A  led by 91亚色 follows Class of '73 high school graduates over the span of five decades in The Story of a Generation, a book that offers powerful insights on the baby boomer generation.

Culminating in a new book titled , the research marks the longest-running Canadian generational study of its kind, following nearly 50 years in the lives of a cohort of high school students who graduated in 1973. 

The project originated with Paul Anisef, professor emeritus at 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies who began with a survey of high school students to help the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities understand and project post-secondary enrolment.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have in my mind at all that this would become a long-standing longitudinal study,鈥� says Anisef. 鈥淚t started as a ministry-sponsored survey of high school students, and one thing led to another.鈥� 

Encouraged by colleagues after the initial survey, Anisef returned repeatedly to the same group of students 鈥� just under 2,500 members of the class of 1973 鈥� surveying and interviewing them in seven waves, from adolescence through midlife and into their early to mid-'60s. 

The final phase, conducted between 2019 and 2021, captured their reflections as many approached retirement, offering a rare, lifespan perspective on Canadians. 

The newly released book is co-authored along with 91亚色 Faculty of Education professors Paul Axelrod and Carl James, as well as 91亚色 PhD student Erika McDonald, and includes contributions from Wolfgang Lehmann, Karen Robson and Erica Fae Thomson. It鈥檚 a follow-up to an earlier volume, Opportunity and Uncertainty: Life Course Experiences of the Class of 鈥�73 (2000). 

Read the full story in the January 16, 2026 issue of Yfile

The post Following 50 years of Canadian life appeared first on Faculty of Education.

Two 91亚色 community members 鈥� Professor Satinder Kaur Brar and Faculty of Education PhD candidate Anna Pearson 鈥� have been recognized with a 2024 Minister鈥檚 Award of Excellence from Ontario鈥檚 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鈥� 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亚色鈥檚 , 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. 鈥淥nce it [the method for cleaning sites] gets into the field, that is where the real magic starts,鈥� 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 鈥渇antastic surprise鈥� and emphasizes the recognition is a shared achievement with her research team. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great boost for them to understand that whatever we do in the lab does see light of the day at some point,鈥� she says.

Brar also highlights the importance of collaboration with stakeholders and industry. 鈥淭his kind of recognition reinforces the belief that we can transition from lab to field,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd when we see the results in the field, it can have fantastic repercussions.鈥�

Pearson, a PhD candidate at 91亚色, received the award in the category of Future-Proofing Ontario鈥檚 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. 鈥淚t means I've had some wonderful teachers in my life,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd it also means that now I'm giving my students the same kind of mentorship that I received.鈥�

She also sees the recognition as an opportunity for thoughtful evaluation. 鈥淚t means that I have an opportunity to see what's working and what's not,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd that's the hard part.鈥�

Brar and Pearson鈥檚 achievements exemplify 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to excellence in teaching, innovation and societal impact.

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The Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at 91亚色 will host a symposium to explore how human activity is pushing ecological limits to a breaking point, and climate change is a fundamental threat to human life.

Taking place on Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., both in person at the Keele Campus and online, the Planetary Health for a Planetary Emergency symposium aims to bring together scholars from the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research and across 91亚色 who work at the intersection of climate change and health, to discuss the potentials of planetary health as a driver of just climate action.

This event will also launch the Dahdaleh Institute Planetary Health Research Council which supports a collaborative research community of faculty, postdoctoral Fellows and graduate students committed to planetary health research at 91亚色 and beyond. 

The event draws attention to the need for clear associations between climate change and health, and to develop critical problem-solving interventions and advocate for climate action that advances well-being for all. The symposium will explore questions, such as: How do we do this while holding a critical view of the systems and structures which have led us into this climate catastrophe, including the ideologies of colonialism and capitalism that underpin the modern era? How do we advance effective and equitable solutions for planetary health that work against these systems and structures instead of upholding them?

The day鈥檚 agenda will include panel discussions with three themes featuring guest speakers.

Water: This panel explores the role water plays at the confluence of environmental and human health. Speakers will discuss efforts to support vital biological and social functions of water in the face of our rapidly changing climate and how such efforts might be positioned to work towards more just, sustainable and integrated water management.

Speaking on the topic of water will be: Deborah McGregor, a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice and a professor cross-appointed with Osgoode Hall Law School and the Faculty of Environment & Urban Change at 91亚色; Sapna Sharma, an associate professor in the Department of Biology at 91亚色 and 91亚色 Research Chair in Global Change Biology; and Byomkesh Talukder, an assistant professor at the Department of Global Health at Florida International University. Moderating this panel will be Caroline Diana Duncan, a PhD candidate in civil engineering at 91亚色 with a strong focus on optimizing drinking water in the Arctic using participatory approaches to system dynamics modelling.

Land: This panel examines the role of land in achieving planetary health, taking a wide view across issues of food security, extractivism, urbanization and conservation. This includes examples of how land is inherently interconnected with people and the environment and how access to land and tenure rights are themselves a determinant of human and environmental health.

Discussion on topics related to land will be led by: Dayna N. Scott, an associate professor and 91亚色 Research Chair in Environmental Law & Justice with Osgoode Hall Law School at 91亚色 where she is also cross appointed with the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change; James Stinson, a postdoctoral Fellow in Planetary Health Education at 91亚色, cross appointed to the Faculty of Education and the Dahdaleh Institute of Global Health Research; Raphael Aguiar, a PhD candidate in the Health Policy and Equity program at 91亚色 and a Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholar; and Sarah Rotz, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change. This panel will be moderated by Nilanjana (Nell) Ganguli, a PhD student in the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change.

