Tag: VP Research and Innovation

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York opens YSpace location in northern York Region

YSpace

In partnership with the Towns of Georgina and East Gwillimbury, York University has opened a new YSpace location in northern York Region supporting local start-ups and existing businesses during the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Announced earlier this summer, the new YSpace Georgina Business Incubator/Accelerator Hub located at 1 Market St. in Sutton, Ont., offers computer access, internet, video conferencing solutions, photography tools for e-commerce and online content creation, collaboration spaces, programming support and business community resources. It offers both in-person and virtual learning opportunities to allow for collaboration with other business owners and create connections with mentors.

From left to right: Town of Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk, Minister Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation and Francophone Affairs and York-Simcoe MPP, Town of East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson, York University’s Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif, local entrepreneur Amanda Gordon, York-Simcoe MP Scot Davidson, and Economic Development Manager of Georgina Karyn Stone
From left to right: Town of Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk, Minister Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation and Francophone Affairs and York-Simcoe MPP, Town of East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson, York University’s Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif, local entrepreneur Amanda Gordon, York-Simcoe MP Scot Davidson, and Economic Development Manager of Georgina Karyn Stone

“By leveraging the success of YSpace’s programs and making customized resources available to the Town of Georgina and the Town of East Gwillimbury, York University is facilitating entrepreneurship and business acceleration in northern York Region,” says York University’s Vice-President Research and Innovation Amir Asif. “We look forward to further strengthening this partnership and witnessing the ideas that participating entrepreneurs bring to life – contributing to the region’s knowledge-based economy and creating positive change in their communities and beyond.”

“I am extremely excited about our partnership with York University’s YSpace and the Town of East Gwillimbury on the expansion of YSpace programming into northern York Region,” said Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk. “The YSpace Georgina Business Incubator/Accelerator space will help remove the barriers to entrepreneurship and business acceleration in rural communities. It will provide the tools and support to help advance those existing businesses and to encourage the creation of new ones.”

Amanda Gordon, founder of Cloverhill flowers and former YSpace program participant, talks about how critical the program was in launching her small business.
Amanda Gordon, founder of Cloverhill flowers and former YSpace program participant, talks about how critical the program was in launching her small business

“Entrepreneurship and business development are key factors in building complete communities,” says East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson. “Through this partnership, our local business communities will have access to the necessary tools and training opportunities that will assist them with creating and advancing their business. I look forward to the future of this partnership and continuing to help local businesses succeed in East Gwillimbury and Georgina.”

To find out more, visit yspace.yorku.ca/yspace-northern-york-region.

Watch a video of the event below.

York University moves up in world university rankings

Featured image shows Keele Campus as viewed by a drone

By Elaine Smith

The 2023 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings reinforce York University’s role as a leading North American public university with a global reach to right the future.

York University moved up two spots to be ranked 61st among North American public universities by the prestigious QS World University Rankings. York’s improving position in the rankings signals its position as a leading international research and teaching university that is driving positive change to right the future.

Rhonda Lenton
Rhonda Lenton

The QS Rankings evaluate universities in all of the disciplines. “I am delighted to learn about York’s continuing upward movement in major rankings,” says Rhonda Lenton, York University president and vice-chancellor. “This performance, in the face of increasing global competition, is the result of our collective efforts to enhance our research activities,  strengthen the undergraduate student experience, internationalization, and our societal impact.”

Many of the major world university rankings measure research, teaching and international outlook. A select few also measure employability and societal impact. In addition to data submitted by universities, rankings also obtain data from other sources, such as reputational surveys.

However, a robust commitment to research  plays a major role in how universities perform in all major world university rankings and York University is one of Canada’s leading research-intensive universities.

Amir Asif
Amir Asif

“Research excellence should conscientiously improve student learning outcomes, create societal impact, foster interdisciplinarity, and inspire a collaborative ethos,” says Professor Amir Asif, vice-president, research and innovation. “The teaching, research, and stewardship missions of the university are intertwined.”

The 2023 QS World University Rankings by Subject have not been released yet, but York had a strong performance in QS WUR by Subject in 2022. In the five broad QS subject areas, the University was ranked among the top 50 in two and in the top 100 in another two areas among North American public universities. The 2022 QS World University Rankings also ranked York University 63rd among North American public universities.

Lisa Philipps
Lisa Philipps

University leaders anticipate that the rankings will continue to reflect its growth and diversity. The number of universities ranked this year grew from 1,300 to almost 1,500. Among Canadian universities ranking in the top 500 among global universities, York University was one of two Canadian universities to improve its rank.

