What is Office Hours?
Office Hours (OH) is a monthly podcast produced by Huron University Librarians, Patrick Gavin and Ryan Rabie, where research takes centre stage. Once a month our undergraduate, peer-research coaches (PRCs) engage with a new Huron faculty member to discuss their academic passions and ground breaking work. Guided by student questions, faculty members share insights into their research and offer a glimpse into the world of an academic.
Office Hours: Student Spotlight (OH:SS) is an interlude between our regular faculty episodes, where undergraduate research moves to the fore. Our PRCs take their questions to their colleagues engaged in independent research to discover the unique experiences of these students–how they got involved in research, how they found mentors, and what they’ve discovered along the way. OH:SS provides Huron students with real world examples of their colleagues engaged in UREs who are not just benefitting individually but enriching the Huron community by contributing to its culture of inquiry.
OH and OH:SS provide a unique dialogue on research @ Huron. Whether you're curious about mentorship opportunities, inspired by research stories, eager to learn, or just want to know more about your professors, colleagues and academic community here at Huron, join us monthly as we shackle a new Huron prof to a mic and open the door to conversations that go beyond the classroom.
Why "Office Hours"?
Aside from a catchy title, we think the concept of "office hours" describes well what we're trying to do here with this podcast. Office hours, as Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar described them are "those moments when [professors] are held hostage by ... students, shackled to [their] desks, unable to tackle [their] mountains of outer responsibilities." It's a long-standing academic institution meant to create deeper relationships between students and professors. The conversations are usually informal, unplanned, student-driven, informative, and interesting and the value is clear: as Sachar notes, "countless research ... has demonstrated the correlation between faculty-student interactions and achievement. Frequent, positive contact encourages intellectual growth and academic self-concept, fostering a higher grade." We want to build on the course-specific benefits students stand to reap by visiting traditional office hours and extend this notion to realms outside the classroom. By doing so, we aim to foster a culture of inquiry here at Huron University that supports and encourages student engagement with extra-curricular, undergraduate research experiences (UREs).
UREs are widely regarded as key "high-impact" educational practices, offering transformative opportunities for students to engage in authentic, independent inquiry. Despite their proven value, barriers to participation remain significant, particularly for non-curricular, independent UREs outside traditional programs or capstone projects. Students often encounter obstacles such as off-campus living and lack of involvement in campus organizations and activities; unawareness of URE opportunities; the use of an informal, word-of-mouth, first-come-first-served recruiting systems; poor curricular timing; and uneven access and incentive for faculty mentors. OH works to break down some of these barriers by facilitating connections between students and mentors, bridging communication gaps, promoting research opportunities, and demystifying the research process.
Meet the OH and OH:SS Team
Leti Bwonya
Peer Research Coach and OH Host, Huron University Library
Host
Leti has been a member of the Research Services team since September 2026. She enjoys helping students build confidence in their research abilities, whether that means talking through a half-formed idea, finding a way into an unfamiliar topic, or reassuring someone that “I don’t know where to start” is a perfectly good place to begin.
😎 About:
I'm pursuing an Honours Specialization in Psychology with a minor in Global Social Innovation. I know how daunting it can feel approaching the research desk, but don’t hesitate to stop by! Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for or are just figuring out where to start, we’re here to help.
In my spare time I love:
🎶 Listening to music
📒 Journaling
🌿 Going on walks or spending time in nature
⭐ Top research tip:
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start researching. Sometimes, the process of exploring is what helps you figure out where you want to go.
Olivia Hicks
Peer Research Coach and OH Host, Huron University Library
Host
Olivia has been a member of the team since September, 2025 where she enjoys helping students with their research questions and navigating relevant sources.
😎 About:
I’m in my 3rd year, working toward an honours specialization in political science.
In my free time I love:
🎨 Arts and crafts, and recently taught myself how to embroider.
🚴 Biking when the weather is warmer!
⭐ Top research tip:
Make a timeline for your research projects. Try to be realistic with what you can do in a day. Final papers can feel overwhelming, so it really helps to break them down into smaller goals!
Murado Khoshaba
Peer Research Coach and OH Host, Huron University Library
Host
Murado has been a member of the Research Services team since September 2026. He enjoys helping students navigate academic research from the beginning and develop effective strategies to find the most impactful sources.
