L’Université York annonce ses 30 meilleurs diplômés de moins de 30 ans pour 2024
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L’Université York annonce ses 30 meilleurs diplômés de moins de 30 ans pour l’année 2024. Ce groupe de diplômées et diplômés admirables, tous âgés de moins de 30 ans, a fait preuve d’un leadership et d’un bénévolat exemplaires pour relever des défis sociaux majeurs et complexes à l’échelle locale et mondiale.
« Le programme des 30 meilleurs diplômés de moins de 30 ans de l’Université York reconnaît le travail remarquable que les jeunes diplômés de York ont accompli pour créer des changements positifs dans leur pays et à l’étranger », a déclaré Julie Lafford, vice-présidente adjointe, engagement des diplômés. La cohorte 2024 comprend des esprits créatifs, des innovateurs et innovatrices scientifiques, des leaders d’entreprise et des champions et championnes de la justice sociale.
Les lauréates et lauréats de 2024 ont appliqué les compétences, connaissances et expériences d’apprentissage acquises à York à des services communautaires qui profitent au bien collectif.
Dael Vasquez
« C’est avec humilité et une immense gratitude que j’ai reçu cet honneur exceptionnel, a déclaré Dael Vasquez, lauréat de 2024. Cette reconnaissance est une excellente occasion de souligner l’effet transformateur que les jeunes peuvent avoir lorsqu’ils mettent en pratique leurs compétences quotidiennes en matière de recherche, de rédaction et de relations avec la communauté. »
Lancé en 2021, le programme des 30 meilleurs diplômés de moins de 30 ans de York vise à mettre en évidence le succès et la diversité de la communauté des diplômés de l’Université, tout en inspirant la prochaine génération de jeunes leaders.
Autism prevalence in Canada has surged in recent years, with approximately one in every 50 individuals aged one to 17 receiving a diagnosis, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. This increase has led to a growing need for universities to adequately support students with autism as they pursue higher education.
In response, York has emerged as a leader in offering solutions with its ASD program, one of the most comprehensive initiatives in Canada.
Raymond Peart
Led by Raymond Peart, the co-ordinator of York’s ASD program, with support from intake manager Angela Lecompte, the initiative provides a wide array of services aimed at helping students with autism succeed academically and socially. Starting with early engagement opportunities such as ASD Transition Days and workshops for high-school educators, the program aims to equip incoming students with essential skills for university life, while also fostering a sense of belonging and confidence.
Other key features include personalized sessions addressing individual needs and fostering crucial social connections. Driven by an adaptive, feedback-driven approach, the program aims to ensure responsiveness and anticipate challenges, enhancing both academic and social skills development.
“By focusing on individual strengths,” Peart says, “the program counters societal misconceptions, advocating for a future where neurodiversity is acknowledged and supported.”
Angela Lecompte
In their evolving approach to supporting students, families, faculty and staff, Peart and Lecompte acknowledge the contributions of the Autism Mental Health Literacy Project and the Autism Mentorship Program (AMP), which have helped shape their services, while the dedicated mentors of the AMP have provided invaluable support to students with autism, fostering a sense of belonging and recognition.
While York’s program is an example of comprehensive support, reports by organizations such as the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) and the Canadian cross-disability charity National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) highlight the broader challenges faced by students with autism in Canadian universities.
According to CAHS, there is a notable lack of autism-specific assistance at post-secondary schools across the country. Similarly, a 2021 study in the United States revealed that only 2.2 per cent of public and not-for-profit universities and colleges have autism-specific college support programs.
This scarcity of dedicated support programs is further highlighted by NEADS’ findings of frequent ineffective accommodations for students with disabilities at universities, along with an over-reliance on teaching those students to self-advocate, creating additional challenges for them.
In its efforts to provide comprehensive support and proactive engagement, York’s ASD program collaborates with institutions nationwide to foster a stronger support network for students with autism. Looking ahead, it plans to further refine its support services and strengthen ties with career counselling to prepare students for life after graduation.
Initiatives such as the Conversations Create Change podcast series, designed by adults with autism at York, foster understanding and connection within the neurodivergent community on campus.
“Through our program, we’re striving to help autistic students establish a sense of belonging and work towards self-actualization,” Peart says. “Our goal is to give them the confidence to move forward and succeed in both academic and social aspects of university life.”