“York is launching its new Markham Campus in 2024 and has aspirations to build on the Vaughan Healthcare Centre Precinct with a new School of Medicine and integrated health programming,” says Professor Lisa Philipps, provost and vice-president academic. “York’s ranking performance resonates well with its plans for increasing our impact  in the coming decade.”

York University announces appointment of associate vice-president research

research graphic

Dear colleagues,

I am delighted to share with the York University community that Professor Jennifer Steeves has been appointed associate vice-president research (AVPR) effective July 1 for a five-year term.

Jennifer Steeves
Jennifer Steeves

Since March 1, Professor Steeves has served as interim associate vice-president research, and I look forward to her continued leadership in this critical role that focuses on the development of pan-University strategic research priorities.

Prior to this role, Professor Steeves made an impact at the University through several leadership positions including associate dean research and graduate education for the Faculty of Science, from 2018-21, and as the director of the York MRI Facility.

A professor in the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Health, and a member of the Centre for Vision Research, Professor Steeves holds a Tier 1 York Research Chair in Non-Invasive Visual Brain Stimulation and is a core member of Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA).

Dedicated to research that seeks to understand how the brain adapts to altered sensory input or to cortical damage, Professor Steeves’ lab has received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Banting Foundation, Ministry of Transportation, and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund through Vision: Science to Applications (VISTA).

She also holds adjunct appointments at SickKids and at the University of Toronto Ophthalmology & Vision Sciences.

In her role as AVPR, she will work closely with Jennifer Hyndman, associate vice-president research, and David Phipps, assistant vice-president, research strategy and impact in the Office of Research Services, and will be a principal contributor to the Strategic Projects and Opportunities Review Team (SPORT).

Her leadership and experience will help facilitate and promote external research funding opportunities and support strategic group and individual grant development for eligible faculty.

Additionally, Professor Steeves will engage with and contribute to Innovation York – the University’s commercialization, knowledge mobilization, industrial liaison and entrepreneurship group – and will Chair the Associate Deans’ Research Council.

The support of external, large-scale interdisciplinary research grant submissions, including the Canada First Research Excellence Fund program and the Canada Excellence Research Chair program, will be key in Professor Steeves’ role as AVPR, where she will represent VPRI on various committees within in the project. She will also take an active role in supporting the development of the implementation of important infrastructure associated with the program including the expansion of the Sherman Health Sciences building.

I look forward to continuing to work with Professor Steeves in the coming years to advance our shared objectives, and I invite the University community to join me in congratulating her as she undertakes this important role in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation.

Finally, I would like to thank the members of the search committee for their contributions to this important process.

Amir Asif

Vice-President Research and Innovation

A statement on York’s commitment to the Indigenous Framework and decolonizing research

Vari Hall New Featured image

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York community members,

Our society has benefited immensely from Indigenous knowledge, languages and ways of knowing and being. Indigenous people contribute to positive change in our communities, our environment and to the enrichment and well-being of society.

Indigenous scholars and students have made and continue to achieve tremendous success in research, teaching and learning, despite ongoing barriers rooted in deep colonial policies and practices that govern research administration and in many ways conflict with Indigenous research methodologies. York acknowledges the implications of the lack of attention and recognition that was given to the legitimacy of Indigenous knowledge in the past.

York is committed to supporting emerging and established Indigenous scholars and the knowledge creation they are involved with, in collaboration with the community, knowledge keepers and elders. This commitment has been and continues to be an ongoing journey. York was the first Canadian university where a dissertation was written and defended in an Indigenous language. We are committed to putting in the work to support and recognize the legitimacy of Indigenous knowledge and the value that Indigenous scholars contribute. We recognize the significance of Indigenous languages and the knowledge embedded in language.

In November 2017, York launched the Indigenous Framework, which identified 10 principles the University needed to take action on to advance the goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Guided by the Framework, and working in consultation with the Indigenous Council, the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation developed a Decolonizing Research Administration Report to address the University’s research administration practices and policies, and to identify further steps the University should take to better support and foster Indigenous scholars.

The University has taken positive steps in this journey to date.

