Through his multiple non-profit initiatives, he’s working to uplift and support the Black community in meaningful ways.

Warren is an is an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba in the Department of Anthropology. 

One of his standout projects is Barbershop Talks—a powerful space where Black men can come together, be vulnerable, and have open conversations about everything from mental health to identity, relationships, and beyond.

Set in the familiar and trusted environment of a barbershop, these talks are breaking down stigma and building up community—one conversation at a time.

To watch the entire feature, please follow the link to Rogers TV.

Hosted by Dr. Kelley Main, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies,  the 2025 Faculty of Graduate Studies Awards Reception marked the faculty’s first in-person awards reception celebration since the fall of 2019, as an opportunity to come together and recognize the outstanding achievements of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and faculty.

Dr. Michael Benarroch, President of the University of Manitoba, presented the Faculty of Graduate Studies Outstanding Support Staff Award, recognizing excellence in administrative service to graduate students. This year’s recipient, Susan Ducharme, Graduate Programs Coordinator in Peace and Conflict Studies, was celebrated for her dedication, responsiveness, and unwavering support of both students and faculty.

The ceremony also included greetings from Dr. Diane Hiebert-Murphy, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), who presented the Outstanding Administrator Award to Dr. Melanie Janzen, Professor in the Faculty of Education. Dr. Janzen was applauded for her exemplary leadership and commitment to graduate student success.

Highlighting the value of mentorship in graduate education, the Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Awards were presented across three academic categories.

• In Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr. Robert Hoppa, Associate Dean (Research) and Professor of Anthropology, was recognized for his sustained mentorship and dedication to scholarly growth, presented by Dr. Dawn Sutherland, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
• In Natural and Applied Sciences, Dr. Gail Davoren, Professor of Biological Sciences, received the honour for her commitment to fostering critical thinking and research excellence, presented by Dr. Steve Kirkland, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies
• In Health Sciences, the award was presented to Dr. Judith Scanlan, Associate Professor in the College of Nursing, whose mentorship has left a lasting impact on her students’ academic and professional development, presented by Dr. Greg Smith, Vice Provost, Academic Planning and Programs.

The spotlight then turned to emerging research leaders with the presentation of the Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow Awards presented by Dean, Dr. Kelley Main.

• In Health Sciences, Dr. Kathleen Kenny of the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences was acknowledged for her innovative research and mentorship of junior researchers.
• In Natural Sciences and Engineering, Dr. Ruth Rivkin from the Department of Biological Sciences was honoured for her significant contributions, though she was unable to attend in person.

A poignant moment of the afternoon came as Dr. Steve Kirkland presented the newly established James House Memorial Awards for Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring, named in memory of Dr. James (Jim) House, a respected scholar and mentor who passed away in 2024.

• The award in Health Sciences was presented to Dr. Keith Fowke, Professor of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, for his dedication to fostering postdoctoral development.
• The award in Natural and Applied Sciences was awarded to Dr. Miyoung Suh, Professor in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences. Accepting the award on her behalf was Kristin Hildahl-Shawn, Associate Department Head.

The ceremony concluded with remarks from Dr. Kelley Main, who commended all recipients for their dedication and contributions to the university’s academic community. “This celebration reflects the deep commitment our faculty, staff, researchers, postdoctoral fellows and students have to supporting and advancing graduate education,” said Dr. Main. “Today, we honour their passion, mentorship, and the remarkable impact they have on shaping the future through scholarship and research.”

The 2025 Faculty of Graduate Studies Awards Reception was not just about handing out awards — it was a chance to come together and celebrate the incredible achievements of everyone recognized. It was a meaningful reminder of the University of Manitoba’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and the strong sense of community that supports it all.

To see the awards recipients recognized at this year’s event, please visit 2025-awards-reception.pdf.

“I congratulate all of these researchers on their success in expanding the scope and impacts of their research programs,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, Vice-President (Research and International). “This funding advances UM strategic priorities for research with, by and for Indigenous Peoples, among others, by providing critical platforms, one of the four Ps in our Strategic Research Plan”.

