This month, we introduce our most recent addition to the DATE lab team! We sat down to chat with her and get to know her a bit better with fun questions.

Saranjah Kanagarajah, Co-Op Student

Saranjah, is a co-op student from the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus majoring in Human Biology and Population Health.

What is your role in the lab?

I am currently working with Erica Dove on her Ph.D. in regard to video analysis. (For more information on Erica’s thesis, click here) I am also working on organizing CIRCA content which would be soon implemented in Toronto (cannot wait!).

Editor’s note: CIRCA is a multimedia communication system for people living with dementia aimed to promote reminiscing and conversations. It is currently being adapted to Canadian users as part of an ongoing project. For more information on the project, click here.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

In my spare time, I enjoy reading (mostly contemporary romance novels).

If you could invite any scientist (dead or alive) to dinner,
who would it be?

I’ll definitely invite Rosalind Franklin to dinner. Hopefully, she can fit me into her heavy schedule.

If you could attend a research conference anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I have never been to a research conference, but if it was somewhere in Europe I wouldn’t say no.

What made you interested in dementia research?

Going back in time to grade 11 I did a co-op placement at a senior home where I predominantly played non-technological games with seniors who were well into their late stages of dementia to help improve their motor and cognitive skills. This is also where I started to question how to make these games more engaging for them, which then lead to my interest in dementia research. Now here I am years later with the opportunity to see how technology can positively impact seniors with dementia.

What 3 key search words describe your project?

If I had to choose three words to describe the projects I am working on I would use innovative, progressive and simply fascinating.

DATE Lab Chats: Meet Our New Lab Member