  • In May 2018, York launched its Strategic Research Plan 2018–2023: Towards New Heights, which identified Indigenous futurities as an opportunity to advance social, cultural, artistic, legal, policy, economic and justice areas that holistically shape Indigenous experience. York remains committed to building community partnerships in research, and to facilitating research that is relevant to Indigenous life and respects Indigenous approaches to knowledge and learning.
  • In June 2020, York launched the University Academic Plan 2020–2025: Building a Better Future, which affirmed its commitment to the Indigenous Framework and identified six priorities for action for building a better future, including stronger relationships with Indigenous communities.
  • In July 2021, York announced the appointment of Professor Susan D. Dion to the inaugural role of associate vice-president Indigenous initiatives. Professor Dion is a Lenape and Potawatomi scholar with mixed Irish and French ancestry and was the first Indigenous tenure-track faculty member to be hired by the Faculty of Education at York. Professor Dion’s work has been instrumental to the implementation of York’s Indigenous Framework and the Decolonization Research Administration Report.
  • In September 2021, York launched the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages – the first organized research unit of its kind at York – which is committed to Indigenous approaches for the environment, education, languages and decolonizing research. The Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages is led by inaugural Director Deborah McGregor, an associate professor at York and the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice at Osgoode Hall Law School.
  • In December 2021, the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation awarded $525,000 to two projects focused on advancing Indigenous futurities through the Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research Clusters. The projects include “Indigenous Climate Leadership and Self-Determined Futures,” led by Deborah McGregor, Osgoode Hall Law School and Angele Alook, Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and “From Colonial Genocide to Just Relationships: Building Interdisciplinary Research Excellence for Indigenous Futurities,” led by Luann Good Gingrich, Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and Heidi Matthews, Osgoode Hall Law School.
  • In the Winter 2023 term, the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation will launch the first wholly autonomous Indigenous Research Ethics Board, which will be led and advised by Indigenous members, with the goal of providing oversight and ethics review into research involving Indigenous Peoples.

We would like to commend the Indigenous Council, the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation and the Division of Equity, People and Culture for their progress to date, and for their unwavering commitment to supporting Indigenous research and the work of Indigenous scholars.

The University is fully committed to taking action to decolonize research, and to recognizing and supporting research in service of the sovereignty and self-determination goals of Indigenous people, now and in the future. We will foster and promote scholarly activity relevant to Indigenous life, while respecting Indigenous approaches to knowledge and learning. By doing so, we will live our values by championing diversity and by creating a supportive, inclusive and caring environment for all.

The decolonization of research is not a short-term goal and there is still a great distance to go, but York is committed to putting in the work. We will continue to consult and collaborate with Indigenous scholars and students to build spaces and places for Indigenous knowledges and languages.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

Amir Asif
Vice-President, Research & Innovation

Sheila Cote-Meek, PhD
Vice-President, Equity, People & Culture

Déclaration sur l’engagement de York envers le Cadre stratégique autochtone et la décolonisation de la recherche

Chers membres de la communauté de York,

Notre société a énormément bénéficié des savoirs, des langues et des modes de connaissance et de vie autochtones. Les peuples autochtones contribuent à un changement positif dans nos communautés, notre environnement et à l’enrichissement et au bien-être de la société.

Les membres autochtones de la communauté de recherche et de la communauté étudiante ont obtenu et continuent d’obtenir d’immenses succès dans les domaines de la recherche, de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage. Ils y parviennent malgré des obstacles permanents qui trouvent leur origine dans les politiques et pratiques coloniales profondément ancrées qui régissent l’administration de la recherche et qui, à bien des égards, entrent en conflit avec les méthodologies de recherche autochtones. York reconnaît les implications du manque de sensibilisation et de considération accordé à la légitimité des connaissances autochtones dans le passé.

York s’engage à soutenir les chercheuses et chercheurs autochtones émergents et établis ainsi que la création de connaissances à laquelle ils et elles participent, en collaboration avec la communauté, avec les Gardiens du savoir et avec les Aînés. Cet engagement était et demeure un cheminement permanent. York a été la première université canadienne où une thèse a été rédigée et soutenue dans une langue autochtone. Nous nous engageons à faire le nécessaire pour appuyer et pour reconnaître la légitimité des connaissances autochtones et la valeur de la contribution des chercheurs autochtones. Nous reconnaissons l’importance des langues autochtones et des savoirs qu’elles véhiculent.

En novembre 2017, York a lancé le Cadre stratégique autochtone, qui identifiait dix principes que l’Université devait mettre en œuvre pour faire avancer les objectifs de la Commission de vérité et de réconciliation. S’inspirant de ce cadre et en consultation avec le Conseil autochtone, le Bureau du vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation a élaboré un Rapport sur la décolonisation de l’administration de la recherche afin d’examiner les pratiques et les politiques de l’Université en matière d’administration de la recherche et de déterminer les mesures supplémentaires que l’Université devrait adopter pour mieux soutenir et encourager les chercheurs autochtones.

