Angela Gu

March is a busy month at the University of Toronto as we celebrate International Women’s Week and Entrepreneurship Week. There are also plenty of arts and culture gatherings, including the third annual Honouring Our Students Pow Wow.

Here are just a few of the many events happening on and off campus this month:

March 5

Make flower crowns at U of T Scarborough as part of International Women’s Week. Celebrate historical feminist movements and current change-makers around the world.

March 6

This is the last day to submit your photography to Hart House’s 97^th Annual Exhibition of Photography. Submissions are open to all U of T students and Hart House members. Photography awards will be presented at the exhibition’s opening reception on March 28.

March 7

Ahead of International Women’s Day, join MoveU for She Moves! on the downtown campus. This event celebrates women, leadership, and physical activity in an active setting. There will be a variety of activities, including Zumba, yoga, nutrition, and more.

Hear from three female U of T entrepreneurs in the inaugural Female Founders Edition of the RBC Innovation & Entrepreneurship Speaker Series at U of T’s ONRamp. This panel features Saara Punjani of Structura Biotechnology, Pooja Viswanathan of Braze Mobility, and Leila Keshavjee of Happy Pops.

Discussions of hope play out in mayhem and hilarity on stage in House on Fire – A post-hope comedy, the mainstage show by U of T’s Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies. The show runs until March 16.

Register for the annual Green Gala, where you can learn about U of T’s commitment to achieving its carbon reduction goals on all three campuses.

March 8

“Mentoring Women Leaders: A Conversation on International Women’s Day” is a symposium featuring prominent women from various fields at U of T discussing advancements made by women as well as current challenges. The event includes a keynote speech by U of T Chancellor Rose Patten.

Don’t miss the International Women’s Day Variety Show held at Hart House, showcasing the diversity and strength of women’s stories and art.

March 14

Catch a performance of Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera (the girl in gardener’s disguise), a story of disguise, deception, and love’s power of redemption. The U of T Opera production runs until March 17.

March 15

See the Trashion Show at U of T Mississauga, promoting environmental sustainability through fashion and art.

March 16

Join the third annual Honouring Our Students Pow Wow, with guests from across Turtle Island. There will be drum groups, dancers, food, craft, vendors, and giveaways – everyone is welcome.

March 18

The kick-off of U of T Entrepreneurship Week, a celebration of startups and their founders.

Discover the ingenuity of U of T’s start-up community at U of T Entrepreneurship Week, a series of panels, workshops, pitch competitions and more. The PITCH19 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Startup Gala takes place at U of T Mississauga on March 20. Meet U of T startups, founders and U of T's incubator and accelerator programs at the True Blue Expo on March 21.

March 21

How do we ensure that U of T is an equitable an inclusive space for everyone? Join the anti-racism and cultural diversity office for a day of engagement, strategizing and discussion at the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination conference.

March 22

Take a walk through Yorkville and learn about the neighbourhood that was once a counter-culture hub. Toronto-based musician, producer and author Bob Wiseman will lead the tour, highlighting the history of the Mink Mile.

March 25

Top Broadway pieces from the past century are performed by U of T’s voice studies department in this revue.

March 27

Watch Metropolis, the classic sci-fi film by Fritz Lang, and enjoy discussion and cookies as part of the Ethics & Film series presented by U of T’s Centre for Ethics.

What Could a Feminist City Look Like? Experts discuss public policy, decision-making processes, community engagement, the urban built form and potential paths for creating a more inclusive city at the Rotman School of Management. Speakers include U of T’s Kofi Hope, Brigitte Shim and Matti Siemiatycki.

March 29

U of T Opera and the Faculty of Music celebrate the faculty's centenary with a program that features costumed and staged scenes sampling highlights from over one hundred operas produced since operatic studies began at the university.

March 30

Listen to the Hart House Chamber Strings perform in their final concert of the school year.

Hitting high notes: These undergraduate students are researching topics that affect musical performance

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 19:28:30 +0000

Hitting high notes: These undergraduate students are researching topics that affect musical performance

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 02/15/2019 - 14:28

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From left to right: the Faculty of Music's Sophia Wang, Elizabeth Legierski and Shreya Jha (photo courtesy of the Faculty of Music)

Angela Gu

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Research & Innovation

Trinity College

Undergraduate Students

Czech nationalism and cardiac response don’t immediately come to mind when one thinks of music studies.

But for Elizabeth Legierski and Shreya Jha – both students at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music – the topics were the focus of undergraduate research. Others, like alumna Sophia Wang, who graduated last year, looked at the study and performance of Canadian wind band music in Canadian schools.

Such topics demonstrate the breadth of research undertaken by undergraduate students in the faculty, which encourages students to think big and to ask questions.

Angela Gu of U of T News caught up with Legierski and Jha to find out more about their undergraduate research and how it impacted their U of T education.

Studying voice performance with a minor in composition, Elizabeth Legierski’s research examined the Czech nationalist movement and how Czech composer Bedřich Smetana was influenced by it through his opera The Bartered Bride.

Legierski’s interest in the topic, which took home a first place prize in a 2018 Faculty of Music Undergraduate Research Showcase, was first sparked while learning an aria from the opera. Her Czech background and her familiarity with the language and history also drew her to the subject.

She says that while preparing for a performance, it is important to study how music has been influenced by culture and history.

“I think that they complement each other very well,” she says.

While putting together a research poster for the showcase, Legierski built on her knowledge of Smetana and The Bartered Bride, referring to books on the topic, the score of the opera itself and the performance guide by the University of Michigan’s Timothy Cheek, an expert on Czech vocal music. His work is influential in the teaching of diction in Czech vocal music.

Legierski met Cheek last year at Prague Summer Nights, a young artists’ music festival.

