Scarborough

Rudy Boonstra receives Fry Medal from Canadian Society of Zoologists

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:19:11 +0000

Rudy Boonstra receives Fry Medal from Canadian Society of Zoologists

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 06/13/2024 - 14:19

Faculty

Scarborough

Department of Biological Sciences

UUֱ�� Scarborough

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Rudy Boonstra (photo by Ken Jones)

Rudy Boonstra, professor emeritus in the department of biological sciences at the UUֱ�� Scarborough, has been awarded the 2024 Fry Medal by the Canadian Society of Zoologists.

The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to knowledge and understanding of an area in zoology. It was established in 1974 in honour of aquatic ecologist and former UUֱ�� professor Frederick E.J. Fry.

Boonstra’s research examines factors that affect animal populations and how animals cope with stressors such as social interactions, predation, lack of food and a changing climate – and has included a special focus on the effects of maternal stress on offspring. His work has spanned the Canadian boreal forest, prairies, mountains and the Yukon and Arctic regions.

“Being awarded the Fry Medal is a great honour,” says Boonstra, who recently retired after 40 years at UUֱ�� Scarborough but remains active in his research.

Long-time colleague Stephen Reid, an associate professor in the department of biological sciences, hailed Boonstra for his relentless advocacy for climate change mitigation and prevention strategies. “Rudy was sounding the alarm at a time when many of us were really just coming to understand that climate change was real and that its effects would be planet-altering and devastating to humans and other animals,” says Reid.

Read the UUֱ�� Scarborough story

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Laura Risk wins Opus Prize for Album of the Year

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:49:24 +0000

Laura Risk wins Opus Prize for Album of the Year

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 04/18/2024 - 13:49

Faculty

Scarborough

UUֱ�� Scarborough

landscape

Laura Risk (photo by Emmanuelle Roberge)

Laura Risk, assistant professor in the music and culture program in the UUֱ�� Scarborough’s department of arts, culture and media, has won the Opus Prize for Album of the Year in the category of World music and traditional Québécois music.

The Opus Awards were created by the Quebec Council of Music in 1996 to celebrate exceptional concert music and musicians across Quebec.

Risk was honoured for her latest album, Traverse, which was praised for its nuance, sensitivity and technical precision. She combined her experience as a fiddler and researcher to create this 10-track exploration of traditional fiddle music, which draws on her extensive studies of traditional music from both Quebec and Scotland.

"With this album, I hoped to capture something of the way that traditional music brings us together across time and place," Risk said.

Listen to Laura Risk's new album on her website

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UUֱ�� faculty, staff and students recognized with 2024 Awards of Excellence

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:59:13 +0000

UUֱ�� faculty, staff and students recognized with 2024 Awards of Excellence

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rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 04/10/2024 - 09:59

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The UUֱ�� has announced the winners of the 2024 Awards of Excellence, a prestigious program presented annually in collaboration with the UUֱ�� Alumni Association (UTAA) to recognize outstanding and inspiring faculty, staff, librarians and students.

“This year’s award recipients join the ranks of our past honourees, building on a great tradition of extraordinary dedication to the university and to society as a whole,” President Meric Gertler said in his address to the winners. “They represent the incredible breadth and depth of excellence found across the university and they are an inspiration to us all.

“To everyone being officially recognized today, you’ve earned the admiration and gratitude of the entire university and you’ve set a tremendous example.”

