A gift from an anonymous local donor will defray the cost of university for first-year students in each of the Faculty of Education, the  (AMPD) and the Department of Psychology within the .

Each Faculty will receive $5,000 a year over five years for the scholarship, reflecting a total gift amount of $75,000.

The donor, an engineer by training, understands that many university students are finding it increasingly difficult to fund their education given challenging economic times, changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) and the uncertainty of clear career paths after graduation.

“This scholarship represents an important opportunity to give back to the community and to support the next generation of students and leaders,” he said in an interview. “My desire is to provide funding for three programs which are socially critical but are often economically undervalued.”

The donor believes that increasing access to education is essential and warrants support.

“I’ve benefited a lot from great teachers,” he said. “I value what a great teacher can do for a class or even for one student. ‘To teach is to touch’ and the impact a teacher can have on someone is enduring and profound.”

Read the full story in the

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Faculty of Education researchers are among the 91��ɫ scholars contributing to more than $9.3 million in SSHRC Insight Grant funding awarded to 91��ɫ-led research projects. This significant federal investment supports innovative research addressing issues of local, national and global importance, including education, health equity, social inclusion, emerging technologies and Indigenous knowledge. Faculty of Education scholars are helping advance 91��ɫ’s leadership in educational research by exploring critical questions that will inform teaching, learning, policy and equity across diverse communities.

Faculty of Education-funded projects include:

Oyemolade Osibodu
Project: Navigating Blackness: Sub-Saharan African Immigrant Parents' and Youth's Perspectives on the Racialization of Mathematics Education
Funding: $106,237

Gillian Parekh
Project: Constructing Disability in Education: Disability Identity, Policy Enactment and Academic Outcomes
Funding: $342,757

sava saheli singh
Project: Machine Learning or Learning Machines: Critical AI Futures in Education
Funding: $111,678

These projects reflect the Faculty’s commitment to generating impactful knowledge, fostering innovation in education and contributing to meaningful social change through research excellence.

Read the full article in the July 24, 2026 issue of Yfile

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From launching mentorship programs to creating inclusive spaces and tackling food insecurity, 12 91��ɫ students are being recognized with the Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award for leadership that contributes to the growth, development and vitality of the University.

Now in its 14th year, the award honours Robert J. Tiffin, who served as 91��ɫ’s vice-president, students, for nine years. University community members nominate individuals who demonstrate leadership and make valuable contributions to 91��ɫ.

This year’s recipients represent a wide range of disciplines and leadership pathways, says Yvette Munro, vice-provost, students.

“The depth and breadth of leadership shown by our students is remarkable and we continue to see the meaningful ways they contribute to 91��ɫ," says Munro. “Whether they are supporting students across the University, within their Faculty or in groups built around shared interests or lived experiences, their leadership helps strengthen the 91��ɫ community.”

Recipients of the award play a vital role in shaping the 91��ɫ student experience and enhancing the character of 91��ɫ, says Tiffin. “They have led, not because they were asked, but because they cared enough to step forward. Through their contributions they have nurtured a 91��ɫ tradition of a university that embraces new ideas and innovative thinking.”

The winners were celebrated on May 6 at 91��ɫ’s Keele Campus.

This year’s award winners included 4 students from the Faculty of Education: Devonte Ellis, Cheyenne Schmidt-Harlick, Isabella Gouveia, and Anaum Fatima Iqbal.

Read the full article in the May 8, 2026 issue of YFile

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Don Galbraith Pre-Service Teacher Award of Excellence winners: Lauren Cunningham, Anthony Pereira and Elvina Patapau (From left to right)

Congratulations to Lauren, Anthony, and Elvina on this well-deserved recognition. Their achievements reflect the high calibre of 91��ɫ’s Bachelor of Education program and its commitment to preparing future educators who will inspire and engage learners in science education across Ontario.

Pre-service students are encouraged to explore the many subject organisations related to their teaching discipline. These organisations often offer valuable scholarships, awards, and professional development opportunities designed to support and recognise future educators. A list of subject organisations can be found on the Education Resource Centre (ERC) website, an excellent place to start building connections with your future professional community.

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There aren’t a lot of awards for people in public education. 

