Grad Studies | Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

From research to rights: 91��ɫ project supports self-determination in Central America, Caribbean

vinish — Fri, 16 May 2025 17:51:04 +0000

A research initiative led by 91��ɫ is building lasting partnerships and resources to support community-driven autonomy strategies across Central America and the Caribbean. In 2024, Prilly Bicknell-Hersco sat on the shaded porch of a house on Colombia’s San Andrés Archipelago, surrounded by seven Raizal women, an Afro-Caribbean ethnic group native to the region. A PhD student in the Faculty of Education, Bicknell-Hersco was there as the senior research assistant for a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)-funded project led by Miguel González, professor in 91��ɫ’s Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.

Keeping it in the family: 91��ɫ mother-daughter duo co-edit book on feral femininity

vinish — Fri, 09 May 2025 13:30:32 +0000

Academic publishing isn’t usually a family affair, but a 91��ɫ professor and her alumna daughter have proven to be an exception with a book that explores women who exist outside rigid patriarchal norms. When Casey O’Reilly-Conlin earned her master’s degree from 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change in 2019, her major research paper, The Feline, Feminine, and Familiar: Co-histories of Domestic Micro-Rebellions, explored how women and cats have been linked in Western culture—from medieval witch imagery to the modern “crazy cat lady” trope. Among those captivated by her work was her mother, Andrea O’Reilly, professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies in 91��ɫ's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and an internationally recognized scholar in motherhood studies.

91��ɫ strengthens future of muscular health research

vinish — Wed, 07 May 2025 13:20:55 +0000

A summer school program hosted by 91��ɫ’s Muscle Health Research Centre is preparing Canada’s next generation of researchers in the field of neuromuscular disease. The two-day program equips 32 graduate students and post-doctoral fellow trainees with critical tools to enhance their research capabilities and professional networks, laying a foundation for more effective research collaboration across the nation. Hosted at 91��ɫ, the second annual Neuromuscular Disease Network for Canada (NMD4C) Basic Neuromuscular Research Summer School offers a unique blend of specialized lectures and hands-on laboratory workshops.

Professor's media literacy curriculum expands to global audiences

vinish — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 19:27:05 +0000

From news clips to viral social media posts, the way media is edited increasingly shapes how we understand the world—often in ways we don’t even notice. Scenes are cropped, quotes are spliced and images are framed to provoke emotional reactions and influence perception. These subtle manipulations have become so pervasive that discerning fact from spin is a growing challenge, particularly in a media landscape dominated by social platforms and endless content streams. At 91��ɫ, Associate Professor Manfred Becker of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design is a documentary filmmaker recognized for his award-winning work in the field. He is working to empower students to navigate the complexities of the media landscape through a critical media literacy curriculum, and is teaching high school students to recognize how editing creates meaning, and how the truth isn’t always what it seems.

FGS celebrates 60 Years of Knowledge Creation!

vinish — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:30:00 +0000

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) celebrated its 60^th Anniversary with an alumni panel discussion, commemorative website launch, and grad community get-together as part of its first in-person Faculty Council meeting since March 2020.

“Knowledge creation for a better world has always been at the heart of what we do,” Dean MacLachlan said. “We have forged new paths in interdisciplinary methodologies and media, challenging accepted theoretical frameworks and entrenched social and practical problems.”

“As we unveil a 60th anniversary website today that honours our past, and celebrate the alumni who are currently, in this moment, making a difference on the world, please join me in advocating for and building an even better future in FGS,” Dean MacLachlan concluded.

_{FGS's 60th Anniversary official asset}

_{From left to right the names are as follows: Alice MacLachlan, Vice-Provost & Dean; Alejandro Mayoral Baños; Richa Gupta; Kerry-Ann James; Tokunbo Ojo, Associate Dean, Students; Cheryl van Daalen-Smith, Associate Dean, Academic}

The website takes visitors on a journey through the history of the faculty. Through the Years charts the growth of the FGS in terms of student population and program growth, expanding campuses and financial support for graduate education at 91��ɫ.

The Testimonials section features messages from the Dean and former Deans and from staff and former staff speaking about FGS and graduate education, the number of degrees awarded, program growth in the past 24 years, the annual amounts of scholarships and funding, and the Top 30 alumni under 30.

