Meet the members of the Healthy Communities Research Network:
Dr. Troy Glover
Professor Troy Glover, Director of Heathy Communities Research Network (HCRN), is a career scholar recognized for his leadership in research on social capital, placemaking, and community wellbeing. He received the 2025 CALS Leisure Scholar Award for his career achievements and was named the top-ranked author in global social capital research in a 2025 bibliometric review of 4,295 Scopus-indexed studies (see Amarathunga, 2025). A professor in Recreation and Leisure Studies and an active member of Waterloo’s Future Cities Institute, he also serves on the board of Parks and Recreation Ontario. Prospective graduate students interested in communities, qualitative inquiry, and impactful scholarship are encouraged to reach out.
Maryam Aldoori, PhD Student
Research interests: design, aesthetics, and visibility of contemporary urban spaces; instagrammable environments; leisure and the built environment; defensive placemaking
Dale Bellaire, PhD Student
Research interests: older adults; indigeneity; social connection; age-friendly communities; social isolation
Tawsif Dowla, PhD Candidate
Research interests: refugee resettlement; displacement; belonging; participatory placemaking practices; public space
Kiana Kohandel, PhD Student
Research interests: women’s recreational activities; gender ; grassroots organizing; inclusive recreation spaces; transformative placemaking; community wellbeing
Sina Kuzuoglu, PhD Candidate
Research interests: public events; social infrastructure; public value; placemaking; social connection
Kelly McManus, PhD
Research interests: festivals and community events; crisis response, recovery and resilience of events; social capital; event organizations
Heather Melo, PhD Student
Research interests: community development; recreation and leisure services; public space
Marianna Sukhu, MA Student
Research interests: unsanctioned street events; public gatherings; crowd dynamics; violence reduction