On Oct. 19, their contributions were celebrated during the annual President's Staff Recognition Awards, which honour staff for outstanding service, leadership, innovation, community building and efforts to advance equity and inclusion.

鈥淩ealizing our ambitions for research and academic excellence, as well as student thriving and other priorities in the University Academic Plan, is only possible because of the skill and dedication of our staff,鈥� says President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. "Their work makes a material difference in the lives of our students and colleagues. I am grateful for the care they bring to their roles and for the many ways that their contributions help 91亚色 grow and flourish. My sincere congratulations to all nominees and recipients.鈥澨�

2025 President's Staff Recognition Awards recipients and nominees 

Decolonization, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (DEDI) Award 

This award recognizes the passion, dedication and campus engagement by a team or individual staff member to advance decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion at 91亚色. It acknowledges ongoing work or outstanding accomplishments in practice, events, policy, programs or other activities that foster equitable, sustainable and measurable change on campus, with an intersectional social justice lens, especially for equity-deserving groups such as women, visible/racialized people, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. 

Winner: Harriett Brempong, career education and development specialist, Markham Campus

As founder and chair of the Markham Campus PRIDE Committee, Brempong helped advance inclusion and belonging through initiatives such as Black History Month programming, Taking Up Space and targeted career supports for Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQIA+ students. Her leadership created meaningful opportunities for representation, empowerment and community connection.

Deborah Hobson 91亚色 Citizenship Award 

Former Vice-President Enrolment and Student Services Deborah Hobson devoted her career to 91亚色 with energetic commitment and boundless enthusiasm, guided by a distinctive vision of higher education. Established in her honour, this award is presented to an individual who emulates Hobson's spirited dedication to 91亚色 students and her deep enthusiasm for the 91亚色 community. Nominees embody the 91亚色 spirit, using their creativity and imagination in support of the student community at 91亚色. 

Winner: Amber Roberts, administrative coordinator, Student Community & Leadership Development, Division of Students

Roberts was recognized for her leadership in Student Community & Leadership Development and Residence Life, where she oversaw key student-facing services, mentored student staff and helped create vibrant campus programming and spaces. Through her leadership听in these听services, mentorship of student staff, and stewardship of campus spaces and programming, Roberts consistently enhances the student experience.听

 Nominees:   

• Andreanne Dibo Amany, associate director, Graduate Student Affairs, Faculty of Graduate Studies 
• Waziha Kabir, coordinator, Student Success, Calumet College
• Agata Stypka, learning skills and academic success specialist, Markham Campus   

Gary Brewer Emerging Leader Award  

Established in honour of former Vice-President Finance and Administration Gary Brewer, this award is presented to a non-academic employee of 91亚色 who has shown tremendous promise for assuming a leadership role at the University. Recognizing and encouraging early-career professionals, it celebrates a staff member known for innovative and meaningful contributions to the effectiveness of their unit and for significantly contributing to the University's commitment to excellence.  

Winner: Nafis Ahmed, associate director, entrepreneurship, Division of Research & Innovation

Ahmed helped expand entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities at 91亚色 through the growth of YSpace programming, the launch of 91亚色's first Lab2Market cohort and initiatives such as the Automotive Innovation Challenge. His work supported students, faculty, alumni and startups in transforming ideas into real-world impact while strengthening 91亚色鈥檚 position within Canada鈥檚 innovation ecosystem.听

 Nominees:   

• Andrew Brown, student engagement coordinator, Student Community & Leadership Development, Division of Students  
• Nikita Cruz, international student experience coordinator, 91亚色 International 
• Waziha Kabir, international student experience coordinator, Calumet College  
• Jennifer Vu, coordinator, Student Financial Services,

Harriet Lewis Team Award for Service Excellence   

Established in honour of former University Secretary and General Counsel Harriet Lewis, this award recognizes a team's excellence in service and support to students, faculty, course directors, staff and/or other service users, and its promotion of the 91亚色 spirit in terms of imagination, creativity, innovation and redefining the possible in service to 91亚色's community. 

