The recently announced funding supports journals that span Canadian Jewish studies, law, feminist scholarship, cross-cultural image studies and refugee research.

The SSHRC program supports Canadian scholarly dissemination by helping journals explore innovative activities and defray costs associated with publishing, digital distribution and open access. Each of the five York-affiliated journals will receive funding over a three-year period.

"At a time when open access is reshaping how knowledge serves the public good, I am proud to see York University journals recognized in the September 2025 SSHRC Aid to Scholarly Journals competition," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "By expanding immediate open access, this support enhances the visibility, reach and public engagement of high-quality Canadian scholarship, connecting research more directly with scholars, policymakers and communities worldwide."

The following York-affiliated journals were awarded funding:

David S. Kauffman, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadienne
Funding: $119,686 over three years
An interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal devoted to original scholarship on the Canadian Jewish experience.

Jennifer Nadler, Osgoode Hall Law School
Journal: Osgoode Hall Law Journal
Funding: $111,000 over three years
A scholarly law journal that publishes interdisciplinary research on law, legal institutions and legal developments of social, political and economic importance.

Andrea O'Reilly, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: Journal of the Motherhood Initiative
Funding: $150,000 over three years
A feminist scholarly journal focused on mothering and motherhood, including scholarship that considers class, race, sexuality, age, ethnicity, ability, nationality and lived experience.

Markus Reisenleitner, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: Imaginations: Journal of Cross-Cultural Image Studies / Imaginations : Revue d'étudesinterculturelles de l'image
Funding: $156,000 over three years
A multilingual, open-access, peer-reviewed journal focused on international visual culture, image studies, artistic practice and interdisciplinary scholarship.

Dagmar Soennecken, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Journal: Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees / Refuge : revue canadienne sur les réfugiés
Funding: $156,000 over three years
A bilingual, open-access, peer-reviewed journal publishing interdisciplinary research and analysis on forced migration from academic, policy and practitioner perspectives.

These awards are among the latest in a series of recent SSHRC funding successes for York University, which has also received significant support through the council's Partnership Development Grants, Insight Development Grants and Insight Grants programs in recent cycles.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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The Presidential Search Committee is responsible for the search for York University’s ninth president and vice-chancellor.

As part of the process of developing the mandate and position profile for the University’s next president and vice-chancellor, the committee members would like to hear from as many members of the University community as possible.

We invite you to offer your perspectives. We have scheduled our first consultation for: Wednesday, May 27 on the Keele Campus from 10 a.m. to noon in the Dr. Robert Everett Senate Chamber, N940 Ross Building.

The session will be in-person with virtual available to those who are unable to join in-person.

Registration for the session: https://univsec.apps01.yorku.ca/forms/view.php?id=61548.

The Search Committee has prepared questions to consider in advance of the sessions (or if you would like to prepare a written response). The questions can be found here.

If you prefer you can write your responsesto any or all of the questions and email them to: yorkpvc@boyden.com.

Antonio Di Domenico
Chair Presidential Search Committee 

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Huang is a professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and a Tier 1 York Research Chair in Big Data Analytics. His research focuses on advancing information retrieval, AI and natural language processing through probabilistic modelling and machine learning, with emphasis on real-world applications.

He is also an elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, as well as the International Academy of Artificial Intelligence Science.

As founding director of the Information Retrieval and Knowledge Management Research Lab, Huang has helped shape the direction of AI research, including early systematic evaluations of large language models.

He was recently awarded the President’s Research Excellence Award at York. Since joining York in 2003, he has earned multiple fellowships and awards including the Dean's Award for Outstanding Research, the Petro Canada Young Innovators Award and the LA&PS Award for Distinction in Research, Creativity and Scholarship (Established Researcher).

The EIC is a not-for-profit founded in 1887 that serves as a coalition of 15 Canadian engineering societies with a mission to advance education, offer professional development and recognize excellence in engineering.

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The University is one of 10 post-secondary institutions to receive Intellectual Property Ontario (IPON) funding for the recently launched Innovation Fellowship Program. Together with renewed funding as part of IPON’s Commercialization Pilot Program, which York has been a recipient of since 2023, the University will receive $575,000.

The funding will support the Inventor to Founder Fellowship, a new collaboration at York between YSpace and the IP Innovation Clinic. The 13-week fellowship provides up to 30 students, researchers, faculty and recent graduates with a $10,000 stipend, along with mentorship and practical training to move early-stage research toward investment readiness.

"Research achieves its full value when it reaches people through new products, new companies and new solutions to the challenges Ontarians face,” says Lisa Philipps, York’s interim president and vice-chancellor.

IPON’s investment, she adds, strengthens the connections at York that make research translation possible.

“Our new Inventor to Founder Fellowship will extend that pathway to even more Ontarians with an idea worth building – and we're proud to partner with the province on work that ensures research investments have local impact."

