U of T Scarborough

U of T Scarborough / en U of T shines a spotlight on exceptional educators at Excellence in Teaching reception /news/u-t-shines-spotlight-exceptional-educators-excellence-teaching-reception <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T shines a spotlight on exceptional educators at Excellence in Teaching reception</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-9-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=cI-2VkXz 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-9-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=1Oa10HYI 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-9-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=bQoimwph 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-9-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=cI-2VkXz" alt=""""> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-27T13:02:53-05:00" title="Wednesday, November 27, 2024 - 13:02" class="datetime">Wed, 11/27/2024 - 13:02</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><i>U of T Vice-President and Provost Trevor Young (centre) poses with Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award recipients, from left to right: Jasty Singh, Spyridon Kotsovilis, S. Trimble and Roberta K. Timothy (photo by Polina Teif)</i></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trevor-young" hreflang="en">Trevor Young</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/early-career-teaching-award" hreflang="en">Early Career Teaching Award</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts & Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/teaching" hreflang="en">Teaching</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/women-and-gender-studies" hreflang="en">Women and Gender Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>At the ��߲ݴ�ý, teaching is about much more than just imparting knowledge – it’s an engaging, dynamic and creative process that expands and enriches the way students think, preparing them for future success in academics and their careers.</p> <p>The recent Excellence in Teaching reception hosted by U of T’s Office of the Provost recognized the fundamental importance of teaching to the university’s mission. In particular, it honoured five faculty members who received <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-of-toronto-early-career-teaching-award/#section_0">Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Awards</a>, which were recently renamed in honour of <strong>Cheryl Regehr</strong> – Young’s <a href="/news/incredible-leadership-u-t-provost-cheryl-regehr-leaves-enduring-legacy">predecessor as vice-president and provost</a>, a professor in the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and a longtime champion of teaching excellence and innovation at U of T.</p> <p>“These awards recognize burgeoning talent among our most junior faculty. We expect – and we know from experience – that these recipients will continue to lead and excel in teaching,” <strong>Trevor Young</strong>, U of T’s vice-president and provost said at the Nov. 4 event held at the Faculty Club.</p> <p>The event also featured the presentation of the <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-of-toronto-global-educator-award/">Global Educator Award</a>, which recognizes a faculty member who exemplifies U of T’s global mission by incorporating intercultural and international perspectives.</p> <p>“I’m extremely proud of U of T for many reasons,” Young said, “and one of them is what’s evident here today, which is the immense talent and experience of our faculty as well as their deep commitment to our university, to our students, to knowledge [and] to research. All that you’re doing is really incredible.”</p> <p><em>U of T News</em> spoke with all six award winners about their approach to educating students:</p> <hr> <h3>Spyridon Kotsovilis</h3> <p><em>Assistant professor, teaching stream – department of political science, U of T Mississauga</em></p> <p><em>Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-4-CROP.jpg?itok=5qPk70Bo" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“I design and conduct my classes so that they engage, motivate and empower our students to connect and interact with the material and their peers in inclusive and respectful ways towards learning and achieving their academic goals.</p> <p>“I feel honoured and humbled by the recognition; as teaching is a collective effort, it also belongs to all those who make it possible – from the administration, to the division, to my department and colleagues, to staff across different units, centres and libraries, to the campus maintenance personnel. Ultimately, this is about our students, and I would like to accept this award on behalf of them.”</p> <h3>Alison Olechowski</h3> <p><em>Associate professor – department of mechanical and industrial engineering and Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering and Practice (ISTEP), Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering</em></p> <p><em>Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/0S1A1430-crop.jpg?itok=hq7GULrT" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Liz Do)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“I’m very proud to receive this recognition for my teaching – I believe that teaching is a major channel through which I can have impact in my career, and so I strive to do it well. In my teaching I aim to bring the course content to life, so that my students can understand why they’re learning what they’re learning, and how it connects to the real world and their futures.”</p> <h3>Jasty Singh</h3> <p><em>Associate professor, teaching stream – department of immunology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine</em></p> <p><em>Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-5-CROP.jpg?itok=p11tDS0S" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“My approach to teaching is heavily influenced by my own experiences as an undergraduate student, and subsequently a graduate student and postdoctoral fellow at the ��߲ݴ�ý. I’ve always believed that learning happens everywhere – not just in the classroom. My goal is to create inclusive and engaging learning atmospheres that foster personal connections, encourage interdisciplinary exploration and promote ongoing intellectual curiosity.</p> <p>“Receiving this recognition was both an exciting and a deeply validating experience for me – I see it as a reflection of the collaborative efforts of our administrative and teaching support staff, teaching assistants, colleagues and students in the department of immunology.”</p> <h3>Roberta K. Timothy</h3> <p><em>Assistant professor, teaching stream – Dalla Lana School of Public Health</em></p> <p><em>Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-3-CROP.jpg?itok=iiC8L9ub" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“I am extremely moved and honoured to be recognized for my teaching, particularly for the work I have dedicated my life to – intersectional, decolonizing, anti-racist, anti-oppression praxis, focusing on Black health and intentionally marginalized populations. </p> <p>“I believe that teaching is one of the most powerful mechanisms to create critical social justice learning and unlearning through creative and actionable change. My teaching is influenced by my over 30 years in community health and activism. It is ancestrally anointed and community led. My hope is that the next generations can continue to create systems and practices that provide healing and wellness for African/Black populations, and that public health can work in solidarity with empathy and deep respect for our health issues and outcomes.”</p> <h3>S. Trimble</h3> <p><em>Assistant professor, teaching stream – Women & Gender Studies Institute, Faculty of Arts & Science</em></p> <p><em>Cheryl Regehr Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-6-CROP.jpg?itok=Q3lxwGbS" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“As a teacher I always try to meet students where they are and unlock new ways of connecting with them. To do this, I’ve had to learn to be more vulnerable and playful in and beyond the classroom. This award is a welcome affirmation of my belief that play, creativity and community building are crucial components of teaching excellence.”