International Women&#039;s Day

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Hockey

After a storied hockey career that included being inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Hayley Wickenheiser is now pursuing another childhood dream: becoming a doctor.

She traces her interest in the medical field to her youth, when one of her friends was badly injured after being hit by a truck.

“There were 30 kids in our neighbourhood and we’d go as a pack to check on her,” says Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic gold medallist who is in her second year of residency in the department of family and community medicine (DFCM) in the ��Ƶ’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

“I remember the doctors and nurses being very kind. We were little and they made it less scary for us. It was at that point that I got a real interest in medicine.”

Wickenheiser was named to the Canadian women’s national ice hockey team at the age of 15, but despite being focused on the sport during her young adulthood, she felt a pull toward medicine.

“I always knew I needed a life after hockey and thought that would be a good one,” says Wickenheiser, who is training to become an emergency medicine physician.

Wickenheiser will begin her enhanced skill year in emergency medicine in the department of family and community medicine in July 2023.

Wickenheiser says she chose to do her residency in the department because she would learn about a wide breadth of topics and undergo generalist training, allowing for maximum flexibility in her career.

While fewer graduating medical students rank family medicine as their first choice when applying to residency, Wickenheiser says she is very happy with her decision.

“Family medicine is touted as less 'sexy' than specialist training, but I think it's the best kept secret in medicine and one of the most underrated routes to choose,” she says. “I have zero regrets about choosing DFCM – it's been amazing. From awesome professional development to preceptor teaching, it's really a choose-your-own-adventure at times. I like that.”

Gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser celebrates at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics (photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

After announcing her retirement from hockey in 2017, Wickenheiser began medical school at the University of Calgary. The transition was eased by years of preparation. For close to a decade before her retirement, Wickenheiser shadowed an emergency department doctor who helped her realize her affinity for the specialty. “I don’t do well sitting all day long,” she says.

She is quick to rattle off the things that drew her to emergency medicine: “Every patient encounter is different. You have to think quickly, work in a team and be very good under pressure. It feels very much like a team sport.”

Widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, Wickenheiser thought she would be done with the sport when she began her studies. “Then the Toronto Maple Leafs called a few months into medical school,” she says.

Now an assistant general manager for the Leafs, Wickenheiser oversees 11 staff members and is responsible for the development of not only the franchise players, but of prospects and players from the Toronto Marlies and affiliate Newfoundland Growlers.

“My job is to make sure it’s a high-functioning department where we’re helping the players both on and off the ice to maximize their potential and get them prepared to be successful NHL players – if they already are a successful NHL player, then help them find that one per cent here and there that can elevate their game,” she says.

Her workday varies depending on her clinical responsibilities, but generally she wakes up early and heads to the rink for a workout because of her duties with the Leafs. If she is doing a family medicine rotation, then she will work an afternoon or evening clinic. If she is doing a hospital-based shift that runs from 8 a.m. until late afternoon, she says she adapts her schedule accordingly.

Wickenheiser says the parallels between sport and medicine are striking.

“Everything I learned in hockey, I use every day,” she says. “Medicine is a team game. You’ve got to think on your feet. You’ve got to handle stress. You’ve got to be physically at your best.”

She also says that using constructive criticism to enhance performance is another common theme.

“In medicine, you’re being told what you need to improve on all the time. Being able to handle that in a productive way is very important to your development as a physician.”

There is, she adds, a big difference between these two worlds when it comes to self-care and wellness. “As an athlete, you’re celebrated for taking care of your body. In medicine, sometimes it feels like that should be the last thing you should be doing as a physician taking care of everyone else. I think it’s counterintuitive. It’s something I think medicine has to get a lot better at.”

When asked what motivates her to stay on a difficult path, Wickenheiser, who grew up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan, says hard work is part of her identity.

“I don’t think of myself as overly smart or special in any way, but one thing I hang my hat on as an athlete and what I do in medicine is that I’m confident I can outwork just about anyone. It’s the one thing I know I can control in my life even when there are other things happening that I can’t. You can always control your effort.”

