TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2026 鈥� A total of 175 91亚色 graduate students, along with 14 postdoctoral researchers, will receive more than $14 million through the (CRTAS), announced today by the federal government.

Today鈥檚 announcement highlights award winners funded through the , administered by the (CIHR), the (NSERC), and the (SSHRC).

鈥淚nvesting in emerging researchers is an investment in Canada鈥檚 future,鈥� says Lisa Philipps, interim president and vice-chancellor of 91亚色. 鈥淚 congratulate all of this year鈥檚 recipients. Their work in health, science, the arts and beyond shows the reach of 91亚色 research and its power to drive positive change in our communities.鈥�

For the (CGRS M), 96 91亚色 students will each receive $27,000 for 12 months, seven funded through CIHR, 18 through NSERC and 71 through SSHRC.

For the (CGRS D), 79 91亚色 students will each receive $40,000 per year for 36 months, nine funded through CIHR, 18 through NSERC and 52 through SSHRC.

鈥�91亚色鈥檚 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers are making important contributions to research that deepens our understanding of the world and helps address complex challenges,鈥� said Alice MacLachlan, vice-provost and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. 鈥淭hese awards recognize the excellence, creativity and dedication of emerging researchers while providing valuable support to advance their work. Their achievements reflect the strength and breadth of graduate and postdoctoral research at 91亚色.鈥�

Program of study for both the CGRS M and the CGRS D students include disciplines in health, science, art, social sciences and humanities, engineering, the environment and more. This year, as 91亚色 prepares to open its new School of Medicine in 2028 (pending accreditation), it has nine CGRS D recipients in health, six more than the previous year.

For the (CPRA), worth $70,000 per year for 24 months, 14 91亚色 researchers were awarded.

The awards promote and support high-quality research leading to high impact careers. Altogether, more than $480 million through the CRTAS.

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91亚色 is poised to welcome 11 doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers through the first wave of the federal (CIRTA) initiative, reflecting the University鈥檚 strong research excellence and ability to attract top international research talent.

In total the CIRTA are worth $1.4 million in funding 鈥� $40,000 per year for three years for seven doctoral students and $70,000 for two years for four postdoctoral researchers at 91亚色 鈥� to address critical national and global challenges in some of Canada鈥檚 priority areas. Altogether, the CIRTA will go towards funding 600 doctoral students and 400 postdoctoral researchers at universities across Canada.

"We are thrilled to welcome these 11 exceptional doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers to 91亚色. They will bring an array of international experiences and perspectives to their work alongside some of our most accomplished faculty, researchers whose expertise spans multiple disciplines, methodologies, and questions. It is the strength of these mentors and the vibrancy of our research community that draws top talent from around the world to 91亚色,鈥� says Lisa Philipps, 91亚色 interim president and vice-chancellor.

The recently CIRTA results are part of the a $1.7 billion strategy to strengthen the country鈥檚 position as a go-to-place for the world鈥檚 top scientists and innovators. They are jointly administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

91亚色 received a large number of highly qualified candidates for the positions, which will receive funding from all three funding agencies. In addition, two of the four postdoctoral researchers are coming from the social sciences and humanities.

鈥淲e are equally grateful to the Government of Canada and to CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, whose Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards make these opportunities possible. This kind of bold public investment in emerging academic talent is exactly what strengthens our research culture and allows ambitious ideas to take root. Together, the vision of our funders and the dedication of our scholars and supervisors will help tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from removing forever chemicals from our water to strengthening our preparedness against emerging diseases. I could not be prouder of what this community will achieve,鈥� says Philipps.

The CIRTA research awards target specific high priority research needs identified by the federal government across disciplines.

At 91亚色 the doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers and their supervisors will embark on a vast array of research, including a climate-sensitive disease early-warning system, advanced functional materials for low-energy carbon capture, AI forecasting tools to improve outbreak prediction and public-health decision-making, methods to remove forever chemical contamination from wastewater sludge, and a better understanding of new drivers of aging and development of new personalized therapies to improve health span.

鈥淩esearch thrives when talented people are given the opportunity, support and freedom to pursue ambitious ideas. These scholars are asking important questions and bringing fresh perspectives to issues that matter deeply to society. Their arrival enriches our academic community, and we look forward to the contributions they will make during their time at 91亚色 and throughout their careers,鈥� says Alice MacLachlan, vice-provost and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at 91亚色.

The following 91亚色 faculty members welcome doctoral students funded by the program:

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Health and Humanitarianism Godfred Boateng, School of Global Health, Faculty of Health (supported by SSHRC)

Boateng鈥檚 research interests lie in resource insecurity, health and sustainable livelihoods; environmental pollution, climate change and health effects; the socio-ecological determinants of cardiometabolic conditions in aging adults; health equity and health systems research; and implementation and scale-up science in low- and middle-income countries. The research of his doctoral student will focus on the development a climate-sensitive disease early-warning system for informal settlements in Accra, using satellite data, health records, and machine learning to predict emerging disease hotspots. By co-designing tools with local health workers and communities, the project aims to enable earlier public-health interventions and create a scalable model for climate-health resilience in rapidly urbanizing cities.

