Black and Indigenous scholars will have new opportunities to advance their research thanks to a commitment of $388,000 to expand the prestigious AMTD Waterloo Global Talent Postdoctoral Fellowship Program.
Established by Dr. Calvin Choi (BA '01, LLD '21) and the AMTD Charity Foundation in 2019, the $3.4 million program supports emerging global leaders whose research has the potential to dramatically improve society and contribute positively to the world. The fellowship includes a $75,000 annual salary, plus additional funds to engage with communities inside and outside of academia.
The new gift will provide fellowships for Black and Indigenous scholars while supporting the University's commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism.
"We know that diversity fuels innovation," says Dr. Choi, founder and chair of the AMTD Charity Foundation. "By providing these additional fellowships, we aim to enrich Waterloo's renowned community of problem-solvers and drive game-changing solutions to the world's most urgent problems."
Dr. Anwar Jaber, 2021 AMTD Scholar, shares her research on the Beyond the Bulletin podcast.
A globally recognized entrepreneur and philanthropist, Dr. Choi graduated from Waterloo in 2001 with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in chartered accountancy studies. After many years of leadership in international finance and entrepreneurship, he developed a passion for the social impact disruptive technologies can provide. He and the AMTD Charity Foundation created the fellowship program at Waterloo to develop revolutionary talent.
AMTD Scholars are catalysts for social and economic change
From reproductive health to clean energy systems, AMTD Scholars work in areas of critical importance to humanity and the planet.
2020 Scholars
Oluwakemi (Kemi) Amodu, PhD (University of Alberta, Canada)
School of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Health
Dr. Amodu worked with supervisor Dr. Craig James on research which supported the accessibility of reproductive health resources for women in Nigeria who have been internally displaced due to terrorism. After completing the AMTD fellowship, Amodu secured a faculty position at the University of Alberta.
2021 Scholars
Anwar Jaber, PhD (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
School of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering
Dr. Jaber examined the role that architecture plays in cities facing political transitions and extreme conditions, focusing on museums that aim to address national narratives of war, memory, and violence; she was supervised by Dr. Robert Jan van Pelt. Upon completion of the AMTD appointment, Jaber obtained a faculty position at the University of Waterloo.
2022 Scholars
Jenna Gilchrist, PhD (University of Toronto, Canada)
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Dr. Gilchrist recently began her research on self-compassion and emotional adjustment among students transitioning to post-secondary education. She is supervised by Dr. Allison Kelly.
"The AMTD Scholars are making a profound impact on the world," says Nenone Donaldson, Vice-President, Advancement. "I'm deeply grateful to Calvin and the AMTD Charity Foundation for expanding the fellowship program to welcome more Black and Indigenous scholars. Their perspectives will accelerate innovation at Waterloo and generate a new wave of transformative research."
