An investment of $2.1 million, , will fund transformative work examining history, human behaviour, digital technologies and critical infrastructure to better understand and improve well-being, equity and resilience across Canada.

The CRC program bolster research excellence and advances the development of knowledge that benefits society, the economy and the environment.

"Canada Research Chairs drive new knowledge that strengthens Canada鈥檚 global competitiveness and addresses real-world challenges," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "Across 91亚色, this research reflects a commitment to tackling complex issues 鈥� from advancing Indigenous knowledge and addressing addiction, to shaping the future of AI and strengthening critical infrastructure 鈥� in ways that deliver tangible benefits for communities in Canada and beyond."

Alan Corbiere 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

An assistant professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of History, Corbiere鈥檚 research focuses on Anishinaabe language, oral traditions and material culture.

Corbiere uses approaches such as the study of treaty negotiations and wampum belts to challenge and reshape historical narratives while supporting the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and culture.

Matthew Keough 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Addiction Vulnerability (Tier 2)
Faculty of Health

Keough is an associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Psychology, a clinical psychologist and a senior scientist with Homewood Research Institute. He studies the causes of addictive behaviours and develops evidence鈥慴ased treatments with a focus on heavy drinking, cannabis use, concurrent disorders and digital interventions for young adults.

Keough also received $100,000 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation鈥檚 which supports research infrastructure projects through its partnership with the CRC program.

Jennifer Pybus 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Data, Empowerment and Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

Associate professor in the Department of Politics and director of the Centre for Public AI, Pybus studies how social media, mobile platforms and AI use personal data.

Her focus is on strengthening data literacy, supporting informed public debate and examining issues of digital sovereignty and data governance in Canada.

Pirathayini Srikantha 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems (Tier 2, renewal)

Srikantha, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, develops AI鈥慸riven and transactive energy solutions.

The aim of her research is to improve the reliability, security and resilience of electrical power grids and support the design of trustworthy energy systems.

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Everyday actions such as reaching for a cup or typing on a keyboard, rely on constant feed back from the brain. It monitors how each movement was executed and makes small refinements as needed. If a hand lands slightly off target, for example, that error is used to improve the next attempt.

Researchers distinguish between two ways the brain's neural activity updates these movements. Sometimes it fine鈥憈unes an existing skill, making small, automatic adjustments 鈥� like when a baseball pitcher corrects their aim after a missed throw. Other times, it must develop a new way of moving altogether, especially when familiar patterns no longer work, such as when moving a computer mouse with your hand one way makes the on-screen cursor move in the opposite direction.

Research led by PhD candidate Raphael Gastrock, supervised by Professor Denise Henriques and research associate Bernard Marius 鈥檛鈥疕art, examines what happens in neural systems when the brain responds to these two forms of learning. Published in , the study compares how the brain responds to errors when refining an existing skill (motor adaptation) versus learning a new one (de novo learning).

鈥淲e wanted to explore how the brain processes errors across these two forms of learning,鈥� Gastrock says. 鈥淎lthough previous research has identified brain signals linked to adapting movements, no studies have directly compared those signals between adaptation and acquiring a completely new way of moving. With this work, we aimed to address that gap.鈥�

To test this, participants completed simple "reaching" tasks using a stylus to move a cursor toward a target on a screen. After establishing how participants moved under normal conditions, researchers altered the visual feedback to compare the two types of learning.

In one case, the cursor was slightly rotated, requiring participants to adjust their aim, representing 鈥渁daptation鈥� learning, where neural systems gradually tweak an existing motion. The other scenario flipped the display like a mirror, meaning left and right were reversed, presenting the more demanding "type of skill "de novo" learning, where the brain creates a new plan to adapt to the movement.

Researchers recorded neural activity using electroencephalography, or EEG, to track how the brain prepared each movement and how it responded after participants saw the result. They found when participants adjusted to the rotated display, their neural activity changed as they improved, suggesting the brain gradually learns how to correct the action. As their aim got better, their responses to errors also became smaller, showing the task was becoming more predictable.

The mirror reversal showed a different pattern, however. Although participants movements improved, their neural activity changed very little, suggesting they had to actively think through each motion instead of relying on automatic adjustments.