Associate Professor , Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Freire-Gormaly鈥檚 research focuses on the development of stand-alone solar powered reverse osmosis water treatment systems and energy recovery systems for remote communities that lack access to grid electricity. She also is interested in machine learning applications for smart design of innovative energy and water systems. The research of her doctoral student will foster the development advanced functional materials for low-energy carbon capture and drinking water treatment, with a focus on modular, affordable systems that can operate in remote and resource-constrained settings. By combining materials innovation, computational modelling, and life-cycle assessment, the project aims to deliver scalable clean technologies that support climate mitigation, water security, and community resilience.

Associate Professor , Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Ghafar-Zadeh鈥檚 research focuses on microelectronic and biosensing technologies for clinical diagnostics and environmental monitoring to address critical challenges in health care, environmental monitoring and scientific research through his Biologically Inspired Sensor and Actuator Laboratory. The research with the doctoral student will develop a new version of DePerio, an AI-powered saliva screening tool that uses deep learning to detect oral neutrophils as biomarkers of periodontal disease and potential neurological disorders, enabling earlier, non-invasive diagnosis. Building on proof-of-concept results achieving 88 per cent precision and 94.7 per cent mAP, the project aims to validate a clinically deployable system that links oral inflammation to disease progression and improves preventive care for both oral and brain health.

Associate Professor , Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Hamraie鈥檚 doctoral student will be part of 91亚色鈥檚 Science and Technology Studies graduate program. His research will address the tensions between approaches to accessibility based in mass standardization and those that are rooted in disability activism. In particular, he is interested in how disability activists and technologists have shared information, theories and concepts, and how accessible computing, in particular, has influenced architectural practice. As a graduate student, he will also continue to work in Hamraie鈥檚 , a collective of disabled artists, designers and researchers who approach accessibility through disability cultural frameworks. 

Professor , Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Hu鈥檚 research focuses on developing scalable and interpretable AI approaches for forest characterization, carbon estimation, biodiversity assessment and environmental monitoring using multi-source remote sensing data. Her doctoral student鈥檚 research will develop multimodal AI techniques that combine LiDAR, multispectral imagery and forest inventory data to identify individual tree species in Ontario鈥檚 mixed and transitional forests. By enabling scalable species-level forest monitoring, the project will improve biodiversity assessment, forest carbon quantification, and evidence-based forest management to support nature-based climate solutions in Canada.

Professor and 91亚色 Research Chair in Mechanisms of Cardiometabolic Disease Gary Sweeney, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science (supported by CHIR)

Sweeney鈥檚 doctoral student鈥檚 research will build on evidence that high adiponectin levels are linked to exceptional longevity and protection against age-related diseases, while low levels are associated with poorer health outcomes. It proposes combining adiponectin biology with extracellular vesicle science to identify new drivers of aging and develop personalized therapies to improve health span in individuals with low adiponectin.

Associate Professor , Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Tabassum鈥檚 research focuses on developing trustworthy AI for wireless sensing, localization, spectrum intelligence, and next-generation communications. Her work combines optimization, machine learning, large language models, and multimodal AI to advance intelligent resource management, integrated sensing and communications, wireless forecasting, and energy-efficient 5G/6G networks, with applications in digital health, smart infrastructure, and connected and autonomous systems. The research of her doctoral student will develop multimodal AI techniques for wireless localization and spectrum intelligence by combining radio-frequency measurements with complementary sensing modalities to enable accurate positioning and automated understanding of complex wireless environments. By integrating trustworthy AI, deep learning, and large language models, the project aims to improve spectrum awareness, network intelligence, and wireless resilience, supporting the deployment of next generation 5G/6G systems for smart infrastructure, public safety, and autonomous applications.

The following faculty members will welcome postdoctoral researchers funded by the program:

Professor and James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering and Director of the One WATER Institute , Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering (supported by NSERC)

Brar is a globally recognized researcher with expertise in value-added waste processing through the development of bioproducts from wastewaters and sludge using fermentation technologies and the removal of emerging contaminants, such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals. She also works on innovative treatment technologies for environmental remediation. The postdoctoral researcher鈥檚 work will address the wastewater sludge contamination of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of 4,700 man-made 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� found in non-stick cookware, cosmetics and waterproof textiles, and everywhere from groundwater to human blood. Current wastewater treatment plants were not designed to primarily remove PFAS, however, if they are not properly treated prior to discharge, it can lead to contamination of soil and groundwater. Conventional PFAS removal methods like sludge pyrolysis, incineration, electrochemical oxidation are energy and cost intensive and cannot be easily integrated into existing plants. Through their research, Brar and her postdoctoral researcher will develop a circular-economy pretreatment approach using ultrasonication and biochar to reduce 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥� while enhancing biogas production. Through lab and pilot-scale testing on anaerobic digester sludge, the research aims to optimize conditions for PFAS removal in a way that is compatible with existing treatment infrastructure.

