It’s been over a year since President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton and Vice-President Research and Innovation Amir Asif  had received $105.7 million from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), the “largest single federal grant ever awarded to 91��ɫ.”

The cutting-edge program aims to bring together experts across eight 91��ɫ Faculties and three Queen’s Faculties to examine the ways in which technology is transforming society – dubbed the “techno-social collective” – and will work to balance both the potential risks and benefits for humanity. Some of the program’s proposed projects include explorations into a more inclusive metaverse, virtual reality and community organizing, neurotechnologies for healthy aging, Indigenous data sovereignty and how human brain function changes when people interact with artificial intelligence (AI) versus each other.

Since the funding announcements in early 2023, Connected Minds – the biggest  in the University’s history – has been busy.

“As founding scientific director, it’s incredibly gratifying see the progress we have made this first year, thanks to the very hard work of our leadership team, dedicated staff and the support of our board of directors,” says Doug Crawford, who is also a Distinguished Research Professor and Canada Research Chair in visuomotor neuroscience.

In addition to seed grants and PhD awards given out, over the past 12 months, Connected Minds has expanded its roster of experts by onboarding 14 research-enhanced hires across 91��ɫ and institutional partner Queen’s University.

The new additions are part of the program’s efforts to attract and retain the best talent, as well as a fulfillment of its commitment to add 35 strategic faculty hires, research Chairs or equivalent levels of support to its interdisciplinary research ecosystem. The new Connected Minds members will benefit from support that includes $100,000 in startup research funding, salary top-up and/or teaching release, and a research allowance of $25,000 per year.

Connected Minds’ progress was also successfully commended by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat – which administers the Canada First Research Excellence Fund – during a site visit showcasing the various research units affiliated with the program, and the progress its made.

To further demonstrate the program’s – and 91��ɫ’s – leadership in socially responsible technology, Connected Minds has also been organizing events, like the Introductory Meeting on Law and Neuroscience in Canada, which united experts from Canada and the United States for in-depth discussions on socially responsible research at the intersection of law and neuroscience at the renowned Monk School of Global Affairs in Toronto.

Connect Minds also hosted an event marking the culmination of its inaugural year: the Connected Minds Annual Research Retreat in February 2024. The retreat united members across diverse disciplines – including arts, science, health, law and more – to collectively shape the future of socially responsible technology. The goal was to help provide networking opportunities for members to get to know each other better and form the teams that will apply to grants and achieve the program’s long-term goals. It aimed to do so through information sessions, active participation in shaping Connected Minds’ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) action plan, and highlighting research-enhanced hires, who delivered big-idea talks during the retreat.

The retreat also marked another notable milestone: a transition in leadership. Crawford will be succeeded by Professor Pina D’Agostino, founder and former director of IP Osgoode and co-director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Society, where her expertise is frequently sought by government bodies to address the evolving intersection of AI and the law. Now, it will be applied to leading Connected Minds into what will promise to be another year of accomplishments.

“I am thrilled to be taking the program to the next level by building on the strong foundation we now have and engaging with all of our incredible partners and communities to work towards our goals of a healthy and just society,” says D’Agostino, looking ahead to how Connected Minds will continue to thrive and make contributions to interdisciplinary research.

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Among those leading the way in this is Boateng, a quantitative sociologist and epidemiologist who was recently appointed Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Global Health and Humanitarianism. 

One of Boateng’s latest research projects is related to his CRC appointment, which aims to measure and quantify different forms of resource insecurity, including food, water, energy and housing, as well as to advance our understanding of the overall health effects of environmental contaminants, both in the Global South and in Canada. This work exemplifies, he said, the importance of having international partners and collaboration.  

“Partnerships are key and without them, global health research isn’t possible,” he said. “91��ɫ’s partnerships in the Global South greatly expand the scope of my research and allow me to reach populations and communities that would not be accessible otherwise.”  

Boateng’s project looks to collect physiological, ecological, and demographic data from informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.  

Using high-cost field equipment, the researchers will assess the quality of the air and water samples (stored, drinking and groundwater) found in and around the settlements.  

