Indigenous Scholars Archives - Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

Reflecting on 2022: Important initiatives taking flight at FGS

vinish — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 14:20:00 +0000

91��ɫ developed its most recent University Academic Plan (UAP) in 2020, which included a university-wide challenge to contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs act as a framework to take urgent action in 17 areas that are critical to ensure peace and prosperity for people and the planet. 91��ɫ’s SDG challenge has enabled faculty, staff and students to think outside the box and create meaningful change in the community. From addressing SDG #4 (Quality Education) to SDG #10 (Reduced Inequalities), here are just a few of the important initiatives that took place at the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) in 2022.

Over 400 research and professional development initiatives have been funded through the Academic Excellence Fund (AEF). Many graduate students rely on internal funding in order to cover and subsidize research expenses. This easily accessible fund provides the resources necessary to present and publish research, collaborate with others and participate in professional development activities. Supporting quality education (SDG #4) embodies 91��ɫ’s commitment to fostering a positive educational experience for all.

Graduate Student Wellness Services welcomed their first clinical practicum student. The addition to the Wellness Consultation & Counselling team during the 2021-22 academic year provides greater access to grad-specific counselling at 91��ɫ. This initiative promotes good health and well-being (SDG #3) through the easily accessible wellness consultations, which can provide a starting point for students seeking to enhance their personal mental health.

Meta endowed a prestigious $250k fellowship. This endowment establishes the first-ever corporate-sponsored graduate fund for sustaining vision research at 91��ɫ, which the University has dedicated to its Centre for Vision Research. SDG #9 (Industry, innovation, and infrastructure) emphasizes how important it is to promote innovation in order to enable positive change and foster a successful community. 91��ɫ has been producing cutting-edge work in vision research for decades and now has further support to continue this globally impactful work.

Four outstanding scholars were named recipients of the 2022 Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Scholars. Sylvester Aboagye, Landing Badji, Leora Gansworth and Graeme Reed are this year’s recipients of the fellowship. This important initiative sets individuals up for a successful career by providing four scholars annually with a salary of $70,000 per year for a two-year term and supporting their research and collaboration endevours.

FGS partnered with the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) and the Indigenous Council to build an Indigenous Queue in Grad Adjudication. This new feature enables the review and contextualization of Indigenous applications by Indigenous Faculty members and responds to the Indigenous Framework's call to increase the recruitment and admission of Indigenous applicants. This initiative acts as a key opportunity area for 91��ɫ to facilitate greater access to higher education and is reflective of SDG #10 (Reduced Inequality). 91��ɫ aims to promote an inclusive research culture by creating policies and initiatives that encourage equality and hopes that other institutions follow suit.

The number of Indigenous Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Awards increased annually for Indigenous graduate scholars. The additional resource will enable Indigenous researchers to access much needed funding, promote culturally responsive research and engage in collaborative initiatives.

Academic integrity training becomes mandatory for incoming Graduate students. FGS’ commitment to academic honesty is at the forefront of this initiative. By establishing a mandatory academic integrity training requirement for incoming graduate students effective 2023, 91��ɫ is committed to academic honesty.

FGS standardized program-level guidelines for Graduate Milestone Examinations. To enhance the graduate student experience and support timely completion of studies, FGS supported the creation of Standardized program-level guidelines for Graduate Milestone Examinations such as the comprehensive examinations and research evaluations.

Postdoctoral researchers now have access to the Individualized Development Plan (IDP). The IDP is employed to structure conversations with one’s supervisor concerning professional skills development and to provide a framework for navigating various opportunities at the institution. This resource acts as a valuable tool for postdocs that can enable them to build a successful career.

FGS partnered with UIT to build an online portal for graduate petitions. Digitizing the petition process eliminates a paper based and manual process, allowing submission tracking and online access for ease of file review. This initiative is a key opportunity to support the graduate student experience and improves the quality and efficiency of services. Introducing online platforms into the community and eliminating paper use also promotes sustainable lifestyles, which is an important part of SDG #12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Future students can find out more about 91��ɫ and everything the university is undertaking for the success of the community through the newly Launched Choose Grad 91��ɫ initiative– the first ever graduate conversion event. These events include: 1) a breakdown of the different parts of an offer of admission, which may include different types of funding; 2) a networking opportunity with alumni who have translated their studies into successful careers; 3) a chance to compare admissions offers and learn how to navigate the degree once the applicants have accepted their offer from 91��ɫ.

91��ɫ’s SDG Challenge is ongoing, and the new year will welcome a number of other important initiatives, inspiring members of the 91��ɫ community to act as agents of positive change.