Associate Professor , Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Jean-Pierre鈥檚 research in the sociology of education, sociology of race and ethnicity, youth studies, and research methodology. She focuses on school and postsecondary trajectories, policies and interventions, and qualitative research. The research of her postdoctoral researcher will redefine democracy as every day, community-based practice by examining how Black women in Brazil, Argentina, and Canada build collective infrastructures of care, mutual aid, and political organizing amid systemic exclusion and democratic crisis. Through comparative ethnography, it shows how these grassroots practices sustain and reimagine democratic life beyond formal state institutions, challenging dominant models shaped by anti-Blackness and inequality.

Professor and Scientific Director of the Artificial Intelligence for Public Health Advancement Seyed Moghadas, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science (supported by NSERC)

Moghadas鈥檚 research involves advanced theoretical and computational methods for modelling and analysis of infectious disease dynamics, evaluating public health interventions and policies, and health economics of healthcare programs. The postdoctoral researcher will develop transparent, uncertainty-aware AI forecasting tools that combine machine learning with mechanistic disease-transmission models to improve outbreak prediction and public-health decision-making. By integrating diverse data sources and explicitly quantifying uncertainty, the project aims to strengthen preparedness, resource allocation, and health system resilience against emerging infectious disease threats.

Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Social Reasoning , Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (supported by SSHRC)

Rini is an internationally recognized expert in the philosophical disciplines of ethics and epistemology. In ethics, she specifically examines structural injustice and the complexities of moral disagreement, while in epistemology, she has studied the effects of online misinformation on public debate and the erosion of digital recording as a regulator of testimony. Rini will supervise a postdoctoral researcher examining how testimonial narratives in the Colombian and Canadian truth commissions contribute to reparative justice by helping survivors reclaim agency, foster collective understanding and rebuild social trust after systemic violence. Through a comparative philosophical analysis, the project develops a framework for understanding narrative as a tool for epistemic repair and reconciliation while exploring its limitations in addressing ongoing structural inequalities. The research will look at the following three questions: The guiding questions are: What is the relationship between testimonial narrative and reparative justice; How does narrative support individual healing, collective recognition and the rebuilding of social trust; and What tensions arise between individualized testimonies and structural accounts of systemic injustice?

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Originally from the U.S. and having taught sport management and business at universities in the UK, U.S., Netherlands, Singapore and Japan, School of Human Resource Management Associate Professor brings a global perspective to this World Cup. "This tournament is a spectacle of both nationalism and global cooperation. All against a backdrop of dramatic geo-political change and intense negotiations over trade, war and immigration,鈥� says Zipp, program coordinator for the Sport Management program at 91亚色鈥檚 Markham Campus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really interesting time where we have three very different leaders hosting this World Cup, with very different contexts for the events, and a very particular moment in terms of FIFA鈥檚 role and reputation,鈥� she says. 鈥淎 lot of things that people are mad or worried about on both sides of the border, gas prices, the Iran war, people will divert their attention to the World Cup, and Trump hopes to be a hero in that. He uses sport as a diversion and a proxy for strength, and for traditional masculine values, in his campaigns and leadership. Carney will also use this event to highlight Canada鈥檚 strengths and emerging place in the new global order.鈥� 

Zipp is currently writing a book called The Tyranny of Modern Sport where she examines the impact of increasing commodification, politicization, and commercialization of global sport, led by entities like FIFA and the IOC. The book reimagines possibilities of sport for the common good through alternative lenses, including indigenous knowledge, Nordic approaches, and Pope Francis鈥� integral ecology. 

Zipp can comment on: 

• How Canada and the U.S. have different approaches to their nation鈥檚 World Cup narratives
• Global sport and commercialization, capitalism, and governance
• Legacy impacts on future sport education and development
• Globalization, sport policy, and social issues (e.g. gender equality) in sport

More FIFA interview opportunities:

• 91亚色 Schulich School of Business sports marketing expert Vijay Setlur is following Team Canada on their World Cup 2026 journey and can speak to the fan experience, sports marketing, ticket sale and more.
• Former 91亚色 U Lion Niko Sigur is part of Canada鈥檚 World Cup team and his former coach Carmen Isacco (who was also a Team Canada coach) and teammate Daniel Casa from the Lions are available to speak to his time at 91亚色 and player development.听More info here.听

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91亚色's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, and Markham Campus is home to 91亚色鈥檚 Sport Management program. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, March 25, 2026 鈥� 91亚色 jumped 20 spots globally in the today in arts and humanities and 17 overall out of close to 2,000 universities.