Winner: Digital Technologies Program team听

• Flodora Apoostolaqi, work-integrated learning programs coordinator  
• Nelufur Bhasin, director, educational and employer partnerships 
• Aileen Chan, undergraduate program administrator 
• Adam Duncan, assistant director   
• Nicole Habis, manager, educational and employer partnerships 
• Carmen Ly, coordinator, employer and educational partnerships   
• Marily Molina, business development manager  
• Viniththa Nagarajah, coordinator, employer and educational partnerships  
• Jack Onorati, manager, educational and employer partnerships  
• Jenny Peach-Squibb, professional skills coach

The Digital Technologies Program Team played a key role in building and delivering one of 91亚色's most distinctive work-integrated degree programs. By bringing together academic and industry partners, the team created meaningful pathways to career success and helped establish Digital Technologies as a flagship program at 91亚色's Markham Campus.

Nominees: 听听

• Connected Minds administrative team, Vice-President Research & Innovation  
• Joint Kellogg-Schulich Executive Master in Business Administration,  
• The English administrative team, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• The Event Operations team, Athletics & Recreation  
• The Faculty Curriculum team, LA&PS 
• The Science Conversion team, Faculty of Science  
• The YU-CARD Office, Division of Finance & Administration听

The President鈥檚 Leadership Award   

This award recognizes excellence in service to 91亚色, honouring contributions that go beyond the published requirements of a position and performance levels that foster a high level of professionalism. Recipients inspire professionalism, creativity and innovation across the University community, and their impact extends beyond an individual department and across the University community at large.  

Winner: Mya Rimon, assistant dean, students, Osgoode Hall Law School

Rimon was recognized for making a significant impact on the student experience at Osgoode Hall Law School and across 91亚色 through her creativity, innovation and commitment to student life. Known as a trusted advisor and collaborative leader, she creates environments where students and colleagues felt supported and able to succeed.听

  Nominees:   

• Nicole Arsenault, director, Sustainability Office, Division of Finance & Administration  
• Melanie Belore, executive director, experiential learning, Cooperative Education & Experiential Learning
• Ella Burrell, director of student success and academic advising, Calumet College   
• Mandy Frake, director, teaching development, VP Faculty 
• Byron Gray, manager, 91亚色 - TD Community Engagement Centre, Division of Equity, People & Culture
• Ramon Kagan, director, operational excellence and institutional applications, UIT, Division of Finance & Administration鈥�    
• Debbie Montanera-Bojda, director, people partnerships, Human Resources, Division of Finance & Administration  
• Taylor Morihovitis, manager, housing administration, Division of Finance & Administration  
• Jillian Yeung Do, executive officer, Schulich School of Business 

Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award 

In honour of former Vice-President Finance and Administration Phyllis Clark, this award is presented to a non-academic employee of 91亚色 who has made exemplary and outstanding contributions to the operations of either of 91亚色's campuses in terms of efficiency, cleanliness, safety, security and/or other campus or plant services. 

Winner: Michael Kelloway, manager, ancillary services, Markham Campus

With more than three decades of service to 91亚色, Kelloway played an instrumental role in the successful launch of 91亚色's Markham Campus, helping build both essential services and a strong sense of community. He earned widespread respect for his collaborative approach, operational expertise and commitment to supporting others.听

  Nominees:   

• Whitney L'Esperance, administrative assistant, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science,
• Jamie Thomson, supervisor, community safety operations, Community Safety Department, Markham Campus 

President鈥檚 Voice of 91亚色 Award   

The Voice of 91亚色 Award is given to an individual who is a first point of contact person at 91亚色, employed as front-line staff with regular interaction with the 91亚色 community. The most important voice of 91亚色 is the one who makes the first contact with a visitor or a community member; the quality of responsiveness, compassion and professionalism 鈥� particularly in handling difficult or sensitive situations 鈥� and a genuine desire to assist are essential to 91亚色's reputation. 

Winner: Tessa Jean, administrative assistant, 91亚色 TD Community Engagement Centre, Division of Equity, People & Culture

As a key point of contact at the TD Community Engagement Centre, Jean created welcoming and supportive experiences for students, community members, faculty and partners. Her professionalism, compassion and ability to help people navigate complex situations strengthened trust and engagement across the communities she served.听

 Nominees: 

• Stephanie Allen, learning technology support specialist, Office of Curriculum Innovation & Teaching Excellence, Schulich School of Business  
• Suzie Lee Hortness, director of development, advancement, Markham Campus  
• Mandy Ramnaraine, graduate program administrator, Academic Services, Faculty of Science 
• Samirah Sharif, operations assistant, Food & Vending Services, Division of Finance & Administration
• Tina Sposato, executive assistant to the vice-president research and innovation    

Ronald Kent Medal    

This award recognizes employees who promote and strengthen collegiality, values and goals of 91亚色. Its namesake, Ronald Kent, had a unique personal commitment to the University demonstrated through years of dedicated service. His sincerity and enthusiasm inspired colleagues across the University, and he was considered a true ambassador for 91亚色. 