Under Awards and Recognition are the different prizes the faculty hands out—Postdoctoral Supervisor of the Year, the Faculty Teaching Award and, for students, the Thesis and Dissertation Prizes. This section also includes prestigious award recipients for Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, Banting Postdoctoral Researchers, and the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship for Black and Indigenous Scholars — as well as Grad Studies Highlights and Research Spotlights and a 60-year timeline.

The Highlights of the Last Decade section of the website captures the changes that have occurred at the faculty since it celebrated 50 years of graduate education, while the FGS Gallery takes visitors to the FGS Flickr account and the pictures from different events staff from FGS has been involved in, in recent years.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies was established in 1963 and opened its doors to 91��ɫ’s first graduate cohort of just 11 students the following year,. 91��ɫ was the first university in Canada to offer a PhD degree in women’s studies and the first to accept doctoral dissertations written in an Indigenous language.

Cheryl van Daalen-Smith, Associate Dean Academic, recapped a recent visioning exercise the Faculty hosted with stakeholders which utilized the skills of Drawing Change artist Sam Bradd. “We envision fostering 60 more years of knowledge creation,” she said while the results of the exercise were projected on the screen behind her. Drawing attention to the centre of the art piece, van Daalen-Smith said, “There is the need for grad studies to be valued and prioritized.”

Tokunbo Ojo, Associate Dean Students, introduced the three alumni panelists to the audience, Alejandro Mayoral Baños (MA ’16, PhD ’21), Executive Director of Access Now, a global organization, Richa Gupta (MBA ’10), a passionate entrepreneur and marketer who founded Canadian brand Good Food for Good, and Kerry-Ann James (MA ’24), a tv/film actress, film scholar, curator and former high-performance track athlete.

^{Drawing Change artist, Sam Bradd, capturing 60 years of knowledge creation in FGS}

Speaking about his particular journey, Baños said one of the aspects he always likes to share with people is the interdisciplinary nature of his journey. “I was a nightmare for a lot of the admin staff here at 91��ɫ,” he said. As an international student, he went from Dean’s office to Dean’s office, trying to explore how he could tackle his research and also looking for funding. He did his Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and his doctorate in Communication and Culture.

If there was any advice he could give someone currently where he was in grad school, Baños said, “You’re going to encounter a lot of issues that are not easy to resolve. I saw a lot of my peers complaining about finances, their supervisor, the program,” he said. “You need to find yourself and find a pathway forward.” He said he found a support group with some of his peers by creating writing groups. “We created these writing groups and we were accountable to each other,” he said. “It was a way to move forward just building that accountability system.”

It was while doing a Master’s degree in Business Administration at Schulich School of Business that Gupta discovered a social enterprise. “You can create a profitable business and do good in this world,” she said, adding, beginning in January 2025 she will also be teaching social entrepreneurship at Schulich. She built an award-winning, values-driven food brand, Good Food for Good, from the ground up, which is now available in stores across Canada and the United States. She also mentors new businesses in Canada and the US about how to scale sustainably. Gupta said she would tell current students, “I know it’s difficult, but there’s a lot we can learn in grad school to get us to the next phase of our life.”

James pointed out she had graduated with her Master’s degree in Cinema and Media Studies a couple of weeks previously. She praised her program administration for being “so accommodating of me doing multiple things at once, having the opportunity to explore different possibilities.” She added, “I discovered I didn’t have to be a professor to be a serious film person. I was able to create community and filmmaking and story-telling.” Her Master’s degree research was focused on aesthetics exploring the spatiality, temporality and spirituality in contemporary cinema. As guidance to current students, James said “be open to the possibilities around you, be open to not only giving help, but receiving it too.”

Looking forward to the next 60 years of graduate education at 91��ɫ, Dean MacLachlan said, we face multiple challenges and possibilities, from an unstable world order that must confront problems of climate change, forced migration, violence and dispossession, to scholarly questions such as the need to decolonize how we conceive of intellectual property, acknowledging the rights of Indigenous communities to data sovereignty, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in graduate research and pedagogy. “We are adapting to these,” the dean said, “even as we rise to meet the needs of a changing graduate student population whose devotion to research and professional development is matched by other commitments: to their families, their communities, the world we all share and the problems we all face.”

