TORONTO, November 25, 2005 -- Four York University professors have been awarded funding from the Ontario government’s Early Researcher Award program.
The recipients -- Professors John Eastwood, Kerry Kawakami, Scott Kelly and Leah Vosko -- will each receive up to $100,000 from the Ontario government under the newly-created program. The announcement was made today by Premier and Minister of Research and Innovation Dalton McGuinty.
“The Ontario government's investments into university research, through programs such as the Early Researcher Award are crucial to sustaining York's globally competitive research programs and to attracting and retaining the world's brightest young researchers,” said Stan Shapson, York University’s Vice-President Research & Innovation.
“These awards recognize the excellence of our researchers and provide them with the resources necessary at an early stage in their careers to be able to contribute significantly to scientific discoveries, public policy development, and national and international dialogue,” Shapson said.
Under the Early Researcher Award program, the government is investing $30 million over three years. In this round of awards, $6.4 million will support 64 researchers working at 13 universities in 10 communities across the province. Recipients receive up to $100,000 from the Ontario government and $50,000 from their institutions.
Bios of the York professors awarded funding are included below:
Dr. John Eastwood received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Waterloo, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University. Dr. Eastwood will investigate why people pay attention to emotionally expressive faces and how negative faces attract and hold attention more than positive faces.
Dr. Kerry Kawakami received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University. Dr. Kawakami's research will focus on automatic social biases, such as prejudice and stereotyping, and seeks to show that specific strategies, such as "association training," can reduce the use of stereotypes in judging group members.
Dr. Scott Kelly received his Ph.D. in Biology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at York University. Dr. Kelly's research focuses on how environmental stress affects the appetite of fish. This research is relevant to fresh-water fish farming, a growing industry in Canada.
Dr. Leah Vosko received her Ph.D. in Women's Studies from York University, where she is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences. Dr. Vosko's research will analyze the relationship between gender, nationality, and forms of employment characterized by limited social benefits and statutory entitlements, low wages, job insecurity and high risks of ill health. This research is relevant in the development of Canadian social and economic policy.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 10 faculties and 21 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
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For more information, contact:
Melissa Hughes, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-2100 x22097/mehughes@yorku.ca
