Michael John Long
Seeking adventure and refuge in Simcoe and Muskoka counties has inspired Michael’s environmental education and communication work. His academic and teaching practice is within the interdisciplinary environmental humanities, drawing on global environmental law and politics, environmental documentary film, environmental ethics, and overlapping with social sciences in fields of human geography.
Michael teaches as a Contract Faculty Professor at George Brown College and he is also the Faculty Advisor to the student Sustainability Squad at GBC.
In the community, Michael works on the programming team at Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival.
He has published book chapters, articles, open educational resources, and interviews about education, environment, and documentary film.
Michael is the recipient of multiple teaching awards, and most recently the 2023 President’s Award for Academic Leadership from GBC. He studied at York University and Osgoode Hall Law School where he completed the Master of Environmental Studies and Master of Laws, respectively.
Shital Desai
Dr. Shital Desai, an esteemed Assistant Professor in Interaction Design at York University’s School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design, and York Research Chair in Accessible Interaction Design, orchestrates the innovative Social and Technological Systems (SaTS) lab, supported by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.
With a vibrant career spanning nearly 30 years, her expertise bridges industry and academia, focusing on accessible technologies and services that champion the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially in health and well-being. Her pioneering research efforts are dedicated to creating assistive technologies for vulnerable populations, including seniors and individuals with dementia, utilizing human-centered and systems design methodologies. A committed member of the WHO Dementia Knowledge Exchange, Dr. Desai contributes to strengthening global health policies and care systems.
Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the NSERC Discovery, CFI, the AMPD Research award, and the Petro Canada Young Innovator Award, showcasing her commitment to innovation in accessible design and her significant impact on improving lives through design research methods.
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