So, when 91��ɫ’s Emily Burgis, who has spent most of her career in public education with the 91��ɫ Region District School Board as a teacher, guidance counsellor and curriculum consultant, learned she won an award from the Canadian Society for Education through Art (CSEA), she was thrilled. 

“Teachers don’t often get awards, they usually only see rewards by seeing the impact they have on students,” she says. “To be recognized by an organization outside the system – it’s a real honour.” 

Burgis is a visiting professor in the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ’s Markham and Keele campuses where she applies her knowledge and experience as a teacher, with a focus on education that is grounded in equity and inclusion. 

Read the full article in the November 5, 2025 issue of Yfile.

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Two 91��ɫ community members – Professor Satinder Kaur Brar and Faculty of Education PhD candidate Anna Pearson – have been recognized with a 2024 Minister’s Award of Excellence from Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

The annual awards celebrate the work of faculty and staff at publicly assisted colleges and universities who are making a difference in students’ lives, in their communities and in the province. This year, there were more than 170 nominations and only six recipients selected, including professors, researchers and post-secondary leaders.

Brar, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at 91��ɫ’s , received the award in the category of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The category recognizes faculty and staff who work with industry and business to drive economic development in Ontario.

A globally recognized leader in green technologies for removing contaminants from drinking water and wastewater, Brar was recognized for her pioneering research in enzyme-based environmental remediation. Working in collaboration with researchers at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique and engineering consulting firm TechnoRem Inc., Brar helped develop and implement a faster, more sustainable method for cleaning petroleum-contaminated sites using enzymes rather than traditional microorganisms. The method, which is 100 times faster and achieves an 80 per cent reduction in contaminants without toxic residues, is especially effective in cold northern climates where other microorganisms are less viable.

The approach has been supported by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan and is already in use at several polluted sites across Canada, addressing surface water, groundwater and soil contamination. “Once it [the method for cleaning sites] gets into the field, that is where the real magic starts,” says Brar, noting how rewarding it is for her team to see their lab work result in real-world environmental improvements.

She describs receiving the award as a “fantastic surprise” and emphasizes the recognition is a shared achievement with her research team. “It’s a great boost for them to understand that whatever we do in the lab does see light of the day at some point,” she says.

Brar also highlights the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and industry. “This kind of recognition reinforces the belief that we can transition from lab to field,” she says, “and when we see the results in the field, it can have fantastic repercussions.”

Pearson, a PhD candidate at 91��ɫ, received the award in the category of Future-Proofing Ontario’s Students. The category highlights individuals whose work helps students build the skills and resilience needed for success in a rapidly evolving world.

Pearson, who has taught in both elementary and secondary settings across Ontario for nearly two decades, was recognized for her contributions to program design, policy leadership and community-based learning initiatives aimed at preparing teacher candidates to meet the demands of a changing educational landscape.

Reflecting on the award, she credits those who shaped her own academic path. “It means I've had some wonderful teachers in my life,” she says. “And it also means that now I'm giving my students the same kind of mentorship that I received.”

She also sees the recognition as an opportunity for thoughtful evaluation. “It means that I have an opportunity to see what's working and what's not,” she says. “And that's the hard part.”

Brar and Pearson’s achievements exemplify 91��ɫ’s commitment to excellence in teaching, innovation and societal impact.

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The Faculty of Education is proud to honour two exceptional faculty members whose contributions to research and graduate education continue to shape our community in profound ways.

Graduate Teaching Award – Lisa Farley
The Graduate Teaching Award honours the impact of teaching, curriculum development, and pedagogy and recognizes those who display substantial, significant, and sustained excellence, as well as commitment and enthusiasm to the multifaceted aspects of teaching at the graduate level.

We are thrilled to announce the recipient of this year’s award, Professor Lisa Farley.  In nominating her for this award, students commend Farley as “an outstanding graduate teacher, supervisor, and mentor who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to fostering students’ academic and professional growth through sustained and meaningful mentorship. Her approach to supervision is distinguished by accessibility, opportunity, humility, and her teaching invites students to engage deeply with difficult and disruptive knowledge. Through her mentorship, she has helped countless graduate students develop not only as researchers and educators, but as thoughtful contributors to the field of education.

Dean’s Research Impact Award – Emerging Stream – Natalia Balyasnikova
The Dean’s Research Impact Award highlights research excellence, leadership, and innovation in the Emerging Stream. The award celebrates promising scholars whose work already demonstrates significant impact and potential for long-term leadership in the field.