Together, the findings point to a simple idea: the brain uses different approaches depending on the kind of problem it faces. When errors are consistent and predictable, it can fine鈥憈une movements automatically; however, when the task requires a new set of rules, it depends more on deliberate, effortful strategies.

This distinction may help explain why some skills are easier to learn 鈥� or relearn 鈥� than others.

鈥淢otor learning plays a central role in everyday activities, from acquiring new skills to recovering function after injury,鈥� Gastrock says. That recovery process is one area where the team鈥檚 findings could have real鈥憌orld impact.

The findings could be especially relevant for physical rehabilitation, where repeated practice and feedback are used to help people regain movement. Understanding when the brain can refine automatically versus when it requires more more cognitively demanding and effortful adaptation, could help design more effective programs.

鈥淏y better understanding the mechanisms behind it, we may be able to improve training and rehabilitation strategies,鈥� he adds.

The researchers describe the work as an early step, but one that helps clarify how the brain handles different kinds of learning 鈥� and area that has been rarely examined side by side. The dataset has also been made publicly available to support further research.

By showing that human鈥檚 neural systems use distinct processes to fine鈥憈une actions or build new ones, the study offers a clearer framework for understanding how people gain and regain skills.

鈥淚n the long term, I hope findings from these types of studies can help inform rehabilitation approaches, educational strategies and skill training,鈥� Gastrock says.

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Michael Davies鈥慥enn, a Faculty of Graduate Studies student in the Global Health graduate program, joins the Expert Group on Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

The three鈥憏ear appointment highlights the impact of 91亚色 researchers in addressing complex global health and environmental challenges.

The group brings together researchers, policymakers and practitioners and began its work earlier this year to guide the implementation of the World Health Organization鈥檚 Protocol on Water and Health. Its focus is on identifying marginalized populations and supporting their meaningful engagement in water and sanitation decision making.

Davies鈥慥enn鈥檚 research synthesizes Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 鈥� Clean Water and Sanitation, equity, global health and environmental governance. His work examines how water insecurity and climate events, such as floods and drought, influence the risk of infectious diseases, including malaria, cholera and West Nile virus.

鈥淪everal diseases linked to climate change impacts relate to the excess or absence of water,鈥� Davies鈥慥enn says. 鈥淭his suggests water is a key driver of climate鈥憆elated health outcomes.鈥�

In his fieldwork, Davies-Venn focuses on basin鈥慳rea communities along the Orange鈥慡enqu River basin in Southern Africa, a transboundary freshwater resource that supports approximately 20 million people across Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and South Africa. Through participatory research, he studies how environmental and social factors shape disease risk.

鈥淚t is reasonable to argue that human life is impossible without fresh water,鈥� he says. 鈥淵et inequities in access to drinking water persist.鈥�

In some river鈥慴asin communities, open defecation remains common due to limited access to sanitation services which increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

鈥淪ome people use the river as a latrine, while others collect water from the same river for domestic use, including drinking,鈥� Davies鈥慥enn says. 鈥淥pen defecation is a serious problem and cholera remains a global challenge. Research also links cholera outbreaks to floods and drought.鈥�

For Davies鈥慥enn, the work is both academic and personal. Having spent his childhood in similar conditions, and surviving malaria, gives him first-hand insight into the challenges these communities face.

Those experiences inform his commitment to global health solutions and his passion to make a difference.

鈥淚f, through working with basin communities, I raise awareness that contributes to saving even one child from cholera, that contribution to science and humanity will give meaning to my life and work,鈥� he says.

A member of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, Davies-Venn's research is supervised by Associate Professor Godfred Boateng (), Professor Idil Boran (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies) and Professor Philipp Pattberg (Vrije University-Amsterdam). In addition to his doctoral committee's guidance, he credits 91亚色 for fostering a collaborative environment that supports interdisciplinary research, helping him bridge his background in environmental governance with public health.

He is completing his doctorate through a cotutelle arrangement between 91亚色 and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, an international partnership that reflects 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to global research collaboration.

Through his work in the expert group, he hopes that by empowering vulnerable populations, and recognizing broader societal failures, critical improvements in equitable access to water and sanitation will lead to healthier communities.

"Micheal鈥檚 appointment reflects the type of globally engaged, interdisciplinary scholarship 91亚色 is cultivating," says Amrita Daftary, professor and graduate program director at the School of Global Health. "Grounded in equity and shaped by lived experience, his work demonstrates how graduate research can contribute to meaningful change beyond the University and Canada."

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Since joining 91亚色 in 2018, the Freud Lab 鈥� led by Associate Professor Erez Freud and in collaboration with the Department of Psychology and the Centre for Vision Research 鈥� has focused on how the brain supports object recognition and interaction. Drawing on neuroimaging, neuropsychological research, developmental studies and motion鈥憈racking technology, the group explores how people perceive the world and act within it.

In recent years, the lab has focused on autism, using movement and perception to better understand how people with autism engage with their surroundings.

Over the last six years, the Freud Lab has collaborated with the University of Haifa to collect detailed motion data from autistic participants, using motion鈥憈racking cameras and machine鈥憀earning tools. Among the group鈥檚 successes was a 2025 study that drew wide attention for showing that differences in how grasping and moving objects could be used to distinguish participants with and without autism with a high degree of accuracy.

That work now serves as a foundation for the lab鈥檚 next phase as it is expanding how, where and with whom its data is collected. 鈥淭he idea is to try to expand and to reach out to different educational and clinical institutions in order to help us reach more children and young adults with autism,鈥� Freud says.

Through new clinical鈥� and community鈥慴ased collaborations, the goal is to extend the lab鈥檚 autism studies beyond a single context, while also increasing the number and diversity of participants involved. In doing so, it can broaden both the scope of the data and the questions it can help answer.

Among those efforts is a new collaboration with Autism Therapy & Training, a Vaughan鈥慴ased clinic that works directly with children with autism and their families. It has also partnered with the Summit Center for Education, Research and Training based at Montreal鈥檚 Summit School in Ville Saint鈥慙aurent, a multidisciplinary centre serving more than 600 neurodivergent learners between the ages of five and 21.

Working in clinical and educational settings allows the Freud Lab to study autism in ways that more closely reflect everyday life. Places like Autism Therapy & Training and the Summit School are not controlled study environments, but active spaces where children learn, play and receive support as part of their daily routines.

For researchers, that means observing behaviour as it naturally unfolds in classrooms, therapy rooms and shared activities. Freud and his team are pursuing this work through the use of advanced technologies, in service of a central question that runs through the lab鈥檚 efforts: why people with autism often move differently and what those differences reflect at a neural level.

Previously, much of the group鈥檚 work relied on tightly controlled experiments that required participants to perform specific, constrained motions 鈥� often with tracking markers attached to their fingers. Now, the lab is turning to a tool called Athena, a marker鈥慺ree motion鈥憈racking system developed in collaboration with Jonathan Michaels, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Health.

Athena uses a synchronized array of multiple video cameras to capture motor behaviour from multiple angles at once. Those video streams are aligned in time and analyzed using machine鈥憀earning methods that identify and label different parts of the body, allowing researchers to track and quantify motion in three鈥慸imensional space. For the Freud Lab, that makes it possible to measure how participants move 鈥� such as which hand they use, how quickly and efficiently they complete tasks and how consistent their movements are 鈥� without constraining natural behaviour.

The approach makes it well-suited for work with children with autism; it allows them to engage in familiar, low鈥憄ressure activities, like building Lego models, while the system quietly records information about how they move.

For Freud, these everyday interactions offer enhanced insights into behaviour and lead to more meaningful questions about autism. 鈥淭he goal,鈥� Freud says, 鈥渋s to try and understand what is different about the autistic brain and the autistic representations.鈥�

The findings also point toward a more applied objective: identifying reliable motor patterns that could be used to develop more objective tools for earlier identification. 鈥淚n autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, we know that early treatment and early intervention are crucially important,鈥� he says, noting that earlier identification can help ensure support is provided at a stage when development is more flexible and interventions may have greater impact.

For Freud, that applied focus is central to his research and reflects an ongoing concern with how scientific work might translate beyond the lab 鈥� how insights about perception, movement and the brain can ultimately help people with autism, their families and the professionals who support them.

鈥淚 see my role as a cognitive neuroscientist as fundamentally about understanding the human mind and brain and how that can meaningfully promote the well鈥慴eing of a broader community,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hen it comes to working with individuals with autism and their families, that responsibility feels especially significant.鈥�

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This award, presented by Fairtrade Canada during the National Fair Trade Conference, marks 91亚色鈥檚 first time receiving the honour. The recognition builds on the University鈥檚 Silver Fair Trade Campus designation which it has held over the past two years and reflects its sustained leadership in embedding fair trade principles into everyday campus life.

91亚色 was recognized for its 鈥淔air Trade, Every Day鈥� approach, which has expanded the availability of fair trade-certified products across the University. As a result, tens of thousands of products are purchased each year, increasing access for the campus community while supporting ethical supply chains.

Fair trade-certified products 鈥� such as chocolate, coffee, tea and bananas 鈥� are available at various YU Eats locations including Stong College, Winters College, Central Square (Keele Campus) and Glendon Campus. The initiative also extends to apparel, with the 91亚色 Bookstore offering certified fair-trade T-shirts and hoodies through a partnership with Green Campus Co-op, a student- and faculty-founded organization established in 2011.

The award also acknowledges 91亚色鈥檚 broader leadership role in the sector. By hosting the National Fair Trade Conference in 2025 and maintaining an active presence in national conversations about fair trade in higher education, 91亚色 has become a hub for learning and collaboration.

91亚色 staff are frequently called on to share expertise on advancing fair trade in higher education. Sasa Netsorovic, director, Bookstore, printing and mailing services at 91亚色, recently shared insights on how campuses can translate fair trade values through procurement decisions, community partnerships and student engagement, drawing on 91亚色鈥檚 鈥淔air Trade, Every Day鈥� approach.

Nicole Arsenault, director of sustainability, says the award 鈥渞eflects years of dedicated work by students, faculty and staff who have championed fair trade and embedded it into campus culture.鈥�

These efforts, she adds, support the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goals.

With national recognition as Fair Trade Campus of the Year, 91亚色 continues to demonstrate how institutional commitment and community-driven action can create meaningful change.

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Now in its 14th year, the award honours Robert J. Tiffin, who served as 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president, students, for nine years. University community members nominate individuals who demonstrate leadership and make valuable contributions to 91亚色.   

This year鈥檚 recipients represent a wide range of disciplines and leadership pathways, says Yvette Munro, vice-provost, students. 

鈥淭he depth and breadth of leadership shown by our students is remarkable and we continue to see the meaningful ways they contribute to 91亚色," says Munro. 鈥淲hether they are supporting students across the University, within their Faculty or in groups built around shared interests or lived experiences, their leadership helps strengthen the 91亚色 community.鈥� 

Recipients of the award play a vital role in shaping the 91亚色 student experience and enhancing the character of 91亚色, says Tiffin. 鈥淭hey have led, not because they were asked, but because they cared enough to step forward. Through their contributions they have nurtured a 91亚色 tradition of a university that embraces new ideas and innovative thinking.鈥� 

The winners were celebrated on May 6 at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele Campus. 

2026 Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award recipients

Devonte Ellis, bachelor of education

Ellis has made extensive contributions to 91亚色's Music department and the Faculty of Education. He has been a festival coordinator, president of the Music Education Students鈥� Association and previous Chair of music's leadership council. He is also the founder and director of the Lions drumline and marching band. Additionally, Ellis has worked in student governance across the University in multiple positions and says one of his most impactful achievements has been as president of the Faculty of Education Students鈥� Association.

Isabella Gouveia, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in history and concurrent education

Gouveia has been actively involved in student engagement at 91亚色. She began as an Orientation Week lead captain for Founders College, followed by the Orientation director of partnerships and integration. In this role, she built relationships with various departments and staff and supported transitioning students across the University. Her orientation involvement also led her to serve as president of Founders College Student Council for two years.

Anaum Fatima Iqbal, bachelor of education

Iqbal has been a long-standing active participant of Calumet College and is now president of Calumet College Council. She actively spearheads new initiatives for the council, including converting one of the college鈥檚 spaces into a multi-faith prayer space and tacking food insecurity by providing free monthly breakfasts to college members. Iqbal has also been the vice-president of athletics and a student success mentor lead for the college.

Dipanpreet Kaur, bachelor of arts (honours) in English and professional writing

Kaur has been involved across campus since her first year, with involvement across the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and 91亚色鈥檚 international community. She is the president of the International Student Association of 91亚色, a council member of the Dean鈥檚 Circle of Student Scholars and was the marketing director for Peace by PEACE. Kaur says her most meaningful contribution has been supporting international students as they adjusted to university life, which inspired her to step into larger leadership roles.

