Gary Goodyear Archives | Research & Innovation

Feds announce millions for new project: 91��ɫ a major partner

muellerm — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 08:00:00 +0000

The federal government announced Wednesday at 91��ɫ that it would contribute up to $15.5 million dollars through its Technology Development Program to the Connected Health and Wellness Project, of which 91��ɫ is a major partner.

The Connected Health and Wellness Project is a collaborative project led by a partnership of 91��ɫ, NexJ Systems and McMaster University. All together the project includes 16 Ontario private sector, academic and not-for-profit research partners. In addition to the federal funding, the project has leveraged more than $23 million in private-sector investments.

From left, 91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri; Dr. David Price, chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University; Harvey Skinner, dean of 91��ɫ's Faculty of Health; Gary Goodyear, minister of state for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario; William M. Tatham, CEO of NexJ Systems Inc.; and Mark Adler, MP for 91��ɫ Centre.

This project will involve cloud-based software will allow patients to access and share their health records with their family, friends and care teams, including a health coach, to collaboratively manage their health and wellness. The new profession of health coaches will be trained at 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health. This technology will also allow hospitals, physicians and other healthcare professionals to access and update this information on an ongoing basis.

For example, patients with diabetes will be able to track their biometric measurements, such as meals and exercise, using smartphones and share this information easily with their medical teams.

Gary Goodyear, minister of state for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, makes a funding annoucement at 91��ɫ

“91��ɫ is proud to partner with the government of Canada, industry, academic and healthcare providers to deliver a new people-centred, technology-enabled health and wellness model,” said 91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri at the funding announcement at 91��ɫ’s Life Sciences Building. “91��ɫ's creation of a training program and professional standards for the new health coach profession is a first inCanadato combine multiple skill sets in health promotion, disease prevention and behaviour change that highlight91��ɫ's breadth and depth in health expertise.”

Announced by Gary Goodyear, minister of state for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and Mark Adler, MP for 91��ɫ Centre, the project is a technology platform containing an integrated suite of compatible technologies and apps designed to improve the health of Canadians.

“Our Government is committed to helping personalize health care for Canadians,” said Goodyear. “Our investment will bring integrated health and wellness solutions to market that will provide Canadians with new solutions to better manage their own health using innovative technology developed in our region.”

Harvey Skinner, dean of 91��ɫ's Faculty of Health at the announcement

Goodyear went on to say that we are at the forefront of the next generation in health care management, which will not only reduce costs of delivering health care to our citizens, but it will improve the health care that they receive and ultimately that is what’s it’s all about. He also said that the government’s investment will help 91��ɫ and its partners to undertake a collaborative project that may in fact revolutionize health-care delivery, not only in Canada, but ultimately around the world.

As the amount of people with chronic medical conditions grows, along with the need to manage these conditions, the need for this kind of project is clear.

"The combination of mobile technology, electronic health records and behaviour change supported by a health coach will help more people live healthier, longer, and receive timely access to effective health care when needed. This is the essence of people-centred health,” said Harvey Skinner, dean of 91��ɫ's Faculty of Health. "This partnership is an important step forward for transforming and sustaining health-care and wellness systems in Canada and globally.”

More than five billion people globally now have access to mobile technology and that presents a huge opportunity to reach out to people in poorer and remote communities, said Skinner.

The project will help create the conditions to make southern Ontario’s businesses and not-for-profit institutions global leaders in the development and delivery of integrated electronic health-care software. It is also positioning the region as a leader in advancing health coaching, which is intended to help Canada and other countries around the world find new ways to decrease health-care costs.

Mamdouh Shoukri talks with Gary Goodyear following the announcement at 91��ɫ

Other partners in the project include:

Academic: George Brown College, Seneca College and Centennial College

Industry: RIM; Rogers; Tyze Personal Networks; OSCAR Service Providers; PryLynx Corporation and Trivaris

Healthcare providers: Southlake Regional Health Centre; North 91��ɫ General Hospital; Centre for Global eHealth Innovation (University Health Network) and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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91��ɫ-led global project to examine criminalization of sexual orientation

fmaquito — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Nancy Nicol’s team receives $1 million to study LGBT human rights around the world

91��ɫ visual arts professor Nancy Nicol will lead a major international project on the impact of criminalizing sexual orientation and gender identity, with $1 million in funding over five years from the (SSHRC).

