Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Türkiye

Emmanuel College

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

When a catastrophic series of earthquakes hit Türkiye and Syria, graduate student Ayşenur Ince knew she had to do something to help alleviate suffering in the wake of a tragedy that has now left more than 50,000 people dead, thousands injured and millions more without homes and other necessities.

Ince, who is in the first year of a master of pastoral studies program offered conjointly by U of T and Emmanuel College at Victoria University, is currently living in Istanbul. Seeing shock and grief all around her, she decided to put what she was learning about spiritual care and counselling into immediate practice.

“The devastation is so widespread that even though the government is exhausting all the power they have, we still need civilian help,” Ince said by phone from Istanbul. “I started doing counselling for people, including those who have worked in the rescue operations, because they’re really unwell – these are people who had to triage; to pick and choose who they saved. Many others have earthquake nightmares – there’s a lot of post-traumatic stress right now because they're constantly scared that an earthquake will happen again.”

Residents walk amid the rubble in Hatay, Türkiye (photo by Yavuz Ozden/dia images/Getty Images)

Ince is just one of many U of T students, faculty, staff, librarians and alumni who have pitched in to help raise awareness and funds, as well as mobilize resources to help in the aftermath of the earthquakes – from fundraisers by student groups to donation drives by individual programs and faculties.

In a statement on Feb. 6, Joseph Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, urged members of the U of T community to support each other and to reach out for help if needed. Student Life units at the university have been touch with student groups and individuals from affected regions to offer support.

Ince, who completed her undergraduate degree at U of T Scarborough, says she drew on the skills she was learning in her master’s program and sought the advice of her professors about how best to counsel people going through so much trauma.

“When this first happened, I was in fight-or-flight mode. And then I reached out to my professors to ask them what I should do and to send me some sort of training specific to crisis management,” Ince said.

“At the college, I had classes that gave me a universal approach to everything – I even had the chance to take some disaster training. At the time, I felt like, ‘When am I ever going to need this?’ But being here when this actually happened, I felt like I was prepared. I keep wondering what I would have done if I hadn’t started the program.”

Tents errected by the Turkish disaster and emergency management organization (AFAD) for earthquake victims in Kahramanmaraş (photo by Yan Zhigang/VCG via Getty Images)

One of the professors Ince contacted was program director Nazila Isgandarova, who was able to advise her on trauma resources and connect her with peers who also wanted to help. “The damage due to the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria is beyond any imagination. Ayşenur met many people who suffered and continue to suffer from earthquake-related experiences and losses,” Isgandarova said. “As a psychotherapy student, Ayşenur volunteered to help people not only with trauma-focused counselling and spiritually integrated grief counselling, but also tried to arrange support for people who faced financial hardships.”

Ince received financial donations from her fellow students, which she used to purchase dozens of portable coal stoves for those left without electricity following the earthquakes. Emmanuel College also sent boxes of nonperishable food overseas and held a vigil a week after the disaster to remember the victims.

Efforts to raise funds to assist people in Türkiye and Syria and increase awareness about the scale of the disaster continue across U of T on all three campuses, particularly among student groups.

Bake sales and fundraising drives by the tri-campus chapters of the Turkish Students’ Association (TUSA), Syrian Students’ Association, Muslim Students’ Association and Amnesty International, among others, have raised more than $25,000 to date – much of which is being matched dollar-for-dollar by the student groups.

Immediately following the disaster, the Turkish Students’ Association at U of T Scarborough began collecting funds and in-kind donations on campus, raising close to $9,000 and 18 boxes of donated goods, said TUSA-UTSC co-president Yasmin Din.

“Staff and students have generously contributed to our campaign,” Din said, adding that student volunteers can be found overseeing the donation location with their schoolwork in tow. “There are no words to describe this level of dedication and support.”

From left to right: Turkish Students Association members Lilaf Salman, Irem Demirel, Selcuk Maslak, Elif Baran, Yasmin Din and Sedika Salman at their donation table at U of T Scarborough (photo supplied)

A fourth-year psychology student, Din first heard about the earthquake from her father, who was in Ankara, Türkiye’s capital. While her family in the region remained safe, Din lost a friend in Malatya, one of the most-affected provinces, and heard from another U of T graduate whose father was among the casualties.

“She had to patiently wait for 11 days for the rescue teams to recover her father’s body,” Din said. “At the same time, as there was no electricity in the city, she and her husband had to stay in their car at night or rest in the semi-collapsed buildings, which was very tough because aftershocks were constantly happening. So many millions of people have been affected by this mega-quake – for them, life will never be the same.”

TUSA has been working with the Turkish Consulate General in Toronto to arrange for airlifts of the donated goods – including winter clothing, hygiene kits, baby formula and diapers – to the region, while cash contributions will be transferred to organizations in Türkiye who are managing the situation on the ground, including Turkish nonprofit Ahbap. Din noted that some of the financial support will go toward temporary shelter and repairing damaged homes in the region, which is crucial to rebuilding while so many are living in makeshift housing following the earthquakes.

Providing shelter is also a major issue in neighbouring Syria, which has been destabilized by a 12-year-long civil war.

“There is still a great need for housing for those who have been displaced, as well as the allocation of medicines and other requirements. This is especially important in Syria, where the infrastructure has been greatly strained,” said Oya Mercan, an associate professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering who received her undergraduate degree in civil engineering from Boğaziçi University in Istanbul.

Kenana Al Kakouni

“If the building safety assessment indicates that the structural components – the beams and the columns – of a building are not damaged, it will be cost-efficient to fix the damage to the nonstructural components such as the partition walls. As such, it is an important initiative to raise funds and awareness for this purpose.”

The Syria Solidarity Collective (SSC), co-founded by U of T PhD graduate and staff member Kenana Al Kakouni, is also raising funds at St. George campus to assist with rebuilding homes in Syria, among other aid efforts. Funds raised will go to the Molham Volunteering Team, an international organization that works in northern Syria to rebuild homes for displaced people.

Al Kakouni, who currently works as an imaging facility lead technician in the department of cell and systems biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, said while her relatives in Syria are safe, they are mourning the loss of a family who were their neighbours.

The earthquake only further exacerbated the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria after more than a decade of conflict in the country, Al Kakouni said.

“People there were already suffering from lack of food, heat, medical supplies – right now, what we’re hearing is that what is most needed is tents, given that so many are still without shelter.”