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Meet our inaugural recipients of the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowships

vinish — Sat, 21 Aug 2021 12:34:00 +0000

91��ɫ is proud to announce this year’s recipients of its new Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Black and Indigenous Scholars. This two-year award, valued at $70,000 per year, seeks to address underrepresentation in many disciplines and fields, by providing Black and Indigenous scholars the ability to dedicate their time to pursue new research, while accessing the collegial resources, faculty supervision and mentorship for which 91��ɫ is well known. 91��ɫ has a strong commitment to the pursuit of justice. Integral to this pursuit is an understanding of knowledge as multifaceted and plurally constituted. “Knowledge” is some thing only during the breath taken for reflection and consideration, because otherwise it is a noun as life is a noun. Knowledge is a process, agonistic, constantly challenging and reconciling diverse meanings and truths. For the sake of knowledge, diversity is fundamental. While the Provost’s Postdoctoral Program provides new opportunities for Black and Indigenous scholars, most importantly, it seeks to attract superb scholars who will help to push the boundaries of knowledge in necessary ways.

Professor Lisa Philipps, 91��ɫ’s Provost & Vice-President Academic, believes that “building new paths and welcoming spaces for diverse voices to thrive in the academy and beyond is vitally important.” Phillips continues by saying that the Provost Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black and Indigenous Scholars is “a reflection of the inclusive higher education environment that we are committed to creating at 91��ɫ.”

Professor Thomas Loebel, Associate Vice-Provost Graduate and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies adds, however, that “as a program, these fellowships manifest a challenge that 91��ɫ has put to itself, which is to work with emerging scholars in individualised ways and to understand their needs as these emerge through the research process. Our goal is to help connect postdoctoral scholars to the incredible community that is 91��ɫ, so that with this program we can create something truly career developmental.”

Godwin Dzah (Osgoode Law) comes to 91��ɫ having recently completed a doctorate in Law at the University of British Columbia. Dzah’s research proposes a fundamental revaluation of how International Environmental Law deploys concepts of crisis in ways that limit the potential for more sustained and complete forms of transformation. "The historical significance of this award is an ever-present reminder of the unfinished task of addressing systemic challenges. I am looking forward to advancing this cause by expanding my teaching and research interests which sit at the intersection of international law and the environment by demonstrating the common interests and connections between the peoples of the Global South and their counterparts, the Indigenous peoples in the Global North, in the context of the law and politics of international environmental law. I am grateful to the leadership at Osgoode Hall Law School, my supervisor Professor Obiora Okafor, and especially to 91��ɫ for this exciting opportunity."us posuere, eget vulputate magna suscipit.

_{Godwin Dzah}

Don Davies (Biology, Science) is currently a postdoctoral researcher at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. Davies’ research investigates a novel approach to the causes of Alzheimer’s Disease, arguing that processes of forgetting are naturally amplified in major neurodegenerative diseases. “The Canadian Indigenous population has an increased prevalence and earlier onset of Alzheimer’s disease than the Canadian non-Indigenous population. This opportunity will allow me to establish a research program to study Alzheimer’s disease within the Indigenous community and accelerate growth in scholarly diversity through development of an academic pipeline for Indigenous scientists. I am very grateful for the advice from Dr. Steven Connor who will be mentoring me during my postdoctoral fellowship.”

_{Don Davies}

De-Lawrence Lamptey (Critical Disability Studies, Health) is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Saint Vincent University in Nova Scotia. Lamptey’s research introduces an intersectional approach to the study of the material, social, and financial barriers black children and their families are faced with in Canada. “91��ɫ’s commitment to support Black and Indigenous scholars is very remarkable, and I am proud to be an inaugural recipient. This fellowship is a recognition of the unique and complex challenges that Black and Indigenous scholars often confront as we pursue our career ambitions. My research will be exploring the intersectionality of race/ethnicity and disability among children and youth in Canada. I look forward to making a positive difference in society through this fellowship.”

_{De-Lawrence Lamptey}

Ruth Murambadoro (Gender, Sexuality and Women Studies, LAPS) is currently a lecturer at the Wits Schools of Governance at the University of Witswatersrand (South Africa). Murambadoro’s research explores how women who have experienced state-sanctioned violence in Zimbabwe deploy narrative to advance the goal of gender justice. “My project, ‘Gender justice and narratives of violence by women in post-colonial Zimbabwe,’ involves working with women’s social movements and the diaspora to produce new insights on how networks of women provide avenues for healing, justice and peace, outside the auspices of the state. This work focuses on women’s encounters of state-sanctioned violence and living under dictatorial rule for the past 40+ years. I am delighted to join the Centre for Feminist Research at 91��ɫ to work closely with Dr Alison Crosby as a fellow under the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowships for Black & Indigenous Scholars.”

_{Ruth Murambadoro}

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