The award will fund Envisioning Global LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) Human Rights, a collaborative project that will foster international research links between Canada and the global south.

Nicol, a professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts and faculty associate in 91��ɫ’s Centre for Feminist Research, will lead a 22-member research team as they explore how LGBT and human rights groups resist criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The researchers will also study the implications for human rights policy formation, social services, and immigration and refugee policies.

“Envisioning will capture and contribute to history-in-the-making of distinct but linked struggles at a key moment of national and global change,” says Nicol. “Our strategic alliance of partners has proven capacity in international LGBT human rights work, with grass roots partners in Canada and the global south. Our work will combine documentary and participatory video with qualitative interviewing, focus groups, legal data research and analysis and a limited use of surveys. We plan to make a unique contribution to documenting and analyzing criminalization, asylum and resistance to criminalization within and beyond regions.”

(CURA) awards, among the largest awarded by SSHRC, bring postsecondary institutions and community organizations together as equal research partners to jointly develop new knowledge and capabilities, provide research training opportunities, and enhance the ability of social sciences and humanities research to build knowledge in areas that affect Canadians and their changing communities.

“91��ɫ has developed a strong record in leading national and international collaborative research projects on key social issues,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president Research & Innovation. “Through its connections to the Faculty of Fine Arts, , the Center for Feminist Research, and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies’ Department of Sexuality Studies, this project reflects the interdisciplinary strengths 91��ɫ offers in human rights research and the success of our researchers’ collaborative focus with local and global partners.”

Nicol’s research team includes 22 researchers and 32 partner organizations. The co-applicants include four 91��ɫ Professors: , director of the Centre for Feminist Research; Jennifer Hyndman, associate director of the ; and .

Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science & Technology), announced the funding on March 25. Nicol’s project is one of nine large-scale research projects funded through SSHRC’s CURA program at a total cost of $8,993,254.

“These grants highlight the excellence of our country’s talented researchers and recognize the importance of fostering collaboration to keep Canada at the leading-edge of research, development and innovation in the 21st century,” said Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC.

For a complete list of CURA awards, visit Web site.

Project Partners:

Africans In Partnership Against AIDS (APAA)
Alliance For South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP)
ARC International
Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black Cap)
Center for Feminist Research, 91��ɫ
Coalition of African Lesbians
Egale Canada
Forum for Empowerment of Women (FEW)
Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK)
Global Alliance for LGBT Education (GALE)
Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
International Lesbian and Gay Law Association (ILGLAW)
Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG)
Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO)
Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies
Naz Foundation (India) Trust
Naz International Foundation in conjunction with Maan AIDS Foundation
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION)
Osgoode Hall Law School, 91��ɫ
Pride Uganda Alliance International (PUAI)
Rainbow Health Ontario
Sangini (India) Trust
Sexual Minorities Uganda
Sexuality Studies Department, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, 91��ɫ
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD)
The 519 Church St. Community Centre
The Inner Circle
United and Strong
United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM)
University of Witwatersrand

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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CFI awards 91��ɫ researchers $274,000 in funding

fmaquito — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Funding will support three projects in biology, kinesiology and psychology

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) has awarded 91��ɫ $274,689 in infrastructure funding to support the research of three 91��ɫ professors.

, professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science in 91��ɫ's Faculty of Health and a member of the Muscle Health Research Centre, will receive $79,260 to support his research on muscle microcirculation in health and diseases. Birot’s research examines how peripheral vascular disease (PVD) affects key molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of blood vessels in muscles. PVD is characterized by insufficient blood supply in leg muscles, leading to suffering, reduced mob ility and eventually amputation. PVD affects more than one million Canadians and is a frequent complication for patients with obesity, Type 2 diabetes or chronic heart failure.

Right: Olivier Birot

Nicholas Cepeda, professor in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Health, will receive $100,777 to establish a developmental cognitive neuroscience laboratory for research on learning and memory, cognitive flexibility and musical training. His research has shown a 300 per cent improvement in students’ long-term recall of factual information, merely by changing the timing of when a particular curriculum item is taught and re-taught − with no increase in teaching time. The project’s musical training research will provide information about the brain functions of musicians and non-musicians, including processing speed, working memory, inhibition, attentional control and task-switching skills.

