Alexandra Gillespie

‘In joy and friendship’: A holiday message from Principal Alexandra Gillespie

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:59:02 +0000

‘In joy and friendship’: A holiday message from Principal Alexandra Gillespie rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 12/17/2024 - 09:59

Topic

In an annual video message, Alexandra Gillespie, University of Toronto vice-president and principal, U of T Mississauga, joined members of the university community to reflect on the year’s many accomplishments and share warm wishes for the holiday season.

“It’s a great been year,” Gillespie said, noting 2024 saw U of T Mississauga break ground on a new residence building and open the New Science Building; foster connection via the interim Black Student Space, welcome people for the first outdoor All-Nation’s Powwow; and launch U of T Mississauga’s first co-op internship program.

Gillespie, a professor of medieval and renaissance literature in the department of English and drama, encouraged the U of T Mississauga community to take some time to rest and relax as the holiday season approaches.

“It’s that time of year where it gets a bit cold and dark, but that’s OK because we get to come together with the people we love, in joy and friendship,” she said.

“From all of us here, happy holidays.”

‘A time of peace and care’: Holiday message from Principal Alexandra Gillespie

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 18:01:34 +0000

‘A time of peace and care’: Holiday message from Principal Alexandra Gillespie rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 12/19/2023 - 13:01

Topic

Subheadline

“It's more than just OK to pause and rest; it's the good and right thing to do”

In a holiday message to the community, Alexandra Gillespie, University of Toronto vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, wished “shining moments of celebration, love and joy” to students, alumni, staff, faculty and librarians.

“This is a time of peace and care – and a time to take a breath,” Gillespie said. “It's more than just OK to pause and rest; it's the good and right thing to do.”

Gillespie, a professor of medieval and Renaissance literature, noted that the winter break also marks the beginning of a six-month sabbatical during which she will focus on her research. During her leave, Ian Orchard, a professor emeritus who previously served as U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, will step back into the role in an acting capacity.

“Here's to friends, family and bright holidays together,” Gillespie said. “I hope that yours are filled with all the people who matter most to you.”

U of T’s plan to become climate positive expanded to all three campuses

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:54:25 +0000

U of T’s plan to become climate positive expanded to all three campuses

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 12/04/2023 - 10:54

Cutline

(photos by Nick Iwanyshyn, David Lee and Sean Liliani)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Alexandra Gillespie

Climate Positive Campus

Climate Positive Energy

Subheadline

The commitment builds on an earlier pledge to have the historic St. George campus reduce more greenhouse gases than it emits

All three of the University of Toronto’s campuses are committing to reduce more greenhouse gases than they emit in the years ahead, an ambitious goal that goes beyond carbon neutrality and targets a climate-positive future.

The commitment expands on an earlier pledge to make the St. George campus climate positive by 2050 – a milestone the university now says it will reach well in advance – and is an extension of U of T’s Low-Carbon Action Plan, which looks to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 37 per cent relative to 1990 levels by 2030.

It comes as the United Nations COP28 climate conference gets underway in Dubai, where the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability (CECCS) and Climate Positive Energy, a U of T institutional strategic initiative, are scheduled to host a variety of events and panel discussions that highlight the role of universities in supporting a clean energy transition.

“U of T is determined to lead by example in addressing climate change – a strategic priority of the university and one of the most pressing issues of our time,” said U of T President Meric Gertler.

“The goal of becoming climate positive on all three campuses is bold and befitting of our mission as an educational institution that strives to make the world a better place.”

President Gertler noted the pledge aligns with U of T’s commitments to the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), which include climate resilience, and the U7+ Alliance of World Universities, whose priorities include championing sustainability and climate action.

“As a large and globally top-ranked public university, U of T has a responsibility to play a leadership role on this issue by taking actions that will be felt across our three campuses and beyond,” he said.

The tri-campus pledge is the latest step by the university to realize its longstanding goal of building a more sustainable future. That includes its 2021 commitment to divest its endowment fund of fossil fuel investments and make the St. George campus – the oldest, largest and most energy-intensive of the three campuses – climate positive before 2050, as outlined in the campus’s carbon and energy master plan and accompanying technical report.