Startup trains women in rural Costa Rica, 'upcycles' airline seats into leather goods

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 16:29:40 +0000

Startup trains women in rural Costa Rica, 'upcycles' airline seats into leather goods

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 03/08/2023 - 11:29

Cutline

Lynne Corvaglia, who graduated from U of T Scarborough two years ago, models one of her startup company's bags made of leather upcycled from old airline seats (photo courtesy of Wearsos)

Alexa Battler

Topic

Entrepreneurship Week

Lynne Corvaglia is on a mission to turn thousands of old airline seats into high-end leather products – and create job opportunities for women in rural parts of Costa Rica in the process.

Southwest Airlines replaces the leather seat covers on its planes every four years. To keep thousands of old seats out of landfills, the airline donates the leather to organizations that can transform it into new products.

More than 12,000 seats are being upcycled into bags and accessories through a program dedicated to teaching women in rural Costa Rica leatherworking and business skills.

“There's a lack of access to opportunities here. We want to create a social enterprise that can create a positive impact in the lives of those working with us,” says Corvaglia, the founder of upcycling startup Wearsos who graduated from the ��Ƶ Scarborough’s International Development Studies (IDS) Co-op program two years ago.

“Our strategy is to produce and activate local economies in Costa Rica.”

The seats are being stored in the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), where Corvaglia lives and has helped spearhead the launch of a free workshop series. Hosted at CATIE, Corvaglia says the program is working to act as an incubator by teaching artisans the basic technical skills for leatherworking along with entrepreneurship and personal and professional development. About 60 women have taken the first induction workshop.

“The program at CATIE is meant to be comprehensive. It’s not just about leatherworking. We all want to empower women,” Corvaglia says. “They can learn the skills to start their own businesses and use upcycling as a tool.”

Women artisans in the CATIE workshop program have been learning to strip the leather from airline seats and create high-end goods (photo courtesy of Wearsos)

As a research centre, CATIE isn’t exactly built for the world of retail sales – that’s where Corvaglia’s startup Wearsos comes in. The company is dedicated to upcycling and plans to recruit women from CATIE’s program to become paid artisans. The women will then receive specialized training to make the specific products that Wearsos will eventually sell on its website, with a percentage of the profits going back to the training program.

“We’re trying to provide real jobs with Wearsos. While we can train women, we also need to provide economic stability and create a demand,” Corvaglia says.

Wearsos plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign to fundraise for their first year of production in the next few months. The launch will feature three bags: a belt bag (also known as a fanny pack), a crossbody and a tote. Other products in the works include duffle bags, shoes, clothing, laptop cases and other accessories.

Reducing waste is essential for Wearsos, a portmanteau of “wear” and sostenibilidad, or sustainability in Spanish. The company also plans to incorporate other sustainable materials into its products, such as textiles made from pineapple fibres.

Two of the leather accessories Wearsos plans to sell include a tote bag and a belt bag (photo courtesy of Wearsos)

Startup takes off amid pandemic

It’s taken three years, perseverance and a little serendipity for Wearsos to come together. In 2019, Corvaglia was completing a co-op placement at CATIE while volunteering with a women-run organization that supports entrepreneurs working in tourism. It was then that she witnessed the volatility of the tourism industry.

“These women have many jobs. Maybe their main one is they have a farm or they are tour guides – but they're also sewers and creators,” she says. “But in an economic crisis like the 2008 recession or the pandemic, a lot of these women lost all their jobs.

"We started thinking about how we can create other economic opportunities for people in rural areas. That’s where this whole project really came from.”

Wearsos has created a range of prototype products including shoes, passport holders and laptop sleeves (photo courtesy of Wearsos)

When Southwest Airlines contacted Corvaglia’s co-op adviser, Eliecer Vargas, about their initiative to recycle seats, Corvaglia and her business partner (and now husband) Christian Riquelme began writing proposals to create an upcycling company. They soon found The Hub, an entrepreneurial incubator at U of T Scarborough. Former director Gray Graffam encouraged the pair to enter the incubator’s annual startup competition. Wearsos later won first place and received $5,000 in funding.

The pandemic kept many of Wearsos’s plans and partnerships up in the air for years, but the company is now a registered business in Canada and Costa Rica – and another shipment of seats is on its way to CATIE.

Wearsos’s website includes a mailing list that will notify customers of news and product sales.

“During the pandemic, I was thinking, ‘Is this project even going to happen?’” Corvaglia says. “Now everything is just coming together.”

