Dost (meaning friend) is a wellness hub for newly arriving Afghans. On our site, you will see answers to some commonly asked cultural and need-based questions. You will also see a number of wellness resources on this hub. A unique feature of our hub is Dost GPT which is an AI trained interactive conversational platform.
For any questions on the project, please contact study lead, Dr. Abha Rai: arai4@luc.edu
Dr. Rai comes with over a decade of international community work experience. She has worked closely with community-based organizations to develop culturally responsive interventions and evaluate them. Her area of research expertise broadly pertains to immigrant and refugee well-being. Most recently, she led the development of a culturally responsive intervention for Afghan evacuees.
Dr. Mary Held, focuses her scholarship on strengthening knowledge related to trauma and resilience among immigrant communities to inform service provision in new destination states. Her work is situated in the current sociopolitical climate of both immigrant-sending nations and the United States.
Dr. Vidal de Haymes teaches courses in the areas of social welfare policy and migration studies. She has been the PI on a number of federal and international grants and authored publications concerning migration, poverty and inequality, child welfare, and social work education.
George K. Thiruvathukal is Full Professor of Computer Science and the Department Chairperson at Loyola University Chicago. His current work addresses software engineering for scienctific software (research software) and machine learning, low-power computer vision, computational neuroscience, human-centered computation, and interdisciplinary thinking.
Paula Skye Tallman is a biocultural anthropologist who investigates the drivers of health inequities among marginalized populations in South America and South East Asia, with a focus on connecting this scholarship to social justice initiatives.
Dr. Paula Carney, Director of Grants and Scholarship supports faculty research career development in Loyola’s School of Social Work. She has a background in clinical trials, research process development, and research communications.
Shakila Fro is an Afghan professional whose journey from higher education in Afghanistan to a multifaceted career with the Jesuit Refugee Service showcases her prowess in financial management, teaching, and community dynamics. She is now pursuing a second master's degree in social work at Loyola University of Chicago.
Maddie Juarez is a third-year undergraduate student and research assistant at Loyola University Chicago studying Computer Science and Statistics. Her interests include research in machine learning, software development, and initiatives for social good.
Alix Sanchez-Gomez MPH, is a Ph.D. student and research assistant at Loyola University Chicago. She is a social worker with experience in the healthcare field, community-based social work and advocacy for domestic violence survivors.
Elisa is pursuing her PhD in Social Work at Loyola University of Chicago and holds a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Universidad Iberoamericana. Her research interests revolve around acculturation-related phenomena and various types of trauma experienced by immigrants and refugees in complex environments.
Ali Tarokh arrived in Chicago as a refugee in 2012. Over a decade, he advanced from entry-level work to Director of Policy and Advocacy at a non-profit serving refugee and immigrant families. Concurrently, Ali is pursuing a doctorate in Law and Policy, with his dissertation exploring Refugee Employment Barriers. His refugee experience informs his advocacy work and academic pursuits. Ali holds a master's degree in political science and contributes to public discourse on refugee issues through published op-eds.
Farzana holds a Masters in International Affairs. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago. Volunteer and Cultural Expert.