Among the major initiatives on the St. George campus is Canada’s largest urban geoexchange field beneath Front Campus. Part of the Landmark Project, the geoexchange system is set to become fully operational in spring 2024 and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15,000 metric tons annually.

The campus is also modernizing what are some of Canada’s oldest district energy systems via Project LEAP, an effort supported by the Canada Infrastructure Bank. The project comprises a number of retrofit projects – including the replacement of gas boilers with electric alternatives in the St. George campus’s central steam plant – that will help curb greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 per cent by decade’s end.

“The renewal of this infrastructure – much of which is out of sight for the 100,000 people served by the campus each day – offers a chance for us to embed sustainability into the very backbone of campus,” said Ron Saporta, U of T’s chief operating officer, property and sustainability.

Saporta said the expanded, tri-campus scope of the climate commitment “offers opportunities for us to collaborate and share best practices as we work to deliver on key milestones along this journey,” noting U of T Mississauga and U of T Scarborough will publish details of their roadmaps to becoming climate positive in the coming months.

He pointed out that many of U of T’s tri-campus sustainability efforts double as experiential learning opportunities for students through the Campus as a Living Lab initiative, which are part of CECCS.

At U of T Scarborough, sustainable infrastructure efforts include both existing and upcoming projects.

The campus’s oldest building, the Science and Humanities Wing, has been undergoing deep energy retrofits since 2018 – work that will be accelerated in the coming years. Elsewhere, the campus’s geothermal system, which comprises 350 boreholes, will be expanded to 450 by the end of 2024.

U of T Scarborough is also proceeding with new climate-responsible construction projects such as the recently announced Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) and the EaRTH (Phase 2) complex, part of the collaborative EaRTH District initiative with Centennial College.

This fall, U of T Scarborough opened a new student residence, Harmony Commons, that meets the rigorous Passive House standard for energy-efficient construction. The building is equipped with eco-friendly features, including mechanical systems that can capture and re-use heat generated by sunlight, cooking and even body heat. In addition to being energy-efficient, the complex is designed to inspire students to carry forth sustainable thinking into their careers and spheres of influence, and drive change in construction and related sectors.

Wisdom Tettey, U of T vice-president and principal at U of T Scarborough, said the climate-positive commitment is a testament to the university’s global leadership.

“We are delighted to be a part of this tri-campus commitment to a climate-positive future,” said Tettey. “Sustainability is a core consideration in every aspect of U of T Scarborough’s mission of facilitating world-class learning, scholarship and innovation that supports flourishing communities in the eastern GTA and beyond – while protecting the health of the world we all inhabit.”

Tettey added that he’s confident the commitment will be met even as the campus experiences significant growth in the years ahead.

“We are very confident that the tremendous talent of our faculty, students and staff will be harnessed, in collaboration with partners, to deliver on our goal through ground-breaking research, transformative learning and operational excellence.”

At U of T Mississauga, a key element of the clean energy transition is moving away from natural gas as the primary energy source for heating, hot water and research processes. To that end, the campus launched Project SHIFT, an initiative to carry out deep energy retrofits in the central utilities plant to hasten the shift from fossil fuels to electricity.

The campus is already home to a cutting-edge geothermal system, situated beside the Instructional Centre, and is working to expand solar energy projects across numerous buildings.

U of T Mississauga also recently completed campus-wide energy audits, following which some 240 energy conservation measures were devised for the short, medium and long term.

Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, said the campus is on track to exceed the targets set by the Low Carbon Action Plan, and is ramping up work towards becoming climate positive.

“Our community is developing efficient LEED-certified buildings, accelerating our transition to renewable energy and realizing our sustainability goals,” said Gillespie, echoing comments she made in U of T Mississauga’s Climate Positive report. “We have strengthened this work through outstanding programs in research and teaching, which continue to extend the power of sustainability learning from our campus into the wider world.”

She added, in the report, that the university has a responsibility to future generations to help forge a more sustainable future.

