Contact

Irena Creed

Dr. Irena Creed

Vice-Principal Research & Innovation

416-208-4835

  • In conjunction with the other senior leaders at UTSC, the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation provides leadership for the successful implementation of UTSC's strategic plan "Inspiring Inclusive Excellence".
  • The Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation is responsible for enhancing the overall research stature of U of T Scarborough locally, nationally and internationally.
  • The Vice-Principal Research & Innovation works closely with the UofT Vice-President Research & Innovation to ensure that there is coordination and alignment of U of T Scarborough’s research activities within the broader context of the University of Toronto.
  • The Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation aims to help faculty develop and implement broad strategic research visions at U of Toronto Scarborough. The Office serves as a liaison with the University of Toronto Research Services Office (RSO), Innovations and Partnerships Office (IPO) and Research Oversight and Compliance Office (ROCO).

Photo of Allison Mountz

Dr. Alison Mountz

Professor

Associate Vice-Principal Research & Innovation–Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships

416-208-4865

  • In conjunction with the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation and other senior leaders at UTSC, the Associate Vice-Principal Research–Strategic Initiatives provides leadership for the successful implementation of UTSC’s strategic plan “Inspiring Inclusive Excellence”.
  • The Associate Vice-Principal Research–Strategic Initiatives provides leadership for strategic research and innovation initiatives at U of T Scarborough, including the creation of new research institutes.
  • The Associate Vice-Principal Research–Strategic Initiatives oversees UTSC’s new Clusters of Scholarly Prominence Program, and helps to ensure that the unique existing and emerging research strengths at UTSC are maximally leveraged to fully realize the potential and aspirations of UTSC’s internationally-renowned research and innovation community.
  • The Associate Vice-Principal Research–Strategic Initiatives works closely with the Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Strategic Initiatives (UofT) to promote, facilitate and sustain large-scale multidisciplinary strategic research networks with scholars from multiple units and divisions encompassing meaningful tri-campus representation.
  • Please reach out to Kristine Peruzzi for support with calendar scheduling and activities.

Photo of Mark Schmuckler

Dr. Mark Schmuckler

Professor

Interim Associate Vice Principal Research & Innovation - Research Facilitation and Infrastructure

  • In conjunction with the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation and other senior leaders at UTSC, the Associate Vice-Principal Research & innovation – Research Facilitation and Infrastructure (AVPRI-RFI) will support UTSC’s strategic direction of invigorating the on-campus research culture to increase disciplinary and interdisciplinary engagement across departments and with the wider community (see: Inspiring Inclusive Excellence: strategic direction 2.4)
  • The AVPRI-RFI will participate in strategic research planning and implementation processes to facilitate and to advance UTSC’s scholarly endeavours in areas of established and emerging strength and support the work of UTSC research Institutes, Centres, and Clusters.
  • Engage with UTSC and tri-campus academic and administrative units to build and to support collaborative and productive research relationships and collaborate with other institutional offices at UTSC and across U of T, including the Centre for Research and Innovation Support (CRIS), to promote mentorship, training, entrepreneurship, and leadership development among various categories of researchers at UTSC (faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral fellows, etc.)
  • Facilitate the establishment, deepening, and broadening of partnerships (across a variety of sectors) that connect UTSC locally, nationally, and internationally to support research and creative activities and outcomes, and to advance social and technological innovations
  • Chair of the Research Advisory Board at U of T Scarborough
  • Please reach out to Kristine Peruzzi for support with requests for calendar scheduling.

Director Ariella Lukach

Dr. Ariella Lukach

Director

(416) 208-5171

Contact for matters related to:

  • U of T Scarborough research planning, services and infrastructure including vivarium
  • Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation operations, programs and initiatives 
  • Research communications, partnerships and innovation activities 
  • U of T Scarborough governance activities related to the Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation including Chairs and Directors and Research Advisory Board

Photo of Meredith Best, MBA

Meredith Best, MBA

Assistant Director, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Contact for matters related to:

  • OVPRI Innovation & Entrepreneurship activities, including external and internal funding, programming, and partnerships  
  • Sam Ibrahim Centre for Inclusive Excellence in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Leadership (SICIEEIL)
  • Supporting innovation related initiatives led iRISE’s research institutes and the innovation districts

Suhail Asrar

Dr. Suhail Asrar

Manager of Operations and Project Management

416-208-8172

Contact for matters related to:

  • Administration, operations, continuous improvement, and processes
  • Resource management (includes HR and financial resources)
  • Regional/national/international events created in collaboration with other institutes/organizations

Carmen Siu

Carmen Siu

Research Operations & Financial Officer

647-601-4582

Contact for matters related to:

  • Internal financial, operational aspects of the U of T Scarborough research enterprise: budget, forecasting, etc.
  • Financial aspects of U of T Scarborough internal research funding programs including the CSPP and Tri-Agency Bridge Funding 
  • Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation financial accounts including New Faculty Start-Up Fund, The Hub and vivarium
  • Advise faculty in the pre-award crafting of research budgets for CFI and CRC applications

Photo of Manager, Research Services Jason Darby

Jason Darby

Manager, Research Services

416-208-5071

Contact for matters related to:

  • Development of research partnerships with external organizations
  • Research services and supports
  • Research communications
  • UTSC Canada Research Chair (CRC) program
  • My Research Applications (MRA)
  • Research policies and procedural issues
  • External research awards and honours