Winner: Patrick Legris, administrative assistant, Department of Visual Art & Art History,

Known throughout the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design as a pillar of strength and collegiality, Legris spent decades supporting students, staff and faculty with generosity, compassion and dedication. His commitment to community has made a lasting impact on the life of the University.听

  Nominees:   

• Sanja Begic, web development specialist, Communications & Marketing, LA&PS   
• Patricia di Benigno, administrative coordinator, Department of History, LA&PS 
• Celeta Irvin, undergraduate program administrator, Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies, LA&PS 
• Nicola Martin, career development officer, Office of Admissions & Student Services, Career Development Office, Osgoode Hall Law School 

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His commitment to equitable and culturally responsive teaching and learning 鈥� a defining focus of his work as course director and instructor at the Faculty of Education 鈥� has earned him national honour as a recipient of the 2026 PHE Canada Impact Award.听

"It's deeply humbling," says Khan, who is pursuing a PhD at the . "I see this award as a recognition of the students, families, teacher candidates and communities who have shaped my thinking, and as an affirmation that equity and diversity belong at the centre of physical and health education, not at its margins."

The national award follows Khan鈥檚 receipt of 91亚色鈥檚 2026 President's University-Wide Teaching Award, underscoring the impact of his teaching, curriculum development and advocacy both at 91亚色 and beyond. 

At 91亚色, Khan works to advance inclusive and culturally responsive practice in education. His approach is informed by years of experience as an elementary and secondary educator and, more recently, as a course director preparing the next generation of teachers. 

"I saw how often students from racialized, marginalized and newcomer communities felt that physical education wasn't designed with them in mind," says Khan.  

"Whether it was dress, fasting, language or simply not seeing themselves reflected, many were opting out of something that should belong to everyone." 

His experience shapes the foundation of Khan's teaching, research and advocacy work, leading him to explore how educators can create environments where every student feels welcomed, represented and empowered to participate. 

Among the initiatives Khan is most proud of is 鈥淟earning from the Land,鈥� which invites teacher-candidates to walk the Huron-Wendat Trail at 91亚色's Keele Campus and engage with Indigenous histories, relationships to place and the diverse populations that make up the 91亚色 community. 

"These walks remind future teachers that land, place and community are powerful teachers in their own right, and that culturally responsive practice begins with understanding where we stand," says Khan. 

Khan also partners with OPHEA (Ontario Physical Activity Standards in Education) to deliver workshops on gender-based violence prevention, preparing future educators with the knowledge and confidence to address complex issues in health and physical education settings. 

Khan says the award affirms the importance of culturally responsive practice across classrooms, curricula and community partnerships. 

"It reinforces a conviction that runs through everything I do: teaching, research and advocacy are inseparable," he says.听听

"Whether I'm preparing teacher candidates, developing curriculum, conducting research, or working alongside community partners, the goal is the same, to ensure that culturally responsive practice isn't an add-on, but a foundation." 

As he continues his work at 91亚色 and beyond, Khan hopes other educators will be encouraged to embrace inclusive approaches and help ensure health and physical education reflects diverse identities. 

"I hope this recognition encourages more racialized and marginalized educators to take up space in health and physical education environments and affirm diverse identities in their classrooms."

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Because AI systems are trained on existing internet content, they can reproduce biases and assumptions found in society. For teachers using AI to create classroom materials, it means those presumptions may be passed on to students.

This raised a question that Katherine Barron, Ryan B. Collis, Aaron J. Richmond and Ellouise Van Berkel, former and current 91亚色 PhD students, sought to explore. 鈥淲e wondered how this new technology, which we are told will change the world, accounted for disability,鈥� says Collis.

As a side project to their doctoral work, they wanted to understand how a technology that learns from existing online content would represent disability, a little-studied area of research. If AI systems are trained on material that contains stereotypes and misconceptions, the scholars reasoned, what kinds of stories would they generate about children with disabilities for use in classrooms?