Left: Nicholas Cepeda

, professor and a Canadian Institutes of Health Research New Investigator in the Department of Biology in 91��ɫ's , will receive $94,652 to support multi-faceted research in integrative neuroendocrinology and physiology. His research on the neuroendocrine regulation of growth, reproduction and body weight in fish could help aquaculture industry to improve the feeding, growth and reproduction of cultured fish. The funding also provides critical equipment for cutting-edge research on the neuroendocrine defects underlying diabetes and obesity, and may help to develop innovative pharmacological and cell-based therapies to help Canadians and others in their fight against these metabolic diseases.

Left: Suraj Unniappan

“These projects demonstrate 91��ɫ’s excellence in health and science research,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation. “The questions Professor Birot's and Cepeda's projects explore concerning muscle health and learning and cognition reflect the relevance and disciplinary strengths of our psychology and kinesiology researchers, while Professor Unniappan's project illustrates the industrial applications that may flow from support for basic research. We fully support the importance of the CFI’s investments in state-of-the-art infrastructure and the world-class research they enable at 91��ɫ.”

91��ɫ’s projects were part of a in 's Leaders Opportunity Fund, which provides Canadian researchers with the necessary tools to carry out a range of frontier research. The funding supports 339 leading researchers and 245 projects at 48 Canadian research institutions.

Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science & technology), made the announcement in Ottawa, Ontario on Jan. 21. “Supporting science is key to Canada’s future economic growth,” said Goodyear. “Our government's commitment to helping universities attract and retain world-leading research talent will lead to discoveries that improve Canadians' quality of life and create new jobs."

“Access to modern, cutting-edge equipment and facilities is imperative in the 21st century," said Gilles Patry, president & CEO of the CFI. “For more than a decade, the CFI has provided thousands of world-class researchers with the tools they need to do their work. Without the right infrastructure, they simply wouldn't be in Canada.”

A complete list of CFI recipients is available on the website.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of Janice Walls and Melissa Hughes

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NSERC awards over $1 million to 91��ɫ-led research partnerships

fmaquito — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Funding supports projects in 3D film and personalized cancer diagnosis over three years

Two 91��ɫ-led industry-academic partnerships have received a total of $1,237,136 through the 's (NSERC) Strategic Projects Grants program.

Sergey Krylov, professor in the Faculty of Science & Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry, has received $773,200 over three years to explore new therapies to treat metastatic cancers – secondary tumors that originate from a malignant primary tumor and subsequently invade different organs.

Right: Sergey Krylov

Laurie Wilcox, associate professor in the Faculty of Health’s Department of Psychology, is co-principal investigator on Depth in Motion with Ali Kazimi, associate professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts’ Department of Film. Theirs will be the first research project to rigorously assess human responses to moving content in stereoscopic 3D film (S3D), while challenging current practices and intuitions filmmakers have garnered through 2D and static 3D experience. The grant is provided through a collaborative initiative between NSERC and the ; NSERC has provided $286,836 while the Canada Council has provided $177,100 for a cumulative three-year total of $463,936.

Left: Laurie Wilcox

Krylov has partnered with , whose Canadian offices are based in Concord, Ontario, to create personalized diagnoses and therapy monitoring for metastatic cancers. Current difficulties in detecting and eradicating these tumors significantly contribute to cancer mortality rates; therapies that are efficient for one patient often do not work for others. Their research uses "aptamers" – short DNA strands capable of selectively binding molecules on cell surfaces to serve as tracers for metastatic cancer tumors and, potentially, as vehicles to deliver drugs to metastatic cells.

Wilcox and Kazimi will collaborate with , associate professor in the Faculty of Science & Engineering’s Department of Computer Science & Engineering and member of the , to create an independent S3D film installation based on a piece of dance choreography and presented in both a large-scale S3D projection format and on multiple S3D displays. Audience members will move through a gallery space and choose to view the large-scale screen or one of the alternative displays containing different motion in depth sequences. The project will evaluate movement’s effect through depth on observer preferences, determine if these preferences are contingent on the nature of the movement, and determine if pacing differences exist between 2D and S3D film content.