“I look forward to achieving this goal together and to opening a path to go beyond net zero. It’s the right and good thing to do – for our lifetime and for lives to come.”

U of T marks Remembrance Day 2023 across its three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 17:09:13 +0000

U of T marks Remembrance Day 2023 across its three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/10/2023 - 12:09

Cutline

Members of the U of T community gathered at Soldiers’ Tower on the St. George campus for a Service of Remembrance ahead of Nov. 11 (photo by Polina Teif)

Topic

Remembrance Day services were held across the University of Toronto’s three campuses on Friday – one day ahead of Nov. 11 – to honour those who served and fell in the First and Second World Wars, as well as other conflicts.

On the St. George campus, members of the U of T community gathered at Soldiers’ Tower for a service that began with the playing of the tower’s 51-bell carillon. It was followed by an Indigenous land acknowledgement by Rev. Richard Ruggle and words of welcome by Daniel Hendrickson, chair of the Soldiers’ Tower committee.

The event included a performance of the Naval Hymn, a historical reading, a memorial day prayer by Imam Abdul Hai Patel, a reading of In Flanders Fields – written by U of T alumnus Lt.-Col. John McCrae – and a reflection by Rabbi Jonathan Jaffit.

U of T President Meric Gertler, Chancellor Rose Patten and Chair of Governing Council Anna Kennedy joined Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, and other representatives from government, the Canadian Armed Forces, U of T alumni, students, staff and faculty in laying wreaths in honour of the fallen in the archway of Soldiers’ Tower.

A moment of silence was observed after the placing of the wreaths.

At U of T Mississauga, a ceremony was held in front of the Davis Building with Alexandra Gillespie, U of T Mississauga principal and U of T vice-president, in attendance.

The service at U of T Scarborough was held in the Meeting Place. It was attended by Wisdom Tettey, U of T Scarborough principal and U of T vice-president, and featured performances by the concert band, concert choir and string orchestra.

Here is how the Remembrance Day services were captured through the lenses of photographers at U of T:

(photo by Polina Teif)

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces attended the Service of Remembrance on the St. George campus.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Chancellor Rose Patten, Vice-Chair of Governing Council Anna Kennedy and U of T President Meric Gertler attended the Remembrance Day ceremony on the St. George campus. The ceremony was also attended by Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister (second row).

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Members of the university community joined Alexandra Gillespie, U of T Mississauga principal and U of T vice-president (second from right), in placing wreaths during a Service of Remembrance in front of the Davis Building.

(photo by Polina Teif)

The Hart House choir performed near Soldiers’ Tower on the St. George campus.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Wreaths were laid near Soldiers’ Tower by representatives of U of T, government, the Canadian Armed Forces and other members of the university community.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Piper Rory Sinclair performed following the wreath laying near Soldiers’ Tower on the St. George campus.

(photo by Don Campbell)

Wisdom Tettey, U of T Scarborough principal and U of T vice-president, delivered remarks at the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Meeting Place at U of T Scarborough.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Capt. Angela Lam of the 25 Field Ambulance medical unit of the Canadian Armed Forces delivered a historical reading about a U of T alumnus who perished in the Italian campaign during the Second World War.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Cpl. Steven Abra played the Reveille near the end of the ceremony on the St. George campus.

U of T to mark Remembrance Day 2023 across its three campuses

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 19:56:04 +0000

U of T to mark Remembrance Day 2023 across its three campuses

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 11/07/2023 - 14:56

Cutline

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Each year, the University of Toronto community gathers to mark Remembrance Day with services to pay tribute to those who served and perished in the First and Second World Wars and other conflicts.

With Remembrance Day falling on a Saturday this year, U of T’s in-person ceremonies will be held across the three campuses one day earlier – Friday, Nov. 10. Flags will be flown at half-mast in honour of soldiers and veterans, including U of T students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Here’s how U of T’s campuses will mark Remembrance Day 2023:

St. George

The Service of Remembrance will take place at Soldiers’ Tower at 10:20 a.m. and will include a carillon prelude and postlude.