“It was very cool to meet somebody who was a great resource for my research,” she says.

Legierski was also contacted to review a book, Bedřich Smetana: Myth, Music and Propaganda by Kelly St. Pierre of Wichita State University, for the peer-reviewed music journal Fontes Artis Musicae.

What’s next? While she is still focusing on voice performance, Legierski is now also looking into the works of a lesser-known Czech composer, Vítězslava Kaprálová.

“I’d really like to start researching those composers that were specifically ignored during some of Smetana’s time,” she says. “I think that would be an interesting topic.”

Shreya Jha, meanwhile, conducted an exploratory pilot study on cardiac responses to musical performance, in a bid to use scientific data to make musicians better at what they do.

The Trinity College student, who is studying composition while concurrently pursuing a double major in neuroscience and physiology, says musicians found her research on flow state to be relatable and applicable. Flow state refers to achieving intense focus with the right balance of stress and self-confidence – otherwise known as “being in the zone.”

“It’s really about us understanding how we can physiologically define what a good performance is, and what a satisfying performance is,” says Jha, who took third place for her presentation at last year’s inaugural exhibition.

While flow state is usually studied with respect to athletic performance, Jha investigated the physiological phenomenon through the lens of piano performance and rhythm.

She sees the applicability of this research in teaching young performers how to manage stress on stage, noting that “performance anxiety is something that can affect everybody.”

Jha developed her pilot study with Professor Scott Thomas of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Associate Professor Robert Nolan of the department of psychiatry, and Adjunct Professor Jeff Wolpert of the Faculty of Music.

Beyond the findings of her work, Jha’s pursuit of undergraduate research offered a personal revelation. “I think that showed me a glimpse of what it meant, when my dad said that academia is the best profession,” she says.

“I’m not sure I would agree with him on that – I don’t know if it’s really what I want to do for the rest of my life – but now I’m definitely in on the experience.”

Outside of the academic sphere, Jha’s passion for both music and science came together in a different way: She wrote a piece of musical theatre titled Statistics, which was staged at U of T’s Drama Festival. Statistics tells parallel tales of women in science, with the story of present-day students playing out alongside an historical account of Rosalind Franklin racing to discover the structure of DNA.

Looking ahead, Jha is open to seeing where her research takes her.

“I’ve learned so much after this project,” she says. “It would probably be wise to start afresh with something, maybe with something related to this, but with a new hypothesis, related to music physiology, music and the brain.”

Black History Month: Check out these U of T events in February

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 18:06:20 +0000

Black History Month: Check out these U of T events in February

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 01/31/2019 - 13:06

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Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors and co-founder of Giants of Africa, will speak at the annual Black History Luncheon on Feb. 28 at Hart House (photo by Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Angela Gu

Topic

City & Culture

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Multi-Faith Centre

Poetry

Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

February is Black History Month and this year the University of Toronto is looking at Black Futures, too, through artful expressions of dreams and realities.

Recognize and honour the achievements of Black Canadians with us. Hear from speakers – including Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri at the annual Black History Luncheon, hosted by U of T on Feb. 28 – who are building communities and inspiring change in Canada and beyond. Be inspired yourself and join discussions at events taking place all month long.

Here are a few of the many events recognizing Black History and Black Futures, as well as some other notable February events:

Feb. 1

Take a powerful musical journey through time with actor and vocalist Nicky Lawrence. This concert features the songs and stories of female jazz and blues greats, Lawrence’s own experiences and perspectives on the “ugly Black woman,” as well as present realities and emerging futures for Black Canadian women. This event is part of Hart House’s Black Futures programming, which blends knowledge of the past with re-imaginings of the future.

Feb. 2

Occurring simultaneously in more than 50 cities, U of T is hosting the Night of Ideas again this year in partnership with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in Canada and Hart House. Stay up late to think and talk through some urgent topics of our time, including detention and dislocation. Art installations, board games and even a late-night cricket demonstration will take place throughout the evening.

Feb. 4

Join the Centre for Ethics’ screening of Sorry To Bother You, an American dark comedy film following the story of a young African-American telemarketer. The screening will be accompanied by a presentation by Daniel Adleman, an assistant professor in U of T’s writing and rhetoric program.

Celebrate Lunar New Year at U of T Scarborough with free food and fun.

While you’re on the Scarborough campus, learn how to make dumplings at this month’s What’s Cooking session.

Feb. 5

Explore the valley at U of T Scarborough with an Indigenous snowshoe and bonfire experience led by Indigenous Outreach Coordinator Juanita Muise.

Feb. 6

This year’s Hancock Lecture is about the disability justice revolution. Hear from Sarah Jama, a community organizer and a co-founder of the Disability Justice Network of Ontario. This talk will be moderated by U of T alumna Loren O. Delaney, who wears many hats – among them, public speaker and community organizer.

How can we increase student engagement with Varsity Blues programming? Tackle this question at the inaugural BRIDGE Hack, a tri-campus sports hackathon hosted by U of T Scarborough. Find out about the free hackathon at the kick-off event on Feb. 6. Optional skill-building modules take place in the week leading up to the hackathon itself, which takes place Feb. 15.

What can we do to prevent a nuclear war? University Professor John Polanyi, who received the 1986 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, will share his thoughts on the subject at George Ignatieff Theatre, starting at 5 p.m.

Feb. 7

This isn’t your average masterpiece. Building Black Mythos by Ekow Nimako features “melanin-rich” Lego sculptures drawing from Afrofuturism, mythology, and West African proverbs. Powerful and haunting, this free exhibition is on until Feb. 22 at Hart House on the downtown campus.

The U of T Drama Festival runs from Feb. 7-9 on the downtown campus, with U of T talent in nine original student-written plays.

