News

There is a growing awareness of the impacts of food insecurity among post-secondary students in Guelph and across Canada; while food insecurity rates among various segments of the Canadian population are well-documented, food insecurity among post-secondary students has only recently gained the attention of researchers. Sliding scale markets are one intervention that has been developed to address food insecurity, currently being employed at the University of Guelph with promising results.

The CESI team is saying a fond and very grateful goodbye to two beloved team members. Dr. Mary Ferguson and Dr. Melissa Tanti, both Research Associates with CESI, came to the end of their contracts at the end of April. 

The poster exhibit "A Circle of Care" is now on display in the corridor of Macdonald Institute. Come read a few of them, get inspired, and find ways - big or small - to make a difference in our community.

Tanja Samardzic is in the final stages of completing a Ph.D. in Applied Social Psychology at the University of Guelph. Tanja is an applied researcher who uses mixed methods to answer important questions concerning topics like gender-based violence and women’s health. Under the supervision of Dr. Paula Barata, her dissertation has explored young women’s experiences with expectations of how they “should” be in their intimate relationships (e.g., quiet, nice) and how they navigate relationships, especially when their partners are abusive.

We're pleased to announce that Dr. Melissa Tanti, a Research Associate at CESI, is guest speaking at the Decolonising Archives research retreat between April 11-15 in Wales, UK. Scholars and doctoral researchers will gather at the retreat to discuss the importance, method and impact of archives and recovery research and the need to decolonize its practices.

Join our team! The Guelph Lab is hiring one student for the following position: 

Did you miss the live event on January 25th 2023? A recording of Gathering Hope is now available.

This virtual panel discussion explores evidence-based hope and environmental solutions. Hosted and moderated by 2022-2023 Kinross Chair in Environmental Governance, Stephanie Cairns, it features a keynote address by Dr. Elin Kelsey, scholar and thought-leader for the evidence-based hope and climate solutions movement.

Panelists include:

The Guelph Lab's work to address student food insecurity has been featured in an article in University Affairs. "Searching for sustainable solutions to food insecurity on campus" highlights the sharp increase in food insecurity on Canadian campuses, especially among international students who must pay much higher tuition rates than domestic students. It points to some of the creative solutions being piloted to address student food insecurity in meaningful ways that go above and beyond the food bank model.

A vast amount of knowledge is created everyday, but is it used effectively? In most cases, only a small fraction of gained knowledge is mobilized to inform real-life situations and help create evidence-informed change. The lack of effective knowledge transfer contributes to a gap between research, policy and practice.

CESI regularly has the privilege of developing relationships with community organizations who are deeply immersed in the communities they serve and are familiar with the issues that impact them most strongly. These partnerships vary in length and depth, and take place across a range of programs and projects at CESI; the common thread linking them is a strong potential for transformational change and the goal of offering benefits for all parties involved, as well as the broader community.