91��ɫ Master’s student honoured by PEN Canada for humanitarian work

vinish — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:30:26 +0000

Growing up in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and spending eight years as a refugee in Pakistan were both instrumental in shaping one woman’s journey as a life saver for journalists who found themselves in Afghanistan after the American military withdrew in August, 2021.

91��ɫ Master’s student Robina Aryubwal and Journalists for Human Rights are joint recipients of PEN Canada’s 2024 Marie-Ange Garrigue Prize. The award recognizes a Canadian individual or organization that has provided significant help to a writer or journalist outside Canada who has faced threats, violence, harassment, or imprisonment for reporting or commenting on issues of public interest.

Together, Aryubwal and Journalists for Human Rights helped more than 500 people find safety and a fresh start from the embattled country.

“The greatest joy in the world comes from helping others,” Aryubwal said. “There’s something profoundly fulfilling about being there for someone in need, whether it’s through offering support, sharing knowledge, or simply listening to them.”

Aryubwal grew up in Afghanistan under the Taliban. She remembers having a life-defining moment one New Year’s Eve when she was 10 or 11. While everyone was celebrating, she said, she stayed to assist a woman who worked for her mother who had become very sick.

“I stayed by her side. I may not have been able to do much to help,” she said, “but the comfort I gave her meant the world to her. That night, I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others.”

_{A photo of Robina Aryubwal}

She once asked her mother how she can help people better, and she said, ‘Through education’, was her mother’s response.

Growing up in Afghanistan she saw how difficult life could be, particularly for girls—they were not allowed to go to school. Her family refused to accept that and started an underground school for women, teaching them in secret.

_{A photo of Robina Aryubwal and her family at the airport}

“That experience taught me the power of education and the importance of standing up for what’s right, even when it’s dangerous,” Aryubwal said.

In 2021, when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the fear returned. Brave people—journalists, teachers and human rights defenders—were suddenly, once again, in grave danger. It was around that time that she was introduced to Rachel Pulfer by Carol Off. At the time Pulfer was the executive director of Journalists for Human Rights.

“I signed my first contract for a week, which soon became a month, and then I worked with Journalists for Human Rights for almost three years,” Aryubwal said.

Journalists for Human Rights immediately launched an emergency evacuation effort when the Taliban regained control of Kabul. In the first week Pulfer mobilized key donors and coalition members and raised $600,000 for the emergency evacuation fund. The fund eventually grew to $2 million.

“Every life we helped save felt like a small victory in a world full of fear,” she said. “This award is a reminder of those victories. It’s not just for me—it’s for every person who has shown bravery in the face of danger, every family forced to flee, and every girl who still dreams of a better future despite the challenges she faces.”

Aryubwal knows the fear that people face, as well as their pain and their hope. “Because I have lived it,” she said.

This work has meant so much to her, not just because of the lives that were saved, but because they also gave people hope and showed them they were not alone.

She said her life experience was one of the forces that kept driving her forward. As a little girl she lived under the rule of the Taliban, and she thought it was terrible. Following that she spent eight long years as a refugee in Pakistan—which was an incredibly hard journey. After eight years of trying, the family made it to Canada, where Aryubwal resumed her education. She is currently studying a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs (MPIA) at 91��ɫ.

“Every moment was filled with fear and pain.” Aryubwal said she didn’t want other families to suffer what she and her family suffered. That became her motivation to keep pushing forward.

She said she chose the MPIA graduate program because she was captivated by its interdisciplinary, bilingual approach and commitment to blending theory with hands-on experience to address complex global challenges.

“My future goal is to drive impactful policy changes that promote equity, justice and sustainable development through a career in an international organization or governmental agency,” said Aryubwal, “leveraging my passion for humanitarian work to create a better world.”

Three 91��ɫ U graduate students earn Governor General’s Gold Medals

vinish — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:52:18 +0000

Three 91��ɫ graduates received this year’s Governor General’s Gold Medals, which recognize the outstanding scholastic achievements of graduate students in Canada. The 2024 recipients are Jennifer Porat, Carly Goodman and Alison Humphrey.