Rubaljeet Kaur, bachelor of commerce (specialized honours) in accounting

Kaur is dedicated to creating spaces at 91亚色 where others can feel seen and have their voices heard. She is the founder and president of the Asian Women in Commerce Association, a community of more than 30 members that addresses representation gaps in business leadership, and hosts the Women in Law Association podcast. Kaur also holds leadership roles with the Social Work Students鈥� Association, LA&PS, 91亚色 International and 91亚色's Asian Youth Network.

Jaryeon Lee, master of science in kinesiology and health science

Lee鈥檚 passion for health sciences is apparent through her leadership in the field. As president of the Kinesiology and Health Sciences Graduate Student Association, Lee expanded outreach, strengthened the academic and professional community within the department and launched a new mentor-mentee program. She was also a graduate student representative on the Academic Council of Kinesiology and Health Science and is currently a representative for the Kinesiology and Health Science Curriculum Exercise meetings.

Nikan Movahedi, bachelor of science (specialized honours) in kinesiology and health science

Movahedi has led numerous initiatives at 91亚色 focused on health research and education. He is a coordinator for the largest health-oriented conference dedicated to undergraduate researchers in Canada and established the 91亚色 Blood Initiative, 91亚色鈥檚 first structured transportation system to local donation centres. Additionally, Movahedi is a student health ambassador and a student representative for the and has been both a volunteer research assistant and mentor.

Simone Elizabeth Pimenta, bachelor of business administration (honours) specialization in marketing and strategic management

Inspired after attending Orientation Week in her first year, Pimenta decided to serve as an Orientation Week executive the following year, followed by Orientation Week Chair for the Schulich School of Business. Pimenta has been heavily involved with the as the current president of the Undergraduate Business Society, as a former mentor for Schulich Women in Leadership and as a senior advisor for the Schulich Business Law Association.

Tariq Salim, bachelor of electrical engineering

Salim has been very involved in the throughout his degree. He has served as a WeekZer0 leader and vice-chair, where he executed programming and created an inclusive environment for new students to feel comfortable and confident. Salim has been an electrical engineering program representative within Lassonde, advocating for student concerns, and is currently the Lassonde representative for Bethune College Council.

Cheyenne Schmidt-Harlick, bachelor of arts (honours), double major in psychology and Indigenous studies

Schmidt-Harlick has made a lasting impact on Indigenous student support and representation across the University. During her time as president of the Indigenous Students Association at 91亚色 and as a student success mentor for Indigenous Student Services, she created welcoming spaces through advocacy, programming and relationship building. Additionally, Schmidt-Harlick held roles as a marketing coordinator for the Undergraduate Psychology Students Association and as a student health ambassador.

Amy Yeung, bachelor of science in kinesiology and health science

Yeung, a kung-fu practitioner for more than 16 years, revived and rebuilt the Martial Arts Club at 91亚色, which now has more than 75 members. Through the club, Yeung shares cultural traditions, community building and provides an accessible space for physical activity. Inclusivity is at the forefront of Yeung鈥檚 leadership practices within the Martial Arts Club, where the needs of women, 2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC and differently abled members are continuously advocated for.

Niemat Yusuf, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in psychology

As president of Black Students in Psychology, Yusuf successfully restructured the organization and scaled the executive team from six members to 24. She also expanded cross-campus partnerships and launched a peer mentorship initiative to support upper-year Black psychology students. Yusuf has volunteered in peer advocacy and mentorship roles for the Centre for Sexual Violence, Response, Support & Education, the Black Student Mentorship Program and the Undergraduate Psychology Student Association.

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Finding your way around 91亚色鈥檚 Glendon Campus is easier and more accessible with the launch of a new digital indoor navigation tool.

Faculty, students, staff and visitors can use GoodMaps to navigate Glendon鈥檚 interconnected buildings on its 85-acre Toronto campus.

The free smartphone app provides turn-by-turn indoor directions across Glendon by using detailed digital mapping, improving campus access for a wide range of users.