The University continues its upward trajectory landing six subjects in the top 100 globally this year 鈥� the most ever 鈥� which shows its growing academic and employer reputation.

The number of competitors in this year鈥檚 ranking grew by 165 to 1,912 institutions. They were all ranked across 26 subjects in 55 academic disciplines in five overall faculty categories, including Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences and Management, Engineering and Technology, Natural Sciences and Life Sciences and Medicine category.

"This remarkable achievement reflects the dedication of our faculty, students, and staff who continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and impact. Reaching our highest-ever number of top 100 subject rankings is a testament to 91亚色's growing global reputation 鈥� and our unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. I am proud of how far we've come and energized by where we are headed,鈥� says Lisa Philipps, 91亚色 interim president and vice-chancellor.

91亚色 ranked in the top 100 for history, performing arts, and English language and literature in the Arts and Humanities category, social policy and administration and sociology in the Social Sciences and Management category, and psychology in the Life Sciences and Medicine category.

In English language and literature, 91亚色 now ranks 78th in the world, while in sociology and psychology it ranks 99th globally. In history, performing arts, and social policy and administration it ranks between 51 and 100.

鈥淭he Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) is home to four of the six 91亚色 subjects ranked in the global top 100 鈥� this is an extraordinary affirmation of the research excellence, scholarly leadership and creative inquiry taking place in our Faculty鈥檚 arts, humanities and social sciences units,鈥� says Kathryn McPherson, LA&PS interim dean. 鈥淭hese results underscore the global impact of our instructors and students, and we are so proud of the work being done across LA&PS.鈥�

In addition, the University saw increases in its rankings for computer science and information systems, geography, mathematics, business and management studies, communication and media studies, and law.

Rankings across Canada

This year, 684 programs were ranked across 33 institutions in Canada. 91亚色 ranked in the top five for 13 subjects and in the top 10 for an additional five subjects. The University also ranked fifth overall in the broad Arts and Humanities category.

91亚色 tied for second in social policy and administration, third in performing arts, and fourth in accounting and finance, anthropology, communications and media studies, geography, law, history and sociology. It earned a fifth-place ranking for English language and literature, philosophy, politics and international studies, and psychology. In the top 10, 91亚色 subjects include business and management studies, education, linguistics, mathematics, modern languages.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject, released by global higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds, uses a method that ranks each institution using five indicators (the weight given to each indicator varies by subject): academic reputation; employer reputation; research impact based on research citations per paper; international research network, citation productivity and influence measured through an h-index.

In other ranking results, 91亚色 is also shining. For example, in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings results, 91亚色 earned a top 40 spot demonstrating continued leadership in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. And in the , 91亚色 placed in the top five as one of the best comprehensive universities in Canada, a spot it has held for several consecutive years. It also ranked fourth for reputation, third for student scholarships and bursaries, and fourth for social sciences and humanities grants.

For more than a decade, 91亚色 has been named as one of Canada鈥檚 Greenest Employers and for the second consecutive year it also made the list for Canada鈥檚 Best Diversity Employers.

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Whether it鈥檚 through art or food, or something else entirely, immigrant communities have changed the fabric of this country鈥檚 culture, becoming part of the story Canadians tell about themselves. But too often the intertwining of these stories goes unnoticed.

Take food. It can serve as an unassuming gateway to learning about and understanding different cultures and practices, while becoming a part of people鈥檚 lives, their routines and celebrations.

Most small towns across Canada had a Chinese food restaurant. 鈥淚t was where people gathered, where they went, and it was often their first experience of Chineseness,鈥� says 91亚色 English Professor , author of .

鈥淥ne of the things that struck me when I started university was how interesting it was that I saw Chinese immigrants contributing to the country, not just economically, but also culturally, really changing what we think of when we think Canada, and contributing to that conversation in ways that were really not visible,鈥� says Cho, whose research often explores the cultural richness that immigrants bring to Canada.

She is one of this year鈥檚 , part of the administered and delivered by the National Research Council. Since 1968, several mid-career scholars are awarded the annual Fellowship. It is a gift, says Cho, that she is immensely grateful for as it will allow her to focus solely on her newest research project for the next couple of years exploring the work and contributions of Chinese Canadian artists.

Cho joins an exclusive club of about 30 fellowships that have been awarded to English scholars over the years with 91亚色鈥檚 Department of English in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies claiming three of them, including previous winners Professors Christopher Innes and Deanne Williams. 91亚色 can also boast several past winners of the Killam Prize 鈥� Professors Christina Sharpe, Carl James, Janine Marchessault, Stephen Gill, Ellen Bialystok and Harry Arthurs.

Cho鈥檚 first book, Eating Chinese, looked at the conundrum of how people would talk about the small-town Chinese restaurants as a disappearing space. Although, as a Chinese Canadian, that was not her experience. 鈥淭hey remained vibrant and important parts of the community, real engines of cultural production and conversation in these communities.鈥� Everyone she spoke to had positive memories of their local Chinese restaurant.

