About Me

Azam Dashti is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at McGill University and a Digital Research Alliance of Canada Champion. An award‑winning FRQSC doctoral scholar, Through graduate coursework in machine learning and artificial intelligence, her doctoral research bridges disciplines to expose algorithmic bias in educational systems and foster 21st-century skills among marginalized children to make learning technologies more equitable.

 Azam is exploring co-leading the AI & Justice stream at the Participatory Cultures Lab and founded ArtVoiceLab, a platform that elevates marginalized youth voices through cellphilming, photovoice, and data storytelling. Her current work investigates how design choices in adaptive learning platforms influence opportunities for marginalized learners and collaborates with school boards to translate evidence into policy.

Previously, Azam served as a curriculum specialist for UNESCO‑aligned sustainability‑education initiatives and contributed to a McGill–UQAM study on wellbeing through art‑based pedagogy. With 15 years of curriculum design and teaching experience across Iran and Canada, she also delivers workshops on AI literacy, open science, and digital storytelling for educators and graduate students.

Azam earned an M.A. in Educational Leadership from McGill (2024) and an MA in English Literature from a top-ranked Iranian university (2013).

Research Interests

  • Ethics, Policy & EDIA
  • Participatory Visual Methods (cellphilming, photovoice)
  • 21st century skills & Digital Equity
  • AI & Sustainable Development
  • Algorithmic Fairness in Education
  • Responsible, Human‑Centred AI
  • Privacy & Preserving Machine Learning
  • Data Governance & FAIR Principles &Open Science
  • AI & EDIA (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility)

  I have extensive research experience in participatory, arts-based, and qualitative methodologies, particularly working with marginalized youth and refugee children. My research includes leading and co-facilitating projects involving cellphilming, photovoice, and digital storytelling, with a focus on social justice, equity, and ethical engagement.

I have also received advanced training in qualitative methods research, including workshops in research methodology, NVivo, as well as graduate-level coursework in AI and machine learning to explore the intersection of digital research and education. Additionally, I have completed training in Research Data Management (RDM) and am currently engaged in digital infrastructure development and data ethics through my role as a Digital Research Alliance of Canada Champion.