Aster Penney
Aster Penney is the Partnerships Assistant at the Future Cities Institute, working to expand the FCI’s vast network of collaborators, identify funding opportunities, and assist drafting proposals. He brings a diverse range of expertise in research, writing, and data analysis from their educational background in Health Sciences. He has previously worked in research, communications, and advocacy, and volunteers regularly on campus. Aster is excited to expand their knowledge and work alongside the passionate team at the Future Cities Institute!
Shivala Rampersad
Shivala Rampersad is the Communications Assistant at the Future Cities Institute, where she supports the Communications Officer in promoting the Institute’s initiatives, stories, and strategic goals. With a background in Global Business and Digital Arts, a minor in Psychology, and a focus on human-centred design, Shivala brings a creative, user-centric perspective to her work. Her previous experiences with Campus Housing, UX/UI design and various roles in event coordination, marketing and communications have fuelled her passion for fostering community engagement, creating meaningful connections and amplifying impactful work. She’s very excited to grow her knowledge, support the Institute’s mission of shaping sustainable, innovative urban futures, and collaborate with its dynamic, forward-thinking team.
Jiaqi Tang
Jiaqi Tang is a Research Assistant at the Future Cities Institute, working on Ontario’s Financial Information Return dataset to provide user-friendly data visualizations for Municipalities. As a Data Science major from the Faculty of Mathematics, she has a strong foundation in data analytics, computer science, and problem-solving, with past co-op experiences in data visualization and web development. She is eager to apply these skills to real-life changes in developing better communities, and is extremely excited to work on the interdisciplinary team at Future Cities Institute.