A feminist media studies scholar, Sawchuk's research spans the fields of art, gender, and culture, examining the intersection of technology into peoples lives and how that changes as one ages.

[citation needed] She earned her bachelor's degree in 1982 from the University of Winnipeg, with gold medal honors for a dual-major in Political Science and History.

[7] She's also involved in changing the popular image of the elderly and works in collaboration with community organizations and activists to address their experience of digital technologies.

In 2012, she developed a smartphone application with film producer Katarina Soukup, which allows users to uncover geographical and historical landmarks using the GPS systems on the phone, becoming virtual underground explorers.

[10] In 2014, Sawchuk received a grant of approximately $3 million to research, over a seven-year period, the topic Ageing, Communication, Technologies (ACT): Experiencing a Digital World In Later Life.