Feb. 8

Learn to express the unspoken with this poetry workshop by U of T’s Sexual & Gender Diversity Office.

Feb. 12

Meet six innovative and influential Black women and men at the Black Entrepreneurs and Visionaries Table Talk. Share stories, chat, and learn from their journeys over lunch.

Feb. 13

First Nations House is organizing an Indigenous career fair, where students can get a foot in the door with employers like the University of Toronto, major banks, the City of Toronto and Toronto police. Organizers are hoping for a big turnout including Indigenous students from U of T and outside the university. Attendees are encouraged to bring a resumé. The fair will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Koffler House, home of the Multi-Faith Centre. This event is co-hosted by Career Exploration and Education.

If you’re inspired by Ekow Nimako’s Lego art exhibition at Hart House (Feb. 7-22) and want to create your own, come to this interactive Lego workshop to explore Afrofuturism, ancestry and family legacy.

Assistant Professor Jedediah Kuhn talks about “Indigenous intimacies” as part of the Feminist Lunch Series at U of T Mississauga. The next talk will be on Mar. 7, titled “#blackgirlmagic: On Disability and Possibility in the Digital Age.”

Feb. 14

Innis Town Hall is hosting a screening of the Canadian-Caribbean Afrofuturist film Brown Girl Begins, with director and U of T alumna Sharon Lewis. Inspired by Nalo Hopkinson’s novel Brown Girl in the Ring, the film is set in post-apocalyptic Toronto and explores feminism, poverty, and literal black girl magic.

Feb. 15

Enjoy a free Afro-Caribbean vegan breakfast at the Multi-Faith Centre, made possible in partnership with the University of Toronto Students’ Union and the Veg Club. Caribbean and Canadian flavours combine in this meal by Noella Charles, founder and chef of Ella Charles Cuisine, inspired by her St. Lucian roots.

U of T students are invited to the Heartbreakers Ball & Vogue Dance Workshop on the downtown campus – an electrifying evening of dance in partnership with the Toronto Kiki Ballroom Alliance. Want to learn some moves before the event? Arrive early and join the beginner vogue dance workshop.

Feb. 23

Attend the Dronesphere Colloquium at U of T’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design to hear from scholars on the drone’s “place” within cities.

Feb. 26

Craving more Afro-Caribbean food? Find more on the menu at this month’s $5 Buck Lunch at Hart House, with fried plantain, curry, and coconut squares.

Students from U of T’s Faculty of Music voice studies program celebrate the diverse music of their heritage in this performance. The evening is made possible in part by a generous grant from U of T’s School of Cities and by a gift from Roy and Marjorie Linden.

Feb. 28

Hear from Masai Ujiri, president of the Toronto Raptors and co-founder of Giants of Africa, at the annual Black History Luncheon. Though the Hart House event is sold out, you can win front-row seats to the event through their social media contest by showing your community involvement. The event will streamed live from Hart House on the downtown campus to U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga. A third streaming location has been added – at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

Beverley McLachlin, former Chief Justice of Canada, will discuss “Leadership: A Place for Women?” at U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. The talk is part of the Women in Leadership Series of the David Peterson Public Leadership Program.

“Building Race and Nation: Slavery, Dispossession and American Civic Architecture” is the name of a talk by Mabel O. Wilson, a professor at Columbia University. This talk is part of the R.K. Teetzel Lecture in Architecture at U of T’s University College.

From smart cities to Indigenous culture and classical music: Check out these January events

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 07 Jan 2019 17:41:17 +0000

From smart cities to Indigenous culture and classical music: Check out these January events

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 01/07/2019 - 12:41

Cutline

(photo by Laura Pedersen)

Angela Gu

Topic

City & Culture

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Alumni

Artificial Intelligence

Centre for Ethics

Centre for Indigenous Studies

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Rotman School of Management

Welcome back! The start of a new year naturally invites discussions about the future – and, at the University of Toronto, the subjects range from technology to medicine to the city.

Here are some of the events happening in and around U of T in January:

Jan. 8

“Why Smart Cities are maybe so 2017” is the name of a discussion at U of T’s Transportation Research Institute. As Sidewalk Labs' Quayside development in Toronto gains international attention, key urban theorists discuss what the project involving the Google sister company means for innovation in urban mobility and for social relations in the city.

The integration of artificial intelligence into medical practice and diagnostics is on the agenda at this talk at the Centre for Ethics, with Sunit Das, Vinyas Harish and Felipe Morgado of U of T's Faculty of Medicine.

Jan. 9

Indigenous Elder Wendy Phillips welcomes those who want to explore Indigenous knowledge systems, culture, healing and teachings at the January Indigenous Learning Circle. This evening of community building, food and song takes place at U of T Scarborough.

Jan. 16

Watch teams of emerging classical music composers and performers compete at songSLAM, which premieres new music and has composers compete for cash prizes. Teams present a new song for voice and piano in any language while the audience votes for the winners. Presented by Women on the Verge in partnership with U of T Voice Studies and the U of T New Music Festival.

Data security and public policy are the topics of this talk by John Chen, BlackBerry's CEO and executive chairman, in conversation with McKinsey & Co.'s John Kelleher, who is also a senior fellow at U of T's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at U of T. This event is co-hosted by the Munk School and Rotman School of Management.

Jan. 18

Hear about the contemporary rhetorics, pre-histories and politics of the smart city phenomenon at the Urban IQ Test Symposium. The keynote panel is Jan. 18, followed by symposium panels the next day – all part of the Home and Away lecture series at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

Jan. 20

Enjoy a break from the city with a day of food and fun up at Hart House Farm. Learn the art of pie-making and enjoy the property’s facilities, including trails, ponds and a wood-fired sauna.