The ceremony will include words of welcome, a recitation of the poem “In Flanders Fields” – written by John McCrae, a physician and U of T graduate who served in the First World War – and a historical reading about a U of T alumnus who perished in the Italian campaign during the Second World War. The reading will be delivered by Capt. Angela Lam of the 25 Field Ambulance medical unit of the Canadian Armed Forces.

U of T President Meric Gertler, Chancellor Rose Patten and Governing Council Chair Anna Kennedy will place wreaths at Soldiers’ Tower, as will U of T students, faculty and staff and representatives of the government and armed forces.

All members of the U of T community are welcome to attend.

U of T Scarborough

U of T Scarborough’s Remembrance Day ceremony will begin at 10:45 a.m. in the Meeting Place.

The service, which will be attended by Wisdom Tettey, U of T Scarborough principal and U of T vice-president, will feature performances by U of T Scarborough’s concert band, concert choir and string orchestra.

U of T Mississauga

Members of the U of T Mississauga community are invited to join the 2023 Service of Remembrance in front of the Davis Building, near the flagpole.

Alexandra Gillespie, U of T Mississauga principal and U of T vice-president, will attend the ceremony, which will commence at 10:45 a.m.

In photos: New Canadians take citizenship oath at U of T Mississauga-hosted ceremony

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 17:09:28 +0000

In photos: New Canadians take citizenship oath at U of T Mississauga-hosted ceremony

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 03/27/2023 - 13:09

Cutline

Soon-to-be Canadian citizens say the oath at a citizenship ceremony held at University of Toronto Mississauga on March 21, 2023 (photo by Laura Proctor)

Topic

Judge Albert Wong recently encouraged 42 candidates from 11 countries to take a moment to reflect on their journey to become Canadians during a special citizenship ceremony held at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

The session, one of the first held in person since the outbreak of COVID-19, was staged in Maanjiwe nendamowinan’s Grand Hall on March 21 in collaboration with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Judge Albert Wong, bottom left, presides over a citzenship ceremony at U of T Mississauga (photos by Laura Proctor)

During the program, Wong praised the staff of the IRCC for their efforts to swear-in more than 500,000 new citizens by Zoom video call during the pandemic.

He also said March 21 was an appropriate date to hold the ceremony, noting it coincided with both the onset of spring and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, reflecting times for fresh starts and bringing people together.

(photos by Laura Proctor)

Wong shared with the group his own immigration experience, moving to Canada from Malaysia in 1971. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces as soon as he graduated high school, eventually serving nearly 40 years before becoming a citizenship judge.

In addition to Wong, U of T Vice-President and Principal U of T Mississauga Alexandra Gillespie and Vice-Provost, International Student Experience Alexie Tcheuyap – themselves immigrants from New Zealand and Cameroon, respectively – attended the ceremony.

Nigerian Canadian poet and U of T Mississauga alumnus Ayomide Bayowa, Mississauga’s current poet laureate, performed a special piece in honour of the new citizens.

U of T Vice-President and Principal of U of T Mississauga Alexandra Gillespie speaks into a microphone at top left and poses for a group photo that includes Alexie Tcheuyap, U of T’s associate vice-president and vice-provost, international student experience (photos by Laura Proctor)

As they collected their certificates conferring their new status, Wong gave the group words of encouragement, reminding them that, in Canada, “diversity is our strength.”

“This is a threshold moment, not the end of your citizenship journey,” he said, urging the newcomers to involve themselves in Canada’s Indigenous reconciliation and social inclusion efforts and encouraging them to pursue artistic endeavours to bring “light and joy and beauty and peace” to their new home.

“Citizenship is an instrument to make our country stronger.”

‘A singular legacy’: U of T community remembers former Mississauga Mayor ‘Hurricane’ Hazel McCallion

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 16:25:20 +0000

‘A singular legacy’: U of T community remembers former Mississauga Mayor ‘Hurricane’ Hazel McCallion

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 01/30/2023 - 11:25

Cutline

Hazel McCallion with U of T Mississauga’s Amrita Daniere and U of T President Meric Gertler during during Carlo Fidani's honorary degree ceremony in 2019 (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

The University of Toronto community is mourning the death of Hazel McCallion, a devoted champion for her community and a longtime friend of U of T Mississauga.

