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
The (un)changing housing experiences and dynamics of 
caregivers in Canada 
Desmond Ofori Oklikah 
Western University, doklikah@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Oklikah, Desmond Ofori, "The (un)changing housing experiences and dynamics of caregivers in Canada" 
(2025). Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative 
Activity. 812. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/812 
 1 
 
Being part of the Inspiring Minds program was nothing short of eye-opening and empowering. The opportunity 
gave readership to my research and ignited a deeper interest to continue shedding light on lived experiences that 
are out of sight and site.  
 


The (un)changing housing experiences and dynamics of caregivers in Canada

Noriega, Rayni P

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Removing Carbon Dioxide from the Planet: A Chemist's Approach 
Rayni P. Noriega 
Western University, rnorieg2@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Noriega, Rayni P., "Removing Carbon Dioxide from the Planet: A Chemist's Approach" (2025). Inspiring 
Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 816. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/816 
Global warming is having an adverse effect on the planet, causing intense heatwaves and the rapid 
decrease of biodiversity. This phenomenon is caused by an increase in greenhouse gas emissions 
related to human activity: carbon dioxide is the major contributor to climate change. As a synthetic 
chemist, our solutions are based on designing molecules with the ability to capture and activate 
carbon dioxide, thereby removing it from the air. Our research focuses on the synthesis of a 
molecule with two boron atoms attached weakly to each other. One of the boron atoms has a 
phosphorus component on the periphery. The boron and phosphorus atoms form a Frustrated 
Lewis Pair (FLP) that can activate carbon dioxide, with the second boron atom possibly assisting the 
reactivity of the FLP. Once we activate carbon dioxide, we can assess if and how we can repurpose 
it as a more useful product.  


Removing Carbon Dioxide from the Planet: A Chemist\u27s Approach

shahnavaz, Fatemeh

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
When Bodies Think: Women's Sensory Knowledge 
Fatemeh shahnavaz 
The University of Western Ontario, fshahnav@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
shahnavaz, Fatemeh, "When Bodies Think: Women's Sensory Knowledge" (2025). Inspiring Minds – A 
Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 824. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/824 
During a class visit to Western University’s Archives, we examined centuries-old recipe books, 
and the instructions made me wonder: Are we sacrificing something important by privileging 
abstract thinking over our bodily senses?  
I have been studying Hannah Woolley’s 1670 recipe book, The Queen-like Closet, where early 
modern women fashioned a sensory way of knowing. Woolley’s instructions, like “boil [cordial 
syrup] till you think it be enough,” trust the cook’s bodily instincts. While Descartes believed 
that knowledge is purely mental, “I think, therefore I exist,” Woolley’s recipes offered a different 
kind of knowing that comes through the senses: I touch, taste, and smell, therefore I know. These 
recipes, written in the everyday language of sugar and rosewater, show that sensory experience 
can be a form of wisdom. Women’s domestic texts have quietly preserved this embodied 
tradition for centuries, indicating that knowledge is stored in our bodies as well as our minds. 
 
 
 
 


When Bodies Think: Women\u27s Sensory Knowledge

Van Den Heuvel, Jessica J

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Rethinking Wind Loads for Irregular Buildings 
Jessica J. Van Den Heuvel 
Western University, jvand293@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Van Den Heuvel, Jessica J., "Rethinking Wind Loads for Irregular Buildings" (2025). Inspiring Minds – A 
Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 689. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/689 
Rethinking Wind Loads for Irregular Buildings 
Imagine wind rushing toward a school shaped like a T or a hospital with long, uneven wings. It 
doesn’t flow neatly around the corners—it swirls, separates, and creates pressure in places the 
building code doesn’t expect. 
These shapes aren’t rare—they’re found in the buildings that care for us, teach our children, and 
shelter the most vulnerable. Yet modern building codes and research focus almost entirely on 
rectangles. Leaving designers with no choice but to use one-size-fits-all assumptions that don’t 
reflect the reality of these spaces. 
Through wind tunnel testing, I found that irregular buildings often face much higher wind loads 
than standard designs, highlighting a serious gap in how we design critical buildings for wind. 
I created a method that makes simple adjustments to existing codes to properly account for various 
building shapes. Because in a storm, safety shouldn’t depend on the shape of the floor plan. 
 


Rethinking Wind Loads for Irregular Buildings

Ofiara, Simon

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Lipoprotein(a) Synthesis and Secretion 
Simon Ofiara 
The University of Western University, sofiara2@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Ofiara, Simon, "Lipoprotein(a) Synthesis and Secretion" (2025). Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 698. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/698 
Simon Ofiara 
 
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in developed countries. It is caused by a buildup of 
fats in the wall of blood vessels. A well-known contributor is high levels of LDL, the "bad 
cholesterol." Another less familiar risk factor is high lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], which is similar to 
LDL, but with an extra protein attached. About one in five people have high Lp(a) levels, which 
can double their risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, unlike LDL, Lp(a) levels are mostly 
determined by genetics and unresponsive to diet or lifestyle changes. While drugs may reduce 
levels, Lp(a) production pathways remain unclear, limiting treatment options. 
My research aims to uncover how liver cells make Lp(a) versus LDL. Using human liver cell 
models, we track Lp(a) secretion and image the synthesis process at extremely high resolution. 
This work may lead to better ways to lower Lp(a) and prevent heart disease. 
 