Vacant

Executive Assistant to the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation

  • Vice-Principal Research & Innovation schedules and activities
  • Acquiring the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation’s signature
  • Office financial processing
  • Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation meetings and events 

Photo of  Dr. Ailén Cruz

Dr. Ailén Cruz

Research Administration Officer

416-287-7386

Contact for matters related to:

  • Funding opportunities for faculty in the sciences, mathematics, and computer science
  • Information for research application preparation including editing services availabel for NSERC and other non-tri-agency funding
  • Consultation for project alignment with available funding opportunities
  • Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) applications
  • My Research Applications (MRA) approval process
  • External research awards and honours in the sciences
  • Student research funding awards & programs (e.g. USRA's, and UTEA's)

Anika Mifsud

Dr. Anika Mifsud

Research Administration Officer

416-208-2959

Contact for matters related to:

  • Support for external funding opportunities for faculty in the social sciences and humanities
  • Consultation for project alignment with available funding opportunities
  • Information for research application preparation including editing services available for SSHRC and other non-tri-agency funding
  • My Research Applications (MRA) 
  • External research awards and honours in the social sciences and humanities

Photo of Dr. Hayley Brooks

Dr. Hayley Brooks

Editorial & Proposal Development Officer

Contact for matters related to:

  • External funding opportunities for faculty in health-related fields and the arts
  • Consultation for project alignment with available funding opportunities
  • Information for research application preparation (including editing services) available for CIHR and non-tri-agency funding
  • My Research Applications (MRA)
  • External research awards and honours in health-related fields and the arts

Photo of Dr. Joel Faber

Dr. Joel Faber

Research Awards & Honours Officer

Contact for matters related to:

  • Research awards and honours
  • Development of research awards and honours strategies
  • UTSC Applauds
  • Providing support for the drafting and of writing nominations for various awards
  • Awards and honours communications
  • UTSC OVPRI internal research funding programs

Joshua van Ry

Research Services Officer

647-601-4647

Contact for matters related to:

  • Research communications including newsletter, website and social media
  • OVPRI Annual Report
  • Special projects and initiatives

Research Partnership and Business Development Officer (Vacant)

Research Partnership and Business Development Officer

Contact for matters related to:

  • Partnerships and agreements related to the sciences, mathematics and computer science
  • UTSC Clusters of Scholarly Prominence Program (CSPP)
  • UofT Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI)
  • EaRTH Initiative
  • University of Toronto "Blue Door" Service 
  • Mitacs funding opportunities

Brice Rousseau

Brice Rousseau

Research Partnership and Business Development Officer

647-601-4651

Contact for matters related to:

  • Partnerships and agreements related to social sciences and humanities
  • UTSC Clusters of Scholarly Prominence Program (CSPP)
  • UofT Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI)
  • EaRTH Initiative
  • University of Toronto "Blue Door" Service 
  • Mitacs funding opportunities

Photo of Dr. Fay Dai

Dr. Fay Dai

Strategic Research Development Officer

416-287-7693

Contact for matters related to:

  • Researching and recommending new opportunities for external collaborations and partnerships
  • Assisting with generating proposals for externally-sponsored collaborative/partnered research opportunities
  • Building and strengthening relationships with stakeholders and partners of strategic importance
  • Coordinating and guiding applicants through various phases of the research funding application process
  • Advising faculty on funding application strategies
  • Supporting the development, establishment and operation of strategic initiatives at UTSC
  • UofT Research Funding Dashboards and Discover Research liaison

Cintia Cristia

Dr. Cintia Cristia

Strategic Research Development Officer

647-601-4622

Contact for matters related to:

  • Researching and recommending new opportunities for external collaborations and partnerships
  • Assisting with generating proposals for externally-sponsored collaborative/partnered research opportunities
  • Building and strengthening relationships with stakeholders and partners of strategic importance
  • Coordinating and guiding applicants through various phases of the research funding application process
  • Advising faculty on funding application strategies
  • Supporting the development, establishment and operation of strategic initiatives at UTSC
  • UofT Research Funding Dashboards and Discover Research liaison

Kristine Peruzzi

Kristine Peruzzi

Administrative Officer

416-208-4886

Contact for matters related to:

  • Overseeing day to day operational needs of the OVPRI
  • Supporting calendars and activities for AVPRI-RIF (Mark Schmuckler) and AVPRI-SIP (Alison Mountz)

     

Photo of Michelle Wodzak-Staruch

Michelle Wodzak-Staruch

Vivarium Director

416-208-8121

Contact for all matters related to the Vivarium/Aquatic Facilities including:

  • Day-to-day vivarium operations
  • Preclinical study planning
  • Facility orientation and badge access
  • Animal imports, orders and transport
  • Technical services, equipment rental and special orders (pharmaceuticals, diets, etc).
  • Procedure room scheduling
  • SOPs, guidelines, policies and forms

Photo of Donovan Dill

Donovan Dill

Operations Lead, The Hub

416-208-2984

Contact for matters related to:

  • Programming in the best practices of early-stage entrepreneurship, including Lean Startup, Blue Ocean Strategy, and Zero to One
  • Work space for U of T Scarborough students to engage with each other in the spirit of entrepreneurship
  • Opportunities for students to work on real hands-on projects that offer research and entrepreneurial in collaboration with partners
  • University of Toronto students and recent alumni who wish to pursue innovation and entrepreneurship as part of their future career path