Akalya Kandiah

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Akalya Kandiah is an interdisciplinary researcher and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at McMaster University. Her work spans student housing, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), international development, and diasporic engagement. She investigates how students experience residence life, construct belonging, and interpret institutional environments, with a focus on centering diverse student voices. She is currently leading a study on the role of living-learning communities in shaping academic and social integration within university residences.

Akalya holds a PhD in International Development and Global Studies, with research focused on diasporic development initiatives, migration and settlement experiences, and the localization of aid. Equity and inclusion are woven throughout her scholarship and practice, which is shaped by a commitment to social justice, reflexivity, and community-based engagement across local and global settings.

Experience

  • 2025–present
    Adjunct Assistant Professor, McMaster University
  • 2022–2024
    Postdoctoral fellow, McMaster University
  • 2019–2022
    Research assistant, Diversity Institute

Education

  • 2022 
    University of Ottawa, International Development and Global Studies

Grants and Contracts

  • 2023
    Connections Grant
    Role:
    Principal Investigator
    Funding Source:
    Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
  • 2021
    Doctoral Scholarship
    Role:
    Awardee
    Funding Source:
    Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Contact Akalya for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration