Congratulations to PhD student Dana Wray, winner of the 2021 Dennis William Magill Canada Research Award. The award is awarded annually for a paper or dissertation of exceptional merit that deals with a sociological aspect of Canadian Society. Preference is given for work that deals with macro-sociological topics.
Dana’s paper “Paternity Leave and Fathers’ Responsibility: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Canada”, published in the April 2020 edition of Journal of Marriage and Family, provides new evidence on how parental leave policies impact fathers’ involvement with their children. By applying a rigorous natural experiment design to a topic of ongoing public debate, the paper makes an important contribution to the literature on parental leave policies and family life in the Canadian context. The paper is already being cited in leading journals.
We would like to take this opportunity to share some details about the person behind this award. Dennis William Magill served for many years as a professor in the University of Toronto Department of Sociology. During his time at the university, Professor Magill directed the sociology undergraduate program as well as University College’s health studies program. Professor Magill was an active public sociologist, serving on the boards of many Toronto organizations, including Toronto Historical Board, Sherbourne Health Centre, Rekai Centre for Long Term Care, Centre for Urban Health Initiatives, Community Campus Partnerships for Health, and Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network. He was also a founding member of the Wellesley Institute.
Congratulations, Dana, on this excellent achievement and best wishes for continued success.