Women in Research Council

In keeping with Ontario Tech University’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and the Office of Research Services (ORS) are launching the Ontario Tech University Women in Research Council (WIRC). The specific mandate of the Council is to develop and implement initiatives to invest in gender equity at Ontario Tech by helping to actively nurture and retain talented women who can help advance and lead the university in research, teaching and beyond.

*Anytime we refer to “women”, we are referring to all women, which includes, but is not limited to trans women, gender non-conforming women, non-binary women, individuals who are feminine of centre, femmes and cisgender women.

The funding for this program is provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Institutional Grant program.

Pathways Series

Pathways to Canada Research Chair - January 21, 2025

Pathway Series Description

The Women in Research Council is excited to introduce the Pathways series. In these talks, we will learn about the pathway and trajectories of inspiring Ontario Tech colleagues who are research chairs, thought leaders, and innovators. The invited speakers represent diverse disciplines and will reflect on how they got to their roles, as well as the challenges, joys, and realities they face. The talks are aimed to inspire, educate and empower audience members to reflect on their potential and to encourage them to pursue their own research and leadership pathways."

The Pathways to Canada Research Chair (CRC) will feature 3 Ontario Tech University CRCs - Dr. Janette Hughes, Dr. Denina Simmons and Dr. Kanika Samuels-Wortley. CRC 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 co-ordination of work by other researchers.

When: January 21, 2025 from 12 - 2pm

Where: In-person (Dixon/Alger Fireside Reading Room) and online

Register for the event here: https://forms.gle/2zWmcEqUydVZLPzq8

Panelists bio:
Dr. Janette Hughes is a Canada Research Chair, Technology and Pedagogy and Professor in the Faculty of Education at Ontario Tech University. She is the recipient of multiple research and teaching awards, including the Ontario Tech University Graduate Student Supervision Award, 2022; Tim McTiernan Student Mentorship Award, 2022; Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence Award, 2016; UOIT Teaching Excellence Award, 2016; National Technology Leadership Initiative Fellowship, 2013; UOIT Research Excellence Award, Early Stage Researcher, 2012. She is the recipient of multiple research grants totaling more than $6m. Dr. Hughes is a prolific author and presenter, sharing her work both nationally and internationally in prestigious scholarly and professional journals, keynote talks, and conferences. She has presented more than 140 peer-reviewed research papers conferences across Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America. Attesting to the recognition of her leadership in technology and pedagogy, Dr. Hughes is routinely contacted by school districts, Ministry personnel, Principals’ councils and industry partners to consult on a variety of topics, including online teaching and learning, equity issues in ed tech, creating innovative learning environments, establishing STEAM focused Makerspaces in schools, shifting pedagogies in a digital era, the social and ethical implications of AI, and how to foster the development of global (21st century) skills and competencies in K-12 and higher education.

Dr. Denina Simmons was appointed to the Faculty of Science at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in July 2018, where she is a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Toxicology and runs the Aquatic Omics Lab. Denina’s research at Ontario Tech focusses on pairing non-targetted bioanalytial chemistry with non-lethal sampling and observational science to understand the health of aquatic animals. Denina is a recipeint of the Ontario Early Researcher Award from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities. Denina is also an associate editor for the Elsevier Journal “Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part D: Genomics and Proteomics” and the Springer Journal “Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology”. Denina received her undergraduate degree from Ryerson University and then completed her master’s degree at Trent University under the supervision of Chris Metcalfe investigating the effects of personal care products on the estrogen receptor. Denina continued her doctoral research at Trent University under the supervision of Dirk Wallschälger and Neil Emery when she examined the metabolic detoxification of selenium by algae. Denina completed two consecutive post-doctoral fellowships at Environment Canada working with Jim Sherry in the Aquatic Contaminants Research Division where she developed protein profiling and proteomics methods to investigate the health of fish. After that, Denina had two consecutive contracts working on ‘Omics projects with the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks.

