Announcing the 2026/2027 Syme award recipients

At the Institute for Work & Health, supporting the next generation of work and health researchers is a key part of its commitment to strengthen Ontario’s and Canada’s work and health research ecosystem. That’s why every year, the Institute is pleased to announce a new group of S. Leonard Syme Research Training Award recipients. The 2026/2027 Syme award recipients are: Kara Polson, Abbey Davis, Arka Roy and Liane Steiner.

Kara Polson is a PhD candidate in health sciences at Lakehead University. Her thesis title is, “Organizational culture, climate and mental well-being among workers in Northwestern Ontario: A three-stage dissertation proposal.” Abbey Davis is a PhD candidate in Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo. Her thesis is titled, “Prolonging the work ability of older workers in physically demanding jobs in the Ontario manufacturing industry with a gendered analytic lens.” 

Arka Roy and Liane Steiner are both PhD candidates at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Roy’s PhD is in social and behavioural health sciences; his thesis is titled, “Impact of artificial intelligence and emerging workplace technologies on worker health and equity.” Steiner’s PhD is in epidemiology; her thesis is titled, “Exploring the association between precarious employment and mortality across the working life course.”

The Syme awards were established in 2002 to recognize Dr. S. Leonard Syme's contributions to IWH as chair of its Scientific Advisory Committee from 1995 to 2002. The awards are intended to support early-career researchers at the master's or doctoral level intending to study work and health. During the 12-month award term, the fellows will be invited to join IWH’s early career training group, and to participate in other aspects of academic life at the Institute like the IWH Speaker Series. Congratulations to the new Syme recipients!