At U of T’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Dean Erica Walker, advancement staff and the OISE Alumni Association Student Advisory Committee (SAC) organized an in-kind donation drive for non-perishable food, winter clothing, equipment such as tents, blankets, sleeping bags and thermoses, as well as hygiene items including menstrual products and diapers. The donation bins will be available in the OISE lobby until March 6.

“OISE has a really diverse student body, and we wanted to not only send a message of hope to our U of T community, but also to take action,” said SAC chair Seema Hooda, a graduate of OISE’s master of education program. “The donation drive is an extension of our purpose and mission, and it has been a joint effort from both students and staff. It’s a way to show support for our Turkish and Syrian peers – and also to engage people to make a contribution that could help save lives.”

From left to right: OISE staff Sim Kapoor, Latifa Soliman, Helen Huang, Dean Erica Walker, Perry King, Reesa Barkhouse, Biljana Cuckovic (photo supplied)

SSC co-founder Al Kakouni urged U of T community members looking to support aid efforts on campus to follow student groups’ social media accounts for upcoming fundraisers and other initiatives, write to political representatives to raise awareness of the disaster, and donate to reputable organizations such as the White Helmets and Syrian American Medical Society in Syria, as well as the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders internationally.

For Türkiye, TUSA co-president Din recommends donating to Ahbap, the disaster and emergency management organization AFAD and search-and-rescue non-profit AKUT.

Students have also recognized the need to support their peers who may have been affected by the disaster, creating a “solidarity space” for reflection and connection at the Multi-Faith Centre on the St. George campus.

“The students' idea was to allow students from the region to get help in their own languages: Arabic and Turkish,” said Adrien Zakar, assistant professor in the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations. “With the support of the department, the Turkish Students’ Association and the Syria Solidarity Collective, more than 50 Turkish- and Arabic-speaking volunteers from U of T received health and wellness training to provide further guidance to visitors.”

In addition to donating money and goods to help people affected by the earthquake, it’s equally important for those far away from the region to recognize and amplify the sheer scope of the disaster, Emmanuel College student Ince said.

“The aftermath of this is going to be huge. We can see physical injuries, but no one sees psychological wounds,” she said. “Right after the earthquake, one of my professors, Angela Schmidt, changed the whole subject of her class to focus on the issue – it was just what I needed. She explained what to do when you face certain situations. After a situation like this, we have to think about how to view calamity. Why do bad things happen to good people? It really makes us question everything in life.”

Resources for U of T students, staff, faculty and librarians:

Student groups can post their fundraisers and other events on the Student Organization Portal to broaden awareness
The university has emergency funding available for students in need, which can be accessed by completing the U of T grant application:

Undergraduate students

Graduate students

Students can access mental-health supports through:

Mental Health Portal

My SSP (24/7 support via phone or chat)

Faculty, staff and librarians may contact the Employee and Family Assistance Program at 1-855-597-2110
The Scholars at Risk Award Program, established in part in response to the Syrian refugee crisis in 2016, remains open for applications each year from students who are accepted to U of T

U of T collaborates with Encyclopedia Iranica Foundation on study of Iranian women poets and cinema

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 21:54:43 +0000

U of T collaborates with Encyclopedia Iranica Foundation on study of Iranian women poets and cinema

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 01/19/2022 - 16:54

Cutline

Opening day of the Tehran International Short Film Festival on Oct. 19, 2021. U of T scholars will be contributing new research to the Encyclopedia Iranica on Iranian film and female poets (photo by Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Cynthia Macdonald

Topic

Iran

U of T Mississauga

A hub for the study of Iranian history and culture, the ��Ƶ has signed a multi-year partnership with the Encyclopedia Iranica Foundation to share a wealth of information on Iranian poets and Iranian film with the world.

First published as a fascicle in 1982, and online since 1996, the encyclopedia provides researchers and the general public alike with information on Iranian civilization written by 1,300 scholars. The agreement between the university and the Encyclopedia Iranica Foundation invites U of T researchers to contribute new research to digital compendia titled “Iranian Women Poets” and “Iranian Cinema.”

Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, the inaugural director of U of T’s Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies and principal investigator on both projects, said U of T has emerged as a leading centre for the study of Iran over the last decade, including the creation of the institute last year.

“The new institute has over 20 faculty with twice as many graduate students, and there is a vibrant Iranian community in Toronto and Canada – all linked to sources of intellectual and artistic creativity. So it has been rather timely for the university to initiate a project like this,” said Tavakoli-Targhi, who is also a professor in the department of Near and MIddle Eastern civilizations in the Faculty of Arts & Science and in the department of historical studies at U of T Mississauga.

The research effort will involve scholars around the world, but the research and editorial team will be based in the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations. Research assistants will be jointly funded by the university and the Encyclopedia Iranica Foundation.

Iran boasts a rich tradition of poetry by women writers such as Tahereh Qurrat al-’Ayn and Forough Farrokhzad (illustration: I, Stefan Back, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

The Iranian Women Poets project will shine a light on writers whose work has often been overshadowed by their male counterparts such as Rumi, Hafez and Omar Khayyam.

Tavakoli-Targhi notes that poetry remains an important part of everyday life in Iran. It's not unusual for Iranians to recite verses or turn to poetry for ethical guidance.

“Until recently,” he says, “the general academic understanding was that Iranian literature has been exclusively the domain of men. But because of work done in the past 40 years by literary scholars, it is now known that women have been writing poetry since as early as the 10th century.”

Significant female poets include Rabi‘ah Balkhi, a 10th-century poet; Mahasti Ganjavi (born circa 1089); Tahereh Qurrat al-‘Ayn, a 19th-century writer who was not only a poet but also a women’s rights activist and theologian; and Forough Farrokhzad, whose work has been revered by many since her life was cut short after a car crash in 1967.

The second digital compendium, Iranian Cinema, is related to the first in that both women and poetry have played key roles in the development of Iranian films.

“Iranian cinema has distinguished itself from the cinema of the rest of the world, because it is informed by poetry,” Tavakoli-Targhi said. “And some of my colleagues have argued that in the past several decades, cinema has replaced poetry as a form of Iranian self-expression. What is also interesting is that in Iranian cinema, women directors, producers, actors and so on are gaining more public attention. They’re following what one of my colleagues has called the ‘cinema of empathy’ – a kind of cinema where women are emerging as the universal subject, as someone the audience would want to be like. Because they are caring figures: attending to family, and also to their community and nation.”