We are excited to announce that this year’s award has been granted to Professor Natalia Balyasnikova. In nominating her for this award, colleagues highlighted Balyasnikova’s “ability to identify critical issues, develop context-specific solutions, and create unique methodologies to explore and address these challenges”. Balyasnikova’s expertise, commitment, attention to detail, remarkable ability to engage and critically explore a wide range of significant topics, research methodologies, and theoretical frameworks, and contributions to academic excellence make her an outstanding researcher.

“As we celebrate Professors Farley and Balyasnikova, we also celebrate the broader culture of excellence, mentorship, and innovation that defines our Faculty”, commented Associate Dean Research, Khaled Barkaoui. “Their work not only advances knowledge, but also exemplifies what it means to lead with care, insight and impact in the field of education”.

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In a new article published in the Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Faculty of Education Professor Dr. Molade Osibodu explores how mathematics classrooms continue to marginalize Black students in Ontario.

Titled “What’s Black Got to Do with It?”, the study investigates the experiences of eight Black secondary students in the Greater Toronto Area, uncovering how math spaces remain shaped by antiblackness, despite recent policy changes like the 2020–2021 move to destream Grade 9 math. Students described having to constantly prove their intelligence, encountering racialized assumptions about ability, rarely seeing Black math teachers, and facing silence around social issues in class.

Dr. Osibodu’s work offers critical insight into the structural barriers Black learners face and points toward more inclusive, responsive teaching practices in mathematics education.

Read the full article here:

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91��ɫ’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30 awards program is a prestigious annual recognition of outstanding young alumni who are making significant contributions in their fields and communities. This year, the Faculty of Education proudly highlights alumna Blessing Owusu, a three‑time 91��ɫ graduate, as one of the honorees. Blessing is an educator, children’s book author, and dedicated advocate for equity and inclusivity in education.

A leader in inclusive teaching, her master’s research on Black students’ experiences in schools led to the creation of Abena’s Adventures: A Taste of Home, a children’s book inspired by her Ghanaian‑Canadian heritage that is now used in classrooms to celebrate cultural identity and belonging. She also launched Lessons With Blessing, an online platform offering resources to help educators create equitable, affirming learning environments. These innovative contributions, reflecting her commitment to “bringing inclusivity and equity to the forefront” of teaching, research and advocacy earned her a place on 91��ɫ’s 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 list.

For the complete list of recipients and their profiles, visit 91��ɫ’s official Top 30 Alumni Under 30 awards page.

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In a remarkable recognition of his lifelong commitment to sustainability, 91��ɫ’s Charles Hopkins has earned the esteemed 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

The award celebrates his significant contributions to education, positioning him among a select group of leaders in higher education and sustainability transformation. Hopkins, who holds the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education Towards Sustainability at 91��ɫ, is the seventh recipient since the award’s inception in 2006 and the first Canadian to receive the award.

Since assuming the role of UNESCO Chair at 91��ɫ in 1999, he has dedicated his efforts to integrating sustainable practices into both the curricula and operations of the University. 

Through his leadership, Hopkins has helped develop collaborations between institutions, engaging thousands of learners in activities that aim to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. 

Hopkins has also been a driving force for advancing education for sustainable development (ESD) initiatives across the globe. He coordinates two global research networks (the International Network of Teacher Education Institutions and the #IndigenousESD Network), each active in more than 50 countries, and acts as co-director of the Asia-Pacific Institute on ESD in Beijing. 

“AASHE is honoured to highlight the work of a person who has committed his life’s work to advancing education for sustainable development," says Meghan Fay Zahniser, executive director of AASHE. "Through decades of international and regional collaborations, Hopkins’ work continues to inspire and advance equitable learning across the globe.” 

The award honours outstanding leaders – both academic and practitioners – with 10 or more years of impactful contributions to the advancement of sustainability in higher education. 

“This award symbolizes the collective effort of many passionate individuals at 91��ɫ who are dedicated to sustainability,” says Hopkins. “Together, we strive to harness education as a powerful tool for creating meaningful change.” 

Hopkins’ extensive commitment to sustainability has positioned 91��ɫ as a leader in the field and has contributed to the development of transformative educational practices that cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards.  

To read more about AASHE’s awards programs, visit . 

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