Alexander is a music director of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra and Orion Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the Markham Contemporary Music Festival and the International Music Competition. Having led hundreds of orchestral and operatic performances, he has built a reputation for championing artistic excellence, cultural exchange and opportunities for emerging musicians. Through his leadership, mentorship and community initiatives, he has helped expand access to the arts for more than 1,000 young people, including neurodiverse youth, at-risk youth and students from low-income families. 

“For more than three decades, Maestro Kristian Alexander has dedicated his life to advancing the role of music in education and social connection,” said Brandon Vickerd, dean, (AMPD).  

“Through his work as a conductor, educator, scholar and humanitarian, he has enriched the cultural life in Canada and around the world, inspiring audiences, artists and communities alike.” 

Addressing graduands from AMPD and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Alexander reflected on a career spent building artistic institutions and creating new opportunities for musicians and audiences alike. 

He recalled his time as a young conducting student who envisioned a different kind of orchestra at a time when the practice was largely defined by tradition and established structures. 

"I wanted to develop an orchestra that could make its own artistic decisions, one that could operate according to a different model," he said. "There was no such orchestra, so I decided to create one." 

What began as an idea eventually grew into an internationally recognized organization, though not without setbacks and moments of self-doubt. The experience, he said, taught him lessons about perseverance, leadership and innovation. 

"You don't always have to find your place in an existing institution," he said. "Sometimes you can create the institution yourself, and sometimes the fact that something is difficult is precisely why it must be done." 

Almost 20 years later, he applied the same philosophy when he founded the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, despite warnings that the venture was too ambitious or unlikely to succeed. 

"When you believe in an idea, you must have the courage to make it happen and trust that others will join you," he said. 

Alexander noted that creating something new is only one part of the process; equally important is ensuring it can grow, adapt and continue to evolve through the contributions of others. 

"As graduates, you have enormous opportunities to create, but creation is not about keeping something under your care forever,” he said. 

“There comes a point when the most important thing you can do for what you have created is to allow others to shape it, to carry it forward, to make it their own.” 

That philosophy informed his advice to graduands preparing to enter an uncertain and rapidly changing world. Rather than feeling constrained by traditional career paths, he encouraged them to recognize the possibilities that emerge when existing models no longer meet people's needs. Alexander encouraged graduands to think big and to see uncertainty as an opportunity for innovation. 

“You have spent all of these years learning how to create, to imagine, to question, to experiment, to make something real,” he said. “Now you are standing at the beginning of something higher. A world that is waiting for you.” 

Alexander concluded by urging graduands to trust their ideas, take risks and embrace the responsibility of building the future. 

"When you leave here today, carry two questions with you: What is missing, and what could I create?" he said. "Don't wait for permission. Don't wait for the right moment. Don't wait until you feel completely ready. 

"Create what doesn't exist. Nurture it. Build it. Give it everything you have." 

The post Kristian Alexander challenges grads to build the future  appeared first on YFile.

Shital Desai, an associate professor at the , has been appointed to the Standards Council of Canada's mirror committee for the International Electrotechnical Commission Systems Committee on Active Assisted Living (IEC/SyC AAL).

Through the appointment, Desai will contribute community-engaged research insights and subject matter expertise to Canada’s participation in the development of international standards for accessible assistive technologies.

The committee supports the development of standards for technologies, products and services that promote independent living, accessibility and quality of life for people of all ages and abilities, including older adults, people with disabilities and people living with dementia.

As a member, Desai will review standards documents, provide subject-matter expertise and help develop consensus based Canadian positions on international standards initiatives.

"This appointment is an opportunity for me to bring 91��ɫ's expertise and commitment to inclusive innovation into international standards development," says Desai.

"I look forward to collaborating with experts from Canada and around the world to help shape technologies and systems that are accessible, responsible and responsive to people's needs."

The appointment reflects Desai's longstanding research in accessible interaction design, inclusive and assistive technologies, aging and dementia, as well as participatory approaches that engage older adults and people with disabilities in the design process. Her participation on the committee will also create opportunities to bring emerging international standards into both her research and teaching.

She plans to incorporate insights from the committee's work into course content and experiential learning opportunities, giving students exposure to the standards and requirements that shape technologies from design through implementation. Desai says students will also be encouraged to explore how accessibility-focused innovations can be translated into socially responsible and commercially viable solutions that address community needs.   

"This role will allow me to introduce students to standards-informed design and show them how international standards influence the development, evaluation and adoption of accessible and assistive technologies," says Desai.

Beyond student learning, Desai sees the appointment as an opportunity to extend the global reach of her community-engaged research by helping to ensure accessibility and lived experience remain central considerations in standards development.

"Older adults, people with disabilities and people living with dementia often encounter usability and adoption barriers when technologies do not reflect their needs, abilities and everyday contexts," she says.

"When their perspectives and lived experiences inform standards, and standards subsequently guide the design and development process, technologies and services are more likely to be accessible, useful, interoperable and adopted in practice."

Desai hopes to help ensure that diverse perspectives are reflected in global standards development while demonstrating 91��ɫ's leadership in inclusive innovation.

"Ultimately, I hope this work contributes to technologies and services that support independence, participation and quality of life in Canada and around the world."

The post 91��ɫ researcher helps guide global accessible technology standards appeared first on YFile.

The pair are part of a writing and editing team to receive the 2026 Thomas D. Clark Medallion – an award presented annually for books that enrich understanding of Kentucky's history, culture and people – for .

Co-edited by Wilburn Hayden Jr., professor emeritus and senior scholar in 91��ɫ's School of Social Work, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, the anthology brings together scholars, writers and artists in an interdisciplinary exploration of Black life in Appalachia.

The project builds on decades of scholarship examining race, identity and community and is a successor to the landmark 1985 collection Blacks in Appalachia, which helped bring national attention to the socioeconomic, cultural and political experiences of Black Appalachians.

"Our anthology is designed for the general public with an academic bent featuring chapters, essays and photos by four editors as well as additional 25 contributors," he says. "There are folks today that hold to the notion that Appalachia is a region of white people only. This collection documents the real-world Appalachian history and contemporary times of the existence of Black people within the region."

The award highlights the book’s contribution to broadening public understanding of the region’s diverse history and populations – often portrayed through a narrow lens. Drawing on scholarship, photography, personal narratives and creative work, the collection documents the experiences of Black Appalachians while exploring themes of identity, migration, discrimination, memory and community.

Wilburn Hayden Jr.’s chapter "Appalachian African American: Black Identity" traces the historical development of Black identity within Appalachia and examines the social and cultural connections that have shaped Black communities in the region.

"The essential element to the Black Appalachian identity binds Black people to the region and secures our position as one of the many unique populations in Appalachia," he explains.

In addition to its interdisciplinary approach, the book also became an opportunity for intergenerational collaboration. Among the contributors is Donovan Hayden, son of Wiburn Hayden Jr. and recent 91��ɫ master’s graduate in theatre and performance studies.

His chapter is an essay that recreates a conversation between three authors reflecting on their memories of the Black southern food chitlins (chitterlings). He blends his sociology and playwriting background to highlight how the authors use this unique food to explore race, poverty and growing up in the Appalachia.

According to Wilburn Hayden Jr., the chapter emerged organically from conversations among contributors. His son’s essay, he notes, “was developed on his own from an email thread with the other co-authors. I was surprised when the other co-authors decided to include it.”

For Donovan Hayden, the essay offered an opportunity to recognize the work of his father and other authors.

"I thought it was important to reflect back the people who worked so hard on this project. The three men have dedicated their lives to telling Black Appalachian stories. It felt only right to include this quirky and unfiltered exchange as another story in that history," he says.

The recognition from the Thomas D. Clark Foundation, say father and son, underscores the significance of that work and its contribution to ongoing discussions about race, place, culture and belonging.

The post 91��ɫ U father-son collab helps earn award for Black Appalachian anthology appeared first on YFile.

This fall, 91��ɫ U welcomes new full-time, permanent faculty members in the , the Faculty of Education, the , the , the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Markham Campus and the Faculty of Science. 