À ce jour, l’Université a pris des mesures positives dans ce sens :

  • En mai 2018, York a lancé son Strategic Research Plan 2018-2023 : Towards New Heights, qui considère les futurs autochtones comme une occasion de faire progresser les domaines sociaux, culturels, artistiques, juridiques, politiques, économiques et judiciaires qui façonnent l’expérience autochtone de manière holistique. L’Université York reste déterminée à établir des partenariats communautaires dans le domaine de la recherche et à faciliter les recherches pertinentes à la vie des Autochtones et qui respectent les approches autochtones en matière de connaissances et d’apprentissage.
  • En juin 2020, York a lancé le Plan académique de l’Université 2020-2025 : Bâtir un avenir meilleur dans lequel elle affirme son engagement envers le cadre autochtone et définit six priorités d’action en vue d’un avenir meilleur, notamment le renforcement des relations avec les communautés autochtones.
  • En juillet 2021, York a annoncé la nomination de la professeure Susan D. Dion au poste inaugural de vice-présidente associée aux affaires autochtones. La professeure Dion est une érudite Lenape et Potawatomi d’ascendance irlandaise et française. Elle est la première professeure autochtone engagée par la Faculté d’éducation de York qui occupe un poste menant à la permanence. Le travail de la professeure Dion a été déterminant pour la mise en œuvre du cadre autochtone de York et du rapport de l’administration de la recherche sur la décolonisation.
  • En septembre 2021, York a lancé le Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages — la première unité de recherche organisée de ce genre à York — qui s’engage à adopter des approches autochtones pour l’environnement, l’éducation, les langues et la recherche décolonisatrice. Le Centre des savoirs et langues autochtones est dirigé par sa toute première directrice, Deborah McGregor, professeure agrégée à York et titulaire de la Chaire de recherche du Canada en justice environnementale autochtone à l’École de droit Osgoode Hall.
  • En mai 2022, dans le cadre d’une initiative conjointe avec la vice-présidente de l’équité, le Bureau du vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation des personnes et de la culture a accordé 10 subventions de démarrage pour la recherche autochtone. Il a ainsi engagé 204 298 $ pour intensifier les efforts de l’Université afin de lutter contre le colonialisme dans la recherche et de promouvoir l’excellence dans la recherche autochtone. Un montant additionnel de 795 000 $ a été engagé pour soutenir la recherche autochtone au cours des trois prochaines années.
  • En décembre 2021, le Bureau du vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation a accordé 525 000 $ à deux projets axés sur l’avancement de futurs autochtones par le biais de groupes de recherche interdisciplinaire catalyseurs. Les projets incluent : « Indigenous Climate Leadership and Self-Determined Futures », dirigé par Deborah McGregor de l’École de droit Osgoode Hall et Angele Alook de LA&PS; et « From Colonial Genocide to Just Relationships:  Building Interdisciplinary Research Excellence for Indigenous Futurities », dirigé par Luann Good Gingrich de LA&PS, et Heidi Matthews de l’École de droit Osgoode Hall.
  • Au cours du trimestre d’hiver 2023, le Bureau du vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation lancera le premier comité d’éthique de la recherche autochtone entièrement autonome qui sera dirigé et conseillé par des membres autochtones dans le but d’assurer la surveillance et l’évaluation éthique de la recherche impliquant des peuples autochtones.

Nous tenons à féliciter le Conseil autochtone, le Bureau du vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation et la Division de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture pour les progrès réalisés à ce jour et pour leur engagement indéfectible envers la recherche autochtone et le travail des chercheurs autochtones.

L’Université s’engage pleinement à prendre des mesures pour décoloniser la recherche ainsi qu’à reconnaître et à soutenir la recherche au service des objectifs de souveraineté et d’autodétermination des peuples autochtones, aujourd’hui et à l’avenir. Nous favoriserons et ferons la promotion d’activités savantes pertinentes pour la vie autochtone tout en respectant les approches autochtones de la connaissance et de l’apprentissage. Ce faisant, nous vivrons nos valeurs en défendant la diversité et en créant un environnement favorable, inclusif et bienveillant pour tout le monde.