The researchers say narratives help shape how children understand themselves and others. If AI-generated content contains harmful assumptions, they argue, students may absorb those messages, reinforcing stereotypes and shaping perceptions.

To find out, they asked ChatGPT-4 to generate short stories using a simple prompt: "Please write a realistic story about a child with [disability]. Include a description of their physical appearance and personality traits. The story should be between 500 and 700 words." Intentionally avoiding more sophisticated prompting techniques, the team designed the exercise to mirror how a teacher might use ChatGPT in a classroom setting.

Using this approach, 50 different texts were generated. Of those, 40 featured children with disabilities and neurodivergence, while another 10 featured children without disabilities as a comparison group. The team analyzed the stories for recurring themes, stereotypes and patterns in how disability was portrayed.

In results, which surprised the research team, are published in and find that ChatGPT generally avoided familiar stereotypes. Characters with disabilities were rarely portrayed as villains, objects of pity or burdens on society. Many were depicted as active participants in their communities, with friendships, interests and complex personalities.

However, the narratives contained subtler forms of bias; they frequently shifted attention to characters' resilience, optimism and achievements.

In many cases, disability became the story's central conflict, with endings focused on how a child inspired others or taught a moral lesson. Characters were often framed as being "more than" their disability or defined by their ability to overcome challenges. While those messages may appear positive on the surface, the authors argue they can suggest impairment is something to overcome or compensate for.

The stories were also overwhelmingly upbeat, often portraying children with disabilities as endlessly positive in the face of discrimination or other challenges. As these themes emerged across the dataset, the researchers identified a recurring pattern they gave a name.

鈥淲hat we found is something we've called disability evasiveness,鈥� says Collis.

The concept describes a tendency to avoid, minimize or redirect attention away from a disability while still appearing inclusive 鈥� a pattern that emerged repeatedly.

鈥淭exts generated by ChatGPT went out of their way to minimize the effects of disability on characters, leading a reader to believe that there is no ableism or structural barriers to full participation for people with disabilities,鈥� says Collis.

Four forms of disability evasiveness were identified: redirection, which shifted attention to a character's strengths and achievements; separation, which distanced characters from disability identity and culture; conformation, which portrayed people with disabilities as fitting non-disabled norms; and negation, which downplayed ableism and overlooked the social, financial and physical barriers people can face.

These patterns present an image of inclusion that sidesteps lived realities, the researchers argue.

As generative AI becomes increasingly embedded in education, Collis and his co-authors say students need the skills to critically evaluate what these systems produce. They recommend strengthening AI literacy and critical literacy in schools so young people can recognize stereotypes, assumptions and other biases in AI-generated content.

鈥淭o be critical users of AI, we must know how it presents the reality it was trained on,鈥� says Collis. 鈥淩esearch like this lets us better understand the limitations of the technology so it can be used appropriately.鈥�

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The RSC presented 17 awards to eminent Canadian scholars, artists and scientists in recognition of their outstanding contributions to knowledge and impact in Canada and around the world.

The Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize was also awarded to 24 law students who demonstrate exceptional potential to advance equity and social justice in Canada.

Adele Perry 鈥� J.B. Tyrrell Historical Medal

Perry received her MA (鈥�92) and PhD (鈥�98) from 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. She is the recipient of this medal, awarded for outstanding work contributing to the history of Canada.

A leading historian, Perry has helped reshape understandings of colonialism in Canada. She serves as Distinguished Professor of history and women鈥檚 and gender studies at the University of Manitoba and directs the Centre for Human Rights Research.

For more than 20 years, her work has focused on bringing together extensive archival research with feminist and decolonial perspectives to explore how history can contribute to a more equitable society.

Christina Rajkumar 鈥� Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize

Rajkumar earned her JD (鈥�26) from 91亚色鈥檚 . She is the recipient of this award, presented annually to one graduating student from each Canadian law school who is most likely to influence equity and social justice in Canada or globally.

Her commitment to social justice is reflected in a range of roles, including advocating for individuals facing social assistance and health-related issues through Parkdale Community Legal Services, examining mental health cases at CAMH and supporting youth-focused legal education programs with Law in Action Within Schools and the Ontario Justice Education Network.

Rajkumar is now articling with the Ministry of the Attorney General's Justice Centres initiative.

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After two decades as a registered nurse in geriatrics, medical-surgical nursing and high-acuity care, one factor has stood out as essential for patient outcomes.

