SJE at the 2026 OISE Graduate Student Research Conference
The 2026 OISE Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) took place March 5–7, 2026 under the theme Generative Hope: Possibilities in Education Research, and hosted by the OISE Graduate Students' Association's (GSA).
For over 20 years, GSRC has been a cornerstone of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education community—organized by graduate students, for graduate students. The conference showcases innovative research across diverse fields in education while fostering a culture of research excellence, inclusivity, and social responsibility.
Over three days, participants took part in panels, roundtables, poster sessions, and workshops addressing topics such as sustainability, democracy, participation, and community. SJE was well represented, with students participating as presenters, facilitators, organizers, and attendees. Read on for a spotlight on the students of our community who participated as presenters, artists, and organizers of the conference.
SJE Student Presentations
SJE students shared research that engaged urgent questions of justice, representation, and resistance:
- Aanchal Atre (EdD student) – A Needs-Based Assessment of Access and Awareness of University Resources for Queer South Asian Students
- Khandakar Kohinur Akter (MEd student) – (Re)Imagining Disability: Inclusion and Representation in Primary English Textbooks in South Asia
- Mayson Broccoli-Romanowska (MA student) – White Anti-Racist Allies: Educational Experiences and Pathways toward Activism
- Sadia Anjum (PhD student) – Rebuilding Solidarity: Lateral Violence, Root Causes, and Recommitting to Anti-Racism
- Tarndeep Pannu (PhD student) – Spectatorship as Resistance: Racial Gaslighting, Orientalism, and the Diasporic Gaze
- Tawnee Dulce (PhD student) – Journey Through the Body – Mindfulness in Journaling, a workshop where participants engaged in collaborative writing, visual creation, and collective reflection.
SJE Student Artists
Two SJE students came in first and second place in the 2026 Artwork Contest!
Winner: Elena (Hong Le) Tran (EdD student) received first place for "Future at Hand." Her research focuses on social justice education and systemic discrimination. She uses oil painting as a form of visual meditation to cultivate healing and hope. In her own words:
“Future at Hand” is a visual meditation on generative hope during periods of contraction, uncertainty, and diminished light. I painted oil painting during an especially difficult period in my life as a college professor, when my career stability and personal well-being were threatened by abrupt federal policy changes limiting international student enrollment, alongside institutional budget cuts. Winter 2025 closed many professional doors; however, it also opened a necessary space for healing and redirected my attention toward researching educator and student well-being. I created The Future at Hand as a reminder that hope, like light during winter’s shortened days, is fragile yet actively cultivable. If we choose to look for light, we can still find it.
Runner Up: Naz Hagos (Master's student) was awarded runner-up for "Lens of Possibilities." Her interests are in digital and community-based activism, and she aims to bridge the gap between academia and praxis. She shares that:
My collage art “Lens of Possibilities” recognizes the starkness of current reality and reflects on the possibilities made available when equipped with the right tools. ... This piece is not meant to encourage one to ignore the problems we face, but to suggest that individuals can find solutions and hope through their own actions and values. It is meant to encourage reflection and ask the critical question: What tools do you require to make a positive impact in this world and create what you envision for our collective future?
Behind the Scenes: SJE in the Conference Team
The success of GSRC 2026 was also made possible by SJE students who served on the organizing team:
- Alison Stratten (PhD student)
- Harina Baheta (MEd student)
- Leila Mkuhamamba (MEd student)
- Matidah Daffeh (PhD student)
- Simone Garaway (MEd student)
GSRC 2026 showcased the breadth of student research and reflected SJE’s commitment to critical, community-engaged scholarship. Congratulations to the GSA and all students involved in organizing and participating. If you see your peers around, be sure to congratulate them on a job well done!
