'True tales from the brain gain': York profs share their stories with Toronto Life magazine

Why Three York Professors Left Trump’s America for Toronto and York

For the May issue of Toronto Life, on newsstands this week, professors Anne Sullivan, Robert Gehl and Jack Rozdilsky sat down with the publication to discuss their reasons for moving north and their journeys to York University. "What they all share is a deep desire to work in a country that values their contributions," wrote Toronto Life of the academics, lawyers, scientists, creatives and other luminaries featured in the issue. Another thing the subjects all share is that they have relocated from the U.S. to Toronto since President Donald Trump first emerged on the American political scene. "We’re lucky to have them," wrote the magazine.

Robert Gehl, associate professor, Communication & Media Studies, LA&PS

Compelled by the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and, 17 months later, the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal on Roe v. Wade, Professor Robert Gehl and his family considered their options. As a Fulbright Scholar, Gehl had spent time in Calgary and had met a small network of Canadian academics in media and communications, including alumni from York. "There’s a critical edge to the Canadian understanding of media," Gehl told Toronto Life. "There are several reasons for that — an obvious one is Canada’s relationship to the U.S. media machine. There’s a long history of Canadian work in the field, going back to Marshall McLuhan." Given his area of study, the move to Toronto and York felt natural.

I think Toronto media studies is the best in the world, and being part of it is so cool.

Robert Gehl, associate professor of communication and media studies

Gehl, who is the Ontario Research Chair in Digital Governance for Social Justice at York, has long studied activist-run alternative social media platforms and has a forthcoming book about the subject. "This area of research was lonely work for many years — I’m one of the few people in the world who have extensively studied it," he told the magazine," but younger scholars are getting involved now, and I’m fostering that."

Jack Rozdilsky, associate professor, Disaster and Emergency Management, LA&PS

After President Trump secured the Republican nomination in 2016, Professor Jack Rozdilsky applied to York. "It was clear that dark clouds were gathering," he told Toronto Life magazine. He moved to Toronto three months before Trump was elected. Since then, he's watched from afar the impacts of Trump's first and, now, second term affect his field. "Recently, there’s been talk of gutting FEMA, which would be disastrous for public safety," he tells the mag. At York, he can focus on building a better, more resilient future for his field through education and advocacy, he said. Through his contributions to The Conversation Canada, his ideas and research have also found a larger audience.

Still, there's always more work to do. "Emergency management isn’t just about preparing for rare worst-case scenarios — it’s becoming part of everyday life," he told the magazine. "This fall, York is launching Canada’s first PhD program in disaster and emergency management, a clear sign of how rapidly the field is expanding. The academic interest reflects a broader reality: disasters are happening more often."

I’m helping to train the next generation of emergency managers, people who will go on to work in policing, fire services and public safety

Jack Rozdilsky, associate professor of disaster and emergency management

This week, Rozdilsky is back stateside to present on concert safety and security at a Taylor Swift symposium alongside York grad student Talia Shortt.

Anne Sullivan, assistant professor, Computational Arts, AMPD

Professor Anne Sullivan was teaching at Georgia Tech when Trump-aligned state representatives in Congress asked public universities to provide them with the names of everyone who worked on a DEI committee, did research in or taught DEI, or was affected by DEI measures. Sullivan, who was doing research in social justice and DEI storytelling in games, found herself on that list. "It eventually became clear that funding for my work could be reduced or even eliminated," Sullivan told Toronto Life magazine.

Then, last year, she received an email from a recruiter at York. The Connected Minds research-enhanced appointment was "an unheard of perfect fit," said Sullivan. "In games, we would call this an 'uninteresting decision' — the right choice was obvious!" Sullivan started at York in January, and, while still new to the city, is excited by its promise and potential.

"Toronto should be a hub for gaming talent of all kinds — it’s one of the most multicultural places in the world, and there’s a very active indie game development community here. So we’re uniquely well situated to become a global leader by leveraging the strengths the city already has," Sullivan told the magazine. "Gaming attracts consumers of different ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds, but the industry itself is typically dominated by creators who are white and male. Our department’s faculty at York is diverse, and one of my goals is to encourage more women and people from underrepresented backgrounds to study gaming and work in the field."

My belief in equity wasn’t something I could easily shut off or hide

Anne Sullivan, assistant professor of computational arts

Since arriving at York, Sullivan has begun a research project on civic engagement among younger generations, exploring how elements of game design can be used to promote political discussions, community involvement, and voting.