TMU researchers secure SSHRC Partnership Engage Grants to inform community policies and practices

Two Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) researchers have been awarded Partnership Engage Grants (PEGs) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to advance knowledge related to criminal legal practices around drug overdoses and the role of community arts in immigration in Canada.

Faculty of Arts criminology professor Emily van der Meulen will collaborate with the HIV Legal Network to advance an understanding of the overall scope and effects on individuals and communities of culpable homicide charges being laid against those who sold or shared drugs that led to a fatal overdose. The project’s outcomes will inform future research and advocacy priorities around drug policy and harm reduction. 

Alka Kumar, a Mitacs Elevate postdoctoral fellow with the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration, will undertake a cross-sector research study in collaboration with MABELLEarts. Focusing on their program Welcome to the Neighborhood (WTTN), which aims to build bridges between settlement service providers, community arts organizations and newcomer artists, this project seeks to better understand why and how their program impacts newcomer artists and broader community members.

“I am pleased to offer my congratulations to professor van der Meulen and postdoctoral fellow Kumar, whose grants reflect the important collaborative and innovative work they will undertake with partner organizations to explore novel ideas that contribute to a more equitable society,” said Steven N. Liss, vice-president, research and innovation.

SSHRC PEGs offer timely support for collaborative research efforts that build new knowledge networks or enhance existing ones to inform more responsive and impactful policy and practice and address immediate needs within a single partner organization.

Learn more about the SSHRC Partnership Engage Grants program. (external link, opens in new window)