A celebration of Ideas, Impact and Collaboration at Smith

In November, Smith School of Business faculty and staff gathered at the Malting Tower in the Tett Centre for the second annual Smith Research Gala, a celebratory afternoon honouring the outstanding research achievements and scholarly contributions of the Smith community. Hosted by the Smith Research Office, the event brought colleagues together in a spirit of connection, appreciation, and shared pride in the breadth and impact of research taking place across the School.

Previous Next

The gala featured an engaging and convivial awards ceremony recognizing faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and students whose dedication, innovation, and collaboration have strengthened Smith's vibrant research culture. This year's awards spanned a wide range of contributions, from high-impact scholarship and community-facing research to exceptional outreach, mentorship, and service to the field.

Among the afternoon's highlights, the Impact Award was presented to two faculty members whose research has earned international recognition, including placement on Stanford's list of the top two percent of scientists worldwide. The Community Impact Award celebrated research that is directly improving healthcare delivery in Kingston and beyond, while the Outreach Awards recognized faculty whose work has reached broad public audiences through media, podcasts, and digital platforms. The event also honoured exceptional collaboration between faculty and students, leadership both within Smith and across scholarly disciplines, and the tireless behind-the-scenes contributions of staff who make research possible.

Further recognition was extended through awards celebrating master reviewers, energetic emeritus faculty, and a postdoctoral fellow whose work continues to make a meaningful impression both within Smith and in the wider academic community. The afternoon closed with the prestigious Awesome Year Award, recognizing two faculty members whose publication records over the past year have been nothing short of remarkable, with articles appearing in some of the most competitive and widely respected journals in their fields.

The Smith Research Gala has quickly become a cherished annual tradition, offering a rare and meaningful opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate the people and ideas driving Smith's research mission forward.