International Women’s Day: What's happening across U of T's three campuses

mattimar — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 18:38:00 +0000

International Women’s Day: What's happening across U of T's three campuses

mattimar Mon, 03/06/2023 - 13:38

Cutline

(photo by Matthew Dochstader/Paradox Images)

Mariam Matti

Topic

City & Culture

Entrepreneurship Week

ICUBE

The Hub

Alumni

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Music

Faculty of Arts & Science Staff

International Women’s Day on March 8 is an opportunity to come together to celebrate women’s social, cultural and political accomplishments – and to reflect on the challenges and work that lie ahead.

This year’s theme is Embrace Equity, which aims to spark conversations around the world about why equal opportunities aren’t enough and how true inclusion requires equitable action.

U of T is hosting events across the three campuses featuring inspirational leaders and student groups. Here is a snapshot of what’s happening this week:

Jazz and Justice: Transformative, Equitable Futures in Music

The Faculty of Music is holding a panel discussion on the pathway for equitable futures in music with faculty Dean Ellie Hisama, Beth Coleman, an associate professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T Mississauga, and Grammy award-winning jazz artist Terri Lyne Carrington. The event is on March 6 at 3 p.m. inside Walter Hall on the St. George campus.

Crowns for Change: Flower Crowns

The International Student Centre (ISC) at U of T Scarborough invites students to make a beautiful flower crown, take photos with new friends and learn more about powerful female leaders who are making a difference around the world. The event takes place on March 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Highland Hall Event Centre.

Learning Technology Systems in Everyday Life: Women’s Experiences Navigating Refugee Resettlement

Negin Dahya, assistant professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T Mississauga, is participating in the Lecture Me series, which highlights research from different faculty at U of T Mississauga. The virtual event will take place on March 7 from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

International Women’s Day Webinar

The Faculty of Law is hosting a panel discussion moderated by the Women and Law student group on March 8 from 12 to 1:30 p.m. The event features U of T alumnae Cherie Brant, national leader for the Indigenous law group at Borden Ladner Gervais, Rita Maxwell, a judge on the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and Maria Zeldis, senior vice president legal at Onni Group of Companies.

Pitch with a Twist

Part of U of T’s Entrepreneurship Week, U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE incubator is hosting Pitch with a Twist, International Women’s Day edition on March 8 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at U of T Mississauga in the IMI Rotunda. The event features U of T alumna Lesley Hampton, an Anishinaabe artist and fashion designer, as a keynote speaker and provides an opportunity for women-identifying entrepreneurs to pitch early-stage ventures to a panel of women-identifying judges from a variety of sectors.

She Moves: A Conference with Motion

The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education is inviting all women-identifying students to participate in MoveU, an evening of physical activity, wellness and discussion. The event takes place on March 8 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Athletic Centre on the St. George campus.

Empower the Leader Within

U of T Scarborough is hosting a panel discussion with inspiring executives about their career journeys, the challenges they’ve navigated and their hope for future leaders. The event takes place on March 8 from 5 to 7:30 pm. at the Instructional Centre.

Event in Solidarity with Iranian Women

In collaboration with the Iranian Scholars for Liberty, the U of T Students for a Free Iran (UTSFI) are holding an event on March 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to show their support for women in Iran. The event will take place at the Galbraith Building in Room 220 on the St. George campus and is open to the community.

International Women’s Day Celebration: Women, Life, Liberty

The Iranian Women Organization of Ontario, U of T’s The Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Royal Ontario Museum are holding an event to reflect on women’s empowerment and leadership in Iran and the Middle East. The event takes place on March 8 from 6:15 to 9 p.m. at the Eaton Theatre at the ROM.

Inspire: Breaking Down Barriers to Success

Part of U of T’s Entrepreneurship Week, there will be a discussion with U of T Scarborough alumna Fennella Bruce, veteran television producer and host and media consultant, and Elina Chow, CEO of JotTech. The event takes place on March 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Hub in Highland Hall.

International Women’s Day: Reproductive Rights and Faith

The Multi-Faith Centre on the St. George campus is hosting an event to explore how gender rights, justice and spirituality are connected on March 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Main Activity Hall. The event features a panel discussion, a dinner and an opportunity to network.

Category: Woman, Film Screening and Panel Discussion

U of T's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and the Cinema Studies Institute in the Faculty of Arts & Science are hosting a screening of Category: Woman on March 8 at 7 p.m. at Innis Town Hall Theatre. There will be a panel discussion and a Q&A featuring filmmaker Phyllis Ellis following the screening.

