The University of Waterloo is welcoming world-class researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom as part of a federal initiative aimed at strengthening Canada’s research and innovation sector. The university has recruited three researchers through the inaugural intake of the federal government’s Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada program. Among them are Talia Bettcher, a Canadian-born philosophy professor who joins Waterloo from California State University, Los Angeles, and James Wolffsohn, a leading eye-care researcher from Aston University in the U.K. The appointments are backed by a federal investment of $1.7 billion over 12 years meant to attract leading international researchers to Canadian post-secondary institutions. Talia Bettcher For Bettcher, the move to Waterloo marks a major change after years working in the United States. “As an outspoken academic, as a trans woman, as a green card holder, it began to feel very unsafe for me,” Bettcher said, noting the rise in anti-trans rhetoric. “And so I knew that I had to leave.” Bettcher is joining Waterloo’s Faculty of Arts as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair in gender-based violence prevention and trans community resilience. At Waterloo, her research will focus on gender-based and transphobic violence. She plans to work with community partners to develop practical tools, policies and resources aimed at prevention, intervention and support. Her arrival comes three years after a stabbing in a gender studies class at the University of Waterloo. Bettcher said the university’s response to that incident was one of the reasons she felt Waterloo was the right place for her research. “Because of this event, the University of Waterloo became very aware of gender-based violence and began to undertake interventions, began to improve themselves, began to take it very seriously,” she said. “It seemed to me that University of Waterloo was the perfect place to do the kind of work that I’m doing.” Bettcher will receive $500,000 annually for eight years through the research chair program. She said the opportunity comes at the right moment in her career. “It’s the right time, the right place, the right everything,” Bettcher said. “I can’t think of a better country to work with than Canada.” James Wolffsohn Wolffsohn is also joining Waterloo as an Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair, working with the Faculty of Science’s School of Optometry and Vision Science. He will receive $1 million annually for eight years to support his research into eye health and health-care innovation. His work includes artificial intelligence, preventive eye care and next-generation treatments, with a focus on conditions such as childhood myopia, dry eye disease and retinal disorders. “I focus particularly on translational research,” Wolffsohn said. “Making an impact for patients.” Wolffsohn said he also plans to look at ways to improve access to eye-care technology and services, including for people living in rural and remote communities. He said Waterloo’s existing reputation in eye health research made it an attractive destination. “Waterloo is already recognized as world class in eye care,” he said. “So I am bringing hopefully a further enhancement of that.” Despite working in very different fields, both researchers say they want their work to have an impact beyond the university and benefit people around the world. “There’s room for almost everyone to be involved,” Bettcher said. According to the university, the researchers will collaborate with students, faculty, industry and community partners with the goal of turning their research into real-world applications. The broader $1.7-billion Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative is designed to attract top researchers from around the world and strengthen Canada’s ability to compete in science and innovation. The Eddie Goldenberg program is named after the late Canadian public servant and policy adviser, whose work helped shape the country’s research and innovation landscape.