鈥淕lendon College is proud to embrace this groundbreaking partnership with GoodMaps 鈥� made possible through the CNIB Foundation 鈥� which reflects our enduring commitment to fostering an inclusive, accessible and innovative learning environment,鈥� says Marco Fiola, principal, Glendon College.

The innovative LiDAR-based technology offers more reliability than GPS and includes guidance for people with vision and hearing loss, as well as step-free routes for those with mobility limitations. The app provides structured directions for users who benefit from predictable navigation paths. The app works through users鈥� personal mobile devices.

鈥淕oodMaps helps remove barriers to campus navigation by supporting people with different mobility, sensory and cognitive needs," says Fiola. 鈥淲hat sets GoodMaps apart from other navigation solutions is its commitment to accessibility-first design and infrastructure-free implementation.鈥�

Available in more than 20 languages 鈥� including English, French, Spanish and Anishinaabemowin 鈥� GoodMaps supports Glendon's multilingual and international campus community. Campus maps can be updated in real time, allowing Glendon鈥檚 facilities staff to reflect changes such as construction activity or new points of interest.

In addition to on-campus use, GoodMaps includes a web mapping option that allows users to explore campus buildings online. This feature will help visitors plan routes in advance and reduce uncertainty when navigating unfamiliar spaces.

The is available for free through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The project received financial support from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and the Government of Canada through the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority鈥慙anguage Education and Second Official Language Instruction.

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The scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate excellence in interdisciplinary education and research in the field of maternal and child health.

The 2026 recipients are undergraduate students Sobi Mohan, Sana Ebadi, Aaliyah Daruwala and Sarah Belvedere; and graduate students Estreya Cohen, Paul De Luca, Haleh Hashemi, Anh Nguyen, Gillian Shoychet and Vanessa Tassone.

For Ebadi, a direct-entry nursing student at 91亚色鈥檚 School of Nursing, the award marks an important milestone in a journey defined by advocacy, scholarship and a commitment to health equity.

The third-year student鈥檚 academic interests are closely tied to her lived experience. 鈥淕rowing up in a refugee family from Afghanistan, I witnessed first-hand the barriers that many refugee and immigrant women face when trying to navigate unfamiliar health care systems,鈥� she says, highlighting language barriers, financial hardship and limited awareness of available services.

In addition to her studies, Ebadi has taken on a range of roles that demonstrate commitment to community service and student advocacy. She serves as outreach director for the Nursing Students鈥� Association of 91亚色, where she works to strengthen student engagement and connect nursing students with professional development opportunities.

As one of 91亚色鈥檚 student health ambassadors, Ebadi speaks to prospective and incoming students during University events by sharing her academic experiences and offering tips on available supports and resources.

She is also a marketing executive with the 91亚色 Blood Initiative, contributing to campaigns to raise awareness about blood donation and insecurity, and volunteers with the South Asian Autism Awareness Centre.

鈥淭he Lillian Meighen Wright Scholarship is especially meaningful because it aligns closely with my academic interests and future goals,鈥� she says, 鈥淚t reinforces my desire to contribute to more equitable systems of care for women and families who face barriers to accessing health services.鈥�

The award adds to a growing list of achievements in Ebadi鈥檚 academic career. Most recently, her maternal health research was accepted for presentation at Sigma鈥檚 37th International Nursing Research Congress in Toronto, where she will share her work with nursing scholars and experts from around the world.

"Recognition through the Lillian Meighen Wright Scholarship speaks to the promise of these students as scholars and emerging leaders," says Nazilla Khanlou, professor and Women鈥檚 Health Research Chair in Mental Health at 91亚色 and academic leader of the scholars program. "Through their research, leadership and commitment to advancing equity in health care, they exemplify the kind of compassionate and socially responsive practice the University strives to foster."

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A professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Sharpe has been named a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship recipient, recognizing the impact of her award-winning scholarship in Black studies and the humanities.

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Fellowship recognizes accomplished individuals in academia, public service and other sectors whose work addresses major social and public issues.

鈥淚 am honoured to have been selected and grateful to have been nominated,鈥� says Sharpe of the award, which provides recipients with financial and institutional resources over three years to pursue research and public engagement.