Jan. 23

Dress in your most colourful outfit and come to the annual Rainbow Tie Gala, where U of T Scarborough celebrates its vibrant community of LGBTQIA2S+ and supporters. The night of performances, guest speakers, activities, food, drinks, and dancing is open to all, no RSVP required.

Hear about the ethics of regulating fake news and freedom of expression at this talk by Étienne Brown, a visiting postdoctoral fellow at U of T’s Centre for Ethics.

Jan. 24

Mindfest is a free mental health and wellness fair on U of T's downtown campus that is open to the public. Aiming to increase awareness of mental health and mental illness, as well as providing resources and services, the fair includes fun workshops, informative exhibits and inspiring speakers like Tony George, a U of T professor of psychiatry who will be talking about cannabis legalization and psychiatric disorders.

See some ghostly hijinks on stage at the revenge-filled comedy, Blithe Spirit, opening today and running until Feb. 3 at U of T Mississauga’s Theatre Erindale.

Jan. 25

Taste what Toronto has to offer at Winterlicious, running from Jan. 25 to Feb. 7. Gallery Grill at Hart House is among the participating restaurants, offering their three-course prix fixe menu that serves up dishes with local ingredients.

Jan. 26

Students and recent graduates are invited to attend the annual Next Steps conference, a day of career exploration panels and networking opportunities on the downtown campus. With industry panels and discussions on internships, PhD pathways and more, kick-start the rest of your life.

Jan. 30

“We All Belong: Creating Spaces for Dialogue & Change in Health Care” is the name of a conference at U of T’s Faculty of Medicine. The focus is on the roles of diversity and inclusion in health care, with a keynote presentation by U of T alumna Nanky Rai. ASL interpretation is provided.

While earning a commerce degree at U of T, the Caleon twins built up a massive social media following

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 05:00:00 +0000

While earning a commerce degree at U of T, the Caleon twins built up a massive social media following

noreen.rasbach Fri, 12/21/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

“In a way, YouTube is our business,” says Madeleine Caleon, who with her sister Samantha are working on their social media brand full time (photo courtesy of the Caleon sisters via Instagram)

Topic

They have nearly 265,000 subscribers on YouTube, 124,000 followers on Instagram, and a whopping 3.3 million fans on TikTok, a site for short-form mobile videos that was formerly known as musical.ly. Meet the Caleon Twins, Samantha and Madeleine.

The twins graduated from the University of Toronto last month with matching bachelor’s degrees in commerce, after years of taking the same courses together. They are now focusing on building their social media brand full time, hiring a manager to help.

The sisters say they have always wanted to be entrepreneurs. “In a way, YouTube is our business,” says Madeleine Caleon, about their eponymous YouTube channel, Caleon Twins. Their content ranges from clips of the twins performing covers of pop songs and videos of them participating in trending challenges (such as the No Mirror Makeup Challenge) to vlogs about their lives.

They started their YouTube channel during their first year at U of T Mississauga, and hopped on the social music app musical.ly when it was taking off, dancing to popular songs with their carefully choreographed moves. Their YouTube audience grew with their TikTok/musical.ly fan base, and soon the hobby grew into a business, says Samantha Caleon.

“It wasn’t always easy,” says Madeleine about growing their brand while meeting the high demands of their academic work.

Madeleine and Samantha Caleon at their convocation in November: The sisters earned Bachelor of Commerce degrees at U of T Mississauga (photo courtesy of the twins)

Even with a manager, the twins say they are still very much in charge of content. They film for two or three days a week, shooting videos for themselves as well as for the YouTube channels to which they contribute. The rest of the week is spent on publishing that content and attending to the less glamorous, behind-the-scenes work that comes with running a business.

To help manage their time during university, the Caleon sisters took some online classes during their final year and crammed the rest of their required courses into just two days of the week so that they could travel to far-away events and YouTube conventions.

They say they were able to apply some of the marketing concepts they learned in the classroom to strategically increase their influence online. The most important? Authenticity.

“Being genuine, as cliché as it is, is the best way to market yourself to different people online,” says Madeleine.

They are thankful for the guidance of fellow YouTubers who have been down the same road, but they make sure not to conform to what their peers do on social media. And they have learned to be patient.

“It’s not a straight line, or an easy path to reach your goal,” says Samantha.

As for the future of their YouTube channel, Samantha and Madeleine are not worrying about losing relevance. They see vlogging as a way to remain relatable to their audience as they get older together.

They are also connecting in other ways. The twins already have a clothing line on StarSpender, the online shop that allows fans to purchase merchandise from TikTok stars. They plan to develop a separate business outside of their Caleon Twins brand in the future, maybe in fashion.

As their business continues to grow, says Madeleine, “we’re really just living in the moment and taking each day as it comes.”

Poignant remembrances and seasonal celebrations: Check out these December events

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 18:23:55 +0000

Poignant remembrances and seasonal celebrations: Check out these December events

noreen.rasbach Fri, 11/30/2018 - 13:23

Angela Gu

Topic

City & Culture

Diversity

Entrepreneurship Hatchery

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Undergraduate Students

University College

Unwind this month with music, art, film, and more. Enjoy a performance or two, meet some community members, and celebrate the holiday season with friends and family in and around the University of Toronto at these December events:

Dec. 1

Find artisanal vendors, maple taffy, roasted chestnuts, carollers and more at U of T Scarborough’s third annual Christmas in the Valley.

Fall in love all over again with classic rock songs at B-Side: A Rock Cabaret, performed live by the UC Follies.

Floating and Flying is the name of this wind ensemble concert conducted by Gillian MacKay, a professor at U of T's Faculty of Music, with 2017-18 Wind Concerto Competition co-winners, students Jonathan Wong and Jason Han. The performance also features a guest ensemble from Queen’s University.