Dr. Lara Rosenoff Gauvin (Anthropology, Faculty of Arts), Dr. Laura Kelvin (Anthropology, Faculty of Arts) and Heather Bidzinski, (Archives & Special Collections)

The Heart: Multiple Pathways to Indigenous Heritage Rematriation

Guided by The Respectful Rematriation and Repatriation Ceremony at UM and Agvituk Heritage Access and Care, “The Heart” project is part of an ongoing transformation of heritage research, policy and practice in Manitoba and Canada.

This new research infrastructure will include a physical centre on campus and a mobile unit for the repatriation and rematriation of cultural heritage currently housed at the UM. It is supported by a part-time Elder-in-residence and a technology suite for community-controlled work.

Dr. Rosenoff Gauvin

Dr. Kelvin

Heather Bidzinski

Dr. Brosowsky

Dr. Nicholaus Brosowsky (Psychology, Faculty of Arts)

The Immersive Cognition Laboratory

This project seeks to understand how we focus our attention in everyday situations using advanced virtual reality technologies including eye-tracking motion-capture VR and a driving simulator. The research will inform actionable solutions to improve road safety and provide better cognitive health support for the aging population.

Trainees in the Brosowsky lab will gain a deep understanding of behavioural science and will high-level technical skills empowered to address public safety and healthcare challenges in Canada.

Dr. Alley

Dr. Karen Alley (Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources):

Imaging Inaccessible Ice: Glacier Monitoring at the Ice-Ocean Interface

By obtaining detailed observations of the interactions between glaciers and ocean water, Dr. Alley seeks to better predict the rate of future global sea-level rise. 

This project will deploy autonomous vehicles using ice-penetrating technologies at ocean-terminating glaciers in Nunavut in collaboration with local communities. Complementary infrastructure will monitor ocean and atmospheric temperature, as well as ice-front calving, glacier speed and surface hydrology.

Dr. Gao

Dr. Xiaopeng Gao (Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences):

Optimizing Soil Fertility Management for Better Grain Nutritional Quality

This research aims to address soil fertility issues to enhance crop production and improve nutritional quality, thereby supporting Canada in producing higher-value grain products and strengthening its global competitiveness in the grain market. The newly funded infrastructure includes a growth room, UV spectrophotometer, and specialized root-testing lysimeters, enabling Dr. Gao to simulate climate change scenarios and investigate nutrient flow from soil to plants to humans.

Dr. Marcogliese

Dr. Beattie

Dr. Paul Marcogliese and Dr. Robert Beattie (Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences):

Functional Integration of Neurogenetics in Development & Disease

The Marcogliese and Beattie labs have found synergies in studying the genetic roots of neurological disorders affecting movement and will use newly funded automated tools for state-of-the-art precision motor assessment in animal models.

In combination with the newly acquired high-end super-resolution microscope which allows for tracking changes in motor and neuronal function at the single-cell level, the team aims to generate high-quality data that will aid in diagnosis and enable the assessment of drug efficacy. These advances are critical for targeting disorders with little to no effective treatment strategies.

Dr. Mendelson

Dr. Asher Mendelson (Internal Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences):

Microvascular Physiology, Exercise, and Muscle Research Facility for Studying Critical Illness

Dr. Mendelson seeks to establish a UM Microvascular Physiology, Exercise, and Muscle Research Facility located at the site of clinical care at Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg and UM Bannatyne campus.

This facility will comprise state-of-the-art tools to evaluate microvascular blood flow, oxygen utilization and muscle strength during exercise. Discoveries from this research will improve diagnosis and treatment during and after ICU admission for Canadians suffering from critical illness.

Dr. Rosell

Dr. Cristina M. Rosell (Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences):

Platform maximizing the value of co-products from plant-protein processing

Canada is a global leader in plant protein production, however new techniques used to obtain high-purity protein from cereals and pulses also generates copious waste.

Enhanced by this new research capacity, the Rosell lab will offer a unique interdisciplinary training environment while adding value to nonprotein co-products. By improving the sustainability of Canada’s plant protein industry this research will alleviate environmental and economic impacts of undervalued waste.