Since 2023, IPON support has helped increase capacity for the University’s IP and commercialization pathway, a strategic collaboration between the IP Innovation Clinic and York’s Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation (VPRI). The partnership is designed to address critical gaps and assist researchers, students and entrepreneurs navigating complex decisions around IP and venture development.

“Now more than ever, it is imperative that Ontario continues to protect our homegrown innovation, transforming ideas into solutions that strengthen our economy,” says Nolan Quinn, minister of colleges, universities, research excellence and security. “Through this investment into IPON, our government is safeguarding our epicentres of discovery, our post-secondary institutions, to ensure Ontario continues to benefit first and foremost from research developed in our own backyard.”

To date, IPON has provided nearly $1.5 million to York University to bolster IP and commercialization initiatives. This funding has helped the IP Innovation Clinic serve 133 clients and train 132 Osgoode Hall Law School students, while VPRI has received more than 100 invention disclosures, leading to more than 30 IP protection applications.

“The IP Innovation Clinic and University are grateful to IPON for its sustained investment, which enables the clinic and VPRI to continue delivering high-impact IP and commercialization support to innovators across York while training the next generation of IP professionals through experiential education,” says Pina D’Agostino, the clinic’s founding director and York’s associate vice-president research at the time of the funding announcement.

The IP Innovation Clinic and VPRI, she adds, will continue to scale York’s unique innovation ecosystem with partners across the University and beyond.

With files from the IP Innovation Clinic

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The life and work of McElroy, who spent 15 years at York's Lassonde School of Engineering, was built on a lifetime of scientific contributions and knowledge sharing through mentorship and field research.

After earning his PhD at York in the late 1970s, McElroy returned to York in 2011 as a CSA/ABB/NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Atmospheric Remote Sounding. He brought with him a breadth of experience and accomplishments, which he translated to meaningful research and teaching.

Among his most notable accomplishments, McElroy was the co-inventor of the Brewer ozone spectrophotometer in the early 1970s. The instrument measures how much ozone is in the atmosphere by analyzing sunlight as it passes through it. At the time, it marked a major advance in how scientists could track changes in the ozone layer. It went on to underpin global monitoring efforts and informed public and scientific understanding of ozone depletion, including the heightened awareness of the issue in the late 20th century.

He also co-developed the UV Index, a public-facing tool used around the world to show how strong the sun's ultraviolet radiation is. It provides simple guidance that helps people make decisions about sun exposure, such as when to seek shade or apply sunscreen. Widely adopted in weather reporting, it has become a familiar part of how people assess their risk when spending time outdoors.

McElroy continued to build on his contributions over a 36-year period with Environment Canada, where he served as a senior research scientist. It became a defining focus of his career, as he advanced work in ozone science, atmospheric physics and remote sensing. He developed new techniques to track atmospheric gases from the ground, from aircraft and from space, helping scientists better understand how the Earth’s atmosphere is changing across different environments.

His research extended into space-based observation as well, including contributions to Canada’s SCISAT mission – a satellite designed to study the chemistry of the Earth’s atmosphere – through the MAESTRO spectrophotometer, an instrument used to measure ozone and other gases from orbit.

Much of his research is reflected in hundreds of scientific publications, many of which have been widely cited. His work was also recognized with numerous national and international honours. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2009 and received the Patterson Medal from Environment Canada and the United Nations Environment Programme Innovators Award.

During his time at York, he helped train students and early-career researchers, often introducing them to the rewards of working in remote environments, from the High Arctic to international monitoring stations.

His legacy lives on in the careers of the many students and colleagues he helped to shape at York, in the instruments still operating around the world and in the data that continues to inform environmental research and policy.

The memorial and celebration of life will take place at York University's Keele Campus, Bethune College, Room 203, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Colleagues, former students, collaborators and family will gather both in person and online to reflect on his impact.

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Sacred wampum belt, pipe to return home at Manitoulin gathering
Alan Corbiere, associate professor at York University and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America, was mentioned in The Sudbury Star May 19.

Liberals are playing legal hardball with First Nations over drinking water
Deborah McGregor, an associate law professor and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice at York University, was quoted in Investigative Journalism Bureau May 19 and the Vancouver Sun May 19.

Soussanna Karas appointed Laurier’s new general counsel
York University was mentioned in Wilfrid Laurier University News May 15.

Common Speech Pattern Could Be a Sign of Alzheimer’s, Scientists Say
York University was mentioned on Inc.com May 16.

'Five pretty memorable years': Former student looks back on life at Barrie Central
Ben Browne, staff member at York University, was mentioned in Barrie Today May 18.

Climate Pseudoscience Debunked: Livestock Methane Fears are Baseless
William A. van Wijngaarden, professor at York University, was mentioned in Watts Up With That? May 16.

Sexuality researcher earns two academic honours
York University was mentioned on QueensU.ca May 19.