Provost receives national leadership award
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This month, Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps was recognized by the Senior Women Academic Administrators of Canada as the recipient of the Angela Hildyard Leadership Recognition Award in the Influential Leader category.
Lisa Philipps
Each year, this award is given to an emerging or influential leader who has continued to demonstrate innovative and impactful leadership in advancing the mission of, and achieving outstanding contributions to, their institution or to higher education.
Influential leaders are recognized for their ability to make rich and meaningful contributions at an institutional or community level, improve the educational experiences of post-secondary students at all levels and coaching or mentoring the next generation of Canadian educators, among other important qualities.
As provost and vice-president academic at York University, Philipps played a critical role in leading development of the University Academic Plan 2020-2025, charting a bold path to creating positive change for York’s students, its campuses, and its communities near and far. With a bold commitment to elevate the University’s collective contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, York has been recognized repeatedly among the top 40 institutions worldwide in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
As provost, Philipps continues to demonstrate her interest in empowering emerging leaders to make meaningful contributions to University communities and to strengthening the post-secondary sector’s impact in Canada and around the world. In 2021, she created the Provostial Fellows Program, an initiative aimed at creating pathways for diverse future academic leaders through mentorship and skill building. Fellows have gone on to assume associate dean positions, oversee undergraduate programming and take on senior Chair positions at other top post-secondary institutions.
Throughout her two terms serving as provost and vice-president academic, Philipps has overseen expanded experiential learning opportunities at York and the continued growth of the Academic Innovation Fund, which supports Faculty and campus partners in their efforts to develop new and exciting ways to educate students. She has also been an instrumental leader in expanding the University’s footprint, with a new Markham Campus set to serve one of the most diverse and dynamic urban communities in the province and country.
Beyond York, Philipps began her academic career in the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria. She later served as associate dean for research, graduate studies and institutional relations at Osgoode Hall Law School; associate vice-president of research at York University; and interim dean of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law at Lakehead University. At Lakehead, Philipps helped support a new law school to realize its mandate of strengthening the Indigenous bar and preparing lawyers to practise in northern and rural communities.
Each year, a donation is made on an award recipient’s behalf to an institution of their choosing, in the form of a contribution to an endowment or fund that supports students, or to a registered charitable organization supporting educational initiatives. Philipps has chosen to direct these funds to York University’s Student Financial Aid fund to support future student success.
Student-led group tackles Indigenous food sovereignty
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After personally experiencing food insecurity, and witnessing its effects first-hand, a group of York University Faculty of Health students decided to do something about it.
The Learning Spirit Alliance is an Indigenous student-led group, open to all York students, committed to educating the community about food sovereignty and helping to prevent poverty and food insecurity on campus. Led by current students Leo Manning and Rainingbird Daniels, and former student Shanice Perrot, the initiative was established as a result of discussions with Indigenous students about access to food – particularly healthy and traditional food, and especially for students who had moved away from home.
Leo ManningShanice PerrotRainingbird Daniels
“Members of our leadership team have personally experienced the effects of food insecurity and lack of food access throughout their time in post-secondary education,” explains Daniels. “There are many Indigenous students facing the increasingly high cost of housing both on and off campus; required meal plans at institutions and/or inflation of food costs; transportation costs associated with travelling home; and a lack of sufficient funding while completing post-secondary education.”
Launched last year with funding from a national organization called Indigenous Youth Roots, the Learning Spirit Alliance held three Food is Medicine workshops this semester, where both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students were welcomed at Skennen’kó:wa Gamig – the gathering space for York’s Indigenous community – and taught how to make traditional Indigenous foods such as elk stew, bannock, three sisters salad and various soups. Each participant was also given an honorarium towards groceries.
According to Daniels, the feedback received from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
“The different dishes we learned to make gave me the knowledge to make affordable and healthy meals while in residence and away from my traditional territory,” said workshop participant and York student Doreen Scow.
“The workshop helped me feel more culturally involved and connected,” said another participant, student Miigwan Mainville. “This initiative allows us to share stories and laughter with others while sharing cultural food; food is truly medicine.”
In addition to the workshops, the Alliance held weekly free lunch events for the community, to help bring more traditional and nutritious meals to students in need.
With no plans currently in place for the next academic year, the group’s leadership is using its resources to apply for more grants in hopes that they can continue to host events and workshops on culturally relevant food and food sovereignty, giving Indigenous students the tools they need to cook at home at a low cost.
