Alumni

Researcher, entrepreneur ... and DJ to the stars? U of T alum perfects the mix

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:22:20 +0000

Researcher, entrepreneur ... and DJ to the stars? U of T alum perfects the mix

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 12/16/2024 - 09:22

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Amir Alam says U of T provided the foundation he needed to succeed as a DJ, a cancer researcher and an entrepreneur (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

David Goldberg

Topic

City & Culture

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

Woodsworth College

Subheadline

As a first-year student, Amir Alam toured with Justin Bieber and The Weeknd. Next, he refocused on his studies, published brain tumour research and launched a shoe-cleaning brand

Amir Alam’s arrival at the University of Toronto began with a friendly bet.

After watching a DJ spin records for a raucous crowd one evening as a teenager, he struck a deal with his mother: she would buy him a set of turntables if he was accepted to every major Canadian university to which he applied.

“The first choice was always U of T – even before my family immigrated from Iran to Toronto, I remember hearing U of T was the ‘Ivy League School of Canada,’” says Alam, who earned his honours bachelor of science degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science in 2015 as a member of Woodsworth College.

A first-year student, Alam moved into residence with his new turntables and collection of vinyl records in tow. He also began to frequent a local record shop near campus where he persistently approached the manager about a job, opening the door to regular gigs at downtown clubs and, soon after, touring opportunities with high-profile artists including Justin Bieber and The Weeknd.

Yet, despite the excitement that came with touring the world, Alam – aka DJ Crunch – says he missed belonging to the community that many students experience during their first year at university.

“When you're touring, you're always in a different city. You're in, you do the show, and you're out. It's a very scheduled and disconnected lifestyle. I really missed being around like-minded individuals and having meaningful conversations.”

So, music took a back seat as Alam focused on his studies and fulfilling a promise he had made to his father about completing a double-major in human biology and cell and systems biology.

Amir Alam looks through albums at Play De Record on Spadina Avenue, a store he worked at part-time during his U of T studies (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

Alam also took on mentorship roles and immersed himself in campus life. Beginning in third year, he worked as a lab assistant at SickKids’ Brain Tumour Research Centre alongside Gelareh Zadeh, a neurosurgeon-scientist at University Health Network (UHN) and a professor in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

Alam then secured a full-time research position with UHN at the MaRS Discovery District, where he worked in neuro-oncology and published several papers on brain tumour research.

But new opportunities and challenges were about to change Alam’s trajectory once more.

He drew on his chemistry experience – and interest in street fashion – to develop a 100 per cent plant-based shoe-cleaning product called Shoe Laundry. Working with a lab in Edmonton, he refined the formula and Shoe Laundry soon became a full-time job.

“My scientific background in the labs at U of T, SickKids and UHN definitely helped me when I was developing the concept,” says Alam. “I knew what I wanted and I had the vocabulary to communicate with the lab.”

The company continues to grow. He’s developing a new, sustainable product that repels stains before they happen.

Alam has also dabbled in filmmaking, running a music festival, making his own music and working in artist relations.

He says he enjoys having multiple projects on the go – and is open to whatever comes next.

The most valuable skill Alam developed at U of T? Perseverance, he says, and making use of all the university has to offer.

“The reputation of the school speaks for itself internationally, but what really matters is learning how to use the tools around you to succeed.”

Now a mentor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Venture Mentoring Service, Alam says he is eager to give back. His advice to current students is simple: unless you are certain about your career path, explore as many options as possible.

“You'll fail at some things, and you’ll succeed at others, but it's the only way to truly discover what you're passionate about.”

R u there? Using abbreviations in your texts reduces the chance of getting a reply: Study

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:07:13 +0000

R u there? Using abbreviations in your texts reduces the chance of getting a reply: Study

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 11/25/2024 - 09:07

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(photo by Envato)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Rotman School of Management

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

Researchers find that people who use common messaging shorthands such as "lol" and "ttyl" are perceived as putting less effort into the conversation

Tapping out smartphone messages using shorthand such as “btw” (by the way) or “tbh” (to be honest) may feel breezy and efficient – but a new study warns these and other common abbreviations may make it less likely to get a response.

Whether you’re on a dating app or messaging with fellow gamers, it turns out that using abbreviations makes people believe you’re putting less effort into the conversation. They’ll find your message less sincere and not as worthy of a reply as the exact same text written in full.

“Abbreviations imply informality and casualness – so we thought if somebody uses one, you might read that as a signal of closeness and be more likely to respond,” says study co-author Sam Maglio, a marketing professor in the department of management at the University of Toronto Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management.

“We figured that was perfectly plausible and we found out that was perfectly wrong. An abbreviation makes the other party tune out.”

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, was based on the results of experiments in the lab and the field, survey data and archival field data.

One experiment examined Tinder conversation histories submitted by 700 users across five continents. Researchers calculated the percentage of abbreviations participants used in their messages on the popular dating app. They found that for every one-per-cent increase in abbreviations, average conversation length decreased by about seven per cent.

When other Tinder users were surveyed, 80 per cent believed their matches wouldn’t care if they used abbreviations. But that wasn't reflected in the data – regardless of profile characteristics, topics discussed, message length or the sophistication of word choices.

Another experiment focused on Discord, a messaging platform popular among young people. They sent almost 2,000 messages to members of a Discord channel dedicated to anime TV shows, asking for a show recommendation.

“We set ourselves up to fail. We tried to find the most challenging arena for this effect to work: young people who live online – and it still worked,” says Maglio.

The Discord messages were probing whether reactions changed based on the type of abbreviations used. That includes: phonological abbreviations that condense words based on how they sound, such as “plz” or “thnx”; acronyms and initialisms like “hru” (how are you?) and “ttyl” (talk to you later); subbing letters or numbers for words, as in “u 2”; and contractions, which shorten words by removing letters, such as “rlly” or “wud.” All forms of abbreviations were less likely to get a reply than their spelled-out counterparts on the platform. The only exception was for the messages that used phonological abbreviations (although this exception was not noted in a subsequent experiment).