In this issue:

AMPD scholars offer diverse expertise across arts, media, dance

New faculty members bring expertise to 91��ɫ's Faculty of Education

Faculty of Health welcomes leaders in psychology, nursing

Lassonde School of Engineering welcomes machine learning innovator

Faculty joining LA&PS bring scholarship on diverse disciplines

New Makham Campus faculty enhance sport management teaching, learning

Inclusive, student-centred learning focus of new Faculty of Science prof

The post Welcome to 91��ɫ: New Faces 2026  appeared first on YFile.

Five new full-time, permanent members join 91��ɫ's .

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming such an accomplished and talented group of colleagues to the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) this year," says Dean Brandon Vickerd. “Their passion and depth of experience will enrich our community, expanding opportunities for creative collaboration, hands-on learning and research. I’m looking forward to seeing their contributions." 

Lyndon Barrois, Jr. 

An artist and educator based in Toronto, Barrois Jr. joins 91��ɫ as an assistant professor. Working across a range of media, he draws on references from film, literature and art history to produce translations and transformations that examine the politics of display and colonial extraction resonant in visual and material cultures. His practice navigates questions of colour, control, taste, waste and the layering of information.
 
Barrois Jr. is also one half of LAB-D, a collaborative practice with artist Addoley Dzegede. Together, they have staged four exhibitions and co-authored a book of essays, Elleboog (Jan van Eyck Academie, 2019).

He received an MFA from Washington University in St. Louis and a BFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, and completed residencies at LATITUDE (U.S.); Loghaven (U.S.); the Jan van Eyck Academie (the Netherlands); Fogo Island Arts (Canada); and the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) (Ireland).

Most recently, he was the 2025 Starr Fellow at the Royal Academy Schools, London, and held a previous role with Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, as assistant professor and MFA program director.

Tanya Berg 

Berg is a Toronto-based ballet teacher, dance educator and researcher. A graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School Teacher Training Program, her PhD research explored kinesthetic dialogue and embodied communication in advanced ballet pedagogy, reflecting her ongoing commitment to innovative approaches to dance education.

Prior to joining the Department of Dance, Theatre & Performance Studies at 91��ɫ as assistant professor, Berg was a sessional lecturer for more than two decades in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. She has also spent time teaching in the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ.  

Her research examines dance pedagogy, embodied learning, arts-based education and global perspectives on dance. She serves as chair of the not-for-profit chapter of Dance and the Child international (daCi), contributing to international conferences and collaborations that advance dance education worldwide. 

In addition to her research and teaching, Berg regularly serves on MA and PhD supervisory and examination committees across multiple faculties and institutions, including 91��ɫ and the University of Toronto, supporting graduate research in dance, education, sociology and kinesiology. 

Daphne Rena Idiz 

Idiz joins 91��ɫ as assistant professor in film and media industries. Her research investigates how media industries, cultural policy frameworks and production cultures respond to and shape technological change, with a focus on streaming and generative AI. She holds a PhD in media studies from the University of Amsterdam and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto.

Idiz currently serves as co-director of the Creative Labour and Critical Futures project and is also co-investigator on the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada-funded research project “Worker-led AI Governance: Power Resources and Shared Learnings of Cultural Workers in Canada and Brazil.” 

Other notable contributions include her role as co-editor of the special issues "Streaming Production Cultures" (Television & New Media, 2026) and “Cultural Workers and Generative AI” (AI & Society, 2026). She has also contributed to public policy development through commissioned research for the European Union and is the recipient of the 2025 CRTC–CCA Prize for Excellence in Policy Research (Research Category). 

Moynan King 

Joining 91��ɫ as an assistant professor in 91��ɫ's Department of Theatre, Dance & Performance, King is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist. She holds a PhD in theatre and performance studies from 91��ɫ and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Western University.

King's research interests include feminist performance, theory and history; the effects of queer performance on the lives and communities with which it intersects; innovative performance creation and play/screen writing; improvisation, performativity and embodiment in life and art; sound studies; and alternative comedic strategies. 

King's critical writing on theatre and performance is widely published. She was the editor of Queer Performance: Women and Trans Artists (CTR 149), the book Queer/Play: An Anthology of Queer Women’s Performance and Plays and co-editor of Sound & Performance (CTR 184) with Megan Johnson. She is the recipient of a Canadian Screen Award for her writing on CBC’s Baroness von Sketch Show on which she also made regular appearances as an actor.  Additionally, King was co-founder and director of Hysteria: A Festival of Women in Toronto, and was co-director of Toronto's Rhubarb! Festival.

