Provost and Vice-President (Academic) L. Pauline Rankin and Vice-Provost (Academic and Global Learning) David Hornsby, along with the Faculty Deans, presented five undergraduate 杏吧原创 students with聽Provost Scholar Awards聽on Thursday, April, 2.

Funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and administered by Teaching and Learning Services, the Provost Scholar Award is valued at $500 and is given to undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in research, community engagement, immersive learning and/or international activities.

The Peter J. Ricketts Outstanding Provost Scholar Award was established in 2019 and is given to an outstanding recipient of the Provost Scholar Award. The award is named for Peter J. Ricketts, who served as the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at 杏吧原创 for eight years. This year鈥檚 award, worth an additional $2,000, was presented to Jack Ragan.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 Provost Scholar Awards!

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Faculty of Engineering and Design

Faculty of Public and Global Affairs

Faculty of Science

Sprott School of Business

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Join us in congratulating the recipients of the 2026 CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation. Established as an outcome of the 2021-2024 bargaining round between 杏吧原创 and CUASA this fund recognizes research excellence and pedagogical innovation by members of equity-driven groups or on topics that emphasize equity, diversity and inclusion at 杏吧原创.

We are proud to recognize:

• Elie Azar (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
• Jennifer Dale Tam (Nursing)
• Chiara Del Gaudio (Industrial Design)
• Adrian Harewood (Journalism and Communication)
• Meera Karunananthan (Geography and Environmental Studies)
• Irene Lu (Sprott School of Business)
• Laura Madokoro (History)
• Julie McCarroll (Linguistics and Language Studies)
• Lama Mourad (International Affairs)
• Mike Murphy (Linguistics and Language Studies)
• Sangeeta Murugkar (Physics)
• Isaac Otchere (Sprott School of Business)
• Augustine Park (Sociology and Anthropology)
• Matthew Pearson (Journalism and Communication)
• Jaisie Sin (Information Technology)
• Hamza Bashandy Taalab (Information Technology)
• Adam Weiss (Civil and Environmental Engineering)

Thank you to the award selection committee for their contributions to this important process.

Sincerely,

L. Pauline Rankin
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

Rafik Goubran
Vice-President (Research, Innovation and International)

The post Announcing the Recipients of the 2026 CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Please join us in congratulating the recipients of the annual Achievement Awards, which are presented in recognition of the research and teaching distinction of 杏吧原创鈥檚 academic staff.

Pursuing knowledge that can change the world for the better is central to 杏吧原创鈥檚 core mission. 杏吧原创 researchers and instructors are passionate about their work and are dedicated to moving forward together on the important, complex issues of our time. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of this year鈥檚 award recipients:

Research Achievement Award

• Barbara Leckie (English Language and Literature)
• Marina Milyavskaya (Psychology)
• Manuella Vincter (Physics)
• William Walters (Political Science)
• Winnie Ye (Electronics)

Research Achievement 鈥� Seed Funding Award

• Peter Crockford (Earth Sciences)
• Leanne Keddie (Sprott School of Business)
• Sangeeta Murugkar (Physics)
• Carlos Rossa (Systems and Computer Engineering)
• Jesse Stewart (Studies in Art and Culture)

Teaching Award

• Peter Andr茅e (Political Science)
• Jennifer Drake (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
• Andrew Harris (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
• Shoeleh Shams (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
• Brian Strong (Linguistics and Language Studies)

Professional Achievement Award (Faculty, Teaching Stream)

• Devin Fraser (Sprott School of Business)
• Katie Graham (Journalism and Communication)
• Emily A. Gray (Sprott School of Business)
• Laura Pickell (Health Sciences)
• Rob Watters (Industrial Design)

Librarian Achievement Award

• Carli Agostino (MacOdrum Library)
• Matthew Gertler (MacOdrum Library)

Contract Instructor Teaching Award

• Lane聽Bourbonni猫re (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Sujoy Chatterjee (Public Policy and Administration)
• Kalle Mattson Wainio (Studies in Art and Culture)
• Joshua Steckley (Geography and Environmental Studies)

More information about the award recipients is available on the and websites.