In a virtual speed dating experiment, roughly 200 young Americans were paired up for five-minute dates. Half were encouraged to integrate words from one of two lists – an abbreviated version and a spelled-out one – into their conversations. Dates had a much greater desire to continue talking to non-abbreviated texters and viewed them as more sincere. More of their dates also offered to share their contact information to continue chatting after the experiment.

The researchers’ lab-based tests yielded similar results – and the thousands of participants who participated in these studies all rated how much effort they felt were put into the texts, how sincere they felt the sender was being and how likely they were to reply.

The results were the same across the board: abbreviations meant less effort, less sincerity and a lower desire to reply.

“It’s possible that some participants treated the sincerity question as a kind of general ‘good or bad’ evaluation,” says study co-author David Fang, a U of T alumnus.

“We mainly chose sincerity because it's important for relational building. Participants are taking a stab at defining what they perceive sincerity to be – for instance expressing genuineness in the interaction.”

Kudakwashe Rutendo - a recent grad and TIFF 'Rising Star' - is just getting started

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 15:49:54 +0000

Kudakwashe Rutendo - a recent grad and TIFF 'Rising Star' - is just getting started

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 11/18/2024 - 10:49

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Kudakwashe Rutendo balanced her studies with a thriving career in film and her aspirations as a novelist (photo by Helen Tansey ~ Sundari Photography)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

"My goal is to keep telling stories that shed light on humanity, especially on the struggles that so many of us have faced"

Kudakwashe Rutendo is a born storyteller who has taken on several different roles in her own life: an actor in film, theatre and television; aspiring novelist; and a passionate student of English, philosophy and classics.

The recent University of Toronto graduate was named one of 2023’s Rising Stars by the Toronto International Film Festival and starred in the Canadian feature film Backspot. She also has several other stage and screen credits.

As a writer, she’s already completed her first novel, is drafting a second and was recently a panelist on CBC’s Canada Reads.

Writer spoke Cynthia MacDonald recently caught up with Rutendo, who was a member of Victoria College, to talk about her experiences – and her plans for life after U of T.

You were raised in Fort McMurray, Alta. and came to acting and writing through poetry. How did that happen?

Growing up, my mom put me in Girl Guides, swimming, soccer and dance. But then I heard about poetry competitions and said to myself: “I want to do this!” It felt very powerful. I started out reciting Shel Silverstein, but moved on to Shakespeare and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, as well as writing speeches. By the time I got to high school, I was working on my associate diploma in speech and drama at the Royal Conservatory. When you’re bringing words to life – well, that’s acting, right? And I said to myself, “I don’t know who I’d be without this. I guess it’s something I have to continue to do.”

What was it like to be named a Rising Star at TIFF?

That outside acknowledgment was very special. The program connected me with industry professionals and some of the top casting directors, and I also got to participate in workshops. It’s nice to be able to have those connections, because the acting industry is a community – one that you really need.

Can you tell us about your first novel, which is tentatively titled Dancing Against the Night and is now being considered for publication?

One of the main things I wanted to do was combine prose and poetry. The book is set in Toronto and follows a ballerina who struggles with depression. It’s inextricably tied to U of T because I conceived of it here and workshopped a lot of the early parts in various creative writing classes. I worked with some amazing professors – for example, Robert McGill, Ian Williams and Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer. It touched on a really formative part of my life, and on an important subject. I wanted to write about mental health and the struggle we all have to feel seen.

On Canada Reads, you championed Tea Mutonji’s Shut Up You’re Pretty. Who are some of the writers who inspire you?

I really like James Baldwin — I finished Giovanni’s Room a few months ago and it haunted me. I honestly don’t think he wrote enough. I’ve connected with Toni Morrison as well. I recently read Elizabeth Smart’s By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept and thought it was phenomenal. When I first read it, I didn’t connect with it – but I think I was approaching it the wrong way. I was reading it like a narrative when it’s really a prose poem. As a reader, when you go into a book with expectations, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

You graduated with a major in English and a double minor in philosophy and classical civilizations. Why did you choose that program?

I chose my degree based on the subjects I’m passionate about – and I do think that’s how I like to live my life. I love to read and I always knew I would study English. In every lecture I was invested. I wanted to push myself. I was fascinated by what I was doing. When it came to philosophy, I loved the structure – dissecting arguments and studying reason. I also think studying philosophy is a great way to get to know yourself. Finally, I studied classics because they’ve inspired so much of everyday life. You can see references to them throughout literature.

Sometimes people ask why I didn’t study drama. I think the fact that I didn’t makes me much more of a well-rounded performer. The more you can pull from different life experiences, the stronger you are as an actor.

What are some of your career goals?

Growing up within the Black diaspora in Canada, I would say that telling Black stories was always at the forefront of my mind. When I was young there was almost no media showcasing Black people – in the books I was reading, the TV shows I was watching, there was nobody who looked like me. When you grow up and you never see yourself, you start to hate yourself. You feel invisible.

I’m happy for the strides we’ve made in representation since then. I have a bunch of little sisters and I don’t want them to have the same experiences I did. To create art is to represent things that might be uncomfortable – that’s the artist’s creed. My goal is to keep telling stories that shed light on humanity, especially on the struggles that so many of us have faced.

U of T to mark Remembrance Day across its three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:45:25 +0000

U of T to mark Remembrance Day across its three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/06/2024 - 16:45

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(photo by Laura Pedersen)

Topic

Subheadline

A ceremony on the St. George campus will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Soldiers’ Tower

The University of Toronto will mark Remembrance Day across its three campuses on Nov. 11 – including a ceremony on the St. George campus that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Soldiers’ Tower.