She has held artistic residencies across Canada including at Nakai Theatre in Whitehorse and Studio 303 in Montreal. She recently co-directed the film Club Concussion. 

Emilia White 

White joins 91��ɫ as an assistant professor of integrative arts at 91��ɫ. She is a Toronto-based performer and object maker who works within a DIY aesthetic that values imperfection and resists elitism. Through this approach, she creates absurd, playful and participatory performances grounded in feminist perspectives. Influenced by anti-theatre traditions such as Dada, Fluxus and Happenings, her projects disrupt conventional performance spaces, transforming everyday environments into sites of collective creation. 

White draws on her background in theatre and puppetry, as well as four years living and working with the political art collective Taring Padi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to create “art for the people” as well as immersive, shared experiences. For the past five years, she has primarily used her sewing machine to create objects for performance. Her visual art draws from craft traditions and recently has focused on producing multiples to reveal the labour of the artist and the therapeutic value of making. 

Her work has been presented throughout Canada, the U.S. and Indonesia. She holds a BFA in theatre and original works from Cornish College of the Arts and an MFA in studio arts from the University of Michigan Stamps School of Art & Design. 

The post AMPD scholars offer diverse expertise across arts, media, dance appeared first on YFile.

The 2026 class includes two new fellows in the Academy of Arts and Humanities and one new member of the RSC College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. 

Elected as fellows are Laura Levin, professor in the , and Deanne Williams, professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Gillian Parekh, associate professor in the Faculty of Education and Canada Research Chair in Disability Studies in Education, has been elected to the RSC College.

The fellowship recognizes distinguished career achievement and contributions to research, scholarship and creative activity, while the College recognizes emerging and mid-career leaders whose work is advancing knowledge and addressing complex challenges.  

The three scholars were recognized for contributions spanning performance studies, literary history and educational equity.

Laura Levin

Levin is a leading figure in performance studies whose work examines how artistic practice can foster dialogue across communities, disciplines and borders. Through scholarship, creative collaboration and institutional leadership, she has helped advance research-creation as an important mode of knowledge production in Canada. 

Her work explores the relationship between performance, technology and public life, with particular attention to contemporary social and environmental challenges. By building transnational networks that bring together artists, researchers and community partners, Levin has contributed to new approaches to collaborative and public-facing research. 

“Being elected to the RSC is an honour, but it is especially moving because this recognition reflects the creative work of so many people. My research has always been made in collaboration with people who push and inspire me – with brilliant artists, scholars, students, project coordinators and arts producers, research officers (grant doulas) and supportive family members,” says Levin. “What is being recognized here is something we have made together. I see this opportunity as a chance to make that often-invisible ecology of collaboration and labour visible, and to celebrate the extraordinary people within it.” 

Deanne Williams

Williams is recognized internationally for her contributions to early theatre studies and literary history. Her research has opened new avenues of inquiry into the roles of girls and young women in medieval and Renaissance culture, challenging long-held assumptions about who participated in and shaped theatrical life during the period. 

By bringing overlooked voices and experiences into scholarly discussions, Williams has influenced contemporary understandings of Shakespearean drama and helped establish new directions for research at the intersection of theatre studies, literary studies and childhood studies, as well as the emerging field of girls’ studies. 

“I am honoured to receive this recognition from the Royal Society of Canada. I have dedicated much of my career to contradicting the idea that girls were of no importance in the Renaissance and to demonstrating their power and presence in Shakespeare's theatrical world and dramatic imagination,” says Williams. “I share this recognition with the feminist scholars who have recovered the achievements of girls and women across history and salute the advocates for the rights and welfare of girls across the globe today. I am delighted that this honour highlights 91��ɫ's achievements in performance and the arts and congratulate my fellow inductees." 

Gillian Parekh

Parekh's research focuses on how education systems create opportunities and barriers for students, particularly those identified with disabilities. Drawing on large-scale studies and partnerships with education and community organizations, she examines patterns of access, participation and student achievement. 