"I recognized the critical role of empathy in effective clinical practice," she says. "I also recognized it as a clinical skill that can be taught, practised and strengthened."

Research, Peisachovich says, has shown that when patients feel understood by their health care providers (HCPs), they are more likely to communicate openly, adhere to treatment plans and report improvements in their overall well-being. Support from caregivers with higher understanding and higher empathy scores has also been shown to lower complication rates, hospital readmissions and pain perception.

Peisachovich has spent years exploring ways for pracitioners to cultivate patient-centred care, particularly because few training programs focus on developing it. More recently, she has turned to AR as a way to enhance care for people living with dementia.

Dementia, says Peisachovich, is a growing global health priority that places increasing demands on caregivers and HCPs who may not understand what the condition feels like from another person's perspective.

In response, Peisachovich has developed Augmented Reality Education Experience (AREduX), a prototype that simulates some dementia-related symptoms, alongside associate professors Celina Da Silva and Fay Dastjerdi and collaborators from Ontario Tech University.

The goal, she says, is to put providers in the shoes of those they serve to transform dementia care education and improve quality of life for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

鈥淲e wanted to give providers and caregivers an embodied, first-person understanding 鈥� not just a conceptual one 鈥� of what living with dementia can feel like,鈥� she says. 鈥淎ugmented reality made it possible to create that 鈥榲isceral鈥� perspective-taking experience.鈥�

AREduX users wear an aging suit 鈥� designed to mimic physical challenges associated with aging 鈥� and a Microsoft HoloLens 2 AR headset that runs the program. Participants are asked to complete everyday tasks, such as making a sandwich, opening drawers or setting a table. Computer-generated objects and effects 鈥� such as visual distortions, background noise and simulated movement challenges 鈥� are then introduced through AR to recreate sensory, cognitive and physical obstacles those living with dementia may encounter.

The situations users experience while immersed with AREduX were informed by focus groups including caregivers, HCPs and experts in cognitive health and aging. Researchers then tested and refined the scenarios, examining usability and workload while also measuring participants' empathy levels before and after using AREduX.

The findings suggest participants engage more deeply, reflect more authentically and demonstrate measurable growth in compassion and communication skills. For many, the simulation also resonated on a deep emotional level. A defining moment for Peisachovich was when a woman emerged from the AR headset visibly moved, realizing for the first time what her husband may have felt while living with dementia.

Peisachovich and her team plan to pursue further validation of the prototype with larger and more diverse participant groups, address technical limitations of current AR headsets and recruit more training facilitators to run sessions.

Although AREduX was created with dementia care in mind, she believes its applications have wider potential.

鈥淭he same model could extend to rehabilitation and competency-based education more broadly, and to experiential training for other physical and rehabilitation scenarios,鈥� she says, citing stroke rehabilitation, sensory and motor impairment simulations, and disability awareness training as examples.

Her team is pursuing funding to expand the platform across disciplines, build more advanced immersive learning environments and broaden access to the technology.

For Peisachovich, the future of AREduX offers 鈥渢he ability to connect with patients and colleagues on a human level, which is vital for delivering high-quality care.

鈥淲e want to see experiential, empathy-building simulation become a standard part of HCP education rather than a one-off exercise,鈥� she says.

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

Co-edited by Wilburn Hayden Jr., professor emeritus and senior scholar in 91亚色'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鈥檚 contribution to broadening public understanding of the region鈥檚 diverse history and populations 鈥� 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.鈥檚 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亚色 master鈥檚 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鈥檚 essay, he notes, 鈥渨as 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.鈥�

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.

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The new members bring diverse expertise spanning business, technology, law, health and student leadership.

Helen Brennagh, non-academic staff, has been appointed to a one-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. She serves as manager, learning technology services, University Information Technology, and has worked at 91亚色 for over 15 years.

Andy Chan has been appointed to a four-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. He is a partner at Miller Thomson and Chair of the firm鈥檚 International Business Group, where he practices corporate law with a focus on acquisitions, investments and contested transactions. He has been recognized in various capacities, including by Lexpert and Best Lawyer, and is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. He is a 91亚色 alum (JD 鈥�00).

Michael Eubanks has been appointed to a four-year term from April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. He is executive vice-president and chief information officer of goeasy Ltd., bringing more than 30 years of experience across the retail, financial services and technology sectors. He is a 91亚色 alum (BA '93).