The 44-metre tower, which houses a 51-bell carillon, was erected beside Hart House in 1924 to honour soldiers and members of the U of T community who fell in the First World War.

The monument was later expanded to include the names of 1,185 people who fell during either the First or Second World Wars, while the annual Service of Remembrance that takes place at its base honours those who served in both the Great Wars as well as other conflicts.

“The most important aspect of this day is drawing the community together,” says Peter MacLaurin, chair of the Soldier’s Tower committee and a retired lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Army.

Beginning at 10:25 a.m., the St. George campus service will include carillon recitals before and after the ceremony – and will be followed by a free public reception in the Great Hall of Hart House. The Memorial Room in Soldiers’ Tower will be open until 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, at U of T Scarborough, the community will honour alumni, students, faculty and staff who fell in the First and Second World Wars, as well as other conflicts. The in-person ceremony begins at 10:45 a.m. at The Meeting Place, Science Wing, and features the UTSC Concert Band, Concert Choir & String Orchestra.

At U of T Mississauga, an in-person ceremony will take place at 10:45 a.m. in front of the Davis Building, near the flagpole. The UTM Indigenous Centre is also hosting a poppy-beading workshop on Nov. 8.

Flags on all three campuses will be flown at half-mast on Nov. 11.

Soldiers’ Tower

The 44-metre tower, erected beside Hart House in 1924, houses a 51-bell carillon (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Between 1923 and 1924, the University of Toronto Alumni Association raised $397,141 to build a war memorial and establish scholarships to honour community members who served in the Great War – the equivalent of more than $7 million in today’s currency.

The tower’s carillon is played by three different carillonists, who use their hands and feet to play a keyboard that sounds the bells during spring and fall convocations and other special ceremonies, including on Remembrance Day.

The ranks, names and units of those lost to the university in the First World War are etched in stone on the memorial screen. Other features of the monument include the memorial arch and the Garden of Remembrance.

In the Staircase of Honour, stained-glass windows depict men and women who contributed to the war effort.

Portraits of several illustrious graduates are on display in the tower. They include: Lt.-Col. John McCrae, who wrote In Flanders Fields; Maj. Thain MacDowell, who earned the Victoria Cross in the battle of Vimy Ridge, the only member of U of T to receive the honour in the Great War; Maj. Fred Tilston, awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts in Hochwald Forest (Germany), 1945; and the co-discoverers of insulin, Sir Frederick Banting and Charles Best. Both men served in the Canadian Army in the First World War.

From AI to Atari: What it's like to work with Nobel Prize-winner Geoffrey Hinton

mattimar — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:13:56 +0000

From AI to Atari: What it's like to work with Nobel Prize-winner Geoffrey Hinton

mattimar Fri, 10/25/2024 - 10:13

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From left: Chris Maddison, Nick Frosst and Kevin Swersky at a recent event celebrating U of T University Professor Emeritus Geoffrey Hinton's 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

Geoffrey Hinton

Nobel Prize

Statistical Sciences

Subheadline

Three former students who worked with the "godfather of AI" recall his passionate and playful approach to research

In the wake of Geoffrey Hinton’s 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, former students and colleagues from the University of Toronto are sharing their favourite anecdotes about the “godfather of AI” – including one involving the classic Atari video game Asteroids.

Nick Frosst (photo by Nina Haikara)

Nick Frosst, a U of T alumnus and co-founder of generative AI startup Cohere, said Hinton, University Professor Emeritus of computer science, once spoke of an intense, button-mashing session that left him with nerve damage.

“This kind of explains, perhaps, the way in which he types, which is still two fingers at a time,” said Frosst, who began working with Hinton as a U of T undergraduate student and was his first employee at Google Brain.

He shared the story at a recent event hosted by the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, saying it offered a telling glimpse into Hinton’s character.

“It’s that fever-pitched intensity, passion and playfulness that he brings to everything … He found something that was fun and engaging and he played it until it damaged a finger and then he continued to push for it.”

Frosst said he also appreciates Hinton’s thoughtful consideration about the potential negative consequences of the revolutionary technology he helped create and praised him for looking past formal qualifications to spot potential and creativity.

“I don't have a master's degree or a PhD, but he was willing to work with me and I saw that in the types of people he brought into Google Brain to work with him,” Frosst said.

“He took lots of chances on people and gave them the time of day once they were there. And for that, I'll always be thankful and deeply privileged, and honoured, to have him in my life.”

Other former students at U of T tell similar stories.

Chris Maddison (supplied image)

Chris Maddison, now an assistant professor in U of T’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science, was also an undergraduate student when he started working with Hinton in 2011.

He also painted a picture of Hinton’s vibrant office – where everyone knew when he had a new idea.

“The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility,” said Maddison. “He was famous for bursting into a room and pronouncing that, he now finally, after all these years, understood how the brain worked.”

Kevin Swersky (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Kevin Swersky, a research scientist at Google DeepMind, worked with Hinton as a graduate student at U of T and similarly described visiting Hinton as a memorable academic experience.

“Normally when you go to a supervisor's office, you give them a progress update. You go through what your latest results are, you talk about a couple of your ideas and you get some feedback,” he said.

“Going to Geoff’s office was a completely different story. He would be telling you what his latest idea was. He would show you his latest results. And his whole thing was just that he was really excited about it, and his hope was to inspire you enough to start running with it.”

He added that he was particularly inspired by Hinton’s focus on small, solvable puzzles that would ultimately lead to significant breakthroughs over time.

“Geoff would think completely intuitively – like the universe was a puzzle and he was just kind of figuring out where all the pieces went, and the math would always follow whatever he was talking about,” he said.

He also remarked on Hinton’s kindness.