The data will be used to validate scales, like the Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale, co-developed by Boateng for use by public health practitioners, non-governmental organizations, government officials, and development agencies to monitor and assess progress on targets set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals around achieving equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, as well as adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene. 

This is particularly important in sub-Saharan Africa, where flooding due to climate change is a considerable health risk and bacterial infections like dysentery and waterborne illnesses like cholera are widespread.  

The scales would help researchers and health-care professionals to assign a score to the environmental contaminants found in settlement households, which enables them to determine if water, for example, is safe for consumption without the need for further testing.  

For local governments, this would streamline water, air, and housing quality assessments and provide valuable information to inform health-care policy and decision-making.  

“Our project will also produce the necessary data for comparative studies, so that this evidence can be used in other contexts, including in some Indigenous communities in Canada that face similar resource insecurity challenges,” said Boateng.  

The project is slated to start this summer with 300 households in Accra, Ghana, alongside Boateng’s partners from his alma mater, the University of Ghana, and the University of Cape Coast, before moving onto research sites in Nigeria, Kenya and Malawi, and subsequently to Colombia and Mexico.  

Last month, Boateng was also part of a 91��ɫ delegation that visited Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. The Africa trip helped the University engage with prospective students and explore partnership opportunities with local universities and research institutions.  

For Boateng, studying global health helps bridge the inequality divide.   

“It’s important to identify the sources of health disparities and the structural determinants of health, so that proper interventions can be put in place,” he said.  

“Global health research, when applied, can not only enhance the quality of life for the world’s most vulnerable populations – women, children and seniors – but it also has life-saving potential for people worldwide. It’s teamwork at its best.”  

Learn more about .

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Two days later on March 24, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto shined a light on water in Indigenous and Muslim traditions with a panel discussion on , presented by the UNITAR Global Water Academy and 91��ɫ.

“Some 2.5 billion people live in water stressed countries where the supply cannot meet the demand, while 46 per cent of the world's population lacks adequate sanitation services. Access to safe drinking water is inequitable and puts the safety of women and marginalized groups at risk,” says 91��ɫ Research Chair in Global Change Biology Professor , inaugural director of the UGWA and a freshwater expert in the Faculty of Science. “Conflict, changes in land use and climate change are exacerbating water insecurity in urban, rural and agricultural areas. These are global issues that continue to worsen.”

91��ɫ has a deep well of expertise in water research and action and along with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Global Water Academy (UGWA) will help develop scientific-based and governance solutions and applications to address water issues in some of the most underserved areas and for those most affected by climate change, flooding, and drought.

“Water is strongly linked to political instability and economic inequality, and as both a leader in sustainability as well as a progressive teaching and research institution, it is our responsibility to take action on this critical issue,” says Rhonda Lenton, 91��ɫ’s president and vice-chancellor. “Our thriving partnership with UNITAR to create a first-of-its-kind Global Water Academy is one example of how collaboration across sectors and borders can drive positive change for our global communities.”

With UGWA, 91��ɫ is advancing much needed scholarship and virtual and hybrid learning developed by global leaders in water research, resource management and policy development. The courses will be for all relevant parties, including researchers, governments, and the public on everything water from how to mitigate water shortages caused by climate change to making drinking water cleaner and more accessible.

“The collaboration with 91��ɫ to create the Global Water Academy recognizes its vision and leadership to become Canada’s leader in research into water technologies spanning different sub disciplines including wastewater, drinking water, groundwater and surface water research. Together, we are developing solutions to the world’s water issues,” says Nikhil Seth, UN assistant secretary general and executive director of UNITAR.

One of the goals is to empower learners everywhere to respond to water crises and to help achieve the UN SDG 6 – support capacity building of sustainable management of water especially for Indigenous communities and marginalized/equity-deserving groups.

An essential part of UGWA’s work is building a global network of water experts, scientists, and policymakers, and reaching out to local people in some of the hardest hit regions to learn about their specific water challenges to help address them through training and education. Building a space where people can connect, form partnerships and collaborate is essential.

Some places are going to be warmer and drier; others will become wetter and cooler. There is not one solution that can be applied across the world and that is why the network is so important. In their first year, the network has grown exponentially. Their most recent virtual panel at the United Nations in New 91��ɫ City attracted hundreds of people from 90 countries.