Right: Ali Kazemi

Jim Mirkopolos, vice-president of operations for Toronto-based , is the project’s industry collaborator; Cinespace's Kleinburg studios are providing space to set up and test the installation later in the project.

“These projects build on 91��ɫ’s expanding expertise in digital media and life science research, and our value-added industry-academic partnerships,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president Research & Innovation. “Depth in Motion is a natural next step in the 3D film research 91��ɫ began through the in partnership with Toronto-based industry leaders, and demonstrates the innovation unleashed when the creative arts and science converge. Professor Krylov’s work with in 91��ɫ Region has a six-year history that involves two past successful collaborations and will further contribute 91��ɫ’s scientific expertise to the region’s growing and vibrant biotech sector.”

91��ɫ’s projects were among 120 chosen to receive a total of $55 million in funding under NSERC’s Strategic Project Grants program, which aims to turn the results of academic research into real benefits for Canadians.

The announcement was made by Gary Goodyear, minister of state (Science & Technology) in Waterloo, Ontario. “Supporting science and research is critical to Canada’s future economic growth,” said Goodyear. “This investment will bring together 100 teams of some of the world’s top researchers to work with industry on promising new projects that will help strengthen our economy, create jobs and bring other benefits to communities.”

“These Strategic Project Grants show that the NSERC community has risen to the challenge and is putting the federal S&T strategy to work,” said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier. “We received a high number of quality submissions, and the peer review committees were impressed with the research teams’ excellence, their proposals’ importance and potential impact, and the strong support from partners.”

For a complete list of NSERC recipients, visit the website.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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TRIUMF's Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory recevies $14 million

fmaquito — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 08:00:00 +0000

91��ɫ has been an associate member of the consortium since September 2008. Located in British Columbia, it is Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics. Seven of 91��ɫ's researchers in the Faculty of Science & Engineering's group are active members of the consortium and its research projects.

On June 22, the government announced $14 million to develop and operate ARIEL, the facility's Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory:

The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and President of the Treasury Board, today announced a significant contribution to Canada's national laboratory for nuclear and particle physics research.

"Our government is supporting science and technology to improve the quality of life of Canadians, create jobs and strengthen the economy," said Minister Day. "This investment, as part of the Economic Action Plan, will support world-leading research and provide opportunities to bring new innovations to the marketplace so that Canadians and people around the world can benefit."

"World-class research facilities provide researchers with the tools they need to succeed," said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology). "The ARIEL facility is a great achievement for Vancouver, and for all of Canada."

The government will invest $14 million to support the development and operation of ARIEL, the Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory at TRIUMF. This investment is part of the government's five-year, $222 million commitment to TRIUMF made in Budget 2010: Leading the Way on Jobs and Growth.

Located on the campus of the University of British Columbia, TRIUMF has received more than $1 billion in federal investment to support operations, infrastructure and commercialization activities. It brings together dedicated physicists and interdisciplinary talent, sophisticated technical resources, and commercial partners in a way that has established the laboratory as a global model of success. The advances ensuing from TRIUMF's research will enhance the health and quality of life of millions of Canadians.

The full announcement is available on the National Research Council Canada's .

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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Six Canada Research Chairs renewed at 91��ɫ for $5.7 million

fmaquito — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000

91��ɫ has received $5.7 million to renew six of its Canada Research Chairs (CRC).

Professors Caitlin Fisher, David Hood, Joel Katz, Steve Mason, Wendy Taylor and Peer Zumbansen will continue their respective research in digital culture, cell physiology, health psychology, Greco-Roman cultural interaction, experimental particle physics, and transnational economic governance and legal theory.

With the renewals, 91��ɫ maintains its total of 28 research chairs. “Federal research investments are crucial to attracting and retaining the world's best researchers,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation. “The Canada Research Chairs program allows us to sustain 91��ɫ’s globally competitive research across health, the sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities. Our researchers’ findings help improve the quality of life, economic, and social well-being of Canadians and people around the world.”

Caitlin Fisher, Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Digital Culture and film professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts, investigates the future of narrative, interactive storytelling, and interactive cinema in the emerging area of virtual reality research. Her research develops techniques and narrative strategies for use in augmented reality (AR) environments, which is increasingly important for Canada's culture and entertainment industries as AR and associated technologies like smart phones become more commonplace.

