Danica [dan-ee-kah]
she/her | white settler scholar | (digital) health researcher | intersectional feminist | activist
My name is Danica Facca, and I am a PhD candidate in Health Information Science based out of Western University, where I currently work as a Graduate Fellow under the supervision of Dr. Lorie Donelle. In addition to my doctoral studies, I presently hold an appointment as a Research Coordinator at Lawson Health Research Institute and St. Joseph's Health Care London working under the supervision of Dr. Jacobi Elliot. I have been fortunate to study at Western University for 10+ years across the faculties of Arts & Humanities, Health Sciences, Information & Media Studies, and Social Science, which has made me into the interdisciplinary health researcher I am today.
My research is interdisciplinary and resides at the intersections of gender studies, health equity, critical menstrual studies, and critical digital health studies. Specifically, my doctoral project focuses on exploring gender diverse menstruators’ experiences of menstruation and the gendered nature of 'femtech' reproductive health technology. This work seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of the sociocultural contexts and factors which shape experiences of menstruation and considerations of menstrual health equity with an emphasis on gender identity, amid a rapidly growing digital health landscape.
Other topics I study, write, and present on include but are not limited to: health information generation, sharing, and system management; digital health literacy; digital health technologies (i.e., smartphones, apps, wearables); digital surveillance within the health/care and research context; data justice; health ethics; and qualitative research methodologies.
I remain deeply curious and committed to exploring how the social determinants of health influence health outcomes among equity-deserving groups within the digital health context and beyond. I am a supporter of open science and actively seek to align my work with my feminist activism.
While working on my doctorate, I have consistently served my academic and local communities to further health equity and gender-based sexual violence activism at local and national levels. Alongside my activism, I also have committed significant time and energy over the course of 2020-2023 to university governance and graduate student affairs through my elected Executive Officer appointments as Vice-President Academic (2020-22) and President (2022-23) at the Society of Graduate Students (SOGS), Western University's graduate student advocacy and government non-profit organization.
Teaching Experience
2023 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/009)
2023 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Winter Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Mapping Media and Cultural Theory (MIT 2200G)
2022 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: The Political Economy of Media (MIT 2100F)
2022 (Lead) Graduate Teaching Assistant, Winter Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/019)
2021 (Lead) Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/019)
2021 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Winter Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/011)
2020 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/011)
2020 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Winter Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/006)
2019 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: Introduction to Media Studies (MIT 1020E/006)
2019 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Winter Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: The Political Economy of Media (MIT 2100G/009)
2018 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University
Course Title: The History of Communication (MIT 2000F/006)
2017 Teaching Assistant, Winter Term
Department of English and Writing Studies, Western University
Course Title: Speculative Fiction/Science Fiction (English 2071G/650)
2016 Teaching Assistant, Fall Term
Department of English and Writing Studies, Western University
Course Title: Speculative Fiction/Fantasy (English 2072F/650)
Pedagogical Training
2021 Decolonizing Your Online Classroom: Anti-Racist Approaches
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: Future Prof 2021
2021 Decolonizing Your Online Classroom: Indigenous Approaches
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: Future Prof 2021
2021 Preparing to Guest Lecture
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: Future Prof 2021
2020 Articulating Your Teaching Philosophy
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: Future Prof 2020
2020 Teaching Sensitive Topics Online: A Trauma and Violence-Informed Approach
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: Future Prof 2020
2020 Leadership in Wellness Part 1: Cultivating Student Mental Health
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: Future Prof 2020
2016 Teaching Assistant Training Program
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), Western University
Course Code: TATP Session 4
Research Experience
2023- Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies, Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Polzer, Dr. Monica Molinaro
2022- Research Coordinator
St. Joseph's Health Care London / Lawson Health Research Institute
Supervisor: Dr. Jacobi Elliot
2021 Research Assistant
Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Supervisor: Dr. Sara Grimes
2020 Graduate Fellow
School of Occupational Therapy, Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Gail Teachman
2019-21 Research Assistant Level II
School of Nursing, Fanshawe College
Supervisor/s: Dr. Jodi Hall and Dr. Lorie Donelle
2019 Graduate Fellow
School of Occupational Therapy, Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Gail Teachman
2018- Graduate Fellow
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University
Supervisor: Dr. Lorie Donelle
Awards (Selected)
2022 Eugenia Canas Memorial Award
2021-22 Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
2020-21 Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS)
2020 HRS Graduate Research Conference Aspire Oral Presentation Doctoral Award
2019 FHS Health Information Science Graduate Conference Travel Award
2016 Western University Dean’s Entrance Scholarship
Refereed Articles
Facca, D., Hall, J., Hiebert, B., & Donelle, L. (In Press). "Understanding the Tensions of 'Good Motherhood' Through Women's Digital Technology Use: Descriptive Qualitative Study." JMIR Pediatrics & Parenting.
