Vice-President's Message

THIS EDITION of Ascend celebrates York University’s growing leadership in research and innovation. It highlights the cutting-edge, advanced work in artificial intelligence (AI) that is happening across our campuses and the profound ways this work is shaping a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for all.

York’s strength in AI continues to grow at an outpaced speed. Our researchers and graduate students are breaking new ground through old interdisciplinary research with colleagues, including in law, liberal arts, engineering, science, health, environment, management, education, and arts and media. They collaborate with partners internally and externally to ensure the depth and breadth of AI research and innovations reach far beyond the walls of the university.

Our researchers are not only on the forefront of discovery; they are harnessing AI to address real-world challenges and improve lives. Their work reflects York’s commitment to ensuring that technological progress is guided by fairness, ethics and responsibility. Together, our researchers are building AI systems and frameworks that are equitable, transparent, reliable and trusted – solutions designed to uplift the most vulnerable and to benefit people everywhere, regardless of geography or background.

York’s Centre for AI & Society stands at the heart of this mission, advancing responsible AI across health care, smart cities and sustainability, while addressing how they interconnect with law, governance and public policy.

As the York-led Connected Minds – supported through $318 million in funding, including $105.7 million from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund – enters its third year, researchers are developing new ways for AI to seamlessly integrate into some of the most important systems that impact our lives – solutions for traffic, mobility issues, aging, disasters, emergencies, health care, cybersecurity, space exploration, power grids and more.

Five collaborations recently received the first Connected Minds team grants worth $7.5 million to advance innovations that support Indigenous cultural preservation and digital sovereignty; enhance mobility, cognitive health and social connection for seniors; improve communications for individuals with speech impairments; transform epilepsy care through smart, wearable EEG headsets; and reimagine human connection through AI, virtual reality and immersive theatre.

Health care and senior care are two significant areas where our researchers are working on AI innovations to provide better access to more advanced and responsive care. With a new School of Medicine opening at York in 2028, our capacity for AI-driven innovation will grow through deeper partnerships and collaborations with hospitals, policy-makers, artists and Indigenous communities, small and medium-sized enterprises, multinationals, social organizations, universities and global industry leaders.

York researchers continue to secure major support for AI projects from all three federal granting councils – the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Canadian Institutes of Health Research – contributing to York’s total externally sponsored research income of more than $119 million in the last fiscal year. York ranked 38th out of 2,318 institutions worldwide in the latest Times Higher Education Impact Rankings in June 2025, underscoring our global leadership in research that advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

When discoveries translate into meaningful action, improving how people live, work, move, connect and thrive, our collective potential is realized. We hope your interest and curiosity is piqued as you read about the extraordinary work taking place at York.

Happy reading.