The legendary former mayor of Mississauga – nicknamed “Hurricane Hazel” for her bold approach – died on Jan. 29 at the age of 101. She is survived by her children Peter, Paul and Linda, and by granddaughter Erika.

She was an honorary U of T degree recipient and special adviser to U of T Mississauga.

“The University of Toronto joins in mourning the loss of our great friend, adviser and champion Hazel McCallion,” says U of T President Meric Gertler. “Hazel played a key role in the development of U of T Mississauga as a powerful engine of progress in the western GTA and well beyond. This sprang from her belief in the crucial importance of higher education and her incredibly passionate devotion to the City of Mississauga and its residents.

“Hazel has left a singular legacy, through her lifetime of civic leadership and charitable initiatives. Her accomplishments as a trailblazer will benefit all of us for generations to come. On behalf of the entire U of T community, I offer deepest condolences to the McCallion family.”

The fifth mayor of Mississauga, McCallion was also its longest serving and best known. She held the office from 1978 to 2014, having been elected 12 times – twice by acclamation. She prided herself on never campaigning formally, saying she won her elections one voter at a time in the grocery stores and at hockey rinks.

During McCallion’s 36 years as mayor, Mississauga grew from a suburb of 250,000 people to Canada’s sixth-largest city, boasting more than 50 Fortune 500 company headquarters. Under her guidance, Mississauga developed into a key economic centre, attracting international investment and building a thriving and culturally diverse city that has earned international acclaim.

Hazel McCallion receives her honorary degree from U of T in 2010. McCallion is hooded by Professor Ulrich Krull as she faces then-U of T Chancellor David Peterson (photo by David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

In 2010, U of T honoured McCallion, then 89, with an honorary doctor of laws in recognition of her remarkable contributions to public life.

A strong proponent of education and innovation, McCallion understood the value and importance of a university for the development of a city. U of T Mississauga collaborated with McCallion, the city, and other stakeholders and industries, creating active partnerships and links within the community. One such collaboration was the Healthy City Stewardship Centre, a made-in-Mississauga model led by McCallion that, in 2006, won the World Leadership Award honouring exceptional leadership in cities around the world.

When the university was developing the Mississauga Academy of Medicine, an increase in spaces for medical students was needed. True to her unflinching style, McCallion made the necessary phone calls, explaining the value of this expansion – and it worked.

She also helped U of T Mississauga to raise $6 million for her namesake Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre.

After retiring from politics, McCallion took on the mantle of special adviser to U of T Mississauga, where she advised on matters relating to strategic development, consulted with the Institute for Management and Innovation to develop a master’s degree in urban innovation and development, and lent her expertise to a non-credit training course for those aspiring to enter public service.

She also served as a guest lecturer and served as an invaluable mentor, interacting with faculty members and students over the decades.

“Hazel was a dedicated advocate for UTM and a fierce champion for Mississauga,” says U of T Vice-President and U of T Mississauga Principal Alexandra Gillespie. “Strong, outspoken and knowledgeable, her extraordinary contributions as a civic leader and, later, a tireless volunteer, strengthened our community, helping our campus and city grow into the diverse, innovative, global leader it is today.

“This is a tremendous loss,” she continues. “We have lost a valued adviser and trusted friend. Her energy, spirit and unwavering commitment to a brighter future will be deeply missed.”

Hazel McCallion attends the opening of the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre (File photo)

Ulrich Krull, former vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, remembers McCallion as a leader with a vision.

“Although the world is filled with billions of people, each of them with their individual stories, Hazel rises above the noise with a bright beacon, creating a better place,” Krull says. “She touched everywhere, from our neighbourhood to our province, our country and the globe.”

McCallion described herself as a child of the Great Depression and had no formal education, recalls former U of T Mississauga Vice-President and Principal Ian Orchard. This motivated her to value an education she could not have and support education for others.

Orchard remembers walking with McCallion through the recently opened Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre. Students yelled out her name and asked for selfies. Everyone in Mississauga knew her, he says, and knew they could call her “Hazel.”

