Queen’s University announces five new Canada Research Chairs

New chairs have wide-ranging expertise in research – from glaciers to youth in Africa.

Five academics at Queen’s University have been named Canada Research Chairs (CRCs), a prestigious honour created to promote leading-edge research and attract and retain the world’s best researchers. Stéfanie von Hlatky, Grace Adeniyi-Ogunyankin, Laura Thomson, Susan Bartels, and Jacqueline Monaghan have been named Tier 2 CRCs.  

A five-year position, Tier 2 Chairs are granted to exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. The CRC program is a tri-agency initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada’s national funding bodies. 

“I am delighted that these five exceptional women leaders have been appointed Canada Research Chairs at Queen’s,” says Kimberly Woodhouse, Vice Principal (Research). “These outstanding researchers have and will continue to contribute to new discoveries across multiple disciplines, enhancing our research excellence.” 

Here is some information about the new Chairs:  

Grace Adeniyi-Ogunyankin, Canada Research Chair in Youth and African Urban Futures (Geography and Planning, Gender Studies, SSHRC funded) - Dr. Adeniyi-Ogunyankin's research involves a comparative study of the impact of contemporary urban transformations on African youth identity, labour practices, psychosocial well-being and future orientation. Explorations of the relationship between youth and the new urban economy are critical to addressing issues of sociopolitical stability and sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Susan Bartels, Canada Research Chair in Health in Humanitarian Crises (Emergency Medicine, CIHR funded) - Dr. Bartels’ research examines the social determinants of health among women and children affected by war and disasters. Her research provides evidence to inform policies / practices to improve well-being and health while reducing the negative impact of war and disasters on women and children.

Jacqueline Monaghan, Canada Research Chair in Plant Immunology (Biology, NSERC funded) - Every year, Canadian crop farmers battle diseases by spraying fields with environmentally unfriendly pesticides. The knowledge gained from this project by Dr. Monaghan will advance understanding of how plants defend against pathogen infection and this work may inform agricultural practices to improve crop yield and reduce chemical use. 

Laura Thomson, Canada Research Chair in Integrated Glacier Monitoring Practices (Geography and Planning, NSERC funded) - With Canada hosting the largest area of glaciers outside of Greenland and Antarctica, Canadian glaciers are a leading contributor to rising sea-level. Dr. Thomson seeks to determine the processes controlling the volume, timing, and chemistry of glacier runoff and develop models to provide rapid estimates of glacier runoff in regions without observations. 

Stéfanie von Hlatky, Canada Research Chair in Gender, Security, and the Armed Forces (Political Studies, SSHRC funded) - More inclusive conflict resolution, such as giving women an equal voice in peace talks, have shown to provide better long-term solutions. Dr. von Hlatky will show how greater diversity and inclusion can improve the prospects of peace. She will seize on new opportunities to make a significant and lasting contribution to policy and military practice, in support of more peaceful outcomes. 

Learn more about Canada Research Chairs at Queen’s University. 

Note: This article originally appeared in the Queen's Gazette.