“We are striving to make a difference in ways that strengthen community and provide relief,” said Manning.
One year later: the Microlecture Series in Sustainable Living
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Last year, in honour of Earth Month, York University launched the Microlecture Series in Sustainable Living, an award-winning online series of six-minute interactive presentations given by six of the University’s leading sustainability scholars.
Since its release, 900 people have participated in the Microlecture Series, which has gone on to be recognized as best-in-class communications by the International Association of Business Communicators in its OVATION 2024 Awards.
Even with fast-paced developments in the world of sustainability efforts, a year later the microlectures have remained topical resources for those looking to lead more informed, sustainable lives.
Shooka Karimpour
There have been changes too, of course. Take Lassonde School of Engineering Professor Shooka Karimpour’s microlecture on microplastics, a subject important enough that it was selected to be this year’s Earth Day theme.
In her microlecture, Karimpour covered how the near infinite use of plastic in our world has led researchers like herself to try to better understand how microplastics – small pieces of plastic debris in the environment – journey through and impact our ecosystem.
Evidence is emerging daily showing how widespread and harmful these contaminants are, but much is still unknown regarding the adverse ecosystem and human health impacts of microplastics due to the challenge of looking at them more closely. Studying their behaviour in water – where Karimpour focuses her research – is especially challenging.
However, according to Karimpour,improvements to detection have been among the changes over the past year.
“The research community globally has been working to establish standardized protocols for detection,” she says. “There are also new technologies designed for detection of microplastics, especially those small ones that aren’t visible to naked eyes.”
One example she gives is micro-Fourier-transform infrared reflectance (FTIR) spectroscopy, which allows researchers to visualize and map microplastics in micrometre scales. She also mentions state-of-the-art research equipment, including advanced optical tools, that she uses to assess how microplastic particles interact with the surrounding water and sediments.
“Our new high-frequency particle tracking velocimetry system enables us to track the motion of microplastics in water and develop models that accurately mimic their captured motion,” she explains.
Karimpour is among those contributing to advancements through participation in several multidisciplinary research collaborations focused on the toxicity of aquatic microplastics and source identification.
In one of those projects, she is analyzing – along with Professor Raymond Kwong, a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Biology at York, and PhD student Sejal Dave – the microplastic uptake of these contaminants under dynamic conditions on selective native and invasive species in Lake Ontario, with the hope of potentially using those species as bio-indicators in water.
Efforts like these over the past year have helped advance better understanding of microplastics, but also potential mitigation – which can, of course, also be helped by non-researchers. As academics have continued to work to solve the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges, Karimpour now repeats her advice from last year around the importance of what individuals can do to effect change.
While she admits it’s nearly impossible to avoid plastics altogether in our daily lives, she encourages incorporating small adjustments that can make a big difference. On a practical level, she says, “what is important is to use plastic-based products with a longer life span, and as much as possible avoid using single-use plastic products.” On a big-picture level, she stresses the need for awareness. “It’s important to stay informed and raise awareness on this growing environmental issue and advocate for policies reducing plastic usage and promoting sustainable alternatives,” she says.
Initiatives like the Microlecture Series can accomplish that.
Looking back on her microlecture one year later, Karimpour is proud of the impact the series has had. She believes it achieved their goal of inspiring the community to tackle societal and environmental issues, including plastic pollution. Since her microlecture was released, she reports having had many inspiring discussions about it with community members – not only from York but from schools across the Greater Toronto Area, demonstrating a broader reach than originally anticipated.
“Seeing how it has resonated with viewers and contributed to their learning journey reaffirms the importance of accessible education and the power of digital platforms in disseminating information,” she says. “I honestly believe there is the will in people – and some companies – for change.”
Inaugural fair helps EUC students explore green career possibilities
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Over 300 interested York University and high-school students attended the inaugural Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) Green Career Fair in January.
In partnership with the not-for-profit organization Green Career Centre, the event welcomed students to the Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building to explore possibilities for careers that aren’t often well promoted, but for which there is a growing need among employers. A recent worldwide survey by the Manpower Group found that 70 per cent of employers are urgently recruiting or planning to recruit green talent and people with sustainability skills.
The idea for the fair came from Lauren Castelino, a master of environmental studies student at EUC and founder of the Green Career Centre, who organized a fair last year, attended by EUC staff. The centre focuses on providing under-represented youth with green career opportunities, advancement and inclusion.