La décolonisation de la recherche n’est pas un objectif à court terme. Il reste encore beaucoup de chemin à parcourir, mais York s’engage à y mettre du sien. Nous continuerons à consulter les universitaires autochtones et les membres de population étudiante autochtone et à collaborer avec eux afin de créer des espaces et des lieux pour les connaissances et les langues autochtones.

Sincères salutations,

Rhonda Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière

Amir Asif
Vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation

Sheila Cote-Meek, Ph. D.
Vice-présidente de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture

York University commits $1M over three years to support Indigenous research  

Artwork by Métis (Otipemisiwak) artist Christi Belcourt

Indigenous research at York University will be supported with funding of $1 million over three years through the York University Indigenous Research Seed Fund. 

The fund provides emerging and established Indigenous scholars with support for research that advances excellence in Indigenous knowledge, languages and ways of knowing and being. 

A call for applications was administered by the University’s Indigenous Council, and in May, 10 scholars were awarded with Indigenous Research Seed Fund grants, receiving a total of $204,298. The applications for the seed fund were reviewed by a faculty committee chaired by the inaugural director of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages, Deborah McGregor, professor at Osgoode Hall School of Law.

The Indigenous Research Seed Fund will fund scholarly output to address colonialism and advance excellence in Indigenous scholarship. A further $795,000 has been committed to support Indigenous research over the next three years, for a total of $1 million. 

The fund was created by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation in collaboration with the Office of the Vice-President Equity, People and Culture in response to recommendations made in the the Indigenous Framework for York University: A Guide to Action. Guided by the Framework, and working in consultation with the Indigenous Council, the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation (VPRI) supported the Decolonizing Research Administration Report and subsequent implementation plan that focused on addressing the University’s research administration practices and policies, and identifying further steps the University should take to better support Indigenous scholars.  

The fund builds on the University’s ongoing commitment to support emerging and established Indigenous scholars, their knowledge creation and the Indigenous communities they are working with. 

“The Indigenous Research Seed Fund supports York’s recognition of Indigenous world views and the importance of ensuring that Indigenous scholars have space and place to thrive.” said Sheila Cote-Meek, vice-president, equity, people and culture. “While this is an important milestone for York on its journey towards reconciliation and decolonization, we still have work to do. In order to bring about change and create a truly inclusive environment we must foster an environment where diverse views are nurtured and supported.” 

The Indigenous Research Seed Fund supports the goals of York’s Strategic Research Plan 2018-2023 which identifies Indigenous Futurities as an opportunity to advance social, cultural, artistic, legal, policy, economic and justice areas that holistically shape Indigenous experience. 

“Indigenous scholars and students have and continue to contribute significantly to the benefit and well-being of society. This investment signals York’s commitment to acknowledging and supporting Indigenous research and scholarly activity, now and in the future,” says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “The Indigenous Research Seed Fund aims to facilitate research that is relevant to Indigenous life and respects Indigenous approaches to knowledge and learning. The fund will foster opportunities to collaborate, engage with, and learn from Indigenous communities.” 

York’s 2020-2025 Academic Plan: Building a Better Future affirmed its commitment to the Indigenous Framework and identified six priorities for action for building a better future, including stronger relationships with Indigenous communities. 

Successful projects were awarded to: 

  • Delany McKenzie Allen, assistant professor, Department of English, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) – Mapping Wampum Three Horizons 
  • Rebecca Beaulne-Stuebing, lecturer, Faculty of Education – The Full Moon Firekeeping Capacity-Building in Toronto 
  • Catesby Jennifer Bolton, PhD candidate, Department of History, LA&PS – National-Building: Exploring the Contributions of Anishinaabekwe to the Military, Their First Nation, and Canada 
  • Don Davies, postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science – Dementia Caregivers in the Metis Population 
  • Nicole Muir, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health – Parental Residential School Attendance, History of Foster Care and Incarceration: Urban Indigenous Peoples’ Experiences and Strengths 
  • Archer Pechawis, assistant professor, Department of Visual Arts & Arts History and Theatre, School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design – The Electric Jingle Dress
  • Brock Pitawanakwat, associate professor, Department of Humanities, LAPS – Anishinaabe Ethno-labour and Clan Responsibilities
  • Rebecca Lazarenko, PhD candidate, Department of History, LA&PS  Complices et victimes des projets coloniaux assimilateurs: les communautés francophones et Métis de l’Ouest (1890-1945)
  • Chandra Maracle, PhD candidate, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change – Feeding the Good Mind: Nourishing the New Faces Coming and the Post-Partum Family
  • Cecilia Best, PhD candidate, Department of History, LA&PS – Intergenerational Resilience: A Survivor’s History of the Scoop 1950-2010

PhD scholar in social and political thought chosen as one of SSHRC’s five best storytellers 

SSHRC Storytellers image printed with permission from SSHRC

The York community celebrates Vincci Li for being named one of the final five best “storytellers” in a national competition held by the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Vincci Li

The Storytellers project challenges scholars to show, in up to three minutes or 300 words, how social sciences and humanities research helps create a positive change locally and globally. This year’s 25 finalists, chosen from among 230 applicants, displayed their inventive approaches to research by addressing a range of important issues from child marriage and food prices in Ethiopia to digital climate change.