The Governor General’s Academic Medals are considered the highest honour earned by exemplary Canadian scholars throughout every level of academia. This year’s awardees offered words of gratitude to their peers and mentors, and expressed what the medals mean to them, ahead of their Spring Convocation ceremonies.

Jennifer Porat

Porat earned a PhD in biology following the completion of her bachelor of science degree at 91��ɫ. Both degrees were pursued under the mentorship of Professor Mark Bayfield in the Department of Biology. Her research focused uncovering novel functions for RNA-modifying enzymes and understanding the mechanisms by which they promote RNA function and stability to carry out different cellular processes.

Porat credits Bayfield and his support for her decision to pursue graduate studies at 91��ɫ U and her positive experiences at the University. She also expresses gratitude to the Faculty of Graduate Studies – notably, its funding of conference travel that she urges other students to take advantage of.

“I’m incredibly grateful to be receiving this honour,” says Porat. “I’ve been fortunate enough to conduct research that I am passionate about, so it is very gratifying to learn that other people are excited about my work as well.”

Porat will continue that work as a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University, still focused on RNA biology, in hopes of one day running her own lab.

_{A photo of Jennifer Porat}

Carly Goodman

Goodman earned her master’s degree in clinical developmental psychology within the neuropsychology stream. Her work has focused on conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the sex-specific impact of pre- and post-natal exposure to chemicals on children’s intelligence. Its aim is to provide new insights into prevention strategies and identifying high-risk groups.

Goodman chose to pursue graduate studies at 91��ɫ because of its unique accreditation in clinical neuropsychology, as well as the opportunity to work under Professor Christine Till.

“Her commitment to fostering innovative research and interdisciplinary collaborations has provided me with invaluable learning experiences and opportunities,” Goodman says.

The graduand is grateful for the training in clinical practice, advanced statistics, and the social and biological determinants of health she has received at 91��ɫ U, which contributed to her work now being recognized.

“I am deeply honoured to receive the Governor General’s Gold Medal for the work I completed during my master’s degree,” Goodman says.

The next step of her journey will see her remain at 91��ɫ as a PhD student, once more under Till’s supervision, with doctoral research that will further investigate the impact of chemicals on children’s neurodevelopment and focus on moderating variables that influence risk and resilience.

_{A photo of Carly Goodman}

Alison Humphrey

Humphrey earned her PhD in cinema and media studies, and pursued work with a focus on misinformation and how it draws from storytelling to engineer fear and amplify anger.

She developed a new form of participatory storytelling called “citizen science fiction,” notably through Shadowpox, a mixed-reality storyworld imagining immunization through a superhero metaphor. The project aimed to intervene in the challenge of vaccine hesitancy by helping people explore what makes scientific evidence convincing, what makes a story compelling and how trust can be built or busted to affect people’s actions.

“Receiving the Governor General’s Gold Medal confirms for me that artistic production can contribute as meaningfully to the development of knowledge as the extraordinary doctoral work being done by my peers,” says Humphrey.

Moving forward, Humphrey is pursuing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Global Strategy Lab, where she and her doctoral supervisor Professor Caitlin Fisher will invent mixed-reality interventions against antimicrobial resistance for the initiative “Catalyzing Collective Action at the Intersection of Global Health and the Arts.”

She is also looking to build on work like Shadowpox with an upcoming project called The Undergrid, which will extend the citizen science fiction methodology into climate action.

_{A photo of Alison Humphrey}

About the awards

Pierre Trudeau, Tommy Douglas, Kim Campbell, Robert Bourassa, Robert Stanfield and Gabrielle Roy are just some of the more than 50,000 people who have received a Governor General’s Academic Medal as the start of a life of accomplishment.

Today, the Governor General’s Academic Medals are awarded at four distinct levels: Bronze at the secondary school level; Collegiate Bronze at the post-secondary, diploma level; Silver at the undergraduate level; and Gold at the graduate level. Medals are presented on behalf of the Governor General by participating educational institutions, along with personalized certificates signed by the Governor General. There is no monetary award associated with the medal.

Provided by

FGS presents the 2023 Postdoctoral Supervisor Award to Alison Crosby and Amro Zayed

vinish — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 19:39:43 +0000

The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) honoured two exceptional professors, Alison Crosby and Amro Zayed, with the Postdoctoral Supervisor Award. The celebration took place during the FGS council meeting on Thursday, December 7th.