😎 About:
I’m a 2nd year student majoring in Governance, Leadership, and Ethics with Ivey AEO. I'm interested in how research impacts analytical decision-making in business and public policy and finding ways to make research more accessible.
In my spare time I like to:
🎧 Listen to music
✈️ Travel and explore new places
🥾 Go for hikes with friends
⭐ Top research tip:
Start your research early and keep track of your sources as you go! When you find something useful, save the citation and a quick note about how you might use the source. It makes the whole process a lot smoother.
Aria Nath
Peer Research Coach and OH Host, Huron University Library
Host
Aria has been a member of the Research Services team since September 2026. She enjoys meeting new students and learning about their research interests.
😎 About:
I'm in 3rd year, with a double major in Psychology + Governance, Leadership, and Ethics.
In my spare time I like to:
📚 Read
🧩 Work on puzzles
🎸 Play the electric guitar
🥢 Check out new restaurants (especially if there's sushi involved)
⭐ Top research tip:
Be open-minded when it comes to your research question. After a literature review, it's normal for your original question to change, whether it's your scope, interest, or topic itself!
Patrick Gavin
Teaching & Learning Librarian, Huron University Library
Project Manager, Executive Producer
Since starting in my current position as the teaching & learning librarian, I’ve been interested in developing projects and programs to cultivate the culture of research and inquiry here at Huron, especially amongst undergraduate students. Some of my goals with Office Hours and Office Hours: Student Spotlight include demystifying the research process, bridging communication gaps between faculty members and the faculty and students thereby enriching our community here at Huron, and helping students navigate the complexities of independent inquiry in alien research landscapes.
Ryan Rabie
Digital Scholarship Librarian, Huron University Library
Project Support, Producer
Previous OH and OH:SS Team Members
Emilee Dagg
Former Peer Research Coach and Office Hours Host, Huron University Library
Host
Emilee worked as a PRC and Office Hours host during her fourth-year as an Honours English & Cultural Studies student. As a PRC, she enjoyed helping students with a variety of research questions across multiple disciplines across the arts, social science, and even STEM! Emilee extolled her "love to read, research, and write on a wide array of interdisciplinary subject areas such as English & cultural studies, global studies, and gender studies. I am particularly interested in social determinants of health in women’s communities on a global scale. Some of my favourite theorists/writers include W.E.B Du Bois and Audre Lorde!"
Mara (Alex) Garcia
Former Peer Research Coach and Office Hours Host, Huron University Library
Host
Mara worked as a host and PRC during their third and fourth years of an Honours Psychology undergrad at Huron. They also pursued a Minor in Sociology at King’s College which, as Mara put it, "I personally see more as a specialization in Decolonization and Abolition (of the prison industrial complex and surveillance state). I spent almost two years working at Huron Library’s front desk and now am lucky to be part of the Research Helpdesk. I’ve spent my short lifetime questioning anything and everything and have learned through trial and error that a properly framed question can be the difference between success and disappointment. I also understand that it can be tough to know how to do that which is part of my draw to the Research Helpdesk; I like helping students think through their work and framing their questions to make sure we’re both on the same page."
Madison Thompson
Former Peer Research Coach and Office Hours Host, Huron University Library
Host
Madison was one of our very first Peer Research Coaches, joining the Research Services team in September 2023. She hosted the first-ever episode of Office Hours. A History major with a minor in English and Cultural Studies, she brought a love of digging into sources (and bugs, piano, and drawing) to everything she did. Her top tip still holds: check the sources in academic papers, because they’ll often point you exactly where you need to go next.
Varun Vakil
Former Peer Research Coach and Office Hours Host, Huron University Library
Host
Varun joined the Research Services team in September 2025 while completing his Honours Specialization in Psychology. He quickly became the coach students wanted when a big assignment felt overwhelming. He spoke openly about how often students struggle, usually alone, with procrastination and imposter syndrome, and that openness made his advice land, whether at the Research Help Desk or behind the mic. His top tip still holds: before you draft, build a source table with the citation, purpose, key facts, and how each source supports your argument. Thanks for everything, Varun!