Filmmakers Rakhshan Banietemad and Abbas Kiorastami have earned international acclaim (photos: Tasnim News Agency, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons and Pedro J Pacheco, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

In recent years, filmmakers such as Rakhshan Banietemad and Abbas Kiorastami have become known to western audiences. But as Tavakoli-Targhi notes, the field has a long history. “In the early decades of the 20th century, Iran became a site for creative artists from Russia and Eastern Europe to come and do really good work. You saw them coming and creating, in the same way that European immigrants to the United States created Hollywood,” he says.

Tavakoli-Targhi is excited that the new resource projects will be truly international, with contributions not only from the many linguistic and cultural groups found within Iran, but also through the variety of researchers studying these topics abroad.

He is currently convening a Canadian Society for Iranian Studies, and has organized a regular Friday seminar series that has attracted close to 4,000 attendees. An event planned for Nowruz (Iranian New Year) in late March will also highlight female poets.

Tavakoli-Targhi celebrated the recent surge in cultural knowledge exchange that is fueling these new initiatives and may give rise to others.

“I often think of the COVID age as the simultaneity of spring and fall,” he said, “because you have the withering away of all these community networks that we used to have – but also the blooming of a new kind of connection.”

Censored in Iran, Scholar-at-Risk Negar Banisafar is eager to create a new future at U of T

mattimar — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 18:03:33 +0000

Censored in Iran, Scholar-at-Risk Negar Banisafar is eager to create a new future at U of T

mattimar Wed, 12/08/2021 - 13:03

Cutline

Negar Banisafar says a love of culture and critical thinking drew her to U of T, where she is studying Near and Middle Eastern civilizations (photo courtesy of Negar Banisafar)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Massey College

Institute of Islamic Studies

Scholars at Risk

Negar Banisafar found it frustrating to be a humanities student in Iran – she couldn’t express her opinions freely and witnessed first-hand the brutality of the government during political protests.

Now a graduate student at the ��Ƶ, Banisafar began studying English literature at Allameh Tabataba'i University in Tehran in 2008 and later continued her master’s studies at Soore University, which is considered one of the top art institutions in Tehran.

She hoped the opportunity would open doors. Instead, while working on her thesis, Banisafar received a crash course in the school’s heavy-handed ways.

“They told me I couldn’t use the word ‘desire’ because it has sexual connotations. I had to go through a lot of arguments and debates,” she says.

“I had to change the word ‘desire’ to ‘request.’”

She adds that studying English literature is generally frowned upon in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a theocracy that has a reputation for not allowing its citizens freedom of speech. “They had proposed the idea of eliminating this major in Iran because they believe it advertises Western ideas and opinions.”

At Allameh Tabataba'I University, Banisafar recalls searching for student groups on campus. When she couldn’t find any, Banisafar joined the women’s basketball team in the hopes of finding community.

“This is where I got to know other students and traveled to different cities in Iran,” she says. “It helped me learn more about the humanities, philosophy, economics and sociology. Later, I understood through these experiences that I learn from a certain approach called interdisciplinary approach to research.”

It was ultimately this love of culture and critical thinking that drew her to U of T, where she is studying Near and Middle Eastern civilizations in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Banisafar is one of four scholars this year supported by the Scholars-at-Risk Fellowship. Awarded by the School of Graduate Studies in a partnership with Massey College, the fellowships provide $10,000 to outstanding graduate students who are seeking asylum or refugee status in Canada, or whose study has been affected by political upheaval in their country of study. It also grants recipients the status of Scholar-at-Risk at Massey College.

She says receiving the scholarship felt like a “miracle” that has motivated her studies and future goals.

“I want to be a helpful member of society, as a researcher, teacher or writer,” she says.

Although enrolled at U of T, Banisafar is living in Istanbul, Turkey, for the time being. Last month she received approval for her visa and hopes to travel to Toronto in late December.

Getting to North America has been a difficult process. Banisafar first attempted to study in Chicago, but was thwarted by Donald Trump’s presidency, which made it all but impossible for her to get a travel visa to the U.S. because of the administration’s order banning travel from some Muslim-majority countries.

Her first Canadian visa application, with her husband, was rejected, too. So, her second application did not include her husband.

“It’s extremely difficult for Iranian students to get a visa because of the bad reputation of Iran’s government,” she says. “I can say we are victims of our government without having committed a crime.”

Growing up in Iran, she was acutely aware of the limitations of living in a theocracy.

“The first thing you see is that women cannot choose what to wear in Iran. It’s a basic right that is being taken away from us,” she says. “And, academically, I understood that I couldn’t violate the regulations that the government decided for us – wrongly, in my opinion.”

The anti-government protests in 2009 had a profound effect on Banisafar’s studies. She joined the thousands on the streets who protested against the presidential election results. She did not participate in her exams that semester because she felt there was something more important happening in her country.

“It was a wave of mixed emotions,” she describes. “I had read history books about the cruelty of the Islamic regime, but I had not experienced it with my own eyes until the days of the protests. I saw how ruthless and inhumane they are and how relentlessly they kill people on the streets.”

That’s when she understood that she would never be protected by the government.

“It is there only to harm us,” she says.

It soon dawned on her that if she continued to live in Iran, she would have to suppress her beliefs and passions – so she left in 2017 and moved to Istanbul. Alongside her studies, she also teaches English to Turkish and international students at Istanbul Okan University.

She’s currently attending her U of T courses online – and says the experience is an about-face from her previous studies.

“I’m really enjoying my classes,” Banisafar says. “My professors are very patient and respect a wide range of opinions. Students are free to express whatever they’re feeling – even if the opinion is not completely formed in their mind. I know students at U of T are free to protest and they’re still protected. In Iran, it’s all about suppression and keeping silent.

“I look forward to being an active member of the university community where moral courage, lifelong learning, and collaboration are welcomed.”

As for the future, Banisafar hopes to give back to the Iranian and Turkish communities.

“My biggest wish is that one day scholars and academics don’t run away from these lands,” she says.

‘A win for everyone’: U of T receives green light to proceed with Centre for Civilizations, Cultures & Cities

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 14:44:52 +0000

‘A win for everyone’: U of T receives green light to proceed with Centre for Civilizations, Cultures & Cities

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 09/07/2021 - 10:44

Cutline

A fifth-floor recital hall in the proposed Centre for Civilizations, Cultures & Cities building at 90 Queen's Park will include stunning views of the downtown skyline (Images courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with architects-Alliance)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

City & Culture

Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies

School of Cities

Cities

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Music

History

St. George

The ��Ƶ is welcoming the outcome of a formal mediation process led by the Ontario Land Tribunal that has resulted in the approval of a revised rezoning envelope for the new Centre for Civilizations, Cultures & Cities (CCC) building located at 90 Queen’s Park on the St. George campus.

