Research Chairs

• 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

Our university focuses on fundamental and applied research that directly benefits end users, including the following Industrial Research Chairs:

• Ed Waller, PhD, Senior Chairholders, NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair in Health Physics and Environmental Safety (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science)
• Kirk Atkinson, PhD, Associate Chairholders, NSERC/UNENE Industrial Research Chair in Health Physics and Environmental Safety (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science)

• 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 , NSERC/University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) Industrial Research Chair, Senior Chairholders in Health Physics and Environmental Safety (Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science)

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

• Brad Easton, PhD, Ontario Tech University Research Excellence Chair in Electrochemical Energy Materials (Faculty of Science)
• Carolyn McGregor, PhD, Ontario Tech University Research Excellence Chair in Health Informatics (Faculty of Business and Information Technology)

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-fueled violence.