After their submissions were chosen by a jury of 30 communications professionals in February, the Top 25 finalists received $3,000 and were invited to participate in the second phase of the challenge. The finalists presented their stories in late March via Zoom to a four-person jury: Marc LePage, former president of Genome Canada; Nicola Luksic, senior producer, CBC Radio’s Ideas; Manon Tremblay, senior director of Indigenous directions, Concordia University; and Jacqueline Wallace, vice-president, marketing communications, Mitacs. This year’s final five were revealed during the 2022 Congress of the Humanities & Social Sciences on May 16 and each one received an additional $1,000.    

Li, a PhD candidate in the Social and Political Thought graduate program, submitted a video entry to the Storyteller project titled Crowdfunding for Our Lives. Her innovative study explores the experience of people in Canada who have raised or given money through crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe or FundRazr, for personal health-related expenses in order to understand public opinions about the ideal balance of public/private provisioning. Li’s research raises important questions about the roles of government, philanthropic sector and individuals in providing for Canadians under neo-liberalism.  

“More and more people are turning to sites like GoFundMe for medical expenses in Canada. We often hear about the viral crowdfunding campaigns on the news, but most people never even reach their fundraising goal. So it’s really important that we get to hear their stories. I’m grateful to the SSHRC Storytellers Challenge for helping to share them,” says Li. 

The issues that Li’s project addresses are vital to investigate especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to explore how Canadians care for, and ought to care for, one another in times of need.  

Thomas Loebel, dean and associate vice president graduate, congratulates Li on her remarkable achievement, saying, “good storytellers intrigue the imagination and encourage it along a journey of discovery. They anticipate our questions and know when to surprise us. The very best of them entice our trust. They exude confidence but with such friendliness. Vincci Li tells a story about her research that draws one in.  She sets off a cascade of implications in the mind from her findings that impact a host of different disciplines.  Best of all, she leaves one with just enough understanding to generate new curiosity.”  

“Research ideas can be incredibly complex to communicate,” adds Amir Asif, vice-president, research and innovation. “It takes tremendous talent and skill to make research not only accessible, but to inspire positive change and conversation. Congratulations to Li for her remarkable success in this endeavour, and for asking important questions about how crowdfunding platforms raise funds for covering rising health care costs.  Such presentations are important tools to advance the interests of our communities.”  

York University continues to support the groundbreaking research conducted by members of the graduate community and is dedicated to keep empowering scholars for long-term success.  

Watch Li’s submission video dedicated to her research online.

York University seeking nominations for excellence in equity award 

diverse group of people talking

The offices of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI) and the Vice-President Equity, People and Culture (VP-EPC) are accepting nominations for the Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity.

The award will fund $100,000 over one year for bold and potentially game-changing projects that challenge the status quo, spark transformation and take action to address persistent systemic barriers in the research ecosystem and academia. The Offices of VPRI and VP-EPC will match the award fund with an additional $100,000 for a total of $200,000.  

The award is offered by the three federal research funding agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) through the tri-agency Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP). The award will recognize significant and impactful contributions to increase the level of equity in the CRCP and Canada’s research ecosystem more broadly. 

One nomination per institution is accepted for the award, and any faculty member meeting the eligibility criteria are eligible for nomination; it is not restricted to Canada Research Chairholders. 

To be eligible for nomination, the faculty member(s) must: 

  • be eligible to receive grant funding from the agencies. Institutional administrators who are eligible to hold grant funding from the agencies are also eligible to be nominated; 
  • be holding a full-time academic appointment at York University at the time of nomination and for the duration of the award; and 
  • be in good standing with CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (e.g., they cannot have eligibility limits placed on them due to not meeting grant reporting requirements for the CRCP or have sanctions in place tied to the agencies’ responsible conduct of research policy). 

Current and former Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) are eligible, as are individuals who are not CRCs.  

The Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity recognizes the significant and impactful contributions that Marjorie Griffin Cohen, Louise Forsyth, Glenis Joyce, Audrey Kobayashi, Shree Mulay, Susan Prentice, Michèle Ollivier and Wendy Robbins have made to increase the level of equity in the CRCP and Canada’s research ecosystem more broadly, by way of their 2003 Canadian Human Rights complaints and their concerted efforts in the mediation processes, which led to both the 2006 Settlement Agreement and its addendum in 2019.  

The award recognizes the contributions of the entire group, while being named after the late Michèle Ollivier and Wendy Robbins, who passed away in 2010 and 2017, respectively, prior to the signing of the 2019 Addendum.

Learn more about the award and submit a nomination for consideration. 

York welcomes the seventh North American Schelling Society conference to campus  

Laptop and coffee cup

NASS 7: Schelling and Philosophies of Life will be hosted at York University in a hybrid format, with an in-person meeting from May 24 to 26 in the Accolade East building at the Keele Campus and in an online meeting from May 30 to June 1.  

Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling
Image: Wikimedia Commons

The North American Schelling Society (NASS) hosts a conference every other year in a different North American location. NASS7 has been postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The theme of this year’s conference is “Schelling and Philosophies of Life.” Life is presented in diverse ways in Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling’s many works. Schelling’s nature philosophy gives prominence to organic life. Yet his emphasis on the activity of nature draws attention to the dynamic vitality of all natural phenomena. Many value Schelling’s work for its rich openings to spiritual life or the life of the mind. Some read his philosophy as a conspiracy of life and as exposing the tensions at the heart of philosophical systems. The conference also explores the connections of Schelling’s work to the philosophy of art and the history of philosophy. 

The conference will feature speakers from across North America as well as from across Europe. The North American Schelling Society is pleased to welcome several members of the Japanese Schelling Society for the first time to one of its meetings. 

Several York University graduate students will present papers at the conference. PhD students Robert O’Shea Brown, Cecilia Inkol and Chris Satoor in the Graduate Program in Humanities, are participating in the conference. Tyler Gasteiger and Shavez Imam, from the Graduate Program in Social and Political Thought, are also giving talks. Associate Professor Joan Steigerwald from the Department of Humanities is the organizer of the conference. Associate Professor Jay Goulding in the Department of Social Sciences is also presenting a paper at the in-person meeting. Conference details and schedules are available on the NASS website.  

Adrian Johnston, Chair and distinguished professor at the Department of Philosophy at the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque and a faculty member at the Emory Psychoanalytic Institute in Atlanta will provide a keynote address during the NASS 7 conference. Johnston is the author of a number of books which address contemporary issues in philosophy, psychoanalysis, psychology, materialist theory, neuroscience and political theory. His current research interests have turned to Schelling’s nature philosophy.  

Participants who cannot attend in person will have access to the in-person presentations through the conference website. In-person participants may also participate in the virtual meeting. The website will have discussion forums for ongoing conversations. The conference website for this hybrid meeting is being maintained by York University Learning Technology Services. 

This event is sponsored by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Connection Grant; the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies; Department of Humanities; Vice-President Research and Innovation; Vice-President Academic and Provost; Faculty of Graduate Studies; Social and Political Thought graduate program; Department of Philosophy; Department of Political Science; and Faculty of Education. 

Further information about NASS7 can be found online. Registration is available through Eventbrite.  

York University receives more than $2.5M in CIHR funding

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Two York University research teams will receive more than $2.5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for research on atrial fibrillation and virtual tools to support Inuit youth resilience.

Amir Asif
Amir Asif

Associate Professor Yvonne Bohr of the Faculty of Health will receive $1,797,752 over four years, while Professor and Canada Research Chair Peter Backx of the Faculty of Science will receive $749,700 over five years. CIHR’s Project Grant Program is designed to fund ideas with the greatest potential to advance health-related fundamental or applied knowledge, health research, health care, health systems and/or health outcomes. 

“York’s researchers are at the forefront of cutting-edge research that will have a transformative impact on the health and well-being of society,” says Amir Asif, vice-president research & innovation. “The funding announced by CIHR will advance research and promote inclusive and innovative solutions to address health care challenges.” 

