Congratulations to the 2025 Student EDI Research Award Recipients

Carleton has awarded two students funding to support summer research projects related to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Established in 2021, the Student EDI Research Awards respond to a specific recommendation in Carleton’s EDI Action Plan and is a landmark recognition for EDI scholarship in Ontario higher education.

The award is funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and administered by the Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities.

Student recipients present their research to the Carleton community during the Fall term.

Congratulations to the 2025 award recipients!

Arleth Lugo Ruiz

Arleth is a fourth-year Sociology student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences whose research investigates the barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, including how drug consumption may intersect with these challenges. Her project seeks to explore whether more effective supports can be implemented to improve access to higher education for students with disabilities and those who use drugs.

Over the course of her studies at Carleton, Arleth has developed a strong interest in the connection between critical disability and critical drug studies. Drawing from her own lived experience as a disabled student, Arleth is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and addressing gaps in the literature concerning her community. Arleth will be conducting her research project, titled “Multiply Marginalized: Drug Consumption and Disability in Higher Education”, under the supervision of Prof. Kelly Fritsch (Sociology and Anthropology).

Diksha Kale

Diksha is a PhD candidate in the Department of Law and Legal Studies. She will be conducting her research project, titled “Leaving Home: Using Interactive Fiction to Explore Student Attitudes towards Immigration,” under the supervision of Prof. Stacy Douglas (Law and Legal Studies).

Diksha is developing an interactive fiction story in which users take on the role of an immigrant leaving their home country to pursue studies abroad.

When reading the interactive fiction story, users will go through different scenarios related to immigration and get to make important choices throughout the playthrough that impact the storyline. Participants in the study will engage with the story and then complete surveys designed to assess how the narrative’s situations and themes influence their perceptions of international students and immigration.

Diksha’s work explores the potential of interactive fiction as a tool for education and social change. She aims to demonstrate how digital storytelling can foster empathy, challenge racist and xenophobic attitudes and address broader social issues. By encouraging readers to inhabit different perspectives, her research seeks to counter harmful narratives and promote a greater understanding of marginalized communities