PAUSE launches UTM’s inaugural peer-reviewed psychology journal
Blending science, creativity, and student voices, Wavelength expands access to psychology publishing at UTM

A new student-led peer-reviewed psychology journal has launched at the University of Toronto (U of T) Mississauga (UTM), giving students a platform to publish research and bridge the gap in undergraduate academic publishing. Wavelength, operated by the Psychology Association of Undergraduate Students at Erindale (PAUSE), will release its first issue online in late April, following a launch event on April 1 in the Student Centre, which showcased a preview of the journal.

The inaugural issue contains 10 academic articles on various topics in contemporary psychology, along with accompanying illustrations, standalone art, and design work by Toronto-based designer and U of T alumnus Arthur Dennyson Hamdani. The journal offers students a way to engage with research beyond poster projects and gain experiences in spaces often reserved for advanced scholars and journals.

A team of more than 20 volunteers developed Wavelength, including editors, writers, illustrators and a designer, who all coordinated through training sessions and editorial guidelines. The editorial team received approximately 20 research submissions, which they narrowed down to 10 for the final draft. 

The initiative emerged in 2025 as a reimagining of PAUSE’s journal club, which had previously focused on discussing academic articles and research but had failed to reach a wider audience. The idea for the journal was initially introduced in the PAUSE constitution under former President Benji Jacobs, before being developed by the current president and team. 

The transition required months of planning, as Volume 1 Co-Editors-in-Chief (EIC) Zoha Faisal and Mashiyat Ahmed began planning the journal’s name, aesthetic and editorial direction in summer 2025 before assembling an editorial and creative team the following fall. Their goal was to create an accessible entry point into research writing, editing, and publishing for students to engage with psychology as an interdisciplinary field.  

Inside Wavelength: what readers can expect 

PAUSE’s website reflects the journal’s mission to make psychology more accessible to undergraduate students who may feel excluded from traditional academic spaces. It distinguishes itself from traditional academic journals by blending written work with artistic and scientific visuals, including “Data-driven graphics and conceptual illustrations”. Wavelength’s articles explore topics ranging from queer mental health and critiques of dominant psychological frameworks to questions of culture and identity.

The preview presented at the launch showcased the journal as a student-built, interdisciplinary and experimental space, positioning itself as a platform that emphasizes marginalized voices and questions how power shapes scientific knowledge. 

In the editorial letter, Ahmed and Faisal describe Wavelength as an effort to “[Challenge] the conventional separation of “objective” science from the human experience,” and hope that the journal’s first volume inspires students to create more spaces for student-led creative and critical inquiry on campus. 

One article, “When Representation Falls Short: Queer Visibility and the Mind,” written by Cao Murray, examines how tokenism and superficial queer representation in media shape identity, belonging, and mental health. “Who Deserves to Flourish?” by Lillian De-Heer explores the role of culturally affirming spaces in black student well-being, introducing a “Well-being Matrix” to visualize the interaction of typically under-documented factors on racialized students’ identity. 

A third article by Mashiyat Ahmed critiques the “Psychedelic renaissance,” and examines how Western medical frameworks and capitalist structures shape how researchers, mental health clinics, and recreational users engage with psychoactive substances, and the impact that has on deepening Indigenous marginalization. In between articles are illustrations that range from full-page art to data visuals, with the final results reflecting a blend of scientific and creative expression.

According to Ahmed and Faisal, submissions were open from October 15, 2025, to January 25, 2026, and were not limited to UTM campus students or psychology majors to encourage a broader range of contributors. This openness was intentional, especially in the journal’s first year:  “We didn’t want to limit it to psychology … any academic discipline can apply,” explained Faisal. 

In an interview with The Medium prior to the journal’s launch, PAUSE President Silas Liening explained the value of the journal as a learning opportunity, emphasizing the gap in undergraduate publishing. “The psychology department offers the highest number of research opportunities, but that research is usually only translated into a poster presentation… not into something that is accessible to researchers.”

Liening noted that the co-EIC’s and the editorial team led much of the journal’s development, and he clarified that “[his] role in [Wavelength’s development] was just to provide framework and administrative support.” Wavelength was not intended to compete with professional publications, but rather to give students publishing, editorial, and creative experience. “It’s not supposed to be top-notch, that’s not the goal. The goal is to show psych students what it’s like to actually publish and write for a research audience,” said Liening.

While Liening emphasized that Wavelength is not intended to compete with professional academic journals, it still operates as a peer-reviewed publication. This process introduces students to the standards and expectations of publishing, including revisions and critical feedback, skills that mirror graduate-level research and professional scientific writing. 

Wavelength‘s future: Challenges and moving forward

Wavelength exists within a broader ecosystem of student-led journals across U of T, many of which provide similar opportunities for undergraduate research submissions. Currently, there are limited active psychology-focused journals and publications, such as the U of T undergraduate psychology journal Inkblot, operating infrequently. Within this landscape, Wavelength represents a renewed effort to create consistent, accessible publishing to students. 

Faisal, alongside PAUSE Vice President of Administration Saba Halabisaz, worked to secure Co-Curricular Recognition (CCR) to formally acknowledge student contributions and efforts. Halabisaz shared, “It didn’t feel right letting them do all that [work] and not be rewarded for it.” 

The journal faced difficulties in securing funding and establishing a connection to the UTM Psychology Department, resulting in a digital release for the first issue. Faisal shared, “We struggled. There was a sense that the journal didn’t meet their standards.” Despite this, the journal secured a peer-reviewed article through support from faculty in the department.

With new editors-in-chief already selected, the journal’s future will depend on continued student leadership, whether through future print editions or stronger department support. Faisal and Ahmed will provide guidance and support for the team during the second issue of Wavelength.