Classical and contemporary pieces will be performed at U of T Scarborough’s Fall Flourish Music Concert featuring their concert choir, concert band and string orchestra.

Listen to the student-run Hart House Chamber Strings perform at their winter concert conducted by musical director Keith Reid.

Dec. 3

Ahead of the National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women, U of T’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work is hosting an event commemorating the lives lost at the 1989 shooting at l’École Polytechnique de Montréal.

Re/Figuration: Digital Tactics 4 Digital Colonialism is a talk by media artist, activist and educator Morehshin Allahyari. It is part of the McLuhan Monday Night Seminars that carry on Marshall McLuhan’s work.

Dec. 4

Students, staff and faculty are invited to remember the lives lost to gender-based violence at an event with U of T Mississauga’s Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre and the Equity & Diversity Office.

Listen to songs of the season performed by the vocal studies department at U of T as part of the Faculty of Music’s Tuesday Noon Series at Walter Hall on the downtown Toronto campus.

Dec. 6

An event honouring the women of the l'École Polytechnique attack occurs on the downtown campus today, including the presentation of awards to recognize research that addresses gender-based violence.

Dec. 7

Today is the last day of Food for Fines. U of T Libraries will waive $2 for each non-perishable food item, with up to $20 waived. No fines? You can still participate. Donations go to the U of T Food and Clothing Bank, which is open to U of T students. Bring your items to the U of T Mississauga Library, U of T Scarborough Library, and select libraries on the downtown Toronto campus – find the full list online.

Jazz, pop and R&B are all part of today’s performance by Onoscatopoeia, the Hart House Jazz Choir. Listen to this a capella ensemble for free, or pay what you can.

It's Friday, which means another Free Friday Film at Innis Town Hall, part of the Cinema Studies Student Union’s programming. Watch some cult classics, including The Wiz today and Suspiria next week.

Dec. 8

Today is your last chance to visit the I continue to shape exhibition at the University of Toronto Art Centre.

This is also the last day to see the winning submissions of the 16^th annual BMO 1^st Art! Competition at the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery, with work by 13 artists, each from a different province or territory.

Dec. 12

Explore U of T’s entrepreneurship ecosystem with the Entrepreneurship Hatchery’s weekly Idea Markets in the Myhal Centre. Students are encouraged to join the Hatchery community.

Enjoy seasonal foods with Winter Cheer, a festive prix fixe lunch at Hart House’s Gallery Grill happening today and tomorrow.

Dec. 13

Watch one-act plays about love, growing up and more, created and produced by students at U of T Mississauga’s Beck Theatre Creation Festival, running from today to Dec. 16. Pay what you can.

Giizhiitaa – Coming Full Circle, is a multimedia showcase by Peel Indigenous youth, celebrating their achievements in U of T Mississauga’s Indigenous Spirit Journey program. The event features reflections by Elders and knowledge keepers, as well as a light Indigenous buffet.

Dec. 15

Meet some U of T Scarborough leaders and community members at December Community Day, wrapping gifts with the East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club.

Dec. 19

Don’t forget to use your gym membership. There are still lots of fun drop-in fitness classes this month. Some classes at U of T Scarborough today include rock climbing, Zumba, and yoga.

There are also drop-in classes at U of T Mississauga, including Cycle-Barre Fusion today. U of T students paying incidental fees have access to facilities across all three campuses.

Dec. 28

Join the Hart House Chess Club for their last open chess play of the year – open to everyone, from beginners learning the basics to seasoned competitors looking improve their game. Play casual chess with friends, old and new, in this friendly and open environment.

Meet five impressive graduating students who got the most of their U of T experience

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Meet five impressive graduating students who got the most of their U of T experience

noreen.rasbach Thu, 11/08/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Rachel McKenna-Marshall of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design with paintings based on photographs she took of her friends under water

Topic

Artificial Intelligence

Convocation

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Global

Graduate Students

Humanities

International Students

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

U of T Mississauga

Undergraduate Students

University College

As this fall's convocation comes to an end, we introduce you to five students who have made the most of their time at the University of Toronto.

Natasha Malik

Natasha Malik originally wanted to specialize in a science field, but that changed when she took some elective courses in the humanities. In the end, Malik split the difference – graduating this week with a bachelor’s of science degree, with a double major in English and health and disease.

“I like arts and I like sciences, so I really liked that I could do both with my degree,” she says.

Malik, a University College student, took advantage of many of the opportunites the university offers, taking on student leadership roles and building an impressive resumé with work placements.

“When I was a frosh, I didn’t exactly picture myself as a leader,” she says, adding that “leadership is something that anyone can pursue.”

After being introduced to student life on campus through University College's commuter orientation, Malik went on to become a leader in the program, holding an orientation executive role in her third year.

She received a UC Merit Award this year, in recognition of her contribution to student life at the college. “I really like the amount of exposure at UC to so many different leadership opportunities and engagement opportunities because they really allowed me to strengthen skills and become more familiar with who I am.”

Malik also took part in the work-study program, working in the imaging facility at the department of cell and systems biology.

She served as a student ambassador at Hart House, where she developed an interest in work in social media and later became a communications assistant at the department of psychiatry.

In September, she started working as a social media intern in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

Malik plans on doing graduate work in media studies.

- Angela Gu

Eray Sonmez

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

When Eray Sonmez crossed the stage at Convocation Hall, he marked the end of a journey that began when he left his home in Adana, Turkey at the age of 17.

Sonmez, who first came to Canada to attend an international high school, chose to remain here to study political science, history and Canadian studies at U of T Mississauga.