Once constructed, the building will house U of T’s School of Cities, department of history, department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, Institute of Islamic Studies and an arm of the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies – all in the Faculty of Arts & Science. It will also include spaces for the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Music, including a world-class music recital hall.

“We are pleased with the result of this settlement hearing process, which saw all parties make compromises in the interest of achieving a positive resolution. That’s a win for the university, the community and the city,” said Christine Burke, U of T’s assistant vice-president, university planning.

The 90 Queen’s Park site was acquired by U of T in 2009. Located near the intersection of Bloor Street and Queen’s Park, the site acts as a key gateway to the St. George campus while linking iconic buildings and structures in the area such as the Royal Ontario Museum, Edward Johnson Building, Falconer Hall and Flavelle House.

Although City Planning and Heritage Preservation Services staff reports supportive of and recommending approval of the project at both the Heritage Preservation Board and at Community Council, members of the community expressed concerns with the proposal and the project was ultimately deferred at the meeting of the Toronto and East York Community Council on Oct. 15, 2020 pending completion of a future Queen's Park cultural heritage landscape study. The university appealed to the Ontario Lands Tribunal in October 2020.

The parties involved – the university, city and Queen’s Park Heritage Precinct Coalition, a non-profit that represents several local resident associations – agreed to engage in formal mediation earlier this year.

The result is a revised building envelope that redistributes the building’s massing to respond to community concerns about the way the building interfaces with its surroundings, while still offering the same amount of collaborative space for U of T students and researchers, civic leaders and members of the public interested in city-building and diversity.

Among the adjustments made to the building design were setting its average height to 33.6 metres across its three roofs, a reduction of more than five metres from the original proposal. The tallest portion of the building to the north of the site will now have a height of 35 metres, with the shortest north-east portion standing at 18 metres tall to sync with the ROM’s east wing.

The revised massing design was accepted by city council and approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal with the consent of all parties, clearing the way for the project to proceed.

“Thanks to this positive outcome, we can now kickstart the detailed design of 90 Queen’s Park and ask our architects to get back to the drawing board, so that we can move into construction as soon as possible,” Burke said. “The need for this space is critical to meet the space demands of the faculty and the university.”

Evelyn Casquenette, senior planner at U of T, said that it was important that the revised design continue to conserve the 19^th-century Falconer Hall building. While the westernmost wing of Falconer Hall will be removed, “one of the many positives with the new design is that more breathing room has been provided around Falconer Hall, so there will be more space between the CCC and Falconer,” Casquenette said.

She added the proposal will also make for more prominent framing of Falconer Hall from along Queen’s Park, while the building’s restored heritage west wall will be visible from inside the CCC building lobby to the south and from a new courtyard space between the two buildings on the north.

Casquenette noted that the revised massing did not alter the fifth-floor music recital hall’s stunning views of the downtown skyline – calling it a “spectacular space” for the community at large to enjoy once the building is constructed. There is another event space on the eighth floor that will be linked to a green roof terrace that will similarly showcase views of the city and U of T.

The redesign also maintains original plans for a sizeable north plaza and outdoor café to welcome members of the public.

Construction on the project, which is expected to take approximately three years, is scheduled to begin in early 2023.

“90 Queen’s Park is such an important project for U of T, so we’re delighted to be able to move ahead and work hard to create a special place on campus where the university and city connect and interact,” Burke said.

“We look forward to sharing the designs of the project as it evolves and takes shape.”

Resilience and climate change: Archaeologists reveal human adaptability in ancient Turkey

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 15:01:55 +0000

Resilience and climate change: Archaeologists reveal human adaptability in ancient Turkey

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 11/03/2020 - 10:01

Cutline

An excavation of an Early Bronze Age site takes place at Tell Tayinat in Hatay, Turkey (photo courtesy Tayinat Archaeological Project)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Research & Innovation

Turkey

An examination of two documented periods of climate change in the greater Middle East, between approximately 4,500 and 3,000 years ago, reveals local evidence of resilience and even of a flourishing ancient society despite the climate changes seen in the larger region.

Working at Tell Tayinat in southeastern Turkey, archaeologists at the ��Ƶ and Cornell University demonstrate in a new study that human responses to climate change are variable and must be examined using extensive and precise data gathered locally.

The study, published in PLoS ONE this week, highlights how challenge and collapse in some areas were matched by resilience and opportunities elsewhere.

“The study shows the end of the Early Bronze Age occupation at Tayinat was a long and drawn-out affair that, while it appears to coincide with the onset of a megadrought 4,200 years ago, was actually the culmination of processes that began much earlier,” says Tim Harrison, professor and chair of the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations in U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science at and director of the Tayinat Archaeological Project. “The archaeological evidence does not point towards significant local effects of the climate episode, as there is no evidence of drought stress in crops.

“Instead, these changes were more likely the result of local political and spatial reconfiguration.”

An aerial view of Tell Tayinat in Hatay, Turkey (photo by M. Akar)

The findings contribute to discussions about human responses to climate change that broaden an otherwise sparse chronological framework for the northern part of the region known historically as the Levant, which stretches the length of the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea.

The mid-to-late Early Bronze Age (3000 to 2000 BCE) and the Late Bronze Age (1600 to 1200 BCE) in the ancient Middle East are pivotal periods of early inter-connectedness among settlements across the region, with the development of some of the earliest cities and state-level societies. But these systems were not always sustainable and both periods ended in collapse of civilisations/settlements. The reasons behind the collapse are highly debated.

The absence of detailed timelines for societal activity throughout the region leaves a significant gap in understanding the associations between climate change and social responses. While the disintegration of political or economic systems are indeed components of a societal response, collapse is rarely total.

Using radiocarbon dating and analysis of archaeological samples recovered from Tell Tayinat, a location occupied following two particularly notable climate change episodes 4,200 years ago and, again, 3,200 years ago, the team of researchers established a robust chronological timeframe for Tayinat for two pivotal periods in the history of the ancient Middle East.

Microscope image of Early Bronze Age ash wood sample from Tell Tayinat in Hatay, Turkey (photo by Brita Lorentzen)

“The absolute dating of these periods has been a subject of considerable debate for many years and this study contributes a significant new dataset that helps address many of the questions,” says Sturt Manning, the Goldwin Smith professor of classical archaeology in the department of classics at Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences who is lead author of the study.

“The detailed chronological resolution achieved in this study allows for a more substantive interpretation of the archaeological evidence in terms of local and regional responses to proposed climate change, shedding light on how humans respond to environmental stress and variability.”

The researchers say the chronological framework for the Early Iron Age demonstrates the thriving re-settlement of Tayinat following the event 3,200 years ago during a reconstructed period of heightened aridity.

“The settlement of Tayinat may have been undertaken to maximize access to arable land and crop evidence reveals the continued cultivation of numerous water-demanding crops, revealing a response that counters the picture of a drought-stricken region,” says Harrison. “The Iron Age at Tayinat represents a significant degree of societal resilience during a period of climatic stress.”

The research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, among others.

Mourners, dignitaries pack U of T's Convocation Hall to remember Flight 752 victims

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 15:45:12 +0000

Mourners, dignitaries pack U of T's Convocation Hall to remember Flight 752 victims

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 01/13/2020 - 10:45

Cutline

The names of all 57 Canadians killed in the crash of Ukraine Airlines Flight PS752 were read aloud during a ceremony organized by Tirgan, an Iranian-Canadian cultural group (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Translational Research Program

U of T Mississauga

Mourners were united in their grief and calls for justice as they packed a memorial Sunday for the 57 Canadians killed after Iran’s military shot down a passenger jet.

“We have lost such incredible people, and we will always bear these scars, but now is the time for all of Canada’s cities and towns to come together in our loss,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told an audience of about 1,700 people at the ��Ƶ’s Convocation Hall while an estimated 2,300 attendees watched the proceedings from overflow rooms in nearby buildings.

“We mourn together and we will seek answers together. We seek accountability together. And we will seek and we will get justice together.”

Candles, flowers and handwritten messages surround photos of victims of the downed Ukraine International Airlines passenger jet (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

The event was organized by Tirgan, an Iranian-Canadian cultural organization, and was attended by politicians and other dignitaries, including Ali Ehsassi, a member of Parliament for Willowdale, and Michael Parsa, a member of provincial parliament for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill.

Freeland’s sentiments were echoed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor John Tory as they rallied behind efforts by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold the Iranian regime accountable.

“I want you to know you are not alone,” Ford told the gathering.

“The people of this province stand behind you. The nation and the world mourn with you.”

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks with David Palmer, U of T ’s vice-president, advancement, and Cheryl Regehr, vice-president and provost (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Tory, meantime, pointed to the multicultural nature of Toronto and the nation as a unique strength in the aftermath of the tragedy, even as leaders seek answers about Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752, which crashed Jan. 8 with the loss of all 176 passengers and crew.

“Although we have not achieved perfection, we offer a way of life based on respect and understanding and love – and now more than ever, our words and actions must keep us on that path,” said Tory.

“I think this will not only help in the search for justice and answers but it will help the healing process as well.”

Hundreds gathered to mourn the victims of Flight PS752, which was mistakenly shot down by the Iranian military shortly after taking off from Tehran’s airport (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

The enormity of the loss Canadian universities share with the nation was clear as the names of the 57 dead Canadians and their stories were recounted during a poignant ceremony marked by cries of grief. The grim roll call included doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, professors and students from across the country, including eight members of the U of T community – six of whom were students.

Premier Doug Ford addresses mourners at U of T’s Convocation Hall (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Several representatives from U of T, which held its own ceremony on Friday, were in attendance. They included Chancellor Rose Patten, Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President, Advancement David Palmer, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering Dean Christopher Yip, Translational Research Program Director Joseph Ferenbok, Assistant Vice-President in the Office of the President Bryn MacPherson and Anwar Kazimi, the deputy secretary of U of T’s Governing Council.

Toronto Mayor John Tory speaks to Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, a professor of history and Near and Middle Eastern civilizations at U of T Mississauga, before the ceremony (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Organizers thanked U of T for its history of solidarity with Iranian Canadians, and there were more than a few pointed reminders to those who express anti-immigrant views to re-evaluate the negative stereotypes they promote in the wake of the tragedy.

“As we mourn the loss of our compatriots, I hope that the anti-immigrant populists in North America and Europe take a reflective look at the profiles of our lost friends and community members and think critically about their erroneous assumptions,” Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, a U of T Mississauga professor of history and Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, told the gathering.

“What is evident is immigrants immensely enrich their communities with their professional talents, skills, dedication and goodwill,” said Tavakoli-Targhi, who urged all levels of government to continue their “enlightened engagement” in seeking accountability and compensation for the victims.

“Let us keep their memories and dreams alive.”

U of T Mississauga Professor Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi wipes tears from his eyes as former Ontario cabinet minister Reza Moridi looks on (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Sunday’s ceremony was one of the latest in a series of vigils and events at U of T and across the country to support that effort.

As the event wrapped up, mourners somberly filed past candle-lit memorials at Convocation Hall and reflected on the victims.

Feeling distressed? Find someone to talk to right now – and if there is an immediate risk, call 911.

Round-the-clock support:

Students can speak to a trained crisis worker at any hour of the day.

U of T My SSP for students 1-844-451-9700. Immediate counselling support is available in 35 languages and ongoing support in 146 languages.

Other 24-7 supports available to students include:

Good 2 Talk Student Helpline 1-866-925-5454. Professional counselling, information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being.
Gerstein Crisis Centre 416-929-5200
Distress Centres of Greater Toronto 416-408-HELP (4357)
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at 250 College Street
Anishnawbe Health Toronto Mental Health Crisis Line 416-360-0486

The following services are available to students on all three campuses:

St. George campus: Health and Wellness Centre (416-978-8030), located at Koffler Student Services
U of T Scarborough: Health & Wellness Centre 416-287-7065
U of T Mississauga: Health & Counselling Centre 905-828-5255

Faculty and staff have access to 24-7 support through:

The Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP), offered through Homewood Health, online and by phone at 1-800-663-1142

U of T students who crushed it in 2019

geoff.vendeville — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 15:12:56 +0000

U of T students who crushed it in 2019

geoff.vendeville Tue, 12/17/2019 - 10:12

Cutline

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby, Elspeth Arbow graduated with a degree in cinema studies in June after overcoming a double-lung transplant – the second time she had undergone the procedure (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Our Community

Student Experience

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Accessibility

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Ecology & Environmental Biology

Entrepreneneurship

Entrepreneurship

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies

Undergraduate Students

University College

Victoria College

Woodsworth College

Convocation season is a time when many students at the ��Ƶ reflect on their accomplishments. But U of T students are doing and achieving things on a daily basis that make the university an outstanding place.

This year alone, students have gone to Ottawa to advocate a better, co-ordinated strategy to prevent concussions. They have researched news ways to fight dangerous, antibiotic-resistant superbugs. They have saved lives amid an opioid epidemic and used library books to pinpoint the identity of a lost Mesopotamian queen – all while overcoming the many challenges, big and small, that life threw at them along the way.