Her scholarship has contributed to important conversations about inclusion, educational policy and systemic equity, helping educators and decision-makers understand how institutional structures and special education practices influence student experiences and outcomes.

"I am thrilled to be recognized by the Royal Society of Canada ... and this exciting opportunity to collaborate within and across disciplines and imagine together new ways of producing knowledge and innovation," says Parekh. "My career began as a teacher in special education where my questions as to how we come to understand disability and the criteria schools use to organize students along disparate trajectories set me on a path of critical systems-based research. Along this journey, I’ve had the privilege of working with students, educators, administrators and researchers across Canada, each committed to transforming education systems to better enable students’ access to equitable academic outcomes. In this work, my role is not only to help systems identify barriers, but also be part of the collective effort in developing strategies that enhance the schooling experiences of students and families. I’m honoured by this recognition and so grateful to everyone who supported the nomination process."

The 2026 fellows and RSC members will be formally inducted during the Royal Society of Canada's Celebration of Excellence and Engagement in Ottawa on Nov. 13. 

The post Royal Society of Canada honours 91��ɫ scholars  appeared first on YFile.

AMPD alumni, students and faculty have been regular contributors to TIFF for years, and the 2026 festival continues that tradition. This year's projects highlight the breadth of creative work emerging from the 91��ɫ creative community.

Meet the members of AMPD whose work will appear at TIFF 2026.

Nicolás Pereda (BFA '05, MFA '07)
Film:
Role: director

Pereda returns to TIFF for the third consecutive year with his latest film, which he also co-wrote, edited and served as cinematographer. The film's inclusion in TIFF's Wavelengths programme adds to the long list of international festivals that have screened his award-winning work.

Antoine Bourges (MFA '18)
Film:
Role: writer, director

Bourges' latest short film explores self discovery, faith and the search for meaning in everyday life, continuing his reputation for character-driven films that blend documentary and narrative approaches to examine human connection.

On returning to TIFF: "I'm always honoured to show my work at festivals, but TIFF is obviously very special. It always feels like a homecoming. Even though I'm not from Toronto, I lived there during an important part of my life, and the energy of that film scene never left me."

Sylvia Mok (BFA '26)
Film:
Role: writer, director

Mok is an emerging filmmaker whose short documentary, part of the festival's REDEFINED short film showcase, examines the experiences of children who grew up in family-run restaurants and the communities that shaped them.

Mustafa Uzuner (PhD student, Cinema & Media Studies)
Film:
Role: director and artist

Premiering as part of TIFF's Wavelengths programme, Uzuner's film combines experimental filmmaking with an interest in art, history and the cultural connections that shape creative communities.

Rodrigo Michelangeli (BFA '14)
Film:
Role: cinematographer

Michelangeli's work has screened at major international festivals, including Venice and Rotterdam. Known for his visually rich and immersive approach to storytelling, he has built a career spanning narrative, documentary and hybrid film projects. His latest feature film screens in TIFF's Centrepiece programme.

Michelle Szemberg (BFA '00) and Verona Choi (BFA '21)
Film:
Role: editor and first assistant editor

Szemberg is an award-winning film editor whose credits span feature films, television and documentary projects, including All My Puny Sorrows, which earned her a Canadian Screen Award for Best Editing. Choi is an emerging editor working across film and television productions.

Justin Stockman (BFA '96)
Project:
Role: vice-president, Global Content, Crave

Featured in TIFF's Primetime programme, YAGA is part of a growing slate of original Canadian productions supported by Stockman. His portfolio also includes series such as Shoresy, Sullivan's Crossing and Heated Rivalry.

Naomi Jaye (MFA '19)
Project:

Jaye's participatory multi-screen installation SLOW explores movement, memory and time. Inspired by her father's changing movements following a Parkinson disease diagnosis, the work reimagines the zoetrope as a large, human-powered cylinder activated collectively by visitors.

Rennie Taylor (MA student, Cinema & Media Studies)
Project:

Part of TIFF Festival Street, Taylor's project presents experimental films through small public screening spaces. This year's programming includes work by MFA Production alumna Christina Dovolis (MFA '23) and Professor Emeritus Philip Hoffman.

For more information and showtimes, visit the .