Dr. Kanika Samuels-Wortley is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Systemic Racism, Technology, and Criminal Justice in the Department of Criminology and Justice at Ontario Tech University. Presently, she is a Visiting Fellow at Australian National University at the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet) in Canberra, Australia. Dr. Samuels-Wortley’s research explores the intersection of race, racism, and the Canadian criminal justice system, particularly within policing. Her work has been disseminated in both national and international journals, books, keynote talks, and presentations. This includes articles in prestigious criminal justice journals, including Crime and Delinquency, Race and Justice, and the Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, as well as invited panel discussions across Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Further, she has authored and co-authored several provincial and federal policy reports exploring police processes and procedures. Her work has been quoted in national media platforms, including the CBC, TVO, Globe and Mail, Radio-Canada, and The Star. Her forthcoming book, Race, Crime, and Justice in Canada, will be released in spring 2025.
Pathways to Research Excellence Chair - March 3, 2025
Introducing the second event in our Pathways Series. The Pathways to Research Excellence Chairs will feature 5 Ontario Tech Research Excellence Chairs. Ontario Tech University established a Research Excellence Chairs Program to recognize and reward the high-quality research and scholarly achievements of Ontario Tech faculty members. As well, 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).

The Pathways to Research Excellence Chairs will feature:

* Dr. Winnie Sun, Research Excellence Chair in Healthy Aging and Dementia Care
* Dr. Andrea Kirkwood, Research Excellence Chair in Urban Water
* Dr. Salma Karray, Research Excellence Chair in Marketing Analytics and Decision Models
* Dr. Lindsay Malloy, Research Excellence Chair in Youths' Legal Decision Making
* Dr. Shilpa Dogra, Research Excellence Chair in Disrupting Human Mobility

Where: In-person (Dixon/Alger Fireside Reading Room) and online

Register for the event here: https://forms.gle/YNGxsHEeXGRzj4nW7

Panelists bio:

Dr. Winnie Sun completed her PhD in Nursing and collaborative graduate program in Health Services and Policy Research at the University of Toronto, Canada. She is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Ontario Tech University, and she is holding a research appointment as the Co-Research Director of the Advancement in Dementia Care Centre (ADCC), collaboration between Ontario Tech University and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, in Ontario Canada. As a nurse with clinical expertise in gerontology, Dr. Sun develops a strong expertise in educating nursing students about the care of older adults, with emphasis on individuals with cognitive impairment in community health, home healthcare and long-term care settings. As a research scientist in gerontology, Dr. Sun possesses a research agenda with a strong focus on the development, utilization and advancement of technology-enabled dementia care, while supporting older adults with the goal of aging in place. Dr. Sun possesses a strong publication record in refereed journals and book chapters in community health, mental health, gerontechnology, geriatric and dementia care, as well as an active and diversified track record of conducting interdisciplinary research in gerontology, including Tri-Council, national and provincial funding (ie. Canadian Institute for Health Research CIHR; Social Science and Humanity Research Council SSHRC; Centre for Brain Health Innovation (CABHI); AGE-WELL).

As a Research Director of ADCC, her research agenda focuses on advancing the creation of aging and dementia-friendly communities through evidence-informed research and practices, as well as the scaling up of technological innovation to promote aging in place and supporting capacity-building of workers in the care of older adults across the care continuum. aims to improve the quality of life of those living with dementia by using innovation to develop new approaches to support their psychosocial needs and behavioural challenges. In 2024, Dr. Sun received the Research Excellence Chair Award from Ontario Tech University where she focuses on leading the development of AVOID frailty model of care to promote healthy aging and dementia care. Her goal is to advance dementia-friendly communities through spreading and scaling up its innovations, research, and evidence-informed practices to support knowledge translation initiatives and workforce capacity-building in both the Durham Region and beyond.

