RSI Research Day 2017: Recap
Download the complete 2017 RSI Abstract booklet
Download the RSI Strategic Plan 2017-2020
Download Ms. Christine Elliot's Presentation Slides
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 marked this year’s Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI) Research Day event which took place in the McLeod Auditorium/Stone Lobby at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus.
Every year, the RSI Research Day event showcases and celebrates the research being conducted by the bright and talented graduate students of RSI via poster and oral presentations and this year was no exception! With over 100 attendees, our attendance reached a record high! And, for the first time ever, students and faculty participated in a panel discussion on Differing views on disability in rehabilitation sciences.
The day began with our first ever combined student and faculty assembly where new faculty were introduced and welcomed to the Institute. Special thanks goes out to guest speaker Dr. Sharon Straus, MD, FRCPC, MSc, HBSc, Director of the Knowledge Translation Program at St. Michael’s Hospital, who so graciously lead the assembly with her presentation on "Mentorship across the academic lifespan". This was followed by inspiring opening remarks from fellow faculty member and Vice-Dean of Students at the School of Graduate Studies, Dr. Luc De Nil, and RSI’s very own Director, Dr. Angela Colantonio.
This year’s Research Day was also special as RSI launched it’s very first Strategic Plan for 2017-2020. The 2020 Strategic Plan of the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI) is designed to achieve growth and impact through progressing a national and international strategy of collaboration, collegiality and cohesion – an approach that is well aligned with the strategic direction both of the University of Toronto (UofT) and of the Faculty of Medicine (FoM). You can read the full document on our website or download the link above.
During the midday program, keynote speaker Ms. Christine Elliot, LLB, Patient Ombudsman, also gave a thought-provoking speech on mentorship entitled “Ontario’s first Patient Ombudsman: why every experience matters” captivating faculty and students on how this theme relates to rehabilitation research.
The event wrapped up with the RSI Recognition Awards ceremony and some wine and cheese. Congratulations to this year’s winners:
Students:
| Award | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
Leadership Award | Patrick Antonio, PhD |
Peer Mentor Award | Tyler Saumur, MSc Elaine Kearney, PhD |
Outstanding Community Service Award | Jaclyn Dawe, MSc Reema Shafi, PhD |
Faculty/Staff:
Award | Winner(s) |
|---|---|
Early Career Excellence in Supervision and Mentorship | Dr. Joyce Chen |
Continuing/Sustained Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision and Mentorship | |
| Service Award – Staff | Diane Wiltshire |
Graduate Teaching Awards – Junior Faculty | Dr. Catherine Wiseman-Hakes |
All told, more than 40 posters and oral presentations were made and hundreds of faculty, staff, students and family members attended the event to celebrate the excellent scholarship taking place at RSI. Thank you to all those who attended and to the RSI Research Day Organizing Committee and RSI Staff for making this year’s event such a great success!
Thank you to our valued sponsors as well:
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
- University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union
- Heart & Stroke Foundation – Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery
- Northern Digital Inc.
- Sunnybrook Research Institute
- AutoDesk
- Toronto Rehabilitation Institute-UHN
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Dr. Angela Colantonio
- Sunnybrook: St. John’s Research – Dr. Larry Robinson
- International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation – University of Toronto
- Dr. Nora Cullen
For those of you who were unable to join us, we look forward to seeing you next May 2018 at our next exciting, informative and inspiring day of Research in RSI!