Terri Lyne Carrington in Concert with U of T Jazz Orchestra

The Faculty of Music is hosting a concert with drummer, composer and producer Terri Lyne Carrington on March 8 at 7:30 at Walter Hall. Carrington, the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice in Boston, will perform with the U of T jazz orchestra. U of T students are admitted free with a valid TCard, space permitting.

‘Break the bias’: Three U of T community members share their thoughts on International Women's Day 2022 theme

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 08 Mar 2022 20:21:23 +0000

‘Break the bias’: Three U of T community members share their thoughts on International Women's Day 2022 theme

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 03/08/2022 - 15:21

Cutline

From left to right: Sarah Kaplan, professor at the Rotman School of Management, and alumnae Serena Chan and Usha Shanmugathasan.

Topic

Alumni

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

New College

University College

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day – #BreakTheBias – encourages people to imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination.

The ��Ƶ’s Faculty of Arts & Science reached out to three members of its community to find out what the theme means to them and how they’re working to break the bias in their own lives and careers.

Here is what they said:

Usha Shanmugathasan

Educator, Alumna of New College and Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

“As a racialized woman, I often have to advocate for space and to be heard in educational spaces. Breaking the bias is about dismantling power structures to allow all of us to occupy space. Breaking the bias is about centring justice for me. I consider intersecting identities and the power and privilege certain identities have in certain spaces. The power and privilege shifts depending on your social location.

“As an educator teaching our youngest learners, breaking the bias is about representation and tackling exclusion. Young children have an innate sense of justice that we as educators need to develop and foster.”

Sarah Kaplan

Professor at the Rotman School of Management and Director of the Institute for Gender and the Economy

“Breaking the bias isn’t about just giving everyone diversity training and hoping everything will get better. To truly make progress, we need to interrogate all our processes, practices and structures. Every time we put in place criteria, forms, policies, contracts, procedures and so on, we need to think, ‘How can we design this to make it accessible and fair to the most marginalized people?’ Only then will we truly break the bias.

“People want easy solutions that don’t disrupt how things are, but real change will only come with work and disruption of the status quo.

“At the Institute for Gender and the Economy (GATE), we focus on supporting cutting-edge research to change the conversation on gender equality. Since our founding in 2016, GATE has invested nearly $4 million in advancing the world’s understanding of how gender and its intersection with race, sexual orientation, Indigeneity, ethnic origin, disability, socioeconomic status and other identities shape economic outcomes and prosperity. We do this by myth-busting tired ideas that are holding back progress and inspiring disruptive change with game-changing guidance.”

Serena Chan

Partner at IBM Financial Services Sector, Alumna of University College

“To me, break the bias means creating a climate in which people feel inspired, equipped and supported and which is free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination – an environment that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.

“I am the voice of minority; I probably have one of the most diverse teams at work. I feel privileged to be the first Chinese woman who had made partner in the financial services sector in IBM Consulting in Canada. Being an Asian woman in tech is a badge of honour. I wear it proud, loud and continue to do the hard work to help lead the way for others.

“I was named one of Canada’s Top 50 Women in FinTech in 2019 and was a 2020 recipient of RBC’s Top 25 Canadian Immigrants Award. I pass along the motivation to others.

“As the leader of the Technical Women’s Guild at IBM Canada, I enjoy supporting diverse technical talent. I have a number of mentees from diverse ethnic backgrounds. It is important for people to aspire to be something, and it helps if they can see other people who are in that role. I feel that it is important to raise awareness of unconscious biases that have an influence on our attitudes and behaviours, especially toward other people.”

U of T marks International Women's Day with lectures, a pitch competition and other events

mattimar — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 18:47:32 +0000

U of T marks International Women's Day with lectures, a pitch competition and other events

mattimar Mon, 03/07/2022 - 13:47

Cutline

Hart House is co-hosting a virtual event called Women in Hip-Hop: Erasure, Trailblazers and Place-makers to mark International Women's Day (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

ICUBE

Hart House

St. George campus

U of T Scarborough

Women and Gender Studies

The ��Ƶ community is marking International Women’s Day on March 8 with a variety of events across the three campuses.

