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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The pair are part of a writing and editing team to receive the 2026 Thomas D. Clark Medallion for 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 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. 

鈥淏eing 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 鈥� with brilliant artists, scholars, students, project coordinators and arts producers, research officers (grant doulas) and supportive family members,鈥� says Levin. 鈥淲hat 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.鈥� 

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鈥� studies. 

鈥淚 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,鈥� says Williams. 鈥淚 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亚色'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鈥檝e had the privilege of working with students, educators, administrators and researchers across Canada, each committed to transforming education systems to better enable students鈥� 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鈥檓 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. 

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Burton has worked to increase awareness of IPV as a major public health issue that she says affects 25 per cent of women and 10 per cent of men worldwide.

Despite its prevalence, IPV remains understudied. Burton says that gap can have significant consequences.

"Without more attention to IPV in health research, it is impossible to fully understand its ramifications for the health of survivors and their families," she says, noting it can be a significant source of physical and psychosocial stress, but not one always recognized as part of a person's overall health burden.

A key challenge is measuring IPV consistently.

While often associated with physical abuse, IPV can also include coercive control over health care access or reproductive decisions, psychological abuse, financial abuse, sexual violence and other forms of controlling behaviours.

Because measures are designed for diverse purposes, populations and forms of abuse, researchers examining similar questions may use different approaches. This, says Burton, can make it difficult to compare findings across studies, estimate the prevalence of IPV and assess its effects on health.

Important links between IPV and health outcomes may also go unnoticed, limiting researchers' ability to understand the scope of the issue and identify effective interventions.

To help address that challenge, Burton and her colleagues developed a practical framework to guide the selection of IPV assessment tools. The team reviewed existing research on IPV measurement instruments, examining common themes, challenges, strengths and limitations.

The review 鈥� published 鈥� found that resources designed for one purpose may not be suitable for another. A questionnaire used to screen for abuse, for example, may not be the best choice for a study seeking detailed information about the frequency or severity of violence. Similarly, a measure developed for one population or setting may not perform as well in another.

Burton and her colleagues identified six factors researchers should consider when selecting an IPV tool: the study purpose, population, type of violence being assessed, time period, research context and data collection method.

Those findings informed a framework and checklist that help researchers identify measures aligned with their study goals. Rather than recommending a single "best" measure, the guide helps researchers in make informed decisions about which tool fits their research questions.

A tool focused on one form of abuse or population may overlook experiences critical to understanding health outcomes, Burton says, whi may leading scholars to underestimate the prevalence or effects of IPV. That matters because IPV can influence health in ways that are not always apparent to researchers, practitioners or patients.

"It affects so many people, and when it isn't identified, it complicates and even masks our understanding of some health issues," she says.

Providing researchers with appropriate tools can help clarify the complexities of IPV and support more consistent study of its health effects.

"With this paper, we hope to increase the likelihood that someone develops sufficient confidence in their ability to work with these measures and incorporate them into their work,鈥� says Burton.

To put the framework into practice, Burton and her colleagues also developed practical supporting resources including , an online toolkit that contains a searchable database of IPV measures organized around the guide鈥檚 categories. Researchers can use it to identify instruments that fit their study's purpose, population and context.

Burton hopes her work to advance understanding of IPV research will strengthen and improve the evidence used to inform future studies, interventions and care.

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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 DDBBPS communities and firsthand knowledge of obstacles people encounter when accessing care.

鈥淲e knew, from these connections and experiences, that there are urgent barriers to care 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.

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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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This year, the 91亚色 community is invited to participate in a special Heart Garden that asks them to reflect on how reconciliation informs their learning, teaching, research, professional practice, daily work or personal lives.

Community members can share their reflections by writing them down on a paper heart at select in-person events and tabling locations at 91亚色鈥檚 three campuses on Sept. 28.

A digital submission option is also available through 91亚色鈥檚 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website. These reflections will become part of a Heart Garden installation at Skennen鈥檏贸:wa Gamig on Sept. 30.

Community members are also encouraged to centre the experiences of residential school survivors and engage in reconciliation by:

• wearing an orange shirt, a symbol that raises awareness of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools and affirms that Every Child Matters;
• exploring reports, films, podcasts and other resources available through the University鈥檚 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website; and
• attending one of the events being offered throughout the month, including the University鈥檚 Sept. 30 commemorative gathering.

Film screenings

From Sept. 21 to 24, the University will host screenings of The Knowing by award-winning journalist Tanya Talaga. The four-part documentary series follows Talaga's search for answers about her family history while exploring the enduring effects of residential schools and colonial policies on Indigenous families and communities. Viewers should be aware that the series includes content that may be distressing for survivors and their families.