Left: Caitlin Fisher

Under her direction, 91��ɫ’s AR Lab, part of the in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Fine Arts, is conducting research at the forefront of art and science collaborations. The lab makes use of both established and emerging technologies to produce innovative research methods, expressive tools for artists and award-winning content that challenges cinematic and literary conventions while enhancing the ways in which people interact with their physical environment and with each other.

David Hood, CRC in Cell Physiology and kinesiology & health science professor in the Faculty of Health, is an internationally-recognized authority in muscle health, exercise and mitochondria. His publications have expanded on the important role that mitochondria play in muscle, and the beneficial effect of exercise in enhancing energy production, preventing cell death and attenuating disease processes.

Right: David Hood

Hood operates one of the world’s most advanced laboratories in the cellular physiology of mitochondria. In January 2010, he became the first director of the newly opened 91��ɫ Muscle Health Research Centre (MHRC), which is unique in Canada. The MHRC integrates research in mitochondria with biomedical research across the University.

Joel Katz, CRC in Health Psychology and psychology professor in the Faculty of Health, is a world-class researcher in the study of pain. His research has significant impact on the way pain is understood and managed in both preventative and rehabilitative medicine.

Left: Joel Katz

His major accomplishments include using a preventative approach to advance the treatment of acute post-operative pain, increasing our understanding of neonatal pain and how to manage it, identifying factors that predict the transition of acute to chronic pain, and discovering previously unrecognized gender differences in the experience of pain. Katz is coordinator of the 91��ɫ health psychology Graduate Diploma Program, the only program in Canada offering specialized training in health psychology leading to a diploma.

Steve Mason, CRC in Greco-Roman Cultural Interaction and history professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, explores issues of cultural identity among the peoples of the eastern Mediterranean under Hellenistic and Roman rule (200 BCE to 300 CE). He focuses on Judea and the Jewish Mediterranean diaspora in the context of other diasporas.

Right: Steve Mason

The most important literary sources for these questions are 30 surviving volumes by the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37 - c. 100 CE), and Mason is at the forefront of research into these works. He leads an international team of 14 scholars in supplying Josephus with a new translation and the first comprehensive . He has published five books and many articles on related subjects while editing and co-authoring another seven. He manages the popular online database, , and is completing a volume on the fateful Judean-Roman War of 66 to 74 CE.

, CRC in Experimental Particle Physics and physics professor in the Faculty of Science & Engineering, studies the high-energy particle collisions at the and at the accelerator. Her research aims to understand matter’s smallest indivisible components and the forces of interaction between them. Taylor is recognized by her peers as an expert in b-quark physics analysis and particle detector electronics development.

Left: Wendy Taylor

Her primary analysis found the first evidence of spontaneous matter-antimatter transitions of B0s mesons, composite particles that contain both a b-quark and an anti-s quark. She contributed to developing a new calorimeter trigger, which allows high-rate data collection. She is now developing low-noise radiation-hard readout electronics for a new particle detector and algorithms to search for the Higgs boson, the particle believed to be responsible for why matter in the universe has mass.

, CRC in Transnational Economic Governance & Legal Theory and professor in Osgoode Hall Law School, explores globalization’s impact on national political economies, concentrating on changing forms of production and on the politics of privatization and deregulation.

Right: Peer Zumbansen

Zumbansen's research is advancing the development of both a comparative and methodological perspective of globalization on national political economies. His work also explores broader questions concerning political sovereignty and the changing relationship between the state and the market, particularly in the European Union, Canada and the United States. Widely published in both German and English, Zumbansen is the co-founder and co-editor-in-chief of the .

Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science & technology), announced the nationwide renewals in Ottawa on March 26. “Our government is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve Canadians’ quality of life,” said Goodyear. “The Canada Research Chairs program is helping our universities develop and attract talented people, strengthening our capacity for leading-edge research, while creating jobs and economic opportunities for Canadians now and in the future."

The CRC program attracts the best talent from Canada and around the world, helping universities achieve research excellence in natural sciences and engineering, health sciences and social sciences and humanities.

For more information, visit the Web site.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer.

