Research Chairs
Our faculty members engage in projects following six strategic research and training priorities. This includes:
- Eleven Canada Research Chairs. (10 active; one in development)
- Two Industrial Research Chairs.
- Two Endowed and Honorific Research Chairs.
- Six Ontario Tech University Research Excellence Chairs.
- One United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair.
- A strong cross-pollination of undergraduate and graduate students involved in research and collaborations with business, community and government partners.
Canada Research Chairs
The Government of Canada created the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program in 2000 to establish 2,000 research professorships at universities across the country by 2008. We have attracted the best and brightest minds from all over the world. These individuals help enrich our research capabilities; Chairholders are recognized for their commitment to advancing the frontiers of knowledge in their fields, not only through their own work but through the teaching and supervising of students and the
Ontario Tech is committed to the principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) in all matters, including in the selection and renewal of CRCs. Ontario Tech allows for only one renewal of a CRC and the renewals are not automatic, instead following a competitive process. One renewal criterion is that the candidate shows “Demonstrated commitment to priorities in the Ontario Tech's CRC Equity, Diversity and Inclusiveness Action Plan” (Renewal of Canada Research Chairs Procedure, s3..15).
More information and full details on the process are available in our Canada Research Chair Recruitment Procedure and our Renewal of Canada Research Chairs Procedure. Questions can be directed to research@ontariotechu.ca

Christopher Collins, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Linguistics Information Visualization
Faculty of Science
christopher.collins@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext.6581

Pierre Côté, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation
Faculty of Health Sciences
pierre.cote@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext.2629

Adam Dubrowski, PhD
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Health-Care Simulation
Faculty of Health Sciences
adam.dubrowski@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext.6221

Khalid Elgazzar, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in the Internet of Things (IoT)
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
khalid.elgazzar@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 7365

Horia Hangan, PhD
Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Adaptive Aerodynamics
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
horia.hangan@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668

Janette Hughes, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Technology and Pedagogy
Faculty of Education
janette.hughes@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 2875

Peter Lewis, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence
Faculty of Business and Information Technology
peter.lewis@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 3577

Markus Piro, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Nuclear Fuel and Materials
Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science
markus.piro@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 5525
Denina Simmons, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Biology
Faculty of Science
denina.simmons@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 5310
Sheldon Williamson, PhD
Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Electric Energy Storage Systems for Transportation Electrification
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
sheldon.williamson@ontariotechu.ca
905.721.8668 ext. 5744
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Former Canada Research Chairs
- Carolyn McGregor, PhD - Tier 2 CRC in Health Informatics (Faculty of Business and Information Technology)
- Dan Zhang, PhD - Tier 2 CRC in Advanced Robotics and Automation (Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science)
- Douglas Holdway, PhD - Tier 1 CRC in Aquatic Toxicology (Faculty of Science)
- Greg Naterer, PhD - Tier 1 CRC in Advanced Energy Systems (Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science)
- Isabel Pedersen, PhD - Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Digital Life, Media and Culture
- Shari Forbes, PhD - Tier 2 CRC in Decomposition Chemistry (Faculty of Science)
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Endowed, Sponsored and Honorific Research Chairs
- Carol Cancelliere, PhD - Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation Research Chair in Knowledge Translation
- Carolyn McGregor, PhD - Research Chair in Artificial Intelligence for Health and Wellness, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences
- Daniel Hoornweg, PhD - Richard Marceau Chair (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science)
- David Rudoler, PhD - Research in Population Health and Innovation in Mental Health, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences
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Industrial Research Chairs
Our university focuses on fundamental and applied research that directly benefits end users, including the following Industrial Research Chairs:
- Ed Waller, PhD, Senior Chairholder, NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair in Health Physics and Environmental Safety (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science)
- Kirk Atkinson, PhD, Associate Chairholder, NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair in Health Physics and Environmental Safety (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science)
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Former Industrial Research Chairs
- Christopher Collins,
PhD , Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network Research Chair in Information Visualization (Faculty of Science) - Brian Ikeda,
PhD , Cameco Research Chair in Nuclear Fuel (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science) - Scott Nokleby,
PhD , Associate Cameco Research Chair in Nuclear Fuel (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science) - Remon Pop-Iliev,
PhD , Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)-OPG Chair in Innovative Design Engineering (Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science) - Vijay Sood,
PhD , NSERC-OPG Associate Chair in Innovative Design Engineering (Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science) - Anthony
Waker ,PhD
- Christopher Collins,
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Ontario Tech University Research Excellence Chairs
Ontario Tech University has established a Research Excellence Chairs Program to recognize and reward the high-quality research and scholarly achievements of Ontario Tech faculty members. The program is designed to enable accomplished scholars to complete a major research program or project. Further, the program is meant to emphasize the importance of research at Ontario Tech in strategic areas, while highlighting and promoting the outstanding achievements of our scholars and the university’s commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
This year, the program expanded to six awards, two of which will be housed in the Brilliant Energy Institute (BEI) and awarded to researchers who align their applications with the strategic priority areas of energy and clean tech.
After a very competitive process, which attracted 18 high-quality applications, the committee made their difficult choices and awarded the 6 Chairs as follows:
- Bill Kapralos, PhD, Associate Professor and Program Director, Faculty of Business and Information Technology 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Virtual Psychomotor-Based Skills Development Using Pseudo-Haptics
- Jean-Paul Desaulniers, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Science 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Chemical Biology
- Ibrahim Dincer, Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science 2021 Brilliant Energy Institute Research Excellence Chair in Development of Clean Hydrogen Energy Technologies
- Jennifer McKellar, PhD, Associate Professor, Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science 2021 Brilliant Energy Institute Research Excellence Chair in Techno-Economic and Environmental Assessment of Energy Systems
- JoAnne Arcand, PhD, Assistant Professor Faculty of Health Sciences 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Nutrition Policy and Implementation
- Olena Zenkina, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Advanced Functional Materials
- Former Ontario Tech University Research Excellence Chairs
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United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Hate Studies
Dr. Barbara Perry, Professor, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSH), is a recognized global authority on hate crime and the primary national authority on right-wing extremism in Canada. She holds a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Hate Studies.
She is a well-known expert among media outlets including The Agenda, CBC, The Current, The Globe and Mail and The New York Times. Dr. Perry is a regular consultant with Justice Canada, Public Safety Canada, The RCMP, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and local social justice organizations.
Her work extends to policing diverse communities, building resilience among marginalized communities and broadly, issues of diversity and justice. Dr. Perry is helping to frame the field and foster global education and support for victims of hate-fuelled violence.