New Fellows Appointed to the SDGs Scholars Academy  

newsJanuary 20, 2025

I am pleased to announce the appointment of five new Fellows to the SDGs Scholars Academy. The SDGs Scholars Academy is a dynamic think tank within the SDGs@UofT that  fosters transdisciplinary research and mobilizes knowledge to advance the Sustainable Development Goals  and inform future global goals.  

These newly appointed Fellows join the Academy’s existing Fellows chosen for the depth and breadth of their expertise, and commitment to open and transparent dialogue. This group reflects the University of Toronto’s continued leadership in driving innovative and impactful SDG-related research forward. Together, we will continue to mobilize knowledge and catalyze meaningful and equitable action on the SDGs. 

The Academy’s core research themes address the most urgent intersecting challenges of sustainable development. Through the Academy, Fellows are encouraged to collaborate and connect with other Fellows and a community of affiliates engaged in similar interdisciplinary research, mentor trainees, as well as leverage online communication platforms to amplify research insights to inform policy and practice. 

Together with this new group of Fellows, the SDGs Scholars Academy will continue to catalyze transformative research and create actionable pathways toward a sustainable and equitable future. 

Sincerely,

Prof. Erica Di Ruggiero
Research Director, SDGs@UofT
Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health  

The Fellows: 

Prof. Christoph Becker
Faculty of Information & School of the Environment. 
Prof. Christoph Becker’s scholarship combines software engineering and critical social sciences to accelerate computing toward ‘just sustainability’. His inter/transdisciplinary coalition building has yielded the central reference for sustainability in software engineering (Karlskrona Manifesto for Sustainability Design), the ACM Journal of Responsible Computing (advancing insights merging computing, ethics, law, and policy), and the digital collective Tech Otherwise. He is author of the multi-award winning book Insolvent, widely lauded for its vision of computing. 

Prof. Amy Bilton
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 
Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering 
Prof. Amy Bilton is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. Her research is focused on water, energy, and food systems and directly addresses SDG 1, 2, 6, and 7. She also serves as the Director of the Centre for Global Engineering (CGEN), which conducts courses and facilitates large research initiatives to advance the SDGs.  

Prof. Carmen Logie
Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work 
Prof. Carmen Logie’s research addresses crucial knowledge gaps regarding how hazardous environments, such as those affected by climate change, poverty, and social inequity, affect health, with a focus on sexual health and HIV. Her work has informed policy and practice through expert consultations with the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, Public Health Association of Canada, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health, among others. 

Prof. Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia 
Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy 
Prof. Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia is an assistant professor and an occupational therapist and public health scientist whose research aligns with Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being; Gender Equality; Decent Work and Economic Growth; and Sustainable Cities and Communities. His 2024 SDGs@UofT Catalyst and Synthesis Grant focuses on improving workplace mental health to support recruitment and retention of equity-deserving groups in the skilled trades. Prof. Nowrouzi-Kia is emerging as a prolific scholar and educator. 

Prof. Laura Rosella
Epidemiology Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health  
Prof. Laura Rosella is a Professor and Division Head of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She leads an innovative research program focused on novel population data linkages and developing cutting-edge methodologies to guide policy decision-making to improve population health, enhance equity, wellbeing, and health system performance. She applies integrated knowledge translation approaches with system stakeholders, community partners and the public to optimize real-world health impacts. 

All U of T faculty members, students and staff members are welcome to join SDGs@UofT as affiliates or apply to become Fellows. Learn more.  

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