Undergraduate Researchers

Laura Aguiar is currently a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) student at McGill University in Montreal. She is completing her final internship with the Canadian Observatory on Femicide and the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence. Laura has spent the past decade working directly with survivors in anti-violence, harm reduction, and disability justice organizations. She has spent this time focusing her practice on supporting adult survivors of incest and child sexual abuse, responding to high-lethality situations of violence, working with unhoused women experiencing violence, and with women involved in the sex trade. Most recently, Laura was involved in supporting surviving family members of Missing and Murdered indigenous Women, Girls, Trans, and 2-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+).

Stella Breese is currently a third-year student at the University of Guelph. She is majoring in Criminal Justice and Public Policy with a minor in Psychology. She loves helping people and learning how the mind works, especially the criminal mind. Stella hopes to work in a field where she can support victims, understand criminal behavior, and make a positive difference in the justice system”.

Lauren de Domenico is a fourth-year Honours Psychology student with a minor in Neuroscience at the University of Guelph. She currently serves as Co-President of the Psychology Society and recently completed an internship with Dr. John Lee. This summer, Lauren is thrilled to join the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence (CSSLRV) as a research assistant, contributing to Dr. Dawson’s Canadian Geography of Justice Initiative. Passionate about the intersection of psychology, criminal justice, and public policy, Lauren is committed to using evidence-based approaches to support systemic change and social impact.

Dana Filipetti is a President’s Scholar and current BA Honours student, enrolled in the International Development Studies Co-op program at the University of Guelph. Dana has spent time as a Youth Advisor for Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (YWHO). In this role, Dana worked to advocate for youth living with mental illness and other challenges by collaborating with a team of youth advocates who helped inform decision-making, revise resources, adjust programming, and educate the community. Most recently, Dana has been part of a project in collaboration with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) called Climate Action & Active Hope, which aims to raise awareness about and discuss issues related to climate change and climate anxiety. 

Harleen Sangha is currently pursuing an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Public Policy at the University of Guelph. She works alongside Dr. Dawson on a range of research and administrative initiatives for the Centre for the Study of Social and Legal Responses to Violence (CSSLRV) and the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability (CFOJA). She is deeply committed to advancing social justice through research-driven policy reform, with a particular focus on addressing systemic inequalities within the legal system.