“We were thrilled to learn that Professor Haideh Moghissi��was a recipient of the Trudeau Fellowship prize,” said 91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. “The Trudeau Fellowship is an incredible honour bestowed upon the finest thinkers who have demonstrated outstanding research achievements, creativity and social commitment in all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. We are proud that one of our own is a member of this esteemed group.”

Right: Haideh Moghissi (left) with 91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri at the Trudeau Fellowship ceremony

After a prolific career in Iran as an archivist, Moghissi became an internationally acclaimed analyst of women’s issues in the Muslim world. The Fellowship prize recognizes her work in this area.

“Even though I have had the good fortune of receiving several large research grants in the last decade or so, the Trudeau Fellowship has special significance as it reflects a recognition of my academic and community-related research in the areas that are also the focus of the Trudeau Foundation, including human rights and dignity, and responsible citizenship,” said Moghissi.

Moghissi, a professor in the Department of Equity Studies and the School of Women's Studies,��Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, was one of announced Monday at a ceremony at 91��ɫ, including��91��ɫ alumnus Ronald Rudin (MA ’73, PhD ’77) of Concordia University.

Left: Haideh Moghissi (left) with Martin Singer, dean of 91��ɫ's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

“My academic work has always had a specific audience and specific purpose in mind, hoping to contribute, in the most modest way, to change in areas that need change, be it in my country of birth, Iran, or in Canada, the country that I now call home,” she said. “The fellowship will help me to continue my work, providing more opportunity to explore the complexities and nuances of such issues as multiculturalism, minority rights and belonging, under the present, rapidly changing political and social circumstance.”

Each prize is worth $225,000. Trudeau Fellowships are awarded to individuals who set themselves apart through research achievements, creativity and commitment to critical social issues of importance to Canada.

“The fellowship will provide more opportunity for organizing and attending academic gatherings to learn from and exchange ideas with others who work in these and similar areas, to provide support to a few more graduate students as future scholars,” Moghissi said.

Right: Guests watch as each of the Trudeau Fellowship recipients��are honoured at��a ceremony held��in the Shulich private��dining room at 91��ɫ

A Canadian institution with a national purpose, the is an independent and non-partisan charity. It was established in 2001 as a living memorial to the former prime minister by his family, friends and colleagues. In 2002, the Government of Canada endowed the foundation with a donation of $125 million following a unanimous vote in the House of Commons. In addition, the foundation benefits from private sector donations in support of specific initiatives. Through its scholarship, fellowship, mentorship and public interaction programs, the foundation supports outstanding individuals who make meaningful contributions to critical public issues.��

More about Haideh Moghissi

A professor of sociology and women's studies at 91��ɫ,��Moghissi��was a founder of the Iranian National Union of Women and member of its first executive and editorial boards, before leaving Iran in 1984.
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At 91��ɫ she has served as associate dean external relations in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies; coordinator��of the��Certificate for Anti-Racist Research and Practice; chair of the executive committee of the Centre for Feminist Research; and as a member of the executive committee of the Centre for Refugee Studies.��

Over the course of her career Moghissi��has served as a commentator on Iran and women in the Middle East on CBC, TVO, the BBC World Service, Radio France and Voice of America, and on the editorial and advisory boards of The Journal of Comparative Public Policy, the Rutledge Women and Politics Series, Resources for Feminist Research and Feminist Forum.

Her publications in English includes seven monographs and edited volumes and 35 articles in books��and journals such as Feminist Theory, Signs, Monthly Review, Humanity and Sociology, Third World Quarterly, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, Socialist Register, Global Dialogue, Comparative Family Studies and International Review of Comparative Public Policy.

Her book��Feminism and Islamic Fundamentalism: The Limits of Postmodern Analysis (Oxford University Press, 2000 and Zed Press, 1999), winner of Choice Outstanding Academic Book Award, has been translated into Korean and Indonesian.

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

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The more proficient you become, the better, but "every little bit helps," said Ellen Bialystok, a psychology professor at 91��ɫ [Faculty of Health].

Much of the study of bilingualism has centered on babies, as scientists wondered why simply speaking to infants in two languages allows them to learn both in the time it takes most babies to learn one. Their brains seem to become more flexible, better able to multi-task. As they grow up, their brains show better "executive control," a system key to higher functioning – as Bialystok puts it, "the most important part of your mind."

Bialystok studied 450 Alzheimer's patients, all of whom showed the same degree of impairment at the time of diagnosis. Half are bilingual – they've spoken two languages regularly for most of their lives. The rest are monolingual.

The bilingual patients had Alzheimer's symptoms and were diagnosed between four and five years later than the patients who spoke only one language, she told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Being bilingual does nothing to prevent Alzheimer's disease from striking. But once the disease does begin its silent attack, those years of robust executive control provide a buffer so that symptoms don't become apparent as quickly, Bialystok said. "They've been able to cope with the disease," she said.

Her work supports an earlier study from other researchers that also found a protective effect.

But people don't have to master a new language to benefit some, Bialystok said. Exercising your brain throughout life contributes to what's called "cognitive reserve", the overall ability to withstand the declines of aging and disease. That's the basis of the use-it-or-lose-it advice from aging experts, who also recommend such things as crossword puzzles to keep your brain nimble. "If you start to learn at 40, 50, 60, you are certainly keeping your brain active," she said.

Newspapers and online news sites around the world reported on Bialystok’s lecture remarks, including media across Canada, the US, Australia, Bangladesh, China, England, Iran, Ireland, India, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Qatar, South Africa, Scotland and Wales.

Bialystok’s study was also features in stories on radio and television stations around the world, including major networks in the US and Canada.

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

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