“He offered to put me up for a few weeks,” he said of a time when he found himself looking for a place to stay in Toronto. “He offered to go and get dishes. I was thinking to myself, ‘Wow, Geoff Hinton wants to go out shopping for dishes for me so that I can be comfortable for a few weeks.’”

Geoffrey Hinton shakes hand at a recent U of T event celebrating his Nobel Prize (photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

Frosst, too, has a Hinton home-making story: the AI luminary built him a desk from scratch.

“He's a carpenter,” Frosst said. “It’s a small wooden desk that fits in the corner of my room at home.

“That's where I keep my computer and work from.”

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

mattimar — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:43:16 +0000

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

mattimar Tue, 10/08/2024 - 15:43

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(Photo by Johnny Guatto/University of Toronto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

University Health Network

Vector Institute

Subheadline

“You always knew when Geoff had a new idea. The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility"

Reactions to Geoffrey Hinton’s Nobel Prize win began almost immediately after it was announced Tuesday morning.

Known as the “godfather of AI,” the University Professor Emeritus of computer science at the University of Toronto shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with John J. Hopfield of Princeton University for groundbreaking work that laid the foundation for machine learning using artificial neural networks.

U of T’s Geoffrey Hinton and Princeton’s John J. Hopfield are pictured during the announcement for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics (photo by Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)

At U of T, students, faculty and staff gathered at an event hosted by the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, which Hinton joined as a professor in 1987.

Those in attendance described a revered and beloved figure, citing Hinton’s determination, playful approach to research and excitement for new ideas.

"I really don’t think there’s anyone more deserving of this recognition," said Chris Maddison, assistant professor in U of T’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences, and one of Hinton’s former students.

"Geoff was a fantastic adviser. He worked really, really hard to remove the barriers for his students and he was laser focused on ideas and building his own understanding."

Hinton also received congratulations from universities and other research organizations around the world, including the Royal Society, the Alan Turing Institute and Cambridge University, Hinton’s alma mater.

Meanwhile, friends, colleagues and leaders in politics and business took to social media to express their congratulations for Hinton’s remarkable achievement.

Here’s a snapshot of what some of them said:

From left: Melanie Woodin, Chris Maddison, Nick Frosst, Kevin Swersky and Eyal de Lara (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Congratulations to Geoffrey Hinton on this fantastic recognition which is a testament to the importance of supporting basic research and the long journey that can lead to profound discoveries like deep learning that forever change our world. Hinton's phenomenal work has seeded new and innovative research by his former students and many around the world who are using AI to solve global challenges in areas like medicine and climate change.“

– Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives at U of T

“I would say his approach to science has stuck with me. Everything I know about how to do science, I mostly learned from him. It's his curiosity and playfulness ... that has been most impactful. I would also say his thoughtfulness, thinking about the consequence of the technology and how it affects society is something that we have taken seriously at Cohere as well.”

– Nick Frosst, U of T alumnus and co-founder of Cohere

“You always knew when Geoff had a new idea. The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility. He was famous for bursting into a room and pronouncing that, he now finally, after all these years, understood how the brain worked. Above all, he understood that research was a human endeavor. Research is really hard. It becomes personal. It's intertwined with tragedies and compromises. I saw him go through some of his own when I was a student in the group, and I went through my own. I remember when I was going through some health challenges, I went to him and I said, 'Geoff, sometimes it's really hard to go on.’ And he looked at me and he said, ’But we're not going to let that slow us down, will we?’"

– Chris Maddison, assistant professor in U of T’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences, Faculty of Arts & Science

U of T is the only computer science department with a Nobel Prize winner, says Professor Michael Brudno (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate an award for somebody who has made huge contributions – obviously in AI broadly, [and] to this department. No other computer science department can say that they have a Nobel Laureate. But I think beyond that, it really goes back to show how the birthplace of modern AI is Toronto, how this is the place where it all started and how it's upon us as the AI faculty in this department to continue this legacy.”

– Michael Brudno, professor in U of T’s department of computer science, acting vice-dean, graduate education in Faculty of Arts & Science, a chief data scientist at University Health Network and a faculty member at the Vector Institute

Geoffrey Hinton shares a laugh with fellow AI researcher Raquel Urtasun, left, at the Vector Institute’s opening in 2017 (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

"Geoff is the most influential person in AI, and our field would certainly not be the same without his immense contributions. He is also a tremendous educator, and has mentored many students and postdocs who have gone on to become very influential in the field of AI. Geoff cares deeply about the Toronto and Canadian ecosystem and was the driving force in the formation of the Vector Institute, which we co-founded together. Through our time as colleagues at the University of Toronto, I've deeply admired his commitment to the advancement of AI for good. This recognition is well-deserved and acknowledges his decades of work leading AI innovation and building the foundation for the AI revolution that is happening today.”

– Raquel Urtasun, professor in U of T’s department of computer science, faculty member and co-founder at the Vector Institute, founder and CEO of Waabi

“I was the first to call Geoff Hinton “Godfather of Deep Learning,” which later became “Godfather of AI.” Thrilled to see him win the Nobel prize together with John Hopfield for AI. Congrats @geoffreyhinton.”

– Andrew Ng, co-founder of Coursera, founder GoogleBrain, former chief scientist at Baidu

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Geoffrey Hinton at a 2019 event (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

“Dr. Hinton is a stalwart in his field. Celebrated as one of the ‘Godfathers of AI’, he brings decades of leading expertise in AI research as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Department of Computer Science, and the current Chief Scientific Advisor at the Vector Institute in Toronto – one of our three national AI institutes. Dr. Hinton is also an outspoken advocate for the responsible development and adoption of AI, educating the world about the benefits and challenges this technology poses.

