Suzi Oliveira de Lima named the Black Research Network’s inaugural associate director of mentorship
Suzi Oliveira de Lima has been named associate director, mentorship at the Black Research Network (BRN).
Lima, an associate professor at the Department of Linguistics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, began a two-year term for the inaugural role in July.
“Suzi brings a deep commitment to mentorship and an impressive track record of supporting students and researchers in ways that are collaborative, inclusive and grounded in well-being,” says BRN Director R. Cassandra Lord.
“As the BRN expands mentorship opportunities for members, Suzi’s experience and vision make her an outstanding fit for this role.”
Over the next year, Lima will help the BRN develop a structured framework to provide co-ordinated mentorship opportunities. The role reflects the BRN’s strategic priority to expand mentorship pathways that contribute to research success for its members, which includes undergraduate students to faculty across the University of Toronto.
“Throughout my career, I’ve thrived in environments where peer mentorship and collaboration were encouraged and part of the culture,” says Lima, who also serves as associate chair, undergraduate in the Department of Linguistics.
“Some of my most positive experiences came from learning alongside peers and having the opportunity to mentor researchers at earlier career stages. Those experiences shaped my approach to mentorship and the kind of collaborative academic community I hope to help build.”
Lima has put that philosophy into practice through several mentorship initiatives. As chair of the Department of Linguistics Racial Justice Committee, she established a mentorship program for Black and Indigenous students applying to graduate programs in linguistics.
“…this gives us an opportunity to think about interdisciplinary mentorship; that’s the power of the BRN.”
Since 2021, Lima has been a mentor in the Victoria College Faculty Mentorship Program. Open to second-year undergraduate students, she connects with students pursuing various academic fields and centers well-being in her sessions. A core part of her mentoring philosophy is that sustainable, meaningful research starts with self-care.
“I often encourage students to think carefully about their timelines and to consider themselves as whole people,” Lima says. “I think it’s important to approach your work in a way that’s sustainable and peaceful.”
Lima is also co-founder of Take Care, a program that helps undergraduate students develop skills in stress management and interpersonal collaboration. The program offers a flexible well-being curriculum that can be integrated into university courses. Lima presented strategies from the program at the BRN Research Symposium 2026. Prior to this, she participated as a mentor in the BRN Mentorship Roundtable Mixer, hosted in 2025.
Beyond the University of Toronto, Lima has supported Indigenous students and researchers in Brazil through academic and community-based projects, including a United Nations-funded collaboration with the Museu Nacional dos Povos Indígenas to document the Kawaiwete language. The project helped strengthen local research skills and created community-based mentorship opportunities.
Lima’s work will begin by engaging with BRN members through consultations to better understand their needs and priorities. The insights will help inform the development and piloting of programs and workshops that strengthen connections across the tri-campus and expand opportunities for interdisciplinary mentorship at every career stage.
“I’m looking forward to building a mentorship model that brings together people from different fields. We often think about interdisciplinary research, but this gives us an opportunity to think about interdisciplinary mentorship; that’s the power of the BRN.”
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