BRN Brilliance: New multimedia series to spotlight Black-led research and initiatives at U of T

A new multimedia series from the Black Research Network will spotlight Black-led research and initiatives at the University of Toronto.

BRN Brilliance features interdisciplinary researchers and dedicated staff who are harnessing their expertise, diverse perspectives and bold ideas to make an impact within and beyond university walls. 

The series, which premieres on Sept. 25, will introduce BRN members who innovate classrooms, break barriers in research, drive scientific discovery, and advance inclusive excellence.

Audiences will meet SA Smythe, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Information, who is reshaping traditional classroom structures through the Collaboratory for Black Poesis. The series will also feature EMBARK Scientist De-Lawrence Lamptey, who is addressing the experiences of Black children and youth with disabilities in Canada. The EMBARK program was established by the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and BRN to amplify Black voices in childhood disability research.  

BRN Brilliance will also cover novel approaches to treating Alzheimer’s disease with PhD Candidate Chinaza Dibia of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Meanwhile, Jacqueline Antwi-Danso, an NSERC Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the David A. Dunlap Department for Astronomy & Astrophysics, is in search of the earliest galaxies in the universe. Another feature will celebrate the work of Black at UTM, an initiative that is dedicated to nurturing Black flourishing at U of T Mississauga. The team includes Heather Hines, director, Office of the Vice-President and Principal at UTM; Martin Kengo, manager, Black Initiatives; and Eileen Waweru, coordinator, Black Initiatives. 

The BRN Brilliance series – which consists of five articles and videos – will be released throughout the fall via BRN News.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our premiere feature.