“Canada is at the forefront of AI technology thanks to trailblazers like Dr. Hinton. His curiosity for discovery and contributions to innovation will inspire generations to come. On behalf of all Canadians, I congratulate him on his remarkable achievement.”

– Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

A.M. Turing Award winners Yann LeCun, left, Yoshua Bengio, middle, and Geoffrey Hinton at an AI summit in Montreal (photo courtesy of RE•WORK)

"@HopfieldJohn and @geoffreyhinton, along with collaborators, have created a beautiful and insightful bridge between physics and AI. They invented neural networks that were not only inspired by the brain, but also by central notions in physics such as energy, temperature, system dynamics, energy barriers, the role of randomness and noise, connecting the local properties, e.g., of atoms or neurons, to global ones like entropy and attractors. And they went beyond the physics to show how these ideas could give rise to memory, learning and generative models; concepts which are still at the forefront of modern AI research. Their ideas inspired me so profoundly that I decided to choose learning in neural networks for my own research as a graduate student. They motivated me to look for abstract principles that could be as simple as the laws of physics, but could explain biological as well as artificial intelligence. I'm truly delighted for them and for our field."

– Yoshua Bengio, professor at Université de Montréal and co-winner of the A.M Turing Award with Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun

“It was the first thing I saw in the morning. I opened my phone, and it was the headline of The New York Times and I was like, ‘Yes!’ I was very excited. I saw his perseverance – he always goes with what he believes, not what the flow is – and it's quite inspirational for me. That’s what I look for, especially in the health care area. I want to do something meaningful, something big.”

–Tina Behrouzi, second year PhD student in U of T’s department of computer science

Geoffrey Hinton poses with graduate students Ilya Sutskever, left, and Alex Krizhevsky, right, in 2013 (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Congratulations to @geoffreyhinton for winning the Nobel Prize in physics!!”

– Ilya Sutskever, U of T alumnus, co-founder of OpenAI and co-founder and chief scientist at Safe Superintelligence

“Going to Geoff’s office was always fun. Normally when you go to a supervisor's office, you give them a progress update. You go through what your latest results are, you talk about a couple of your ideas and you get some feedback. Going to Geoff’s office was a completely different story. He would be telling you what his latest idea was. He would show you his latest results. And his whole thing was just that he was really excited about it, and his hope was to inspire you enough to start running with it.”

– Kevin Swersky, U of T alumnus and research scientist at Google DeepMind

“[Hinton's] pioneering research at the University of Toronto not only revolutionized the field of AI but has also been instrumental in establishing Canada as a global powerhouse in AI research and innovation."

– Tony Gaffney, president and CEO of the Vector Institute

Fei-Fei Li and Geoffrey Hinton speak at a 2023 event in Toronto (photo by Polina Teif)

“This is beyond exciting! #AI’s far reaching impact is just beginning.”

– Fei-Fei Li, professor of computer science at Stanford University and co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute

“Congratulations to @geoffreyhinton, University Professor Emeritus at@UofT, on winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics! Widely regarded as the “godfather of AI,” Hinton’s pioneering work in artificial neural networks has transformed the global AI landscape. Dr. Hinton’s achievement highlights the best of #Ontario’s world-class talent and thriving AI ecosystem, driving innovation and shaping the future of critical #technology!

– Victor Fedeli, Ontario’s minister of economic development, job creation and trade

"On behalf of the Department and the University, we are very proud to acknowledge Geoff's global achievements and this international recognition. His contributions to machine learning and artificial intelligence have benefited virtually every discipline in science, engineering, social sciences and medicine. As we celebrate the department’s 60th anniversary, this award embodies six decades of impact and innovation in computer science and technology.”

– Eyal de Lara, professor and chair of U of T’s department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

“Heartfelt congratulations to Geoff Hinton @geoffreyhinton on winning the Nobel Prize! What an incredible honor! I feel deeply privileged to have had the opportunity to be your PhD student, work with you, and learn from you.”

– Russ Salakhutdinov, professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University

Hinton approached his research with an “almost childlike playfulness,” says Graduate student Ujan Sen (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Waking up today, seeing that news, just motivates me even more and reaffirms the decision that coming to U of T was the absolutely the best decision I could have taken. I think one of the people who had previously worked with him mentioned something along the lines of: Geoff didn't really care too much about pedigree. He cared about ideas, regardless if you have a master's or PhD. And the way he approached his research and the almost childlike playfulness and innocence he had with sort of getting to the answer is something that I really resonate with.”

– Ujan Sen, master’s student in U of T’s department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

"I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Geoffrey Hinton on winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. His groundbreaking work in machine learning has made Canada world-renowned in the field of AI. He is a true inspiration for the next generation of Canadian researchers!"

– François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry

“I’m originally a chemist. It was a surprising thing for me that a Nobel Prize is being awarded to a computer scientist. This is a big moment for computer science. I think it will bring recognition to physics-based approaches and core thinking.

“I think it’s great that some universities like U of T are willing to believe in crazy ideas. People need to encourage outside-the-box thinking.”

– Ella Rajaonson, PhD student in the Matter Lab with U of T professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik

“Congratulations!”

– Olivia Chow, mayor of Toronto

3D-printed soil? U of T startup expands sustainable urban farming footprint in Toronto

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 15:07:18 +0000

3D-printed soil? U of T startup expands sustainable urban farming footprint in Toronto

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:07

Cutline

Leo Hua and Adnan Sharif show off fresh basil that was grown with Lyrata’s sustainable farming system at Toronto’s Casa Loma (photo by Liz Intac)

Topic

Entrepreneurship Hatchery

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Startups

Sustainability

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

With new installations at Casa Loma and U of T Scarborough, Lyrata is supplying freshly grown produce to local caterers and restaurants

A startup co-founded by a University of Toronto graduate student has its roots in an experience that is all too common for many of us.