“U of T has a global reputation,” Sonmez says. “I know that when I put my U of T diploma on the wall, that name will make a difference; it will open many doors to me.”

Sonmez says he is returning home to work for his family business – and bringing a new perspective with him.

“U of T has changed my worldview and expanded my vision,” Sonmez says. “Now, because of U of T, I am thinking bigger, and I believe my new international vision will be a big help for the business.”

He is leaving Canada with more than an undergraduate degree, he says.

“The best thing about here is that I have friends from all over the world.”

Sonmez says he plans to write a book about the history of Adana, using the research and writing skills he honed during his time here.

He also has a message for future international students.

“If you are thinking about applying to U of T, I strongly recommend it. The school makes you successful and at the same time it provides many opportunities.”

The international students’ centre is a good resource, Sonmez says, and a significant help for students who are seeking a job.

“The other thing is you can freely express your own opinions in classes with your peers and professors without hesitation. Everyone is open to discussion and respectful, even if you think differently than others."

- Cansu Aydemir

Melinda Scott

Melinda Scott serves as the dean of students at University College and until this fall she was a student herself.

"The perspective of being both a professional and a student helped me in both realms,” she says.

Scott graduated this week with a PhD in higher education at U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, conducting research that focused on professional development planning in student affairs.

She says her role as dean of students helped her identify research questions and issues that she saw as worthy of investigation, while her PhD research “helped to bring an academic perspective” to her work.

Some of her best experiences at OISE involved getting to meet with other PhD students to learn from each other’s successes and challenges.

“I found that really, really helpful,” she says.

Reflecting on her PhD experience, Scott says that despite the stress, the PhD program was “really interesting, and really worthwhile.”

“I will miss it,” she says.

– Angela Gu

Joey Bose

Joey Bose’s interest in computer vision was sparked when he became a research assistant in Professor Steve Mann’s lab while working on his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

“We see face detectors everywhere these days – they’re so prevalent,” he says, citing as examples their use on social media platforms and airport security cameras. But, he says, the technology "doesn’t function as admirably as we would hope,” adding that face-detection systems can falter if even a little bit of noise is added to the image.

He graduated this week with a Master of Applied Science focusing on computer vision – specifically, artificial intelligence for facial recognition and protecting personal privacy.

Bose has created his own company, FaceShield, which helps people protect their privacy online by shielding photos from detection software.

“The idea is that anyone should be able to use these filters,” he says. “If you want to protect your privacy by adding these filters to your images, you can now do so.”

Bose completed what is usually a two-year master's program in just a year, which he credits to the support of his supervisor, Associate Professor Parham Aarabi of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Aarabi encouraged Bose to start his company and pursue a PhD.

“He helped me a lot. I can’t thank him enough,” he says.

Bose is now a doctoral student in computer science at McGill University and Mila, the inter-university machine learning laboratory run by both McGill and the Université de Montréal.

- Angela Gu

Rachel McKenna-Marshall

When Rachel McKenna-Marshall ran the Toronto Waterfront 10K, she got to see a display of the fruits of her labour from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design.

Marshall, who came to U of T to study architecture two years ago, will be graduating this fall with a double major in architectural studies and visual studies.

This summer, McKenna-Marshall took an intensive course where the class designed and built a meditation pavilion for athletic apparel firm Lululemon, with groups working on different aspects of the final product.

She and a few classmates “were the most excited about it, so we got a lot done” – including building meditation chairs by hand.

The pavilion was displayed at the Toronto Waterfront 10k. “It was really incredible,” she says, of seeing the pavilion in use, post-race.

McKenna-Marshall also did an independent study this summer involving her artwork. She took underwater photos of friends in a pool, which served as the source images for her paintings.

Her project was conducted under the supervision of Associate Professor Sue Lloyd, who praises McKenna-Marshall’s productive and self-led efforts and says the course allows students to do work at the master's level.

Looking back, McKenna-Marshall is grateful for the opportunities she’s had, especially working closely with faculty members. “They care about the individual students.

“I think that it’s really good to have a lot of creative people in the same space," she says. "I think it helps your work, I think it helps what you produce."

- Angela Gu

From convocation and Remembrance Day to understanding AI: Check out these November events

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 04:00:00 +0000

From convocation and Remembrance Day to understanding AI: Check out these November events

noreen.rasbach Thu, 11/01/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

Graduates line up outside Convocation Hall in front of the fall foliage last November (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Angela Gu

Topic

City & Culture

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health

Alumni

Artificial Intelligence

Centre for Ethics

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty of Arts & Science

Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Undergraduate Students

We are entering the final stretch of 2018, and whether you’ve been working hard, playing hard – or both – there are lots of events in the next month to round out your year.

Here’s some of what’s happening:

Nov. 1

Gods, heroes and monsters grapple with love and loss as Ovid’s mythological poems come to life at U of T Mississauga’s Theatre Erindale. Metamorphoses is produced with Sheridan College and runs from today to Nov. 11.

If you’re pinched for time, drop in for a free cup of coffee and meet some new people at Coffee Connections, happening every weekday morning at Hart House. Check out their full events calendar for more drop-in fun.

Nov. 2

Join artist Camille Turner as she guides Location: Fieldtrip Black Histories of Toronto, talking about hidden Black histories and challenging preconceptions. Register online for this walking tour through the Grange neighbourhood in downtown Toronto.

Today’s the last day for U of T Scarborough students to sign up for the 8^th annual Chopped Up cooking challenge. Registration will open to alumni tomorrow, space permitting, and the competition itself will be on Nov. 7.

Nov. 3

StartAI is the first conference of its kind about artifical intelligence that is aimed at undergraduate students. Held by U of T’s Undergraduate Artificial Intelligence Group at the MaRS Discovery District, the full-day conference will feature speakers from high-profile tech industry experts to undergraduates making an impact in AI today. U of T's “godfather” of deep learning Geoffrey Hinton will deliver the keynote.

