91亚色 is home to 32 Canada Research Chairs. These researchers reflect global leaders in their field at the Tier 1 level and outstanding emerging leaders at the Tier 2 level. These chairs are supported by the federal government to help Canadian universities achieve the highest levels of research excellence and become world-class research centres.
Chairholders improve our depth of knowledge and quality of life, strengthen Canada's international competitiveness, and help train the next generation of highly skilled people through student supervision, teaching and the coordination of other researchers' work.
There are two types of CRC positions. Tier 1 chairs are tenable for seven years and renewable once, awarded to world leaders in their fields (engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities or social sciences). Tier 2 chairs are tenable for five years and renewable once, awarded to exceptional emerging researchers.
Featured Research Chairs
Kate Tilleczek
Tier 1 CRC in Young Lives, Education, and Global GoodTilleczek, a Professor in the Faculty of Education, conducts research on how education can better support young people. Her research informs policies and builds global partnerships among youth to address shared challenges.
Nikolaus Troje
Tier 1 CRC in Reality ResearchTroje, a Professor in the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science, and a core member of VISTA, uses motion capture and 3D scanning technology in his BioMotionLab to study perception in virtual reality. His research explores object perception, communication, embodiment, and spatial awareness. in cardiovascular disease, the impact of exercise and innovative treatment and prevention methods.
Christina Sharpe
Tier 1 CRC in Black Studies in the HumanitiesSharpe is a Professor in the Department of Humanities. Her research will convene the Black Still Life Research Group, uniting scholars and artists to explore interdisciplinary approaches to understanding Black life and generating scholarly and creative outcomes.
Jeffrey Schall
Tier 1 CRC in Translating NeuroscienceSchall鈥檚 research aims to further understand the complexities of the brain and how it enables decision-making processes for actions and experiences: how people decide what to do, how people control when they do it and how people know if they did what they meant to do. Insights from Schall鈥檚 research could improve the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions like dementia and schizophrenia.
Kate Tilleczek
Tier 1 CRC in Young Lives, Education, and Global GoodTilleczek, a Professor in the Faculty of Education, conducts research on how education can better support young people. Her research informs policies and builds global partnerships among youth to address shared challenges.
Lichen Hamraie
Tier 1 CRC in Technology, Society, and DisabilityHamraie is an Associate Professor of Social Science at 91亚色. Their research on disability and design has helped form the fields of critical access studies and crip technoscience.
Michael Brown
Tier 1 CRC in Computer VisionBrown, a Professor at 91亚色's Lassonde School of Engineering, researches image formation models and develops in-camera imaging pipelines for photographic and scientific applications, aligning with 91亚色's VISTA program.
Nikolaus Troje
Tier 1 CRC in Reality ResearchTroje, a Professor in the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science, and a core member of VISTA, uses motion capture and 3D scanning technology in his BioMotionLab to study perception in virtual reality. His research explores object perception, communication, embodiment, and spatial awareness. in cardiovascular disease, the impact of exercise and innovative treatment and prevention methods.
Peter Backx
Tier 1 CRC in Cardiovascular BiologyBackx is a Professor in the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science. His research program focuses on Atrial fibrillation (AF), exploring its molecular mechanisms.
Thomas Baumgartner
Tier 1 CRC in Sustainable Organomain Group MaterialsBaumgartner is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science. His research aims to design novel materials to reduce the carbon footprint, focusing on energy use, conversion, storage and luminescent species for biomarker and sensor applications.
Alan Corbiere
Tier 2 CRC in Indigenous HistoryCorbiere is an Assistant Professor in 91亚色鈥檚 History Department. His research prioritizes Anishinaabe oral traditions, language and material culture to reshape Indigenous history, aiming to revitalize language, culture and knowledge while challenging conventional narratives.
Antony Chum
Tier 2 CRC in Population Health Data Science for Evidence-Based PolicyChum is a Professor in the Health Science Department in the Faculty of Health. His research applies big data analytics to public health challenges, focusing on social and built environmental determinants of health to create healthier cities, particularly for marginalized groups like the homeless, low-income, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Arash Habibi Lashkari
Tier 2 CRC in Behaviour-Centric CybersecurityLashkari is an Associate Professor and an award-winning cybersecurity expert. His research specializes in developing technology to detect and protect against cyber threats, focusing on multidisciplinary collaborations to address contemporary cybersecurity challenges.