Almost every small town tucked into the furthest nooks and crannies of this country had one and it often gave restaurant goers their first brush with Chinese culture. In exchange, they also defined Canadian food. Through menus, one side listing Chinese dishes, the other Canadian, Canada鈥檚 culture was reflected back through its dishes, defined largely through the eyes of immigrants.

Despite racism directed at Chinese immigrants, Chinese restaurants not only thrived and endured, they became places of refuge for others.

鈥淐hinese restaurants historically were also one of the first places where immigrant populations that were not valued by WASP [White Anglo-Saxon Protestant] Canada could go and not be treated badly,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or example, the Italian working-class communities would report going to Chinese restaurants because they were not treated like immigrants in these restaurants.鈥�

These experiences raised questions for Cho that she still thinks about and that continue to run through her research. Questions about how the contributions of Chinese migrants and other diasporic communities are counted, especially for those who perhaps, like her parents, didn鈥檛 speak or write in English and weren鈥檛 recording their own histories or the contributions they were making in their communities and the world around them.

鈥淲ith my research on Chinese restaurants, one of the things I did was to think about the menus as a way to understand how Chinese migrants were writing themselves literally into Canadian culture. They were scripting an idea of Chineseness and Canadianness in a very enduring format that millions of people read,鈥� says Cho.

Cho has a unique perspective. Her parents settled in Alberta after leaving Hong Kong and mainland China in the 1970s. A couple of years after Cho was born, they moved to Whitehorse to run a Chinese food restaurant 鈥� the Shangri-La. 鈥淭here were very few Chinese families in that part of Canada in the 1970s when I grew up,鈥� she says.

Life among her parents and relatives in Whitehorse, Red Deer 鈥� where her relatives also owned a Chinese restaurant 鈥� and Edmonton, where the family returned following their two-year adventure in the Yukon, was somewhat insular until she started school. 鈥淚 didn't know that people spoke English until I started school.鈥� It gave her distinct vantage points for both cultures. Her experience of Canada and its food introduced through Chinese food restaurants and the friends she made at school, who came from families who looked nothing like hers.

Once in university for her undergraduate studies, she realized that Chinese immigrants were invisible in the scholarly conversation and the understanding of how Chinese immigrants shaped Canadian culture was absent from the general psyche. Although there were Asian Canadian novels, stories and poems at that time, none of them were on any of her English degree syllabi.

鈥淢y great goal when I went to university was to become a receptionist. That was the best job that my mom could imagine for me in the factory where she worked. The person who was the receptionist got to sit down all day, which for her was unthinkable. She was like, 鈥極h my gosh, that person earns a salary and doesn't have to stand all day and doesn't have to work in this really hot, dangerous factory full of dangerous equipment.鈥� I learned to type very early because of that.鈥�

Although she is a self-described 鈥渢errible鈥� receptionist, Cho found her academic calling. In addition, Eating Chinese, helped break through the dearth of Asian works in academia and is not only assigned on syllabi, but questions about it are on student exams.

Even though the question of how immigrants who are unable to speak or write the predominant language write themselves into history piqued Cho鈥檚 curiosity, she had no interest in discussing her own family history. 鈥淚 feel like my job is to write about the world I'm in, not about myself.鈥� However reluctantly, her research soon became about immigrants and their contributions. It is work, she acknowledges, that serves an important role giving voice to those without one.

Similar research projects have a way of finding her

Several years ago, after giving a talk on immigration, an archivist from the Library and Archives Canada approached Cho about CI-9s (Chinese Immigration 9), known as head tax certificates used to track Chinese immigrants who were forced to pay a head tax upon entry and now wanted to temporarily leave the country.

The C1-9s and head taxes ended in 1923, long before Cho鈥檚 parents arrived in Canada. Still, it fascinated her. Slipped a DVD-R by an archivist as if she now inhabited the world of spies, only added to the intrigue. And although she tried to interest other academics in the material, those she thought better positioned to do the research, eventually Cho took it on.

When she popped the disc into her computer, surprisingly 2,406 images popped up. It turned out to be a small percentage of the more than 80,000 taken of Chinese immigrants through the CI-9 program and the roughly 41,000 images still in existence.

鈥淭he images were so profoundly interesting. They're unlike anything else you will have seen,鈥� says Cho. In addition to the photos, there is a wealth of information about each person 鈥� job, height, identifying marks, friends, etc. 鈥淔or me, what was so moving, because my dad was an amateur photographer, was realizing that for this population, they never get photographed. Working class Chinese, Asian people in the early and late 19th century, and early 20th century, almost never get their picture taken. What a huge thing to have these portraits in our archives. I was just haunted, completely haunted and obsessed. So deeply reluctantly, I engaged in this project.鈥�

It resulted in a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council-funded project and her second book, , exploring how these photos capture and captivated at the same time.

