Welcome New Faculty 2023-24

The Faculty of Arts & Science is proud to introduce our newest faculty members.

This impressive cohort of outstanding scholars has joined A&S throughout the year from distinguished institutions around the world, representing excellence across the humanities, sciences and social sciences, and demonstrating the depth and breadth of scholarship within the faculty.

Each individual brings with them remarkable expertise across a diverse field of interests and specialties. From linguistic investigations into African languages to modelling the effect of extreme weather on climate change, and from voting behaviour and political representation to imbalances in couple and family relationships — among many other specialties — they are both leaders in their fields and leading the way in new areas of inquiry and instruction.

Through their commitments to research and teaching, Faculty of Arts & Science students, fellow faculty members, staff and the wider U of T community will benefit from their expertise, energy, enthusiasm, and the range of new perspectives they bring.

Many of the new faculty members are featured below. Read more to learn about their research and teaching.

Samuel Akinbo.

Samuel Akinbo

Assistant Professor, Department of Linguistics

Sophia Bello.

Sophia Bello

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of French

Neil Bennett.

Neil Bennett

Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences

Boris Braverman.

Boris Braverman

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics

Tristan Collins.

Tristan Collins

Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics

Sergio de la Barrera.

Sergio de la Barrera

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics

Jan Doering.

Jan Doering

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology

Erin Y. Huang.

Erin Y. Huang

Assistant Professor, Department of East Asian Studies

Kariuki Kirigia.

Kariuki Kirigia

Assistant Professor, School of the Environment and African Studies Centre, New College

Larissa Lai.

Larissa Lai

Professor and Richard Charles Lee Chair in Chinese Canadian Studies, Canadian Studies Program, University College and Department of English

Xiang Li.

Xiang Li

Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics

Wenlong Mou.

Wenlong Mou

Assistant Professor, Department of Statistical Sciences

Mark Nieman.

Mark Nieman

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and Trinity College

Izuu Nwankwo.

Izuu Nwankwọ

Assistant Professor, Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies

Morgan O'Neill.

Morgan O'Neill

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics

Tommaso Pavone.

Tommaso Pavone

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Sarah Peirce.

Sarah Peirce

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Geography & Planning

Joanna Pepin.

Joanna Pepin

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology

Bart Ripperda.

Bart Ripperda

Assistant Professor, Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics

Laurie Rousseau-Nepton.

Laurie Rousseau-Nepton

Assistant Professor, David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics

William Ryan.

William Ryan

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Psychology

Jeannette Sanchez-Naranjo.

Jeannette Sánchez-Naranjo

Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Spanish & Portuguese

Semra Sevi.

Semra Sevi

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Renée Trilling.

Renée Trilling

Professor and Angus Cameron Professor of Old English, Centre for Medieval Studies and Department of English

Alan Verskin.

Alan Verskin

Professor and Samuel J. Zacks Chair of Jewish History, Department of History and Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies

Ningning Xie.

Ningning Xie

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science

Leafia Ye.

Leafia Ye

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology