Three Canada Research Chairs are among the winners of this year’s SSHRC Impact Awards. These awards recognize the highest achievements from outstanding researchers and students in social sciences and humanities research, research training, knowledge mobilization and scholarship funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will present the awards at a ceremony at Rideau Hall later today. He will be joined by SSHRC President Ted Hewitt, the families of the winners and invited guests.
The Chairs who will receive this honour include:
- Lori Beaman, Canada Research Chair in Religious Diversity and Social Change, is the winner of the Insight Award for her outstanding achievements as principal investigator of a SSHRC-funded interdisciplinary project on religion and diversity;
- Karen Bakker, Canada Research Chair in Political Ecology, will receive the Connection Award for her research oriented towards designing and implementing governance reforms to enhance water security in light of ongoing water crises facing Indigenous communities; and
- Katherine Lippel, Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety Law, who will receive the Gold Medal, SSHRC’s highest honour, for her research that has significantly advanced knowledge about the effectiveness of occupational health and safety regulation.
Two Chairs were also finalists for the awards. Erica Lehrer, Canada Research Chair in Museum and Heritage Studies, was a finalist for the Connection Award. And Tania Li, Canada Research Chair in Political Economy and Culture in Asia-Pacific, was a finalist for the Insight Award.
All the winners and finalists have brought forward the very best ideas and research about people, behaviour, human thought and culture—ultimately, helping us understand and improve the world around us, today and into the future.
Read the news release announcing the 2017 SSHRC Impact Award winners.