By now, you may have read about the late Nadia Chaudhri, a Concordia psychology professor and neuroscientist who, faced with her own terminal diagnosis, shed light on the need for additional ovarian cancer research.
Nadia rallied thousands of people around the world to support the next generation of students from diverse backgrounds at Concordia. Harnessing the power of social media, she chronicled her last months and united a community of 150,000 — predominantly strangers — behind her cause.
Her journey was covered by multiple media outlets — her teachable moments resonated with many beyond our own community. Nadia and, sadly, many others — faculty members, alumni and donors — have passed over the recent months, as you’ll see in the In Memoriam section. Like Nadia, they all left a mark on their respective communities.
In both good times and bad, we lean on those around us for a sense of solace, understanding and belonging. And it’s through the power of community that we’re able to chart a path forward.
As we close in on another 12 months affected by COVID-19, I reflect on my first year as editor and thank all of you who took the time to share your feedback and news with me. Near or far, we’ve forged ahead together — a reminder that there is strength in numbers. Community makes us stronger.
Despite the challenges, I hope you share my pride in the collective successes of our fellow Concordians. That includes the next-gen research happening at the university and out in the field. This issue highlights the cutting-edge work being done to improve health care with the help of machine learning; Concordians navigating the booming commercial and residential real-estate market; and how talented cinema grads are contributing to the film industry at home and abroad. You’ll also learn about a range of inspiring alumni on our latest Top 50 Under 50 Shaping Tomorrow list.
Our editorial team is pleased to welcome back Louise Morgan, GrDip 99, who returns from maternity leave to serve as associate editor alongside Ian Harrison, BComm 01, as of our first issue in 2022. Additionally in the new year, Concordia will be hosting its first in-person convocation ceremonies since the pandemic began. I’m delighted to know that our recent grads can properly cap their student journeys with a celebration among their community of alumni.
Finally, our next issue will be published in winter/spring 2022. Like many organizations, we’ve been forced by the pandemic to rethink the way we conduct our day-to-day business. As a result, we will be distributing a smaller number of magazines for subsequent issues as of the new year. Should you prefer to read our stories online — or be communicated with in another way — I would love to hear from you.
As we head into the holidays and gather once again with our communities of friends, colleagues and loved ones, I wish you all a happy and healthy festive season — and all the best for 2022.