Faculty

Professor Diane Horton

Professor David Liu

Professor Sheila McIlraith

Assistant Professor Steven Coyne

Staff

Northrop Frye Award (Staff)

Academic Advising Training Program (multi-divisional)

Yvette Ali – Victoria University, Faculty of Arts & Science

Kerri Huffman – New College, Faculty of Arts & Science

Svitlana Frunchak – UUֱ�� Mississauga

Kimberly Elias-Cartwright – Division of Student Life, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students

Ketri Bennett – Division of Student Life, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students

Heather Kelly – Division of Student Life, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students

Cori Hanson – Faculty of Arts & Science

Andrea McGee – Faculty of Information

Julian Weinrib – Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education

Allison Scully – Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Natasha Jesenak – Woodsworth College, Faculty of Arts & Science

Jen Tigno – UUֱ�� Scarborough

Tehmeena Jadoon – UUֱ�� Scarborough

Sheri Browne – UUֱ�� Mississauga

Jill Matus Award for Excellence in Student Services

Jerome Poon Ting – Faculty of Law

Cecelia Power – Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Joan E. Foley Quality of Student Experience Award

Prasanna Balasundaram – Faculty of Law

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Emerging Leader

Jessica Silver – UUֱ�� Mississauga

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Distinguished Leader

Nadia Claire Rosemond – UUֱ�� Scarborough

Prasanna Balasundaram – Faculty of Law

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Influential Leader

Drew Gyorke – Division of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation

President’s Excellence Award – Emerging Excellence

Jonathan Vandor – Division of the Vice-President & Provost

President’s Excellence Award – Distinguished Excellence

Sean Caffrey – Faculty of Arts & Science

Sean Suleman – Division of the Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture

President’s Excellence Award – Influential Excellence

Trevor Cuddy – Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Students

Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award

Natasha Sheikhan – Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

UTAA Graduate Scholars

Crizza Ching – Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Maryam Abisola Owodunni – department of geography & planning, Faculty of Arts & Science

Blue (Georgianna) Lin – department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

John H. Moss Scholarship

Michaela (Micki) Hargitai – department of health and society, UUֱ�� Scarborough

UTAA Scholars

Sophia Abolore – University College, Faculty of Arts & Science

Jonathan Angell – Victoria College, Faculty of Arts & Science

Margaret Chen – Victoria College, Faculty of Arts & Science

Vedika Jha – Victoria College, Faculty of Arts & Science

Ludwik and Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize – Emerging Leader

Foti Vito – Faculty of Law

Shezadi Khushal – Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

See the full list of 2024 Awards of Excellence recipients

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Ahnaf Rahman named 2023 Student of the Year by CEWIL Canada

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 17:59:46 +0000

Ahnaf Rahman named 2023 Student of the Year by CEWIL Canada

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 04/02/2024 - 13:59

Undergraduate Students

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Ahnaf Rahman (supplied image)

Ahnaf Rahman, a UUֱ�� Scarborough student pursuing a bachelor of business administration, specialist in finance and management, has been named a 2023 Student of the Year by Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada.

The award recognizes college and university students for their outstanding work during co-op and work-integrated learning placements.

Rahman completed an eight-month co-op work term at KPMG, one of the world’s “Big Four” accounting firms. He was recognized with the award in part for using software to streamline how the company tracks its progress on projects. The data visualization software is still used at KPMG a year after his work term.

“Senior managers can keep their managers accountable, managers can keep consultants accountable, and the data is used to show clients that we’re on track,” Rahman said. “Data can be overlaid too so it allows for year-by-year comparison.”

Rahman adds this award to several other recognitions, including the most prestigious international student scholarship at UUֱ�� – the Lester B. Pearson Scholarship.

Read the UUֱ�� Scarborough story

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Seven UUֱ�� graduate students awarded 2023-2024 Inlight Research Fellowships in support of mental health research

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 19:26:40 +0000

Seven UUֱ�� graduate students awarded 2023-2024 Inlight Research Fellowships in support of mental health research

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 04/01/2024 - 15:26

Department of Computer Science

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Graduate Students

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

OISE

UUֱ�� Mississauga

UUֱ�� Scarborough

landscape

Clockwise from top left: Melissa deJonge, Egag Egag, Asma Shamim, Maya Ahia, Danika Quesnel, JesusMiracle Chiadika and Ananya Bhattacharjee (supplied images)

Seven students from across the UUֱ�� are recipients of the 2023-2024 Inlight Research Fellowships awarded by Inlight Student Mental Health Research, a UUֱ�� institutional strategic initiative committed to improving student mental health and wellness outcomes.

