À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ

The Global Futures Office is proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the ÌýGlobal Futures Fund, a key initiative supporting the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s long-term strategic vision, À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ at 100, and its commitment to shaping the future of humanity and our planet through five interconnected Global Futures:  Societal, Health, Sustainable, Technological and Economic.Ìý

The ÌýGlobal Futures Fund is designed to catalyze interdisciplinary initiatives and networks that span faculties, disciplines, campus units and external partnerships. Through a rigorous, multi-stage selection process, eight projects were selected from a highly competitive pool of 63 initial submissions and 15 full proposals. The total funding awarded in this first round is Ìý$2,260,000.Ìý

À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ researchers are transforming complex challenges into opportunities for global impact. These eight interdisciplinary projects have been selected to advance research and initiatives — both locally and globally —Ìý across areas such as housing, climate change, transportation, gender justice, Indigenous knowledge and cybersecurity.ÌýÌý

Funded ProjectsÌý

Acting locally, leading globally with Build Now À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ RegionÌý
Lead:Ìý Dr. Leia MinakerÌý
Funding:  $350,000 over 3 yearsÌý
Impact:  A living lab embedded in North America’s largest affordable home ownership project, this initiative integrates research, education and service to scale sustainable housing solutions. It engages students through capstones, co-op and bootcamps, and partners with the European Network of Living Labs.Ìý

The future in motion: Exploring the future of transportationÌý
Lead: ÌýDr.ÌýSuzanne KearnsÌý
Funding:  $375,000 over 3 yearsÌý
Impact:Ìý This project fosters innovation in sustainable, safe and equitable transportation through interdisciplinary research, co-op expansion and a Sustainable Transportation Summit.ÌýÌý

The future of work: Integrating technology, social infrastructure, ethics and educationÌý
Lead:Ìý Dr. Edith LawÌý
Funding: Ìý$450,000 over 3 yearsÌý
Impact: ÌýA multidisciplinary institute addressing AI and automation in work environments, this initiative includes research, education pilots and community engagement to shape ethical and inclusive futures of work.ÌýÌý

Building Canada’s capacity to address climate changeÌý
Lead: ÌýDr. Sarah BurchÌý
Funding:  $350,000 over 3 yearsÌý
Impact:  Through professional training and a new certificate program, this initiative strengthens climate-resilient infrastructure and policy innovation across sectors.Ìý

Creating Canada’s largest capstone ecosystemÌý
Lead: ÌýDr. Derek RaysideÌý
Funding:  $294,000 over 3 yearsÌý
Impact: ÌýThis initiative scales a cross-campus capstone ecosystem, connecting students with real-world partners to address Global Futures challenges and build sustainable revenue models.Ìý

SIGNAL Network: Strategies for intersectional gender justiceÌý
Lead:Ìý Dr. Brianna WiensÌý
Funding: Ìý$100,000 over 1 yearÌý
Impact: ÌýFocused on equity and liberation, SIGNAL will host public events, develop policy briefs and create pedagogical tools to advance intersectional gender justice.Ìý

Indigenous futures circleÌý
Lead:Ìý Dr. John LewisÌý
Funding:Ìý $138,338 over 2 yearsÌý
Impact: ÌýCollaborating with Indigenous knowledge keepers and communities, this initiative supports culturally grounded solutions through workshops, publications and capstone development.Ìý

Cybersecurity and Privacy InstituteÌý
Lead: ÌýDr. N. AsokanÌý
Funding:  $200,000 over 3 yearsÌý
Impact:  A leading research institute advancing information security and privacy through education, conferences and governance workshops, in collaboration with WatSPEED and industry partners.Ìý

These projects exemplify the collaborative spirit and innovative thinking that define À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s approach to addressing global challenges. We look forward to seeing their impact unfold.Ìý

We extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who participated in the pitch process and submitted a proposal. The breadth and quality of ideas were inspiring, and we congratulate the successful teams whose initiatives will help propel À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ’s strategic vision forward.Ìý

Stay tuned for more activity from the ÌýGlobal Futures Office Ìýthis fall including the launch of the second round of funding. To learn more, visit the Global Futures website. Ìý