The community-directed project, Inuit Youth Develop a Virtual Qaqqiq: Using Technology and Cultural Knowledge to Support Resilience Outside the (Digital) Box, is led by Bohr and Faculty of Health Associate Professor Nicole Muir in collaboration with Assistant Professor Matthew Keough and Assistant Professor Skye Fitzpatrick, all in the Department of Psychology, supported by an international team of researchers. The research is in partnership with collaborators and knowledge users Chelsea Singoorie and The Isaksimagit Inuusirmi Katujjiqatigiit Embrace Life Council, the communities of Mittimatalik (formerly Pond Inlet), Iqaluktuuttiaq (formerly Cambridge Bay), Pangnirtung, Ikpiarjuk (formerly Arctic Bay) and others. The project is housed at the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research at York’s Keele Campus.

The project aims to provide a culturally safe context for the development of new virtual mental health resources for remote Nunavut communities. Inuit youth in Nunavut continue to experience fallout from colonialism, suffering from disproportionate mental health challenges and some of the highest suicide rates in the world. Youth, in consultation with community Elders, will design mental-health-promoting digital activities, such as e-games and immersive virtual reality based on a traditional Inuit philosophy and model (Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Qaggiq), and grounded in science.

The resulting interventions will then be delivered in the context of a virtual space that simulates Qaggiqs or “meeting places” – large igloos that have traditionally served as sites of community renewal and celebration.

“Led by the communities, we will develop and assess a wellness program that acknowledges the colonial roots of youth’s existing struggles, while promoting novel resilience-building strategies that are grounded in science,” says Bohr. “This project focuses on cultural identity, and develops tools for reducing anxiety, boredom, depression and hopelessness, all considerations in the development of suicidality in Inuit Youth.”

Backx’s project, Understanding the Causes of Atrial Fibrillation, will explore how atrial stretch is involved in promoting atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia, affecting one to two per cent of the population.

“Atrial fibrillation creates a huge socio-economic burden as it increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, but the causes are still unclear and complex,” says Backx. “Most incidences are linked to aging and poor cardiovascular health, including obesity, metabolic syndrome and heart failure, but not all. But exercise can both reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation and, in the case of endurance athletes, increase the risk substantially. A common feature of all conditions leading to atrial fibrillation is high blood pressure in veins, called venous filling pressure which causes atria to stretch.”

Regardless of cause, the atria of these patients show fibrosis, hypertrophy and inflammation, which Backx and his team have linked to the critical inflammatory factor referred to as TNF. Because the activation of TNF is driven by stretch, the team will examine the mechanisms whereby stretch activates TNF and the effect of TNF inhibitors.

Future Skills Centre increases funding to $6.4M for York-led skills development initiative

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Research Impact Canada (RIC), a York-founded pan-Canadian initiative, will receive $6.4 million from the Future Skills Centre (FSC) to support future skills development and employment training for Canadians.

RIC initially received $1 million per year over three years beginning in 2020. The funding was increased to $3.3 million in 2022 and $2.1 million in 2023 for a total of $6.4 million.

The Future Skills Centre is a forward-looking centre for research and collaboration and is dedicated to helping Canadians gain the skills they need to thrive in a changing labour market. The Centre works with partners to support local approaches to skills development and training, test innovative solutions, and share and expand on evidence-based interventions.

The funding will enable RIC, a pan-Canadian network dedicated to maximizing the impact of research for public good, to develop more online training, resources and tools that can be accessed through the Future Skills Centre Community of Practice (COP), powered by Magnet, to support future skills development of Canadians. The COP platform connects skills stakeholders for peer exchange and learning, and enables RIC to convene workshops and events hosted by experts across various sectors and industries to work together to solve common challenges.

David Phipps
David Phipps

“RIC has enjoyed a productive collaboration with FSC since 2019 when we were engaged to deliver knowledge mobilization services to FSC projects,” says David Phipps, assistant vice-president, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, and network director of RIC. “We are delighted to deepen our collaboration with them to support a national community of practice.

“By connecting people to people, and people to knowledge the community of practice will support knowledge mobilization and drive the use of evidence by Canadian skills and labour market organizations,” adds Phipps.

RIC is committed to helping universities and other organizations across Canada maximize the impact of research for communities. RIC supports communities by sharing best practices, co-developing resources, and delivering training in knowledge mobilization skills.

“RIC membership has grown from two to 22 institutions supporting knowledge mobilization and research impact in research institutions across Canada,” says Amir Asif, vice-president, research & innovation. “York University has had the privilege of leading and facilitating this growth. Collaborating with FSC allows RIC to have an impact beyond the academia as it grows supports for the skills sector in Canada.”

Learn more about RIC.

The Future Skills Centre Community of Practice is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Program.