Joan Kembabazi, a young woman in Uganda, began advocating for gender transformative education in her community after the tragic loss of her best friend, who died in childbirth at age 13 following an arranged marriage.

“She was the person I always shared my dreams with. We dreamt about transforming our lives and community. I dreamed of becoming an environmentalist, and she dreamed of becoming a doctor to help women and girls in our community,” she shared in a digital story.

Kembabazi’s story is one created through Leading Change, an international research project led by Catherine Vanner, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education. The initiative amplifies the voices of young advocates fighting for gender equality across 11 countries in Africa and Asia.

“The project was about studying their experiences with youth activism, both within their countries and on a global stage,” Dr. Vanner explained.

Driven by her friend’s memory, Kembabazi said she began by going door to door, teaching families about the importance of educating girls. She reached out to girls in her community, informing them of their rights and creating spaces for those who had no one to talk to.

“Gender-transformative education requires everyone in the community and school to take responsibility for breaking barriers,” Kembabazi said.

The concept involves the realization of safety and equity for students and teachers of all genders, as well as engaging students in critical reflection and action to build more gender equitable societies.

Eventually, she established the Gufasha Girls Foundation, named in honour of her friend, which offers skills training and resources to uplift young women.

“I wanted to see other girls empowered. If she had been empowered, (my friend) would never have accepted this marriage, and she would still be here,” Kembabazi said.

Vanner’s project brings together young activists like Kembabazi through a partnership with Transform Education, a global youth-led network advancing gender equality in education.

Transform Education is housed within the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative and tackles key issues like gender-based violence, period poverty, and challenging gender norms in education.

“Recruitment for participants was sent out to members of the Transform Education network. We had these really beautiful virtual focus groups that brought together young people from all over to create digital stories that capture their experiences and messages. They were able to share these very different perspectives but also identify commonalities across those diverse contexts,” Vanner said.

“They are the most impressive people I’ve ever met. They are all powerfully advocating, some in very intense political contexts, for gender-transformative education.”

Leading Change highlights the participants’ personal stories and reflections through digital storytelling, two of which are now posted on the Transform Education website.

“What they told me is they want their stories to be heard,” Vanner said of the project’s goals. “After the digital story we created with Joan, she talked about feeling that she had made her friend proud. This is another platform where her friend’s story will be known, which will lead to more energy, interest, and motivation to do something differently.”

Youth activist participants will present their digital stories and share the results of the Leading Change research in a webinar scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Those interested in attending are invited to sign up here, with a formal invitation to follow.

To help protect the land, the water, and future generations, Clint Jacobs, Candy Donaldson, and Catherine Febria — all from the Department of Integrative Biology — together created the Indigenous Guardians Endowment Fund to support training programs for youth, research and stewardship jobs, and community projects and collaborations.

Dr. Febria, a professor of integrative biology, calls it a great initiative in support of Indigenous stewards and future generations.

“Many of the Indigenous youth that we support work outside of the University, usually as guardians in their home communities or across their traditional territory,” she says. “As those of us at UWindsor work to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, Lands and Waters, a limitation has been flexible supports that can be directed to individuals and groups to participate in science-based training and collaborations in ways that honours culture, spirit, and self-determination without added requirements of being a registered student or meeting deliverables of research grants.”

The team has set a fundraising goal of $25,000 to move the fund into endowment status, making support accessible sooner to Indigenous Guardians.

Anyone can donate any amount, for themselves or on the behalf of others, by visiting the Indigenous Guardians Endowment Fund link. All donors will receive a charitable tax donation receipt.

The fund was launched in 2023 after many instances of navigating barriers to promote and enable participation of Indigenous youth and community members in science spaces.

“I always knew that the work we would pursue together and through UWindsor collaborations was not just science but also a more ethical, reciprocal process rooted in relationships,” says Febria. “It’s clear that what is required is long-term investment in the future generations and relationships with People and Place.”

The grant is currently administered by Febria, Jacobs, and Donaldson, who have worked together over the years on collaborations with Walpole Island First Nation as well as such UWindsor projects as the National Urban Park Hub. The fund is created with support from the University of Windsor’s Advancement Office and Faculty of Science.

For more information, go to the Healthy Headwaters Lab website.

Artificial intelligence often gets a bad rap. But professor Pooya Moradian Zadeh of the School of Computer Science argues AI has a critical role to play in supporting societal challenges and contributing to domains like the health-care sector.

His research team is exploring how technology tools and AI can be leveraged to address social isolation, a key factor in determining health outcomes, in combination with other hands-on, wrap-around supports.

“We know that there is a problem. Social isolation is a significant challenge, which may limit many individuals’ ability to access the necessary resources they require,” explains Dr. Zadeh. “The limited social connections and reduced community engagement associated with social isolation can create barriers, making it more challenging for people to reach and benefit from the support and resources essential to their well-being, and we felt that this was just the right place for AI and algorithms that could help to improve efficiency and create positive social impact.”

In its present iteration, the project is mainly focusing on senior and palliative care that is community oriented, but applications in mental health, medical practice, and even hospitals are all future possibilities. He notes that the team and students working on the project are creative thinkers who want to have a positive impact on their communities and society: “They are passionate about making a difference, and this project is helping them learn how they can do it.”

Learn more in the full article, “Decreasing isolation with the help of AI,” published in the Research and Innovation in Action report.

The Vice-President, People, Equity & Inclusion invites the campus community to provide feedback on the draft of the first-ever People, Equity & Inclusion strategy.

This comprehensive strategy is aligned with the Aspire strategic plan and aims to create a more equitable, inclusive, and supportive environment for all.

“The Aspire strategic plan underscores our commitment to our people,” says Clinton Beckford, vice-president people, equity and inclusion. “This strategy provides a roadmap to become a place where every member of the campus community feels welcomed, included, valued, and can thrive in authentic ways.”

The strategy is grounded on the information gathered over the last several years through various processes including the Charles C. Smith Report, ABR Taskforce Report and Implementation Plan, EDI Reports (HESA), Employee Engagement survey (2022) and the Employee Mental Health Strategy.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Consultative Working Group, the People, Equity & Inclusion Division and all those who have contributed their valuable insights throughout the development process,” says Marcela Ciampa, strategy development lead. “We look forward to reviewing the comments and perspectives gathered through this feedback process which will shape the final strategy document scheduled for completion by mid-December.”

The draft strategy document and link to a feedback form can be found on the People, Equity & Inclusion Strategy website. The feedback period closes on Dec. 6.

Tickets are still available for the Dec. 4 UWindsor faculty and staff holiday luncheon.

The event will begin at noon next Wednesday in Vanier Hall’s Winclare Room.

Celebrants are invited to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the Campus Food Pantry.

Tickets are $20 per person, available on a first-come, first-served basis from the Catering Services office, room 12, Vanier Hall, or by email from catering co-ordinator Rana Chan at ranachan@uwindsor.ca.

Each department is asked to delegate an individual to co-ordinate purchases. Note that only debit or credit may be used for ticket purchases.

Organizers of the Graduate Education Research Conference have issued a call for papers from any discipline exploring education-related themes and topics.

With a theme of “Future Forward: Education for Tomorrow,” the conference will span two days — pre-conference and virtual sessions via MS Teams on Thursday, March 13, and in person sessions at the University of Windsor on Friday, March 14.

Abstracts of up to 300 words detailing research questions, methodology, findings, and significance are due by Dec. 6.

Find details on the conference call for papers and the proposal template.

Visit the conference website for registration details, the conference program, and additional information.

Direct questions to conference chair Rasha Qaisi at qaisi@uwindsor.ca.