Arts and Social Sciences

Teaching without borders: Building global mindsets for next-gen teachers in Botswana and beyond

Juliet Bushi at Botswana Open UniversityDr. Juliet Bushi at Botswana Open University (PROVIDED BY J. BUSHI/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

A new opportunity for experiential learning and research is available to UWindsor students this coming summer in Botswana. 

Part of the Faculty of Education’s Global Community Engagement Program (GCEP), which already provides international service-learning opportunities in China, Jamaica and Tanzania, Botswana is the latest country to be added to this list of options. 

Research project traces the roots of Windsor-style pizza

University of Windsor student Ally PeddieUniversity of Windsor student Ally Peddie created the research project A Slice of Windsor, detailing exploring the origins and history of Windsor-style pizza. (Courtesy Ally Peddie/ University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton

If you asked someone what Windsor is known for, you might hear different answers, from the auto industry to its riverfront views. Ask a local, though, and one is sure to top the list — pizza.

Cornmeal-dusted crust, shredded pepperoni, canned mushrooms and Galati cheese all make Windsor-style pizza unique. But how did it start? And how did it become the iconic formula used across pizza shops in the city?

UWindsor student scholar explores the people behind Ford City’s history

Ford of Canada Factory staff, 1907.Ford of Canada Factory staff, 1907. (Courtesy Museum Windsor via Ford of Canada Archives/ University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton

Ford Motor Company helped establish Windsor as the automotive capital of Canada, but the people who worked on its assembly line built much more than vehicles.

When Henry Ford established the first international Ford plant in the early 1900s at the corner of Riverside Drive and Drouillard Road, immigrants and workers from various backgrounds came with it, building a community in Ford City.

Psychology research explores trauma-informed care for women who have experienced gender-based violence

Maria ZangariMA Psychology student Maria Zangari was named an Ontario Women's Health Scholar for 2026 (PROVIDED BY M. ZANGARI/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

With shortages of primary care practitioners and long wait times for health care, more Ontarians may be turning to episodic care providers such as walk-in clinics, urgent care centres and pharmacies for their medical needs. 

For women who have experienced gender-based violence (GBV), however, a lack of continuity and brief encounters with providers can create barriers to receiving responsive trauma- and violence-informed care. 

Beyond the classroom: The many pursuits of Karl Jirgens

portrait of Karl Jirgens on campusProfessor emeritus Karl Jirgens, founder of the international literary journal Rampike, continues to write, create visual art and participate in scholarly work beyond the classroom. (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)

 

By Victor Romao

Long before Karl Jirgens earned a PhD, founded an international literary journal or stepped into a university classroom, a high school teacher helped him see writing in a different light.

“Writing is just another medium with its own peculiarities,” he says, recalling a lesson from high school teacher Alan Bevan that would help shape a career spanning literature, publishing, visual art and education.

‘It’s a mindset’: Alumnus Justin Langlois on why collaboration is the foundation of contemporary art practice

portrait of Justin Langlois seating in front of a buildingUniversity of Windsor alumnus Justin Langlois builds connections across art, research and community through a collaborative and socially engaged practice. (PERRIN GRAUER/University of Windsor)

 

By Victor Romao

Long before stepping into a senior academic leadership role on Canada’s West Coast, Justin Langlois developed the foundations of a multidisciplinary practice at the University of Windsor.

Langlois (MFA ’09, BA Hons. ’07), now associate vice-president, research and dean of graduate studies at Emily Carr University for Art+Design, has built a career that blends art, research and community engagement, an approach rooted in his time as a student in Windsor.

Trainer, survivor, athlete, alumna: VeloFit co-founder is just getting started

Mia and Simao in their gym spaceAlumna Mia Kairouz and partner Simão Santa Barbara opened VeloFit in Amherstburg in July 2026 (PROVIDED BY M. KAIROUZ/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

At just 24, Mia Kairouz (BA ’25) jokes that she’s already lived many lives. 

She’s been a lifeguard, a first responder, an endurance athlete, a personal trainer and a cancer survivor.  

In July, she became an entrepreneur, opening VeloFit Performance and Fitness Coaching in Amherstburg, with her partner Simão Santa Barbara. 

“In general, my goal is to help people,” Kairouz says.  

Students communicate science creatively

students in nature drawingParticipants in a 2024 Creative Ecologies SMArt Masterclass sketch outside a Leamington-area greenhouse. (Cri Kosti/University of Windsor)

By Sara Elliott

Science students are learning to create original works of art to explain scientific research.

In a new University of Windsor research-creation project, undergraduate students will explore how sculpting, painting and drawing can be used to convey research.