鈥淚t was a way to understand how we honour people who have been photographed under duress because they were photographed not for something nice. They were photographed because they were being told that they don't belong to Canada. It wasn't a positive thing and yet we have these beautiful photographs. It ended up being a really moving and important experience,鈥� says Cho, who adds it was also an opportunity to teach students research skills and how to work with archival and digital materials.

鈥淔or me, they weren't historical materials only, they had a kind of beauty to them, and I understood that beauty to be problematic.鈥� Most of the subjects couldn鈥檛 read or write, were forced to have these photos taken, and yet dressed in their finest for them as if trying to influence their own stories of who they were.鈥�

Her next research project, with the help of the Dorothy Killam Fellowship, will allow her to research the contributions of contemporary Chinese Canadian artists, some of whom have requested her to write about their work over the years. Like much of her research, this too will see Cho working in fields adjacent to English, which has always formed part of her reluctance to take these projects on despite their lure and fascination.

鈥淭he way in which they have navigated history and historical archives is so important and so interesting, because most of the Chinese Canadian artists working today are informed by archival work. The research they do before they make art is often archival and yet they don't treat the archive like a resource necessarily,鈥� says Cho. 鈥淭he archive is actually part of their work. It鈥檚 so profoundly interesting how these practitioners have taken historical materials and made them alive in really important ways.鈥�

For the fellowship, Cho will focus on the work of artists such as Morris Lum, Karen Tam, and Shellie Zhang. Another of the artists Cho plans to write about for what will be the first book-length study of contemporary Chinese Canadian art is Kira Wu who developed a series of photographs on Chinese opera and its history in Canada. Cho previously wrote an essay about Wu鈥檚 last exhibit before Wu passed away. 鈥淭hese artists are creating work as the field of Asian Canadian studies emerges and grows. It鈥檚 a rare and profoundly interesting convergence, which I hope to highlight in this project.鈥�

Despite her reluctance, Cho鈥檚 field of research found her, a convergence of her own family history with that of Chinese immigrants to Canada. It鈥檚 a privilege, she says, to show how Canadian culture derives its strength and vitality from cultural difference.

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An accomplished Chinese Canadian academic in equity studies Assistant Professor Yvonne Su says embracing diversity must go beyond optics

The unspoken rule for women of colour in academia is to be everything to everyone 鈥� mentor, diversity champion, tireless scholar, and silent workhorse, says 91亚色 equity studies in her recent paper published today in .

鈥淲e are expected to carry the banner of inclusion, but we are not truly included. Inclusion, as it鈥檚 currently defined, is about optics, not transformation,鈥� observes Su in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about showing diversity on the surface without addressing the deeper inequalities embedded in the institution. We are asked to fix the system, but we鈥檙e not allowed to question its foundations.鈥�

While delving into her own experiences facing challenges as a Chinese Canadian academic, Su draws attention to the balancing act and the pressure that Kamala Harris had to undergo during her presidential campaign as a woman of colour. 鈥淭he first Black and South Asian woman vice-president and presidential candidate, Harris was supposed to represent the pinnacle of inclusion in American politics, but the scrutiny she faces is relentless.鈥�

Su, who is the director of 91亚色鈥檚 Centre for Refugee Studies expresses her frustration in believing in the promise of inclusion if she worked hard enough, adapted to the culture, and played her part in promoting diversity, she could be the ideal academic. 鈥淏ut the more I tried to meet these expectations, the more I realized that inclusion in academia is conditional.鈥�

She also notes that seemingly collegial advice from male colleagues is a form of benevolent sexism, which reinforces traditional gender roles and subtly undermine women鈥檚 authority or independence. 鈥淚t's been two years, since I realized and I still have not been able to find a way to stop it.鈥�

While challenging the academy to stop tokenizing women of colour, she urges establishment of proper safeguards and protections. 聽鈥淲e want to do the work that will fix the system, but you need to give us the space, autonomy and authority to do this work.鈥�

Su notes that many of her colleagues who are woman of colour are afraid to stand up for themselves because it is unsafe. She however adds that speaking out will not change their status as visible minorities. 

鈥淎cademia is changing, and institutions need to change with it, or they will be left behind,鈥� Su concludes.

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A 91亚色-led study aims to support positive social and economic change for 2SLGBTQ+ communities

While municipal and provincial poverty-related studies offer glimpses, there is no national measure for how widespread or persistent poverty is within 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Canada. A research project housed at 91亚色 looks to fill those gaps by conducting the first national study addressing poverty in 2SLGBTQ+ communities.

"We will produce an evidence-based portrait of poverty," says , director of the 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada Project, which launched its national survey during Pride Month. Part of the 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Wellbeing study, the survey has been rolling out across the country, province-by-province, territory-by-territory over the summer months. That survey is now open to residents of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon.