From lectures and workshops to a startup pitch competition and a fun trivia night, the events will highlight the cultural, political and socioeconomic achievements of women across the world.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s scheduled across the three U of T campuses this week:

Women in Hip-Hop: Erasure, Trailblazers and Place-makers

Co-hosted by Hart House and Fresh, Bold and So Def at the Universal Hip Hop Museum, this virtual event will showcase the historical and continuing contributions of women in hip-hop. The conversation will be led by moderator Francesca D'Amico-Cuthbert, a post-doctoral researcher at U of T’s Jackman Humanities Institute. She’ll be joined by Martha Diaz, curator, archivist, educator, media producer and social entrepreneur; DJ Lynnée Denise, artist, scholar and writer; and Kayja Edwards, a student at U of T Mississauga who is studying a double major in communications, culture, information and technology and women and gender studies. March 8, 4 – 5:30 p.m. ET

Pitch With a Twist

Part of U of T’s Entrepreneurship Week, ICUBE – home of early-stage start-ups at U of T Mississauga – is hosting Pitch with a Twist, International Women’s Month Edition. The event provides an opportunity for women-identifying entrepreneurs to pitch early-stage ventures to a panel of women-identifying judges from a variety of sectors for cash prizes and support. March 8, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Faith on the Margins – International Women’s Day Event

The Multi-Faith Centre at U of T is hosting a virtual conversation to explore how gender rights, justice and spirituality are connected. The participants include Maryam Khan, social work professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, Rev. Cheri DiNovo, minister and former MPP, and Rabbi Ariella Rosen, senior director and senior Jewish educator at Hillel U of T. March 8, 5:30 – 8 p.m. ET

International Women's Day – Crowns of Change Head Wrap Workshop

Hosted at the Meeting Place at U of T Scarborough, the Crowns of Change is a workshop for women to learn how to protect their hair with a head wrap or head covering. Participants will get to leave with their own crown. March 8, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET

International Women’s Day Lecture with Tara Houska

The Women & Gender Studies Institute is hosting a virtual lecture – Defend the Sacred: Reconnection is Resistance – with tribal attorney, land defender and climate justice activist Tara Houska. She co-founded Not Your Mascots, an organization committed to educating the public about representation of Indigenous Peoples. March 9, 6 – 7:30 p.m. ET

International Women’s Day Trivia Night

Students, staff and faculty are invited to take part in a fun trivia night focused on women who are trailblazers in their respective fields. Hosted by the International Student Centre, there are prizes available. March 11, 5 – 6 p.m. ET

Gender equity and leadership: Women to make up more than half of U of T’s deans

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:39:09 +0000

Gender equity and leadership: Women to make up more than half of U of T’s deans

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 03/08/2021 - 11:39

Cutline

As part of an ongoing effort to support equity, diversity and inclusion in leadership, U of T's recent dean appointments have included (from left to right): Ellie Hisama, Juan Du, Jutta Brunnée, Rhonda McEwen and Gretchen Kerr.

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

Diversity and Inclusion

Cheryl Regehr

Equity

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Music

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Women

When she was studying violin as an undergraduate student, all of the pieces Ellie Hisama played were composed by men – though she didn’t necessarily recognize them as male composers. She just saw them as composers. Then she heard Ruth Crawford Seeger’s String Quartet 1931.

It was as if somebody flicked on a lightbulb.

“When you see something that’s different, it helps you realize the context in which you’ve been living, thinking and working,” she says.

The epiphany prompted her to devote much of her career to studying Seeger and other musicians whose work was left out of the canon because of their status as women, people of colour or LGBTQ+.

Hisama, who is currently teaching at Columbia University, will be joining the ��Ƶ this summer as dean of the Faculty of Music – one of several women who have recently been appointed as deans in recent months. Others include: Jutta Brunnée at the Faculty of Law, Juan Du at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Landscape and Design, Gretchen Kerr at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and Rhonda McEwen at U of T Mississauga.

Even with no further hires, that means more than half of U of T’s deans will be women once all the recently announced appointments take effect later this year.

Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost, says the recent appointments are part of a larger, ongoing effort to diversify leadership positions across the university.

“We are so amazingly fortunate to have this wonderful group of leaders joining us,” she says.

“It speaks to the strength of the candidates whom the ��Ƶ is able to attract and the progress we have made in creating an inclusive environment at the university, although we still have a long way to go.”