“The University of Toronto Mississauga has lost a true friend,” says Orchard, who describes McCallion as a force to be reckoned with, a force for the better, someone who instilled pride in the city and a role model for many.

“In many ways the City of Mississauga and UTM grew up together, and we mourn the loss of such a wonderful friend and incredible champion of UTM. Her outstanding legacy will live on at UTM.”

Born in Port Daniel, Que., on Valentine’s Day in 1921, McCallion worked as a secretary with the Canadian Kellogg company – first in Montreal and then in Toronto. She settled in Mississauga after her husband Sam’s parents gifted the newlyweds land in Streetsville in honour of their 1951 wedding.

Streetsville was the launch pad for McCallion’s career in politics. She was elected deputy reeve in 1967. She then served as mayor of the village from 1970 to 1973 before joining Mississauga’s city council after amalgamation in 1974.

In her first bid for mayor in 1978, she won by 3,000 votes.

A little over a year into her first term, she and the city were thrust into the world spotlight when a string of CN rail cars carrying dangerous chemicals, including liquid chlorine, derailed as they passed over Mavis Road at Dundas Street on Nov. 10, 1979.

More than 200,000 residents had to be evacuated. At the time, it was the largest peacetime evacuation in North American history. The only injury reported was to McCallion herself, who twisted her ankle while surveying the wreckage.

The derailment not only put the city on the international map, but also helped open it up the wider region. During negotiations with Canadian Pacific Rail to recoup the cost of the emergency response, McCallion’s council convinced CP to allow GO trains on their Milton line. The deal opened the line – and the city – to commuters.

Her deft handling of the crisis earned her the moniker “Hurricane” and cemented her reputation as a resolute leader.

Hazel McCallion celebrates at U of T Mississauga's 50th anniversary gala in 2017 (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

McCallion earned many accolades throughout her political career. They included: Member of the Order of Canada, Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun, first chancellor of Sheridan College and 2005 runner-up for the World Mayor Award.

After retiring as mayor, McCallion continued her busy pace, taking on roles as Chief Elder Officer for the retirement living group Revera Inc. and as business ambassador for the law firm Speigel Nichols Fox LLP.

In February 2022, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the 18-kilometre Hurontario LRT line linking several transit systems (which McCallion had demanded from the provincial government after Toronto received one). It will be named the Hazel McCallion Line.

McCallion also found time for her personal passions. A lifelong hockey fan known for carrying ice skates in her trunk “just in case,” McCallion played professional women’s hockey for the Montreal Kik in the 1940s for $5 a game. As a board member of the Ontario Women's Hockey League, she was instrumental in the construction of the Hershey Centre in Mississauga and helped Don Cherry’s group bring an Ontario Hockey League franchise to the city in 1998.

She also founded Hazel's Hope, a campaign to fund health care for children afflicted with AIDS and HIV in southern Africa.

On her 101st birthday, McCallion shared the advice she would give to her 20-year-old self:

“Think positive, work hard and, if you want to be a success, you’ve got to be independent and you have to realize that you are on this earth for a purpose, so get with it,” she said. “And do your homework.”

Community members who wish to make a gift in memory of Hazel McCallion can do so by visiting this weblink.

‘That object has a story’: Alexandra Gillespie on CBC’s Metro Morning

lanthierj — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 20:37:23 +0000

‘That object has a story’: Alexandra Gillespie on CBC’s Metro Morning

lanthierj Fri, 12/09/2022 - 15:37

Cutline

Professor Alexandra Gillespie heads the Old Books New Science Lab at University of Toronto Mississauga (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Research and Innovation

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

U of T Libraries

U of T Mississauga

At first glance, the dusty and worn pages of an old book from centuries ago might not seem to reveal more than their written content. But a closer look unlocks a treasure trove of knowledge, Professor Alexandra Gillespie told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning on Dec. 8.

Hidden Stories: New Approaches to the Local and Global History of the Book is the latest in a series of projects co-ordinated by the research team at the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Old Books New Science Lab, led by Gillespie, who is also a U of T vice-president and the principal of U of T Mississauga. It aims to explore the systems, peoples and cultures that make a book, including its physical and biological properties that reveal new knowledge.