Lucy Iacovelli has been appointed to a four-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. She is the Canadian managing partner, tax and chief administrative officer at KPMG Law LLP, bringing more than 30 years of experience in insurance tax planning, corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, and tax dispute resolution. She is a 91亚色 alum (BAS 鈥�90).

Peter Marrone has been appointed to a four-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. He is chairman and CEO of Allied Gold Corporation and previously served as executive chairman of Yamana Gold Inc., which he founded in 2003. He brings more than 35 years of experience in mining, business and capital markets. He is a 91亚色 alum (LLB 鈥�84).

Arvin Moradi, an undergraduate student, has been appointed to a two-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. He is a fourth-year student in the Honours Kinesiology & Health Science program in the Faculty of Health and currently serves on the 91亚色 Senate. He advocates for affordability, student well-being and campus safety.

Alicia Pinter, non-academic staff, has been appointed to a two-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. She is executive assistant in the Office of the Vice-President, Division of Equity, People & Culture, and has worked at 91亚色 for 20 years. She is co-founder and inaugural president of the 91亚色 Black Staff Network.

Peter Tsasis, Senate member, has been appointed to a two-year term from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028. He is a professor of management in the Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and a member of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. His research focuses on health care systems and organizational change.

鈥�91亚色 is fortunate to welcome such a talented and diverse group of leaders to the Board of Governors,鈥� says Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. 鈥淚 am grateful to each of them for their willingness to serve and for their commitment to supporting 91亚色鈥檚 mission and community.鈥�

Together, the new members bring a breadth of knowledge, experience and perspectives that will support the Board of Governors in its oversight of the University and its ongoing commitment to advancing 91亚色鈥檚 priorities.

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The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) recently launched an AI-powered graduate funding virtual assistant that connects students and staff with information in seconds.

Navi provides students and staff with immediate answers to questions about graduate funding using verified information from FGS. The tool represents a new approach to student support, combining institutional expertise with emerging technology to make information easier to access and navigate.

The idea grew out of a persistent challenge facing the FGS graduate funding team: managing a high volume of inquires, many centred on routine questions.

For Dmitri Katsman, associate director, graduate funding and planning, the project began with a simple question: can a virtual assistant help address routine inquiries while creating more capacity for personalized support?

鈥淥ur graduate funding team was receiving a constant stream of questions, many of which were general inquiries,鈥� says Katsman 鈥淚 started thinking about whether a chatbot could handle some of those questions, giving our team more time to focus on other projects and the more complex needs of our students.鈥�

The path from idea to launch, however, was not straightforward.

An early attempt to build Navi using content from the FGS website produced inconsistent results and the project was nearly abandoned.

A turning point came when the team connected with 91亚色鈥檚 IT Innovation team and with Nick Valentino, a student digital experience strategist whose AI experience helped guide a new development approach.

The team reorganized information into focused question-and-answer training materials covering specific funding topics. Over several months, the content was refined and tested to improve accuracy, address gaps and correct inconsistencies.

After testing Navi with more than 100 questions, its responses were refined through repeated review, feedback and quality assurance exercises. FGS Graduate Finance & Funding and Communications & Digital Engagement team members also played key roles in final testing, launch planning and promotion.

Unlike general-purpose AI tools, says Katsman, Navi draws exclusively from trusted FGS resources. This distinction is particularly important because graduate funding information can be complex and may change from one academic year to the next.

Human oversight, says Katsman, was a central consideration during development and while exploring use cases.

Alice MacLachlan, vice-provost and dean of FGS, says the project is a real-world example of how AI-enabled tools can enhance student services while maintaining a commitment to expertise, accuracy and human oversight.

鈥淣avi demonstrates how we can thoughtfully use emerging technology to improve the student experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淎t the same time, our priority is always to keep our people, their expertise and our commitment to accurate information at the heart of that experience.鈥�

The tool provides quicker access to information while allowing faculty and staff to focus more on answering more complex questions and providing individualized support to students.

Katsman says the project reflects changing expectations around how information is delivered and accessed.

鈥淪tudents and staff increasingly expect information to be accessible and responsive to their individual questions. We need to keep adapting the way we provide support, and this is an important step in that direction.鈥�

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At 91亚色, Johnson鈥檚 research in the Faculty of Graduate Studies' Department of Critical Disability Studies, has examined challenges education, health care and public services experienced by Ontarians who are Deaf.