Thank you to the award selection committees for their contributions to this important process. They faced a challenging task as the award nominees and their accomplishments are truly impressive.

Sincerely,

L. Pauline Rankin
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

Rafik Goubran
Vice-President (Research, Innovation and International)

The post Announcing 杏吧原创’s 2026 Achievement Award Recipients appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

杏吧原创 has awarded two students funding to support summer research projects related to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Established in 2021, the Student EDI Research Awards respond to a specific recommendation in 杏吧原创’s EDI Action Plan and is a landmark recognition for EDI scholarship in Ontario higher education.

The award is funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and administered by the Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities.

Student recipients present their research to the 杏吧原创 community during the Fall term.

Congratulations to the 2025 award recipients!

Arleth Lugo Ruiz

Arleth is a fourth-year Sociology student in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences whose research investigates the barriers faced by students with disabilities in higher education, including how drug consumption may intersect with these challenges. Her project seeks to explore whether more effective supports can be implemented to improve access to higher education for students with disabilities and those who use drugs.

Over the course of her studies at 杏吧原创, Arleth has developed a strong interest in the connection between critical disability and critical drug studies. Drawing from her own lived experience as a disabled student, Arleth is committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and addressing gaps in the literature concerning her community. Arleth will be conducting her research project, titled “Multiply Marginalized: Drug Consumption and Disability in Higher Education”, under the supervision of Prof. Kelly Fritsch (Sociology and Anthropology).

Diksha Kale

Diksha is a PhD candidate in the Department of Law and Legal Studies. She will be conducting her research project, titled 鈥淟eaving Home: Using Interactive Fiction to Explore Student Attitudes towards Immigration,鈥� under the supervision of Prof. Stacy Douglas (Law and Legal Studies).

Diksha is developing an interactive fiction story in which users take on the role of an immigrant leaving their home country to pursue studies abroad.

When reading the interactive fiction story, users will go through different scenarios related to immigration and get to make important choices throughout the playthrough that impact the storyline. Participants in the study will engage with the story and then complete surveys designed to assess how the narrative鈥檚 situations and themes influence their perceptions of international students and immigration.

Diksha鈥檚 work explores the potential of interactive fiction as a tool for education and social change. She aims to demonstrate how digital storytelling can foster empathy, challenge racist and xenophobic attitudes and address broader social issues. By encouraging readers to inhabit different perspectives, her research seeks to counter harmful narratives and promote a greater understanding of marginalized communities

The post Congratulations to the 2025 Student EDI Research Award Recipients appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Provost and Vice-President (Academic) L. Pauline Rankin and Vice-Provost & Associate Vice-President (Academic) David Hornsby, along with the Faculty Deans, presented five undergraduate 杏吧原创 students with Provost Scholar Awards on Thursday, April 10.

Funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and administered by Teaching and Learning Services, the Provost Scholar Award is valued at $500 and is given to undergraduate students who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in research, community engagement, immersive learning and/or international activities.

The Peter J. Ricketts Outstanding Provost Scholar Award was established in 2019 and is given to an outstanding recipient of the Provost Scholar Award. The award is named for Peter J. Ricketts, who served as the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) at 杏吧原创 for eight years. This year鈥檚 award, worth an additional $2,000, was presented to Aya Tessier.

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Provost Scholar Awards!

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Faculty of Engineering and Design

Faculty of Public and Global Affairs

Faculty of Science

Sprott School of Business

The post Provost Scholar Award Recipients Announced appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Join us in congratulating the recipients of the CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation.

The CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation supports and enhances research excellence and pedagogical innovation across 杏吧原创 undertaken by members of equity-deserving groups and/or on topics that hold equity, diversity and inclusion considerations as a dominant focus.

