Aarushi (she/her) joined Dr. Christopher Mushquash’s research lab with the Centre for Rural & Northern Health Research (CRaNHR) as a Research Intern in August 2026. She graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. As a Research Intern, Aarushi supports research and evaluation projects focused on rural and Northern health, with a particular interest in Indigenous youth mental health and wellness. She is especially excited to contribute to the development of a culturally responsive evaluation framework in collaboration with the ACCESS Open Minds Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network and community partners. Through her role, she is gaining experience in community-engaged research, program evaluation, data collection, and knowledge translation.
This role provides Aarushi with her first opportunity to work within Indigenous-focused research. She is eager to learn from the communities, researchers and team she works alongside, while developing a deeper understanding of culturally responsive and community-led approaches to research and wellness. She is grateful for the opportunity to begin this new area of her research journey and looks forward to growing her skills while contributing to work that is meaningful to rural, Northern, and Indigenous communities. Aarushi hopes to continue developing her research experience through graduate studies, with a focus on mental health and psychopathology.
Outside of the lab, Aarushi enjoys travelling, spending time with her dog, Murphy, and giving back to her community by volunteering with the 988 and Kids Help Phone crisis lines.
