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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Research Excellence Chairs Program Results

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). Award decisions were made by a multi‐disciplinary Selection Committee formed by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

2023 Research Excellence Chairs Program Results

For the first time, there are 2 streams to the Chair program:

  • Stream 1 (Transform): Open to previous Chairholders, including, Canada Research Chairs, Industrial Research Chairs and those who have been awarded and completed an Ontario Tech University Research Excellence Chair.
  • Stream 2 (Ignite): Open to all Tenured and Tenure-Track (TTT) faculty members at Ontario Tech University.

 Awardees: We received 15 applications and 5 faculty members were awarded the Chair.

  • Pierre Côté (FHS), Stream 1
  • Andrea Kirkwood (FS), Stream 2
  • Atef Mohany (FEAS), Stream 2
  • Salma Karray (FBIT), Stream 2
  • Shilpa Dogra (FHS), Stream 2

2021 Research Excellence Chairs Program Results

In 2021, the program expanded to six awards, two of which are to 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:

  • JoAnne Arcand, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Faculty of Health Sciences 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Nutrition Policy and Implementation
  • Jean-Paul Desaulniers, Ph.D., Professor, Faculty of Science 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Chemical Biology
  • Ibrahim Dincer, Ph.D., Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science 2021 Brilliant Energy Institute Research Excellence Chair in Development of Clean Hydrogen Energy Technologies
  • Bill Kapralos, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Program Director, Faculty of Business and Information Technology 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Virtual Psychomotor-Based Skills Development Using Pseudo-Haptics
  • Jennifer McKellar, Ph.D., 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
  • Olena Zenkina, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science 2021 Research Excellence Chair in Advanced Functional Materials

2018 Research Excellence Chairs Program Results

The program was highly competitive. The award consisted of $30,000 per year for three years (non-renewable). The 2018 recipients include: 

  • Brad Easton, Ph.D., Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Science (FSci): 2018 Research Excellence Chair in Electrochemical Energy Materials
  • Carolyn McGregor, Ph.D., Professor, Faculty of Business and Information Technology (FBIT): 2018 Research Excellence Chair in Health Informatics