The $10,000 fellowships support graduate scholars who are leading research projects that aim to improve student mental health and well-being on campus and recognize the importance of student-led and co-designed research solutions.

“The Inlight Research Fellowship Program is dedicated to promoting the development of leaders in post-secondary student mental health research,” said Julius Haag, Inlight’s associate director, education and training and an assistant professor, teaching stream in the department of sociology at UUֱ�� Mississauga.

“We are actively supporting impactful research that will grow the perspectives and capacity needed to advance student mental health and wellness, as well as centring research that focuses on engaging the experiences and perspectives of our diverse student community.”

Here is the full list of Inlight’s 2023-2024 research fellowship award recipients:

Maya Ahia – master’s student in clinical psychology, UUֱ�� Scarborough

Ananya Bhattacharjee – PhD candidate in computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

JesusMiracle Chiadika – PhD student in higher education, comparative, international & development education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Melissa deJonge – PhD student, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Egag Egag – PhD student, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Danika Quesnel – PhD student in clinical psychology, UUֱ�� Scarborough

Asma Shamim – PhD student in developmental psychology and education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

UUֱ�� Scarborough's Indigenous House recognized by Canadian Architect

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:03:52 +0000

UUֱ�� Scarborough's Indigenous House recognized by Canadian Architect

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 03/27/2024 - 13:03

landscape

Indigenous House (Image courtesy Formline Architecture and LGA Architecture Partners)

The UUֱ�� Scarborough’s Indigenous House, a building that will be dedicated to learning about Indigenous culture and ways of knowing, has received a 2023 Award of Merit from Canadian Architect.

The award is given to architectural projects that bring innovation to the world of design and balance aesthetics with the effectiveness of social spaces.

Indigenous House was designed by Alfred Waugh, principal architect at Formline Architecture and a member of the Fond du Lac Denesuline Nation of Saskatchewan, along with LGA Architecture Partners. Waugh drew inspiration for the design from a traditional winter wigwam and longhouse, and also took into account suggestions of local Indigenous communities, elders and knowledge keepers.

Claire Weisz, a juror for the award, says the committee looked at many projects designed to serve Indigenous people. “Finding an appropriate and functional architectural expression was not always successful,” Weisz said. “In this case, it is: a new form of architecture consciously emerges from the landscape and looks to Indigenous precedents.”

Read the UUֱ�� Scarborough story

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Phani Radhakrishnan receives 2024 Global Educator Award

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 21:28:10 +0000

Phani Radhakrishnan receives 2024 Global Educator Award

Teaching

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 03/22/2024 - 17:28

Faculty

Scarborough

Global Educator Award

UUֱ�� Scarborough

landscape

Phani Radhakrishnan (supplied image)

Phani Radhakrishnan, an associate professor, teaching stream, of organizational behaviour and human resources in the UUֱ�� Scarborough’s department of management, has received UUֱ��’s Global Educator Award for 2024.

The annual award is given to faculty members who embody the university’s global mission and the ability to operate and communicate across cultural contexts.

Radhakrishnan was named the 2024 recipient in recognition of her partnership-driven, work-integrated learning approach spanning global classrooms.

“Professor Phani Radhakrishnan displays an ongoing practice of weaving interactional diversity and inclusivity in her pedagogy for over 20 years at the UUֱ��,” said Alexie Tcheuyap, UUֱ��’s associate vice-president and vice-provost, international student experience. “Phani has created global learning opportunities for students that are supported through localized and lived experiences. She has made a tremendous impact on future scholars in management and continues to make an impact on the global academic community.”

Professor Jean-Etienne de Bettignies, acting chair of the department of management, said Radhakrishnan “not only motivates students to pursue global and intercultural fluency but also equips them with essential HR and leadership skills to serve as valuable contributors within organizations and their communities.”

Radhakrishnan will be honoured at the annual Excellence in Teaching Reception in the fall.