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91��ɫ leads all Canadian universities in SSHRC’s largest awards

fmaquito — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

91��ɫ researchers awarded two of SSHRC’s largest grants to study long-term residential healthcare and global suburbanism

Two teams led by 91��ɫ University researchers have received $5 million in research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Their multinational research teams, involving multiple universities and community partners in a large-scale collaboration, have each received $2.5 million to examine long-term residential healthcare and global suburbanization.

The funding is part of ’s $10-million investment in critical issues of intellectual, social, economic and cultural significance through the (MCRI) program, the largest award competition SSHRC currently runs.

The program contributes to the deeper understanding of people and society while providing graduate students with research training opportunities. Royal Galipeau, MP for Ottawa–Orléans, made the announcement in Ottawa this morning on behalf of Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

Pat Armstrong, professor of sociology in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and an executive member of both the 91��ɫ Institute for Health Research and the Graduate Program in Health Policy & Equity, will lead a study to identify promising practices for understanding and organizing long-term residential healthcare.

Right: Pat Armstrong

Although many of Canada’s most vulnerable citizens live in long-term residential care, it is often characterized as a last resort rather than as a positive option where both providers and residents can thrive. Armstrong’s project seeks to learn from and with other countries to understand the approaches, structures, accountability practices, and ownership arrangements that create conditions prompting respectful and dignified treatment for both residents and caregivers.

Twenty-five researchers, eight partnering institutions, and 17 universities in six countries will work across disciplines to capture and share data and best practices. Armstrong is Chair in Health Services and Nursing Research, co-funded by the (CHSRF) and the (CIHR).

Roger Keil, professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, director of the City Institute at 91��ɫ, and director of the , is working with 44 researchers at 29 universities, and 16 partners in 12 countries to better understand the challenges suburbanization poses in a globalizing world.

Right: Roger Keil

Based on the experience of Canadian suburbanization, but ranging from North America’s wealthy gated communities to Europe’s high-rise-dominated suburbs, the exploding outskirts of Indian and Chinese cities to the slums and squatter settlements of Africa and Latin America, this project is the first to systematically take stock of worldwide suburban developments while analyzing their governance models, land use, infrastructure and suburban everyday life. The project also includes collaboration with the on documentaries about life in suburban high rises.

Of the four $2.5-million grants awarded, 91��ɫ was the only institution with two successful projects, building on its strong track record in leading large, interdisciplinary collaborative research projects. Prior to today’s announcement, 91��ɫ researchers held nine major SSHRC collaborative grants worth a total of $13.6 million in research funding.

“As the only institution to win multiple awards in this category, 91��ɫ’s researchers have clearly demonstrated their national and international excellence and leadership in large-scale, SSHRC research projects,” says Stan Shapson, vice-president research and innovation. “Leading major research initiatives allows us to address key social issues facing our society. As global populations expand and age, suburban research and new approaches to long-term residential healthcare are increasingly important to the well-being of Canadians and nations around the world. These projects provide unique opportunities for Pat, Roger, and their research collaborators to conduct groundbreaking research with significant impact on real-world issues.”

“These grants highlight the excellence of our country’s talented researchers and recognize the importance of fostering international collaboration to keep Canada at the forefront of research, development and innovation in the 21st century,” said Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC.

91��ɫ's other major SSHRC-funded interdisciplinary collaborative research projects

