Dr. James Currie, Provost and Vice-President, Academic is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Christopher Storie as Director of the Institute of Urban Studies at The University of Winnipeg for a three-year term starting July 1, 2019. Storie is a faculty member and Chair in the Department of Geography whose research interests include: informal settlement mapping and urban structure, as well as automated detection of urban-rural fringe areas.
Established in 1969, the Institute of Urban Studies (IUS) is a research arm of The University of Winnipeg. Celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year, IUS has been both an academic and an applied research centre, committed to examining urban development issues in a broad, non-partisan manner. The Institute examines inner-city, environmental, Indigenous and community development issues. In addition to its ongoing involvement in research, IUS brings in visiting scholars; hosts workshops, seminars, and conferences; and acts in partnership with other organizations in the community to effect positive change.
Dr. Jino Distasio, who is Vice-President of Research and Innovation at UWinnipeg, has been with IUS since 2000 and served as Director of IUS since 2003. Previous directors included Tom Carter, Ed Cloutis, Phil Cyrenne, Mary Ann Beavis, Brijesh Mathur, Alan Artibise, Christine McKee, and founding director Lloyd Axworthy.
The focus of IUS research since 2000 has been on housing, homelessness, and broad urban issues. Over this time period, the Institute has led many multi-city studies — including the largest study of mental health of homelessness to be conducted in Canada. The At Home Chez Soi project was a $110-million dollar landmark project that significantly influenced national policy on housing and homelessness. In addition, IUS continued to support local efforts in Manitoba and Canada.
“On behalf of the UWinnipeg community, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Dr. Storie and wish him much success in his new role at IUS,” said Currie. “We are grateful to Dr. Distasio for his exceptional leadership, vision, and hard work at IUS. During the last 14 years his efforts have drawn important attention to the pressing urban issues of homelessness, housing, and community planning.”
Learn more about the Institute of Urban Studies at uwinnipeg.ca/ius.