We are proud to recognize:

Menna Agha

Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism
Faculty of Engineering and Design

Community Engaged Architecture: Post Occupancy Study
This project will examine the post-occupancy stage of 1700SPOT, a community-engaged design-build project in Russell Heights, Ottawa鈥攁 racialized neighbourhood facing over-policing and neglect. Developed with the Architecture Action Lab and residents, 1700SPOT fosters youth well-being through multifunctional public spaces, including a community kitchen, a youth house and outdoor amenities. Using participatory methods, Menna will investigate the social impact of community-led design in transforming urban spaces, youth belonging in this over police and racialized community.

Catherine Bonier

Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism
Faculty of Engineering and Design

Equitable Rivers Ottawa: Collaboratively, Imagining and Designing Accessible Waterfronts
Can we design a more equitable National Capitol Riverfront to welcome people whose access to water recreation is restricted by physical design? Catherine is leading the Equitable Rivers Ottawa project, conducting research to design truly accessible waterfront sites. This work with the Ottawa Disability Coalition will reimagine the Rideau Riverfront, while training architecture and urbanism students to understand design and engagement within more inclusive frameworks.

Angela Dionisi

Sprott School of Business

Unseen Journeys: Uncovering the Workplace Experiences of Employees and Leaders who have Children with Disabilities
The unique realities of employees raising children with disabilities remains a facet of workplace diversity and inclusion that is not well understood. Using two studies, Angela鈥檚 investigation will consider this workforce cohort. Study One will use interviews with parents to explore how workplace leaders can better support them. Study Two will use surveys to learn more about the experiences of leaders themselves and how raising a child with a disability may impact their leadership behaviours.

Nusa Fain

Sprott School of Business

Can AI be Trained to Mitigate Bias in Mentorship Programs for Women in Technology?
Nusa鈥檚 project explores if AI-driven systems can be trained to reduce gender bias in mentorship programs within technology sectors where women face persistent barriers to advancement. In collaboration with Prosfata, an AI-powered mentorship platform, The project will explore AI鈥檚 potential to improve equity by refining bias-detection algorithms and mentor-mentee pairing criteria with the aim to generate actionable insights into AI鈥檚 capabilities and limitations in promoting equity within mentorship programs.

William H茅bert

Law and Legal Studies
Faculty of Public and Global Affairs

A Critical Examination of Provincial, Territorial, and Federal Correctional Jurisdictions鈥� Compliance with Human Rights Protections for Gender Identity and Expression
Since 2015, several Canadian correctional jurisdictions have developed policies intended to comply with human rights protections for gender identity and expression. In this project, William will collect a comprehensive corpus of documents through Access to Information and Freedom of Information mechanisms. Complementing interviews William previously conducted in federal prisons, these documents will trace if and how provincial, territorial and federal correctional systems have responded to their rights obligations towards incarcerated gender diverse persons.

Xiao Huang

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Design

Novel Wheelchair Reclining System for Hospital Emergency Rooms
In this research, Xiao will design, construct and demonstrate a working prototype of a reclined wheelchair and localized receptor for emergency room (ER) usage. This combination will allow wheelchair users to rest in a reclined position during an extended wait in the ER. More specifically, the project proposes to develop a design and manufacturing procedure to enable an economical, small footprint wheelchair to recline and rest on a receptor under special circumstances.

Frenand L茅ger

French
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Fostering Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity in Higher Education French Second Language textbooks
It is well-documented that Higher Education French Teaching and Learning materials are not concerned with the idea of Decolonization of the Syllabus as they lack an inclusive approach and show little regard for equity and diversity. Frenand鈥檚 project aims to create an experiential, decolonized French as a Second Language textbook for Higher Education in Canada, incorporating Black, Indigenous, Feminist and Queer perspectives, while promoting inclusive language to better reflect gender, sexual and cultural diversity.

