Our Vision
Our vision is a world where public safety and well-being are driven by the mastery of risk, laying the foundation for a resilient, sustainable, and equitable future. By fostering education, driving innovation, and forming strong partnerships across sectors, we envision a society empowered to navigate and thrive in an increasingly complex world.
Our Mission
Our mission is to create and share interdisciplinary knowledge to advance public safety and well-being through the field of Risk Management and Insurance. We are dedicated to developing innovative education and training programs that empower individuals to navigate and master the complexities of risk. With world-class research expertise and a unique position in Risk Management and Insurance, we are committed to producing transformative scientific research and ensuring its practical application for the public good.
Our Research
RISC is a preeminent source of high-quality transformational interdisciplinary research on bold problems of today's financial and non-financial Risk Management and Insurance. Specifically, examples of our research threads are: systemic risk management and governance; risk engineering of natural disasters; decision making and human behaviour under risk; numerico-analytical methods in risk management; climate risk; operational risk; risk in real estate; sustainable development goals risk research; stochastic dependence modeling, among many other research threads.
>$10 M in research grant cash from NSERC, SSHRC, IHR, MITACS, SoA, CAS, Spencer Educational Foundation, eCampus Ontario, CEWIL Canada, among other funders.
We are routinely ranked top in North America and globally with respect to the number of publications in leading scholarly actuarial science journals by top global research rankings.
RISC Scholars come from the best Canadian Universities, four of which are among the top ten Canadian Universities in the QS World University Ranking.
Our Team
Alexey Kuznetsov
RISC Principal Scholar, Mathematics, York University
Numerico-Analytical Methods Lead
akuznets@yorku.ca
Barbara Bellissimo, FCIP, is the President and CEO of HSB Canada, a specialty insurer within the Munich Re Group. A transformative leader, she has excelled in senior roles at Desjardins and State Farm Canada, notably instrumental in the successful integration of State Farm Canada into Desjardins. Her governance experience includes serving on boards like the Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, and currently, she is a board member of Sienna Senior Living. A passionate advocate for insurance education, Barbara developed and taught a course at York University, “Principles of Risk Management and Insurance”. She is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP), a University of Western Ontario graduate, and a recipient of the Government of Ontario Community Service Award. Barbara’s commitment to leadership and education has significantly contributed to the development of industry professionals.
Colin M. Ramsay, Ph.D., is E.J. Faulkner College Professor of Actuarial Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He obtained his B.S. degree (1979) in actuarial science from City University, England and his Ph.D. (1984) in statistics/actuarial science from University of Waterloo, Canada. From 1984 to 1986 he was an Assistant Professor at University of Western Ontario, Canada. In 1986 he joined the actuarial science program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 1993 he was appointed Full Professor of Actuarial Science. From 1993 to 2006 Professor Ramsay was Editor-In-Chief of Journal of Actuarial Practice. Professor Ramsay’s current research interests mainly focus on the annuity puzzle and long-term care insurance, as well as developing mortality tables and models for the Caribbean’s CARICOM region.
Cristie Ford
RISC Principal Scholar, Law, University of British Columbia
Systemic Risk Regulation Lead
ford@allard.ubc.caCristie Ford, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of Law at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on regulation and governance in Canadian, American, and international finance and securities regulation as well as on access to justice and governance of the legal profession. Professor Ford has published extensively in leading academic journals and handbooks, and written two books: Innovation and the State: Finance, Regulation, and Justice (Cambridge University Press: 2017); and Canadian Securities Regulation (5th ed.) (LexisNexis: 2014), co-authored with the Right Honorable David Johnston and Kathleen Rockwell.
Dani Bauer is the Senior Associate Dean for Programs at the Wisconsin School of Business and the Hickman-Larson Chair in Actuarial Science in the Department of Risk and Insurance. Dani’s research publishes in leading journals in actuarial science, economics, finance, management, and statistics, and he has served on the editorial boards of leading journals in actuarial science and risk management. He has taught classes in actuarial science, quantitative finance, risk management, data analytics, and machine learning. He has served as an expert on insurance and insurance-linked investments for the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and several large insurance companies. Dani earned his MS in Statistics from San Diego State University and his PhD in Mathematics from Ulm University. Prior to joining the faculty at UW-Madison, Dani was the Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company Endowed Chair in Actuarial Science and Risk Management at Culverhouse College of Commerce at the University of Alabama and Robert W. Batten Chair in Actuarial Science at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.