The Postdoctoral Supervisor Award is presented annually to a faculty member in any department and program at 91��ɫ, who demonstrates exemplary support for postdoc scholars. Nomination letters should provide evidence that the nominee: is a role model for intellectual leadership and professionalism in research; fosters an environment of support for professional skill development; promotes a climate of respect and collegiality; and offers advocacy and guidance in long-term personal and professional developments. Lisa Philipps, Provost & Vice-President Academic, said “This is the kind of work that places 91��ɫ in the Top 40 globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, through our work as a progressive research-intensive institution.”

_{Screenshot of the Council meeting with Vice-Provost & FGS Dean Alice MacLachlan, Provost & Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps, Professor Amro Zayed, and Professor Alison Crosby}

Both Crosby and Zayed exceeded general supervisory expectations through their mentorship creativity, excellence and dedication to their postdoc fellows. This annual award serves to applaud and acknowledge all the important work performed by both professors and their postdoc fellows. Alice MacLachlan, Vice-Provost & Dean, Graduate Studies, said the two recipients embody the award's dedication to mentorship creativity, excellence and dedication. "You serve as a role model for all of us to follow," she added.

Alison Crosby

Crosby is an Associate Professor and Interim Chair of the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. Her research projects and publications use an anti-racist, anti-colonial and transnational feminist lens and participatory methodologies to support protagonists’ multifaceted struggles to redress and memorialize harm in the aftermath of political violence, with a particular focus on Guatemala where she has worked for over 30 years.

Crosby is currently working on the SSHRC-funded research project . The project brings together feminist scholars, artists, activists, and community practitioners from a wide range of contexts and disciplinary perspectives to explore the transnational dimensions of how we collectively remember and memorialize colonial, militarized and state violence. The project also offered Crosby’s postdoc fellow, Dr. Ruth Murambadoro, with a space to house her research and become a part of this digital community.

“Prof Crosby embodies Ubuntu principles of communitarianism, humility, mutual respect, hospitality and so much more, which have enabled me to integrate and chart a new pathway for my career in Canada. She remains a key player in my life and role model, who taught me fundamental lessons on collegiality, humanness and effective mentorship,” noted Murambadoro in her letter of nomination. “I value the contributions that Prof Crosby has made in my research, scholarly and personal development over the time we have worked together.”

In response to the award, Dr. Crosby said, "It's my pleasure, privilege and honour to work with postdoc fellows." Of her nominator, Dr. Murambadoro, she said, "I look forward to my collaborations with her for many years to come."

Amro Zayed

Zayed, a Professor in the Department of Biology and 91��ɫ Research Chair in Genomics, is equally an exemplary intellectual leader, role model and mentor. He is currently the inaugural Director of 91��ɫ’s Centre for Bee Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (BEEc), leading a research program on the genetics, genomics and behaviour of social insects using the honey bee as a model organism.

provides ample opportunities to conduct high-quality research as well as network with academics and industry partners worldwide. The collective achievements of postdocs in his group are commendable, with a total of 28 peer-reviewed publications and 71 conference presentations. Through this dedicated work, Zayed equips postdoc fellows with the skills necessary to successfully navigate the increasingly competitive job market. Since 2009, Zayed has supervised eight exceptional postdoc fellows.

“His approach to leadership has inspired us to seek creative solutions in research and to collaborate with diverse groups of stakeholders. To this end, Amro exemplifies all of the characteristics one would expect of an intellectual leader and role model. He provides a unilateral environment of support to his research group. He is personally invested in our success and well-being, going above and beyond to help with professional skill development. He is actively involved in our career development, prioritising our long-term success over our short-term role in his group,” stated Dr. Sydney Wizenberg and Dr. Sarah French in their letter of nomination.

Dr. Zayed was caught off-guard by the award. "I was really surprised by this. When I started my career I never appreciated the joy of having postdocs." He said he has come to enjoy the contributions made by postdoc fellows and exceptional graduate students.

The Postdoctoral Supervisor of the Year Award accepts nominations annually by no later than June 1 of each year. For more information, please visit: .

