CBS appoints new CBS Representative in EDI and Graduate Student Representative in EDI

The College of Biological Science has appointed Dr. Amr El Zawily as the new CBS Representative in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Jacklyn Simonson as the new Graduate Student Representative in EDI. Both roles begin Sept. 1.

In his role as CBS EDI Representative (2025–2027), Dr. El Zawily will lead college-wide initiatives, including mentorship programs, inclusive curriculum development, community outreach, and the enhancement of the CBS Community Seminar Series to amplify diverse voices in science. 

As the Graduate Student Representative in EDI, Simonson, a M.Sc. in Integrative Biology student, plans to invite Indigenous biologists to visit campus to speak to the college and wider university as part of a new seminar series.

Dr. Amr El Zawily

Dr. El Zawily is an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, where he focuses on transforming large-enrollment biology and microbiology courses through inclusive pedagogy, interactive online learning, and Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs).

He holds advanced degrees from Ohio University (M.Sc., bioremediation) and the University of Saskatchewan (Ph.D., mitochondrial dysfunction in plants and nematodes) and has held academic and research roles across Canada and the United States, including at the University of Iowa, where he led departmental EDI efforts and chaired both faculty and undergraduate EDI committees.

As a first-generation graduate and member of a minority ethnic group, Dr. El Zawily brings lived experience and deep empathy to his leadership. At the University of Guelph, he serves as the MBG undergraduate advisor/co-op advisor and is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for students, staff, and faculty.

Jacklyn Simonson

Jacklyn Simonson, a M.Sc. in Integrative Biology student, is of mixed ancestry (Mi’kmaq, Puerto Rican, Settler) and was born and raised in Tampa, Florida with an ancestral connection to Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) First Nation in New Brunswick.

She has held a number of roles supporting EDI and Indigenization both within the university and beyond, including as peer helper for the Indigenous Student Centre, treasurer for the Indigenous Student Society, program facilitator for Indigenous House, and co-lead coordinator for the Indigenous Advisory Council with STEM Fellowship. With U of G’s Creative Encounters with Science, she created and ran STEM programming for a children’s summer camp, incorporating Indigenous knowledge and science.

Indigenous knowledge is also central in Jacklyn’s research, through which she is co-developing an Indigenous value-based Environmental Risk Assessment with the Oneida Nation of the Thames community.