PANELLISTS:

����  Salsabel Almanssori, Assistant Professor of Health Education, 91��ɫ

Salsabel joins 91��ɫ following her time as a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) postdoctoral fellow and course instructor at the University of Windsor.

Research Focus: Sexual violence, technology-facilitated violence, and community-engaged health education.

Impact: Through partnerships with schools, educators, and communities, her work examines how educational systems can better prevent and respond to violence. She utilizes trauma-informed, equity-oriented approaches that prioritize harm reduction and meaningful collaboration.

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  Kara Dymond, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, 91��ɫ

Kara joins 91��ɫ after earning her PHD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. While there, she taught and developed graduate courses focused on accessibility and neurodiversity-affirming pedagogy.

Research Focus: Disability and well-being, normalcy, and possibilities for post-normalcy in education and broader societal discourse.

Impact: Dymond serves on Strategic Priority Committee 5 advising on Canada's Autism Strategy and on the Learning Disabilities Association of 91��ɫ-Simcoe Board of Directors. In 2025, she received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her dedication to improving the lives of autistic people and their communities across Canada.

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Jesse Staats, Assistant Professor, 91��ɫ

Jesse joins 91��ɫ with deep community roots; his father is Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River and his mother is of Irish and English descent from Mississauga.

Research Focus: His doctoral research examined Indigenous university governance, specifically looking at how Ontario universities engage Indigenous communities and organizations through Indigenous Education Councils in governance processes (including boards of governors, senates, and presidents offices.

Impact: His research agenda plans to explore Indigenous experiences on university boards, Indigenous faculty experiences through senate and committee work, and approaches to transforming governance relationships between universities and Indigenous Peoples to align with Indigenous visions for self-determination.

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FACILITATOR

Stephanie Fearon, Assistant Professor of Black Thriving and Education, 91��ɫ

Research Focus: Fearon's scholarship centers on "Black motherwork," exploring how Black matriarchal storytelling traditions–encompassing oration, folk tles, music, dance and culinary arts––can be meaningfully integrated into educational systems. Her research leverages these traditions to support Black student well-being and cultivate critical literacy skills.

Impact: Grounded in respect and co-creation her approach intentionally positions Black mothers as equal partners to counter historically extractive academic research methods. She utilizes collaborative, arts-informed, ancdcreative media (such as graphic narratives and short stories)  to communicate her findings accessibly beyond the academy.

Please RSVP your attendance by Monday, October 19, 2026

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On Wednesday, November 4th, catch a free screening of the award-winning documentary “Rodeo Women”, directed by #91��ɫUEducation’s Celia Haig-Brown.

Funded by a SSHRC Insight Grant, “Rodeo Women” is an autoethographic/videoethnography that documents the work of women–contemporary and historic–involved in producing rodeo in the Canadian west. Having often been invisible, these women, including Indigenous women, challenge the public’s understandings of rodeo as solely the site of white masculinity.

Stop by the Nick Mirkopoulos Screening Room in 004 Accolade East, from 6:30 PM to 9 PM, to watch the film followed by a reception and Q&A with the director, scholars, and editors.

We hope to see you there!

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Interested in conducting research with schools/boards but unsure where to start or what they might expect of you? Your search is over! Come meet our expert researchers representing four Ontario school boards. They will discuss important aspects of building university/public education research relationships and strategies on how to sustain them. Lots of time for discussion so please bring your questions!

Session will be facilitated by professors Carl James and Gillian Parekh.

Panelists:

������������DzԱ������is the Manager of Research and Strategic Analytics with the Durham District School Board and has a focus on making research meaningful, enlightening, and timely.

�ٲ��������������Ա���is the Executive Manager of Research and Organizational Transformation at the Waterloo Region District School Board where his primary responsibilities include board improvement and equity planning and research-informed decision-making.

�����������ʰ��������� is a senior researcher and co-chair of the external research review committee at the Toronto District School Board.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Thinking about pursuing your MEd or PhD degree?

Join us for the Graduate Program in Education Info Session Night (Open House) to learn more about 91��ɫ's Graduate Program in Language, Culture & Teaching – one of Canada's most innovative and interdisciplinary programs.

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026

Time: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Location: Grad Lounge - 113 Winters College (91��ɫ, Keele Campus)

During this session, prospective students will:

• Learn about the program's structure and areas of specialization
• Meet current students and faculty
• Get guidance on the application process
• Discover how 91��ɫ supports graduate students in advancing their scholarly and professional goals

RSVP by November 9, 2026 to attend this in-person event.

For more information about the Graduate Program in Language, Culture & Teaching, visit /����/���ٳܻ��Գٲ�/��������ܲ��ٱ�-����Dz���������/��

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