Donelle, L., Comer, L., Hiebert, B., Hall, J., Shelley, J.J., Smith, M.J., Kothari, A., Burkell, J., Stranges, S., Cooke, T., Shelley, J.M., Gilliland, J., Ngole, M., & Facca, D. (2023). Use of digital technologies for public health surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review. Digital Health. doi: 10.1177/20552076231173220
Hiebert, B., Hall, J., Facca, D., & Donelle, L. (2023). “Putting all my eggs into the app”: Self, relational, and systemic surveillance of mothers’ use of digital technologies during the transition to parenting. Digital Health. doi: 10.1177/20552076221150742
Hiebert, B., Hall, J., Donelle, L., Facca, D., Jackson, K., & Stoyanovich, E. (2021). "Let me know when I'm needed": Exploring the gendered nature of digital technology use during the transition to parenting. Digital Health.
Facca, D., & Kinsella, A. (2021). Emergence, multiplicity and connection: Rethinking ethical discernment in qualitative research through a rhizo-ethics approach. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.
Donelle, L., Facca, D., Burke, S., Hiebert, B., Bender, E., & Ling, S. (2021). Exploring Canadian Children's Social Media Use, Digital Literacy, and Quality of Life: A Pilot Study.JMIR Formative Research.
Donelle, L., Hall, J., Hiebert, B., Jackson, K., Szynal, E., LaChance, J., & Facca, D. (2020). Investigation of Digital Technology Use in the Transition to Parenting. JMIR Pediatrics & Parenting.
Facca, D., Gladstone, B., & Teachman, G. (2020). Working the limits of 'giving voice' to children: a critical conceptual review. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1-10.
Facca, D., Smith, M., Shelley, J., Lizotte, D., Donelle, L. (2020). Exploring the ethical issues in research using digital data collection strategies with minors: A scoping review. PLoS ONE, 15(8), e0237875.
Wuyou, S., & Facca, D. (2020). Digital Health in a Broadband Land: The role of digital health literacy within rural environments. Health Science Inquiry, 11(1), 140-143.
Rudkovska, A., & Facca, D. (2020).Your emotions are the newest hot commodity and there's an app for that. The Conversation Canada.
Published Research Reports
Facca, D., Grimes, S., Jacobs, A., Kim, J., King, J.P., & Ozceylan, M. (In press). KMDI Report: Academic TikTok. Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI), University of Toronto.
Research Reports (Selected)
Donelle, L., & Facca, D. (2019, March 27). Technology’s Influence on Growing Up (TIGU) Phase 1: Exploring the Link Between Technology Use and Health in Canadian Youth. Research Proposal presented to the Research Officer and Research Committee of the Thames Valley District School Board.
Facca, D. (2019, January 18). Exploring Screen Time and Loneliness Among Canadian Elementary and High-School Students. Research Proposal presented to the Research Officers of the London Catholic District School Board and the Thames Valley District School Board.
Facca, D., & Bender, E. (2018, February 10). Learning it Together (LiT) Research Report: Social Media Use Among Primary School Children. Research Report presented to the Learning it Together Executive Team at Western University.
Conference Presentations (Selected)
Facca, D., Donelle, L., Burke, S., Hiebert, B., Bender, E., & Ling, S. (2021, May 18). “You have to be careful”: Examining Children’s Perspectives Related to Digital Device and Social Media Use Through a Digital Health Lens. Oral presentation at the Western University Nursing Legacy 2021 Research Conference, Virtual Conference.
Facca, D. (2020, October 22). Big Data in the Digital Health Landscape. Paper presentation at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS) Mediations Workshop, London, ON.
Canas, E., Facca, D., Walugembe, D.L., Ikenyei, U., Veenendall, J., & Slominska, A. (2020, October 16). Health Information Science: Perspectives on a discipline in development. Panel presentation at CAIS2020: Diverging Trajectories in Information Science Open Virtual Conference.
Facca, D., Smith, M., Shelley, J., Lizotte, D., & Donelle, L. (2020, August 18). Towards the Co-Production of Ethical Practice in Big Data Research with Minors. Oral presentation at the Western Law & HELP Lab Colloquium. London, ON.
Facca, D. (2020, June 4). Through the technological mouthpieces of data: Thinking through the use of digital data in research with children. Virtual presentation at Beyond Giving Voice: Advancing theory and methodologies for qualitative research with children.
