From using deep learning to decode brain signals in India to launching a mental health collective in Kenya and directing a documentary in Toronto, Bhavana Akilan's journey at the University of Toronto Scarborough has spanned disciplines, continents and communities.
As she graduates with a bachelor of science in neuroscience with minors in health humanities and psychology, Akilan says her time at U of T has shaped her understanding of how the sciences, humanities and social sciences can intersect.
"I've collected such diverse experiences throughout my undergrad and with my creative changes in choosing my programs," she says. "I feel like the sciences need the arts and the arts need the sciences."
Some of Akilan's most transformative experiences were made possible through the Laidlaw Scholars Programme , which empowers exceptional and enthusiastic undergraduate students to pursue research projects.
As part of the program, Akilan carried out a summer research project at SASTRA Deemed University in the town of Thirumalaisamudram in southern India, where she worked on a neuroscience project that used deep learning to detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease using EEG (electroencephalogram) brain signals.
It was one of several research opportunities tied to Akilan's interests in neuroscience and psychology: she also worked as a research assistant in the Therapeutic Interventions for Psychosis Lab , led by Michael Best, assistant professor in the U of T Scarborough's department of psychology, and spent two years as a work-study research assistant with Roy Gillis, associate professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). By doing so, she gained hands-on experience with study participants and honed her research and communication skills.
Those skills would come in handy for Akilan's Leadership-in-Action project - part of the Laidlaw Scholars Programme - in Murang'a, Kenya, where she collaborated with KULE Foundation International .
At first, Akilan planned to make a podcast related to mental health, and with the aid of a translator, interviewed 25 women in Swahili and Kikuyu. Many had never been asked about their mental health before and struggled to find words to express their experiences. But a recurring theme emerged: the women wanted a support system and safe space to share experiences and prevent tragic outcomes.
This prompted Akilan to abandon the podcast and instead help the women organize a mental health collective. She helped arrange for them to meet at a local high school but imposed no strict schedules or organizational hierarchy, offering only her support and encouragement.
Faith emerged as an important factor, with many women stating that prayer strengthened their mental health - so Akilan prompted discussions with questions like, "When you pray, what is at the front of your mind?"
She also incorporated creative expression including poetry, song and dance as tools of expression and healing. Each month, a member led a session on something that brings them joy. The women now gather for activities such as beadmaking, jewellery making and knitting (they've been making sweaters for students in the high school).
Upon her return to Toronto, Akilan incorporated the women's stories into a research zine that sought to reframe mental health as a collaborative process rooted in relationship, decolonial values and creative expression. The zine garnered Akilan a UTSC Undergraduate Research & Creative Prize in the humanities category, and was showcased at a research day organized by the department of health and society .
"There were a lot of opportunities at U of T Scarborough that prepared me for this," she says, crediting the campus's Dean's Circle program , campus groups and Scarborough's cultural diversity.
She adds that exploring her own Indian culture in Scarborough gave her space to grow both academically and personally. As a recipient of the U of T Scarborough Library's Sophia Hilton Library Storytelling Fellowship , Akilan directed a short documentary titled "Flavours in Fusion: Stories of Tamil Food in Toronto," which explored the blending of Tamil and other culinary traditions in Toronto.
While she looks forward to her next chapter, Akilan continues to keep tabs on the women's collective in rural Kenya.
"They have continued to come together every month for the last 15 months," Akilan says. "It's been great to watch the collective grow, with little intervention from my side. They just needed a place and a gentle push to find their own language to talk about mental health."
