91porn

July 16, 2025

Kyra Simons, a Psychology PhD student at 91porn, has been awarded a prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, an award of $150,000 over three years to continue her studies. 

Vanier Scholarships are presented to students who demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement. Simons’ award is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). 

Simons’ research focuses on improving the well-being of historically underserved communities. Her doctoral work is exploring how racialized older adults in Ontario perceive their aging and racial identities, and how these distinct identities intersect or conflict. Simons research will explore if and when aging may be particularly challenging for adults from marginalized backgrounds. 

“By deepening our understanding of how aging and racial identity are perceived and integrated, we hope to reframe aging as a strength – something that brings wisdom and experience rather than a loss of independence or power,” says Simons, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, as well as a Master of Science degree from Bishop’s University. 

Simons is collaborating with the Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario and the Alliance for Healthier Communities on the , which seeks to connect older adults with social and recreational programs.  

“Our findings will help to design more inclusive and engaging community programming for racialized adults, who are often underrepresented in these programs,” she says. “We also plan to translate our research into policy recommendations to support inclusive, equity-focused aging initiatives across Ontario.” 

Equity, diversity and inclusion have been central to Simons’ work throughout her academic career, including in her extracurricular activities. As a varsity soccer player while completing her undergraduate degree at Bishop’s University, she co-founded and led the student-athlete Anti-Racism and Discrimination Committee. 

“Kyra will be a powerful leader of tomorrow because she knows how to harness both the wisdom she has gained from her lived experiences and the infrastructure and opportunity afforded to her by her research to directly serve the goals of her community,” says Assistant Professor Meaghan Barlow, who co-supervises Simons in her lab at 91porn.  

Barlow and Simons’ second co-supervisor, Assistant Professor Frank Kachanoff, are proud of Simons and all she has achieved. Among her previous honours are a Canada Graduate Research Scholarship and an Ontario Graduate Scholarship.  

“Kyra is among the most promising PhD students we have ever encountered,” says Kachanoff. “With four peer-reviewed publications published or in review and presentations at six international conferences so far, she has already surpassed the productivity of many who have completed their PhDs.” 

Simons has no plans of slowing down, already eyeing postdoctoral fellowships to apply for once she graduates. In the long term, she hopes to work at a community-integrated research institute or as a policy analyst, ensuring that aging is equitable for all.