91��ɫ graduate students find innovative solutions to contemporary challenges

vinish — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 18:48:00 +0000

Driven by their passions, 91��ɫ graduate students materialize their innovative ideas into reality. Committed to the public good, these outstanding scholars address pressing issues of today that range from decolonizing education to solving global health crises. Keep an eye out for these change agents who will make a positive impact in academia as well as public and business sectors in our communities.

– Doctoral Student, Social & Political Thought

Jefford takes on the imperative work of decolonizing education through the funds of knowledge theory, which promotes student and community-centred participation. “The funds of knowledge works both ways, students and their communities have knowledge which is welcomed and included in the classroom learning, and the teacher can learn from students as well,” explains Jefford.

Conducting research in the Jane and Finch area, Jefford aims to support diverse students with their music learning.  She is also working on professional development with Camérise, a project that seeks to support French as a Second Language teacher retention and inclusion. This critical work has the potential to create positive change in the community by advocating for the diversity, equity and inclusion of marginalized voices.

_{Munjeera Jefford}

– Doctoral Student, Communication & Culture

Marlatt is conducting work on the lived experience of students and alumni of North American Moving Image Archival Education Programs who identify as having a disability, or chronic illness or are neurodivergent. The research covers topics of admissions, campus services, training/internships and career prospects post-graduation. Marlatt is working with programs at TMU, NYU, UCLA and The L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation on the project.

“I'm really just looking at getting more disability inclusion in conversations,” shares Marlatt. “Right now, disability, chronic illness and neurodiversity are quite underrepresented in the archival field especially on the staff side and on the archivist side.”

_{Michael Marlatt}

– Doctoral Student, Gender, Feminist & Women's Studies

Nader is the editor-in-chief of Zan Times, a women-led newsroom that covers human rights violations in Afghanistan with a focus on women, LGBTQI people and environmental issues. Since August 2021, Zahra Nader has been constantly involved in covering the situation of women in Afghanistan. Nader’s research highlights a troubling absence of Afghan women in the country’s history. She emphasizes that without having this knowledge accessible, generations of Afghan women are negatively impacted, and the cycle of oppression continues.

Nader’s research was inspired by her own life experience, “Western media somehow portrayed Afghan women as a victim, but the women who are fighting daily to get their basic human rights, I don't see them as a victim I see them as a fighter.”

_{Zahra Nader}

– Doctoral Student, Nursing (now Alumni)

Ramesh Perumal's dissertation assesses the impact of mentorship and social support on the career advancement of internationally educated nurses (IEN) compared to Canada Educated Nurses. He accentuates that after graduating and obtaining their license, internationally educated nurses still have to navigate challenges in the workforce such as understanding the nuances of communication and the Healthcare System.

“The findings of my study would shed light on the value of establishing mentorship programs and social support networks and workplaces, which will actually enable internationally educated nurses to do well in the profession,” says Perumal.

_{Ramesh V Perumal}

– Doctoral Student, Psychology

Qasim's overall program of research looks at faith-based models of psychology/counselling, as well as working with immigrant and migrant (specifically Syrian refugees) communities. This innovative study investigates how Islamic faith might be used as a coping mechanism, and as a way to manage mental health, mental illness, and everyday stressors.

This community-forward research can create positive impacts both within and outside academia. The findings from the study can be used by teachers to create an Islamic psychology curriculum or mental health workbooks. Additionally, the research can help non-Muslim clinicians to better adapt their theories to make their therapies more culturally appropriate.

_{Kashmala Qasim}

– Doctoral Student, Political Science

Weldon's cutting-edge research investigates political strategies that can improve global cooperation around emerging health threats, including zoonoses and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and draws lessons from global governance of other major issues such as climate change and biodiversity management. AMR is a process where medicines like antibiotics and antivirals stop working against infectious diseases. Weldon posits that the problem with AMR is that these medicines will stop working and solutions must be identified in order to conserve the existing stock of effective antimicrobials while innovating new ones to replenish that clean stock.