Beth Martin & Melissa Redmond

Social Work
Faculty of Public and Global Affairs

鈥淯ntil all of us have made it鈥�: Assessing Course Design for Political Knowledge, Political Engagement and Commitment to Social Justice
This project will assess student experiences of (and engagement in) a re-design of SOWK3100: Social Policy and Administration with the aim to improve student understanding of the policy experiences of their future clients, especially those who, as members of marginalized populations, are often discriminated against by policy. Beth will develop innovative teaching approaches integrating gamification that are inclusive of all students. Assessment will compare the current and redeveloped versions of the course.

Azar Masoumi

Sociology and Anthropology
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Work Permit but Not Protection: The Mahsa Amini Policy
The “Mahsa Amini” policy (introduced in February 2023) allows Iranian nationals to extend their temporary stay in Canada by moving between various temporary residency streams. Concerned by the human cost of long-term non-citizenship, this study uses longitudinal qualitative interviews and government documents and statistics to examine the medium and long-term impacts of prolonged temporary residencies on Iranian nationals who apply to the Mahsa Amini policy.

Iain McKinnell & Martha Mullally

Biology; Biochemistry
Faculty of Science

Enhancing Equity Across Science Courses 鈥� How Much Does Classroom Climate and Sense of Belonging Matter in Promoting Success for Equity Deserving Groups?
The literature on persistence and achievement in STEM reveals a consistent pattern of decreased retention and success amongst EDI-seeking groups. Iain鈥檚 project intends to survey students across the faculty of science during their first two years of university, to quantify their sense of belonging and perceptions of classroom climate according to demographic group. These data will be compared to student cognitive outcomes and assessment strategies to identify characteristics of learning activities and environments that address inequities.

Robyn McQuaid

Neuroscience
Faculty of Science

Prioritizing Women鈥檚 Mental Health Research: Assessing the Impact of Hormone Contraceptive Use
Millions of young women take hormone contraceptives, however, there is lack of evidence on how these medications affect women鈥檚 brains, bodies and mental health. Robyn鈥檚 project will determine the mood and biological implications of hormone contraceptives among young women and address an important equity issue, that there is a substantial gender gap in our knowledge on women鈥檚 health and investing in women鈥檚 mental health research will improve mental health for all.

The post Announcing 杏吧原创鈥檚 2025 CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation Recipients appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

The post Announcing the 2024-25 Future Learning Innovation Fellowship Recipients appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Join us in congratulating the recipients of the annual Achievement Awards, which are presented in recognition of the research and teaching distinction of 杏吧原创鈥檚 academic staff.

Pursuing knowledge that can change the world is central to 杏吧原创鈥檚 core mission. 杏吧原创 researchers and instructors are passionate about their work and are dedicated to moving forward together on the important, complex issues of our time. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of this year鈥檚 award recipients:

Research Achievement Award

• Joseph Bennett (Biology)
• Catherine Cullingham (Biology)
• Megan Gaucher (Law and Legal Studies)
• Shulabh Gupta (Electronics)
• Amrita Hari (Feminist Institute of Social Transformation)
• Laura Macdonald (Political Science)
• Banu 脰rmeci (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
• Fateme Rajabiyazdi (Systems and Computer Engineering)
• Nassim Tabri (Psychology)
• Stelios Zyglidopoulos (Sprott School of Business)

Teaching Achievement Award

• Alexandra Arraiz Matute (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Shawn Graham (History)
• Philip Kaisary (Law and Legal Studies)
• Leila Mosta莽o-Guidolin (Systems and Computer Engineering)
• Alexis Shotwell and Rebecca Schein (Sociology and Anthropology)

Professional Achievement Award

• Vincent Andrisani (Journalism and Communication)
• Gr茅gory Bult茅 (Biology)
• Mehdi Eshaghi (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
• Orly Lael Netzer (Canadian Studies)

Contract Instructor Teaching Award

• Brendan Conway-Smith (Cognitive Science)
• Patricia Kmiec (Sociology and Anthropology)
• Rowida Mohamed (Health Sciences)
• Morgan Rooney (English Language and Literature)
• Eric Van Rythoven (Political Science)

Contract Instructor Teaching Innovation Grant

• Salman Shafi (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering)
• Hyounjeong Yoo (Linguistics and Language Studies)

More information about the award recipients is available on the and the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Achievement Award recipient webpage.

