Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

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

Janelle Joseph recognized with Connaught Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers award

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 21:21:34 +0000

Janelle Joseph recognized with Connaught Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers award

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 02/16/2024 - 16:21

Faculty

St. George

Connaught Fund

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

landscape

Assistant Professor Janelle Joseph (photo by Dewey Chang)

Janelle Joseph, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE), has received the Connaught Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers award.

The award, given by UUֱ��’s Connaught Fund in partnership with the Black Research Network, aims to strengthen Black scholars’ research programs and help foster partnerships, create training opportunities and enhance their competitiveness for external funding.

Joseph will receive a two-year grant worth $250,000 in support of her project, which aims to enhance the leadership skills of Black Canadian and Global South community leaders through anti-racist and embodied learning.

The project envisions three conferences – in Toronto, Montreal and Cape Town – that will explore topics related to creative problem-solving, situating the individual within the collective per the Indigenous African philosophy of “ubuntu,” and burn-out and healing for social justice leaders, respectively.

“This project will provide the evidence to tailor better leadership education and supports for marginalized leaders and the communities they serve, including healing from burn-out and trauma, improved organizational capacity and communication, as well as advanced personal and interpersonal development,” said Joseph.

“It will help us understand what is needed for interconnectedness and interdependence of diverse groups that are collectively addressing Black community well-being.”

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Thirteen UUֱ�� researchers named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

lanthierj — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:47:27 +0000

Thirteen UUֱ�� researchers named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 09/20/2023 - 11:47

Faculty

St. George

Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Sinai Health

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

Unity Health

landscape

Thirteen UUֱ�� researchers have been named Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) in recognition of their leadership, creativity and commitment to advancing academic health sciences.

One of three national academies that make up the Council of Canadian Academies, the CAHS leverages the expertise of Canada’s leading health sciences researchers to evaluate Canada's most urgent and complex health challenges and recommend strategic, actionable solutions. To be named a CAHS Fellow is considered one of the highest distinctions for academics in the health sciences field in Canada.

“The UUֱ�� congratulates these leading researchers on this important recognition of their work,” says Barbara Fallon, UUֱ��’s associate vice-president, research. “This reaffirms what we saw in the recent Nature rankings, which placed UUֱ�� second in the world among health sciences research universities, and the recent NTU rankings, which placed UUֱ�� second among the world’s top research universities in the category of medicine.

“Across disciplines, fuelled by the collaboration between the 14 research hospitals in the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN), these researchers are making discoveries and advancements that have a real impact on the some of the most complex health challenges facing Canadians.”

The new Fellows are:

Evdokia Anagnostou, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Paediatrics)
Ahmed Bayoumi, Unity Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Medicine)
Patricia Brubaker, Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Physiology)
Leah Cowen, Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Molecular Genetics)
Neeru Gupta, Unity Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Opthalmology & Vision Sciences)
Mojgan Hodaie, University Health Network (UHN) and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Surgery)
John Kingdom, Sinai Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Obstetrics & Gynaecology)
Cheryl Regehr, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work
Catherine Sabiston, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education
Samir Sinha, Sinai Health and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Medicine)
Lillian Siu, UHN and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Medicine)
Yu Sun, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (Mechanical and Industrial Engineering)
Michael Tymianski, UHN and Temerty Faculty of Medicine (Surgery)

See the complete list of new Fellows

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Janelle Joseph honoured with CALS award for pioneering work in leisure studies

siddiq22 — Thu, 13 Jul 2023 20:13:15 +0000

Janelle Joseph honoured with CALS award for pioneering work in leisure studies

Research & Innovation

siddiq22 Thu, 07/13/2023 - 16:13

Faculty

St. George

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

landscape

Janelle Joseph (photo by Dewey Chang)

Janelle Joseph, an assistant professor at the UUֱ�� Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, has been recognized with the Emerging Leisure Scholar Award from the Canadian Association of Leisure Studies (CALS) for her significant contributions to the field of leisure studies.

As someone whose research is largely focused on the contributions of Black and racialized athletes – and the systemic failure to recognize and centre their contributions to sport and physical activity in Canada – it is important to Joseph to ensure new generations of all backgrounds are represented in the lab and in the field of study.

Joseph says she has a particular appreciation of the CALS recognition because it comes from the world of leisure – which historically has not been known for research on racial equity or racialized communities.

“For thousands of years, racialized communities have been participating in sport, recreation and leisure practices in Canada. Understanding our experiences is essential to both knowledge of Canadian cultures and dismantling of racial oppression,” she said.

The four main priorities of Joseph’s research out of her IDEAS Lab are Indigeneity, diaspora, equity and anti-racism as related to sport and the moving body.

Joseph is proud to spearhead explorations into previously undocumented fields of study, particularly those that align with her Antiguan heritage.