</p> <h3>Phani Radhakrishnan</h3> <p><em>Associate professor, teaching stream – department of management, U of T Scarborough</em></p> <p><em>Global Educator Award</em></p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-11-04-Excellence-in-teaching_Polina-Teif-2-crop-.jpg?itok=v4d5Y-iB" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“I did not expect in my humblest dreams to receive the Global Educator Award from U of T. I grew up in Hyderabad, India, a big city that instills openness to different cultures. I encourage my domestic and international students at the ��߲ݴ�ý to be open-minded when doing business in a multi-cultural environment. My goal is to instill a global and sustainable mindset in my students.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:02:53 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 310652 at R u there? Using abbreviations in your texts reduces the chance of getting a reply: Study /news/r-u-there-using-abbreviations-your-texts-reduces-chance-getting-reply-study <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">R u there? Using abbreviations in your texts reduces the chance of getting a reply: Study</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/young-mixed-race-woman-indoor-metro-station-using-2024-10-18-07-50-06-utc.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=NLqUTbKm 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/young-mixed-race-woman-indoor-metro-station-using-2024-10-18-07-50-06-utc.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=bxbau3m- 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/young-mixed-race-woman-indoor-metro-station-using-2024-10-18-07-50-06-utc.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=q-00hIww 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/young-mixed-race-woman-indoor-metro-station-using-2024-10-18-07-50-06-utc.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=NLqUTbKm" alt="young mixed race woman uses a cellphone while walking through a subway station"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-25T09:07:13-05:00" title="Monday, November 25, 2024 - 09:07" class="datetime">Mon, 11/25/2024 - 09:07</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em> (photo by Envato)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/alexa-battler" hreflang="en">Alexa Battler</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/language" hreflang="en">Language</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/psychology" hreflang="en">Psychology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research & Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Researchers find that people who use common messaging shorthands such as "lol" and "ttyl" are perceived as putting less effort into the conversation</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>“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 <strong>Sam Maglio</strong>, a marketing professor in the department of management at the ��߲ݴ�ý Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management. </p> <p>“We figured that was perfectly plausible and we found out that was perfectly wrong. An abbreviation makes the other party tune out.” </p> <p>The study, published in the <em><a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xge-xge0001684.pdf">Journal of Experimental Psychology: General</a></em>, was based on the results of experiments in the lab and the field, survey data and archival field data.</p> <p>One experiment<i> </i>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>“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. </p> <p>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).</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>The results were the same across the board: abbreviations meant less effort, less sincerity and a lower desire to reply.  </p> <p>“It’s possible that some participants treated the sincerity question as a kind of general ‘good or bad’ evaluation,” says study co-author <strong>David Fang</strong>, a U of T alumnus. </p> <p>“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.”</p> <p> </p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:07:13 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 310748 at Where are they now? 4 startups that won big at U of T Entrepreneurship Week /news/where-are-they-now-4-startups-won-big-u-t-entrepreneurship-week <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Where are they now? 4 startups that won big at U of T Entrepreneurship Week</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/desjardins-group.jpg?h=d6c5e7b0&itok=upuAF1jk 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/desjardins-group.jpg?h=d6c5e7b0&itok=vUBdkwj- 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/desjardins-group.jpg?h=d6c5e7b0&itok=6nbkeFZE 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/desjardins-group.jpg?h=d6c5e7b0&itok=upuAF1jk" alt=""""> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-22T15:11:45-05:00" title="Friday, November 22, 2024 - 15:11" class="datetime">Fri, 11/22/2024 - 15:11</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Clockwise, from top left: Xatoms, Genecis Bioindustries, TransCrypts and HDAX Therapeutics (photos by Alyssa K. Faoro, Don Campbell – TransCrypts photo supplied – and Matthew Volpe)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/talar-nersesian" hreflang="en">Talar Nersesian</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship-week" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship Week</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">U of T Entrepreneurship's annual pitch competition has helped accelerate the growth of several innovative and promising startups</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When you’re a startup founder, a little extra cash can be the difference between going big – or going out of business. </p> <p>“The first major expenses we needed for our company, I charged to my credit card. Starting a business when you’re 22 years old can be stressful,” explains <strong>Zain Zaidi</strong>, co-founder of TransCrypts, a document verification platform that got its start at the ��߲ݴ�ý.</p> <p>In an effort to ensure that more early-stage companies have the chance to grow, <a href="https://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca">U of T Entrepreneurship</a> (UTE) has held an annual pitch competition each year during <a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship-week">Entrepreneurship Week</a> – an event now known as the <a href="https://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca/for-entrepreneurs/2025-desjardins-startup-prize/">Desjardins Startup Prize</a>.</p> <p>The competition – which, in recent years, has been part of a broader partnership with Desjardins Group and includes <a href="https://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca/event/desjardins-speaker-series-move-fast-and-make-things-how-to-manufacture-a-global-entrepreneurial-mindset/" target="_blank">an annual Speaker Series</a> – offers more than $100,000 in prizes, ranging from $5,000 for third place in the early-stage category to $40,000 for first place in the late-stage category. There is also a people’s choice award.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/UTE-True-Blue-Impact-Day-2024-Alyssa-K-Faoro-214-scaled_2.jpg?itok=4pD4MM8W" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Marilyn Horrick, Desjardin's senior vice-president, market growth, brand expansion and partner relations outside Quebec, shakes hands with U of T President Meric Gertler at a Desjardins Speaker Series event (photo by Alyssa K. Faoro)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“Entrepreneurs are incredible drivers for innovation when they get the resources they need,” says <strong>Guy Cormier</strong>, president and CEO of Desjardins Group. “Desjardins Group is empowering young, ambitious minds to turn big ideas into solutions that make a positive impact in their communities.</p> <p>“The guidance they get from UTE to help them do that is invaluable.”</p> <p>With the Desjardins Startup Prize <a href="https://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca/for-entrepreneurs/2025-desjardins-startup-prize/#how-to-apply">accepting applications until Nov. 29</a>, here are startups that have won previously won awards at the U of T-hosted pitch competition – and then went on to enjoy future success.</p> <hr> <h3>Genecis Bioindustries</h3> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/DSC_0960.jpg?itok=7WrWq4mU" width="750" height="521" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Luna Yu, the founder of Genecis Bioindustries, competed in the early-stage category in 2018 (photo by Don Campbell)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="https://www.genecis.co" target="_blank">Genecis Bioindustries </a>founder <strong>Luna Yu</strong> competed for the top startup prize in 2018 in the early-stage category. At the time, Genecis was working on securing patents and developing its core technology of turning food waste into biodegradable plastics. The company didn’t have any commercial adopters or investors but was working to build partnerships and validate its technology with their stakeholders.