SSHRC

The annual awards recognize achievements by outstanding scholars and students in research, research training, knowledge mobilization and outreach activities funded by SSHRC, and are considered Canada's highest honours in social sciences and humanities research.

The finalists for the 2024 SSHRC Impact Awards from �山ǿ�� are:

Professor Lynette Ong (department of political science, Faculty of Arts & Science and Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy) – Insight Award
Professor Peter Newman (Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work) – Partnership Award
Louis Busch (PhD candidate, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) – Talent Award

The winners in each of the award categories will be announced on Nov. 25, 2024.

Harmata Aboubakar, Julia Jeonghyun Parke among winners of SSHRC's 2024 Storytellers Challenge

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 19:38:58 +0000

Harmata Aboubakar, Julia Jeonghyun Parke among winners of SSHRC's 2024 Storytellers Challenge

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 06/05/2024 - 15:38

Students

St. George

Department of Sociology

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Information

SSHRC

landscape

Harmata Aboubakar (L) and Julia Jeonghyun Parke (supplied images)

University of Toronto PhD students Harmata Aboubakar and Julia Jeonghyun Parke have been named among five winners of the 2024 Storytellers Challenge by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

The annual challenge asks post-secondary students across the country to inspire audiences with a compelling research story – in up to 300 words or three minutes – demonstrating how SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians.

Aboubakar, a PhD student in the department of sociology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, crafted a video story, “Contested Memories and Revised Myths,” that examines how collective memory shapes identity and belonging. Drawing on archival analysis and interviews with former members of the Mau Mau movement that originated in Kenya in the 1950s, Aboubakar argues that memories shift in response to transnational politics, and explores implications of the research for reconciliation, justice and addressing historical grievances.

Parke, a PhD student in the Faculty of Information, also submitted a video story, “Speculating Race: Creator Motivations for Designing Virtual Influencers of Colour,” that discusses the juxtaposition between market research that asserts that white and female influencers are disproportionately favoured by both audiences and brands and the virtual influencer world, where a majority of CGI- and AI-rendered characters present themselves as ethnic minorities. The project addresses critical questions about who creates virtual social media influencers and what drives their choice of race and ethnic identity in the design of these non-human agents.

Read about the 2024 Storytellers Challenge

Watch Harmata Aboubakar’s winning entry

Watch Julia Jeonghyun Parke’s winning entry

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Kang Lee receives Insight Award from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:31:45 +0000

Kang Lee receives Insight Award from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 11/24/2023 - 07:31

landscape

Kang Lee (supplied image)

Kang Lee, a professor in the department of applied psychology and human development at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), has received the 2023 Insight Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

The award recognizes scholars whose work arising from SSHRC-funded initiatives has contributed to knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world.

Lee was honoured for his research on child moral development: specifically, how children learn to tell lies.

“I am deeply grateful for SSHRC’s strong commitment to supporting social science research like that of mine,” said Lee, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair. “Because of this commitment, our lab was able to make practical contributions far beyond those we could have ever foreseen."

A world-renowned expert on childhood dishonesty, Lee's work has had far-reaching impacts on real-world practices. His work led to Canadian law reforms in 2005 concerning obtaining evidence from children. Since 2006, a legal procedure based on his research must be employed to admit children as witnesses in Canadian criminal courts.

“Professor Lee’s research has made a broad impact across critical areas in education, and his exceptional scholarship, teaching, and mentoring of educational researchers are remarkable contributions to the field, to OISE, and to �山ǿ��,” said Professor Erica Walker, dean of OISE.

“He is highly deserving of this Insight Award, a prestigious honour for an outstanding professor. On behalf of the OISE community, I wholeheartedly congratulate Professor Lee for this significant recognition from SSHRC.”

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David Dyzenhaus recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 12:24:14 +0000

David Dyzenhaus recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 11/24/2023 - 07:24

Faculty

St. George

Department of Philosophy

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Law

SSHRC

landscape

David Dyzenhaus (supplied image)

David Dyzenhaus, a University Professor in �山ǿ��'s Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of philosophy, has been honoured with a Gold Medal from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

The highest research honour awarded by SSHRC, the Gold Medal recognizes individuals whose leadership, dedication and originality of thought have inspired students and colleagues alike. Dyzenhaus was recognized for his impact on legal philosophy and on defending the rule of law globally.

