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Day 2 of the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) 2026 brings together research that challenges how we think about education, equity, and representation across global and local contexts. Among the many engaging sessions, 3 presentations stand out for their timely questions and powerful perspectives.

Within the latest newsletter you’ll find research highlights, a powerful recap of our Summer Institute in Ghana, and updates on community initiatives grounded in justice, anti-racism, and care.

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Day 1 of the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Graduate Student Research Conference (GSRC) 2026 is packed with innovative scholarship, critical conversations, and bold reimaginings of education’s role in an increasingly complex world. With so many compelling presentations to choose from, narrowing it down is no easy task. Still, three sessions in particular caught my eye for the urgency of their questions, the depth of their analysis, and the hope they offer for the future of education.

As we continue to reflect on this year’s conference theme, Generative Hope: Possibilities in Education Research, we sat down with faculty and staff from the School of the Environment at the University of Toronto ahead of their upcoming panel discussion to hear their thoughts. In advance of their Sustainability Thinking Exhibition themed, Navigating the Planetary Crisis through the Arts: The University and the Polycrisis, they offered reflections on sustainability and on the role of the university in a time marked by interconnected global crises.

Excerpt: "Children’s experiences during early years form the foundation for their development. For many children in Canada and across the globe, these early experiences include substantial exposure to early learning and child care. And government investments in early learning and care in Canada and elsewhere have increased dramatically. Research has shown that exposure to high-quality early learning and care is associated with positive outcomes for children — and these associations are strongest for children from families with fewer resources, including lower incomes."

Dr. Tanya Titchkosky recounts Dr. Elaine Cagulada’s February 2026 poetry reading, NEDA: Words for My Darling.

Four SJE alumni will convene for the Social Justice Education Alumni Career Panel on March 9 to speak to students, representing life after PhD and EdD.

Disability Salon Spotlight Series Winter/Spring 2026 showcases SJE student research, creativity, and critical disability work.

CIARS newsletter Rooted and Rising is now available; registration is still open for the 13th Decolonizing Conference (March 12–14, 2026).

SJE Assistant Professor Lucy El-Sherif publishes article "Dabke Is Better Than a Thousand Lectures Against Islamophobia" in Meridians and presents at UOttawa.