Human-Centred Design Lab

AC research highlights challenges faced by 2SLGBTQI+ international students in Ottawa

Two people stand in front of an informative poster at a conference

Dinh Nguyen (Danny) Nhu and Maria Montano at Summit 2025.

Researchers at the Human-Centered Design Lab recently presented their findings on a first-of-its-kind study outlining the challenges faced by 2SLGBTQI+ international students in Ottawa. Research associates Dinh Nguyen (Danny) Nhu and Maria Montano shared key insights at Summit 2025, an annual conference hosted by the Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) which focuses on the health of 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada via the Algonquin College Research and Innovation Development Institute, the project, titled ‘Addressing the Vulnerabilities of 2SLGBTQI+ International Students in Ottawa’ explores the gaps and challenges experienced by 2SLGBTQI+ international learners. Continue reading →

International interns contribute to AC research project for at-risk youth

Two international youth are interning at the Algonquin College Ottawa Campus through the Fall 2025 Term. Te-Jung Tsai and Tzu-Ming Lin are part of the Taiwanese Ministry of Education’s Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative, which encourages Taiwanese youth to work abroad, exchange ideas and build cross-cultural connections with the international community.

Five people pose in front of a red conference banner

(L-R): Te-Jung Tsai, Tzu-Ming Lin, Maria Montano (full-time research associate), Jed Looker, Danny Nhu (full-time research associate, TASTE team lead)

While at the College, Tsai and Lin are interning at the Human-Centred Design Lab under Principal Investigator Jed Looker, working on a community-based research project to address the challenge faced by Ottawa youth not in employment, education or training (NEET). In collaboration with Kevin Holmes in the Social Innovation Lab, the two-year project, titled Supporting Vulnerable Youth: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Service Transformation in NEET (TASTE), is funded by the Embark Student Foundation Grant in partnership with the Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Research Centre and aims to build pathways to post-secondary education by identifying the challenges faced by at-risk youth. Continue reading →

CICan National Skills for Success Hackathon focuses on collaboration, innovation

A group of smiling students giving thumbs up and peace signs.

Hackathon participants gather in the Human-Centred Design Lab at the Ottawa Campus.

Algonquin College students and alumni recently participated in the Colleges & Institutes Canada (CICan) National Skills for Success Student Hackathon, where multi-disciplinary teams collaborated to develop innovative solutions for a collective challenge. Held over March 22-23, 2025, the event brought together students and recent graduates from 16 post-secondary institutions across Canada to learn about the Skills for Success (SFS) Program, a Government of Canada initiative which provides training, resources and funding for Canadians to develop workplace skills to advance their careers. Students then explored design solutions for the SFS Online Tool – an interactive assessment which helps job seekers identify resume gaps, industry trends and upskilling opportunities at CICan member institutions.

Continue reading →