Dirk Matten, Ph.D., is a Full Professor at the Schulich School of Business where he holds the Hewlett-Packard Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility CSR). Professor Matten’s areas of expertise are responsible business, strategic management, policy and sustainability. He has published 29 books and edited volumes as well as more than 90 journal articles and book chapters, which have won numerous prestigious awards, including the prestigious Academy of Management Review Paper of the Decade Award in 2018. In the same year, Professor Matten was ranked #44 in the ‘Top 100 Corporate Social Responsibility Influence Leader’ ranking, next to CEOs and CSR leaders of Unilever, Google, Apple etc.
Dr. Li is an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University. He received his PhD in actuarial science from the University of Waterloo in 2017. His expertise lies in stochastic optimization and its application in the fields of insurance, finance, and economics. Dr. Li is also an Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA).
Douglas Steele, FLMI, HIA, is an Honorary Director at the Risk and Insurance Studies Centre and a seasoned reinsurance intermediary with over four decades of experience in the industry. As Executive Vice President at Gallagher Re, Douglas leads growth initiatives across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, specializing in Life, Accident, Disability, and Health Reinsurance. He has been instrumental in developing customized reinsurance solutions and fostering strategic partnerships to address the evolving risk management needs of diverse insurance entities. Douglas began his career with Swiss Re in 1979, serving as Vice President in Toronto for 11 years. He later held senior leadership positions at Munich Re and Reinsurance Group of America, where he gained extensive experience managing complex reinsurance portfolios and delivering client-focused solutions. With over 40 years of leadership, Douglas continues to demonstrate his dedication to excellence and innovation in reinsurance. He is also a member of the Hatlen Leadership Circle at MICC, supporting education and independence for autistic and neurodivergent adults.
Edward Furman
Executive Chairman, Director (Ex Officio, Non-Voting)
Founding Director of RISC
efurman@therisc.caEdward Furman, PhD, is an award-winning scholar in Insurance and Quantitative Risk Management, an accomplished university educator, academic leader, and non-profit executive. His recent work examines systemic risk and dependence modelling in areas such as climate, cyber, and financial domains, advancing understanding of interconnected global risks. He has authored and co-authored more than forty academic papers. In 2018, Dr. Furman founded the Actuarial Science program at York University, where he is a Full Professor and Program Director. Under his leadership, the program was designated a Centre of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries — the highest recognition available to actuarial programs globally. In 2023, he co-founded the RISC Foundation to equip society to face risk with resilience and shape a sustainable future.
Dr. Fan Yang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Waterloo. Her research focuses on quantitative risk management and actuarial science, with expertise in extreme value theory, asymptotic analysis of rare events, risk aggregation and risk measures, and heavy-tailed distributions under dependence.
She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematical and Computational Sciences from the University of Iowa, an MS in Mathematics from the University of Iowa, and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Computational Mathematics and International Economics and Trade from Xi’an Jiaotong University.
George Georgopoulos, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Economics at York University. Professor Georgopoulos’ research interests lie in monetary economics and international money and finance. His academic honours include being nominated for the Excellence Award in Teaching at the Schulich School of Business, and wining the Professor of the Year Teaching Award in the Division of Management at the University of Toronto at Scarborough, and the Atkinson Teaching Award at Atkinson Faculty, York University.
Harry Joe
RISC Principal Scholar, Statistics, University of British Columbia
Dependence Modeling Lead
harry@stat.ubc.caHarry Joe, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of British Columbia and a top world authority in (tail) dependence modeling, where he has published 3 ‘go-to’ monographs, more than 130 papers, and was awarded the Canadian Statistical Society’s highest accolade, the gold medal. Professor Joe and has led many academia-industry partnerships.
Henry M. Kim
RISC Principal Scholar, Operations Management and Information Systems, York University
Henry M. Kim
RISC Principal Scholar, Operations Management and Information Systems, York University
Block Chain Technology and Cryptocurrency Lead
hmkim@yorku.caHenry Kim, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the Schulich School of Business, York University, co-founder of blockchain.lab and one of the most prominent blockchain academics in Canada. He has authored more than 30 publications in venues such as IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management and IEEE Computer on blockchain-related topics ranging from cryptocurrencies, agriculture, electricity microgrids, supply chain management, and payment systems; attracted significant research funding (e.g., he is the Co-Lead on a $525,000 research project on “Digital Currencies” that is engaging academia, Bank of Canada, financial institutions, and startups to investigate Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), cryptocurrencies, and blockchain); engaged in research projects with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, The United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and E-Business (UN/CEFACT), Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Standards Council of Canada, Don Tapscott’s Blockchain Research Institute, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the US.
