Between April and November 2026, three scholars will each spend a month at CMS through the Bridging Divides Scholar Exchange Program, reinforcing collaboration across partner universities.
Learn more about their research and join us in extending a warm welcome.
Maxime Coulombe
Research Associate, Concordia University | Senior Researcher, Institute for Research on Migration and Society, Concordia University
April 6 – May 1, 2026
Maxime Coulombe is an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the Concordia University Political Science Department and a Research Associate with the Migrant Integration in the Mid-21st Century: Bridging Divides research program and the Institute for Research on Migration and Society (IRMS).
During his research stay, he will work on projects examining public opinion on the government’s use of artificial intelligence in public services and in immigrants’ visa applications, as well as on projects analyzing how accent, skin colour, and gender shape perceptions of who is seen as legitimate to critique society. He also aims to establish new connections and develop collaborations.
Émile Baril
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Research on Migration and Society, Concordia University
July – August 2026
Émile Baril is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Research on Migration and Society (IRMS) at Concordia University. His research examines the intersections of migration, urban labour, and the platform economy, with a focus on the working conditions of migrant workers in industries such as food delivery and trucking.
During his research stay, he will conduct fieldwork in the Vancouver metro area, interviewing migrant truck drivers and key industry actors to extend his study of precarious migrant labour in Canada’s trucking sector beyond Montreal and Toronto. He will also collaborate with Prof. Suzanne Huot and Dr. María Cervantes on the Managing Occupational Balance in Platform and Remote Work project.
Sara Hormozinejad
PhD Candidate, University of Toronto
September – November 2026
Sara Hormozinejad is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Toronto and a researcher with the Migrant Integration in the Mid-21st Century: Bridging Divides research program, based at Toronto Metropolitan University. Her project examines how naturalized citizens and eligible permanent residents in Canada understand citizenship, comparing the perspectives and experiences of those who choose to naturalize with those who opt out.
During her research stay, she will collaborate closely with Dr. Vince Hopkins and his team on the Individual and Structural Barriers to Citizenship Acquisition project, to integrate qualitative findings from TMU with quantitative UBC-based workstreams, co-author publications, and prepare joint conference presentations. Additional planned activities include research consultations with CMS co-directors to refine theoretical frameworks and presenting at seminars for peer feedback.
About the Bridging Divides Scholar Exchange
The Bridging Divides Scholar Exchange supports short-term research visits among partner universities in the Bridging Divides network: the University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Concordia University.
The Fellowship is open to PhD students and early career scholars (including postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and assistant professors). Each Fellow spends one month at one of the partner universities to collaborate on research, exchange ideas, and strengthen academic and civil society networks across institutions.
