Expanding Scholarly, Research & Creative (SRC) Activity
Photo: Alyssa K. Faoro
In the 2021–22 period, Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) overall research funding reached $85.2 million. TMU attracts and develops local, national and international strategic partnerships and collaborations to support cross-disciplinary scholarly, research and creative (SRC) activities that address complex real-world challenges.
Tri-Agency Funding
Canada Research Chairs
Administered by the Tri-Agencies, the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program attracts and retains world-class researchers in the humanities, engineering, and the natural, health and social sciences.
In 2021–22, newly named Tier 2 CRCs were awarded to three of TMU’s emerging researchers who demonstrate the potential to become globally acclaimed scholars.
Rupa Banerjee (Business Management), in her new role as the CRC in Economic Inclusion, Employment and Entrepreneurship of Canada’s Immigrants, will research how non-state actors, such as universities and employers, engage in and approach Canada’s immigration system to understand newcomers’ experiences and provide insights to guide policy.
Umberto Berardi (Architectural Science), in his new role as the CRC in Building Science, will develop and test novel, state-of-the-art construction materials developed in his lab, such as wall insulation substances and window coatings that will help reduce the significant energy demand of buildings and increase their resilience against climate change.
Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan (Information Technology Management), in her new role as the CRC in Quality of Security (QoS) Framework for Internet-of-Things (IoT), will address emerging threats to and create new security systems for networks of connected digital devices in our homes and businesses and recommend best practices for users, technical audiences and policymakers.
Total Tri-Agency funding
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funding
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) funding
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funding
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Sarah Dermody (Psychology) received a CIHR Catalyst Grant to develop and test the first comprehensive framework for understanding social determinants of alcohol outcomes for transgender youth to inform gender-inclusive alcohol interventions, policies, practices and programs.
Eric Liberda (Occupational and Public Health) received a CIHR Operating Grant to evaluate public health and control measures and update community pandemic plans in collaboration with Indigenous communities to address gaps and build capacity for COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Kristine Newman (Nursing) received a CIHR Operating Grant to support her research on understanding the needs of and supporting young caregivers and their families through pandemic recovery and beyond using a national network.
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Ebrahim Bagheri (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) received support from the NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program to lead a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary team of collaborators training graduate and undergraduate students in the responsible and ethical development of artificial intelligence research.
Goetz Bramesfeld (Aerospace Engineering) was awarded the university’s first NSERC Alliance Missions Grant, a highly competitive program focused on projects that drive societal impact. His project involves mapping wildlife habitats using a small aerial vehicle in collaboration with Superwake Ltd. and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Bo Tan (Aerospace Engineering) was awarded an NSERC Alliance Grant to study surface-enhanced quantum probe-enabled Raman microscopy for molecular analysis and early HIV detection and diagnosis in adults and infants younger than 18 months.
Bala Venkatesh (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) was awarded the NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation in recognition of his ongoing R&D collaboration with Toronto Hydro, addressing challenges related to electricity reliability, sustainability, accessibility and affordability.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
Naimul Khan (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) was awarded a SSHRC Special Call grant to develop a cloud-based framework for remote delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy through serious games incorporating virtual and augmented reality.
Henry Parada (Social Work) received a SSHRC Insight Grant to study the experiences of Arab refugees in Ontario’s child welfare system and, in collaboration with Arab refugee parents, inform child welfare workers on how to serve Arab refugee families in Ontario better.
Magdalena Ugarte (Urban and Regional Planning), together with the Black Planning Project, received a SSHRC Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative grant to explore how planning can play a role in creating more equitable outcomes in Black communities through approaches and tools grounded in Black city- and community-building knowledge and traditions.
Municipal, Provincial & Other Federal Funding
Non-Tri-Agency Federal Funding
Kimberley Gilbride (Chemistry and Biology) received support from Health Canada to determine if a molecular wastewater surveillance testing tool can detect viral outbreaks in large populations and predict the extent of infections in community settings.
Farrokh Janabi-Sharifi (Mechanical, Industrial and Mechatronics Engineering) received funding from the National Research Council of Canada to develop an AI-enabled navigation system for beyond-visual-line-of-sight logistics using unmanned aerial systems in remote northern areas.
Owais Lightwala (Performance) received support from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council’s Digital Strategy Fund to research, develop and scale digital tools that use artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate financial management practices for typically underfunded artists and arts organizations.
Provincial Funding
Tor Oiamo (Geography) received funding from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to help lead a team in support of the operation and maintenance of Ontario’s Wastewater Surveillance Initiative – Data and Visualization Hub and to survey wastewater in the City of Toronto for the COVID-19 virus.
Darius Rackus (Chemistry and Biology) received support from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities Small Infrastructure Fund to develop new analytical platforms for single-cell analysis and point-of-care diagnostics, benefiting Ontario’s medical device industry and health care through enhanced understanding of disease.
Roxana Suehrig (Chemistry and Biology), who specializes in environmental forensics, was supported by funding from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to match plastic particles found in the environment to their source.
Early Researcher Awards (ERA)
The Ministry of Colleges and Universities bestows Early Researcher Awards on emerging scholars who build student research teams around a particular project. This program advances the training and retention of Ontario’s research talent and enhances the province’s research capacity and reputation.
Linda Rothman (Occupational and Public Health) will lead several interrelated studies addressing recent trends in active transportation (walking, cycling) and motor vehicle collisions with pedestrians and cyclists, including road environment safety interventions, issues of equity and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation.
Dafna Sussman (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) will use machine learning tools and medical imaging to reduce health-care costs and improve health outcomes through diagnosis and prognosis of maternal-fetal conditions.
Ian Young (Occupational and Public Health) will evaluate and enhance Ontario residents’ food and water safety preparedness in general and in emergencies such as extreme weather events, which heighten risks of food-related and water-borne illnesses.
Municipal Funding
Bilal Farooq (Civil Engineering) received funds from The Corporation of the Town of Innisfil to assist in designing a high-quality, sustainable, on-demand public transit service through analysis of existing on-demand transit service models, such as crowdsourced mobility and a dedicated fleet.
Claire Oswald (Geography) received support from the City of Toronto to study the feasibility of alternatives to and the reduced use of road salt on City of Toronto roads and other paved surfaces requiring winter maintenance. Oswald also received support from the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority to evaluate, develop and share technology related to better winter maintenance practices for its municipalities and businesses.
Total municipal, provincial and non-Tri-Agency federal funding
Total non-Tri-Agency federal funding
Total provincial funding
Total municipal funding
Industry & Other Non-Government Funding
TMU’s research collaborations with industry, not-for-profit and community partners facilitate innovative solutions to real-world problems, benefitting Canadians through improved health care, social equity, culture, science, technology and economics.
April Khademi (Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering) received an inaugural Emerging Scholar Award from the Canadian Cancer Society to develop artificial intelligence tools that provide accurate information about the aggressiveness of breast tumours to support consistent, appropriate and early breast cancer care.
Michael Olson (Chemistry and Biology) received an OvCAN/OCC-CRS Strategic Partnership Grant from Ovarian Cancer Canada and Cancer Research Canada, supported by Health Canada, to develop molecularly targeted therapies that selectively block ovarian cancer drivers in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
Total industry and other non-government funding
Industry funding
Foundation and non-profit funding