Huaiping Zhu
RISC Principal Scholar, Mathematics, York University
Dynamical Systems Lead
huaiping@YORKU.CAHuaiping Zhu, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Tier 1 University Research Chair at York University, Director of Laboratory of Mathematical Parallel Systems, Director of the Canadian Centre for Diseases Modeling and, also, Director of the One Health Modeling Network for Emerging Infections. Professor Zhu has published more than 100 academic publications, secured significant (tri-council) funding, and trained numerous research personnel.
Ida Ferrara, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at York University. Professor Ferrara’s research interests center around the application of the qualitative and quantitative tools of economics to address micro questions that have the potential for significant social impact. These questions typically involve the design of policy instruments, the efficacy and efficiency of which hinge upon the depth and comprehensiveness of our understanding of the decision mechanisms in the policy targeted areas. Professor Ferrara is an experienced EDI-focused team-executor who has had proven governance success across all university layers.
Janani Ganapathi Iyer, Ph.D., leads RISC’s Education, Training and Collaborations division, overseeing the design and delivery of high-impact programs that strengthen educational ecosystems and workforce readiness. She drives funding efforts and strategic alliances with industry, community, and educational institutions to fuel growth and educational excellence. Her career spans roles across academia, industry, and multilateral organizations, including the United Nations Capital Development Fund, (UNCDF), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and European Broadcasting Union (EBU), amongst others, where she contributed to advancing cutting-edge research initiatives, large-scale academic programs, and international collaborations that bridge sectors and disciplines. Specializing in Learning and Teaching Development, with professional experience spanning Switzerland, Australia, India, and Canada, she is deeply committed to advancing inclusive educational outcomes, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, and ensuring that programs are aligned with the evolving demands of diverse learners, the workforce and global priorities.
Jane Heffernan
RISC Principal Scholar, Mathematics, York University
Disease Modeling Lead
jmheffer@yorku.caJane Marie Heffernan, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Tier 2 University Research Chair in Multi-Scale Quantitative Methods for Evidence-Based Health Policy at York University, Director of the Centre for Disease Modeling and, also, on the board of directors of the Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society. Professor Heffernan’s research focuses on understanding the spread and persistence of infectious diseases. Professor Heffernan’s research achievements have won numerous accolades, including the recent election to the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.
Jianxi Su, Ph.D., FSA, ACIA, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistics, Purdue University and Director of Actuarial Science therein. Professor Su’s research interests are: actuarial Mathematics (risk measures, risk decomposition techniques, premium principles); probability theory (multivariate families of distributions, (tail) dependence, copulas); statistical inference in actuarial and financial mathematics. He has published extensively in top-tier actuarial science journals, and his research has drawn considerable funding from the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Jingyi Cao, Ph.D., ASA, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University. Professor Cao’s research focuses on stochastic optimal control problems in insurance, including optimal reinsurance with contagious claims, model risks, and the demand for life insurance and annuities. She was recognized as a James C. Hickman Scholar by the Society of Actuaries.
Karina Darminto, M.A., is a Program Coordinator at RISC, where she manages two flagship Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs that connect academia and industry. Her work strengthens experiential learning pathways and advances knowledge mobilization for students from undergraduate to doctoral levels. Karina also leads RISC’s Virtual Reality (VR) initiatives, integrating immersive technology into diverse educational contexts for both university and high school students across Canada. She holds a Master’s in Communication and Culture from York University. During her undergraduate years in Japan, she founded a non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating period poverty in a rural Japanese campus, which received the “Social Contribution Award”.
Kee-Hong Bae
RISC Principal Scholar, Finance, York University
Finance Globalization Lead
kbae@schulich.yorku.caKee-Hong Bae, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of finance and Bob Finlayson Chair in International Finance at the Schulich School of Business at York University. Professor Bae’s research focuses on international finance. Research topics include financial globalization, home bias, and international corporate finance and corporate governance. He has published numerous research articles in top finance/accounting/management journals including Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of Business, Accounting Review, and Journal of International Business Studies. Professor Bae serves on the editorial board of several journals including the Pacific Basin Finance Journal, and the International Review of Finance.