</p> <p>“Winning the prize was a turning point for us at Genecis,” says Yu. “It provided the resources and recognition we needed to move from an idea to a growing company and it validated the potential impact of our technology on a larger scale.”</p> <p>Genecis invested the prize money in key areas such as research and development, team growth and infrastructure to scale production of its product.</p> <p>Since its big win in 2018, Genecis has scaled its proprietary technology, secured high-profile investments from Amazon and Khosla Ventures, and earned several government grants, totalling $35 million. Genecis also recently launched the consumer-brand “Mad Tea” to commercialize biopolymers.</p> <h3>TransCrypts</h3> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/transcrypts_banner.jpg?itok=v8DXa6VJ" width="750" height="422" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Ali Zaheer (left) and Zain Zaidi co-founded TransCrypts (supplied image)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="https://www.transcrypts.com">TransCrypts</a> co-founders <strong>Ali Zaheer</strong> and <strong>Zain Zaidi</strong> competed for the startup prize in 2022 as a late-stage company. Back then, they had raised just US$200,000 and were in the beta testing stage.</p> <p>The company, which is helping to automate HR workflows, was co-founded in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic – a time when its founders questioned if the future they were building this company for would even exist.</p> <p>“Winning this prize told me that maybe the idea I was working on wasn’t a bad one. It told me the thousands of hours and the years of work wasn’t for nothing,” says Zaidi. “This competition gave me the validation that this is what I should put my efforts towards.</p> <p>“It told me to shoot for the stars and continue building this company.”</p> <p>TransCrypts invested their prize money into rapidly prototyping and improving the product and hiring developers. Zaidi describes the competition as “great practice for pitching,” saying the experience was his introduction to the real world.</p> <p>TransCrypts stands out for its commitment to giving back. Last year, Zaidi and Zaheer built a medical record database that helped hundreds of thousands of people in Ukraine and Turkey receive quality health care despite war and uncertainty.</p> <p>Fast forward to 2024, TransCrypts is an alumnus of the globally recognized Techstars program, has raised US$4 million and is backed by investors including Mark Cuban.</p> <h3>HDAX Therapeutics</h3> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/UofT96113_HDAX_Jan-5%2C-2024_Volpe_Edits-50-crop.jpg?itok=l8qgfdXR" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Nabanita Nawar (photo by Matthew Volpe)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="https://hdaxtx.com">HDAX Therapeutics </a>delivers meaningful medicine to unlock the full therapeutic potential of drugs and improve quality of life for patients suffering from neurological and cardiometabolic diseases.</p> <p>Co-founder <strong>Nabanita Nawar</strong> competed for the prize in the late-stage category in 2022. Back then, HDAX Therapeutics had just incorporated, filed their first patent and raised some non-dilutive funding.</p> <p>“This was one of the biggest recognitions for us,” says Nawar of the prize’s impact on herself and her co-founder <strong>Pimyupa Manaswiyoungkul</strong>. “The impact that this award had was huge. It really got people to recognize who we are in the U of T and Toronto ecosystems. It set the stage for our next big wins and the relationships that we were building… The startup prize was a great kick-start to help all the pieces of the puzzle come together,”</p> <p>HDAX Therapeutics recently closed its seed funding round, which raised over $5 million, while both Nawar and Manaswiyoungkul –  immigrants and scientists-turned-entrepreneurs – are listed on <em>Forbes </em>magazine’s 30 under 30 list.</p> <h3>Xatoms</h3> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/UTE-True-Blue-Impact-Day-2024-Alyssa-K-Faoro-339-1536x1024.jpg?itok=SIzZ-3oC" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Diana Virgovicova, Xatoms founder and CEO, pitches her company to a panel of judges at the Desjardins Startup Prize (photo by Alyssa K. Faoro)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="https://www.xatoms.com">Xatoms</a> is on a mission to bring clean water to underrepresented groups around the world using the power of AI and quantum chemistry.</p> <p><strong>Diana Virgovicova</strong>, the company’s co-founder, competed for the prize in the early-stage category earlier this year – at which point Xatoms was very focused on research and development.  </p> <p>“The Desjardins Startup Prize showed me to believe in my business and the impact we are making. It encouraged me to think bigger,” says Virgovicova, who has received many awards and recognitions, including an award of excellence from the royal family in Sweden. “It opened so many doors for Xatoms – opportunities that helped grow our business tenfold.”</p> <p>Within just a span of seven months, Xatoms reached the final round of the Hult Prize, becoming the first Canadian team in over a decade to do so. It also collected over $500,000 in awards at StartupFest in Montreal and recently received the Clean 50 Emerging Leader Award.</p> <p>Virgovicova, along with co-founder <strong>Kerem Topal Ismail Oglou </strong>and <strong>Shirley Zhong</strong>, currently has three water purification pilot operations in Kenya, South Africa and the United States.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/UTE-True-Blue-Impact-Day-2024-Alyssa-K-Faoro-897-1-768x512.jpg?itok=pPnRE2WS" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>From left to right: Marilyn Horrick, Diana Virgovicova and U of T Entrepreneurship Director Jon French holding a $15,000 cheque for Xatoms (photo by Alyssa K. Faoro)</em></figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 22 Nov 2024 20:11:45 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 310692 at U of T to mark Remembrance Day across its three campuses /news/u-t-mark-remembrance-day-across-its-three-campuses <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T to mark Remembrance Day across its three campuses</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/UofT14428_20171110_RemembranceDayStGeorgeCampus2017_002-crop.jpg?h=98fe528d&itok=mFcQVsPg 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/UofT14428_20171110_RemembranceDayStGeorgeCampus2017_002-crop.jpg?h=98fe528d&itok=YxDoz7kB 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/UofT14428_20171110_RemembranceDayStGeorgeCampus2017_002-crop.jpg?h=98fe528d&itok=G-gYK_Cz 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/UofT14428_20171110_RemembranceDayStGeorgeCampus2017_002-crop.jpg?h=98fe528d&itok=mFcQVsPg" alt="view under soldier's tower during a remembrance day ceremony"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-06T16:45:25-05:00" title="Wednesday, November 6, 2024 - 16:45" class="datetime">Wed, 11/06/2024 - 16:45</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Laura Pedersen)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/adam-elliott-segal" hreflang="en">Adam Elliott Segal</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City & Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/soldiers-tower-0" hreflang="en">Soldiers' Tower</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/remembrance-day" hreflang="en">Remembrance Day</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">A ceremony on the St. George campus will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Soldiers’ Tower</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The ��߲ݴ�ý 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. </p> <p>The 44-metre tower, which <a href="https://alumni.utoronto.ca/community/soldiers-tower/soldiers-tower-carillon">houses a 51-bell carillon</a>, 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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>“The most important aspect of this day is drawing the community together,” says <strong>Peter MacLaurin</strong>, chair of the Soldier’s Tower committee and a retired lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Army. </p> <p>Beginning at 10:25 a.m., <a href="https://alumni.utoronto.ca/community/soldiers-tower/service-of-remembrance">the St. George campus service</a> 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.