Mul茅, professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies cross-appointed to the Faculty of Health at 91亚色, says a motivating factor driving the research was hearing from community organizations that advocacy work was hitting roadblocks when policymakers and governments would ask for evidence. The project is dedicated to producing high-impact, policy-relevant knowledge. It aims to meet the need for nationally representative data to inform policy, funding, and programming decisions in government, academia and at the community level.

The findings from our comprehensive survey represent an exciting opportunity to add precision and nuance to our understanding of the varied experiences of poverty among 2SLGBTQ+ community members

Nick Mul茅

"We hope to produce outputs that will be helpful to the community, that they can use, and that we will use as researchers to advocate for change," says Mul茅, adding that the United States is eight to 10 years ahead of Canada with this type of data collection.

The comprehensive survey covers individual and household incomes, employment, education levels, housing stability, food security, access to health care and social support, experiences of discrimination and more. This critical information will allow for reliable comparisons between 2SLGBTQ+ people and the general population. The survey also allows respondents to indicate whether they would be interested in participating in individual interviews, a focus group, or both.

Residents of the territories 16 years or older who are members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities are encouraged to contribute to the research by . For more information about the national survey or the 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada Project, read the full media release or visit the study's website.

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91亚色 alumnae Melissa Huma帽a-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson compete for gold in Paris today, a first for beach volleyball for Canada, cheered on by Huma帽a-Paredes' father, three-time Olympic coach and 91亚色 Professor who teaches a course on the history of the Olympics and is available for comment to media. Also this week in Paris, breaking makes its debut at the Games, Olympians get sick with bacterial infection and organizers revise the closing ceremony of the Games this Sunday after a controversial opening. 91亚色 experts are available to comment on this and more.

Danielle Howard

In 2018, a U.S. conservative news commentator said that LeBron James should just 鈥渟hut up and dribble,鈥� after the NBA star gave his views about then-President Donald Trump in an ESPN podcast. 

Those comments inspired a documentary by the same name that explored the social and political influence of NBA players through the history of the league, which in turn was an inspiration for AMPD Assistant Professor 鈥檚 latest research at the intersection of race, sport and performance. 

鈥淭he documentary got me thinking, does dribbling have more to say about politics, about Black life, then we have initially given it credit for?鈥� 

Howard is working on a book called Making Moves: Race, Basketball, and Embodied Resistance that spans the twentieth and twenty-first centuries of basketball history. She examines America鈥檚 history of white supremacy and how comments like 鈥渟hut up and dribble鈥� reflect a continued dismissal of Black lives and experiences, images of the Black body on display through history from slave auctions to NBA drafts and how audience and media surveillance impacts movement. 鈥淭he majority of bodies in the NBA are Black. So from a media standpoint, the majority of the media consumption we have of basketball is represented by Black bodies.鈥�

She also looks at how Black athletes speak with their bodies, and how politics, history and social movements are embodied in athleticism, from the New 91亚色 Renaissance basketball team to present times.

鈥淏lack performance in sport is not merely aesthetic, it has potential and purpose to be disruptive to the political and to ultimately incite change and liberation.鈥� 

Howard is available to comment on: 

• Race, politics and sport
• Theatre and spectacle in the opening and closing Games
• Aesthetics and virtuosity in Olympic sports such as breaking, gymnastics, diving and synchronized swimming
• Sport as performance, particularly basketball
  

J-Rebel

A half century after the birth of Hip-Hop among mostly Black and Latino, working-class youth in the South Bronx, breaking makes its debut as an Olympic sport. For longtime breaker  (Joseph Hersco) from the Supernaturalz Crew, who helped develop and co-taught a course on the art of breaking at 91亚色 with AMPD dance professor Mary Fogarty, he鈥檒l be watching the competition on Aug. 9 and 10 with a mix of emotions and criticisms. 

鈥淭here is a political side of Hip-Hop 鈥� it comes out of particular socio-economic conditions, right? I think a lot of that can easily get washed out, when the focus is around just who's winning in the competition,鈥� says J-Rebel, who lives and works in the Jane and Finch community in Toronto. 鈥淏ut those things are intertwined in breaking 鈥� the politics, the cultural aspects, race, class and gender.鈥� 

J-Rebel, who teaches kids breaking and has travelled the world by competing in international breaking competitions comparable to the caliber we will see at the Olympics, picked up the practice himself decades ago with peers and in community centres in Jane and Finch, Lawrence Heights and Malvern where he grew up and lived. He says that while breaking is more accessible to the youth in his community 鈥� predominantly low-income and working-class 鈥� than a sport like hockey or football, there are still barriers to who might be able to compete at the highest level due to social inequalities that are still present in many communities in Toronto. 