The post 91��ɫ U students, alumni shine at TIFF 2026 appeared first on YFile.

Each Faculty will receive $5,000 a year over five years for the scholarship, reflecting a total gift amount of $75,000.

The donor, an engineer by training, understands that many university students are finding it increasingly difficult to fund their education given challenging economic times, changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) and the uncertainty of clear career paths after graduation.

“This scholarship represents an important opportunity to give back to the community and to support the next generation of students and leaders,” he said in an interview. “My desire is to provide funding for three programs which are socially critical but are often economically undervalued.”

The donor believes that increasing access to education is essential and warrants support.

“I’ve benefited a lot from great teachers,” he said. “I value what a great teacher can do for a class or even for one student. ‘To teach is to touch’ and the impact a teacher can have on someone is enduring and profound.”

Professor Robert Savage, dean of the Faculty of Education at 91��ɫ, said, “I salute our donor’s generosity, as well as his deep understanding that good educators have a foundational impact on student success at all levels.

“In helping to remove financial barriers for talented students, he is creating opportunities for not only those students, but also the generations of others who will be influenced by these future teachers’ skills, knowledge and values. The ripple effect will touch people far beyond the Faculty of Education.”

The donor also aims to help students in the arts and in psychology. As a patron and supporter of the arts, he believes art can challenge people to think deeply about themselves and society. In addition, mental health support should extend to everyone, he said, because “a great mental health practitioner can make a real and lasting impact on someone’s life.”

“Beginning University is a significant milestone, and support during this important transition can have a lasting impact on a student’s confidence, success and academic journey,” says Faculty of Health Dean David Peters. “This generous gift recognizes the value of psychology education and will help our students thrive at 91��ɫ."

Brandon Vickerd, dean of AMPD, says the donor’s investment in student success across multiple disciplines reflects a deep commitment to the transformative power of education.

“By supporting students at a pivotal stage in their academic journeys, this gift will help foster creativity, leadership and meaningful community impact. We are grateful for the donor’s vision and generosity,” he says.

The scholarships, named the Wild Rose Awards after the donor’s native Alberta, are open to first-year undergraduates in each field. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and a strong dedication to leadership through volunteer work, student leadership roles or other community involvement, as well as a demonstrated commitment to advancing women in their field or community through leadership, advocacy or engagement.

Those interested are asked to submit a brief statement about themselves with their application.

“These scholarships are intended to enable students to pursue leadership opportunities, refine their craft and access training that they are passionate about,” the donor said. “I hope that this scholarship allows recipients to create something beautiful, whether through understanding, insight, creativity or by paying it forward to others.”

For additional information about the Wild Rose Awards, visit .

With files from Elaine Smith

The post Anonymous donor funds 91��ɫ student awards in education, art, health appeared first on YFile.

Awarded through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council's (SSHRC) Insight Grants program, the funding supports medium- and long-term research initiatives over four to six years.

The projects, led by 91��ɫ researchers across multiple Faculties and research units, address issues affecting communities in Canada and around the world with research topics that explore a range of issues with local, national and global significance.

"SSHRC Insight Grants enable researchers to pursue ambitious, long-term programs of inquiry that deepen understanding of complex social issues and generate knowledge with real-world relevance," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "This year's funded projects demonstrate the remarkable breadth of 91��ɫ's research strengths, spanning health and well-being, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, Indigenous knowledge and cultural resurgence, education, labour markets, environmental and climate challenges, social inclusion, governance and public policy. Together these projects will generate new insights that help inform policy, practice and public dialogue in Canada and around the world."

Among the largest grants is a six-year, $463,646 project led by Stephanie Ben-Ishai () examining the financial and psychological effects of insolvency. Ann Marie Murnaghan (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies) received $459,784 for a six-year project focused on cultural resurgence in Witsuwit'en territories, while Michael Kalu () received $456,501 for research examining the needs of Black older adults and developing Afrocentric-informed strategies.

Other significant awards include Andrea Emberly's (LA&PS) six-year study exploring community connection and musical arts among young people, funded at $435,379, and Shital Desai's () six-year, $417,127 project investigating approaches to strengthening communication and relationships in dementia care. Enakshi Dua (LA&PS) received $411,890 for a five-year project that explores the changing landscape of diversity, equity, inclusion and decolonization initiatives.

