Our core values cover the creation and dissemination of knowledge and our commitments to excellent mentorship and impactful service to the community/partners.
Knowledge Production & Mobilization
Our research connects directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, making sure our discoveries help solve real-world problems at home and around the globe. We prioritize disseminating and commercializing our research through academic publications, industry partnerships, community engagement, and entrepreneurship. This approach ensures our innovations drive societal progress, economic growth, and improved quality of life.
Actions:
- Join our colleagues across campus and beyond to not only increase interdisciplinarity across STEM fields but also to add humanist dimensions to ensure our work has the intended impact and thoughtfully considers the systems and communities we hope to benefit.
- Work with offices on campus, such as Innovation York and York International, to encourage knowledge mobilization opportunities, such as patent filing, international collaboration, etc. Lassonde will continue to offer programs to get new ideas off the ground (e.g., Lassonde Innovation Fund).
- Encourage faculty to participate in their wider community (e.g., serve on editorial boards, host events, participate in societies, and serve on policy committees). Lassonde will look to provide support for these activities, for example, through our Stakeholder Development Fund.
- The Research Support Office (RSO) will continue to work with the faculty and other Lassonde/York offices (e.g., Communications, Libraries, OIPA) on research visibility. We will also continue to incentivize and celebrate success through programs like the Lassonde Innovation Awards.
Equity, Inclusion, & Innovation in Research
We foster a diverse and supportive research environment where students, faculty, and collaborators can thrive. Our research culture is intentionally inclusive, ensuring equitable access to resources, infrastructure, and opportunities for participation at all levels. We are committed to respectful engagement with Indigenous communities and to supporting research that recognizes Indigenous knowledge systems, addresses community priorities, and contributes to reconciliation. By nurturing talent, supporting collaboration, and encouraging creativity, we aim to build a research community that values diversity, drives innovation, and prepares future leaders to tackle complex problems with confidence and competence.
Actions:
- Lassonde will continue to provide resources to support our researchers in line with EDI principles. For example, using the EDI Seed Fund to support work/life balance for faculty members with family responsibilities, unique life events, and exceptional caregiving situations.
- Our researchers work to provide the best learning environment for our students and postdoctoral fellows/visitors. The Dean’s Office will collaborate with researchers to showcase our training environment and secure grants that will provide more opportunities for learners, such as NSERC CREATE, Mitacs, and NSERC Alliance grants. Each year, the CREATE programs at Lassonde host a joint conference for enrolled students. In 2025, all undergraduate students enrolled in the Lassonde Undergraduate Research Award (LURA) program were invited to attend, providing an opportunity for a broad set of undergraduate students to be exposed to a high-calibre conference.
- Our faculty are encouraged to collaborate with Lassonde’s k2i (kindergarten to industry) Academy or other organizations to benefit the wider community. The k2i Academy seeks to break down barriers to STEM in the K-12 system, empowering future engineers and scientists. Each summer, high school students who have opted out of physics participate in a summer research program with Lassonde faculty advisors, while also earning a physics credit. Researchers who can include youth engagement in their research grants are able to work with the k2i Academy to ensure maximum impact of their youth engagement activities.
Community & Partnerships
We work to build strong partnerships with industry, government, and community organizations to translate research into practical solutions. Our commitment to commercialization ensures that our innovations contribute to economic growth and societal well-being. Our partnerships with industry, government, and community organizations should address their unique challenges and, where possible, promote the development and commercialization of new technology. We believe in the principles of decolonization and respectful engagement with Indigenous communities, their knowledge, and traditions.
Actions:
- Lassonde will continue to work with partners across campus (e.g., ORUs, Faculties, Innovation York, SmartTO, and York International) and externally (e.g., Ontario Centre of Innovation, industry leaders, and international academic visitors) to facilitate partnerships.
- Lassonde will work to increase ORU activities by providing support for coordinators.
- Through YSpace Lassonde and York’s YSpace Network, Lassonde will strengthen pathways for faculty-led research, graduate innovation, and industry-aligned commercialization.