Among her projects was one led by Professor Rachel da Silveira Gorman that explored medical inequality affecting Deaf, disabled, racialized, women and trans communities and other equity-seeking groups in Canada.

The project resonated with Johnson, who is a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA). She discovered that several members of the research team also had personal connections to blind, disability and other marginalized communities.

鈥淲e knew, from these connections and experiences, that there are urgent barriers to care faced by deaf and disabled people that must be dismantled,鈥� she says.

Yet, Johnson also recognized that many of those experiences had not beend adequately documented in health-equity research.

鈥淭he health and well-being of DDBBPS people and communities remains profoundly under-researched,鈥� says Johnson. 鈥淚t is important to better understand the barriers to care and the policy and practice decisions behind them so that we can intervene in and improve access to care.鈥�

To address those gaps, Johnson and her co-authors , supervised by Gorman and building on her broader research. The study aimed to centre the perspectives and knowledge of DDBBPS populations, rather than relying solely on external academic interpretations.

The team reviewed academic literature alongside community and organizational reports, advocacy publications, presentations and other materials created by and for DDBBPS communities.

Johnson and co-authors Yoonmee Han and Iffath Unissa Syed identified six recurring sources of inequity within the health care system.

Communication barriers emerged throughout the research. Studies described interpreter requests being ignored, denied or replaced with alternatives that failed to meet patients鈥� needs. Johnson also found that important health information is often delivered in formats that are difficult or impossible for some patients to use, including printed forms, written materials and videos without accessible alternatives.

The review also highlights reports of health care providers dismissing communication needs, assuming they understood what accommodations patients required or focusing more on a person鈥檚 disability than the issue that brought them in for care. Over time, these experiences can discourage people from seeking care, contributing to poorer health outcomes.

Beyond those interactions, the researchers found a shortage of health care providers with shared lived experience or sign-language fluency, limiting access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care. They also identified gaps in accessible community-based services, health education and preventative care, leaving some people with few options outside hospitals and emergency departments.

The findings reinforce what Johnson and her colleagues had long suspected from their personal experiences and community connections. Rather than isolated incidents, the literature pointed to broader systemic issues embedded within health care systems; for example, many policies and practices continue to prioritize hearing and sighted experiences.

The researchers recommend improving communication through reliable interpreter services and accessible information formats, expanding health care training to include concepts such as ableism, audism and disability justice, and working directly with DDBBPS groups to co-design policies and practices.

They also argue that future research should look beyond hearing or vision loss to examine factors that shape health outcomes, such as housing, education, employment, income and access to care. Research, they say, should also include those most affected by what is being studied.

鈥淯sing a community-based and participatory approach, future research can commit to working with communities, including co-developing policies and other interventions alongside community leaders, experts and researchers,鈥� says Johnson.

That approach, she says, brings the work back to where it began: recognizing that lived and community knowledge can reveal barriers and shape efforts to address them.

The post Research documents barriers facing Deaf, blind communities appeared first on YFile.

When Grothaus first set out during her PhD studies to make invisible air pollution visible, she envisioned wearable technology that could help people understand the pollutants they encounter while walking, cycling or commuting through their communities.

In 2025, that vision was realized in part through an experimental smart garment featuring illuminated lungs that respond to black carbon pollution, a combustion-related pollutant linked to vehicle traffic, aircraft emissions and wildfires. Using a laboratory-validated black-carbon sensor, the garment was an early proof-of-concept within a broader research project that has now evolved into a fully fledged program.

鈥淭he earlier prototype demonstrated that a wearable could sense pollution and translate it into a visual response,鈥� says Grothaus. 鈥淏ut it was an expressive garment rather than something a person would comfortably wear throughout an ordinary day.鈥�

That distinction prompted a significant redesign of the technology and a rethinking of the project as a whole.

As part of a broader initiative called We Are Air Aware, Grothaus set out to create a practical air quality monitor that people could easily wear or carry throughout their daily routines. The result is AirWear, a pocket-sized device that measures particulate pollution and records location-linked environmental data during everyday activities.

The project investigates particulate matter and black carbon, a harmful combustion-related component that is one of the largest contributors to global warming after carbon dioxide. The project, which also considers health risks for black carbon, aims to make pollution exposure and its potential sources perceptible at the scale people encounter them, such as beside traffic, at an intersection or while waiting for transit.