Kerry Kawakami
RISC Principal Scholar, Psychology, York University
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Lead
kerrykawakami@gmail.comKerry Kawakami, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University, where she is also Walter Gordon Research Tier I Chair in Equity and Diversity. In her research, Professor Kawakami investigates a variety of social categorization processes using a diversity of methods, with some of the main issues examined are how we perceive people from different social groups, how we react to intergroup bias, and strategies to reduce prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination.
Kevin Dougherty, ICD.D, MBA, is an Honorary Director of the Risk and Insurance Studies Centre and the former President of Sun Life Financial Canada. With over 40 years of experience in insurance and asset management, Kevin spent 25 years at Sun Life, holding numerous senior leadership roles. His positions included leading Group and Retirement Services for 5 years, serving as President of Sun Life Global Investments for 2 years, Executive Vice President of Innovation and Partnerships for 2 years, and President of Sun Life Canada for 12 years. Kevin is also an Advisory Board Member with The Group Ventures and leads KPD Advisory Services Inc., where he works with fintech, insurtech, and healthtech companies, including Optimity, ISI International, Wealthsimple, Inshurek, BeniPlus, and Private Capital Group Solutions. He also serves on the RGA Canada Board and as an Honorary Member of the Board of Governors of Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall, and mentors MBA students at the Rotman School of Management.
Maia Le is RISC’s Event and Communications Coordinator. With years of experience in event management and communications, Maia has a strong background in organizing and executing successful events and crafting efficient communications strategies. She has organized successful events, bringing together industry and academic professionals to foster meaningful connections. Her main responsibilities at RISC include managing all aspects of event planning, venue booking, catering, and marketing campaigns.
Mary Condon
RISC Principal Scholar, Law, York University
Pension Regulation Lead
mcondon@osgoode.yorku.csMary Condon, SJD, is a Full Professor and Dean at the Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. Professor Condon’s research interests are focused primarily on the regulation of securities markets, investment funds, online investing and pensions. She is co-author of Business Organizations: Practice, Theory and Emerging Challenges (with Robert Yalden, Janis Sarra, Paul Paton, Mark Gillen, Carol Liao, Michael Deturbide, Mohamed Khimji, Bradley Bryan and Gary Campo). She is co-author of Securities Law in Canada: Cases and Commentary (with Anita Anand, Janis Sarra and Sarah Bradley), [3rd edition, 2017]. She is the author of Making Disclosure: Ideas and Interests in Ontario Securities Regulation (UTP). She has also written articles, book chapters and policy papers on topics related to securities regulation and pensions policy and has given invited lectures on these topics in Canada and internationally. Professor Condon was appointed by the Ontario Government as Commissioner and Board member of the Ontario Securities Commission. In 2018, she was named one of the top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada (Public Sector Category).
Michael J. McCord is one of the world’s leading microinsurance experts. His decades of experience include working as controller of a U.S. commercial bank, chief executive officer of a microfinance institution in Uganda, and regional director for microfinance programs in Africa with FINCA International. In 2000, he founded the MicroInsurance Centre at Milliman (MIC@M), a global leader dedicated to expanding access to risk management solutions for low-income populations. Michael has led projects in more than 80 countries, focusing on climate risk, agriculture, and financial resilience for underserved clients. Michael is a founding member of the Microinsurance Network, and a member of the steering committee for the Munich Re Foundation / Microinsurance Network annual conference on inclusive insurance. He is a current member of the United Nations Capital Development Fund’s (UNCDF) Climate Insurance Linked Resilient Infrastructure Finance (CILRIF) Working Group and the Insurance Development Forum’s (IDF) Inclusive Insurance Working Group. Michael also serves on the Editorial Board of the Bangladesh Insurance Journal.
Niushan Gao, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Ryerson University. In his research, Professor Gao’s research interests lie in quantitative risk and investment management.
Olaf Weber is a Professor at the Schulich School of Business where he holds the CIBC Chair in Sustainable Finance. He is a Senior Fellow of CIGI and an adjunct professor at the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) at the University of Waterloo.