Facca, D. (2020, February 4). The ‘Digitally Health Literate Child’: Towards a Co-Designed Assessment Tool For Children. Oral presentation at the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Graduate Research Conference, London, ON.
Facca, D., Donelle, L., Burke, S., Hiebert, B., Bender, E., & Ling, S. (2019, April 7-11). An Exploratory Study of Digital Device Engagement, Social Media, and Wellbeing Among Young Children. Oral presentation at the 23rd IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, Rotorua, NZ.
Recorded Virtual Conference Presentations (Selected)
You can view the recording of my talk from the CAIS 2020: Diverging Trajectories in Information Science Open Virtual Conference entitled iKnow: Towards a Co-designed Digital Health Literacy Assessment Tool for Children here.
You can view the recording of my talk from Beyond Giving Voice: Advancing theory and methodologies for qualitative research with children entitled Through the technological mouthpieces of data: Thinking through the use of digital data in research with children here.
Invited Talks (Selected)
Facca, D. (2021, March 22). What Does the Data Actually Say? Exploring the Dually Limited Nature of Digital Data in Qualitative Inquiry. Guest talk for Qualitative Query at McMaster University.
Background
During my studies at Western University (WesternU), I have consistently dedicated my time to service work within my university community and municipal community through university/student governance and community-embedded outreach programs. Throughout all four years of my BA, I volunteered with Learning it Together (LiT): a student-led health promotion mentorship program for elementary grade children in London, ON. In my fourth undergraduate year, I served as Director for LiT and restructured its programming to focus on digital literacy. I continued to volunteer with LiT while completing my MA, in addition to serving as a Councillor for the Graduate English Society (GES) at the Society of Graduate Students (SOGS): Western's graduate student government, advocacy, and non-profit organization.
At the start of my doctoral studies, I served as a PhD Faculty Council Representative for the Graduate Health Information Science Student Association (GHISSA) and advocated for its membership at departmental meetings. During the second year of my doctoral studies, I served as President for GHISSA and worked with my colleagues to strengthen intra- and inter-program collaboration within the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS).
During the fall of 2021, I was part of the organizing team of the September 17th 2021 Anti-Gender Based Sexual Violence Walk Out at Western University which mobilized a group of over 10,000 attendees and sparked a nationwide movement across postsecondary campuses to address gender-based violence within post-secondary communities. Following this event, I co-founded the non-profit organization Safe Campus Coalition (SCC) with those same colleagues. SCC is committed to taking a trauma-informed approach to educating, supporting, and building community across Canadian post-secondary campuses to work against the perpetuation of gender-based violence within educational spaces and student populations.
Throughout the latter half of my doctorate, I served three years as an Elected Officer at SOGS. Following my two year tenure as Vice President Academic from 2020-2022, I served as President for the 2022-2023 year where I supervised and led an incredibly talented managerial and Executive core team. Throughout my presidency, my team engaged in rigorous data collection and research-driven advocacy projects to secure a commitment of $1.5 million in emergency-based bursary funding for graduate students over 2023-2026 in collaboration with Western's Provost and upper administrative team. Detailed coverage of our funding advocacy and results can be found in local and provincial journalism outlets including The Western Gazette, Education News Canada, and CBC.
Departmental/University (Selected)
2022- Graduate Student Representative, EDI Graduate Education Working Group, WesternU
2022- Graduate Student Representative, GBSV Advisory Committee, WesternU
2022- Graduate Student Representative, Strengths Advisory Committee, WesternU
2023— 2022-23 President, SOGS
2021-22 Vice President Academic, SOGS
2020-21 Vice President Academic, SOGS
2019-20 President, GHISSA
2018-19 Faculty Council Representative, GHISSA
Community (Selected)
2023- Volunteer, Period Equity Project London
2021- Co-Founder & Advisory Council Member, Safe Campus Coalition (SCC)
2016-18 Research Coordinator, LiT
2015-16 Director, LiT
2014-15 Research Coordinator, LiT
2013-14 Assistant Team Leader, LiT
2012-13 Mentor, LiT
Professional (Selected)
2023- Affiliated Health Researcher, Rainbow Health Canada
2023- Member, Women's Health Coalition of Canada
2023- Trainee Affiliate, Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion
2023- Member, Student Collective, Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion
2021- Board Member, Canadian Association for Information Science
Education
2018- Doctor of Philosophy Candidate, Health Information Science
Western University
2017 Master's Graduate Specialization, Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction
Western University
2017 Master of Arts, English Language and Literature
Western University
2016 Bachelor of Arts Honours, Major English Language and Literature, Major Criminology
Western University
