Research and Creative Activity

Exploring hidden factors that influence concussion recovery in athletes

Neuropsychology PhD student Vanessa Correia and professor Dr. Christopher AbeareNeuropsychology PhD student Vanessa Correia and professor Dr. Christopher Abeare, who also serves as clinical supervisor at the Sport-Related Concussion Centre (SRCC) at the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ont., on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2025. (DAVE GAUTHIER/ University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton 

We spend about a third of our lives asleep, and those hours are crucial for everything from mood to muscle repair. 

Now, University of Windsor researchers are asking whether poor sleep could put athletes at greater risk of concussion—and affect how they recover. 

Aspiring dentist balances leadership, research, and scholarship

Nicole VanierBiochemistry undergraduate Nicole Vanier is in her third year of research placements in Dr. Simon Rondeau-Gagné's lab. (VICTORIA OLGA KIS/University of Windsor)

By Sara Elliott   

The journey to becoming a leader and a researcher began when biochemistry major Nicole Vanier was in high school.    

Having learned about the Outstanding Scholars program from her older sister, Jeannette Vanier (BSc ’23), she began to consider research, unsure of what to expect but open to the opportunities the program offered.   

Grant-funded study to compare Canada’s farm animal welfare standards

University of Windsor professor Dr. Wesley Tourangeau Dr. Wesley Tourangeau, a professor in the University of Windsor's Department of Sociology and Criminology. (SUBMITTED BY WESLEY TOURANGEAU/ University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton

Picture yourself in the meat aisle, drawn to bacon citing “free-range” and “organic.”

Those claims suggest ethical farming, but how much do they really say about the welfare of the animals behind the food we buy?

Get to know Dr. Swati Mehta: New faculty member in Human Kinetics

Dr. Swati MehtaDr. Swati Mehta joined the University of Windsor's Faculty of Human Kinetics in 2025 (FILE/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Inhabiting the intersection between kinesiology, psychology and computer science, Dr. Swati Mehta’s research is the definition of interdisciplinarity. 

A new faculty member in kinesiology as of 2025, Mehta takes a holistic approach to mental and physical health while exploring novel technological supports. 

(Do) hold your breath: Kinesiology professor tries out freediving

Anthony Bain in a wetsuitDr. Anthony Bain went from studying freedivers to trying out their techniques (SUBMITTED BY ANTHONY BAIN/University of Windsor) 

By Kate Hargreaves 

Science communication can be difficult.  

Rendering complex physiological processes in a way that lay audiences can understand is no easy task. 

Neither is holding your breath for four minutes. 

University of Windsor professor of Kinesiology Dr. Anthony Bain is, however, up to both challenges.  

UWindsor research growth leads the country, fuelled by partnerships and impact

Dr. Shahpour Alirezaee Electric and computer engineering assistant professor Dr. Shahpour Alirezaee in the mechatronics lab at the University of Windsor. (MIKE WILKINS/The University of Windsor)

By Sara Elliott 

The University of Windsor recorded the largest year-over-year growth in research funding among all Canadian universities in the annual Canada’s Innovation Leaders (CIL) report released Dec. 4.

In just one year, UWindsor’s research income rose by 37 per cent, from $32.5 million to $44.5 million in 2024.

Mentorship in Action: Outstanding Scholar Ava Mammarella pays it forward in nursing

Ava Mammarella stands at a table with a Nursing Society signOutstanding Scholar, Ava Mammarella, hosted a clinical sale to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society in her previous role of Nursing Society philanthropy chair (SUBMITTED BY AVA MAMMARELLA/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle 

When third-year nursing student Ava Mammarella reflects on her UWindsor experience, a theme comes to mind: growth.

From a first-year student discovering her path in health care to a mentor guiding others through the same transition, her journey through the Outstanding Scholars program highlights the transformative power of mentorship.

Mammarella says she has been drawn to medicine for as long as she can remember.

“I was that kid with the toy stethoscope, checking everyone’s heartbeat,” she says.

From black belt to pre-med: Outstanding Scholar finds balance

Sohila SidhuSohila Sidhu participating as a committee director for the 2025 UWindsor Model United Nations (SUBMITTED BY SOHILA SIDHU/University of Windsor)

From training in the dojo to Model United Nations, Outstanding Scholar Sohila Sidhu is balancing a lot.

At the same time, she is also laser-focused on a career in medicine.

This drive is part of what motivated Sidhu to become part of UWindsor’s Outstanding Scholars program, which facilitates research opportunities for high-achieving undergraduate students.

Curating Below the 6: Alumna named TD Curatorial Fellow at Art Windsor-Essex

Talysha Abu-BujoldTalysha Bujold-Abu has been named TD Curatorial Fellow at Art Windsor-Essex (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Art curation, for Talysha Bujold-Abu, is like being a supporting character in a story.  

“I’m not stepping into curation asking what it is I can say about their work, but how can I best share their work with others,” she explains. 

“What opportunities can I find with the way that work can sit together in a room, to propel the storytelling of the featured artist and also insert an aspect of myself into that narrative?” 

New research urges provinces to add animals to protection order laws

Dr. Amy FitzgeraldDr. Amy Fitzgerald, professor in the University of Windsor’s Department of Sociology and Criminology and the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, has authored papers examining animal-inclusive protection orders. (MIKE WILKINS/ University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton

For many survivors of intimate partner violence, fear for their pets’ safety becomes another barrier to leaving — a concern backed by evidence that animal and partner abuse often co-occur.

A new study shows that protection orders including animals can offer better safeguards for both.