“When you love books, you don’t only love the thing that you’re reading, you also love the object that’s in your hands, and that object has a story to tell,” Gillespie told host Ismaila Alfa. “We’re also really interested in the books whose stories haven’t been told…The story of media is not a straight line from Gutenberg to Zuckerburg. On the contrary, it’s a rich line with many forking paths that takes in all parts of the world.”

The Hidden Stories project examines manuscripts in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and across the world including China, Ethiopia, east Africa, North America, Tunisia and Nepal.

Listen to the CBC Radio interview

'Good health and happy holidays': A message from Alexandra Gillespie

lanthierj — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 20:18:19 +0000

'Good health and happy holidays': A message from Alexandra Gillespie lanthierj Wed, 12/07/2022 - 15:18

Topic

As the holiday season approaches, Alexandra Gillespie, University of Toronto vice-president and principal, U of T Mississauga, urges students, faculty, staff, librarians and alumni to find time to “rest, relax and enjoy the company of friends.”

In her message, Gillespie reflects on how the community has come together again on campus, following the biggest back-to-school ever.

In the past few months, she notes, U of T Mississauga has raised a tipi for Indigenous ceremony and connection, opened a nation-leading student robotics lab, expanded a network for diabetes care and is preparing to open one of the greenest lab spaces in North America.

Most importantly, U of T Mississauga has welcomed an extraordinary group of students who continue to “create new knowledge and new collaborations and to find new ways to lift each other up,” she says.

“I’m deeply grateful to be part of this community and to have the opportunity to work, learn, and give back with you,” says Gillespie. “On behalf of U of T Mississauga, I wish you good health and happy holidays.”

Hidden Stories Project: U of T researchers lead international collaboration on centuries-old books

lanthierj — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 20:14:13 +0000

Hidden Stories Project: U of T researchers lead international collaboration on centuries-old books

lanthierj Tue, 12/06/2022 - 15:14

Cutline

Researchers analyze a manuscript as part of the The Book and Silk Roads project. UTM Old Books New Science Lab is co-ordinating a follow-up project, Hidden Stories, which has received funding from the Mellon Foundation. (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Research and Innovation

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

U of T Libraries

U of T Mississauga

At first glance, the dusty and worn pages of an old book from centuries ago might not reveal more than their written content. But a closer look unlocks a treasure trove of knowledge.

It’s those obscured treasures – hidden stories – that University of Toronto researchers want to uncover.

U of T is launching a collaborative and interdisciplinary project entitled Hidden Stories: New Approaches to the Local and Global History of the Book, funded by the Mellon Foundation. The Mellon Foundation has given a $2.69 million grant for the next four years to support the project, which involves a collaboration with 130 researchers – humanists, scientists, librarians, curators, conservators and others – at U of T and from 60 institutions across the world.

It’s the latest in a series of projects in global book history co-ordinated by the research team at UTM’s Old Books New Science Lab.

“I became really interested in the way that there were stories about books that could be told that were not only about the texts that are in them,” says U of T Vice-President and U of T Mississauga Principal Alexandra Gillespie, who leads the Old Books New Science Lab.

“That’s this ‘hidden stories’ idea, that there are stories about the makers of books, the users of books, that leave all kinds of traces that are non-textual.”

The Hidden Stories project will run from November 2022 to January 2027 and aims to explore the systems, peoples and cultures that make a book, including its physical and biological properties that reveal new knowledge. Everything from fungal growth on its pages to the trade routes involved in the materials used to make the book will be studied.

Alexandra Gillespie, vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, and principal investigator for the Hidden Stories project, joins researchers working on The Book and the Silks Roads project, March 2022. (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

This latest project is named after a public exhibition displayed at the Aga Khan Museum from October 2021 to February 2022. That display, which included contributions from U of T, the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and other collaborators, showcased manuscripts including a 17th century manuscript of the Bhagavad Gita from Kashmir.