Air: This last panel addresses how air is brought into our approaches to planetary health, drawing together a range of fields related to emissions reduction, human well-being, air pollution and climate adaptation. Speakers will consider how air pollution disproportionately impacts low income and marginalized populations as well as the climate policy synergies of tackling air pollution that both damages health and impairs ecosystems.

Participating in this discussion are: Cora Young, an associate professor and the Rogers Chair in Chemistry at 91亚色; Eric B. Kennedy, an associate professor and area coordinator of the Disaster and Emergency Management program at 91亚色; and Jean-Thomas Tremblay, an assistant professor of environmental humanities at 91亚色. Moderating this panel will be Hillary Birch, a PhD student in the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change at 91亚色, where she is a SSHRC doctoral Fellow.

For more information, or to register, visit the event webpage.

Article originally published in the November 7, 2023 issue of

The post Symposium explores planetary health, planetary crises appeared first on Faculty of Education.

Human activity is pushing ecological limits to a breaking point, and climate change is a fundamental threat to human life.

Now more than ever we need to draw clear associations between climate change and health, develop critical problem-solving interventions, and advocate for climate action that advances wellbeing for all. How do we do this while holding a critical view of the systems and structures which have led us into this climate catastrophe, including the ideologies of colonialism and capitalism that underpin the modern era? How do we advance effective and equitable solutions for planetary health that work against these systems and structures instead of upholding them?

This symposium on critical planetary health brings together scholars from the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research and across 91亚色 who work at the intersection of climate change and health, to discuss the potentials of planetary health as a driver of just climate action. This event will also launch the Dahdaleh Institute Planetary Health Research Council which supports a collaborative research community of faculty, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students committed to planetary health research at 91亚色 and beyond.

This symposium will be held in-person at 91亚色 (Keele campus). The event will also be streamed on Zoom.

Learn more and register

The post Planetary Health for a Planetary Emergency Symposium appeared first on Faculty of Education.

91亚色 will honour Faculty of Education Professor Sharon Murphy for her outstanding research contributions to the University with a 2022 University Professorship. It will be recognized and celebrated during Spring Convocation.

A University Professor is a member of faculty recognized for extraordinary participation and contribution to university life, as well as scholarship and teaching success. The award is conferred upon long-serving tenured faculty members who have made extraordinary contributions to the University as colleagues, teachers and scholars.

Such achievement fulfills the following requirements: significant long-term contribution to the development or growth of the University or of its parts; significant participation in the collegium through mentorship, service and/or governance; sustained impact over time on the University鈥檚 teaching mission; and recognition as a scholar.

Murphy, who currently serves as associate dean, academic in the Faculty of Education, is an esteemed scholar and educator in early childhood language and literacy studies, in learning assessment and in the role of play and creativity in learning and child development. 

鈥淎mong the highest lifetime honours a university can bestow on faculty, the University Professorship is awarded to Sharon Murphy to recognize her extraordinary contributions to 91亚色 and to the communities we serve,鈥� says Rhonda L. Lenton, 91亚色 president and vice-chancellor. 鈥淎 truly outstanding scholar with significant research impact and a devoted academic leader, Sharon鈥檚 many achievements and unfailing allegiance to 91亚色鈥檚 core social justice values 鈥� as well as her tireless work to prepare the next generation of Faculty of Education students 鈥� is a deep inspiration to all. Sharon is simply the best of us, and this honour is so richly deserved.鈥� 

Murphy joined 91亚色 in 1988 after a career in education in Newfoundland and Labrador. During her time at 91亚色, she has held several leadership roles including: director of the Graduate Program in Education; associate dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies; undergraduate program director. She has also served as a coordinator for two graduate diplomas, and in 2020, stepped into the role of interim dean of the Faculty of Education during a challenging time in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Many of her contributions to the Faculty of Education revolve around her scholarly interests, including: the development of courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels; the development of graduate diplomas in early childhood education and in language and literacy; supervision of a significant number of graduate students; and a long history of active participation and leadership in local, national and international scholarly associations. 

As graduate program director, she participated on several committees to establish the Faculty of Education Doctoral Program and played an essential role in growing the program by expanding course offerings and diversifying the Faculty鈥檚 Summer Institute. She also co-developed the first Type 2 and 4 graduate diplomas offered at 91亚色, and is renowned for her work in co-developing and coordinating diplomas in early childhood education and language literacy. She supported the development of the first Graduate Students鈥� Guidebook for faculty and students, which continues to serve as the roadmap for students on their journey through their degrees. 

As well, at the completion of her term as graduate program director, she served as associate dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies where she turned her attention to the renewal of collegial governance structures and worked with graduate program directors, program staff and graduate students to come up with processes and procedures that ensure fairness, accountability, transparency and continuity. 

鈥淎s I have served the University in different capacities over the years, the thing that I have learned is how complex our institution is and how motivated staff and faculty are to have the lives we live here exemplify our motto 鈥� Tentanda via 鈥� the way must be tried 鈥� which is a wonderful testament to us all,鈥� said Murphy. 

Her strategic leadership has greatly benefitted the 91亚色 community; Murphy has actioned several initiatives that align with 91亚色鈥檚 commitments to decolonization in education, equity, diversity and inclusion. She led the intensification and expansion of hiring Indigenous faculty, and also appointed a special advisor on anti-Black racism and inclusion. 

She is described by her nominators as an unfailing, trustworthy, and deeply fair leader who puts the University, and the Faculty of Education, first. 

Article from the June 8, 2022 issue of

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