“Assets Coming Together for Youth: Linking Research, Policy and Action for Positive Youth Development”, led by social work Professor Uzo Anucha in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) is developing a comprehensive youth strategy that will outline how marginalized urban communities like Toronto’s Jane-Finch neighbourhood can use their community assets to support positive youth development.
The , led by Professor Emeritus Wesley Cragg in the Schulich School of Business, is mobilizing the University’s business expertise by bringing University researchers together in dialogue with leaders and researchers in business, government and the volunteer sector.
The , led by Professor Stephen Gaetz in the Faculty of Education enhances the impact of research on homelessness and the housing crisis by increasing collaboration and discussion among researchers, policy-makers and community workers.
The , led by LA&PS social work Professor Susan McGrath, studies refugee and forced migration issues to find solutions to the plight of refugees worldwide.
“Monitoring the Human Rights of People with Disabilities in Canada”, led by health policy & management Professor Marcia Rioux in the Faculty of Health, monitors and records human rights violations to put together an accurate picture of the daily lives of Canadians with disabilities.
The Toronto Immigrant Employment Data Initiative, led by geography Professor Philip Kelly in LA&PS, assists community organizations whose mandate includes the better integration of immigrants into Toronto's labour force by providing these organizations with free access to statistical data and analysis on various aspects of immigrant labour market integration.
“Slavery, Memory, Citizenship”, led by Distinguished Research Professor Paul Lovejoy, includes a team of more than 50 Canadian and international scholars who are researching the global migrations of African peoples under conditions of slavery and how the resulting racism arising from the exploitation of African peoples has shaped modern societies.
“The University as a Civic Change Agent: Community-Based Knowledge Mobilization”, led by David Phipps, director of the Office of Research Services, is developing a community-focused input model for that seeks first to identify community knowledge needs and then focus university research expertise to help fill that need by creating a self-sustaining cycle of knowledge production and its uptake for policy, practice and community capacity building.
“Work in a Warming World”, led by social science Professor Carla ��-�ѳܳ��é in LA&PS, studies the challenge presents to Canadian employment and workplaces by examining seven Canadian employment sectors to seek policy, training, employment and workplace solutions to effectively assist Canada’s transition to a low-emission economy.

For complete competition results, visit .

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with photos courtesy of YFile – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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91��ɫ prof to study effect of fertilization on northern Ontario lakes

fmaquito — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Lewis Molot, a professor in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental Studies, has received more than $265,000 over three years from the (NSERC).

The award will fund Molot’s experiment to assess the effect of sulphate levels on several impacts associated with excessive fertilization of lakes. The study will be conducted in a remote, fishless lake in northwestern Ontario’s .

Right: Lewis Molot

While sulphate occurs naturally, acid deposition has led to higher levels in lakes in Eastern Canada. Sulphate is believed to play a key role in regulating various microbial processes in North American lakes and differences in sulphate concentrations may explain variance among individual lakes.

By adding sodium sulphate to one lake, Molot and his collaborators will be able to observe its effect on several processes, including the abundance and timing of toxic algal blooms and the rate at which mercury is incorporated into the food chain. A set of control experiments will receive sodium chloride, which could provide useful information about how the increasing use of road salt, due to slow yet steady increases in year-round cottage country traffic, is affecting lakes in the province’s central and northern areas.

Molot’s team includes 91��ɫ graduate student Shelley McCabe and researchers at , , the , theand the .

“Environmental research is one of 91��ɫ’s internationally recognized strengths,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation. “Research projects such as Professor Molot’s underscore the importance of maintaining sustainable ecosystems in our lakes and protecting our fresh water supply now and in the future.”

The announcement was made by Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science & technology), on Feb. 8. “Our government is investing in research and development to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians,” noted Goodyear. “These projects will help universities develop, attract and retain the world’s best researchers, while building a strong foundation for future economic growth across Canada.”

Molot’s project is among 122 chosen to receive a total of $53.5 million in funding under NSERC’s , which aims to turn the results of academic research into real benefits for Canadians. It fosters partnerships among industry, academia and governments, and increases research and training in areas that could enhance Canada’s economy, society or environment in the coming decade.

“The research done through these projects will lead to important benefits for Canadians,” said NSERC President Suzanne Fortier. “We expect the results to include advances in renewable energy, progress toward the development of a quantum computer, improvements in screening for cancer and much more.”

For a complete list of NSERC recipients, visit the Web site.

This research on attracted on-air coverage from CJRL Kenora on Feb. 11. Professor Molot was also interviewed by CBC Radio in Thunder Bay.

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer

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Prof receives $1 million from SSHRC for climate change project

fmaquito — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0000

Carla ��-�ѳܳ��é, professor of work and labour studies in 91��ɫ's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and research fellow in 91��ɫ’s , has received $1 million over six years from the (SSHRC).

�龱��:��䲹�� -�ѳܳ��é

The award will fund an international project to study the challenge climate change presents to Canadian employment and workplaces. ��-�ѳܳ��é will examine seven Canadian employment sectors to seek policy, training, employment and workplace solutions to effectively assist Canada’s transition to a low-emission economy. By combining research, workplace education, policy recommendations and pilot projects in transnational work adaptation, her project will allow Canada to re-enter the international debate about how best to engage the work world in the struggle to slow global warming.