He kept forgetting to water his plants.

“I was working in a plant immunity biology lab, so if I didn’t water them, I’d have no plants to do experiments with,” says Adnan Sharif, who is pursuing a master’s degree in the department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

He says his solution was inspired by his father.

“My dad is a mechanical engineering professor at a university in Japan, and he knows a lot about manufacturing materials with porous, three-dimensional structures,” he says. “That’s how I got the idea to make my own 3D-printed soil construct, which could retain water for a week or more.

“That way, I wouldn’t have to go into the lab and water the plants so often.”

The innovation – which Sharif came up as an undergraduate working in the lab of Keiko Yoshioka, a professor in the department of cell and systems biology in U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science – is one of several that now underpins Lyrata, a startup that grows fresh produce for caterers and high-end restaurants across the Greater Toronto Area.

The company, which got its start in a greenhouse on U of T’s St. George campus, has recently expanded with operations at U of T Scarborough and Casa Loma, a museum, event space and historic site in midtown Toronto.

Growing plants without soil, known as hydroponics, is a technique commonly used in greenhouses worldwide. But Sharif and his team see an opportunity to make the industry more sustainable, starting with the soil replacement that the plants grow in.

“The product that almost everyone uses today is basically the same as house insulation,” Sharif says. “It’s made from rocks that are mined in remote places and shipped hundreds of kilometres to a production facility, where they are heated to thousands of degrees in a giant furnace to make a porous, chemically inert material. This material then needs to be shipped again to where it’s needed, and when you’re finished, you throw it in the garbage.”

By contrast, Lyrata’s SmartSoil is 3D-printed using biopolymers such as polylactic acid, which is derived from corn. These materials can be locally sourced and require much lower temperatures to melt and form into porous structures.

When the growing cycle is complete, the product goes through a low-heat proprietary cleaning process and can be used again. Sharif says that SmartSoil has a total lifespan of about two years, after which it can be composted along with crop residue. Together, these changes greatly lower the carbon footprint of indoor farming.

In 2020, Sharif and his co-founders brought his idea to The Entrepreneurship Hatchery, U of T Engineering’s startup incubator and one of several entrepreneurship hubs across U of T’s three campuses. Through the Hatchery’s Nest process, they were connected with business mentors, including alumnus Xavier Tang, a consultant and venture capitalist who still advises the company today.

Over the next few years, the team evolved, with some original members leaving and others joining. They include Leo Hua, who has been pivotal to speeding the development of 3D printable soil. The concept evolved, too, as the team realized that producing food was a better business for Lyrata than rather than selling their growth medium to other farmers.

The Hatchery team – in particular, Executive Director Joseph Orozco, Go-To-Market Lead Erika J. Murray and a team of work-study students, mentors and legal externs – helped Lyrata develop their technology and business. In 2022, the Hatchery provided $155,000 in seed funding, enabling the founders to be employed by their company and further supporting business development. The funding also enabled the company to rent greenhouse space on campus, where they began growing lettuce to provide to Spaces and Experiences at U of T.

Lyrata also developed something new: a modular unit that works exclusively with their SmartSoil and contains everything required to produce a variety of indoor crops – from lights and growth medium to irrigation systems.

“None of these technological and business developments would have taken place without the generous support of the over 50 Hatchery mentors, work-study students, and legal externs who contributed to our success,” says Sharif.

“Our current concept is what we call farming-as-a-service,” Hua adds. “The SmartGrow unit we developed is small enough to fit into a standard parking spot. Our clients sign a contract with us to place a unit on their site and we take care of everything from planting to harvesting.

“For a flat fee, they get a self-contained farm that provides a reliable quantity of their desired crop over a set period of time.”

In addition to providing a locally sourced, sustainable product, Sharif says the approach can also help mitigate fluctuations in the price of wholesale produce.

“In Canada, most of our lettuce comes from California, which has been dealing with drought and many other issues,” says Sharif. “Supply chain disruptions due to COVID-19 were also a big challenge for restaurants, which have very thin margins to begin with. At one point, the price of lettuce increased by a factor of six, so you can imagine the effect that would have.”

So far, Lyrata has produced more than 15 different types of crops, including basil, parsley and mizuna, also known as Japanese mustard greens.

Support from the U of T Engineering community has been key to Lyrata’s success.

For example, it was a U of T Engineering alumni connection that recently led to Lyrata launching an installation at the historic Casa Loma museum and landmark in Toronto.

“Lyrata’s competitive edge is that they provide an on-site, full service and they do not take up very much space,” says Nikol Watlikiewicz, Casa Loma’s horticulture and grounds manager. “In a small corner of our potting shed, we were able to build two grow units that provide a good yield weekly, without having to train our staff on the complicated system.

“Growing indoors gives us the stability and control that traditional agriculture does not. It’s an excellent example of how engineers can help solve the global food crisis with innovative thinking.”

In August, Lyrata launched another growing unit at U of T Scarborough, located within the Harmony Commons Dining Hall.

The priority for the next few years is growing Lyrata’s crop offerings and client base with ongoing support from The Hatchery. The incubator has facilitated graduate student placements through Mitacs, with matching funds. It also backed a recent $167,500 project with the Ontario and Canadian governments through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership program to further advance the yield and efficiency of the SmartSoil system.

“The fact we’ve been able to come this far in such a short time is in large part due to the help we’ve had from U of T Engineering, and especially the Entrepreneurship Hatchery,” says Sharif.

“Whether it was getting seed funding, finding mentors, hiring work-study students or making important connections through their alumni network, we wouldn’t be here without their support.”