Several funded projects examine the social implications of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. Christo El Morr (Faculty of Health) received $396,562 for Mapping Workplace Racism in Canada: A Community-Driven AI Platform Grounded in Ontario, while sava saheli singh's (Faculty of Education) Machine Learning or Learning Machines: Critical AI Futures in Education received $111,678. Isha Sharma (LA&PS) received $123,659 to study the adoption and impact of agentic AI in financial crime compliance.

Health and social well-being are also prominent themes. Mary Fox (Faculty of Health) received $400,708 to develop an e-learning intervention aimed at disrupting ageism in social work education, while Nazilla Khanlou's (Faculty of Health) $390,389 project will examine supports for racialized families of children and youth with developmental disabilities. Kerry Scott (Faculty of Health) received $286,282 to investigate public trust and engagement with Ontario's health system.

Other projects, listed below, explore immigrant inequality, labour market barriers, disability and education policy, climate and energy transitions, Indigenous resurgence, entrepreneurship in the age of AI, anti-human trafficking and cultural heritage, and more, reflecting the breadth of 91��ɫ's research strengths.

Russ Patrick P. Alcedo, AMPD
Project: From Field to Stage: Choreographing for Theatre Philippine Folk Dance Practices through Ethnographic Research
Funding: $163,951

Lalaie Ameeriar, LA&PS
Project: We Inherit Each Other: Racialized Care Work and Reproductive Labour during and after COVID-19
Funding: $109,580

Ilya Archakov, LA&PS
Project: Measuring and Modeling Economic Correlations: Robust, Valid, and Large-Scale
Funding: $59,770

Godfred O. Boateng, Faculty of Health
Project: A Cross-Cultural Validation of Housing Insecurity Scale in Slums and Informal Settlements
Funding: $362,992

Rebecca Caines, AMPD
Project: Interfacing, Playtesting, Resetting: Reframing Technology Use Through Improvised Creative Technologies
Funding: $118,750

Barnali Choudhury, Osgoode Hall Law School
Project: Improving Modern Slavery Reporting in Canada: Legal Ripple Effects and Insights from Australia
Funding: $185,789

Elicia A. Clements, LA&PS
Project: Interventions in Early Twentieth-Century Opera: Gender, Race, Coloniality
Funding: $104,553

Matias Cortes, LA&PS
Project: The Role of Firms in Lifecycle Earnings Growth and Inequality
Funding: $109,052

David B. Goldstein, LA&PS
Project: Imagined Tables: Eating and the Articulation of Community
Funding: $111,875

Luann M. Good Gingrich, LA&PS
Project: Places and Spaces of Social Inclusion: A Contextual Analysis of Immigrant Inequality in Canada
Funding: $254,831

Philip A. Harland, LA&PS
Project: Criminalization of Minorities and Subject Peoples in Antiquity
Funding: $116,231

Robert J. Heynen, LA&PS
Project: Mediations of Anti-Human Trafficking: Technology, Securitization, and Policing at the Border
Funding: $218,627

Alice J. Hovorka,
Project: Animal Performativity: ‘Becoming Primate’ in Human Society
Funding: $207,650

Hong Kal, AMPD
Project: Grievable Images: Visualizing State Violence and Resistance in South Korea Since 1948
Funding: $115,556

Magdalena J. Kazubowski-Houston, AMPD
Project: Performing Eco-Grief: Youth, Theatre, and Climate Mourning in Canada and Poland
Funding: $217,657

Étienne Lalé, LA&PS
Project: Foot Traffic, Consumer Spending, and Employment: New Insights from Cell Phone Data
Funding: $105,346

Margaret E. MacDonald, LA&PS
Project: Governing Reproduction in Senegal: Discourses and Images in the Postcolonial Archive
Funding: $105,490

Raymond A. Mar, Faculty of Health
Project: Learning Social Content from Stories
Funding: $124,843

Yuka Nakamura, Faculty of Health
Project: Community and Connection: Understanding the Growth and Social Impact of Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Sport Organizations in Toronto
Funding: $172,229

