By Shruthi Raghuraman, OIA Research Intern
Posted on May 5, 2026
McMaster University has long prioritized building meaningful partnerships around the world. Through the Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Grant, faculty have been able to connect with international colleagues, exchange ideas, and develop collaborations that extend beyond the classroom.
This grant, funded by Global Affairs Canada, was created to support these global connections and give faculty the opportunity to work directly with partner institutions, explore new research areas, and strengthen existing relationships. Each year, it helps bring together researchers, students, and communities across borders. This year, the grant supported several projects that highlight the depth and diversity of McMaster’s global partnerships.
In 2025-2026, three McMaster faculty members received this award and have recently concluded their trips:
Dr. Lydia Kapiriri’s project focused on healthcare priority setting, looking at how decisions are made about which health services and resources are prioritized. During her visit to Chile, she worked with partners at Universidad de San Sebastian and engaged closely with researchers and students. She shared approaches to health systems decision-making and supported ongoing research in this area. Her work also extended to other institutions, where she delivered guest talks and took part in roundtable discussions with faculty, students, and senior leaders across the academic and health sectors. The visit led to plans for joint publications and continued collaboration between McMaster and its partners in Chile.
Dr. Juliet Daniel* led a project addressing cancer disparities in breast, colon, and prostate cancer across the Caribbean. Her work took her across Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Bahamas, where she collaborated with partners at the University of the West Indies, the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and the University of The Bahamas. She spent time meeting with university leaders, researchers, and healthcare professionals, and connected with local cancer support organizations and community groups. Her work across the region included research meetings, international conferences, and cancer awareness workshops. In The Bahamas, she was invited to return to share her research and lead future workshops with local communities.
Dr. Geraldina Polanco’s work focused on partnership building and global knowledge mobilization in the context of migration and deportation. Working with collaborators at the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas in El Salvador (UCA, El Salvador), she led community-based research on the experiences of deportees, including elderly and rural populations. Dr. Polanco worked closely with community organizations, two faculty collaborators and local students to collect and analyze data, while supporting local research and teaching initiatives. She also organized an international conference at the UCA, El Salvador that brought together academics, migrant-serving organizations, healthcare providers, and policy stakeholders from six countries. The event created space for discussion on shifting immigration policies and their impact across the region. Continued partnership efforts include conference proceedings, a joint-publication, and coordinating a virtual meeting space for continued intersectoral knowledge exchange of current migration challenges in the region.
Building on this work, McMaster is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026–2027 Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Grant. This year’s recipients will continue to expand McMaster’s global partnerships through new collaborations in Chile.
Dr. Victor Kuperman, Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Languages and Director of the Reading Lab at McMaster University, will lead a project in Chile focused on improving literacy through research on reading and language processing, with the goal of supporting literacy and language learning. Working with partners at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, his project explores how students learn to read in different languages and aims to develop evidence-based educational materials for both Spanish and English learners. His work will also include teaching and collaboration with students and faculty at the partner institution.
Dr. Rodrigo Narro Pérez, Assistant Professor in the School of Earth, Environment and Society, will lead a project in Chile focused on geomorphological research in coastal and glacial environments. Working with partners at Universidad Andrés Bello, his work will involve field-based research to better understand landscape changes driven by climate change, including glacier retreat and coastal instability. His project also includes teaching and knowledge exchange through workshops and participation in a major geological conference.
The Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Grant is an annual opportunity that supports McMaster faculty in developing and strengthening international partnerships. Funded through Global Affairs Canada’s Academic Relations Program, the grant enables short-term research and teaching collaborations with institutions across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Faculty members interested in applying can learn more through the McMaster Global website or by contacting the Office of International Affairs at oia@mcmaster.ca
* McMaster University is mourning the loss of Distinguished University Professor and proud Barbadian-Canadian Juliet Daniel. In addition to being a distinguished University professor, a groundbreaking cancer biologist, and a dedicated mentor and tireless community advocate, Juliet worked tirelessly to build bridges across borders and to champion McMaster’s global engagement efforts. Your legacy will live on, Juliet!
Source: McMaster Global