Sharpe鈥檚 work aligns closely with the program's mandate through initiatives that bring scholarly inquiry into dialogue with broader communities. Among them is The Alchemy Lecture, an annual, multi-voiced public event she leads that invites scholars and artists from across disciplines to collaboratively explore pressing social and political questions. Another is the BLACK: Lab, a collaborative research and creative space she developed and co-directs at 91亚色 that fosters interdisciplinary scholarship in Black studies, art and critical inquiry.

鈥淭he fellowship, along with the support of the University and our many sponsors, will allow the work of The Alchemy Lecture and BLACK: Lab to continue without worry,鈥� says Sharpe. 鈥淚 most look forward to working with fellows, scholars, graduate students, artists and partners on learning together through creative collaboration.鈥�

These initiatives build on Sharpe鈥檚 extensive record of scholarship, which has had wide influence on the establishment and growth of Black studies and the humanities. A Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Black Studies, her work spans literature, film, theory and the visual and performing arts, with a focus on the Black diaspora.

Sharpe鈥檚 contributions to scholarly and cultural conversations in Canada and internationally have received significant distinctions in recent years. In 2025, she was named a recipient of the Killam Prize, which acknowledges career-long contributions to scholarship in Canada. In 2024, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, which recognizes individuals who push the boundaries of knowledge and creativity.

These honours followed a notable year in 2023, when her book Ordinary Notes received the Hilary Weston Writers鈥� Trust Prize for Nonfiction and the Hodler Prize. It was also was shortlisted for major international awards, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. The book was named among the year鈥檚 notable nonfiction titles by several publications.

Through the fellowship, Sharpe will continue to shape critical conversations in Black studies and beyond.

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Peniston, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, is the fourth faculty member to hold the fellowship since it was introduced in 2023. Her project, titled 鈥淕lobal Citizenship: Experiential, Decolonial and Transformative Teaching and Learning for a Healthy and Just World,鈥� aims to prepare students to graduate as both skilled health professionals and ethically engaged global citizens.

"We want students to graduate with ethical responsibility and global awareness of what's happening in the world, because there are real-world issues that will impact their profession," says Peniston.

The project unfolds across three interconnected objectives.

The first is professional development for faculty: equipping educators across the Faculty of Health with the tools and frameworks to weave international citizenship themes into their existing courses. The second is Faculty-wide curriculum transformation, co-developing a pan-Faculty general education course and classroom modular teaching resources centred on global citizenship, health equity and sustainability. The third is preparing students to be globally minded by developing their critical thinking, ethical reasoning and ability to work across perspectives, so they graduate seeing themselves as agents of change who feel capable of addressing real-world health challenges.

The most tangible deliverable is a digital global citizenship badge that students can add to their CV or LinkedIn profile, signalling they have engaged meaningfully with health equity, sustainability and social justice during their time at 91亚色.

鈥淚 want every student graduating from the Faculty of Health to leave not only with expertise in their discipline, but also as a global scholar equipped to engage with the world," says Peniston.

Earning the digital badge will require completing specific elective courses related to global citizenship, including the proposed interdisciplinary pan-University course, participating in a capstone project through 91亚色's Cross Campus Capstone Classroom (C4) and engaging with 91亚色 International's learning partnerships.

Together, these elements are designed to create experiential and digitally connected learning opportunities that reach beyond the classroom.

Peniston also plans to develop a health-focused teaching toolkit to support faculty in incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their classrooms, building on work she completed through a previous Academic Innovation Fund grant.

Running through all three objectives is a commitment to decolonial teaching practices by centring a broader range of voices, perspectives and ways of knowing in health education.

The decolonial focus is grounded in practical classroom application rather than abstract theory. Peniston points to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action as one framework, and describes integrating Indigenous scholarship, diverse global perspectives and non-biomedical voices into what students read and hear.

"It's bringing in diverse perspectives and materials for students to engage with, inviting Indigenous scholars and other historically underrepresented voices, creating space to listen to those voices that haven't been heard and must be heard," she says.

Peniston will measure success at three levels: changes in student thinking about their professional roles and global responsibilities; increases in the number of faculty incorporating global citizenship modules into their teaching; and the Faculty of Health's ability to demonstrate leadership in socially accountable health education.

"What I find most exciting is the opportunity to work across all the schools in the Faculty of Health to co-create something together," she says. "It's about more than one course or one program; it's about building a shared approach to teaching that connects disciplines and prepares students for the world they're entering after graduation."

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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