Read the UUֱ�� Scarborough department of management story

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20 UUֱ�� researchers awarded new or renewed Canada Research Chairs

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:09:09 +0000

20 UUֱ�� researchers awarded new or renewed Canada Research Chairs

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 03/13/2024 - 09:09

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

IHPME

Institute of Biomedical Engineering

Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute

Rotman School of Management

St. Michael's Hospital

Sunnybrook Research Institute

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UUֱ�� Mississauga

Unity Health

landscape

Twenty faculty members from the UUֱ�� have been awarded Canada Research Chairs in support of their research in areas ranging from LGBTQ2S+ youth mental health to quantum photonic technologies and sustainable suburban housing.

Awarded by the Government of Canada, Canada Research Chair positions are designed to reinforce academic research and training excellence with a view to improving depth of knowledge and quality of life, strengthening Canada’s international competitiveness and helping train the next generation of highly skilled people.

“I would like to congratulate all the UUֱ�� scholars who have newly been appointed Canada Research Chairs or had their positions renewed in this latest cohort,” said Leah Cowen, UUֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “From cognitive neurobiology to household finance and urban environmental science, these researchers are furthering knowledge and spurring innovation in areas of critical importance.”

The latest cycle of Canada Research Chair appointees from UUֱ�� includes eight new and 12 renewed positions:

New Canada Research Chairs

Alex Abramovich at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health and department of psychiatry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – Tier 2 in 2SLGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness and Mental Health

Claire Célérier in the Rotman School of Management – Tier 2 in Household Finance

Natalie Coburn at the Sunnybrook Research Institute and the department of surgery in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – Tier 1 in Cancer Outcomes

Li Qian in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering – Tier 1 in Quantum Photonic Technologies

Alison McGuigan in the department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering – Tier 1 in Tissue Engineering and Disease Modelling

Zahra Shakeri Hossein Abad in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Tier 2 in Health Informatics and Precision (Public) Health

Mina Tadrous in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy – Tier 2 in Real-World Evidence and Pharmaceutical Policy

Marianne Touchie in the department of civil and mineral engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering – Tier 2 in Sustainable Urban Housing

Renewed Canada Research Chairs

Rachel Barney in the departments of classics and philosophy at the Faculty of Arts & Science – Tier 1 in Ancient Philosophy

Marie-Josée Fortin in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology at the Faculty of Arts & Science – Tier 1 in Spatial Ecology

Paul Frankland at the SickKids Research Institute, the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and the department of physiology and Institute of Medical Science in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – Tier 1 in Cognitive Neurobiology

Anne-Claude Gingras at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – Tier 1 in Functional Proteomics

Tara Gomes at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy – Tier 2 in Drug Policy and Substance Use

Daniel Grace in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Tier 2 in Sexual and Gender Minority Health

Marc Johnson in the department of biology at UUֱ�� Mississauga – Tier 2 in Urban Environmental Science

Sheena Josselyn at the SickKids Research Institute, the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the department of physiology in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine – Tier 1 in Memory Function and Dysfunction

Carmen Logie at Women's College Research Institute and the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work – Tier 2 in Global Health Equity & Social Justice with Marginalized Populations

Ito Peng in the department of sociology in the Faculty of Arts & Science – Tier 1 in Global Social Policy

Navindra Persaud at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, the department of family and community medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Tier 2 in Health Justice

Martine Puts in the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing – Tier 2 in Care of Frail Older Adults

Read the Government of Canada announcement

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10 UUֱ�� scholars recognized by Black Research Network

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:20:50 +0000

10 UUֱ�� scholars recognized by Black Research Network

Research & Innovation

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 03/11/2024 - 15:20

Black Research Network

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty of Arts & Science

IHPME

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

landscape

Recipients of the 2024 IGNITE grant, clockwise from top left: Samuel Akinbo, Suzi Lima, Nicole Bernardt, Araba Chintoh, Prentiss Dantzler, Roberta K. Timothy, Anna Thomas, Hadiya Roderique, De-Lawrence Lamptey and Beverley Essue (supplied images)

Ten researchers from across the UUֱ�� have been awarded the Black Research Network's IGNITE grant.

