Provost Interdisciplinary Scholar Profiles
Zachary’s work sits at the nexus of Drama, Technology, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). With a background as a director (MFA), actor, and technician, he has investigated ethnographic shifts towards immersive and extended virtual reality (VR and XR, respectively) in the live performance sector and broader HCI research community. Leveraging the parallels between XR and Drama as cathartic encounters wherein the participants (audience) suspend their disbelief and engage in layered realities, Zach positions actors as interaction specialists capable of existing in multiple states of being simultaneously, making them ideal collaborators in immersive HCI research. Zachary’s research goals are twofold: 1) use XR to support and enhance live performance and 2) incorporate principles and practices from Drama to create more holistic, user-centred immersive experiences; he seeks to enhance interaction while mitigating the adverse side effects of contemporary VR technology.
I situate my work as a multidisciplinary project that requires the insights from not only social scientists and humanists, but also those working in technology sectors. For this reason, my research is well positioned to contribute to the Trust in Research undertaken in Science and Technology (TRuST) scholarly network, under the inter/multidisciplinary direction of the supervisors supporting this research, Professor Mehlenbacher (English) and Professor Wells (Engineering), as well as the broader team of scholars they have brought together who are undertaking similarly aligned research studying these urgent questions of trust in technology.
Our project aims to develop a 3D cancer-on-a-chip microfluidics device to replicate tumor conditions and create a computational framework to predict treatment outcomes. Cancers within the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity, like gastric, colorectal, and ovarian cancers, often spread along the lining surface as peritoneal metastasis (PM). This leads to a poor prognosis. Traditional chemotherapy is ineffective, but hyperthermia intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has shown promise by delivering heated chemotherapy directly into the abdomen after surgically removing visible tumors.
It's in our nature to use stories to exchange information and perspectives, which help us tackle cultural and social challenges with a deeper awareness of and empathy for others. As an alternative to traditional forms of media, Interactive Digital Narratives (IDNs) are an exciting way for people to actively engage with stories that promote social change by exploring complex social issues such as climate change, health awareness, and humanitarian crises.
My postdoctoral research explores how to remedy this. "Bridging the Gap: The Makings of Constructive Service Learning with Community Organizations" is an inquiry into effective collaboration. Students and professors at universities like Waterloo have much to learn from these practices, and to responsibly do so they must engage in ways that are accountable to community organizations, rather than treating them as mere research subjects. My research will provide tools for doing so.
With my research, I address one of the most urgent problem of our modern society: sedentary lifestyles. A highly promising solution to motivate people towards more physical activity are so-called exergames that combine enjoyful gameplay with strenuous exercises. Especially when using the latest generation of extended reality systems (e.g., VR headsets), such applications could provide a highly individualistic, responsive, and motivating training experience.
At Waterloo, my research will seek to examine the nuanced links between online and real-world manifestations of misogyny and develop new methodological tools and frameworks to guide GBV prevention and intervention efforts.
As a registered dietitian, my work involves developing nutrition programs and resources for older adults living in the community and evaluating their effectiveness. I am interested in nutrition risk and malnutrition, their causes, and how we can prevent them. Most older adults want to age in place, in their communities, and nutrition is one of the few modifiable factors that can support aging in place. However, approximately one-third of community-dwelling Canadians aged 65 and older are at nutrition risk, nutrition depletion that occurs when dietary intake does not meet an individual’s needs. My research involves many different disciplines, including nutrition/dietetics, geriatrics/gerontology, implementation science, sociology, and adult education