Get That Hope: Alumna and former U of T Mississauga instructor premières latest work at Stratford Festival

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 15:27:55 +0000

Get That Hope: Alumna and former U of T Mississauga instructor premières latest work at Stratford Festival

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 08/29/2024 - 11:27

Cutline

Andrea Scott says she wrote her latest play, Get That Hope, after seeing Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, asking herself, “Why don’t we have plays like this about Black Canadian families?” (photo by Helen Tansey)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Humanities

Theatre

U of T Mississauga

Subheadline

Andrea Scott's play tells the story of a Toronto family in the lead-up to a Jamaica Independence Day celebration

Andrea Scott has never forgotten the moment when her dreams of becoming a writer were quashed.

It was during a Grade 9 English class.

“I remember proclaiming something I felt was very literary and my English teacher shot me down so quickly,” says the University of Toronto Mississauga alumna and former instructor at U of T Mississauga. “It killed my desire to be a writer and I’ve never forgotten her.”

The death of Scott’s writing ambitions would prove to be premature. She just wrapped up a contract writing for Disney and recently her play Get That Hope, which tells the story of a family in the lead-up to a Jamaica Independence Day celebration, made its debut at the Stratford Festival.

Scott’s journey to becoming an award-winning playwright and screenwriter began when she temporarily gave up on writing in high school, and turned her attention to the stage. She received an honours bachelor of arts degree in theatre and drama studies through U of T Mississauga’s joint program with Sheridan College, with a minor in English.

She later earned a master’s degree in drama through U of T’s School of Graduate Studies and the Faculty of Arts & Science. 

She recalls being “an annoying theatre kid” at U of T Mississauga, but says she had many professors who encouraged her and gave her a well-rounded theatre education.

“It is good to have a three-dimensional education regarding the ‘why’ of certain stories and the historical context,” Scott says. “I have a lot of those books still on my shelf because they inform how I write.”

Following graduation, she pursued an acting career in Toronto. As she auditioned for TV shows, she noticed a theme: Black characters often supported the protagonist – who was usually white – and didn’t have robust stories of their own.

When she auditioned for the role of a grieving mother who had lost her son to gun violence, she turned her attention back to writing.

“I was like, ‘Yeah ... I could write better than this,’” Scott says.

She wrote her first play, Damaged, a one-woman show that debuted at b current’s rock.paper.sistahz festival. Her second play, Eating Pomegranates Naked, was included in the SummerWorks Performance Festival.

It was a turning point for Scott.

“There were people lining up to see the play who did not know me and had never heard of me, and that felt very validating,” she says, adding that the play also earned her the RBC Arts Professional Award. “That was the moment where I realized, ‘Maybe I could do this.’”

Scott continued to achieve success with her plays, including Better Angels: A Parable, Don't Talk to Me Like I'm Your Wife (produced by her production company, Call Me Scotty Productions) and the award-winning Controlled Damage. She also taught playwriting to undergraduate students in U of T Mississauga’s department of English and drama.

In 2020, Scott worked in the writers’ room on the CBC/BET production The Porter. Following that, she worked on Murdoch Mysteries for three seasons and wrote four episodes.

“Murdoch Mysteries was a huge achievement for me,” Scott says. “I never assumed that I would ever get a job quite like that.”

Scott recently wrote for the upcoming Disney series High Potential, which stars Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) with Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas as showrunner.

“The first time that I got to walk into the Disney lot, it just did not seem real,” she says. “It was a dream come true.”

On Aug. 10, Scott made her Stratford debut with the world première of Get That Hope. She says she was inspired to write the play after seeing Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night.

“All I kept thinking was, ‘Why don’t we have plays like this about Black Canadian families?’” she says.

Scott is working on a new play called Truthfully Jackie about Jackie Robinson’s time playing for the Montreal Royals in 1946.

While she has seen success throughout her career, Scott says she has also faced challenges – including not being taken seriously enough.

“I’m a woman, I’m a Black woman, and I’m really tiny – like five feet tall. But I have this voice, and I try to use it to make sure people take me seriously,” she says, adding that her advice for budding writers is to not take criticism to heart.

“Reacting emotionally to something that was maybe constructive criticism won’t help you,” Scott says. “Also, write and write and write – and don’t close off any kind of source material that you can be inspired by. You never know where it might come from.”

Get That Hope runs until Sept. 28 in the Stratford Festival's Studio Theatre.

Canada Post stamp honours the late Norman Jewison, one of the country's most celebrated filmmakers

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:00:56 +0000

Canada Post stamp honours the late Norman Jewison, one of the country's most celebrated filmmakers

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 08/27/2024 - 09:00

Cutline

(source photo by Peter Bregg for HELLO! Canada)

Joe Howell

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

A U of T alumnus, Jewison served as chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto from 2004 to 2010

Canada Post recently honoured acclaimed Canadian filmmaker – and University of Toronto alumnus – Norman Jewison with the recent release of a commemorative stamp.

Jewison, who died in January at age 97, was one of Victoria College’s most distinguished graduates. He was nominated for best director three times at the Academy Awards: for In the Heat of the Night (1967), Fiddler on the Roof (1971) and Moonstruck (1987).

He also served as chancellor of Victoria University in the University of Toronto from 2004 to 2010, with the Jewison stream of Vic One, the award-winning first-year program at Victoria College, named in his honour.

“As Canadian as maple syrup, as Canadian as a Prairie sunset, and now we have as Canadian as Norman Jewison on a stamp – which may be the winning entry,” said comedian Rick Mercer during an unveiling event on July 24.

The event was hosted by the hosted at the Canadian Film Centre (CFC), which was established by Jewison in 1988 and serves as an incubator for Canadian film talent.

Mercer, who was joined at the launch by director and U of T alumnus David Cronenberg, later told CBC News that Jewison was a “class act” who “believed in young people.”

Cronenberg, meanwhile, told the audience that, “When saying goodbye, [Jewison] would always say ‘stay strong,’ because he knew how much strength you needed to do what we did.”