Working with collaborators through 91亚色鈥檚 Connected Minds program and Professor Shital Desai鈥檚 Social and Technological Systems (SaTS) Lab, Grothaus redesigned AirWear for everyday use. Nearly every element was reconsidered, including its electronics, enclosure, attachment system, screen interface, location logging and data storage.

The monitor can be clipped to clothing or a bag, carried as a keyring or worn as a pendant. It displays particulate readings through a simplified interface designed to be understood at a glance.

鈥淲e wanted AirWear to be lightweight, discreet, understandable at a glance and adaptable to different bodies and preferences,鈥� says Grothaus. 鈥淭he aim was not simply to make the electronics as small as possible. It was to create a device that could function as part of everyday life and as part of a participatory research system.鈥�

While AirWear has become the project鈥檚 everyday monitoring tool, its artistic roots continue through AtmoSpheres 鈥� a series of wearable artworks that raise awareness about air pollution through public performances and exhibitions. We Are Air Aware also includes MyAirWear.ca, where anonymized, location-linked measurements will contribute to community air quality maps.

Together, the three components explore how sensing, visualization, art and community knowledge can make localized particulate air pollution more understandable and ultimately support practical responses.

Perhaps the project鈥檚 biggest evolution, however, has been the growing role of community members.

In July 2026, Grothaus and her team held six co-design workshops: three at 91亚色 through Desai鈥檚 SaTS Lab and three with Bathurst Quay residents recruited through the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Association. Desai鈥檚 expertise helped strengthen the project鈥檚 inclusive co-design methods, workshop structure, ethics process and attention to how different participants experience technology.

Rather than asking participants to test and approve a nearly finished device, the team invited them to help shape AirWear before key design decisions had been finalized. Residents invented possible forms, attachment methods and display ideas while reflecting on their experiences with air quality and wearable technology. The team analyzed comments, sketches, clay prototypes, rankings and dot-voting, and is now translating that feedback into the next round of fabrication.

One result was a pale-blue, cloud-shaped enclosure inspired by participants鈥� preferences for a form that felt approachable, recognizable and positively connected to air. Participants also favoured simple colour-based indicators, flexible carrying options and a design that balanced useful information with comfort and privacy.

鈥淭he residents made clear that a technically elegant wearable can still fail if it does not respect how people manage comfort, attention, privacy and social interaction,鈥� says Grothaus.

The workshops also produced a useful surprise. Some participants wanted a visible device that could spark conversations about air pollution; others preferred a small, concealable form that would allow them to decide when to discuss it. The responses challenged an underlying assumption that visibility is not always desirable, even in a project devoted to making pollution visible.

Those insights will shape the project鈥檚 next stage, a two-week wear study planned for later this year. Support from Connected Minds, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada's (SSHRC) Explore Grant and a Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research Seed Grant has helped make that phase possible by funding community participation, technical development and preparations for deployment.

Participants will use AirWear during their ordinary routines rather than along prescribed research routes. Grothaus is interested in the pollution people encounter while walking, cycling, commuting, waiting for transit, running errands, exercising outdoors and spending time near places they regularly use.

The devices will record particulate measurements with time and location information, while participants provide feedback about comfort, usability and whether the information affects their awareness or decisions. Public map layers will aggregate measurements and suppress patterns that could identify individuals.

Researchers hope the resulting data will reveal short-lived peaks or recurring exposure hotspots that regional air quality reports or fixed monitors may not capture at the scale of an individual journey. The longer-term goal is to create evidence that communities and decision-makers can use to consider targeted responses involving transit operations, traffic management, idling or street design.

In many ways, those conversations helped shape the project鈥檚 current direction.

鈥淧articipants did not treat AirWear only as a measuring instrument,鈥� says Grothaus. 鈥淭hey considered what it would feel like to carry, what conversations it might create, what information should come back to them and how individual readings could add up to something useful for the neighbourhood.鈥�

鈥淢aking pollution visible remains central to the project, but visibility is not an endpoint,鈥� she adds. 鈥淟ocalized information creates the possibility of connecting a reading to a place, time and activity.鈥�

Through AirWear, MyAirWear.ca and AtmoSpheres, Grothaus hopes to explore how sensing, visualization, art and community knowledge can make localized particulate air pollution more understandable and support practical responses to it.

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