Western Massey Fellows 2026-27
Alissa Centivany, JD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS), Founding Co-Director, Starling: Just Technologies, Just Societies
Alissa Centivany, JD, PhD, is an internationally recognized expert on the legal, policy, and ethical implications of emerging technologies. With interdisciplinary expertise spanning the interconnected domains of intellectual property law, technology repair, interoperability, artificial intelligence, and scholarly communications, her work has shaped legal reforms and policy development in Canada and beyond. Through the Starling Centre for Just Technologies and Just Societies and the Canadian Repair Coalition, organizations she co-founded and co-directs, she fosters community-centered sociotechnical collaboration and mobilizes research for policy impact. During her Western Massey Fellowship, Centivany will focus on fostering meaningful connection between research and the public good. She looks forward to engaging with experts across disciplines and developing new partnerships aimed at improving civil society engagement and public interest advocacy on emerging sociotechnical issues.
Claire Houston, SJD
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Western University
Claire Houston, SJD, is a leading family law scholar whose cutting-edge research has informed academic debate, professional practice, and public discourse. Her work explores complex legal and societal issues including the rights of children in parental disputes, the relationship between family law and gender equality, and the meaning of access to family justice. During her Massey fellowship, Houston will reconsider the role of fault in family law, looking at whether the current “no-fault” regime provides justice for families. At Massey College, Houston looks forward to engaging with scholars and students from a range of disciplines to develop her current project and make connections for future collaborations.
