LAPS | Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

Reinventing graduate biotech education

qings — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:03:26 +0000

A bold interdisciplinary program is bridging science and business. That is the talent 91��ɫ set out to build. At its Markham Campus, the Master of Biotechnology Management (MBM) and the Graduate Diploma in Biotechnology (GDB) train graduate students to be more than scientists. They train them to lead at the intersection of research, industry and society, where most of the real work in the bioeconomy actually happens. The most distinctive thing about these programs is that they arose from a dynamic collaboration across the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, along with the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and the Markham Campus, with an industry network woven through every layer.

91��ɫ alumni earn Royal Society of Canada awards

qings — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:39:31 +0000

Two 91��ɫ alumni are among the 2026 recipients of awards from the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) for their meaningful contributions to equity, social justice and women’s and gender studies. Perry received her MA (’92) and PhD (’98) from 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. She is the recipient of this medal, awarded for outstanding work contributing to the history of Canada. A leading historian, Perry has helped reshape understandings of colonialism in Canada. She serves as Distinguished Professor of history and women’s and gender studies at the University of Manitoba and directs the Centre for Human Rights Research.

91��ɫ U father-son collab helps earn award for Black Appalachian anthology

qings — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:28:34 +0000

More than four decades after helping document Black experiences in Appalachia, 91��ɫ Professor Emeritus Wilburn Hayden Jr. is part of an award-winning effort to expand that conversation, this time alongside a contributor from the next generation: his son and 91��ɫ alum Donovan Hayden. The pair are part of a writing and editing team to receive the 2026 Thomas D. Clark Medallion – an award presented annually for books that enrich understanding of Kentucky's history, culture and people – for Black Appalachia: Race, Place, and Identity. Co-edited by Wilburn Hayden Jr., professor emeritus and senior scholar in 91��ɫ's School of Social Work, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the anthology brings together scholars, writers and artists in an interdisciplinary exploration of Black life in Appalachia.

91��ɫ welcomes eight new members to its Board of Governors

qings — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:22:07 +0000

91��ɫ welcomed eight new members to its Board of Governors over the spring and summer, strengthening the Board’s role in guiding 91��ɫ’s continued growth and development. The new members bring diverse expertise spanning business, technology, law, health and student leadership. “91��ɫ is fortunate to welcome such a talented and diverse group of leaders to the Board of Governors,” says Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. “I am grateful to each of them for their willingness to serve and for their commitment to supporting 91��ɫ’s mission and community.” Together, the new members bring a breadth of knowledge, experience and perspectives that will support the Board of Governors in its oversight of the University and its ongoing commitment to advancing 91��ɫ’s priorities.

From boardrooms to labs: 91��ɫ alumni, faculty among Canada's most powerful women

qings — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:35:16 +0000

91��ɫ alumni and faculty members are among this year’s winners of the Women’s Executive Network’s (WXN) Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards, which celebrate women driving change across sectors including technology, health care, law and finance. With more than two decades of board experience, Corinne Boone (MES ’94) has developed expertise in governance strategy, climate finance, as well as energy and mining. Trained as an anthropologist, Johanna Faigelman (MA ’00) founded HumanBranding in 2006 and has since expanded the behavioural insights consultancy to Toronto and New Jersey.

91��ɫ researchers help drive close to $15M in SSHRC partnership funding

qings — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:43:25 +0000

91��ɫ researchers are at the forefront of six major Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)-funded partnership grants worth close to $15 million, including a 91��ɫ-led international network examining how AI is transforming refugee decision making and access to justice worldwide. The Partnership Grants funding, announced by SSHRC on July 21, supports large-scale partnerships that bring together universities, governments, community organizations and international collaborators to address complex social, environmental and policy challenges.

Graduate research at 91��ɫ U drives real-world discovery

qings — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:18:00 +0000

From plant defence in soybeans to epidemic modelling, 91��ɫ graduate researchers are tackling urgent scientific and social questions. The Faculty of Graduate Studies recognizes outstanding research annually through its thesis and dissertation prizes. The annual prizes – valued at $2,000 for doctoral dissertations and $1,000 for master’s theses – honour work defended in the previous calendar year that demonstrates originality, excellence and impact. This year’s awards highlight six projects that explored pressing questions with implications for food security, AI, public health, aging, air quality and workplace accessibility. Together, the projects show how graduate research at 91��ɫ connects scientific inquiry with real-world challenges.

91��ɫ PhD student to advise UN on water, health equity

qings — Thu, 21 May 2026 13:20:06 +0000

A 91��ɫ doctoral researcher will help inform international policy on equitable access to water and sanitation as part of an international advisory group. Michael Davies‑Venn, a Faculty of Graduate Studies student in the Global Health graduate program, joins the Expert Group on Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The three‑year appointment highlights the impact of 91��ɫ researchers in addressing complex global health and environmental challenges. The group brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners and began its work earlier this year to guide the implementation of the World Health Organization’s Protocol on Water and Health.

New program helps PhD students chart careers beyond academia

qings — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:35:00 +0000

For some PhD students, the prospect of a career outside academia can come with feelings of failure or uncertainty. A new program at 91��ɫ is trying to change that. Beyond the Academy is a six-week initiative developed by Zachary Spicer, associate professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and head of New College, in partnership with 91��ɫ’s Co-op & Career Centre. Designed specifically for LA&PS doctoral students, the program guides a cohort of 25 PhD students through career exploration, translating academic skills for non-academic settings, networking, job search strategy and concrete next steps with emotional support built in from the start.

Three PhD students pursue funded research in Germany

qings — Mon, 04 May 2026 13:21:57 +0000

91��ɫ graduate students Martin Barakov, Massimiliano Muci and Sepideh HajiHosseinKhani may have different focus points for their studies, but they will all pursue research in Germany this year as recipients of an academic exchange grant. DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, is the world's largest funding organization for international academic exchange. Through its Research Grants program, it provides funding to support doctoral students and post-doctoral research at a German university. For Barakov, a political science PhD candidate with a master’s degree from 91��ɫ, the funding will help enhance his dissertation via archival research and interviews with local residents.