Six-Building Mixed-Use Community Proposed Near Dufferin and Finch
York University was mentioned on Urban Toronto May 19.

Georgian nursing grads enter workforce amid healthcare staffing pressures and growing complexities
York University was mentioned on Barrie360.com May 17.

ALS Canada to host truck pull fundraisers in Ontario this fall
York University was mentioned in Truck News May 19.

See more ways York University is making headlines at News @ York.

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An investment of $2.1 million, announced May 13, will fund transformative work examining history, human behaviour, digital technologies and critical infrastructure to better understand and improve well-being, equity and resilience across Canada.

The CRC program bolster research excellence and advances the development of knowledge that benefits society, the economy and the environment.

"Canada Research Chairs drive new knowledge that strengthens Canada’s global competitiveness and addresses real-world challenges," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "Across York, this research reflects a commitment to tackling complex issues – from advancing Indigenous knowledge and addressing addiction, to shaping the future of AI and strengthening critical infrastructure – in ways that deliver tangible benefits for communities in Canada and beyond."

Alan Corbiere – Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

An assistant professor in York’s Department of History, Corbiere’s research focuses on Anishinaabe language, oral traditions and material culture.

Corbiere uses approaches such as the study of treaty negotiations and wampum belts to challenge and reshape historical narratives while supporting the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and culture.

Matthew Keough – Canada Research Chair in Addiction Vulnerability (Tier 2)
Faculty of Health

Keough is an associate professor in York’s Department of Psychology, a clinical psychologist and a senior scientist with Homewood Research Institute. He studies the causes of addictive behaviours and develops evidence‑based treatments with a focus on heavy drinking, cannabis use, concurrent disorders and digital interventions for young adults.

Keough also received $100,000 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund which supports research infrastructure projects through its partnership with the CRC program.

Jennifer Pybus – Canada Research Chair in Data, Empowerment and Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

Associate professor in the Department of Politics and director of the Centre for Public AI, Pybus studies how social media, mobile platforms and AI use personal data.

Her focus is on strengthening data literacy, supporting informed public debate and examining issues of digital sovereignty and data governance in Canada.

Pirathayini Srikantha – Canada Research Chair in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems (Tier 2, renewal)
Lassonde School of Engineering

Srikantha, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, develops AI‑driven and transactive energy solutions.

The aim of her research is to improve the reliability, security and resilience of electrical power grids and support the design of trustworthy energy systems.

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The initiative, led by Stephanie Gora, assistant professor at the Lassonde School of Engineering, received $250,000 from the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) 2025 Exploration competition. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) program supports bold, interdisciplinary research that tests new ideas and aims for real‑world impact.

Gora’s project focuses on drinking water quality in multi‑unit rental housing, where water safety is impacted by the actions of water utilities, tenants, landlords/building owners and regulators.

“This funding gives us the freedom to step back and take a ‘problem-first’ approach to understanding and improving water safety in rental housing that prioritizes the lived experiences of tenants, as well as building owners and management,” says Gora. “The goal is to co-develop technologies and frameworks that address the real barriers to safe water in rental housing."

While Canada has invested heavily in protecting drinking water, quality of water from the tap – particularly in rental buildings – remains difficult to assess and address, she adds.

Expertise in engineering, housing and urban planning will come together to examine both the technical and social dimensions of water quality. Gora is joined by co‑principal investigator Katherine Perrott (University of Waterloo) and co‑applicants Judy Duncan (ACORN Canada), Liam Butler and Razieh Salahandish (York University), along with Brian Doucet (University of Waterloo) for the project, titled “‘Can I drink the tap water?’ An interdisciplinary action framework for water quality assurance in multi‑unit rental housing.”

According to Gora, research and policy following the 2000 Walkerton water crisis focused primarily on protecting municipal sources, treatment plants and distribution systems. However, conditions within buildings are a separate risk where aging plumbing, construction materials and maintenance practices can significantly affect water quality by the time it reaches residents’ taps.

These challenges are particularly pronounced in rental housing, where tenants have limited control over infrastructure and limited access to information.

Multi‑unit buildings constructed before 1960 are more likely to contain lead-bearing plumbing components and lead solder, but water quality issues are not limited to older housing stock. Newer and high‑rise buildings can also experience problems related to water stagnation and interactions between the water and materials used for plumbing.

In January 2024, more than 200 tenants were evacuated from a newly built student apartment building in Hamilton, Ont., due to poor water quality, highlighting the scope of the issue.

The York‑led project responds to these gaps by integrating scientific testing with lived experience.

Researchers will begin by testing water samples and interviewing tenants, building owners or managers to understand how water quality issues arise and how they are handled in real-world settings. The team will test how point-of-use and distributed water quality sensors monitor water safety in real time.

The findings will help the team develop a data-driven water safety framework for multi-unit rental buildings using an approach that considers social, environmental and economic impacts while encouraging collaboration among sector partners to clarify shared responsibilities.

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