Paul Gooch, a professor emeritus of philosophy who was president of Victoria University during Jewison’s time as chancellor, was among the attendees at the unveiling.

“It was quite joyful because Norman was such a wonderful guy and people wanted to tell stories about his life,” said Gooch. “All of the speakers referred to the fact that he was a storyteller and didn’t want to preach, despite being very concerned about social justice issues.

“He was great on human follies and the prejudices that we have.”

Gooch recalled Jewison’s remarkable support of young people. “As chancellor, he loved to interact with the students,” said Gooch. “He had something he did occasionally called ‘chat with the chanc,’ where he would have a group of students over to his place on Gloucester Lane and just sit around talking.”

Professor Emerita Pauline Thompson and Professor Emeritus Paul Gooch (supplied image)

Jewison is the fourth Victoria College graduate to be recognized with a stamp by Canada’s postal service in recent years, joining Margaret Atwood, Northrop Frye and Donald Sutherland. He was closely involved with the stamp’s creation and personally chose the image, which was taken at the CFC in 2007 by Peter Bregg for HELLO! Canada.

“After the photo appeared in Hello!, Norm called me up and asked if he could use it elsewhere,” said Bregg. “I said, ‘Yes,’ with pleasure. For three or four years after that he’d send me a litre of maple syrup from his farm as a thank you, which I found quite sweet, no pun intended. I’ve seen the photo everywhere since then.”

“Because the launch event was held at the CFC, the post office had the idea to let people recreate the original photo,” added Bregg. “You got a five-by-seven-inch print of yourself in Norm’s seat taken from the same angle.”

Jewison’s commemorative stamp is now available online and at Canada Post locations across the country.

'I came for that theatre'; Why the late Donald Sutherland championed U of T's Hart House Theatre

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:04:15 +0000

'I came for that theatre'; Why the late Donald Sutherland championed U of T's Hart House Theatre

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 08/26/2024 - 09:04

Cutline

(photo by Carlos R. Alvarez/WireImage/Getty Images)

Topic

Subheadline

The esteemed actor and U of T alumnus also created the Donald Sutherland Award for Best Performance

The late Donald Sutherland was not only an esteemed actor and alumnus of Victoria College – he was a fierce and lifelong champion of the University of Toronto’s Hart House Theatre.

Known for roles in M*A*S*H, the Hunger Games, Invasion of the Body Snatchers and others, Sutherland stepped up in support of the campus theatre 24 years ago when it was facing possible closure.

With the help of fellow alumnus Lorne Michaels, creator and producer of Saturday Night Live, Sutherland became co-chair of the Friends of Hart House Theatre, which was colloquially known as the“Save Hart House Theatre Campaign.”

As part of his efforts, Sutherland penned an eloquent and heartfelt letter to then-theatre manager Janet Bessey that emphasized the theatre’s impact on his life and the lives of so many others.

“It’s a theatre. It smells. It hears. It sings. It’s a theatre with arms that embrace you, comfort you, push you, and applaud you. It gives birth to people who make theatre. It nurtures them. It guides them. It sets them free and they wear the mantle of that theatre for the rest of their lives,” he wrote.

He added that Hart House Theatre was among the reasons he applied to U of T in the 1950s.

“When I came to Toronto forty-seven years ago, I came for that theatre. Expressly for that,” he stated in his correspondence with Bessey.

“I’d never been inside a theatre before; I’d never even seen a play. I knew nothing but that I was an actor. I’d not played yet but that’s what I’d come to do,” he elaborated. “That theatre was where some messenger from some advisory council somewhere told my open-faced father and my stunned-in the-headlights self that that was [the] place to go if that indeed was what I wanted to do. It was.”

The correspondence, later published by a newspaper, caused a ripple effect. “Through Donald Sutherland’s personal generosity and leadership, hundreds of donors came forward and ensured that Hart House Theatre would remain a vital crucible for student artists,” says Peter Wambera, Hart House’s associate director of advancement.

Sutherland’s very first acting experiences were at U of T. During his undergrad years, he participated in several theatrical productions staged by Hart House Theatre, UC Follies and Victoria College Dramatic Society.

His first acting role at Hart House Theatre was in James Thurber and Elliott Nugent’s The Male Animal (1953), which was well-received. He also earned excellent reviews from both the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail for his role as Stephano in Hart House Theatre’s production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Other Hart House plays in which he was involved include Darkness at Noon, The Troublemakers and The School for Wives.

Sutherland also spent many of his summers acting at the Straw Hat Players, a theatre company founded by members of Hart House Theatre, along with its then director Robert Gill.

Donald Sutherland, centre, in "The School for Wives" in 1956 (photo courtesy of Hart House Theatre Archives)

Sutherland, a Companion of the Order of Canada and recipient of the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement (Film), graduated from U of T in 1958 with a degree in engineering and drama. In 1998, he received an honorary degree from U of T in recognition of his acting career and his championing of social issues. Hart House co-signed the nomination, recalls then-Warden Margaret Hancock.

His support of Hart House Theatre never wavered. In 2014, through a generous donation, he created the Donald Sutherland Award for Best Performance.

“Donald Sutherland’s gift, the creation of the award, not only reflected his own unforgettable experiences at Hart House Theatre and how profoundly he valued this theatre, but it also guaranteed that there would be a permanent award to acknowledge outstanding student acting,” says Doug Floyd, Hart House’s director of theatre and performance art. “This is an extraordinary legacy that we cherish at Hart House Theatre. It will inspire and support students for many generations.”

Each year’s recipient of the Donald Sutherland Award wrote a letter summing up their experiences at the Hart House U of T Drama Festival. Updates were shared with Sutherland, would often respond with a letter of his own.

Hart House Theatre plans to dedicate the fall 2024/2025 season to Sutherland in a gesture of gratitude.