Research journeys are often shaped by moments of realization, when a gap in the literature becomes a calling, or when a new method opens up a question that seemed unanswerable. For CAnD3 Fellows Leah Houseman and Tu臒ce K谋rmac谋 Kamber, those moments pushed them toward research that bridges theory and practice, connecting demographic and sociological inquiry to real-world questions of equity, policy, and social change. Through CAnD3, both have deepened their analytical approaches while building connections across disciplines.
To start, tell us a bit about your journeys. Was there a defining moment that influenced the way you approach research? And how has your experience with CAnD3 shaped that journey?
Leah:聽A pivotal moment in my research journey came during my master's degree, when I realized that even well-developed areas of demographic research, like fertility and emerging adulthood, largely failed to treat disability as a core component of an intersectional lens. It wasn't that disability had been ignored in sociological theory more broadly, but rather that disability studies and demographic research often existed at opposite ends of the field, rarely in sustained conversation with one another. That disconnect shaped my research agenda. Since then, I have been focused on bridging rich intersectional and interdisciplinary theory with demographic methods to better capture how disability structures life course processes.
CAnD3 has played a key role in sharpening that mission. One important insight I have gained through the training program is that even when my research is not explicitly focused on older adults, aging societies intersect with nearly all demographic questions, directly or indirectly. The IDEA module, in particular, has allowed me to apply this perspective in practice by bringing an intersectional lens to discussions of sleep deprivation among caregivers of aging and medically complex individuals. Equally impactful have been the connections and collaborations fostered through CAnD3. Working alongside scholars from different fields has led to research directions I would not have developed independently. The Lunch & Learns were especially valuable 鈥� hearing directly from leading experts and having the opportunity to engage with them in a small-cohort setting clarified the many pathways that rigorous, data-driven research programs can take beyond traditional academic silos.
Tugce: My interest in social movements and collective action has been with me for a long time. My master's project aimed at explaining the diverging paths of Turkish and Tunisian Islamist movements, and how inter-movement relations and governmental responses to youth mobilization explain much of this divergence. When I was later introduced to population studies and quantitative methods, a new dimension opened as I began to see how demographic forces could illuminate the very mobilization patterns I had been studying.
The research I am conducting through CAnD3 brings these threads together. I am examining how the historical trajectory of population growth within Canada's minority communities relates to state repression 鈥� a question that sits at the intersection of demography, politics, and social justice. Joining CAnD3 has meaningfully shaped how I approach this work. Workshops on research replicability, software use, and causal inference were particularly helpful, as they equipped me with practical tools to approach my work with greater confidence and clarity. The team projects were equally valuable, helping me develop problem-solving skills in group settings. Working on briefing notes that evaluated policy options for pressing issues facing Canadians was rewarding, as it helped me see how academic work translates into concrete policy thinking.
Let's talk about your work.聽What鈥檚 a recent project, presentation, or milestone that you鈥檙e particularly proud of? What made it meaningful, or perhaps challenging, to complete?
尝别补丑:听A recent project I'm particularly proud of is building my own academic website. While it's still a work in progress, the process has significantly expanded my HTML and front-end workflow skills in ways I didn't anticipate. What started as a practical exercise in professional communication quickly became a much deeper technical and personal learning experience.
The most challenging and rewarding aspect of this project has been learning to embrace being a beginner. As someone who identifies as a recovering perfectionist, building a website and engaging more deeply with the tools out there has required me to practice being bad at something at first and continue anyway. Working through errors, incomplete solutions, and iterative improvements has strengthened my approach to both research and analytics. It has reinforced my commitment to reproducible, transparent, and continually evolving work, even when the learning curve is steep.
罢耻驳肠别:听Recently, I took part in a local government project on the development of strategies for newcomer attraction, integration, and retention, under the supervision of Dr. Yoko Yoshida. This work was particularly rewarding as I was able to see the connection between academia, policy development and implementation, and it introduced me to the inner workings of a governmental institution. The most challenging part pertained to data limitations and replicability issues 鈥� working through these challenges helped me grow as a researcher balancing the demands of two different institutions and encouraged me to think creatively.
Every researcher needs a recharge.聽How do you unwind or find balance outside of your academic life?聽
尝别补丑:听Outside of my doctoral research, I also work with the Research Acceleration and Strategic Initiatives office at the University of Saskatchewan, where I support programming for early-career researchers, undergraduate researchers, and research partnership incubation. There is substantial skill-sharing between my PhD work and my role in research administration 鈥� in particular, the Python-based and reproducible workflow skills I've developed, many of them strengthened through CAnD3, have translated directly into process improvements in research administration that are practical, scalable, and accessible to colleagues without technical backgrounds.
Because of this dual role, I don't have much spare time, but when I do, I spend it with my partner, Dion, and our dogs, Marvin and Frankie. Our favourite way to unplug is to find somewhere quiet in the mountains, disconnect from the pace of work, and enjoy time outdoors together.
Leah spending time with her partner Dion and their dogs, Marvin and Frankie.聽
罢耻驳肠别:听Outside of academia, I just started writing film reviews with my partner on Substack. We bring our insights from our specialisations 鈥� sociology and psychology 鈥� connect them with film theory, and engage with like-minded people who share a passion for cinema.
Tugce's Substack account for film reviews
Finally, Leah, if you were to describe your research as a food, what would it be and why?
尝别补丑:听I'd describe my research as the moment your world opens up when you experience the difference between a dish you tried from a quick Instagram recipe and the fully developed, authentic version. Demographic research often relies on simplified understandings of life transitions and social outcomes, but there is far more below those surface-level interpretations. Once elements such as disability, accessibility, and structural context are fully accounted for, the research becomes richer, more accurate, and far more meaningful 鈥� much like realizing you've been missing key ingredients and methods all along.
Together, Leah and Tu臒ce demonstrate how demographic methods and sociological theory can be combined to shed light on the structures that shape social life. Their work reflects the broader mission of CAnD3: supporting emerging scholars as they build the skills and perspectives needed to translate data into meaningful, equity-focused insights.