Lilian K. Ng,
Project: Giving Where They Operate: Biodiversity Governance and Corporate Philanthropy
Funding: $161,035

Ken Ogata, LA&PS
Project: Legitimacy and the Hierarchy of Artefacts Along the Entrepreneurial Journey: Evidence from the Introduction of Third-Party Certification Agencies into the Collectible Comic Books Industry
Funding: $101,646

Nathanael Ojong, LA&PS
Project: Entrepreneurship and the Sustainable Development Goals in the Age of AI
Funding: $286,219

Salewa Olawoye, LA&PS
Project: Towards An Inclusive Monetary Theory: African Entrepreneurship and Money Creation
Funding: $124,927

Oyemolade Osibodu, Faculty of Education
Project: Navigating Blackness: Sub-Saharan African Immigrant Parents' and Youth's Perspectives on the Racialization of Mathematics Education
Funding: $106,237

Gillian Parekh, Faculty of Education
Project: Constructing Disability in Education: Disability Identity, Policy Enactment and Academic Outcomes
Funding: $342,757

Jennifer R. Pybus, LA&PS
Project: Extracting Intimacy: FemTech, Surveillance, and Sovereignty
Funding: $98,892

Amanda Ricci, Glendon College
Project: At the Heart of the City: A History of the Garment Industry in Montreal, 1930–1990
Funding: $81,855

Perry Sadorsky, Schulich School of Business
Project: Energy Transition Systemic Risk in Times of Uncertainty
Funding: $109,082

Akolisa Ufodike, LA&PS
Project: Gatekeeping Growth: Immigration, Credentialing, and the Hidden Drivers of Canada's Productivity Decline
Funding: $375,300

Daniel J. Wigfield, LA&PS
Project: Systemic Integrity: Institutional Logics and Misconduct in Federated Sport Governance
Funding: $242,431

91��ɫ researchers are also directly involved as co-applicants for 15 other projects awarded a total of $3.85 million. See the of projects and recipients.

The post SSHRC invests $9.3M in 91��ɫ-led social sciences, humanities research appeared first on YFile.

The 91��ɫ-affiliated recipients are among 61 new appointments announced this year. The Order of Canada recognizes individuals whose service and contributions have had a lasting impact on communities across Canada and beyond.

Officers

Niv Fichman, alumnus and honorary degree recipient
A film producer and founder of Rhombus Media, Fichman has helped shape Canadian cinema over nearly five decades. His body of work includes internationally recognized films such as The Red Violin, Enemy and BlackBerry, reflecting a career marked by innovation and mentorship in the screen industries.

Duke Redbird, alumnus
An Elder of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, Redbird has spent more than 60 years advancing Indigenous arts and ways of knowing through poetry, visual art and performance. His work has influenced artists, educators and communities across the country, foregrounding the relationship between people and the land.

Mayann E. Francis, honorary degree recipient
Francis is a former lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia and a long-standing advocate for human rights. In 2006, she became the first African Nova Scotian and the second woman to serve in the role, and has since continued her public service and writing, including publishing a memoir.

Members

Tim Whiten, professor emeritus
Artist and member of the (AMPD), Whiten has built an influential career spanning five decades. Working across sculpture, drawing, performance and installation, his practice explores spirituality and transformation while his teaching has shaped generations of students.

Nancy Nicol, professor emerita and senior scholar
Nicol (AMPD), is a documentary filmmaker, researcher and writer whose work documents the history of 2SLGBTQIA+ activism in Canada and internationally. Through her participatory research project, Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights, she fostered international collaboration and advanced equity and human rights.

Duane D.O. Gibson, alumnus
Gibson is a hip-hop artist, author and educator who engages students through music and literacy-focused programming. Through his initiative Stay Driven, he has reached thousands of young people with messages centred on perseverance, leadership and positive decision-making.

Harvey Skinner, professor emeritus
Skinner, founding dean of the Faculty of Health, has made significant contributions to the study of behaviour change and addictions. He is known for developing the Drug Abuse Screening Test, a widely used tool that has informed clinical practice, policy and broader approaches to health innovation.

For more information about the Order of Canada or to view the full list of this year’s appointees, visit the .

The post Order of Canada honours seven 91��ɫ U community members appeared first on YFile.