Dyzenhaus researches the idea of legality in philosophy of law and political thought, constitutionalism, and the modern legal state. His political philosophy expertise includes the works of 17th-century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes.

“My unusual take on Hobbes is that one finds in him the first sophisticated theory of the modern legal state and the rule of law,” says Dyzenhaus.

Dyzenhaus, who holds �山ǿ��’s Albert Abel Chair of Law, is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a corresponding fellow of the British Academy. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honours including a fellowship from the Royal Society of Canada and a 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship.

“David is a renowned scholar and teacher, celebrated by peers and students alike,” said University Professor Jutta Brunnée, dean of the Faculty of Law and James Marshall Tory Dean’s Chair. “It signals a lifetime of academic achievement and extraordinary expertise to receive this very special prize from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.”

“Throughout his career, David has produced a body of work of unusual depth and importance,” said Professor Martin Pickavé, chair of the department of philosophy.

“It is wonderful to see his rich research now recognized with one of the country’s most important national awards.”

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Faculty of Law

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Semra Sevi honoured with SSHRC Talent Award

siddiq22 — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:35:37 +0000

Semra Sevi honoured with SSHRC Talent Award

Research & Innovation

siddiq22 Fri, 08/04/2023 - 12:35

Faculty

St. George

Department of Political Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

SSHRC

Talent Award

landscape

Semra Sevi (supplied photo)

Semra Sevi, an assistant professor in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has received the Talent Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Awarded annually among the council’s annual Impact Awards, the prize recognizes the highest achievements in SSHRC-funded research, knowledge mobilization and scholarship, as well as the highest achievements resulting from a SSHRC fellowship. In particular, the Talent Award recognizes outstanding research achievement and career potential from a SSHRC doctoral or postdoctoral fellowship or scholarship holder.

“Despite having only just received her doctorate in political science (with distinction) from Université de Montréal in 2021, Semra Sevi has already demonstrated she is an outstanding and prolific researcher with impact as a public scholar,” noted SSHRC in its award citation.

“I am committed to open science and developing research-driven responses to political inequality,” says Sevi, who was most recently a Banting postdoctoral researcher in the department of political science at Columbia University and received the award prior to joining �山ǿ��.

“SSHRC support gives my research credibility and has encouraged me to keep going.”

Sevi has earned global recognition for creating and making public datasets of all candidates for office in Canadian federal elections since 1867. This achievement was central to her doctoral dissertation, titled What Voters Want: Identifying Voter Preferences for Candidates. The datasets were first published on the Harvard University Dataverse in 2019 and have since been downloaded thousands of times. They have also formed the basis of eight of nearly 20 peer-reviewed articles that Sevi has written.

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story
Read the SSHRC citation

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Lynne Viola recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

lanthierj — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 21:50:07 +0000

Lynne Viola recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 11/30/2021 - 16:50

Faculty

St. George

Department of History

SSHRC

landscape

The University of Toronto's Lynne Viola has been honoured with the Gold Medal from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Viola, a University Professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science's history department, is a leading scholar of Soviet history and recognized around the world for her archival research into the Stalinist era, focusing on the Soviet dictator’s mass repression of its people in the 1930s.

“I was very surprised and humbled,” says Viola of winning SSHRC’s highest research honour among its annual Impact Awards.

With this most recent achievement, Viola has completed a rare hat trick in Canada’s highest academic honours.

“This is a remarkable accomplishment,” says Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Lynne is only the fifth scholar to win the Molson Prize, the Killam Prize, and now the SSHRC Gold Medal – our three top national humanities and social sciences awards. These honours are a tribute to her passion and fearlessness in sharing knowledge about Stalinist Russia that continues to benefit students and scholars at �山ǿ��, as well as around the world.”

Leah Cowen, �山ǿ��’s associate vice-president, research, hailed Viola for enriching the landscape of Russian history and providing a springboard for younger researchers.

