While COVID-19 has interrupted our physical presence in the SIM lab, it has remained a busy time for our team.
Research
Our lab director Kenta Asakura has embarked on a new online simulation study, Online Assessment of Pandemic-Triggered Stress: Towards Developing Assistive AI Technologies, alongside Amedeo D’Angiulli. Funded by Carleton University’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Research Grant, data is being collected from therapists’ assessment of simulated clients on Speedix’s mobile app and employing various AI algorithms to identify verbal and non-verbal stress signals. This data will be used to lay the groundwork for designing assistive AI technologies for online therapies.
Additionally, this spring our lab’s co-director Sarah Todd alongside Kenta Asakura and Pamela Grassau were awarded a SSHRC Insights Grant for their project Knowing and Not Knowing—Navigating Uncertainty in Social Work Practice. The team will use simulation and reflective data to explore when and how students and practitioners negotiate uncertainty; as well as the similarities and differences in how practitioners with varying levels of experience engage uncertainty. See the full story here.
Accolades
Our lab’s director, Kenta Asakura is a 2020 Excellence Award Winner, receiving the Faculty of Public Affairs Teaching Fellowship award. See the fully story here.
Personnel
This summer the team welcomed our newest research associate Karen Sewell. Karen is a new assistant professor with Carleton’s School of Social Work with an extensive background in simulation research. Find out more about Karen here.