</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/principal/remembrance-day">in-person ceremony</a> begins at 10:45 a.m. at The Meeting Place, Science Wing, and features the UTSC Concert Band, Concert Choir & String Orchestra.</p> <p>At U of T Mississauga, <a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/faculty-staff/remembrance-day-ceremonies">an in-person ceremony</a> 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 href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFaQpCwxQAVHzu8jnzxOvoYg_y8J1poevm3aes70sTZY_bfQ/viewform">a poppy-beading workshop</a> on Nov. 8.</p> <p>Flags on all three campuses will be flown at half-mast on Nov. 11. </p> <h4>Soldiers’ Tower</h4> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/UofT14434_20171110_RemembranceDayStGeorgeCampus2017_008-crop.jpg?itok=qm888w-z" width="750" height="518" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>The 44-metre tower, erected beside Hart House in 1924, houses a 51-bell carillon (photo by Laura Pedersen)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Between 1923 and 1924, the ��߲ݴ�ý 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.</p> <p><a href="https://alumni.utoronto.ca/community/soldiers-tower/soldiers-tower-carillon">The tower’s carillon</a> 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 <a href="/news/soldiers-tower-carillon-played-remembrance-queen-elizabeth-ii">other special ceremonies</a>, including on Remembrance Day. </p> <p>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. </p> <p>In the Staircase of Honour, stained-glass windows depict men and women who contributed to the war effort. </p> <p>Portraits of several illustrious graduates are on display in the tower. They include: Lt.-Col.<strong> John McCrae</strong>, who wrote <em>In Flanders Fields</em>; Maj. <strong>Thain MacDowell</strong>, 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. <strong>Fred Tilston</strong>, awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts in Hochwald Forest (Germany), 1945; and the co-discoverers of insulin, Sir <strong>Frederick Banting</strong> and <strong>Charles Best</strong>. Both men served in the Canadian Army in the First World War.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 06 Nov 2024 21:45:25 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 310445 at In photos: ��߲ݴ�ý graduates celebrate fall convocation 2024 /news/photos-u-t-graduates-celebrate-fall-convocation-2024 <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">In photos: ��߲ݴ�ý graduates celebrate fall convocation 2024</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Polina-Teif-25-crop.jpg?h=2b06e2e8&itok=HREPcHzE 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Polina-Teif-25-crop.jpg?h=2b06e2e8&itok=xGeaUQQK 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Polina-Teif-25-crop.jpg?h=2b06e2e8&itok=9yWjptgv 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Polina-Teif-25-crop.jpg?h=2b06e2e8&itok=HREPcHzE" alt="two female graduates are seen from the back as they take a selfie on front campus after their convocation ceremony"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>davidlee</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-05T13:08:02-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - 13:08" class="datetime">Tue, 11/05/2024 - 13:08</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><meta charset="UTF-8"><em>Graduates capture their big day from every angle on U of T's Front Campus (photo by Polina Teif)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/u-t-news-team" hreflang="en">U of T News Team</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2024" hreflang="en">Convocation 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/eagle-feather-bearer" hreflang="en">Eagle Feather Bearer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/wesley-hall" hreflang="en">Wesley Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-hall" hreflang="en">Convocation Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/factor-inwentash-faculty-social-work" hreflang="en">Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As the leaves changed colour across the ��߲ݴ�ý’s three campuses, more than 4,000 members of the Class of 2024 embarked on a new chapter in their lives by crossing the stage inside Convocation Hall.</p> <p>They were among more than 5,700 ��߲ݴ�ý graduates to receive their U of T degrees this fall and among more than 21,500 to graduate this year – many having begun their studies during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>Here are some of the highlights of fall convocation ceremonies as captured by U of T photographers:</p> <hr> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Mac-04-crop.jpg?itok=tJacpeRL" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>With the autumn leaves providing a burst of colour overhead, graduates gather outside Convocation Hall with their friends and families.</p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/Convocation-SR-Nov-1-feather-bearer-crop.jpg?itok=r5a39Dr6" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Shauna Rempel)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Eagle Feather Bearer <strong>Kaitlin Phillips</strong>, Indigenous student support specialist at U of T Mississauga, leads the chancellor’s procession into Convocation Hall.</p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Polina-Teif-22.jpg-crop.jpg?itok=dBwm6bh7" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em> (photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Graduates from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work’s <a href="https://socialwork.utoronto.ca/admissions/msw-itr/">master of social work, Indigenous trauma and resiliency program</a> pose for a group shot on Front Campus. </p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Mac-12-crop.jpg?itok=YxHyZlv6" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>New beginnings: A smiling grad shakes the hand of <strong>Wes Hall</strong>, who was <a href="/news/profound-sense-responsibility-wes-hall-installed-u-t-s-35th-chancellor">officially installed as U of T’s 35th chancellor</a> at the outset of this year’s fall convocation ceremonies. </p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Mac-13-crop.jpg?itok=8aXCLOPy" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Smartphone-toting friends and family members strain to capture graduates’ big moments inside Convocation Hall.</p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Mac-30-crop.jpg?itok=QB2mr7cm" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><a href="/news/eagle-feather-introduced-convocation-ceremonies-symbol-u-t-s-commitment-reconciliation">Eagle Feather Bearer</a> <strong>Adrianna Lewis,</strong> left, a master’s student in the Faculty of Information, shares a laugh with <strong>Sheree Drummond</strong>, secretary of U of T’s Governing Council.  </p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2J0A7650-utsc-crop.jpg?itok=NKV-KOH5" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Marc Alolod)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Proud U of T Scarborough graduates celebrate their achievement with a photo op outside of Convocation Hall.</p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-31-Convocation_Mac-03-crop.jpg?itok=0s94dCA7" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>A graduating student gets a helping hand in making a heart-shaped gesture following his convocation ceremony.</p> <p> </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/2024-10-30-Convocation_Polina-Teif-26-crop.jpg?itok=DDzlhiMK" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>U of T convocation celebrations are often family affairs. This joyful embrace, with the tiniest family member joining in, says it all.</p> <p> </p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:08:02 +0000 davidlee 310243 at For this ��߲ݴ�ý grad from Sri Lanka, giving up was never an option /news/u-t-grad-sri-lanka-giving-was-never-option <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">For this ��߲ݴ�ý grad from Sri Lanka, giving up was never an option</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/DSCF6051-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=0KldRwwz 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/DSCF6051-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=nFVs5S-S 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/DSCF6051-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=GQO7vqRg 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/DSCF6051-CROP.