She has also authored or co-edited three books related to race, sport, education and Black communities in Canada.

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Sandhya Mylabathula named People’s Choice winner in French-language three-minute thesis competition

lanthierj — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 17:29:21 +0000

Sandhya Mylabathula named People’s Choice winner in French-language three-minute thesis competition

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Wed, 04/05/2023 - 13:29

Students

St. George

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

landscape

(photo by Slown Balan)

Sandhya Mylabathula has won the People’s Choice Award in the Toronto competition of Ma Thèse en 180 Secondes.

The UUֱ�� alumna and PhD student was the only anglophone participating in the French version of Canada’s three-minute competition, which gives master’s and doctoral students an opportunity to showcase their research to the broader public.

Mylabathula was recognized for her presentation on recovery from concussions, the subject of her doctoral thesis at UUֱ��’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

“It was quite an honour to be the sole PhD rep not just from our faculty but from UUֱ��,” said Mylabathula, who helped organize the inaugural event at Massey College as part of the university’s celebration of la Francophonie. “It was an amazing experience and I’m grateful to all who supported me.”

In this video of the event, you can catch Mylabathula’s presentation beginning at 36:15.

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People’s Choice Award

Ma Thèse en 180 Secondes

Nine UUֱ�� faculty members named to Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists

mattimar — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:53:40 +0000

Nine UUֱ�� faculty members named to Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists

Research & Innovation

mattimar Wed, 09/07/2022 - 10:53

Faculty

St. George

Scarborough

Royal Society of Canada

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

OISE

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

landscape

Nine faculty members at the UUֱ�� – experts in political science, education, Indigenous mental health, health policy, cosmology, critical race theory, biomedical engineering and biomedicine – have been appointed to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

“These scholars and scientists are making a tremendous impact in their respective fields – transforming our understanding of such significant challenges as infectious diseases, anti-racism in sport or Indigenous mental health,” said Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives at UUֱ��. “The UUֱ�� congratulates them on this important recognition.”

The new college members are:

Aisha Ahmad, of the department of political science at UUֱ�� Scarborough
Jeffrey Ansloos, of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Yvonne Bombard, of the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Benjamin Haibe-Kains, of the department of medical biophysics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Renée Hložek, of the David. A Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Janelle Joseph, of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education
Sharmistha Mishra, of the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Ervin Sejdić, of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering
Duminda Wijeysundera, of the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Each appointee receives a seven-year membership in the college, which recognizes and supports academic leadership and collaboration among those who have received their PhDs within the last 15 years.

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Michèle Bélanger inducted into Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame

lanthierj — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 16:05:23 +0000

Michèle Bélanger inducted into Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame

Community

lanthierj Wed, 07/13/2022 - 12:05

Staff

St. George

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame

landscape

Michèle Bélanger at the induction ceremony at The Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (photo courtesy of KPE)

Former Varsity Blues women's basketball coach Michèle Bélanger, who led the UUֱ�� to more than 850 victories, has been inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame.

Described as a coaching icon by the Hall, Bélanger told CityNews she was shocked to be recognized alongside “true legends of the game.”

Other inductees recognized on July 10 include Steve Nash, two-time MVP of the NBA.

In 41 seasons as the head coach of the Varsity Blues women's basketball program, Bélanger led UUֱ�� to nine OUA championships and a national title in 1986. She finished 21 seasons with four or fewer regular season losses and was named OUA coach of the year eight times. Bélanger also coached for Canada at all levels of competition, serving as an assistant coach to Team Canada when they earned a program-best silver medal at the 2015 FISU Games, and leading Canada to a 13th place finish at the 2019 FISU Summer Universiade.

“There are a lot of young women that want to play the game and that are in love with this basketball game, which I think is great. You didn’t see that 30 years ago. You were the odd one out,” Bélanger told CityNews. “I want to see people coming back into the gyms and supporting these young women. They’re working so hard. Their skills are amazing.”

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2022 Awards of Excellence recognize members of UUֱ�� community

lanthierj — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 17:28:56 +0000

2022 Awards of Excellence recognize members of UUֱ�� community

Community

lanthierj Thu, 04/07/2022 - 13:28

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Department of English

Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Division of People Strategy

Equity & Culture

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Dentistry

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Faculty of Law

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Office of the Vice-President and Provost

OISE

UUֱ�� Libraries

UUֱ�� Scarborough

landscape

The UUֱ�� has announced the winners of the 2022 Awards of Excellence, a prestigious program presented annually in collaboration with the UUֱ�� Alumni Association to recognize outstanding faculty, librarians, staff and students.

“This year's honourees represent the incredible breadth and depth of excellence found across our three campuses,” President Meric Gertler said in his address to the winners. “They are being recognized for their dedication to others and to our collective success, as well as for their own outstanding accomplishments.