“Professor Viola’s tireless work over the decades has helped ensure that the real-life impacts of atrocities are not buried away, and that the truths and nuances of these tragic chapters are preserved in the pages of history,” Cowen said. “A passionate teacher and mentor, she has generously passed on her specialized knowledge to countless students and graduate researchers, and given the next generation of historians the foundations upon which to flourish.”

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Read the �山ǿ�� News story

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Robyn Maynard receives Talent Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

lanthierj — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 20:26:16 +0000

Robyn Maynard receives Talent Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Mon, 12/07/2020 - 15:26

Students

St. George

Women and Gender Studies

Faculty of Arts & Science

SSHRC

Talent Award

landscape

(Photo by Stacy Lee)

The University of Toronto’s Robyn Maynard is this year’s winner of the Talent Award, one of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Impact awards.

“I am thrilled to learn that Robyn has been recognized for her academic excellence and research talent,” said Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “Her work on race, gender and discrimination has had measurable and material impact on the lives of Black and Indigenous people in Canada and beyond. This distinction is a testament to the high regard in which she is held by her peers, colleagues and partners.”

A doctoral student at the Women and Gender Studies Institute at �山ǿ��, studying under the supervision of Associate Professor Eve Tuck, Maynard is an award-winning author, Vanier scholar and community organizer whose work focuses on racist and gender-based violence and discrimination. Her SSHRC-funded dissertation project explores the recent political contributions of Black social movements in support of the human rights of Black migrants.

“The University of Toronto congratulates Robyn Maynard on this important recognition,” said University Professor Ted Sargent, �山ǿ��’s vice-president, research and innovation and strategic initiatives. “Her research has already made a significant impact – and her expertise and leadership are also helping audiences beyond academia better understand the social, gendered and economic marginalization experienced by Black migrants in the U.K., Canada and the United States.”

Maynard’s 2017 book Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present, won the 2018 Errol Sharpe Book Prize and was shortlisted for an Atlantic Book Award, the Concordia University First Book Prize and the Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction.

Taylor Price places among top 25 in SSHRC 2020 Storytellers competition

lanthierj — Mon, 25 May 2020 18:37:24 +0000

Taylor Price places among top 25 in SSHRC 2020 Storytellers competition

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Mon, 05/25/2020 - 14:37

Students

St. George

SSHRC

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of Sociology

Graduate Students

landscape

For his research on how songwriters are affected by the digital economy, Taylor Price is a finalist in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)’s 2020 Storytellers challenge.

The annual competition challenges students to explain– in up to three minutes or 300 words – how SSHRC- funded research is making a difference.

“This year’s finalists show exceptional creativity in communicating the relevance of social sciences and humanities research to the daily lives of Canadians,” said SSHRC President Ted Hewitt. “I commend each of them for their outstanding talent and ability to convey concisely and with great impact, why such research matters.”

Price, a PhD candidate in sociology, in the Faculty of Arts & Science, hopes to help creative people thrive in the internet age. “By exploring and analyzing how songwriters make and release music today, my research can help point to a way forward for creative people and cultural industries in uncertain times,” says Price.

Price, who will compete in the Storytellers Showcase at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in 2021, is recruiting Canadian songwriters to participate in his research and can be reached via Twitter.

Watch Price's SSHRC video

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SSHRC

3 �山ǿ�� scholars named finalists for 2024 SSHRC Impact Awards

Read more about the SSHRC Impact Awards

Harmata Aboubakar, Julia Jeonghyun Parke among winners of SSHRC's 2024 Storytellers Challenge

Read about the 2024 Storytellers Challenge

Watch Harmata Aboubakar’s winning entry

Watch Julia Jeonghyun Parke’s winning entry

Kang Lee receives Insight Award from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Read the OISE story

David Dyzenhaus recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Read the Faculty of Law story

Semra Sevi honoured with SSHRC Talent Award

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story
Read the SSHRC citation

Lynne Viola recognized with Gold Medal from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story

Read the �山ǿ�� News story

Robyn Maynard receives Talent Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Read more about the Impact awards

Taylor Price places among top 25 in SSHRC 2020 Storytellers competition

Watch Price's SSHRC video