Four Carleton University researchers have been appointed to newly created Canada Research Chair (CRC) positions, driving forward innovative research that tackles real-world challenges. As leaders in their fields, they are advancing critical work in multigenerational trauma, person-centred care, energy system modelling and the intersection of disability, gender and communication.
“Carleton is committed to impactful research,” said Rafik Goubran, Vice-President (Research and International).
“These Canada Research Chairs highlight our dedication to attracting top academics to address some of Canada’s most pressing issues.”
Amy Bombay, CRC in Multigenerational Trauma and Resilience in First Nations Peoples (Tier II)
Amy Bombay’s research strives to fill critical gaps in our understanding of multigenerational trauma and resilience among First Nations Peoples in Canada. In partnership with national First Nations organizations, her work focuses on documenting First Nations’ perspectives on human development, biological processes and how intergenerational trauma is transmitted.
A researcher in the Department of Neuroscience, Bombay will investigate the biological mechanisms of trauma, including epigenetics and its impact on mental health and wellness across generations. Her team will analyze national datasets and collect new data from First Nations children and communities to explore the links between childhood experiences, residential school systems, child welfare and long-term mental health outcomes.
The research will not only deepen our understanding of trauma but also explore how sharing this knowledge can reduce racist attitudes and foster allyship among non-Indigenous communities. Bombay’s work promises to significantly enhance the capacity for ethical, community-driven health research in First Nations communities, shaping policies that promote healing and resilience.
Amy Bombay
Janet Jull, CRC in Accessibility and Person-centred Care (Tier II)
Janet Jull advances person-centred care through collaborative research practices. Complex systemic structures limit opportunities to attain health and wellness for people with disabilities and other equity-deserving groups, leading to avoidable and unjust health inequities. Person-centred care occurs when people who face health issues are treated as valued partners in their care. A person-centred care approach supports accessibility and favourably influences a person’s ability to function within a care environment.
A researcher in the Department of Health Sciences, Jull focuses on shared decision-making — an evidence-based approach that supports people’s participation in health decisions and upholds person-centred care. Despite its proven effectiveness, shared decision-making remains underutilized. Jull’s research investigates strategies to develop and incorporate shared decision-making into care systems.
Collaborating with those who will use or be affected by the research, she will develop interventions that are aligned with people’s needs and applied in practice and policy. Jull’s research prioritizes community-driven solutions and builds systems capacity to enhance accessibility and person-centred care.
Janet Jull
Kristen Schell, CRC in Uncertainty-informed Net-zero Energy System Modelling (Tier II)
Kristen Schell, a researcher in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is working to ensure that energy systems are affordable and clean. As Canada moves toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions targets, it faces consequential choices on how best to deploy and operate infrastructure. Mathematical models of the energy system can help guide these choices.
Her research seeks to improve efficiency in the energy system. One example is developing machine learning models to better forecast wind power production. Current models are imperfect, resulting in wasted wind energy. Better wind power forecasts could save consumers hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Schell’s research develops new models for energy supply (e.g., wind, hydropower) and demand (e.g., household heat pumps). A key aspect of her work is designing efficient methods to understand how these technologies interact. Her work will contribute to the expansion of the energy system to meet Canada’s growing demand while maintaining the power system quality and affordability that Canadians expect.
Kristen Schell
M. Remi Yergeau, CRC in Critical Disability Studies and Communication (Tier II)
M. Remi Yergeau, a researcher in the School of Journalism and Communication, bridges the fields of critical disability studies, transgender studies and digital communication to explore how obsession, identity and disability intersect in the context of mental health, particularly for transgender people.
Focusing on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as it manifests in relation to gender identity, their work challenges traditional portrayals of OCD by exploring its intersections with gender and sexuality, while examining how these experiences are represented in digital communication. As mental health services become increasingly digitized and anti-transgender policies gain traction, their research offers critical insights into how obsession and disability shape lived experiences.
Yergeau’s research will inform social policies, patient advocacy and cross-community dialogue, while developing resources to support activism and the visibility of transgender and disabled people. Their work will also shape public discourse on mental health, disability and gender identity, providing new perspectives on the lived experiences of equity-deserving communities.
M. Remi Yergeau
Find out more about Carleton’s CRCs here.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 in Campus News
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