One of four episodes will screen daily at 2:30 p.m. in 91亚色 Lanes, Room 301A, in the following order: The Knowing; Stolen Children; Lost, Found and Lost Again; and The End is the Beginning.

is required, as space is limited.

Heart Garden community reflections

On Sept. 28, community members can visit Heart Garden reflection tables from noon to 3 p.m. at Vari Hall (Keele Campus), the Welcome Desk (Glendon Campus) and the West Atrium (Markham Campus).

Participants will be invited to respond to the reflection question and add their thoughts to the Heart Garden. Reflections will be incorporated into the Sept. 30 installation at Skennen鈥檏贸:wa Gamig.

Indigenous community gathering

On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Indigenous community members are invited to gather on a drop-in basis, at Skennen鈥檏贸:wa Gamig from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The gathering will provide an opportunity to connect through informal conversation and shared time together. Medicines, beading materials and refreshments will be provided. This event is open to those who self-identify as Indigenous.

Commemorative event

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, 91亚色 community members are invited to attend the University鈥檚 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation commemorative event in person or online. Advance and bringing YUCards is encouraged.

Beginning at 10 a.m.in the Helliwell Centre at the Keele Campus, the event will be livestreamed, with in-person viewing locations available at MK2050 on the Markham Campus and the Theatre at the Glendon Campus. A panel discussion will respond to this year鈥檚 Heart Garden reflection question and reflect on themes from The Knowing, highlighting reconciliation in action within the 91亚色 community.

Following the event, in-person participants will be invited to Skennen鈥檏贸:wa Gamig for light refreshments and an opportunity to engage with the Heart Garden installation.

For additional information and resources, visit the鈥�National Day for Truth and Reconciliation website.

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Since its launch in 2003, the Canada鈥檚 Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Awards have recognized women whose accomplishments have left a lasting mark on their professions and communities. This year's 91亚色-affiliated honourees include leaders in AI, transportation, construction law, governance and health care.

Below are this year鈥檚 recipients and the categories for which they were recognized.

AI and Technology

This category recognizes women whose work moves technology beyond theory, influencing real-world outcomes through product development, platform strategy, data systems, automation and enterprise technology adoption.

Lisa Marie Chen (MBA 鈥�11) leads the product team behind IBM watsonx BI, shaping how generative AI is changing the way organizations understand and work with data. A graduate of the , Chen has built a career in product development, design, entrepreneurship and higher education. In addition to her role at IBM, she teaches strategy at Schulich and previously founded Canada鈥檚 first Asian Canadian lifestyle magazine. Her work brings together technology, design and human-centred problem solving. 聽

A technology executive and board director, Irene Zaguskin (BA 鈥�09) serves as PwC Americas鈥� co-chief information officer as well as PwC Canada鈥檚 chief information and transformation officer, chief data and analytics officer, and partner. The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) alum has led digital transformation, technology innovation and business reinvention across the professional services, retail, telecommunications and energy sectors.

Amex Emerging Leaders

This category recognizes women between the ages of 30 and 40 who have been identified for successive leadership positions and demonstrate a passion for learning and innovation.

Saloni Shah (BAS 鈥�07) is an infrastructure advisory lead and principal consultant at the design and engineering firm HDR, where she helps clients plan and deliver complex infrastructure and transportation projects. A graduate of LA&PS and a chartered professional accountant, Shah has held roles in transportation strategy, infrastructure planning and market analysis. She also supports community-based non-profit organizations through pro bono consulting, serves on HDR鈥檚 Inclusion and Diversity Committee and is treasurer of WTS Toronto, an organization that advances women working in transportation.

Board of Directors

This category recognizes women who bring transformative vision and leadership to the highest levels of governance.

With more than two decades of board experience, Corinne Boone (MES 鈥�94) has developed expertise in governance strategy, climate finance, as well as energy and mining. The Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change alum serves as board Chair of Canada Growth Fund, independent director and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) committee Chair at mineral company Los Andes Copper, and is a director of the energy non-profit EfficiencyOne. Boone also contributes to governance education as a lead ESG lecturer with Corporate Directors International and has mentored aspiring directors through Women Get on Boards.

Entrepreneurs

This category recognizes women who own and operate thriving businesses.

Trained as an anthropologist, Johanna Faigelman (MA 鈥�00) founded HumanBranding in 2006 and has since expanded the behavioural insights consultancy to Toronto and New Jersey. The LA&PS alum developed a methodology that helps pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer companies better understand the cultural and emotional factors influencing behaviour. Faigelman was named a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Ontario program and was part of the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women North America class of 2025.

CN Executive Leaders

This category recognizes women who exemplify strong leadership while building confidence and championing others.

