The Infrastructure and Integration Lab

Vision
Research improving the understanding and quality of social life in Vancouver, Canada, and beyond.

Mission
We do research on social interaction and relationships in complex and diverse organizations, neighbourhoods, and communities. We contribute to current directions in theory and research and build young scholars’ skills and careers while working in collaboration with organizations, neighbourhoods, and communities.

The Infrastructure and Integration Lab

The Infrastructure and Integration Lab is formed in 2024 and led by Dr Sean Lauer at the University of British Columbia, Department of Sociology. With a strong focus on social infrastructure and immigrant integration, the Lab facilitates research on Social Infrastructure, Relationship Formation and Immigrant Experiences.

The Infrastructure and Integration Lab conducts bi-weekly meetings, offering an open platform for team members to share their ongoing projects and exchange emerging ideas, fostering collaborative and positive research practices. These collaborative practices spark knowledge transfer and drive innovation. Our projects often intersect three core research themes, leading to deeper insights into Interaction with the Public, Experiences of Newcomers in Public Spaces, and Primary Group Integration into the host society.

The Infrastructure and Integration Lab is a hub of interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together team members from Sociology and Social Work Master’s and PhD programs. By encouraging a blend of diverse academic backgrounds and perspectives, the lab creates a ground for innovative research and interdisciplinary discoveries.