Bridging Divides Researchers Awarded in Major Federal Funding Announcement
Several researchers affiliated with the Bridging Divides program have been awarded funding through the Government of Canada’s latest $1.3 billion investment (external link) in research, supporting excellence and innovation across natural and social sciences, engineering disciplines, humanities, and interdisciplinary fields.
Their innovative projects, spanning multiple disciplines, will be supported by Tri-Council funding through different programs, including Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grants.
2025 NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience Grants
Awarded to innovative training programs to equip Canada’s next generation of researchers:
- Sharareh Taghipour, Toronto Metropolitan University
Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence for Decision Optimization (QAI4DO) Training Program
2025 NSERC Discovery Grants
Awarded to innovative training programs to equip Canada’s next generation of researchers:
- Ali Miri, Toronto Metropolitan University
Security and Privacy of Modern Distributed Learning Systems - Anatoliy Gruzd, Toronto Metropolitan University
A Stable Diffusion? – Analyzing the Impacts of Generative AI on the Production and Consumption of Visual Content on Social Media - Julia Spaniol, Toronto Metropolitan University
Curiosity and Information Seeking Across the Adult Lifespan - Reza Samavi, Toronto Metropolitan University
Practical Trustworthiness of Deep Neural Networks
2024 SSHRC Insight Grants
Awarded for projects that deepen research excellence and knowledge in the social sciences and humanities:
- Anusha Kassan, University of British Columbia
An Arts-Based Engagement Ethnography of Newcomer Student Wellness in French and English Institutions of Higher Education in Canada
- Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan, Toronto Metropolitan University
Crypto-agility scorecard: Moving towards quantum-resilience and beyond
- Elizabeth Onyango, University of Alberta
'A Taste of Home': Growing a sense of belonging through innovative community gardening for African immigrants in Alberta, Canada
- Kateryna Metersky, Toronto Metropolitan University
Gathering insight on clinical nurse educators' professional development and socialization to contribute to mitigating the healthcare workforce crisis
- Tony Fang, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Estimating the Labour Market Impacts of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in Canada - Yasmeen Abu-Laban, University of Alberta
Canada's Federal Anti-Racism Strategy (2019–2028): Debates among civil society and state stakeholders
2025 SSHRC Insight Development Grants
Supporting innovative early-stage research projects and new ideas:
- Anatoliy Gruzd, Toronto Metropolitan University
Moderating the Machine: The Role of Soft Moderation in AI-Generated Content on Social Media
- Atefeh (Atty) Mashatan, Toronto Metropolitan University
From firm-internal to firm-external cybersecurity coopetition
- Cristina Catallo, Toronto Metropolitan University
Facilitating access and use of digital technology for social connectedness among immigrant older adults in the Arab community in the Greater Toronto Area
- Julia Spaniol, Toronto Metropolitan University
Advice from algorithms: Adult age differences in trust and advice-taking from generative AI
- Kateryna Metersky, Toronto Metropolitan University
Practical and ethical implications of recruiting participants using social media for sensitive research topics
- Richa Shivakoti, Toronto Metropolitan University
Emigration from Canada: Rationale and implications of immigrants leaving
- Sandeep Agrawal, University of Alberta
Stay or go? The journey of transnational Gulf migrants in Canada
- Vess Stamenova, Toronto Metropolitan University
The Value Proposition for payers and users of Generative AI Message Drafting in Healthcare
2024 SSHRC Partnership Development Grants
Awarded to projects building new or emerging collaborative research partnerships:
- Anna Triandafyllidou, Toronto Metropolitan University
FUTUREMIG—Futures of Migration and Mobility Partnership
- Luis Carlos Sotelo Castro, Concordia University
Orchestrating listening situations in restorative transitional justice initiatives
Many more researchers involved in the Bridging Divides program will contribute to other projects funded in this round. As a deeply interdisciplinary initiative, Bridging Divides benefits from the spillover effects of researchers expanding their expertise, building partnerships and gaining deeper insight into the complexities of the world around us. These investments strengthen not just individual projects, but the program as a whole.
At a time when research funding around the world faces growing skepticism, shrinking budgets, and shifting political priorities, especially in the social sciences and humanities, this funding round serves as a powerful reminder of Canada’s commitment to supporting world-leading research as a path to understanding and improving our society.
Congratulations to all recipients!