TORONTO, September 16, 2013 – Researchers at York University have been awarded more than $5.5 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The grants, part of over $ 107 million in funding and awards recently announced in the Insight Development Grants and Insight Grants Competition, will support York research that improves the quality of life of Canadians, while advancing knowledge and building understanding of complex socio-cultural and economic issues.
The Honourable Greg Rickford, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced today the recipients of more than 760 grants to power new research initiatives.
“SSHRC’s investment provides a foundation for our researchers in the social sciences and humanities to conduct cutting-edge fundamental research that identifies and applies solutions to some of the most pressing problems facing society today,” said Robert Haché, York’s vice-president research & innovation. “Research at York is research with an impact and research that makes a difference.”
Thirty-seven York researchers received more than $5.5 million to fund their research projects through SSHRC’s Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants programs.
The funding was granted for research covering a wide range of topics, including:
- Schools, safety and the urban neighborhood
- Riots in the Maghreb: A socio-anthropological contribution of dissenting voices
- From norm takers to norm shakers and makers? A comparative study of tax transplants in China and India
- Wrestling with tradition: community, authority, and change in law and religion
- Multimedia and transmedia texts, cultural change, and youth readers
- Transitioning from a fossil(ized) to a bio-based economy: a case study of biofuels in the Canadian Context
“This investment in social sciences and humanities research is a cornerstone to building Canada’s capacity for innovation,” said Chad Gaffield, president of SSHRC. “Through the Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants, we are supporting the highest levels of research excellence. This research will generate knowledge about the past and present that will lead to innovative solutions for today’s most pressing social, cultural, technological, environmental and economic issues, and improve the lives of Canadians.”
York University is helping to shape the global thinkers and thinking that will define tomorrow. York U’s unwavering commitment to excellence reflects a rich diversity of perspectives and a strong sense of social responsibility that sets us apart. A York U degree empowers graduates to thrive in the world and achieve their life goals through a rigorous academic foundation balanced by real-world experiential education. As a globally recognized research centre, York U is fully engaged in the critical discussions that lead to innovative solutions to the most pressing local and global social challenges. York U’s 11 faculties and 28 research centres are thinking bigger, broader and more globally, partnering with 288 leading universities worldwide. York U's community is strong − 55,000 students, 7,000 faculty and staff, and more than 250,000 alumni.
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Media Contact:
Arielle Zomer, Research Communications, 416-736-2100, ext. 21069, azomer@yorku.ca
