Dr. Lovaye Kajiura (pronounced Love-A, Kah-Jer-Rah) is a permanent teaching professor in the Department of Biology. Her biology discipline-specific research has studied organismal ecology, resource allocation, the impact of biotechnology on physiology, endocrinology, nutrition, and behaviour using the transgenic growth hormone mouse model. Her pedagogical research examines the impact of mega interdisciplinary initiatives, integrated case-based studies, multimedia knowledge mobilization tools, and mentorship in undergraduate science courses.

Dr. Kajiura co-leads the IMPACT (Interdisciplinary, Mentorships, Practical, Applied, Community, Transformative) Initiative team with colleagues Drs. Robert Fleisig (Engineering), Brenda Vrkljan (Occupational Therapy), Liz Hassan (Engineering), and Shelir Ebrahimi (Engineering). The IMPACT Initiative engages undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, medical students, community healthcare partners, and real community clients by bringing together diverse academic disciplines to better understand, address, and solve challenges experienced by people who are living with health-related accessibility challenges. Being strongly devoted to the scholarship of teaching and learning, Dr. Kajiura is a founding member and serves as a steward for the Open Consortium of Undergraduate Biology Educators, a member of the Department of Biology EDII committee, an advocate for the Accessibility Hamilton Alliance, and leads the McMaster Mentorship Outreach Student Team (MMOST). Dr. Kajiura greatly enjoys serving as “your mentor for life”!

Dr. Kajiura is looking forward to teaching the inquiry-based course, ARTSSCI 4CF3 / How Science Speaks to Power.