Nov. 5

Congratulations to our newest graduates. Fall convocation starts today and runs until Nov. 8. Check the full schedule for ceremony dates.

Nov. 6

Viral media is not solely a phenomenon of current times – there are literary works that held pop culture status back when they were written. Gain appreciation for these classics at #Dante: Teaching the Classics through the Contemporary with lecturer Adriana Grimaldi, part of U of T Mississauga’s Lecture Me! series.

Nov. 7

Fuel your day with Free Breakfast Wednesdays by the U of T Mississauga Students’ Union, which continue weekly until the end of the month.

The Future Cities Canada Summit is an opportunity to learn through collaborative, hands-on workshops and connect with change makers and fellow urbanists. The event is off-campus but speakers include Drew Fagan, professor at U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Suzanne L. Stewart, director of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

Nov. 9

The annual Service of Remembrance will take place at the foot of Soldier’s Tower on the downtown Toronto campus, with a recitation of the celebrated poem “In Flanders Fields” by alumnus John McCrae, laying of wreaths, and a new composition for carillon by alumnus Scott Allan Orr to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice.

At U of T Mississauga, a Remembrance Day ceremony will be held at 10:45 a.m. in the Meeting Place, William G. Davis Building.

Nov. 10

Come to the opening reception of Ecologies of Landscape, an art exhibition exploring our relationships with Earth. Curated by Mark A. Cheetham, a professor at U of T’s department of history of art, for the Barbara Edwards Contemporary Project Space on King Street. The exhibition runs until Jan. 26.

The Reel Asian Film Festival is on this month, with some free screenings at the Innis Town Hall Theatre on the downtown Toronto campus. This Shaking Keeps Me Steady is on today, with A Time To Swim being screened tomorrow. Register for the events through the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

What role can public opposition play in the context of cities and expressways? Watch Marshall McLuhan’s short documentary The Burning Would, as part of U of T’s Centre for Ethics’ film series, and stay for the post-screening discussion led by former Toronto mayor John Sewell.

Listen to a free performance by the U of T Jazz Orchestra this evening at Walter Hall, directed by Gordon Foote.

Nov. 12

U of T Scarborough will mark Remembrance Day today, with a ceremony at The Meeting Place beginning at 10:40 a.m.

Nov. 15

Q21 is a weekly LGBTQ+ conversation café, a drop-in space for discussing the questions you want to talk about, hosted by the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office at U of T’s downtown Toronto campus. Today’s topic is race and racism. Upcoming weeks will include sessions on narratives and histories, and family and the holiday season.

Nov. 16

On this school PA day, take part in an all-day, family-friendly participatory history lesson called the Family Blanket Exercise, led by Dawn Maracle (Kanienkeha/Mohawk from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory), to visualize and learn about Indigenous colonization.

Nov. 20

Find books, DVDs and music CDs galore at the United Way Book Sale at U of T Mississauga today and tomorrow.

Exoplanets and the Search for Habitable Worlds is the title of a public talk by Sara Seager, a professor at MIT. Hear about the search for Earth-like planets at the 2018 Tuzo Wilson Lecture, hosted by the department of physics at U of T.

Nov. 22

Tasting the Global City: How Scarborough Became a Mecca for Multicultural Food, is the title of a talk by Jeffrey Pilcher, a professor at U of T Scarborough’s department of historical and cultural studies. Learn about the research coming from U of T Scarborough’s new food studies program and the Culinaria Research Centre as part of the Celebration of Research Excellence lecture series.

Nov. 26

Artificial intelligence is changing the future of work, and students today need to be ready for opportunities afforded by AI and take its challenges in stride. Learn more about the impact of AI in this talk with Professor Sven Dickinson, who is chief scientist and head of the Samsung Toronto AI Research Centre.

Nov. 27

To what extent can “deepfakes” – realistic but fake videos and audio recordings – harm us? Hear from York University researchers Regina Rini and Leah Cohen at this talk hosted by U of T’s Centre for Ethics.

Nov. 29

Learn some Culture Moves with MoveU’s free dance class , showcasing a variety of dances and the cultures that inspired them.

U of T graduate students explore new wards for Urban Policy Lab program to help Toronto voters

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 18:49:06 +0000

U of T graduate students explore new wards for Urban Policy Lab program to help Toronto voters

noreen.rasbach Fri, 10/19/2018 - 14:49

Cutline

Alex Gold-Apel, one of the students who studied Toronto's Ward 18, says many people he talked to say they won't be voting because they don't believe politicians will do anything to solve the ward's problems (photo courtesy of Alex Gold-Apel)

Angela Gu

Topic

City & Culture

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Alumni

Cities

Election

Faculty of Arts & Science

Graduate Students

Transit

Transportation

Transit problems. Traffic congestion. Lack of affordable housing. They are three of the leading issues on the minds of Torontonians as they get ready to cast their votes in Monday's municipal election.

To find out more about the issues at play and what matters most to Toronto residents in this election, University of Toronto graduate students have been heading out to each of the city’s new 25 wards as part of a newly launched initiative called Munk in the City. It is run by the Urban Policy Lab, a teaching and research hub at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

Assistant professor Gabriel Eidelman, the founder and director of the Urban Policy Lab, says the project allows students in both programs -– global affairs and public policy – to work together and think more about the city and its issues. There is value, he says, in comparing what they learn with other cities and then applying the takeaway lessons.

“This is the advantage of being in and teaching in cities,” he says.

Seventy-five students in the Master of Global Affairs and Master of Public Policy programs have been pounding the pavement in teams, talking to residents and local businesses.