Perry Sadorsky
RISC Principal Scholar, Business, York University
Energy Markets Lead
psadorsky@schulich.yorku.caPerry Sadorsky, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of Sustainability and Economics at the Schulich School of Business, York University. His research concerns business issues related to energy, the natural environment and financial markets. He has an interest in technology, innovation, and machine learning. Current research topics include: energy usage in developed and developing economies; energy markets, financial markets and the economy, energy trading and risk management; innovation, business performance and sustainability; machine learning applications in business
Ricardas Zitikis
Statistics, Western University
Quantitative Risk Assessment Lead
zitikis@stats.uwo.caRicardas Zitikis, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences at Western University.
Professor Zitikis has (co)-authored over 130 publications on risk modeling and assessment, with the paper on weighted risk capital allocations awarded the prestigious Fortis Chair Prize of K.U. Leuven. Professor Zitikis has a strong record of funding from all of Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada; Society of Actuaries; Casualty Actuarial Society; the Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems.
Ron Davis has more than 40 years of business experience dealing with many of the world’s largest multi-national companies through various leadership roles in Europe, Canada and the United States. Ron was most recently Executive Vice President, Global Head of Customer Management, with Zurich Insurance, and retired in January 2025 after being with Zurich for 25 years. He started his career with Factory Mutual Insurance Company in a customer management role and then led country operations in Canada and a number of European countries. Ron is a Distinguished Advisor for the Strategic Account Management Association, and continues to be on the Executive Committee of SAMA’s Board of Directors. Ron was on the Board of Directors of the Spencer Educational Foundation for many years, including being Chairman. He is a member of the David Rockefeller Fellows Program Alumni Committee, which is associated with the Partnership for New York City. Ron holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Ottawa’s Carleton University, as well as an MBA from Concordia University in Montreal. He’s also an award-winning photographer (Website: www.rondavis.ca ).
Satinder K. Brar
RISC Principal Scholar, Civil Engineering, York University
Environmental Engineering Lead
Satinder.Brar@lassonde.yorku.caSatinder K. Brar, Ph.D., is a Full Professor of Civil Engineering and James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering and a nationally and internationally recognized researcher with exceptional expertise in the two converging fields of value-addition of wastes and removal of emerging contaminants. Her research has transcended frontiers and is now adapted all around the world. Many national and international awards and honors have been bestowed on Professor Brar and her team with some examples being: the 2021 best theoretical paper award by the Environmental & Water Resources Institute; the 2019 International Woman Research Award by Science for Technology and Environment; the 2019 Eddy Principles/Processes Wastewater Medal of the Water Environment Federation; the prestigious American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) Rudolf Gold Medal of Original and Meritorious Research in 2018; the ASCE State-of-the-Art of Civil Engineering Award in 2007 and 2017, among many others. Professor Brar was elected as a member of the college of science, culture, and arts of the Royal Society of Canada in 2014.
Shahen is a Ph.D. candidate in Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University. Prior to that, he completed his M.A. (Statistics) and BSc. (Hons. Dbl. Major – Pure Mathematics and Computer Science), also from York University. Shahen has also completed exams offered by the Society of Actuaries/Casualty Actuarial Society and hopes to eventually qualify as an actuary. At RISC, Shahen has been responsible for internal compliance matters, drafting and reviewing contracts with third parties and general risk management advice/oversight regarding operations. To perform these tasks, Shahen routinely draws from his legal background in Ontario courts and with Ontario legal matters.
Shamira, M.Sc. (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Post-Graduate Diploma in Project Management (University of Toronto), is an experienced financial and research operations professional. Before joining RISC as Payroll and Financial Manager, she served as Research Officer at the Canada Gairdner Foundation, leading key processes for the Canada Gairdner International Prizes and supporting national and international research excellence.
Shayna Rosenbaum, Ph.D., is a Full Professor and University Research Chair in the Department of Psychology at York University; she is also an Associate Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest. Professor Rosenbaum has published extensively on the topics of memory and decision-making, and has received awards for her neuroimaging and patient research, including a Sloan Research Fellowship and early career awards from the Canadian Association for Neuroscience, Canadian Society for Brain Behaviour and Cognitive Science and International Neuropsychological Society. Her research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. She is an elected member of the Royal Society of Canada College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists and a past member of the Board of Trustees of the Ontario Science Centre.