“We need to know more about the chain of processes that comprise work, employment and training in key Canadian industries and professions – and how their decision-makers understand and respond to the challenge that global warming poses to these processes,” says ��-�ѳܳ��é. “Our second goal is to engage community partners active in the work world and the environmental community in research that identifies critical spaces for adaptation, drawing on their hands-on experience and linking it to the expertise of the academics.”

“This award is the latest in a series of funding successes that reflect 91��ɫ’s leadership in national and international collaborative research projects,” said Stan Shapson, vice-president Research & Innovation. “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century and climate research and innovation are priorities for 91��ɫ. Our researchers are working with industry, government at all levels, academia, and the community to find ways to address the complex issues it raises.”

��-�ѳܳ��é’s research team includes nationally- and internationally-based climate scientists, senior labour market actors and academics from a wide range of disciplines. A total of 23 researchers, 20 partners, and 10 universities in three countries will participate, including 91��ɫ Professors David Doorey, , , Jan Kainer, John-Justin McMurtry, and Steven Tufts.

Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science & Technology), announced the funding yesterday in Kitchener, Ont. Lipsig-Mummé’s project is one of 20 large-scale research projects funded through SSHRC’s CURA program.

For a complete list of CURA awards, visit Web site.

Project Partners:

Canadian Steel Trade and Employment Congress
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Centre for Labour Studies
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union
Environmental Defence
Forest Products Sector Council
Learning for a Sustainable Future
National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy
National Union of Professional and General Employees
Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy/Professional Engineers
Prism Economics and Analysis
The Clean Air Partnership
The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
Toronto Training Board
United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Local 1000A
United Steelworkers of Canada
UNITE-HERE Canada
Wood Manufacturing Council
British Columbia Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

University Partners:

Auckland University of Technology
Institute of Land and Food Resources, University of Melbourne
Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability, 91��ɫ
Queen's University
Ryerson University
Simon Fraser University
St. Thomas University
University of British Columbia-Okenagan
University of Manitoba
University of Toronto

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer

The post Prof receives $1 million from SSHRC for climate change project appeared first on Research & Innovation.

Ottawa renews $1.4-million Canada Research Chair at 91��ɫ

fmaquito — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The federal government has renewed a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Law, Communication & Culture at 91��ɫ enabling Professor Rosemary Coombe of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies to advance her research in the field of socio-legal studies.

As a Tier 1 CRC, Coombe will receive $1.4 million over seven years. The CRC is part of a package of CRC appointments announced yesterday at the University of Guelph by Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science & technology).

“Canada’s government is investing in science and technology to strengthen the economy, improve Canadians’ quality of life and create the jobs of tomorrow − today,” said Goodyear. “The Canada Research Chairs program helps attract and retain the best researchers from the country and around the world to Canadian universities, which has direct benefits for our communities.”

In all, the government announced an investment of $159.1 million to fund the appointment of 181 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs, including $7.4 million in infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation essential to the research being conducted by 46 of the Chairs.

Right: Rosemary Coombe

"This CRC renewal provides opportunities for Professor Coombe to further develop her leading research in the social and cultural impact of emerging global intellectual and cultural property laws," said Stan Shapson, vice-president research & innovation at 91��ɫ. "The CRC program allows 91��ɫ to keep building on its research strengths and graduate training in niche social science areas such as law and society.”

Coombe is an internationally recognized scholar and leader in the field of interdisciplinary approaches to intellectual property. The diffusion of her research in anthropology and legal scholarship has successfully situated the field of intellectual property within a larger human rights tradition.

The CRC will enable Coombe to continue to work on interrelated research initiatives in the fields of socio-legal studies, legal scholarship, legal and cultural anthropology and public policy research involving the internationalization of cultural rights. These will be furthered by the simultaneous development of her research infrastructure, the Digital Archives of Canadian Culture Online and the Centre for Canadian Digital Policy & Cultural Rights Initiatives.

Coombe’s forthcoming book about the resurgence of cultural rights and the public life of intellectual property synthesizes her recent work on the development of information capital, indigenous peoples’ rights, the proliferation of property in cultural intangibles and its contestation in new social justice movements.

For more information, visit the Web site.

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