Organizers from both the Green Career Centre and Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. From left to right: Joel Famadico Jr., Emma Bramante, Kenneth Ebhomeye Oko-Oboh, Lauren Castelino, Gayathri Baiju, Joanne Huy, Rosanna Chowdhury, Shaniah Hutchinson, Tomisona Oludairo, Bottom: Lester Pinlac
“We mutually thought it would be a great idea to expand the reach of the initiative by working together,” said Castelino, who is also pursuing a diploma in Business and the Environment from EUC and the Schulich School of Business. “EUC’s facilities were much larger than the first venue we used … and we were also appreciative of the staff support we could receive through the collaboration.”
“We intentionally held our full-day event on the same day as the university-wide Career Fair hosted by the York Career Centre as a way of taking advantage of the synergy,” said Joanne Huy, an alumna who graduated in 2015 and is now the alumni engagement and events officer for EUC. “Staff at each event suggested that attendees visit the other fair, too. It was a win-win situation.”
The partners invited EUC students and alumni to participate and invited everyone from York and the local community to attend. The day featured a morning of workshops followed by the career fair. The workshops included a presentation about net-zero programs given by staff from York’s Sustainability Office, a session focused on green job resources and a panel featuring EUC alumni. There was also a speed networking event matching alumni with groups of students for more intimate conversations.
Participants speaking to vendor at the fair
“I’m dedicated to empowering the next generation of changemakers, so it was great to invite our alumni panellists back to campus to share their career paths and discuss how EUC prepared them for the future,” said Huy. “We have 13,000 alumni worldwide and they are eager to contribute. It’s meaningful to them and to our current students.”
The Green Career Fair itself featured booths set up by more than 20 organizations involved in environmental work, including the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, the Community Climate Council and Outward Bound. Participating organizations focused on issues such as food insecurity, environmental policy, environmental arts and environmental education. Exhibitors showcased jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities.
Muzamil Gadain, an alumnus who graduated from EUC in 2023, works as a project co-ordinator for the Black Environmental Initiative, an organization that works to foster change that considers cultural roots, including issues such as food security and food sovereignty. He, along with a co-worker and a volunteer, used their booth to recruit volunteers.
“We weren’t actively hiring, but there were volunteer roles we needed to fill,” said Gadain. “About 20 volunteers signed up, so it worked very well. We also had an opportunity to network with other like-minded organizations and made some good connections.
Muzamil Gadain (left) and his colleagues from the Black Environmental Initiative boothing at the fair
“Our supervisor was very pleased to have access to university youth and we are happy to be able to help them develop their skills. Some of them have already made contributions by developing social media content and contributing to articles. It was a worthwhile event and we would definitely do it again.”
Emma Bramante, an EUC work-study student who is majoring in sustainable environmental management, helped organize the event by doing outreach to organizations and potential employers. She also contributed to the development of marketing materials and helped to raise awareness to students, alumni and organizations.
The high turnout delighted her and she is eager to see the Green Career Fair blossom and grow.
“I anticipate an expansion in the scope of exhibitors, with a broader range of organizations participating, including both established environmental companies and emerging grassroots organizations and non-profits,” Bramante said. “Furthermore, I anticipate the integration of virtual components into the fair to increase accessibility and reach a wider audience beyond the local community.”
Castelino, too, was thrilled by the interest the Green Career Fair generated.
In June 2023, led by Castelino, Huy and Rosanna Chowdhury, the Green Career Fair was one of four applications awarded funding through the Sustainability Innovation Fund. The Faculty has now built the event into its annual budget.
“Going forward, the fair will also give us a chance to build relationships with organizations as we develop our EUC co-op program,” Huy said. “The synergies are beautiful to see.”
Alumna leads unique climate action initiative
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Bhabna Banerjee, a former Global Leader of Tomorrow Award recipient who graduated from York University in 2020, has come up with a novel way to address the climate crisis: Planet Anomaly, an organization focused on climate storytelling and data visualization.
Bhabna Banerjee
Back in April 2022, Banerjee – a Vancouver-based data journalist and illustrator – was on a return visit to her hometown of Kolkata, India. While there, she observed the profound impact of climate anomalies on the lives of people there. From worsening pollution to water stress caused by floods and the rising cost of essential produce, the effects of climate change were evident in daily life.