Lipoprotein(a) Synthesis and Secretion

Monaghan, Jessica

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Campus Connections: Studying What Helps and Hinders 
Neurodiverse Women to Feel Included at University 
Jessica Monaghan 
Western University, jmonagh7@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Monaghan, Jessica, "Campus Connections: Studying What Helps and Hinders Neurodiverse Women to 
Feel Included at University" (2025). Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, 
Scholarship and Creative Activity. 709. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/709 
Recent Canadian university policy has focused on recruitment, increasing the number of 
diverse students who access their programs, yet we have relatively little data on how students 
with disabilities experience the university on a felt-level. This research specifically looks at the 
experiences of women who identify as having a neurocognitive disability, who have been 
underrepresented in past studies. What we know from new research is that women with 
neurocognitive disabilities are often diagnosed later than men, which can reduce the supports 
they receive. At an undergraduate level—while students navigate a new educational system and 
gain increased independence—support becomes even more important. Through exploring data 
from a survey and interview co-created with Western’s Accessible Education, we hope to shed 
light on how supportive services contribute to campus inclusion; and showcase, from first-person 
perspectives, that inclusion goes beyond presence in the university, and must cover social 
belonging and community participation.  
 
 


Campus Connections: Studying What Helps and Hinders Neurodiverse Women to Feel Included at University

Davis, Chris

Rushton, Alison

Kowalski, Katie L

Noblet, Tim

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Patient satisfaction with advanced practice physiotherapy 
internationally 
Chris Davis 
Western University of Health Sciences, cdavi2@uwo.ca 
Alison Rushton 
Western University 
Katie L. Kowalski 
Western University 
Tim Noblet 
Western University, tnoblet@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Davis, Chris; Rushton, Alison; Kowalski, Katie L.; and Noblet, Tim, "Patient satisfaction with advanced 
practice physiotherapy internationally" (2025). Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s 
Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 734. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/734 
Patient satisfaction is an important component of healthcare quality. Our research examined patient 
satisfaction with Advanced Practice Physiotherapists (APP) internationally, assessing both human- 
and system-related factors. Using a systematic approach, we analysed 32 studies spanning various 
clinical fields. Findings suggest patients generally report high satisfaction, influenced by APPs strong 
communication skills, thoroughness, expertise, and ability to empower patients. Additionally, system 
factors like fast access to specialists, convenient locations, and integrated healthcare contribute to 
this high satisfaction. However, the certainty of quantitative evidence (number-based findings) 
remains very low, highlighting a need for further high-quality research. Despite this limitation, 
qualitative evidence (word-based findings) provides moderate to high confidence that APPs 
themselves play a key role in achieving patient satisfaction, mirroring findings in research involving 
other healthcare professions. Understanding how satisfied patients are with APP, and what drives 
this satisfaction, can help improve future healthcare service delivery and ensure APP services are 
patient-centred. 


Patient satisfaction with advanced practice physiotherapy internationally

Heidarian, Zahra

Heydon, Rachel

Western University 
Scholarship@Western 
Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and 
Creative Activity 
Inspiring Minds 
September 2025 
Beyond the Page: Revealing Gender Representation in Silver Birch 
Award Nominees through Critical Discourse Analysis 
Zahra Heidarian 
Western University, zheidari@uwo.ca 
Rachel Heydon 
rheydon@uwo.ca 
Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds 
Citation of this paper: 
Heidarian, Zahra and Heydon, Rachel, "Beyond the Page: Revealing Gender Representation in Silver Birch 
Award Nominees through Critical Discourse Analysis" (2025). Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of 
Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity. 737. 
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/inspiringminds/737 
Beyond the Page: Revealing Gender Representation in Silver Birch Award Nominees through 
Critical Discourse Analysis  
 
 
Children’s books do more than tell stories—they shape identity. My research investigates how 
gender identities are portrayed in Canadian children’s literature by analyzing Silver Birch Award-
nominated books from 1994 to 2024. Using Critical Discourse Analysis and Queer Theory, I examine 
both text and illustration to explore how characters express or challenge gender norms. I ask: Who 
is visible? Who is marginalized? How does language reflect or resist stereotypes? Research shows 
that a lack of inclusive representation can harm children’s self-esteem and sense of belonging. As a 
newcomer and educator with 12 years of ESL teaching experience, I’m motivated to amplify 
underrepresented voices and make classrooms more inclusive. This work helps educators 
recognize both opportunities and gaps in children’s literature, ensuring all students see 
themselves—and others—reflected with dignity. My goal is to support identity development, 
empathy, and equity through the stories we read and the meanings we construct together. 


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