Dr. Uyaguari-Diaz

Dr. Miguel Uyaguari-Diaz (Microbiology, Faculty of Science):

Promoting equitable access to safe water in First Nations and urban communities by assessing water safety and security

New sequencing tools and sample preparation platforms provided by this funding will allow researchers to analyze microbes and antibiotic resistance in the water infrastructures of First Nation communities of Manitoba for the first time ever.

Studies enabled with this new infrastructure will generate the metagenomic libraries needed to identify clinically important pathogens with antimicrobial resistance in the environment. The long-term goals of Dr. Uyaguari-Diaz will develop new diagnostic tools identifying human and environmental health risks facilitating rapid remedial actions in affected communities.

Insight Grants support research in its initial stages in the social sciences and humanities sector. Funding is available for research initiatives of two to five years in length to provide stable, long-term support.

“These projects will help understand human thought and behaviour and advance the UM strategic priority for fundamental research underlying all advances of clinical, scientific, economic and societal value,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, Vice President (Research and International) at the University of Manitoba. “I congratulate these five leading innovators, whose fundamental threads serve as a foundation upon which future inter- and multi- disciplinary themes can be built.”

UM 2024 Insight Grant recipients include:

Dr. Lara Rosenoff Gauvin

Lara Rosenoff Gauvin, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology

Seeking Rest for the Ancestors Once More: Loving and Proactive Rematriation from the University of Manitoba

Emerging from the University of Manitoba’s ongoing Respectful Rematriation and Repatriation Ceremony, this work will facilitate the respectful and loving return of Indigenous Ancestors to descendant Nations and communities according to their own protocols, laws, and sovereignties. The removal, acceptance, and continued holding of Ancestors by and in Canadian heritage institutions is an undeniable and stark reminder of institutional complicities in genocidal policies against Indigenous people in Canada. With this work, Rosenoff Gauvin and the team hope to not only reddress these grave human rights abuses, but to provoke necessary institutional introspection and transformation that can begin to atone for the violence.

Dr. Chanqiu Yu

Changqiu Yu, Assistant Professor and CPA Research Fellowship, Accounting & Finance Department, Asper School of Business

Carbon Emissions, Environmental Transition Risks, and Firm Valuation: Evidence from Financial Analysts

Climate change is a critical global issue, and there is an urgent need to mitigate global warming by significantly reducing carbon emissions. Companies with higher emissions face greater transition risks to a low-carbon economy, however, there is little understanding on how such emissions information is incorporated into firm valuations. This research program aims to fill this gap by studying how financial analysts incorporate carbon emissions into firm valuations, particularly since analysts often explicitly include both cash flow and discount rate forecasts in their reports.

Dr. Jessica Cameron

Jessica Cameron, Professor, Department of Psychology

Friends-First Initiation as a Foundation for Egalitarian and Satisfying Romantic Relationships

Longstanding inequities in power that exist within many romantic relationships threaten the ability to fulfill their basic human needs, increase their risk of violence and undermine health and well-being. Recent research by Cameron reveals that the most prevalent method of relationship initiation today is transition from long-term friendship, however, this form of relationship initiation has been virtually ignored by relationship scientists. Cameron seeks to investigate equity-relevant factors that different paths to romance nurture to enhance our understanding of the emergence of romance within a platonic friendship.

Dr. Fenton Litwiller

Fenton Litwiller, Associate Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management

Genderplay, gender euphoria and contexts of oppressions: Experiences of queer youth in central Canada

For queer youth, the challenge of living in a queer-phobic society and seeing themselves predominantly represented in trauma-centered ways can constrain opportunities to explore their identities in positive ways. This project responds to this singular narrative by using drag performance as a participatory research context to understand 2SLGBTQIA+ youth experiences. Litwiller (they/them) collaborates with queer organizations to host genderplay workshops in underserved locations in Manitoba. Within this context, they investigate the potential of genderplay to facilitate joyful experiences for queer youth within the context of intersecting oppressions.