“These anomalies,” Banerjee recalled, “had seeped into everyday conversations about new dengue outbreaks during abnormal seasons, changing availability of fish in the nearby seas and rural farmers swarming the city in search of labour after their crops were continuously destroyed by untimely cyclones.”
She was working as a data journalist at the time and knew there were mountains of climate data available that could help people get a sense of the enormity of these occurrences, as well as their potential impact, she said.
“Yet, there were no accessible or reliable sources of news that could provide them with any information or opportunity for preventative action. The educational barriers also made it hard for most to grasp concepts and acknowledge factors that were affecting their environments.”
Enter Planet Anomaly, which aims to bridge the gap between scientific data and public understanding, using design thinking to simplify complex concepts for non-specialist audiences.
“I started Planet Anomaly to build a platform that could explain climate science concepts regardless of people’s educational backgrounds,” explained Banerjee, emphasizing the importance of a balanced approach to climate reporting, one that acknowledges the severity of the crisis while highlighting solutions and opportunities for preventative action.
Her goal, she said, is for the organization to help produce “illustrated journalistic pieces that democratize climate data to empower diverse audiences worldwide to make vital decisions and be resilient about the changing climate.”
Establishing Planet Anomaly was shaped by her interdisciplinary education and experiences at York University. As an undergraduate student, Banerjee pursued her interests in art, science and storytelling, honing her skills in media and visual journalism.
“Throughout my program,” she said, “I found my AMPD [Faculty of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design] peers to be exceptionally talented, collaborative and inspiring, and I had incredible support from the faculty, particularly my final semester adviser Carol Anna McBride, who constantly inspired us students to think we could leverage our creative skills to bring meaningful change once we stepped out into the world.”
Banerjee’s commitment to addressing climate change extends beyond her organization’s work.
Following the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan in Kolkata, she initiated a fundraising campaign to support affected communities, demonstrating her dedication to making a difference in her home country. She has also contributed work on climate change, food insecurity, migration and other social justice issues for the World Economic Forum, as well as for Forbes magazine and other media outlets.
Looking ahead, Banerjee is set to begin a master’s in data journalism at Stanford University in September, where she plans to further explore innovative approaches to climate storytelling. With her unique blend of skills and experiences, she hopes to establish Planet Anomaly as a leading platform for equitable access to climate information and drive meaningful change.
“I’m certain that an advanced degree in journalism would help me develop a better understanding of the nuances of climate storytelling,” Banerjee said.
“I’m excited to continue to innovate with my cohort on how we can fill the existing gaps and better disseminate information and data in the evolving media landscape.”
York alumnae among Top 25 Women of Influence
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Three women with affiliations to York University have been recognized in the 2024 Top 25 Women of Influence list for their impact and contributions to driving meaningful progress and to the advancement of women in their respective fields.
Every year Women of Influence+, a leading global organization dedicated to promoting gender equity in the workplace, announces its list recognizing the achievements and contributions of women who have made significant contributions in their respective fields, driving meaningful progress and change in business and society.
This year, in particular, recipients are recognized for their innovation, leadership and pursuit of gender equity and inclusion.
“Their accomplishments demonstrate the important role that women play in driving meaningful progress in business and society. Through celebrating their stories, we aim to inspire others to challenge the status quo, paving the way for future generations,” said Rumeet Billan, CEO of Women of Influence+, about the recipients.
Among the list of 2024 recipients are two York alumnae and one honorary degree recipient:
Pamela Farrell (BEd ‘07) The founder and executive director of the GROW Community Food Literacy Centre, Canada’s first community food literacy centre, Farrell has sought to provide vulnerable Canadians with access to healthy and culturally relevant foods as well as essential food literacy skills. Her community work has also looked to address health disparities, as well as promote health and social equity. Furthermore, combining her expertise in special education with equity, diversity and inclusion, Farrell looks to play a transformative role in guiding and inspiring the next generation of educators.
Tina Singh (BA ‘04) Singh is an occupational therapist, digital content creator and the founder of Bold Helmets, which creates helmets to fit over Sikh kids’ head coverings. As a mother and therapist working in the areas of head and brain injuries, Singh understood the importance of helmets but was unable to find any suitable for her children, leading her to create the first safety-certified, multi-sport helmet for Sikh children.
Lynn Posluns (LLD [Hon.] ‘19) Posluns is the founder, president and CEO of Women’s Brain Health Initiative, the only organization dedicated to protecting the brain health of women, caregivers and families. Through this initiative, she has raised awareness of women’s cognitive brain health and the inequity in women’s brain aging research, funding and preventative health programs.
