UWindsor and GreenShield Partner to Advance Mental Health and Wellness The University of Windsor and GreenShield marked the naming of GreenShield Hall and announced a new partnership to expand access to mental health care, improve health equity, and support community-informed models of care in Windsor-Essex and beyond. (MIKE WILKINS/University of Windsor) The University of Windsor and GreenShield, Canada’s only national non-profit health and benefits organization, are joining forces to expand access to mental health care and improve health equity – driven by a shared and long-standing commitment to the University community, Windsor-Essex, and beyond. This collaboration brings together expertise from both organizations to address mental health needs in the region – particularly for underserved populations – leveraging GreenShield’s digital-first approach to expand access to care. The University of Windsor’s expertise and GreenShield’s capabilities as Canada’s first fully integrated payer-provider, combining health and benefits with coverage…
WE-SPARK Health Institute Marks Sixth Year of Collaboration and Innovation WE-SPARK Health Institute is celebrating a year of groundbreaking research, strengthened partnerships, and expanded community outreach with the release of our Year 6 Impact Report. The report highlights major achievements in research funding, innovative health projects, and continued progress in advancing health outcomes for Windsor-Essex and beyond. From May 2024 to April 2025, WE-SPARK core members secured $15.9 million in new funding, bringing active project funding to $31.5 million. Researchers launched 73 new projects, published 180 peer-reviewed articles, and engaged more than 6,200 community members through 49 events and outreach initiatives. The WE-SPARK Grants Program awarded over $412,000 to local research teams. Key achievements include: Renewal of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding between partner institutions: Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, St. Clair College, the University of Windsor, and Windsor Regional Hospital. Ontario’s first Assertive Community…
Engage with Health Research at WE-SPARK After Dark – August 7 WE-SPARK Health Institute invites you to attend the upcoming WE-SPARK After Dark monthly networking event on Thursday August 7th, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Bourbon Tap & Grill (1199 Ottawa Street). This monthly series is designed to foster meaningful connections among researchers, students, professionals, and community members with an interest in health research. The evening will begin with informal networking, followed by opportunities for more structured dialogue and engagement. Whether you are directly involved in health research or are looking to explore new areas of interest, WE-SPARK After Dark offers a welcoming space to exchange ideas and expand your professional network. Registration is encouraged but not required. Guests are welcome to bring a friend or colleague. Click here to register.
'Innovation that listens first': Research and Innovation storytelling – with and for the community A photo collage of the Café at New Song Church and the pantry, kitchen and office spaces at Feeding Windsor Essex. (Sonja Popovski/St. Clair College) "Collaboration is a powerful force that can drive innovation, enhance productivity and create meaningful change." -Sonja Popovski "People just want to be seen. That's it." That's how Rodger Fordham began. No preamble. No framing. Just the truth, plain and full of gravity. Dr. Karamjeet Dhillon, the Director of Research and Innovation at St. Clair College and Fordham, the executive director of Feeding Windsor Essex, were seated in a café, a modest space tucked inside a converted church in Ford City, the kind of place built more on presence than design. He waved gently at the tables, the corners, the kettle, the chairs. "You can't decompress in a coffee shop where strangers are twelve inches from your grief. People come here to breathe," he said. Rodger leads Feeding Windsor-Essex, a faith-based,…
Science in action inspires future Lancers at UWindsor Science Academy High school students gain lab experience during the Science Academy at the Faculty of Science. [KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor] Wearing lab coats and curiosity on their sleeves, some of the region’s top high school science students gathered at the University of Windsor last week for the 12th annual Science Academy. Sixty students from across Windsor-Essex who recently completed Grade 11 took part in the five-day event, held July 7 to 11. The program gives participants a firsthand look at the hands-on learning and research opportunities available in the Faculty of Science. Each day featured interactive activities, scientific experiments and department-led lab tours, with each unit in the Faculty of Science taking a turn to shine. Students also toured the campus, explored extracurricular activities, and connected with student clubs. Midweek, participants competed in the “Amazing Science Race,” which saw teams dash through a series of science-themed challenges. High…
University of Windsor secures nearly $4M in federal funding for groundbreaking research Dr. Cláudio Verani, dean of science at UWindsor, received a $305,000 NSERC grant for research into molecular electron transport [MICHAEL WILKINS/University of Windsor] The federal government has awarded University of Windsor researchers just shy of $4 million in funding for cutting-edge research. Over the next five years the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will fund 18 UWindsor researchers through the Discovery Grants and the Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grant programs. “This impressive funding gives our world-class researchers the power to drive breakthroughs and push the boundaries of their fields even further,” says Dr. Shanthi Johnson, vice-president, research and innovation. “This also positions the University of Windsor to train the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs at the forefront of transformative research and innovation." The largest Discovery Grant goes to the dean of the Faculty of Science,…
Hundreds descend from downtown rooftop in support of cancer patients Kaitlyn Ferraro rappels down CIBC Building at Brave Day event. (Photo courtesy of Kaitlyn Ferraro) Eyes were trained skyward Saturday morning in downtown Windsor as hundreds of people took part in Brave Day to support cancer research fundraising. More than 100 people rappelled down the CIBC Building on Riverside Drive as part of a Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation Show Us Your Brave campaign event. Fundraising participants were invited to put away their own fears in support of cancer patients. Participants were outfitted with safety harnesses, helmets and smiles that likely hid the butterflied stomachs of those set to descend from the roof of the 170-foot building in what was called a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. WE-Spark Health Institute’s Lisa Porter, Windsor Cancer Centre medical oncologists Dr. Sindu Kanjeekal and Dr. Caroline Hamm were among those taking part in support of the patients they treat every day. Lisa Porter, Houida Kassem and Caroline Hamm prepare to rappel at Brave…
Online forum focused on public health improvements and efficiencies UWindsor researchers are pushing public health forward — and inviting the community along. Last week, over 50 participants from across regional public health organizations took part in an online forum presented by WE-Spark Health Institute. The Think Tank, WE-Spark’s second such forum this year, offered an opportunity for researchers, students, health-care professionals, and community organizations to come together to solve local health related problems and work together to move ideas forward. Presenters looking for community input included University of Windsor’s Catherine Vanner and Ziad Kobti, along with Roger Fordham, Coordinator & Founder of Feeding Windsor Essex. Fordham’s presentation focused on how community partnerships and research can support sustainable food programs with the ultimate goal of working with partners to submit a Trillium Grow Grant. Dr. Kobti shared the University of Windsor’s capacity for supporting local healthcare organizations through better data…
UWindsor medical gaslighting study brings patients’ painful truths to light HEAL Lab researchers (L to R: Niksha Venugopal, Ananya Sood, Marissa Rakus, Dr. Kendall Soucie) review survey results highlighting the impact of medical gaslighting on patients across Canada [DOUG DROUILLARD/University of Windsor] University of Windsor researchers were flooded with so many responses to a medical gaslighting survey, they had to take breaks from reading the heartbreaking stories about patients being overlooked by medical providers for serious health concerns they were facing. “A lot of people carry their pain in their thoughts, and through telling their stories,” says Ananya Sood behaviour, cognition and neuroscience student and one of the undergraduates on the project. “It’s heavy as people share some of the worst moments of their life sometimes with you. But it has been powerful in that they were able to share their voice with us now.” Researchers with the HEAL lab, led by psychology professor Dr. Kendall Soucie, and including co-investigator Dr. Jessica…