“To our award winners, you are all doing great work. You make us proud and your example is an inspiration to all of us.”

This year’s winners are:

Faculty

Vivek Goel Faculty Citizenship Award

Professor Glen A. Jones, department of leadership, adult and higher education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Educations and Professor Robert M. Wright, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design

Ludwik and Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize – Influential Leader

Professor Andrea Most, department of English, Faculty of Arts & Science and Professor Ann Lopez, department of leadership, adult and higher education, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Carolyn Tuohy Impact on Public Policy Award

Professor Adalsteinn Brown, dean of Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Northrop Frye Faculty Award

Associate Professor Adam Hammond, department of English, Faculty of Arts & Science

Joan E. Foley Quality of Student Experience Award

Associate Professor Matthew Mackay, department of mechanical and industrial engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Librarians

President’s Excellence Award – Influential Excellence

Fabiano Takashi Rocha, metadata services, UUֱ�� Libraries

Staff

Jill Matus Excellence in Student Services Award

Shainiya Balachandran, Office of the Dean of Students, Victoria University, and Atifa F. Karim, Division of Student Life, St. George campus

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Emerging Leader

Cherilyn Nobleza, Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Distinguished Leader

Ariana Bradford, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Chancellor’s Leadership Award – Influential Leader

Derek Newton, Innovations & Partnerships Office

President’s Excellence Award – Emerging Excellence

Natasha Christie-Holmes, Emerging and Pandemic Infections Consortium, Ayoob Ghalami, Office of Environmental Health & Safety and Steffen Reinhart, Office of Student Recruitment

President’s Excellence Award – Distinguished Excellence

Mary Choi, Faculty of Dentistry, Daniella Mallinick, Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs and Kim McLean, Faculty of Arts & Science

President’s Excellence Award – Influential Excellence

Pierre Piché, department of financial services

Students

Ludwik and Estelle Jus Memorial Human Rights Prize – Emerging Leader

Brenaven Kugamoorthy, Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award

Florence Ashley, Joint Centre for Bioethics, Faculty of Law and Dalla Lana School of Public Health

John H. Moss Scholarship

Katherine Todd, UUֱ�� Scarborough

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Erin Willson wins 2021 Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund sport study scholarship

lanthierj — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 17:19:39 +0000

Erin Willson wins 2021 Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund sport study scholarship

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Fri, 07/16/2021 - 13:19

Students

St. George

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund

landscape

Erin Willson, a PhD student from the UUֱ��’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) has received a 2021 Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund sport study scholarship.

The former Olympian received the award for her dissertation project examining athletes’ experiences of all forms of harm in Canadian sport, including sexual, physical and emotional, and explores how race, gender and sexual orientation may influence the athletes' experiences and their readiness to disclose and report any maltreatment.

The Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund scholarship program provides annual financial awards for the study of values and ethics-based challenges and related policies affecting non-professional Canadian sport. The True Sport Foundation manages and selects award winners.

“I am very honoured to receive this award,” says Willson, who is supervised by Professor Gretchen Kerr. “The True Sport Foundation seeks to shape the Canadian sports environment into becoming values-based and principle-driven, which includes fair play, respect, inclusion and holistic development of athletes.

“My passion for safe sport directly aligns with these values, and it is a privilege to be recognized by this foundation for the work that I am doing in this area. I intend to use this fund to provide compensation for the participants of this dissertation.”

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STEAM Sisters win 2021 Youth Media Alliance Award of Excellence

lanthierj — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 21:10:43 +0000

STEAM Sisters win 2021 Youth Media Alliance Award of Excellence

Community

lanthierj Wed, 07/14/2021 - 17:10

Students

St. George

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Women in STEM

landscape

Sandhya (left) and Swapna (right) Mylabathula, are both pursuing PhDs at UUֱ��

The UUֱ��’s Sandhya and Swapna Mylabathula, creators of a YouTube show called STEAM Stars, which celebrates women in science, technology, engineering, art and math, have been recognized with a 2021 Youth Media Alliance Award of Excellence.

Known as the STEAM Sisters, the twins won the award for best program, short form, for an episode of their show featuring Jenni Sidey-Gibbons, an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency.

“It is such an amazing honour to get this award,” said Sandhya, a PhD student at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. “It is also really meaningful to see that STEAM-specific content is being recognized, especially since this one was focused on featuring diverse women in STEAM careers, because it really is so important for under-represented groups to see themselves in these positions.”

Before the pandemic, the sisters were able to film the show on various locations in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta. They now use the show to do some of their STEAM outreach.

“It is very rewarding to hear the wonderful feedback from students,” says Swapna, a PhD student in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. “They often say that they find it inspiring and feel motivated to explore the various fields featured.”

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