Dr. Jieying Chen

Jieying Chen, Associate Professor Business Administration

Immigrants’ proactive socialization tactics, adaptation, and career success

Many studies have found that people immigrating to Canada have poor employment outcomes when compared with those born in the country. This research seeks to identify and understand contributing psychological and behavioral factors by focusing on newcomers’ initial adaptation process, which has profound implications for their employment success in the long run. This research will use a lens of individual proactivity in understanding immigrant workplace experiences to highlight socialization tactics and evaluate the success of intervention programs.

It is all part of Warren Clarke’s research program, which, in part, aims to create safe spaces for mentorship at places such as UM. Clarke does similar outreach-research in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Clarke is an assistant professor of sociocultural anthropology who studies how Canadian social norms continue to affect the social development of African and Caribbean Black men. In the past he has run talks in barber shops, but now, for the first time since joining UM faculty in 2021, he is hosting a 3×3 basketball tournament to engage and learn from the community.

“I found over the years in working with a lot of young black men and boys, you have to meet them where they’re at,” Clarke said. “You can’t expect them to come to some programming that’s going to benefit their social, economic or educational development. But if we go to spaces where they’re at, we can introduce them to programs through things that they enjoy doing. It’s an opportunity to reach more of these young black men to engage with the programming that we have through the [The Afro-Caribbean Mentorship Program].”

Everyone is welcome to attend. The basketball portion of the day begins at 11 a.m. and a panel discussion will happen over the lunch hour, starting at around 12:30. Panelists include Ryan Koleric, a long-time local basketball coach, The Honorable Uzoma Asagwara, deputy premier of Manitoba (and a 5-year UW Wesman basketball player), and Justus Alleyn, professional basketball player with the Sea Bears. The panel will explore how we can acknowledge the safe spaces where young black men can be vulnerable and able to express themselves in athletic ways, but also tackle the misconception that black men and boys are only good for sports in society. 

“I think this is a learning event for everyone, not just the black community,” Clarke says. “Everyone is welcome to learn and understand how to make this campus a more equitable and safe and inclusive space for all.”

What: 3×3 basketball tournament event hosted by the Afro-Caribbean Mentorship Program
When: July 13, 10-5 p.m. (basketball starts at 11 a.m.; panel discussion at 12:30 p.m.; yoga at 4 p.m.)
Where: Investors Group Athletic Centre, University of Manitoba

“The success of these projects speaks highly of the quality of new and emerging research at UM,” said Mario Pinto, vice-president (research & international). “I congratulate these twelve researchers on seeking new and cutting-edge ways to address the challenges faced by society.”

The 2023 UM Insight Development Grant recipients are:

Margherita Cameranesi

Margherita Cameranesi, postdoctoral researcher/fellow, Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences: Finding Your Resilience (FYRe): Listening to the Voices of Racialized Refugee Youth to Learn About Their Multisystemic Resilience Using a Participatory Action Research Approach

By listening to the voices of racialized refugee youth who resettled in Winnipeg, Margherita Cameranesi seeks to better understand the mechanisms that contribute to their resilience, mental health, and overall wellbeing. She also aims to develop culturally appropriate and trauma-informed resources for racialized youth seeking asylum in Canada.

Sarah Ciurysek

Sarah Ciurysek, associate professor, School of Art: Navigating a land gift as a settler committed to decolonization: a photographic research/creation project

This year Ciurysek (a settler artist) will be gifted a section of land in northwestern Alberta. Being committed to decolonization and reconciliation between settlers and Indigenous Peoples, Ciurysek seeks to examine decolonizing land use options for privately-owned farmland through a photographic interrogation of self, history, and contemporary land use.

Benjamin Collins

Benjamin Collins, assistant professor, Department of Anthropology: Narratives from Fragments: Re-Thinking Narratives of Manitoba’s Archaeology

Indigenous researchers Kayla Shaganash and Brandi Cable, co-applicant Laura Kelvin, and Collins will study archaeological materials from six sites across Manitoba to help inform how Indigenous peoples engaged with landscapes across the past 8,000 years. This project will provide further training for Indigenous researchers and facilitate engagement with Indigenous communities.