As executive vice-president and chief legal and governance officer at TELUS, Andrea Wood (LLB 鈥�85) oversees the company鈥檚 legal, regulatory and privacy functions and serves as corporate secretary to its board of directors. The alum also serves on the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art, is vice-Chair of the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation鈥檚 GTA Community Board and is a member of the Canadian Lawyer Editorial Board. Wood has been recognized by Chambers Canada as a General Counsel Influencer and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Law Awards.

Erica Zarkovich (LLM 鈥�15) leads LifeLabs鈥� commercial and strategic partnerships across Canada鈥檚 health care sector as the company鈥檚 chief market and partnerships officer. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, she works to improve growth, innovation and improved access to health care through collaborations that connect patients, providers and partners across the system. Zarkovich is particularly committed to advancing health equity in remote, rural and Indigenous communities.

Professionals

This category recognizes women who are professionals in practice and play a leadership role within their organizations.

At Metrolinx, Lena Azzou (BA 鈥�05) oversees enterprise strategy and transformation, operational excellence, enterprise project management and enterprise risk management. The LA&PS graduate is a certified change management and strategy implementation practitioner who has held senior leadership positions including chief of staff and Chair of the Metrolinx Women鈥檚 Network. She has also served as vice-Chair of the Women鈥檚 Centre of 91亚色 Region and contributes to her community as a mentor, volunteer and advocate for women and families.

Andrea Lee, who teaches at Osgoode Hall Law School, is managing partner of Glaholt Bowles LLP and a certified specialist in construction law. Trained in both architecture and law, she advises owners, contractors, design professionals and insurers on complex infrastructure and construction matters. Lee is a fellow of the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers and has co-authored leading construction law texts. Her work has earned recognition from Lexpert, Chambers, Benchmark Litigation and Best Lawyers.

For the full list of this year鈥檚 winners, visit the .

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For Ramraj, the path to exploring that question began during her master's research, which considered the relationship between vascular function and cognition in people with Type 2 diabetes.

As she and her supervisor, Heather Edgell, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology & Health Science, began planning her PhD projects, they wanted to understand how cardiac output and blood flow to the brain might contribute to cognitive function in this population. "We were interested in using upright posture as a stressor on the heart and vascular system that could potentially affect cognition by decreasing brain blood supply," she says.

But, when they searched for research exploring posture and thinking in people with Type 2 diabetes, they found very little. That gap led Ramraj and her team to conduct examining what researchers already knew about the relationship in other health conditions.

"Our overarching goal was to determine whether posture affects cognition and to develop studies that could help uncover the driving mechanism," she says.

The question is an important one. Orthostatic hypotension, a condition that causes blood pressure to drop when a person stands, is common among older adults and people with conditions such as Parkinson's disease and Type 2 diabetes. Previous research has also linked the condition to cognitive impairment, decline and dementia. Yet, assessments are typically conducted while people are seated or at rest, although symptoms occur when people are standing.

Ramraj and her colleagues analyzed existing research on posture and cognition in people with orthostatic hypotension. They also looked at studies that compared performance in lying and upright positions to learn whether posture could influence how people think and process information.

Their findings suggest it can.

Across the research, a consistent pattern emerged: people with orthostatic hypotension generally performed worse on tests when upright versus when lying down. The most consistent findings involved executive function, the mental processes that help people plan, solve problems, focus attention and adapt to changing situations. Every study that examined executive function found poorer performance when participants were standing.

The conclusions raise questions about how cognitive function is evaluated. If difficulties become more apparent while people are upright, seated assessments may not fully reflect how individuals function in everyday life. The authors suggest testing in multiple postures could help improve the accuracy of evaluations and identify impairments that might otherwise be missed.

For Ramraj, the results were particularly notable because people spend much of their daily lives upright and the cognitive abilities most affected by posture are among the most important. "This could potentially affect daily functions that allow us to remain independent, for instance the ability to plan, make decisions, learn and retain information," she says.

The findings also point to opportunities for future research and changes in how mental function is evaluated. Ramraj hopes her work encourages researchers and clinicians to consider evaluating thinking abilities in multiple postures.

"It is important that our cognitive assessments are comparable to real-life settings and experiences where people are expected to perform tasks while lying down, seated, standing and sometimes while walking," she says.

She also sees a need for better ways to evaluate cognitive function and brain blood flow simultaneously. Currently, the two are often studied separately, making it difficult to fully understand how physiological changes may influence performance.

Ramraj plans to build on her research by returning to the question that sparked the project: whether changes in cardiac output and brain blood flow contribute to cognitive impairment in people with Type 2 diabetes. She hopes the evidence encourages other researchers to explore similar questions in other populations.

This project, she says, underscores how much there is still to learn about the body's response to daily life, even activities that seem routine.

"It never fails to amaze me that our bodies respond to everyday activities such as standing upright, that sometimes we take for granted," says Ramraj.

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