Prof. Ann Pegoraro, U of G’s new Lang Chair in Sport Management, will play an integral role in advancing gender equity in sport within Canada through a new collaborative research hub.
The federal Ministry of Heritage, through Sport Canada, has awarded the national Gender Equity in Sport Research Hub to Pegoraro and her colleagues, University of Toronto professor Gretchen Kerr and Laval University professor Guylaine Demers, to develop an internationally recognized research and innovation centre that will collect, generate and disseminate research on gender equity in sport.
“Girls and women in sport have lower participation rates and report significantly higher experiences of violence than their male counterparts, and the number of women in coaching positions is on the decline,” said Pegoraro. “Bringing together the research community and key sport sector partners to focus on advancing gender equity will have a lasting impact on the Canadian sport system and firmly establish Canada as a leader in the global gender equity movement.”
The proposed research hub will be a unique network of researchers from the academic community, sport representatives, government and NGOs, and gender equity experts from outside sport and universities to advance gender equity in sport with a special emphasis on participation and leadership.
The hub will build research databases on the two main themes of participation and leadership, and will commission, deliver and support research to answer associated questions. Inadequate media coverage and gender-based violence will also be examined as barriers under the two main themes.
Pegoraro will join the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics as the inaugural Lang Chair in Sport Management on Sept. 1.
“Prof. Pegoraro is an exceptional addition to the Lang research community,” said Sean Lyons, associate dean, research and graduate studies. “Her research with the Gender Equity in Sport Research Hub exemplifies Lang’s commitment to research quality, impact, collaboration, knowledge mobilization and community engagement. The Lang School is positioned to be Canada’s foremost centre for sport management research.”