“For countries severely impacted by climate change and conflict, the lack of clean water can be life threatening,” says Sharma, who studies how lakes worldwide respond to climate change, including rapid ice loss, warming water temperatures, degrading water quality, and changing fish distributions. “Clean and safely managed water offers a way out of these crises. It’s why we must work together to advance goal six of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals – ensuring access to water and sanitation for all.”

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COH estimates around 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness each year, and roughly 35,000 people experience homelessness on any given night.

Gaetz’s research motivation to study homelessness stems from time spent away from academia. After completing his master’s and PhD at 91��ɫ, Gaetz worked for several years at community health organizations and for the City of Toronto, before returning to the University to become a faculty member. 

“I’m so glad I had that break because it changed everything for me,” he says. “Working in the youth homelessness sector and learning about program planning, staff supervision, budgets, and leadership, it was like doing a different kind of PhD.”

Gaetz says it was a challenging time in the 1990’s to work in the sector because research on the issue of homelessness was undervalued.

“At the time, we had the dueling crises of modern mass homelessness and HIV/AIDs, and on that latter issue, research did matter. It was regarded as incredibly important for prevention, intervention, and solutions,” he says. “But research on homelessness was not seen in the same way and people said we didn’t need it. They were wrong.” 

According to Gaetz, one of the biggest misunderstandings about homelessness is not realizing how relatively new of a social phenomenon it really is.

“Modern mass homelessness emerged in the late 80’s and early 1990’s due to policy changes where we stopped building social housing in Canada,” he says. “Governments expected the private sector to leap in, but that never happened. It’s a failed experiment, and so the number of people who become homeless in this country keeps growing, with 2022 data showing a 20 per cent increase.”

For Gaetz, the biggest problem to solving modern mass homelessness is the lack of prevention.  

“Sadly, the bulk of our investment and activity in Canada over the last 30 years has been focused on temporary shelters, day programs and use of law enforcement, and a major consequence of this approach has been a continuous growth in the number of people who become mired in the situation and become chronically homeless,” he says. “A better option is to focus our efforts on helping people not become homeless in the first place, and if they do, to help them exit the situation as quickly as possible with access to housing and supports. We created this crisis, and we don’t offer people much more than emergency shelters and a baloney sandwich, if that.”

To help stop the crisis, Gaetz says more dedicated funding should be directed towards supporting communities do prevention work, pointing to a successful model from the United Kingdom.

“In 2014, Wales introduced a piece of legislation that basically created a duty to assist,” he says. “It meant that the local authorities, once they are aware someone is at risk of homelessness, are obligated to offer assistance to anyone facing eviction and at risk of becoming homeless. If the person agreed to the help, their homelessness had to be resolved within two months. The country’s homelessness numbers declined dramatically after this housing act was introduced.”

Another prevention strategy Gaetz advocates is for governments to prioritize and increase supports that address the issues that initially lead to youth homelessness, primarily family conflict, which is often the beginning of prolonged housing insecurity.

Federal data reveals fifty per cent of people who are homeless in Canada report having had their first experience with homelessness before the age of 25. Among youth, 40 per cent have their first homelessness experience before the age of 16.

“We need to do more than wait for an emergency and act before people become homeless, traumatized and sick,” says Gaetz. “Preventing youth homelessness with proper supports would yield better outcomes for young people, their families and communities, and lead to a reduction in chronic homelessness. It would be one of the most significant impacts we could have in the long run.”

One of the latest research endeavours for Gaetz and COH is a multi-partner collaboration over the course of seven years (2022-2029), funded by the Social Sciences of Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Led by Gaetz, the research is supported by a nearly $2.5 million SSHRC Partnership Grant and involves 40 other academics, 25 collaborators and 29 partner organizations to work together on projects that focus on eviction prevention and shelter diversion, training for service providers and strengthening community responses.

Ultimately, Gaetz and his research team aim to create enduring positive change, and to mobilize their collaborative efforts to get closer to mission accomplished: influencing policy and preventing and ending modern mass homelessness in Canada, and beyond.

“That’s always been the work: achieve impact,” he says. “Let’s do research that’s going to be helpful. And never give up.” 

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