The Hidden Stories project examines manuscripts in the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library and across the world including China, Ethiopia, East Africa, North America, Tunisia and Nepal.

Some of these books are so fragile that opening them to read would destroy the manuscript. To get past this hurdle and access its contents, researchers conduct micro-CT scans of the book, layer by layer – not page by page. Because the pages are wavy, and both the ink and the page are made of carbon, reconstructing a 3D model of the scanned layers involves the use of AI.

The project leaders are Gillespie, Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) Professor Suzanne Conklin Akbari, and University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) IT Director Sian Meikle, who will provide oversight for project goals and outcomes. Akbari was a professor at U of T for nearly 25 years, including serving as director for the Centre for Medieval Studies between 2013 and 2018 before moving to IAS in New Jersey. She was the co-curator for the Aga Khan Museum exhibition from which the project sprang.

Jessica Lockhart (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

“We’re working together to preserve and share the knowledge of the past,” says Jessica Lockhart, the Old Books New Science Lab’s head of research, calling this the “most ambitious project” the lab has ever undertaken.

The results of the research will be made available through open-source code, open data repositories, academic publications, media posts, podcasts, videos and exhibits.

UTL project librarian Rachel Di Cresce will direct the project’s technical development and approach to intellectual property, data rights, data sovereignty, sustainability, curation and preservation. IAS research associate Melissa Moreton will co-ordinate individual research clusters based all over the globe, from South Asia to the Americas.

A component of the project is to find better ways to conserve old manuscripts. While some of the books are too fragile to open, other manuscripts made of parchment degrade through a process of gelatinizing. “It’s where the page starts to physically break down on the molecular level,” Lockhart says. “We don’t really have a good conservation solution for that, so that’s part of the work.”

Other conservation issues include what’s known as the carbon black problem. CT scans of books with charcoal ink reveal that the ink and the page are both made of carbon, which makes it difficult to distinguish in a scan, as is the case with some 16th century Kashmiri birchbark manuscripts. Researchers have turned to machine learning, imaging scientists, Sanskrit scholars, librarians and conservators to figure out how to conserve the book and read it.

But the project is much more than scanning old books. In addition to imaging and machine learning, it includes DNA analysis, ecosystem analysis, data management and cataloging. It also involves directing funding toward communities of origins – the communities where the manuscripts were initially found.

PhD student Arka Chakraborty holds a palm leaf manuscript. (Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

One of the project’s primary investigators, Gillespie is interested in "disrupting the traditional narrative about the arrival of printing in Western Europe” which, she explains, is “inconsistent with pre-modern textual culture.”

That narrative, which she refers to as the “Gutenberg myth,” is that the arrival of printing in Western Europe in the 15th century is what produced modernity.

But Hidden Stories aims to change this narrative by studying diverse and creative ways of knowledge-sharing that have existed millennia before the development of the printing press in Europe. Those stories range from the squashed bug flattened between the pages of an old book to textual traditions in non-Western societies that were suppressed by colonialism or Western scholarship.

“The stories we tell about the past shape the way we live in the present,” Gillespie says.

“Recovering knowledge people have ignored, neglected, stolen or excluded, recovering knowledge, sharing it, doing it truthfully, openly, is necessary for our world to thrive,” she adds. "It's also a tool for cultural resilience – a way of giving hope for the future by affirming the cultural vitality of the past."

(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Among the project’s most important collaborators are members from Indigenous communities, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Munsee Delaware Nation, both located in what is now Ontario. Since the Munsee homeland is in what is now New York and New Jersey, that collaboration is carried on through IAS faculty. Meanwhile in Nepal, U of T collaborators are working with the local community to clean and catalog a collection of manuscripts in a monastery.

Akbari says the project developed organically and soon spread into a web of connections of interested researchers.

“It started very early on with conversations among medievalists at Toronto,” she says. She hopes Hidden Stories will generate research, speak to a wider public, create exhibitions and effect change in curricula.

“The book is a conduit that lets us find ourselves in the past,” she says. “It’s about the different ways of accessing the past, telling those stories in a good way, respecting the evidence and respecting how people have told the story over time.”