One group explored Ward 18 – Willowdale. This is a rapidly growing area, with highrise buildings springing up on the main arterial road, Yonge Street. As one turns east or west onto quieter side streets, condos and apartments give way to single-family homes. The ward is diverse on many counts: from ethnicity to income to household size.

Alex Gold-Apel, one of the students in the Ward 18 group, says he found transportation was almost a universal concern among the residents: too much congestion and construction, and not enough transit.

The area is home to a younger segment of the population – one-third of the residents are between 25 and 44 years old, according to the most recent census. Gold-Apel says he found that affordable housing is one of the most important issues for young people in the city.

Gold-Apel and his group members also learned that there is a high population of recent immigrants in Ward 18 who have not yet obtained Canadian citizenship. These are permanent residents who may be passionate about city issues but are unable to vote and have a direct influence on the makeup of city council.

The group also encountered residents who will not be voting in this election by choice, sometimes because of a lack of knowledge about the candidates and their views.

For those residents, the Urban Policy Lab has partnered with Vox Pop Labs, whose cofounder Clifton van der Linden is a U of T PhD student, and the CBC in a civic engagement tool to help: Vote Compass. The online tool makes it easy for voters to learn how their political views align with those of candidates running for office.

The Urban Policy Lab’s contribution to Vote Compass comes in the form of the Council Scorecard, a civic education project, developed in collaboration with journalist Matt Elliott, that aims to present municipal voting records in compelling and accessible new formats.

Yes we can: U of T students create prize-winning IDeA project for accessibility

noreen.rasbach — Sat, 13 Oct 2018 01:43:37 +0000

Yes we can: U of T students create prize-winning IDeA project for accessibility

noreen.rasbach Fri, 10/12/2018 - 21:43

Cutline

Sara Santos and Natasha Bruno, the student innovators behind “Humans that CAN” (photo by Nick Iwanshyn)

Topic

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Undergraduate Students

Stairs and narrow doorways are not the sole barriers to accessing sport and physical activity spaces. Once up the steps and through the doors, stereotypes and prejudices still obstruct the way.

For U of T Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education recent graduate Sara Santos and fourth-year student Natasha Bruno, increasing accessibility means taking down attitudinal as well as physical barriers to participation. They are strong believers in the principle that no single barrier to accessibility should take precedence over another.

The duo were third-place finalists in the Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) competition, winning $1,000. Their submission comprises a series of posters with “can” statements –such as one from a U of T student with hypermobility disorder, a condition that can cause joint pain, who wished people would see what she is able to do instead of concentrating on what she cannot: “I sometimes use a cane but I CAN dance.”

Focusing on the word “can,” Santos and Bruno are hoping to shift attention away from stereotypes about disability and instead emphasize individuals’ various levels of ability in sport and physical activity.

“We need to be aware of the different struggles individuals face,” says Bruno of the wide spectrum of physical challenges.

Individuals have varying levels of ability that can fluctuate on a daily basis, says Santos. Common perceptions about what disability looks like and questioning whether or not someone requires accessibility accommodations prevents some individuals from requesting them altogether, their project says.

The basis of their IDeA submission stems from Santos’s research for her undergraduate thesis project entitled "Student narratives surrounding accessibility within physical activity and sport spaces." The statements from Humans that CAN are derived from her interviews with U of T students who identified as having a physical, sensory or intellectual disability.

“Our project is really about illuminating the voices of individuals with disabilities versus having able-bodied individuals speaking on behalf of them,” says Santos. These personal stories will hopefully remedy some incomplete representations of ability that can present a significant barrier to participation, she says.

The practical and cost-effective method of displaying statements from personal stories on posters was inspired by the format of the Change Room Project. This awareness-raising measure for the LGBTQ experience in change rooms was initiated by one of Santos’s thesis co-supervisors, Associate Professor Caroline Fusco of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

Angela Gu

International Women's Day and Entrepreneurship Week: Check out these March events

Hitting high notes: These undergraduate students are researching topics that affect musical performance

Black History Month: Check out these U of T events in February

Feb. 1

Feb. 2

Feb. 4

Feb. 5

Feb. 6

Feb. 7

Feb. 8

Feb. 12

Feb. 13

Feb. 14

Feb. 15

Feb. 23

Feb. 26

Feb. 28

From smart cities to Indigenous culture and classical music: Check out these January events

Jan. 8

Jan. 9

Jan. 16

Jan. 18

Jan. 20

Jan. 23

Jan. 24

Jan. 25

Jan. 26

Jan. 30

While earning a commerce degree at U of T, the Caleon twins built up a massive social media following

Poignant remembrances and seasonal celebrations: Check out these December events

Dec. 1

Dec. 3

Dec. 4

Dec. 6

Dec. 7

Dec. 8

Dec. 12

Dec. 13

Dec. 15

Dec. 19

Dec. 28

Meet five impressive graduating students who got the most of their U of T experience

As this fall's convocation comes to an end, we introduce you to five students who have made the most of their time at the University of Toronto.

Natasha Malik

Eray Sonmez

Melinda Scott

Joey Bose

Rachel McKenna-Marshall

From convocation and Remembrance Day to understanding AI: Check out these November events

Nov. 1

Nov. 2

Nov. 3

Nov. 5

Nov. 6

Nov. 7

Nov. 9

Nov. 10

Nov. 12

Nov. 15

Nov. 16

Nov. 20

Nov. 22

Nov. 26

Nov. 27

Nov. 29

U of T graduate students explore new wards for Urban Policy Lab program to help Toronto voters

Read more about Urban Policy Lab's Council Scorecard

Yes we can: U of T students create prize-winning IDeA project for accessibility

Read more about the Change Room Project