And that's just the start.

Here's U of T News's annual – if far from exhaustive – list of students who crushed it in 2019:

The first-year student who served as head dancer at U of T’s powwow

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Although she was only in her first year at U of T, Miyopin Cheechoo was asked to take on a big responsibility: being the head dancer at the U of T powwow.

The Cree student from Moosonee rose to the occasion. Wearing red polka dot print and an eagle feather, she danced her heart out and got a large section of the crowd in the Goldring Centre up on its feet.

The PhD student who located an ancient queen’s remains using only books

(photo by Perry King)

Tracy Spurrier, a PhD student in the department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, helped track down the remains of a long-lost Mesopotamian queen – all without lifting a shovel or brush.

Queen Hama is said to have lived 3,000 years ago in Assyria. But the whereabouts of her body were a mystery until Spurrier, using a paleopathology report and book in her department’s rare book collection, managed to pin down the identity of her remains.

The twin sisters who went from lab to legislature in a campaign against concussions

(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Sandhya Mylabathula, a PhD student, and her twin sister Swapna, doing a MD-PhD, have been interested in concussions since their undergraduate years. They spoke to legislators on Parliament Hill about the need for a culture shift within sport and offered other recommendations to reduce concussions.

The Indigenous twins in law and medicine who called for greater diversity in their fields

(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

No, you’re not seeing double. Brothers Patrick and Curtis Sobchak are another set of twins who crushed it this year. Patrick, who studied law, and Curtis, in medicine, were among the few Indigenous students in their classrooms.

Before graduating in June, they both took steps to call for greater representation of Indigenous Peoples in their respective fields.

Patrick championed the inclusion of Indigenous values and law in the curriculum, while Curtis wrote about the lack of diversity in medicine on the Canadian Medical Association Journal’s blog.

The theatre and drama major who amped up the conversation about diversity and disability on TV

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

George Alevizos had no lines in his debut on Star Trek: Discovery as a Starfleet engineer, but his appearance was widely acclaimed for an important reason: Alevizos, who uses a wheelchair, was one of the few actors on the show – indeed television – with a visible disability.

He graduated from a U of T Mississauga-Sheridan College joint program in June and hopes to continue pressuring his industry to show greater diversity on the stage and screen.

The Syrian activist and master’s student who wouldn’t give up

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Noura Al-Jizawi, a Syrian activist who was detained and tortured in her home country, came to U of T through the Scholars at Risk program. She was seven months pregnant when she started a master’s degree in global affairs, also known as an MGA, at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy.

It was her first time taking lessons in English rather than Arabic.

In the summer, she completed her studies and celebrated her convocation with her daughter, whom her classmates call the “MGA baby.”

“I imagine the moment I hold my diploma,” Al-Jizawi said before graduating. “It’s going to be the moment I defeat the dictators in Syria because it’s going to send the message: ‘You cannot defeat me.’”

The student who was ‘too stubborn to stop’

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Elspeth Arbow, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby, kept up with her studies for a full nine months as her health spiralled and she waited for an organ donor. She then spent 2018 recovering from a double-lung transplant – the second time in her young life that she had undergone the procedure.

Her gutsy resolve paid off: She graduated from Innis College with a degree in cinema studies in June and landed a job at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“It’s this huge sense of accomplishment because I wanted to give up all the time,” she said.

The student whose award-winning startup empowers people in Nigeria

(photo by Rahul Kalvapalle)

Olugbenga Olubanjo, a master's degree student in engineering, often called his friends and family back home in Nigeria – only to have his conversations be interrupted by frequent power outages. So he decided to help his fellow Nigerians – some 70 million of whom live without electricity – gain access to a stable and safe power source.

Enter Reeddi, a startup Olubanjo runs with two fellow U of T students, Osarieme Osakue and Joshua Dzakah. The company provides portable, clean-energy capsules that are charged at solar-powered stations in local communities. It was a big year for Reeddi, which won a US$10,000 award and secured a provisional patent.

The Indigenous student whose grandfather inspired her to act

(photo by Tina Adamopoulos)

Diane Hill's grandfather – or laksotha, as he was known to his grandkids – was forbidden from speaking his native Oneida language in school during his childhood.

That injustice is one of the reasons Hill came to U of T Scarborough to study health policy and socio-cultural anthropology, with the long-term goal of supporting her community through education.

In her undergraduate years, she served as president of the Indigenous Students Association and as Indigenous program developer in the campus’s department of student life. She also traveled to New Zealand for an internship and received a Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Award.

Hill graduated in June and isn't losing any time in pursuit of her dream. She returned to U of T this fall to begin a master’s degree in social justice education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

The undergraduates who helped to preserve endangered languages in Brazil

(photo courtesy of uoftbrazil.blog)

Three undergraduate students travelled to Boa Vista, a city in the northwestern Brazilian state of Roraima, last spring to document and help preserve some of the region’s Indigenous languages: Macuxi, Ye’kwana and Taurepang.

The students – Octavia Andrade-Dixon, Guilherme Teruya and Gregory Antono – and their faculty supervisor Suzi Lima, in the department of Spanish and Portguese, met with native speakers to study the languages by translating simple nouns and discussing more complex linguistic concepts.

The PhD student who is fighting to prevent overdose deaths

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

By some estimates, the opioid crisis in Canada has claimed more than 9,000 lives in just three years. Gillian Kolla, a PhD student at

the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, is a fierce advocate for street-involved drug users and has worked with other volunteers to establish supervised injection sites.

Stocked with naloxone kits, oxygen tanks and sterile injection equipment, they have saved 251 lives.

The student researching how to fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs

(photo by Perry King)

Chidozie Ojobor, who grew up in Nigeria, lost his older sister Ginika to typhoid fever 20 years ago.

Her death prompted him to study microbiology at the University of Nigeria in order to understand the mechanisms of disease and develop treatments. As a PhD student at U of T, he has identified novel bacteria-killing entities known as tailocins that have been shown to kill antibiotic-resistant superbugs in the laboratory.

Ojobor’s research received support from MPower Financing, a Washington, D.C.-based fintech company that provides loans to international students. He is the first university student in Canada to win an MPower Global Citizen scholarship worth US$5,000.

The swimmer who’s still on top of the world

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Kylie Masse, a star of U of T’s varsity swim team and Olympic bronze medalist in Rio, defended her world title in the 100-metre backstroke last summer at the world aquatic championships in South Korea.

