Dr. Janki Shankar

Biography

Janki Shankar is a full Professor at the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary with 17 years of experience in academia and extensive clinical expertise as a social worker and therapist, focusing primarily on mental health within vocational rehabilitation settings. Her research investigates the integration and well-being challenges faced by immigrant workers, their families, and individuals experiencing disabilities due to mental illness or brain injury. Shankar's current research centers on occupational safety, health, and the well-being of both immigrant and Canadian-born workers in precarious employment, along with interventions for family violence and services for immigrant families. She has received several research awards as both principal investigator and co-investigator, with funding from major bodies like the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institute of Health Research. Her scholarship comprises numerous refereed publications and presentations at national and international conferences, and she serves on research grant application reviews for major funders. Additionally, Shankar has been involved at the University of Alberta and has mentored junior faculty and doctoral students through comprehensive teaching and supervision responsibilities, covering a wide spectrum of courses related to mental health, social justice, and research. Her teaching philosophy is influenced by decolonizing pedagogies and post-colonial theories.

Research Interests

Courses