U of T hires 3 renowned U.S. academics, invests $24M in emerging researchers

A person walks on the University of Toronto campus in Toronto, on Sept. 8, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

The University of Toronto has announced the hiring of three renowned U.S. academics as well as the creation of a $24-million strategy that will result in the retention of 100 new postdoctoral fellows.

Astrophysicist Sara Seager, innovation and energy economics scholar Jacquelyn Pless, and economics expert Mark Duggan will be joining the post-secondary institution starting in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Seager, a U of T alum who grew up in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood and is a dual Canada-U.S. citizen, was a leading expert on the discovery and characterization of exoplanets at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

At U of T, she’ll serve as a North Star Distinguished Professor at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and will also hold cross-appointments at the departments of physics and chemistry and the David A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics in the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS).

Here, Seager plans to set up an interdisciplinary research program that will rethink the habitability of planets and accelerate the search for life across the cosmos. She also said she intends to continue to lead a series of publicly and privately funded missions to Venus.

Pless, who also hails from MIT, will be an assistant professor of strategic management at the Rotman School of Management. There, she’ll explore topics at the intersection of innovation economics and energy markets in Canada.

Duggan, meanwhile, will be a professor at the FAS and will hold a secondary appointment in the department of economics, also in the same faculty. He’ll also be leading U of T‘s prestigious Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Duggan currently works at Stanford University.

U of T President Melanie Woodin said these latest hires are a “big win for Canada,” adding the university makes ongoing efforts to draw top-notch talent, which is part of its broader strategy to advance its world-class research and scholarship.

More faculty announcements should be expected in the months to come, the post-secondary instititution said.

“At a time when the value of scientific inquiry is contested and the importance of scholarly expertise questioned, the University of Toronto is a place where great minds still have the freedom to go where their curiosity takes them,” Woodin said in a news release.

“Our world is facing big problems, but U of T can make a big difference in finding solutions – and we need the brightest minds of our time, from across Canada and around the world, to help us meet this moment."

100 new postdoctoral positions

On Wednesday, the university also announced that it is launching a new $24-million strategy to strengthen research capacity and support emerging researchers. The idea is to attract promising early-career researchers from Canada and abroad as well as provide additional support for current U of T postdocs launching their careers.

This initiative will result in the creation of 100 two-year postdoctoral positions beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. These fellows will also receive $10,000 per year in research support.

“This is a unique moment in history for the international research community, many of whom are contemplating new pathways for their important work,” said Joshua Barker, U of T’s vice-provost of graduate research and education and dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

“With programs such as this one, the University of Toronto – a global research powerhouse – is in a unique position to welcome many of those scholars while championing independent research and free inquiry for the benefit of Canada and the world.”

$3M postdoctoral rising stars fund

Additionally, U of T has set aside $3 million to establish a fund to “elevate rising stars within U of T’s postdoctoral community.”

Set to launch early next year, the Postdoctoral Competitive Awards Research program will award grants of $10,000 or $30,000 to both new and current fellows as they “pursue independent research and accelerate their academic trajectory,” the university said.

“This is an important step in our commitment to early-career researchers. Postdoctoral scholars are at a pivotal stage in their careers – building independence, refining their research focus and preparing to lead the next wave of discoveries. Supporting them helps to develop a strong foundation for future excellence in scholarship,” U of T Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young said in a release.

“By investing in new pathways for these researchers, we’re reinforcing U of T’s role as a top destination for talent and a launchpad for future leaders.”

This initiative builds on last year’s decision by U of T to raise base funding for PhD students to $40,000 annually and aligns with the federal government’s recent $1.7-billion budget commitment to attract top global research talent.

Further, the university has also recently launched an emergency research fund to support faculty impacted by unexpected U.S. funding cuts, offering up to a year of bridge support to those most affected by the recent restrictions. Dozens of U of T researchers, especially those in biomedical sciences, are facing sudden shortfalls, which could risk derailing long-term projects and stalling potential discoveries. They could also face layoffs, the university said.