It was a bold statement by the 23-year-old kinesiology student ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Masse appeared to have a point to prove after another swimmer previously beat her world-record time in the 100-metre backstroke.

“Obviously I was a bit disappointed,” she recalled after her record was broken. “But I think it just gave me more motivation and lit a fire under me, like, ‘I want it back.’”

The PhD student who was part of team who discovered a prehistoric species

(photo courtesy of Joe Moysiuk)

More than a billion years ago, Cambroraster falcatus must have been a fearsome predator, with its rake-like claws and pineapple slice-shaped mouth. It reached up to a foot in length when most other animals in the Cambrian Period were smaller than your little finger.

PhD student Joe Moysiuk, in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology, was the lead author of a study documenting the newly discovered species based on fossils uncovered in the Burgess Shale in B.C.

The student who will pursue her research on housing inequality with a full Cambridge scholarship

(photo by Romi Levine)

Hafsah Siddiqui, a geography and planning master’s degree student, landed a full scholarship to study at Cambridge University.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship recognizes students with leadership potential, outstanding intellectual ability and a commitment to improving the lives of others.
She planned to continue focusing on housing inequality as a PhD student across the pond.

Her research focuses on Pakistan and the informal settlement communities in Islamabad known as katchi abadis, which are home to many refugees and other marginalized people.

The first-year student who wants to use her education to help her c ommunity

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Symone Pelletier made her dreams of studying psychology at U of T come true. She came to campus from Manitoulin Island, a six-hour drive from Toronto, where she was top of her high school class. “I chose psychology,” she said, “because I’m coming from an Indigenous community and a single-parent family.”

“We have experienced a lot more unfortunate situations than most people have.”

After graduation, she has set her sights on eventually returning home to work with the Wiikwemkoong First Nation community.

The students who screened 8,000 U of T courses for sustainability-related content

(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Climate change represents arguably the single greatest challenge of our times. It's a problem of such magnitude that students who want to make a difference may wonder where to start.

Five undergraduates took the guesswork out of the equation by screening about 8,000 courses for sustainability-related content and creating an inventory of those courses for current and future students. They also catalogued sustainability campus groups, projects and initiatives. They published their work in an open-access journal so that other universities and large organizations can learn from their approach.

The mature student who made her mark on the univesity

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Julie Blair went out on a limb when she decided to return to university after a 20-year hiatus to take Indigenous studies. Blair, who is of Anishinaabe and Dutch ancestry and a member of the Serpent River First Nation, said she wasn’t part of the Indigenous community in Toronto until she learned more about her culture and roots in university.

She graduated with a master’s degree in social work this fall. She not only excelled in her studies, but also became a pillar of the community. In 2017, she was part of the team that organized the first campus powwow in two decades, an event that has since become a fixture on the U of T calendar.

New U of T building to create a cultural and intellectual gateway between university and city

Romi Levine — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 05:00:00 +0000

New U of T building to create a cultural and intellectual gateway between university and city

Romi Levine Thu, 02/21/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

A rendering of the new U of T building located at 90 Queen's Park (rendering by bloomimages, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

Romi Levine

Topic

City & Culture

Archeology

School of Cities

Astronomy & Astrophysics

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Faculty of Law

History

Islamic Studies

Meric Gertler

A proposed new ��Ƶ building at 90 Queen’s Park Crescent will bring together academic and public spaces to create a hub for urban and cultural engagement.

The proposal will come forward for consideration by university governance.

The nine-storey building will be designed by world-renowned architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the firm behind New York City’s High Line and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. The New York-based firm is working with Toronto’s architectsAlliance. ERA Architects is serving as the team’s heritage consultants.

“This stunning architectural landmark will provide the ��Ƶ with an invaluable opportunity to create a meeting space for scholars and the wider city around us,” says U of T President Meric Gertler.

“It also gives the School of Cities a permanent home for its urban-focused research, educational and outreach initiatives.”

In addition to the School of Cities, the building will house a number of academic units from the Faculty of Arts & Science, including history, Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, as well as the Institute of Islamic Studies, an arm of the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies and the Archaeology Centre. It will also provide facilities for the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Music.

There will also be space designated for classrooms and public spaces, as well as for the Royal Ontario Museum.

“It will be a building that brings a diverse grouping of folks together to advance knowledge around cities and how they can work successfully, contributing to a positive impact here in the city but also more globally,” says Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships.

As design architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro will draw on their experience designing cultural and academic spaces to create a building that will inevitably become a Toronto landmark, says Gilbert Delgado, U of T’s chief of university planning, design and construction.

“They're very provocative and thoughtful architects,” he says. “This dramatic building expresses the very special role of the university within the city.”

Among the building’s showpieces is a music recital hall, with a large window serving as an exceptional backdrop to the stage and providing the audience with south-facing views of the Toronto skyline. Above the hall will be a 400-seat event space with similar skyline views. There will also be a café on the ground floor and a multi-storey atrium leading up to the recital hall.

The music recital hall, with its large window as a dramatic backdrop (rendering by bloomimages, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

“Because the building is a large and complex site, the experience doesn't just play out on the ground floor, it climbs through in a kind of spiral up until the performance space," says Richard Sommer, dean of the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design and a member of the university’s Design Review Committee.

And the views will be just as impressive from the exterior of the building, says Delgado.

“The building is very engaging,” he says, adding that it will be particularly striking when driving or walking northbound along Queen’s Park Crescent.

Delgado says the building’s location will serve as a gateway that connects Toronto’s cultural corridor with the university. “It represents an important new addition to the cultural corridor with the Gardiner Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Faculty of Law and Queen's Park.”

It's important for the university to have public-facing buildings that sit on the borders of its downtown Toronto campus, says Sommer.

"The edges of the campus and its borders with the city are the places where you engage the community and the vibrancy of the city of Toronto," he says. "When you have buildings that are at these edges, it's particularly important that they have programming that produces a platform for public exchange."

A site plan for the building, which is located on the west side of Queen's Park (copyright Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

The building will also honour U of T’s history and heritage, carefully incorporating the 118-year-old Falconer Hall, part of the Faculty of Law, into its design.

“Falconer Hall provides an opportunity to integrate the old and the new in an exciting way,” says Delgado. “As opposed to an addition to an historic building, what we see here is a novel and creative way of having a historic building influence a new building.”

Charles Renfro, partner-in-charge at Diller Scofidio + Renfro, says the building is designed to encourage individual scholarship, while fostering collaborative discourse and public engagement.