To achieve the goal of leveraging partnerships to build a competent dementia care workforce, she was awarded the Micro-Credential Challenge Funds from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities with the goal of developing Dementia Care Micro-credential to support capacity building in Long-Term Care Using GEN (Gamified Educational Network). Dr. Sun is also awarded with several funding from WeRPN and CIHR to examine “Staffing Stability in Long-Term Care”; “Development of an Emotional and Compassionate Model of Care in Long-Term Care”; “Development of a Workplace Retention Framework to Build Capacity in Long-Term Care”; as well as “Building Psychological Safety in Long-Term Care”. Examples of past and recent contributions in developing technology-enabled dementia care included her award as a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from AGE-WELL (Canada’s Technology and Aging Network), and her recent development of virtual reality reminiscence therapy, exergaming/cognitive stimulation interventions and conversation AI applications for persons with dementia funded by Ontario Shores, Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). For World Alzheimer’ Day in 2023, Dr. Sun was awarded the Ambassador Award from the Alzheimer’s Society of Durham Region for her ongoing commitment to raising awareness and challenge the stigma around Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. This award recognizes Dr. Sun’s dedication to advance a program of research with the goal of leveraging the creation of aging and dementia-friendly communities to make a meaningful impact to those older adults living with dementia across the Durham Region of Ontario and beyond.

Dr. Shilpa Dogra is Professor in Kinesiology in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University, a Research Excellence Chair in Disrupting Human Mobility, and the Founding Chair of the Committee for an Age-Friendly University. Her research expertise span across different disciplines which has enabled her to receive funding from each of the tri-agencies. She has published over 80 peer reviewed papers; her trainees are first author on approximately half of these publications. Dr. Dogra’s diverse research program uses different methodologies, including community-based research, laboratory-based research, and secondary analyses. Her current areas of focus are on active aging and age-friendly living environments, sedentary behaviour and physiological responses to sedentarism, and mobility in our communities. For the latter, she has started a group on campus called the Public, Active, Clean, Equitable Mobility (PACE) Group.

Dr. Salma Karray is a Professor and Research Excellence Chair in Marketing Analytics and Decision Models at Ontario Tech University’s Faculty of Business and Information Technology. She leads the Business Analytics and AI Lab, where her work integrates advanced quantitative methods—including optimization, game theory, machine learning, and AI—to enhance business performance in competitive markets. With over two decades of research experience, Dr. Karray has significantly contributed to digital advertising, social media, pricing, retail management, and e-commerce.

Dr. Karray has published extensively in top-tier journals and collaborated with profit and nonprofit organizations to apply data-driven strategies. She is committed to teaching, mentoring, and community outreach, guiding graduate students, and delivering courses in marketing research, strategy, and data analysis. Her work supports innovation and collaboration in marketing and analytics.

Dr. Andrea Kirkwood completed a joint-honours degree in Environment and Resource Studies & Biology (Co-op) at the University of Waterloo, a Master's degree in Aquatic Ecology at McMaster University, and a doctoral degree in Environmental Microbiology at the University of Toronto. Andrea conducted postdoctoral studies at Oklahoma State University and the University of Calgary prior to joining the Faculty of Science at Ontario Tech University. Andrea currently holds a Research Excellence Chair in Urban Water and is a Professor in the Biological Science (undergraduate) and Applied Bioscience (graduate) programs. In addition to research and teaching, Andrea is actively involved in equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives as well as community-based environmental stewardship.

Dr. Lindsay Malloy is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Research Excellence Chair in Youths' Legal Decision Making at Ontario Tech University. Her research addresses how, why, and to whom children and teens disclose negative or traumatic experiences, as well as factors that influence children’s memory, deception, and narratives. Her scholarship is widely cited in both forensic and developmental psychology, has appeared in amicus briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, and has resulted in multiple prestigious early career awards. Dr. Malloy’s research has been funded by several U.S. and Canadian federal agencies. She also regularly provides expert testimony and consultation related to children’s and adolescents’ testimony.