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=0KldRwwz" alt=""""> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-05T11:08:09-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - 11:08" class="datetime">Tue, 11/05/2024 - 11:08</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne graduated with an honours bachelor of science in psychology from U of T Scarborough after a tumultuous start to her post-secondary education (photo by Don Campbell)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/alexa-battler" hreflang="en">Alexa Battler</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2024" hreflang="en">Convocation 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/camh" hreflang="en">CAMH</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international-students" hreflang="en">International Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne spent three years pursuing an illegitimate degree in Sri Lanka, before starting over at U of T Scarborough<br> </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne</strong> was only two months away from completing an undergraduate program in Sri Lanka when she found out that the degree she’d spent years working towards wasn’t accredited.</p> <p>Wijeyeratne had studied at an institution affiliated with a British university and was told that she would earn a degree from that university – but when she visited the U.K. and toured the campus, she found out that wasn’t the case.</p> <p>A devastated Wijeyeratne dropped out of the program, but soon turned her energy towards starting over with her undergraduate studies, applying to the ��߲ݴ�ý Scarborough’s Arts & Science Co-op program.</p> <p>On Oct. 29, eight years after she first set out in pursuit of post-secondary education in Sri Lanka, Wijeyeratne crossed the stage at Convocation Hall, graduating with an honours bachelor of science in psychology.</p> <p>“A lot of people ask me, ‘How did you restart?’ I think so many of us are capable of so much more in terms of resilience,” said Wijeyeratne, now 27. “When we are faced with a situation, you don't just give up, you want to fight, you want to try again.</p> <p>“It was hard, but I didn't see giving up as an option.”</p> <p>It’s an ethos that Wijeyeratne espoused throughout her time at U of T. Although the setback in Sri Lanka was behind here when she arrived in Canada, there were more challenges lying in wait.</p> <p>Starting her U of T studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wijeyeratne had to do the first month of her studies remotely from Sri Lanka. When she finally got to Canada, she spent two weeks in quarantine in a Toronto hotel, and then, right when she was allowed to leave, her grandfather died.</p> <p>Wijeyeratne had to miss the funeral, as there was no way for her to make it to Sri Lanka on time, and she would have had to quarantine again upon her return to Canada. She couldn’t see her family for two years due to ever-changing travel restrictions and the fear of being trapped outside of Canada.</p> <p>Despite being alone in Canada, Wijeyeratne threw herself into academics as well as extra-curricular opportunities, albeit on her computer screen. Once vaccines became available and restrictions eased, she got to work reviving multiple campus groups, including as vice-president and, eventually, president of the <a href="https://utscgleeclub.weebly.com/">UTSC Glee Club</a>. She was also finally able to welcome her parents to Canada.</p> <p>A self-described arts kid – she hails from a family of prominent performers in Sri Lanka’s musical theatre scene - Wijeyeratne nevertheless developed a love of biology, clinical medicine and health care at U of T.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-11/24172756_1697889886929667_7957807224430537600_o.jpg?itok=7CXiysFn" width="750" height="500" alt="Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne playing the guitar and singing in public" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>An avid musician, Wijeyeratne hails from a family of musical theatre performers in Sri Lanka (supplied image)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>She volunteered in several labs and completed a co-op placement at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the lab of <a href="https://www.camh.ca/en/science-and-research/science-and-research-staff-directory/jeffreymeyer">senior scientist <strong>Jeffrey Meyer</strong></a>, a professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s department of psychiatry. Her work led to her being listed as a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(24)00172-X/fulltext">co-author in the first study</a> to find a natural supplement that reduces post-partum depression. </p> <p>She also completed a work-study position as a research assistant in the <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/labs/cirelli/">TEMPO Lab</a>, headed by Assistant Professor <strong>Laura Cirelli</strong> – who also supervised her undergraduate thesis – and went on to work as a lab coordinator there. The lab combines several of Wijeyeratne’s interests: it’s dedicated to investigating the psychological impact that music has on babies and children.</p> <p>With Cirelli’s encouragement, Wijeyeratne presented her thesis – an investigation into how grandparents connect with their grandchildren over Zoom – at the <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/65fa2ea634036b6933902afe/t/672927313c10c33c5fc05a39/1730750267192/SMPC24_ProgramDraft_v5.pdf">Society for Music Perception and Cognition conference</a> in Banff, Alta. in July.</p> <p>“One of the most rewarding parts of being a professor at U of T Scarborough is working with and getting to know passionate students like Rashmi,” Cirelli says. “It was especially inspiring to see Rashmi shine at the conference this summer. She presented with clarity and pride.”</p> <p>For her part, Wijeyeratne says being a member of the TEMPO Lab and getting mentored by Cirelli was “life-changing.”</p> <p>Outside the research realm, Wijeyeratne also found time to pick up hands-on skills, working her way up U of T Scarborough’s Emergency Medical Response Group to become a trained emergency first responder. </p> <p>She's now looking forward to her next chapter: working as a research analyst in CAMH’s emergency department starting in November.</p> <p>“It's been such a non-traditional trajectory towards getting here,” Wijeyeratne says. “But my proudest achievement is being able to make my family proud. I’m so grateful for their love and support and I would not be where I am without them.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:08:09 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 310444 at Missing a deadline has a bigger impact than you might think: Study /news/researchers-find-missing-deadline-has-bigger-impact-you-might-think-study <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Missing a deadline has a bigger impact than you might think: Study </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/headache-stress-and-business-woman-on-laptop-in-b-2023-11-27-05-25-36-utc.jpg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=KjbnCrzY 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-11/headache-stress-and-business-woman-on-laptop-in-b-2023-11-27-05-25-36-utc.jpg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=rENu9XdM 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-11/headache-stress-and-business-woman-on-laptop-in-b-2023-11-27-05-25-36-utc.jpg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=mo49piOX 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-11/headache-stress-and-business-woman-on-laptop-in-b-2023-11-27-05-25-36-utc.jpg-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=KjbnCrzY" alt="stressed out woman workingo on a laptop"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-11-04T10:22:40-05:00" title="Monday, November 4, 2024 - 10:22" class="datetime">Mon, 11/04/2024 - 10:22</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Envato Elements)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/alexa-battler" hreflang="en">Alexa Battler</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research & Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">People who were told work was submitted late considered it to be of lower quality than the same work submitted early or on time</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Missing a deadline has more complex consequences than you might think.</p> <p>Researchers at the ��߲ݴ�ý found that if you submit a piece of work late, people will think it’s lower in quality than if you were to submit the exact same work on time or early. </p> <p>This is because missing a deadline can prompt others view you as less competent – and therefore your work must also be lacking, according to the study.