Christopher Caputo
Tier 2 CRC in Main-Group Catalysis and Sustainable ChemistryCaputo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on developing greener catalysts using earth-abundant elements, as well as value-added molecules from renewable feedstocks, targeting ultra-long-lasting sun protection products with significant commercial potential.
Eline Kupers
Tier 2 CRC in Computational NeuroscienceKupers is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on understanding the underlying organization and neural computations that support and limit human visual perception, combining computational tools, behavioral measurements (psychophysics, eyetracking), and neuroimaging techniques (functional MRI, EEG, and MEG).
Ethel Tungohan
Tier 2 CRC in Canadian Migration Policy, Impacts and ActivismTungohan is an Assistant Professor of Politics and Social Science and has also been appointed as a Broadbent Institute Fellow. Her research looks at migrant labor, specifically assessing migrant activism. She specializes in socially engaged research and is actively involved in grassroots migrant organizations such as Gabriela-Ontario and Migrante-Canada.
Gillian Parekh
Tier 2 CRC in Disability Studies in EducationParekh is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education. Her research examines institutional barriers hindering equitable access to education and aims to address current educational issues.
Godfred Boateng
Tier 2 CRC in Global Health and HumanitarianismBoateng is an Assistant Professor at the School of Global Health, Director of the Global and Environmental Health Lab and a faculty fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. His research program is transdisciplinary and focuses on resource insecurity, health, and sustainable livelihoods.
Isaac Smith
Tier 2 CRC in Planetary ScienceSmith is a planetary scientist and an Assistant Professor at Lassonde School of Engineering. His research focuses on atmospheric, surface and subsurface processes on Mars, with a particular emphasis on ice.
Jennifer Pybus
Tier 2 CRC in Data, Democracy, and AIPybus is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Her research examines social media platforms and third parties in the mobile ecosystem, aiming to increase critical data literacy and democratic debate about artificial intelligence.
Kate Dunn
Tier 2 CRC in Indigenous Context and Innovations on WellbeingDunn is an Anishnaabe woman from Mississaugi First Nation and Assistant Professor at 91亚色. She combines Indigenous Ways of Knowing, Being, Doing and Connecting with experience in Nursing, Public Health and Social Sciences to engage with Indigenous community perspectives in co-creating culturally connected health awareness resources for liver wellness and hepatitis C.
Kohitij Kar
Tier 2 CRC in Visual NeuroscienceKar is an Assistant Professor in the Biology department in the Faculty of Science and currently serves as a Research Scientist at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research. His research specializes in primate visual neuroscience and aims to unlock new knowledge about brain function.
Liya Ma
Tier 2 CRC in Cognitive NeurophysiologyMa, an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Health, investigates the neural basis of cognition, focusing on perception, action, and decision-making. Her research aims to inspire treatments for cognitive control impairments using innovative approaches.
Mary Bunch
Tier 2 CRC in Vision, Disability and the ArtsBunch, an Assistant Professor in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, and an associate member of VISTA. Her research explores how critical disability frameworks and digital media arts can challenge conventional notions of vision.
Matthew Keough
Tier 2 CRC in Addiction VulnerabilityKeough is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology. He studies the causes of addictive behaviours and develops evidence鈥慴ased treatments with a focus on heavy drinking, cannabis use, concurrent disorders and digital interventions for young adults.
Pirathayini Srikantha
Tier 2 CRC in Reliable and Secure Power Grid SystemsSrikantha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at Lassonde School of Engineering. Her research uses artificial intelligence and transactive technologies and aims to enhance grid reliability and design trustworthy energy markets.
Raymond Kwong
Tier 2 CRC in Environmental ToxicologyKwong is an Assistant Professor in 91亚色's Department of Biology. He investigates the molecular and physiological impacts of environmental stressors on aquatic animals, aiming to develop predictive tools for evaluating environmental changes and enhancing water quality regulation to protect aquatic life and biodiversity.
Regina Rini
Tier 2 CRC in Social ReasoningRini is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy. Her research draws on social sciences and philosophy to understand public debate and improve discourse in diverse societies, emphasizing the connection between public discourse and personal moral agency.
Steven Connor
Tier 2 CRC in NeurophysiologyConnor is a Professor in the Biology Department in the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on understanding the fundamental properties of synapses and the genetic mutations associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to shed light on their underlying mechanisms.
Valerio De Stefano
Tier 2 CRC in Innovation, Law and SocietyDe Stefano is an Associate Professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. His research examines the impact of artificial intelligence and algorithmic management on labor dynamics, aiming to develop best practices for protecting workers' rights.