York researchers appointed new, renewed Canada Research Chairs
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The Government of Canada has issued a new Canada Research Chair (CRC) appointment to York University Professor Godfred Boateng in global health and humanitarianism, as well as renewed the Chairs of three other faculty members – Ethel Tungohan (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies), Isaac Smith (Lassonde School of Engineering) and Steven Connor (Faculty of Science).
The CRC program facilitates world-class research at Canadian universities, boosting their global competitiveness, while also providing training opportunities for the next generation of highly skilled personnel through research, teaching and learning.
“From global health to migration policy to planetary science to neurophysiology, York University faculty are at the forefront of research excellence in their respective fields,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “I extend my sincere congratulations to our four new and renewed Canada Research Chairs whose impactful work benefits the lives of both Canadians and people around the world.”
Learn more about the new and renewed chairholders at York:
Godfred Boateng
Godfred Boateng, Canada Research Chair in Global Health and Humanitarianism Boateng is an assistant professor in the School of Global Health, director of the Global & Environmental Health Lab and a faculty fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. He is also the principal investigator on a new project called “Retooling Black Anxiety” in the Greater Toronto Area.
As a CRC, Boateng will address global health priorities by focusing on anticipatory, instead of reactionary, approaches. Notably, he will look to further understand the synergistic epidemics of food, water, energy, and housing insecurity and their compounding effects, as well as the impact of environmental degradation and changes in climatic conditions on the health of older adults in sub-Saharan Africa and Canada.
Ethel Tungohan
Ethel Tungohan, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Canadian Migration Policy, Impacts and Activism With her CRC renewal, Tungohan, an associate professor in the Department of Politics in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, will build on her work assessing the interconnections between policies, everyday lived experiences and social movement organizing.
She will continue to look at the impact on migrant workers, Canadian discourse, and policies on immigration, labour, and occupational health and safety in the pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic era.
Isaac Smith
Isaac Smith, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Planetary Science Smith, an assistant professor in the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering in the Lassonde School of Engineering, will use his CRC renewal to investigate aspects of ice and climate on Mars and other parts of the solar system, including Pluto and Triton, Neptune’s moon.
The research is unique to York University and aims to advance knowledge of Mars’ climate and ice-related processes, in addition to performing glaciological modelling on icy worlds in the outer solar system.
Steven Connor
Steven Connor, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in the Synaptic Basis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Connor, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science, will use his CRC renewal to focus on investigating how specific brain proteins facilitate the transmission of information between brain cells. The research aims to further understand how those proteins influence neural circuit function and activity, and how they can result in autism-like behaviour when compromised. Connor and his research team will also explore the restorative effects of reversing molecular changes linked to the loss of certain brain cells.
Osgoode prof named Woman of the Year by Canadian Italian business community
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Pina D’Agostino, an associate professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, has been named Woman of the Year by the Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association of Toronto (CIPBA).
Pina D’Agostino
“I am incredibly humbled and honoured to be recognized by the very community that I have deep roots in,” said D’Agostino. “My parents were both immigrants from Italy to Canada and, like many others seeking a better future for their families, came without speaking a word of English and with nothing but their dreams for a better future. I dedicate this award to them for all their sacrifices.”
She added: “As a woman, I stand with so many other women who continue to face barriers in their personal and professional lives. I join an impressive group of female recipients of this award and am grateful to CIBPA for shining the spotlight on our many successes.”
Last week, D’Agostino assumed her new role as scientific director of Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society, the $318.4-million, York-led research program focused on socially responsible technologies, supported in part by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
In addition to her role with Connected Minds, D’Agostino is the founder and former director of IP Osgoode and the co-director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Society. Her research explores issues related to artificial intelligence through a legal lens, including data governance and ownership, intellectual property, emerging technologies, and innovation law and policy.
Since 2010, D’Agostino has also been the founder and director of the IP Innovation Clinic based at Osgoode Hall Law School, where she has helped startups across the University and beyond by engaging law students and leading intellectual property lawyers to provide help pro-bono amounting to more than $2 million in otherwise billable fees.
“Her remarkable contributions to law, technology, and education have set her apart as a leader in her field and an inspiration to us all,” said CIBPA President Tony Cocuzzo.
D’Agostino and her work will be honoured at a CIBPA event on March 20.
