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Nine researchers from the University of Toronto have received Connaught Community Partnership Research Program awards.

Given by the , the awards support research carried out in collaboration with non-academic community partners and driven by their needs and priorities. For the 2024-25 funding cycle, the Connaught Committee made the decision to exceed its $300,000 allocation to award a total of $820,000 to nine research initiatives.

“It is a testament to the range and excellence of research proposals that the Connaught Fund will, this year, support more Community Partnership Research Programs than ever before,” said Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“In recent years, projects supported by this program have blossomed into established relationships that are enriching research at our university and poised to have a sustained impact on communities.

“I have no doubt that this will continue to be the case with this year’s awarded projects, which address complex challenges that range from tracking contaminants in traditional foods in First Nations to enhancing the wellness of older adults in retirement living.”

The recipients of the 2024-25 Connaught Community Partnership Research Program awards are:

• Elyse Caron-Beaudoin, department of health and society, U of T Scarborough – Kihcinahowin kîspin piscipowin astîk kimîcowinân (Tracking contaminants in traditional foods)
• Mark Chignell, department of mechanical and industrial engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering – Activity spaces for community-living older adults: Implementing a pilot space in a naturally occurring retirement community and evaluating its impact on physical and cognitive function, and social interaction
• Bernhard Ganss, Faculty of Dentistry –
• Daniel Grace, department of social and behavioural health sciences, Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Advancing 2-spirited health equity: Learning through the narratives of 2-spirited people impacted by HIV
• Matthew Hoffmann, department of political science, U of T Scarborough – From envisioning to empowering a just transition in Scarborough
• Sheng Liu, operations management and statistics, Rotman School of Management – Enhancing support for survivors of abuse through intelligent volunteer management
• Angela Mashford-Pringle, Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Rivers of plenty: Enabling heart healthy eating in James and Hudson’s Bay
• Laura Risk, department of arts, culture and media, U of T Scarborough – Old sounds, new stories: A partnership with the Canadian Museum of History to activate the Fonds Jean Trudel 
• Daniel Sellen, department of anthropology, Faculty of Arts & Science – The ecosystem of birthing and lactation in Toronto: Lived experiences of marginalized parents and the role of community support providers