Launched in 2022, the IGNITE grant provides annual small-scale funding to support interdisciplinary research led by Black faculty, librarians, post-doctoral scholars, clinical scientists and medical research fellows and residents.

The grant offers between $5,000 and $10,000 towards professional development, research dissemination and other types of research support.

Research projects include preserving traditional recipes in the GTA’s African diaspora, literature and media studies and human rights. Various projects advance and advocate for Black health, including disability studies and equity practices in public health.

Read the Black Research Network announcement

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UUֱ�� recognizes 92 volunteers with Arbor Awards

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 17:32:14 +0000

UUֱ�� recognizes 92 volunteers with Arbor Awards

Community

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 01/25/2024 - 12:32

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Three of this year's Arbor Award winners (left to right): Hannah Hadfield, Orysia Goddard and Carolina Garcia, all from Haley Sharpe Design, with U of T President Meric Gertler (photo by Gustavo Toledo)

The UUֱ�� has presented the 2023 Arbor Awards to 92 dedicated volunteers in recognition of their exceptional and sustained contributions to the university.

Created more than 30 years ago, the Arbor Award is the highest honour granted by UUֱ�� to volunteers. This year’s recipients have significantly impacted virtually every aspect of life at the university, ranging from academic programming and experiential learning to governance and mentorship.

“Our success is due in no small measure to the excellence of our alumni and friends, whose dedication is exemplified by our Arbor Award winners, past and present,” said President Meric Gertler at a ceremony honouring award recipients on Jan. 16.

The celebration marked the first in-person Arbor Awards ceremony since 2019, before the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions. Award winners from 2020, 2021 and 2022 were also invited so they could be thanked face-to-face for their service.

David Palmer, UUֱ��'s vice-president of advancement, said Arbor Award recipients exemplified the importance of volunteerism to UUֱ��’s mission and commitment to inclusive excellence. “That’s why, for the first time ever in a UUֱ�� campaign, we have included alumni engagement as a primary goal for Defy Gravity alongside our fundraising goals,” Palmer said. “We are exceptionally grateful to all nominees, past and present, for their tremendous contributions that have elevated every aspect of life at UUֱ��.”

Read the Alumni Relations story

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Scarborough

Rudy Boonstra receives Fry Medal from Canadian Society of Zoologists

Laura Risk wins Opus Prize for Album of the Year

UUֱ�� faculty, staff and students recognized with 2024 Awards of Excellence

Faculty

Vivek Goel Faculty Citizenship Award

Ludwik and Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize – Influential Leader

Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award

Northrop Frye Award (Faculty)

Northrop Frye Award (Team)

Staff

Northrop Frye Award (Staff)

Jill Matus Award for Excellence in Student Services

Joan E. Foley Quality of Student Experience Award

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Emerging Leader

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Distinguished Leader

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Influential Leader

President’s Excellence Award – Emerging Excellence

President’s Excellence Award – Distinguished Excellence

President’s Excellence Award – Influential Excellence

Students

Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award

UTAA Graduate Scholars

John H. Moss Scholarship

UTAA Scholars

Ludwik and Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize – Emerging Leader

Ahnaf Rahman named 2023 Student of the Year by CEWIL Canada

Seven UUֱ�� graduate students awarded 2023-2024 Inlight Research Fellowships in support of mental health research

UUֱ�� Scarborough's Indigenous House recognized by Canadian Architect

Phani Radhakrishnan receives 2024 Global Educator Award

20 UUֱ�� researchers awarded new or renewed Canada Research Chairs

New Canada Research Chairs

Renewed Canada Research Chairs

10 UUֱ�� scholars recognized by Black Research Network

UUֱ�� recognizes 92 volunteers with Arbor Awards