Merissa Daborn

Merissa Daborn, assistant professor, Department of Indigenous Studies: The Food Police: Carceral Food Spaces in Winnipeg

In response to recent increased security and policing at grocery stores, Daborn seeks to better understand the impact of surveillance on Indigenous people in Winnipeg, especially as it relates to their ability to achieve food security. This research will document how systematic surveillance practices result in criminalization of racialized communities.

Zhenzhen Fan

Zhenzhen Fan, Assistant professor, Department of Accounting and Finance: Market Crash Risk: Fact or Artifact?

This project seeks to address whether the risk of financial crash is inherent in the market, or if they result from subjective perceptions of investors. By exploring probable triggers for market turmoil, Fan seeks to better inform investors and policy makers and reduce the risk of crash in the future.

Hikmet Gunay, professor, Department of Economics: Anticipated Regret in Second-Price Auctions

Some bidders go bankrupt after winning an auction due to overbidding. In this research, we aim to understand how emotions cause overbidding, and offer solutions to correct it. Governments can use this research when auctioning infrastructure projects which will prevent bankrupts so that the projects will be completed on time.

Gayle Halas

Gayle Halas, researcher, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences: Homeless, Recovering and ‘Back to the Street’: Identifying the Support Network

Partnering with community agencies and individuals with lived experience of homelessness, the Halas research team seeks to bridge the gap between availability and access to resources/supports needed by individuals experiencing homelessness and discharged from hospital. This project will identify challenges and inform ongoing efforts to launch a Support Hub to facilitate navigation.

Sreemali Herath

Sreemali Herath, assistant professor, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning: Towards inclusive and reciprocal pedagogical practices for all learners: Insights from refugee journeys

Set against unprecedented forced migration, this study aims to document narratives of the refugee journey to Canada. Focusing on refugee families, it aims to develop asset oriented, inclusive and reciprocal curricula that will benefits all learners and provide a broader and more nuanced understanding of refugeeism.

Stephanie Hladik

Stephanie Hladik, assistant professor, Centre for Engineering Professional Practice and Engineering Education: The Impact of Facilitating STEM Outreach: Perceptions, Identities, and Other Impacts

This project works in collaboration with WISE Kid-Netic Energy, a nonprofit STEM outreach organization that recruits undergraduate students from underrepresented groups as facilitators. Hladik seeks to investigate how planning and delivering STEM education impacts how these facilitators perceive STEM fields, develop STEM identities, and gain new skills and career interests.

Jeongmin Kim

Jeongmin Kim, assistant professor, Department of History: Unseemly Military: The Undocumented Workers of U.S. War and Military Occupation in Cold War Asia

This project will engage labor injustice in war and military occupation by offering historical perspectives on contemporary issues of gendered and racialized militarization of everyday life. To understand how local people respond to unfavorable employment in times of war, Kim will investigate cases from 1940s and 50s Cold War Asia.

Suzanne McLeod

Suzanne McLeod, assistant professor, School of Art: Early Distortion: Pinturicchio and the Genesis of a Constructed Image

Possibly the earliest depiction of North American Indigenous people in European art, a recently cleaned Vatican fresco reveals a destructive embryonic stereotype developing alongside Columbus’s 1493 voyage report and the “Doctrine of Discovery”. This project will close an art historical gap by reinterpreting the visual record through an Indigenous perspective.

Virginia Tze

Virginia Tze, associate professor, Educational Administration, Foundations and Psychology: Identifying Systemic Barriers Among People of Colour Entering in Professional Psychology

Canada is experiencing a mental health crisis, and People of Colour looking for a psychologist who is also a Person of Colour can expect to wait up to a decade.  This project seeks to understand how to better support People of Colour in becoming professional psychologists, through a mixed methods design.

According to Statistics Canada, around 11 per cent of youth aged 15-24 are unemployed. Among young Black Canadians that number is around 17.5 per cent.

Black people in Canada continue experiencing oppression and dehumanization because of how their skin colour is viewed and represented.

Impoverished Black male youth in particular encounter racism, ageism, classism and gender biases when looking for work. These are stereotypes which encourage many Canadian employers to view them as not good for business and unemployable.

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