Who We Are
Dr. Ahluwalia-Cameron, PhD, MSW, RSW is the founding director of the Social Work Praxis Lab at the University of Windsor. The lab is a community-engaged research program dedicated to advancing equity, social justice, and systems transformation in mental health and social care. She is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor, where her scholarship focuses on stigma, interprofessional and structural stigma, borderline personality disorder, and equitable access to mental health care.
With over a decade of professional practice experience, Dr. Ahluwalia-Cameron worked as a practicing social worker in hospital and community mental health settings. This extensive frontline experience informs the lab’s praxis-based approach; bridging theory, critical reflection, and action to address the complex realities of care delivery and systems access.
Her methodological expertise is grounded in qualitative research and Critical Realist methodology, with a substantive focus on how structures, professional cultures, and institutional practices shape the experiences of individuals navigating mental health systems. Her research is particularly concerned with how stigma and inequities are reproduced across health and social care environments and how these systems can be transformed to promote more compassionate, equitable, and person-centered care.
Dr. Ahluwalia-Cameron is deeply committed to collaborative, community-based research and works in partnership with organizations including the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). She also serves as a member-at-large on the Constituency Council for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), contributing to broader conversations on mental health policy, advocacy, and system improvement.
Graduate Students
Jhanvi Patel
Gurleen Saroya