</p> <p>“All the research that we could find looked at how deadlines impact the minds and actions of workers,” says study co-author <strong>Sam Maglio</strong>, a professor of marketing in the department of management at U of T Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management.</p> <p>“We wanted to know how a deadline impacts the minds and actions of others when they look at those workers.”</p> <p>Researchers surveyed thousands of people in the U.S. and U.K. across 18 experiments and studies, including managers, executives, human resources personnel and others whose jobs included evaluating others.</p> <p>They presented participants with the same examples of work, including advertising flyers, art, business proposals, product pitches, photography and news articles – and then asked them to rate it. But first, they mentioned whether it was either submitted early, right at the deadline or late. Respondents who were told it was late consistently rated the work as worse in quality than those who were told the same work was early or on time. </p> <p>“Everyone saw the exact same art contest entry, school submission or business proposal, but they couldn't help but use their knowledge of when it came in to guide their evaluation of how good it was,” says Maglio, who co-authored the study with alumnus <strong>David Fang</strong>. </p> <p>The study, published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597824000578"><em>Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes</em></a>, also finds there isn’t much benefit to submitting work early since evaluators tended to rank work submitted before and at the deadline as the same quality, meaning there’s no boost in an evaluator’s opinion of an employee who submits work early. </p> <p>Late submission made evaluators rate work about as negatively as work that had objective shortcomings in quality such as not meeting a word count. Furthermore, it didn't matter how late the work was submitted. Work submitted one week after the deadline caused both the employee and the work to be viewed just as negatively as work that was one day late. That remained the case if the employee gave their manager advance warning that they would miss the deadline. Even for an employee with a history of getting their work in on time, one missed deadline still damaged their competence and integrity in evaluators’ eyes. </p> <p>A missed deadline also led evaluators to believe an employee had less integrity, and they reported they’d be less likely to ask that employee to do other tasks in the future. The researchers note this could limit an employee’s opportunities to prove themselves and earn promotions. </p> <p>However, the reason behind the missed deadline mattered, researchers found. If it was due to forces beyond an employee’s control, such as jury duty, evaluators didn’t end up with as negative a view of the employee or their work as they did when the reason was one within their control. Researchers also found the negative effects weren’t as severe if the deadline or work were framed as not particularly important. </p> <p>“Communication around deadlines is vital. If it's a hard, and not a soft, deadline, you as the manager should let your employees know. If the reason why you missed the deadline was beyond your control, you as the employee should let your manager know,” Maglio says. “That seems to be one of the few instances in which people cut you a break.”</p> <p>The results persisted across language, age and culture. A field experiment was conducted in a high school in China that had students grade pieces of art in a staged contest. The art was on a piece of paper that also included the date it was submitted, showing that one version came in after the deadline and the other was in early. Even though the kids were explicitly told to ignore all other details on the paper other than the art itself, the version submitted after the deadline received lower grades. </p> <p>“That study breaks down the power imbalance that usually characterizes boss-employee relationships. These judging kids didn’t set the deadline. This is a peer-to-peer evaluation. But the effect holds,” Maglio says. “It also makes the broader point that it doesn't really matter who set the deadline. In the eyes of the evaluator, any miss is a meaningful miss.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 04 Nov 2024 15:22:40 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 310437 at Congratulations Class of 2024! U of T prepares to celebrate graduates at fall convocation /news/congratulations-class-2024-u-t-prepares-celebrate-graduates-fall-convocation <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Congratulations Class of 2024! U of T prepares to celebrate graduates at fall convocation</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-10-23T12:02:24-04:00" title="Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - 12:02" class="datetime">Wed, 10/23/2024 - 12:02</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Gpem9HDhNw?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for Congratulations Class of 2024! U of T prepares to celebrate graduates at fall convocation" aria-label="Embedded video for Congratulations Class of 2024! U of T prepares to celebrate graduates at fall convocation: https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Gpem9HDhNw?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/mariam-matti" hreflang="en">Mariam Matti</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2024" hreflang="en">Convocation 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/eagle-feather-bearer" hreflang="en">Eagle Feather Bearer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/wesley-hall" hreflang="en">Wesley Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-hall" hreflang="en">Convocation Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">More than 4,000 students are expected to attend ceremonies in Convocation Hall between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1 - while more than 5,000 students are expected to graduate in total</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The autumn air at the ��߲ݴ�ý is filled with excitement as students prepare to don hoods and gowns to cross the stage at Convocation Hall, marking the end of an academic journey and beginning of a new chapter.  </p> <p>Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1, more than 5,700 students will graduate from U of T, with more than 4,000 of them expected to cross the stage at Convocation Hall during <a href="https://governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/convocation/event-meeting/fall-2024-convocation-dates">10 scheduled ceremonies</a>. </p> <p>Students graduating this fall represent 77 countries, including Canada, and range in age from 18 to 77. By the conclusion of the final ceremony, more than 21,500 students from across U of T’s three campuses will have graduated this year – and most of them began their studies just as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold.  </p> <p>“On behalf of the ��߲ݴ�ý, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the members of the Class of 2024,” said U of T President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong>. “You have persevered in the face of an extraordinary challenge – and the strength, creativity and determination you have shown in your pursuit of excellence have inspired all of us.”</p> <p>Throughout this week, staff and faculty will be putting the final touches on preparations, checking the printed parchments and placing them into envelopes, and readying Convocation Hall for the arrival of graduating students and their guests – <a href="https://governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/convocation/page/graduation-and-convocation/rsvp-and-guest-tickets">up to two family members or friends per student</a>. The convocation readers, meanwhile, will be practising and <a href="/news/name-who-they-are-how-convocation-readers-train-pronounce-grads-names">preparing to read aloud the names of each student who crosses the stage</a>. </p> <p>Fall convocation kicks off with the Faculty of Arts & Science on Oct. 28, with the installation of <a href="/news/wesley-j-hall-elected-serve-35th-chancellor-university-toronto">the new chancellor – <strong>Wes Hall</strong></a>. At the morning ceremony on Nov. 1, students from the School of Graduate Studies, the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, and the Faculty of Arts & Science will be joined by honorary degree recipient <strong>Jane Corkin</strong>, an internationally renowned gallerist. </p> <p>The ceremonies wrap up on Nov. 1 with U of T Mississauga students the last to cross the stage, for what will mark the final convocation ceremony for <strong>John Tuttle</strong>, who is retiring after serving as the official organist for the university for 45 years.  </p> <p>All ceremonies will be livestreamed throughout the week on <a href="/convocation">U of T’s Convocation Hub</a> with archived versions of each ceremony available for later viewing. Viewers in mainland China can watch the broadcasts on MyMedia a day or two after the original ceremony date.</p> <p>The ceremonies will feature numerous traditions, some dating back more than a century. They include colourful hoods and flowing gowns, a bedel carrying U of T’s gold-plated mace, a 51-bell carillon ringing out from atop Soldiers’ Tower, and the chancellor’s procession. </p> <p>The procession will be led by an Eagle Feather Bearer carrying a ceremonial Eagle Feather – a tradition that symbolizes the university’s deep respect for Indigenous Peoples and cultural traditions and was <a href="/news/eagle-feather-introduced-convocation-ceremonies-symbol-u-t-s-commitment-reconciliation">first introduced to U of T’s convocation ceremonies in spring 2022</a>. </p> <p><a href="/news/we-belong-here-indigenous-beaded-stole-be-introduced-u-t-s-spring-convocation-ceremonies">The beaded stole worn by the Eagle Feather Bearer</a>, which symbolizes the enduring partnership between the university and Indigenous Peoples, made its inaugural appearance in convocation ceremonies this past spring. </p> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-oembed-video field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item"><iframe src="/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/VkjuwOqW1RM&max_width=0&max_height=0&hash=VwvvBKI8wn8AcaJ4lq3GZ-t-HmxborNw3toOTeSn9YQ" width="200" height="113" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="First-ever Indigenous beaded stole introduced to U of T’s convocation ceremonies"></iframe> </div> </div> <p> </p> <p>Throughout the week, the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship will serve as the main hub for students before the ceremonies, with <a href="https://governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/convocation/page/graduation-and-convocation/graduation/arrival-assembly">graduands collecting their gown and hood</a> from the lobby of the building. At Alumni Plaza outside Convocation Hall, there will be designated gathering spaces for graduates and their guests, as well as pin giveaways and contest draws. Diploma and portrait framing services and a photobooth will be available at the U of T Bookstore. More information is available in a list of <a href="/convocation/frequently-asked-questions">FAQs on the Convocation Hub</a>.</p> <p>Chancellor Hall expressed his enthusiasm at presiding over convocation for the first time in his new role. </p> <p>“I’m excited to confer the degrees and to see the joy on the graduates’ faces as they cross the stage,” he said. “It’s a tremendous honour and privilege.</p> <p>“On behalf of the university community, I want to congratulate each and every member of the Class of 2024 for achieving this important milestone. I’m immensely proud and I can’t wait to see what they will accomplish in their lives and careers.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:02:24 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 310058 at 'Labour of love': U of T prof takes multifaceted approach to exploring Black history in Canada /news/labour-love-u-t-prof-takes-multifaceted-approach-exploring-black-history-canada <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'Labour of love': U of T prof takes multifaceted approach to exploring Black history in Canada</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-10/BANNERAdams-Photography-UNESCO-conference005A0388.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=UcFbMAtL 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-10/BANNERAdams-Photography-UNESCO-conference005A0388.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=f8QgJ4gF 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-10/BANNERAdams-Photography-UNESCO-conference005A0388.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=jMZaeNnI 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-10/BANNERAdams-Photography-UNESCO-conference005A0388.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=UcFbMAtL" alt=""""> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-10-04T11:57:15-04:00" title="Friday, October 4, 2024 - 11:57" class="datetime">Fri, 10/04/2024 - 11:57</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Afua Cooper, a U of T alumna and professor in U of T Scarborough’s department of historical and cultural studies, is an expert on Black Canadian slavery and Black Canadian studies (supplied image)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/noel-ransome" hreflang="en">Noel Ransome</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/canadian-history" hreflang="en">Canadian History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black" hreflang="en">Black</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Afua Cooper, an expert on Black Canadian slavery and Black Canadian studies, recently joined U of T Scarborough</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Afua Cooper</strong> still vividly recalls being a recent immigrant to Canada in the 1980s and considering waitressing jobs at local restaurants in Toronto. </p> <p>“You would walk into a place looking for work, and they wouldn’t even try to hide it,” she says. “The woman just looked at me and said, ‘I'm sorry, but we just don't want Jamaicans. You’re not the kind of people we want to hire.’”<br> <br> During that time – and even today – Canada was considered by many to be what Cooper describes as “post-racial-nice,” having avoided the same depth and lasting racism found across the United States.</p> <p>But the reality was often very different.  </p> <p>“These things still happened here – not that long ago and even today – though the language has changed so the actions don’t appear nearly as racist,” says Cooper, an expert on Black Canadian slavery and Black Canadian studies who recently joined the department of historical and cultural studies at the ��߲ݴ�ý Scarborough as a professor.  </p> <p>Cooper was raised in the Whithorn district of Westmoreland, Jamaica, in the post-independence era. Her parents, by comparison, had grown up under British colonialism. <br> <br> “I guess the people at the Ministry of Education decided that little Black children should learn about themselves,” says Cooper, who later became a founding member of an African Studies Club at Camperdown High School in East Kingston. “So, I thankfully grew up with a strong notion of who I was.”<br> <br> By late 1980, having migrated to Toronto to pursue higher education, Cooper was fully dedicated to exploring history and the African diaspora as a U of T undergraduate student – a time when the concept of Black studies was rare on Canadian university campuses.<br> <br> "When I was a student, the university resisted Black-focused curricula, and hiring Black faculty therefore felt superficial,” says Cooper. “Now, with the <a href="https://brn.utoronto.ca">Black Research Network</a>, Black faculty caucus, and dedicated programs for Black students, the commitment to diversity feels genuine – and I’m glad to be a part of it.”</p> <p><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif"><span style="color:#485667">Cooper, a scholar fluent in different mediums, is an award-winning author who has published 13 books spanning genres that include history, poetry, children’s literature and fiction. </span></span></span></span><br> <br> Cooper likens her educational approach to making gumbo: “I put everything into it – though as a vegan, it’s strictly plant-based – representing the Black diaspora,” she says. “Teaching isn’t a single trajectory, it’s about sharing the joys of Black culture and the multifaceted nature of our struggles.”</p> <p><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif"><span style="color:#485667">For example, in 2021 Cooper led a three-year project, </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.blackpeopleshistory.