_{Isaac Weldon}

Listening and learning from current Black graduate scholars

vinish — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:09:00 +0000

Black graduate students and faculty members at 91��ɫ have demonstrated a shared interest in organizing to begin conversations around what supports Black scholars at the University need to thrive and excel in their academic careers. Graduate scholars Britney Andrews, Jake Okechukwn Effoduh, Sharon Henry and Yohana Solomon, along with Dr. Jude Kong and Dr. Alvine Belle have connected to address this need and brainstorm concrete and actionable steps that can be taken to support Black graduate students at 91��ɫ. After sending a call to connect and receiving a plethora of positive responses to join the mailing list, the group of Black graduate students and faculty organized a gathering dedicated to creating a space for Black graduate students to freely discuss their experiences with one another.

Held at Founders Assembly Hall, the in-person session began with a socializing period, where attendees introduced themselves to one another and became acquainted.

"The joy in their faces as they connected with fellow Black students spoke volumes. It's clear: we need a micro-community where students can find safety in vulnerability, sharing their concerns and supporting each other through the challenges they face on campus and in life, free from judgment," shares Kong. "A safe haven for these students isn't just about well-being; it's a home away from home, a sanctuary for their unique journeys. Here, Black students can meet, share ideas, and transcend boundaries, bridging contexts and specific situations.

The event also included a discussion period revolving around the needs of Black graduate students at 91��ɫ and how these unique needs can be met. Attendees were asked four questions: 1) What challenges do you face as a Black graduate student on or off campus? In your opinion, how can we as a community and the University address these challenges? 2) How do you envision a Black space on campus designed specifically for Black 91��ɫ graduate students? 3) What opportunities for building community do you wish were available at 91��ɫ? How important is it for you to connect with other Black graduate students? 4) Should we have a Black graduate council on campus? If so, what should the organizational structure look like? What activities should it engage in to address challenges Black graduate students experience?

_{Attendees discussed shared experiences over a meal}

The answers to the questions illustrate the steps that the University can take to address systemic barriers Black graduate students face and help reduce the difficulties many Black scholars experience while navigating their academic journey at 91��ɫ. Three main areas of future support were identified by those in attendance: 1) additional funding; 2) the formation of a Black graduate student council; and 3) the creation of permanent space on campus dedicated to Black-identifying students.

Making additional funding available is important to alleviate some of the pressures felt by Black graduate students. Some attendees indicated that they faced housing and/or food precarity, which impacted their studies. Black international students described the difficulty and burden they felt as newcomers navigating a new country with limited economic resources and little social capital. Additionally, Black graduate students who are parents or care providers for those in their families expressed the need for additional financial support.

_{Food was served to facilitate conversation and collegiality}

Another essential initiative is the creation of a Black graduate student council. Often being one of few Black graduate students in their classes or cohorts, attendees discussed the extreme isolation they experienced within the academy. Forming a Black graduate student council would foster community building among Black scholars throughout their academic careers. The council would attend to specific needs such as advocacy for the creation of supports; increased awareness of current resources on campus, funding, and scholarships; retention of Black graduate students; and opportunities for post-doctoral research. This council will also be involved in planning events geared towards the academic success and social well-being of Black graduate students.

Attendees also flagged the significance of having a permanent space on campus dedicated to Black-identifying students. To effectively support Black graduate students, this space should be available seven days a week. Serving as a meeting place, Black graduate students can come together, connect with those in their communities and discuss their similar and differing experiences. Along with social support, Black graduate students can also provide one another with academic support in the space.

"When students feel comfortable expressing their concerns, a beautiful transformation occurs. They not only open up to each other but also create a space for mutual support, resource sharing, and countless opportunities. This change not only reduces dropout rates but also unlocks the dormant potential of 91��ɫU's invaluable resources," says Kong.

Those who attended the session indicated that with further promotion of future events, more members of the Black graduate student community will be able to join in on the conversation. Overall, the event received positive feedback. The in-person meeting demonstrated an overwhelming need for the continued engagement of Black graduate students on campus to help reduce the difficulties so many Black scholars experience while navigating the institution.

“All of us at FGS are thrilled by this development, and we are grateful to the students and faculty who have so generously and enthusiastically committed their time and expertise to building support for fellow Black scholars at 91��ɫ,” remarks Alice MacLachlan, Vice-Provost and Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies. “We see support for such conversations as an important part of our broader material commitment to decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion, expressed in an April 2023 FGS Faculty Council Motion.”

_{Attendees were placed in groups to facilitate discussion}