Sheldon Lin received his PhD in Mathematics from the University of Alberta and his MMath in Actuarial Science from the University of Waterloo. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto from 1993 to 1997 and an Associate Professor at the University of Iowa from 1997 to 2000. He returned to the University of Toronto in 2001 and has been Professor of Actuarial Science in the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Toronto since 2002. He has been an Associate of the Society of Actuaries since 1993 and an Associate of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries since 2014. He currently serves as an Editor for Insurance: Mathematics and Economics. He was on the editorial board of Management Science (Finance Section) and a Co-Editor of the North American Actuarial Journal. His recent research has been on data-driven modelling for insurance rate-making and risk management. The research aims to develop new and implementable methodology and technologies for insurance.
Silvana Pesenti
RISC Senior Scholar, Insurance Risk Management, University of Toronto
silvana.pesenti@utoronto.caSilvana Pesenti, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor, Insurance Risk Management, at the University of Toronto’s Department of Statistical Sciences. Professor Pesenti is an expertin dependence modeling and risk measurement. She is the 2022 Rising Star in Quantitative Finance (risk.net) and received the Peter Clark Best Paper Prize and D. Shoichet Women Faculty Excellence Award.
Stavroula Pantazopoulou
RISC Principal Scholar, Civil Engineering, York University
Seismic Engineering
pantazo@yorku.caStavroula Pantazopoulou, Ph.D., is a Full Professor at York University in the Lassonde School of Engineering. Her area of expertise is Structural Mechanics and Earthquake Engineering with particular emphasis in Performance-Based Engineering. She is conducting research in the development of strain-resilient cementitious materials for corrosion-resistant durable retrofits but also as an opportunity for the development of novel structural designs that reduce the required amounts of confining and shear reinforcement with no compromise on ductility. In this direction, she is exploring the use of nanomaterials in construction and the exploitation of industrial waste in concrete. In 2004, she was elected as a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute and is the recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineering’s Moisseiff Award for Notable Contributions to the Science and Art of Civil Engineering
Thomas S. Salisbury, Ph.D., is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University. His research area are probability theory, specifically Brownian motion and related Markov processes, including their applications to actuarial finance. He was co-editor-in-chief of the Canadian Mathematical Bulletin. Other service on editorial boards has included that of Probability Theory and Related Fields. He is a fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and of the Fields Institute. Professor Salisbury chaired the task force that initiated the 2007 revision of the Ontario grade 12 curriculum, and subsequently served on the Ontario Minister of Education’s curriculum council. Also, he has served terms as Deputy Director of the Fields Institute, and as President of the Canadian Mathematical Society. His research is supported by NSERC, MITACS, and the IFID centre.
Todd is an experienced Director and financial professional with over 30 years of experience across the financial industry, including insurance, reinsurance, mortgages, retail lending, deposits, payments, wealth management, treasury, and regulatory affairs. He currently serves as an Independent Director for the Texas Life Insurance Company and previously led ivari (Sagicor Canada) as President and CEO from 2018 to 2024. Before joining ivari in 2017, he was President and CEO of CIBC Life Insurance Company Limited and held senior leadership roles within CIBC Retail Banking, overseeing Mortgages, Lending, and Deposits. Todd has served on multiple boards, including ivari, CIBC-related companies, Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA), and Interac Association. Todd has served as Chair of the CLHIA Marketplace Relations Standing Committee and CLHIA Corporate Services Standing Committee, as well as served on Assuris’ Industry Advisory Committee and the Canadian Bankers Association’s Operations Committee. He earned his MBA from McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, where he was an Ontario Graduate Scholar.
Tsvetanka Karagyozova, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, in the Department of Economics at York University. Her research interests are in financial economics, the economics of insurance, development economics, and innovative education in economics and insurance risk management.
Vishakha Karwal is a Program Support Intern at the Risk and Insurance Studies Centre (RISC). In her role, she contributes to the coordination and execution of educational initiatives such as the REaL (Risk Education and Literacy) program, which promotes risk literacy among Canadian youth. Vishakha assists with event planning, partnership development, and strategic outreach to expand RISC’s community engagement. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, Specialized Honours, in Financial and Business Economics at York University, Vishakha brings a strong foundation in finance and economics, and a passion for empowering students through accessible, real-world learning opportunities. Her goal is to bridge academic knowledge with practical experience, fostering meaningful connections between education, industry, and the next generation of leaders.
Our Home at York University
York University - located in Toronto, Canada - is a leading international teaching and research university and a driving force for positive change.
The Times Higher Education Impact Ranking has been continuously recognizing York as a world leader - 33rd out of 767 universities - in building a more just and sustainable future for everyone.