Alya Jinah joined the Transdisciplinary Scholarship Team as the Coordinator for Democracy, Justice, and Sustainability. As a Montrealer, world traveler, and language enthusiast, Alya brings a unique perspective to matters of just societies, equitable access, and modes of belonging. She has long felt that such matters require transdisciplinary solutions, and for this reason she is thrilled to join such a timely, necessary initiative.

Additionally, her interdisciplinary education and career have allowed her to meet and serve people from various disciplines and backgrounds including business, engineering, education, and health. Above all things, Alya values curiosity, connection, and people. With her vast network and varied interests, she is most excited to connect people, ideas, and projects working towards solving the world’s wicked problems in creative and innovative ways.
Alya has come to the team after launching key UCalgary initiatives including the Creative Destruction Lab – Rockies (CDL) which creates a place for diverse deep-science and technology-based companies to find mentorship and investment to grow to unprecedented levels. At the Trico Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Centre she created empowering experiences for the mentors, ventures, students, and partners, helping collaborators learn that business can be used as a source for good. She excels at creating frameworks for important collisions to take place, all while cultivating a dynamic of inclusion, equity, and belonging for every participant.

An avid explorer, Alya is always working on some travel plans, improving her language skills in French, Farsi, Spanish, Hindi, and discovering local restaurants and coffee shops. In addition to connections that are just waiting to happen, Alya wants to learn to say hello in your mother tongue, so book a coffee chat with her! She’s curious to learn more about what you’re working on and how she can help!