“This 'campus within a campus' is revealed in the building's dual identity – a smooth cohesive block of faculty offices and workspaces gives way to a variegated expression of individual departments as the building is sculpted around Falconer Hall, the historic home of the law department. Several public programs are revealed in the process. At the heart of the building is a dynamic central atrium and stairs linking all floors with clusters of lounge spaces, study spaces and meeting rooms, mixing the various populations of the building with each other and the general public,” he says.

(Rendering by bloomimages, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

As part of U of T’s commitment to sustainability, the building will adhere to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) sustainability standards.

“It will use roughly 40 per cent less energy than a conventional building of this type,” Delgado says. “The dominant issue right now in terms of sustainability is minimizing the carbon footprint of our buildings and our facilities.”

The new U of T landmark will be built on the site of the McLaughlin Planetarium, which was closed in 1995. The university’s department of astronomy and astrophysics has included a state-of-the-art planetarium theatre in its plans for a proposed new building at 50 St. George St.

Inside 90 Queen's Park (rendering by bloomimages, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro)

How a U of T researcher discovered a lost Mesopotamian queen – without leaving the library

perry.king — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:56:23 +0000

How a U of T researcher discovered a lost Mesopotamian queen – without leaving the library

perry.king Fri, 02/08/2019 - 11:56

Cutline

Tracy L. Spurrier, who is working on her PhD in U of T's department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, is one of four winners of the inaugural ��Ƶ Libraries' Graduate Student Exhibition Award (photo by Perry King)

Perry King

Topic

Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

Awards

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Graduate Students

Humanities

U of T Libraries

U of T Scarborough

The memory, and remains, of Queen Hama were effectively lost – until the ��Ƶ’s Tracy L. Spurrier “found” her in a tomb that may have since been destroyed by the Islamic State.

But rather than unearthing the 3,000-year-old Mesopotamian queen on an archeological dig in Iraq, Spurrier, who is working on her PhD in the department of Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, helped identify Queen Hama by poring over old historical texts in a U of T library.

Keen to share Hama’s story – and her own – Spurrier created the exhibit on the first floor of Robarts Library after U of T Libraries named her one of four recipients of the inaugural Graduate Student Exhibition Award.

She named it “Finding Hama: On the Identification of a Forgotten Queen Buried in the Nimrud Tombs.”

“I felt so special – it’s not every day that you win an award,” says Spurrier, while seated by the display. “The librarians, I could see their faces were so happy for me, and happy that this project got such a good turnout.

“I teach, and I talk a lot, but it isn’t about me – it’s about Mesopotamia, ancient mythology, about these stories.”

The award recognizes work, based on papers and projects, that demonstrate an effective use of library resources. Graduate students from all three U of T campuses are eligible, regardless of their discipline.

Two other exhibits, on display until the end of February, were also created as a result of the awards. Sandhya Mylabathula, who is working on her PhD at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, was recognized for “Concussions: The ‘Impact’ of Injury.” The exhibit takes a look at the science behind concussions, concussion policies and the recovery experience.

The other winning entry focuses on artificial neural networks in health-care organizational decision-making. It was put together by Nida Shahid and Tim Rappon, who are both graduate students at the U of T Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation. Their exhibit looks at how health-care organizations are using artificial intelligence to provide more patient-centred, efficient, and cost-effective health care.

“We are proud to showcase the excellent research of the winning students to the thousands of people who visit Robarts every day,” says Larry Alford, U of T's chief librarian.

In the case of Spurrier, Alford says the research exemplifies why libraries preserve materials for the future cultural and scholarly record.

“Even if the original monuments are lost, they remain discoverable through researching in our collections,” he says.

With a combination of colourful posters and objects, Spurrier’s exhibit walks onlookers through the story of Queen Hama's discovery. The left side includes an introduction that explains the scope of Spurrier’s research and images of the original tomb, first discovered three decades ago in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Nimrud – near present-day Mosul.

“These are some of the excavation reports of the ancient city of Nimrud, as background,” explains Spurrier, as she pointed to a borrowed Mesopotamian sculpture on the top shelf.

Spurrier’s curiosity about Hama began when she came across a rarely studied book in her department’s rare book archive that was brought to U of T from Baghdad by another professor. The book, published in 2000, contained dense tomb information.

“I was looking through the shelves and I thought ‘What is this book? I’ve never seen this book – Robarts and most libraries don’t have it,’” Spurrier says. “I started going through that book and other books and the paleo-pathology report, and I started putting together hints about this one coffin that the report said has a woman and a child buried in it.”

By cross-referencing with other reports, including texts in German, Spurrier verified the sarcophagus contained a crown, and that there was no child – most of the bones actually belonged to the woman.

In the middle of the display, Spurrier explains that the queen’s body dated back to King Assurnasirpal II in the Neo-Assyrian Period, around 3,000 years ago. Below the text is the republished report on the findings from the tomb’s initial discovery – with a cover image of Hama’s crown, a golden piece with floral details and winged female genies.

The jeweled gold crown found on Hama's head depicts pomegranates, grapes, leaves, flowers and female genies (photo by Sgt. Noreen L. Feeney, 318th Public Affairs Operation Center, US Army)

Hama’s tomb was barely touched because of a curse inscribed on the tomb, with the gold and artifacts rivalling the tomb of King Tutankhamun in Egypt, according to Spurrier.

“I feel very lucky, this is fabulous,” says Spurrier, who also teaches at U of T Scarborough. “I have found something amazing in this research that I can share with the world – that I can put my name on.”

With modern-day Iraq and Syria embroiled in ongoing regional conflict, Spurrier says she felt a call of duty to uncover the region’s past: “Screw ISIS. They think they’re erasing this history, but I’ve already proven you don’t need to be at this site to make new discoveries, to find new things. They’re trying to anger us.”

There are still questions that remain unanswered about Hama, including how she died or why her coffin was placed in this particular spot. But Spurrier was nevertheless glad her exhibit helped to make sense of the findings.

“This has to be more understandable to a general audience,” she says. “That’s my thing, you have to make things more approachable to the public.”

U of T student reunited with family from Syria thanks to support from Toronto-area Muslims and Jews

ullahnor — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 17:20:07 +0000

U of T student reunited with family from Syria thanks to support from Toronto-area Muslims and Jews

ullahnor Wed, 01/25/2017 - 12:20

Cutline

Rasha Elendari, a PhD student of Middle Eastern archaeology, analyzes ceramics (photo courtesy of Rasha Elendari)

Peter Boisseau

Author legacy

Peter Boisseau

Topic

City & Culture

Syrian refugees