Thank you to the award selection committees for their contributions to this important process. They faced a challenging task as the award nominees and their accomplishments are truly impressive.

Sincerely,

L. Pauline Rankin
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

Rafik Goubran
Vice-President (Research and International)

The post Announcing 杏吧原创’s Achievement Award Recipients appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

On Oct. 28, 杏吧原创 community members gathered for presentations by the recipients of the 2024 Student EDI Research Awards. 杏吧原创 students Nagam Abuihmaid, Martina Boddy, Keisha Cuffie, Jada Gannon-Day, Rana Saddi and Erika Uzoegwu shared key findings from their summer research projects.

The Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Research Award responds to a specific recommendation in 杏吧原创鈥檚 EDI Action Plan and is a landmark recognition for EDI scholarship in Ontario higher education.

The award is funded by the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and administered by the Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities.

Nagam Abuihmaid spent her summer exploring the relationship between engagement in Islamic practices, mental health outcomes and utilization of campus mental health services. Her research shed light on the unique challenges and resources available to Muslim students at 杏吧原创.

Martina Boddy鈥檚 project aimed to identify barriers to accessibility for students with visible and invisible disabilities while conducting field work. Ten participants were recruited from within 杏吧原创鈥檚 Faculty of Science and Faculty of Engineering and Design who had completed field work and self-identified as having a visible or invisible disability.

Keisha Cuffie鈥檚 research combined data from a pool of 15 domestic and international students, encompassing a diverse range of backgrounds 鈥� including Black students, persons of colour, and non-marginalized students 鈥� to determine ways they felt or did not feel represented in 杏吧原创鈥檚 current curricula.

Jada Gannon-Day examined how volunteer tourism has become the face of the sustainable tourism movement and how the depoliticized view of development often positions the Global South as a place where Western young people can gain experience, rather than a place where local people lead efforts to create change.

Rana Saadi鈥檚 research project involved collaborating with BIPOC students at 杏吧原创 to gain a deeper understanding of their perspectives on allyship as a tool for liberation and inclusion and how they envision allyship as a way to improve the student experience.

Erica Uzoegwu鈥檚 research explored religious and spiritual beliefs, perceptions of and trust in science and healthcare decision-making among older adults from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in Canada and the United States.

Explore the full collection of research paper abstracts on the Student EDI Research Award Recipients webpage.

The post 杏吧原创鈥檚 2024 Student EDI Research Award Recipients Present Their Findings appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Two award competitions are open for applications:

CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation

The CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation is a new fund (totalling $375,000) that aims to support and enhance research excellence and pedagogical innovation by members of equity-deserving groups, or on topics that emphasize equity, diversity and inclusion. The funding is an outcome of the 2021-2024 bargaining round between 杏吧原创 and CUASA in which the parties agreed to create a fund that supports faculty members of equity-deserving groups and/or projects that advance EDI. The awards range from $5,000 to $15,000. Awards will continue to be awarded annually until the funds set aside for this purpose are depleted. Applications deadline is Oct. 31.

杏吧原创 University Achievement Awards

The 杏吧原创 University Achievement Awards recognize and celebrate the achievements of 杏吧原创鈥檚 teachers and researchers. The following awards are available. Applications for the Research Achievement Awards and the Teaching Achievement Awards are due Oct. 31. Applications for the remainder of the awards are due Nov. 20.

• Ten $15,000聽Research Achievement Awards
• Five $15,000聽Teaching Achievement Awards
• Five $10,000聽Professional Achievement Awards for Faculty, Teaching Stream
• Two $10,000聽Professional Achievement Awards for Professional Librarians
• Five $2,000聽Contract Instructor Teaching Awards
• Two $6,000聽Contract Instructor Teaching Innovation Grants

The post Award Competitions Open: 杏吧原创 University Achievement Awards and the CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation appeared first on Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).