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif"><span style="color:#2868a0">A Black People’s History of Canada</span></span></span></span></a></span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif"><span style="color:#485667">, that received over $1 million in grant funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. The aim is to cover Black Canadian history from 1604 onward with the help of 13 researchers who have catalogued records across Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland. </span></span></span></span></p> <p>"Teachers often say, 'I'd like to teach Black history, but I can't find anything,' which is frustrating," says Cooper. "Now there are no excuses; we're writing curricula and guides with school boards, and we've partnered with government agencies responsible for education. It’s been a true labour of love."<br> <br> For Cooper, returning to U of T is as much an opportunity to share her work with like-minded visionaries as it is a homecoming.<br> <br> “I went into labour twice at Robarts library, once with each of my daughters,” she says with a laugh. </p> <p>“They both spent a lot of time there when they were younger, so I’m thrilled to be back to showcase a history of African and Black people that has been so trampled upon and denied. For me, this is my purpose – to restore and share that history.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:57:15 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 309710 at U of T community commemorates Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation /news/u-t-community-commemorates-orange-shirt-day-national-day-truth-and-reconciliation <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T community commemorates Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-4-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=rn4xTZJf 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-4-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=ylo-2vVu 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-4-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=XgNEUfAl 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-4-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&itok=rn4xTZJf" alt="audience members at the Hart House Orange Shirt Day event"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>mattimar</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-09-30T11:32:22-04:00" title="Monday, September 30, 2024 - 11:32" class="datetime">Mon, 09/30/2024 - 11:32</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Attendees wear orange shirts during a U of T tri-campus event, held at Hart House, to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (photo by Polina Teif)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/mariam-matti" hreflang="en">Mariam Matti</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation" hreflang="en">National Day for Truth and Reconciliation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/orange-shirt-day" hreflang="en">Orange Shirt Day</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/wesley-hall" hreflang="en">Wesley Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ziibiing" hreflang="en">Ziibiing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-music" hreflang="en">Faculty of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">“Reconciliation cannot be an afterthought”</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Shirley Cheechoo</strong> doesn’t want to be recognized as a residential school survivor, a term commonly used to describe Indigenous Peoples who were subjected to Canada’s horrific residential school system. </p> <p>“We should be identified as residential school warriors,” said the Cree actor, artist, filmmaker and founder of Weengushk Film Institute. </p> <p>“Calling us warriors, you empower us. You empower our children and you empower communities across the country.” </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-21-crop.jpg?itok=FlvHh-l8" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Shirley Cheechoo, Cree actor, artist, filmmaker and founder of Weengushk Film Institute, shared the horrors and abuse she endured in Canada’s residential school system (photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Cheechoo delivered the keynote address at a ��߲ݴ�ý event to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The tri-campus event, held at Hart House on the St. George campus, was streamed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/0Npwa4iuYaY?si=INzLyJOxlj6SZXtA">live on YouTube</a>.</p> <p>She shared the horrors and abuse she endured after being kidnapped from her parents at age six and placed in a residential school. With a long-standing passion for working with young people, Cheechoo encouraged universities like U of T to partner with Indigenous leaders to fund and support Indigenous students and youth. </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-3-crop.jpg?itok=iTmM50Uy" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Jay-Daniel Baghbanan, a student at the Faculty of Music and vice-president of student life at the faculty’s undergraduate association, said “Reconciliation cannot be an afterthought” (photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Benji Jacob</strong>, a fourth-year psychology student from U of T Mississauga, introduced Cheechoo at the event, while <strong>Jay-Daniel Baghbanan</strong>, a student at the Faculty of Music and vice-president of student life at the faculty’s undergraduate association, emphasized the critical nature of the work ahead.</p> <p>“There are 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. U of T has 34 of their own published,” said Baghbanan. “Reconciliation cannot be an afterthought.” </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-10-crop.jpg?itok=hqYAmXBf" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Benji Jacob, a fourth-year psychology student from U of T Mississauga, was among the speakers at the event (photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Attendees also heard remarks from several U of T leaders, including U of T President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong> and <strong>William Gough</strong>, acting vice-president of U of T and acting principal of U of T Scarborough.</p> <p>President Gertler, for his part, said the U of T community is committed to advancing reconciliation across its three campuses, including by: expanding the presence of Indigenous students, staff, faculty and librarians; incorporating Indigenous content into U of T’s curriculum; supporting Indigenous research programs; and creating physical spaces that honour Indigenous Peoples’ tradition and histories.</p> <p>Flags were lowered to half-mast across U of T’s three campuses on Sept. 30 for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is formally recognized across Canada. </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-09/2024-09-30-National-Day-for-Truth-%26-Reconciliation_Polina-Teif-5-crop.jpg?itok=MpFBHQpc" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>U of T community members attend the ceremony in Hart House’s Great Hall while others tuned into the livestream (photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Hart House Warden <strong>David Kim</strong> thanked U of T Mississauga student <strong>MJ Singleton</strong> for <a href="/news/anishinaabe-student-shares-inspiration-behind-u-t-s-2023-orange-shirt-day-design">designing the orange shirts worn by many at the U of T event</a>, which depicts a mother holding hands and walking forward with her two children beneath the words “Every child matters.”</p> <p>After the ceremony, a sacred fire was held for U of T community members at the <a href="/news/photos-u-t-marks-opening-indigenous-landscape-project-hart-house-green">newly opened Ziibiing</a>, an Indigenous landscape project near Hart House. </p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-09/gertler-hall.jpg?itok=hFVnmxkS" width="750" height="500" alt="""" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>U of T President Meric Gertler and Chancellor Wes Hall deliver remarks to attendees in Hart House’s Great Hall (photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Earlier this month, U of T Scarborough hosted <a href="https://edio.utsc.utoronto.ca/programs-events/walk-of-reconciliation">a reflective walk for reconciliation</a> from the U of T Scarborough flagpole to the Ma Moosh Ka Win Valley Trail. In addition, Orange Shirt Beading Workshops were held across the three campuses, while U of T Mississauga live-streamed the Hart House event in the Grand Hall at Maanjiwe nendamowinan. </p> <p>In his closing remarks at Hart House, U of T Chancellor <strong>Wes Hall</strong> encouraged the audience to continue sharing their stories, no matter how difficult, to ensure we do not repeat the past.  </p> <p> </p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:32:22 +0000 mattimar 309658 at