鈥淚t's not necessarily a predetermined thing because youth from these particular places have become resilient out of necessity, but your proximity to privilege and having resources is going to give you a better chance at developing your competencies.鈥�  

J-Rebel is available to comment on: 

• Origins and connections of breaking to hip-hop; roots in New 91亚色 and Black diasporic cultural expression聽
• Why the Olympics need breaking and not the other way around
• Technical, cultural and social aspects of breaking聽
• Ensuring access to breaking and sport in low-income and racialized communities.听
• History of breaking in Toronto聽

Martin Breaugh

France was on shaky grounds ahead of the Olympics, politically speaking, but the ruling parties dodged a bullet in the snap election by blocking the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party from taking power, says Professor  in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies and an expert in French politics.  

鈥淭he presence of RN ministers at the Olympics would have been an impossible situation to manage with the potential of athletes boycotting such ministers, as well as local officials and maybe even delegations from elsewhere, especially the former French colonies, doing the same,鈥� he says. 

Breaugh is available for email, phone and teleconferencing videos and is currently on Central European Time six hours ahead of Toronto. He is also available for interviews in French and can speak on: 

• The political situation in France in the leadup to the Olympics
• How the handling of the Olympics will impact public perception of the government
• History of politics in France
  
  

Satinder K. Brar 

Despite France spending more than $1.5 billion in cleanup efforts to get it in good shape before the start of the Olympics, the Seine continues to experience problems with water pollution, with the men鈥檚 triathlon posted due to unacceptably high levels. Lassonde School of Engineering Professor聽聽is an expert in environmental biotechnology and decontamination, with particular expertise in water.聽Brar is also available for interviews in French, Hindi and Punjabi, and can comment on:聽

• Cleanup efforts of the Seine
• Waste water contamination and potential risks to athletes
• Athletes falling ill with Campylobacter jejuni bacteria
• Other pollutants sometimes found in urban bodies of water
  

Lyndsay Hayhurst 

For 15 years, Faculty of Health Associate Professor has been collaborating with self-identified women and youth in Canada, Uganda and Nicaragua to investigate the role of sport for social justice and 鈥榙evelopment鈥�. This includes examining cycling as a possible catalyst for achieving mobility justice and gender equity; investigating how community sport for development programs may create novel possibilities for feminist climate-justice activism; and addressing physical inactivity among marginalized youth and women (cis and trans) through the use of trauma-and violence-informed approaches.

鈥淲e're arguing that these , and that certainly flies in the face of some of the approaches to coaching and sport that we sometimes see are taken up at the Olympics,鈥� says Hayhurst, also the 91亚色 Research Chair in Sport, Gender and Development & Digital Participatory Research. 

Hayhurst and collaborators just launched a short documentary film - - and she is available to comment on:

• Sport and gender equity
• Gender-diverse youth and sport
• Trauma-and-violence-informed approaches to sport, recreation and leisure

• Sexual and gender-based violence prevention in/through sport for development
• Climate change initiatives and 鈥榞reenwashing鈥� at the Paris Olympics
• Sport for development and peace initiatives and NGO activisms
• Community sport and recreation initiatives, especially cycling and soccer
  

Please check online for updates to this roster and full list of available experts.

For a list of some of the 91亚色-affiliated athletes and medical team members participating in the Games,聽.

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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A 91亚色-led study aims to support positive social and economic change for 2SLGBTQ+ communities

How widespread 鈥� and persistent 鈥� is poverty within 2SLGBTQ+ communities in Canada? Municipal and provincial 2SLGBTQ+ poverty-related studies offer some glimpses but there is no national measure. Through conducting the first national study addressing poverty in 2SLGBTQ+ communities, a research project housed at 91亚色 looks to fill that gap.

Led by , 91亚色 professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies cross-appointed to the Faculty of Health, the 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada: Improving Livelihood and Social Wellbeing study launched a national survey in June, which is being rolled out across the country, province-by-province, territory-by-territory. Today that survey opens to residents of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.

Mul茅, who is also the director of the 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada Project, says a motivating factor driving the research was hearing from community organizations that their advocacy was hitting roadblocks when policymakers and governments would ask for evidence. Recognizing this need for nationally representative data to inform policy, funding, and programming decisions in government, academia and at the community level, the project is dedicated to producing high-impact, policy-relevant knowledge.

鈥淲e hope to produce outputs that will be helpful to the community, that they can use, and that we will use as researchers to advocate for change,鈥� says Mul茅. The project was awarded $2.5 million in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Residents of Atlantic Canada 16 years or older and who are members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities are encouraged to contribute to this research by .

The comprehensive survey covers individual and household incomes, employment, education levels, housing stability, food security, access to health care and social support, experiences of discrimination and more. This critical information will allow for reliable comparisons between 2SLGBTQ+ people and the general population. The survey also allows respondents to indicate whether they would be interested in participating in individual interviews, a focus group, or both.

For more information about the national survey or the 2SLGBTQ+ Poverty in Canada Project, read the full media release or visit the study's website.

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