A recent Financial Post article says mistakes made by CEOs deliver important lessons about conduct for those governing other companies. Richard Leblanc, a professor in the School of Administrative Studies at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies who specializes in corporate governance, was quoted in the article, which discusses the recent resignation of Air Canada’s CEO, Michael Rousseau.

Rousseau announced that he would step down from the role after facing criticism for delivering a condolence announcement in English following the airline accident at LaGuardia Airport that led to the death of two Air Canada pilots.

Leblanc says that the CEO lacked a key skill needed for the governance of a national, bilingual airline and that this is a teachable moment for boards in Quebec. This was the second time the CEO failed to make the effort to speak French publicly, which he said diminished his credibility.

Leblanc is a leading expert in corporate governance and accountability. He is lawyer, public speaker and consultant and has taught corporate governance at Harvard University. He is a  Fellow of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of Ontario and an academic fellow of the International Council of Management Consulting Institutes.

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Professor of disaster and emergency management Ali Asgary, from the School of Administrative Studies, has shared his recent work from the  Advanced Disaster, Emergency and Rapid Response Simulation Lab (ADERSIM), where he serves as executive director.

The lab uses technologies such as agent-based modelling, virtual reality, AI, drones and web-mapping to simulate aviation scenarios. These simulations examine how decisions made by pilots, passengers, crew members and emergency responders can affect the outcomes of airport emergencies. Researchers can simulate disasters and test response plans that could unfold in real airport emergencies.

This work supports York’s research in disaster and emergency management and is more relevant than ever following the recent tragedy at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, involving a collision between an Air Canada plane and a fire truck.

Real the full story in YFile.

CIFAL York is part of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) global network and provides innovative approaches to tackling climate challenges, offering training in emergency management and education programs to prepare communities for climate-related disasters.

Ari Asgary, CIFAL’s director and a professor of disaster and emergency management in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), has announced plans to position the centre as a leader in research about AI’s intersection with climate change. As part of this goal, the centre is launching its Climate AI Innovation Hub, an initiative designed to explore how AI can support creative approaches to addressing climate challenges.

The Hub’s first initiative, a monthly speaker series, creates a space for researchers to raise questions and explore possibilities of AI, share research and inspire the next generation of climate change leaders. The series has already sparked new ideas which have led to research projects, demonstrating how AI can be used responsibly to generate solutions to climate change.

Read the full article in YFile.

Mark Schwartz, an associate professor of business ethics at ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), has edited a collection of writing by his York mentor and friend, Professor Emeritus Wesley Cragg.

The book, , features articles and book chapters from Cragg’s prolific and influential career. Together, they highlight his views on ethical decision‑making in business across areas such as human rights, corruption, environmental ethics, Indigenous rights and more. Many of the pieces included are collaborations with York scholars, including Alan Greenbaum, Ian Greene, Dirk Matten and Schwartz.

Schwartz, who completed his PhD under Cragg’s supervision, says Cragg had an enormous influence on his life and career. He notes his encouragement, guidance and ethical principles have shaped the way that Schwartz teaches today.

Schwartz is an award-winning teacher and researcher who has contributed to journals such as Business Ethics Quarterly, Journal of Business Ethics, Business & Society, Business and Society Review, Corporate Governance: An International Review and Business Horizons. He was ranked first in Canada and fourth globally in business ethics research quality out of 7,908 authors, based on data used in the study A Citation Analysis of Business Ethics Research: A Global Perspective (1999-2012), published in the Journal of Business Ethics in July 2016.

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A massive fire engulfed seven apartment buildings in Hong Kong on Nov. 27, 2025, killing 168 people. With Lunar New Year underway, former residents are reflecting on past celebrations in the buildings and on the losses within their community. 

Authorities have conducted a resettlement survey with the displaced residents, many of whom are elderly and living in temporary homes.

Jack Rozdilsky, professor in the Disaster and Emergency Management program in the School of Administrative Studies, contributed to an article about the fire in The Independent. He says that the city is moving to a disaster recovery phase and commented on the need for continuous mental health and trauma coping supports for the resettlement of this community. He discusses the importance of the community survey, which will provide personalized supports to residents based on their needs and help them to rebuild some sense of community.   

Rozdilsky is a subject matter expert in emergency management. His research and practice interests include interdisciplinary emergency management and Homeland Security, and he conducts field-based qualitative research in communities affected by natural, technological, or socially driven disasters.

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Jack Rozdilsky, associate professor of Disaster & Emergency Management in the School of Administrative Studies, was featured in a recent Humber Et Cetera article discussing the Doomsday Clock. The symbolic clock represents how close the world is to a self-inflicted global catastrophe, with midnight representing doomsday.

Rozdilsky says the clock is meant to translate a wide range of risk factors in a way that can be understood by the public. These risks include the increasing use of AI for military deployment, nuclear tensions and climate change. He notes that public responses to existential threats can shift over time, with the public experiencing similar warnings during the Cold War. Rozdilsky says it can be challenging to communicate risk in a way that is informative yet engaging.

Rozdilsky is a subject matter expert in the field of emergency management. His research and practice interests include interdisciplinary emergency management and Homeland Security. He performs field-based qualitative research at locations that have been impacted by disasters of natural, technological or social origins.

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The Disaster Seminar Series is organized by Y-EMERGE, a pan-university research institute at ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ dedicated to scientific, technological and social aspects of disaster and emergency management.

Held every Thursday from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. in Harry Crowe Room (ATK 109), the series will build on York’s exceptional expertise to advance transformative and multidisciplinary research and teaching in disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

The series will highlight interdisciplinary research in disaster and emergency management, allowing attendees to build community with those studying disasters, crises, emergencies and other catastrophic events. Sessions will include presentations and activities with professors, practitioners, alumni, graduate students and others.

Learn more on Y-EMERGE and sign up for .

Jodi Letkiewicz, associate professor at the School of Administrative Studies, was quoted in an article in Money.ca about how young Canadians are running into debt problems earlier.

More Canadians under the age of 35 are running into debt earlier due to the rising cost of living and more options for borrowing. Most young people are not splurging but are struggling to meet their basic expenses. Letkiewicz says that this is basic survival spending rather than discretionary spending, and that debt can become worse when customers begin juggling multiple payments at once. 

Letkiewicz teaches, conducts research and publishes work in the areas of consumer finance, financial planning and financial well-being.

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Hassan Qudrat-Ullah, professor in the School of Administrative Studies (SAS), has published a new book titled A Treatise on Dynamic Decision Making. The book investigates how decisions are made, looking at cognitive, behavioral and collaborative factors, and investigating models like reinforcement learning and participatory decision-making. Drawing on real-world examples, illustrations and practical insights, the book aims to help readers from different backgrounds and disciplines better understand the decision-making process. It was published by Routledge Taylor & Francis Group (2026).

Qudrat-Ullah has over 20 years of teaching, research, industry and consulting experience in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Norway, UK, Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, Latvia, Switzerland, Spain and Pakistan. He is a well-known scholar in decision sciences, energy policy modeling and system dynamics areas. He has authored and edited over 150 refereed publications including 17 books, 43 journal articles and numerous conference proceedings and presentations. In 2017, he won ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ’s Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies’ Excellence in Research Award.

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