Skip to main content
Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Denina Simmons

Speaker: Denina Simmons, Assistant Professor, Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Toxicology, Ontario Tech University

Presentation: “Pandemics and Wastewater – new methods for Community Health in a fast-changing World”

Bio: Dr. Simmons received her undergraduate degree from Ryerson University and then completed her master’s degree at Trent University under the supervision of Dr. Chris Metcalfe investigating the effects of personal care products on the estrogen receptor. Dr. Simmons continued her doctoral research at Trent under the supervision of Dr. Dirk Wallschälger and Dr. Neil Emery when she examined the metabolic detoxification of selenium by algae. Dr. Simmons completed two consecutive post-doctoral fellowships at Environment Canada, working with Dr. James Sherry in the Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, where she developed protein profiling and proteomics methods to investigate fish health. After that, Dr. Simmons had two consecutive contracts working on ‘Omics projects with the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.