Innovation, curiosity, and passion collided this year as the Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area campus community had an opportunity to showcase groundbreaking research. 

Research Day at Trent University Durham showcased ongoing research projects and published research from faculty members, undergraduate students, and graduate students, sharing the ways in which Trent Durham researchers connect with and contribute to solving real problems facing those in our community. Among the topics explored were innovative approaches to train healthcare workers for geriatric mental healthcare, the role of photography in self-expression on social media among young people, the latest advances and real-world applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and a variety of other fascinating subjects. 

“Research is at the heart of what we do in Trent Durham. It’s about creating knowledge that enriches our communities and the world.  Our annual Research Day is a chance for our students and professors to share their work with one another,” said Dr. Karleen Pendleton-Jiménez, associate dean of Trent Durham. “We also invite keynote speakers to bring vital, new studies to the conversation.  This year we were fortunate to have Dr. Ciufo and his students Isra Ahsan and Mehmood Kohistani shedding light on the rights of unaccompanied minors in their refugee claim process, as well as Trent alumna Stevie Sansalone demonstrated the latest innovations in autonomous playtesting for motor-accessible game design.” 

Keynote shares strategies for fighting heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia in learning

Dr. Tonya Callaghan from the University of Calgary delivered a keynote presentation at Trent Durham, sharing strategies to reduce and resist heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia across disciplines, especially in learning institutions.  

“We were honoured to bring in Dr. Tonya Callaghan from the University of Calgary to help us navigate anti-transphobia and anti-homopobia in schools,” said Dr. Pendleton-Jiménez. “Drawing on her first-hand knowledge as a former high school teacher, as well as interviews and legal analysis, she documents the dangers to LGBTTQI students and educators when we do not uphold their human rights.  She inspired us all to create more inclusive educational communities and remain vigilant against hatred. “  

“We were pleased to welcome Dr. Callaghan from the University of Calgary to campus - research is at the heart of what we do in Trent Durham,”  “Inviting nationally recognized speakers to share the most up-to-date knowledge in fields relevant to our students and staff help us continue to contribute to international academic conversations on a variety of topics.” 

Award-winning student research

Research that is close to the community is an important part of the Trent Durham experience, where students are given opportunities to participate in faculty work or drive their own research projects.   

“It’s an especially valuable forum for the mentorship of students who are learning how to present.  It can be quite intimidating taking the stage to explain your research for the first time, but our unique event focuses on the encouragement of our students.  In this way we hope they will gain confidence to continue with their research interests,” said Dr. Pendleton-Jiménez. 

One of the presenters at Trent Durham's Research Day was Rachel Willis, a fourth-year Child and Youth Studies student who shared her research on the integration of outdoor education into curriculums and its impact on children's learning. Willis credits her undergraduate research experience with providing her a strong foundation for pursuing her Master's degree at the University of Toronto. "I know what I want to research, I know the gaps in the research, and I know exactly what goal I want to reach," said Rachel. "I'm so excited that I had the opportunity to do a mini-thesis, and it's really shown me why I want to do my thesis and prepared me for the future of Child and Youth studies." 

Following the day’s presentations, award winners were announced: 

• Laiba Hayat won Best Undergraduate Poster Prize for Girls in the Youth Justice System 
• Eric Samtleben won Best Graduate Poster Prize for Working-Out Your Stress: How Does Regular Physical Activity Reduce Stress? 
• Steven Sheehan won Best Undergraduate Presentation Prize for Use and Application of Artificial Intelligence 
• Madison Moore won Best Graduate Presentation Prize for Youth, Feelings and Photography: An Exploration of the Complex Photographic Online World of Youth 

Steven, a fourth-year Psychology student, credited the supportive community and mentorship of his professors as key in his success.  

“I couldn't have done it without the support and guidance of my professors and peers. It's a big honor, and it inspires me to keep pushing forward and making a positive impact on the world and here at Trent,” said Steven, noting special thanks to the Language and Cognition Lab for their support.