The share of women faculty at the university has grown to 46.9 per cent, according to the latest internal numbers – nearly six points higher than the national average as measured by Catalyst Canada. And, two years ago, U of T moved to address a pay gap between men and women tenure-stream faculty, increasing the base salary for more than 800 women following an analysis by the Provostial Advisory Group on Gender Pay Equity.

Yet, while U of T has made progress, there is still much work to be done, Regehr says. She noted, in particular, that women continue to be under-represented at U of T in the rank of full professor.

“We need to continue working to create an equal playing field and to ensure that students can see themselves reflected in both the faculty and leadership at the university,” she says.

The focus on women in leadership positions is part of a much broader effort by U of T to support equity, diversity and inclusion across its three campuses. That includes everything from plans to hire 20 additional Black and Indigenous faculty members in the upcoming academic year – bringing the total number hired through four phases of a Diversity in Academic Hiring fund to 100 – to creating a new Institutional Access Office to acknowledge and address the historic exclusion of equity-deserving groups from the university community.

U of T also launched an anti-Black Racism Task Force to examine systemic anti-Black racism at the university and make recommendations to advance Black inclusion and excellence. A similar group focused on anti-Semitism was struck a few months later. And U of T helped co-ordinate a first-of-its-kind national dialogue focused on tackling anti-Black racism in Canadian post-secondary education that involved nearly 60 partner institutions.

“The goal, broadly, is to benefit from a diversity of thought, diversity of approaches and diversity of life experiences as contributors to academic excellence,” Regehr says.

Alexandra Gillespie, who became the first female principal of U of T Mississauga last spring, says the campus seeks to support the research and well-being of equity-deserving groups (photo by Julia Bewcyk)

U of T is also making significant progress among its appointed employees. More than 65 per cent of U of T workers self-identified as women, according to the latest internal data. The survey also notes that the rate of promotions went up for women, LGBTQ2S+ and people with disabilities.

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, U of T’s vice-president of human resources and equity, says an inclusive culture among staff, faculty and librarians is critical for achieving excellence as an institution.

“We want the composition of the U of T community, particularly in positions of leadership, to reflect our vibrant and diverse student body and the Greater Toronto Area,” she says.

“We are committed to diversifying our leadership and addressing the under-representation of female, Black, Indigenous and racialized leaders among staff, faculty and librarians by creating new opportunities for career advancement that strengthen our commitment to excellence through inclusion.”

The long road toward the equal representation for women at U of T goes back more than 130 years, when the Ontario government mandated that women be admitted to University College amid a heated debate over women’s right to higher education. In 1884, 11 women were allowed to enroll at the college and attend lectures, but were forbidden from standing at bulletin boards, using the reading room or browsing the library catalogue. They were also required to get the president’s permission to join clubs.

In the 1970s, women were finally admitted to Hart House and the same decade saw them begin to fill senior positions at the university in significant numbers. Ground-breaking historian Jill Ker Conway, who established U of T’s first history course focused on women, was named the university’s first woman vice-president in 1973. Pauline McGibbon and Eva MacDonald were the first two female chancellors, a position now occupied by Rose Patten who previously broke through glass ceilings on Bay Street and served for nine years on U of T’s Governing Council, including three years as chair.

In a more recent historical first for women at U of T, Alexandra Gillespie became the first female principal of U of T Mississauga last spring, moving into the principal’s official residence, Lislehurst, which was built one year after women were admitted to U of T.

Gillespie says she sees the progress made at U of T whenever she enters a room of senior leaders – or these days, a Zoom call – and sees more women and people of colour.

“You can’t stop saying that this is an issue,” she warns. “At U of T, we’re always talking about excellence. But if you look at the upper echelons of any organization and see that its leadership is of one [particular] race, gender, sexuality etc. – that’s not excellence, that’s just privilege.”

Beyond ensuring fairness in hiring at U of T Mississauga, Gillespie is looking to fund programs to support the research and well-being of equity-deserving groups.

“This is us putting our money where our mouth is,” she says. “This is providing actual resources, time, funding and so on to address historical and ongoing inequity.”

At U of T Mississauga, the three highest ranking administrators – Gillespie, Amrita Daniere, dean and vice-principal, academic, and Saher Fazilat, chief administrative officer – are all women. And that will continue to be the case once McEwen, whose personal website displays the Latin phrase, Propterea quod qui audet adipiscitur (Because she who dares, wins), takes over as dean on July 1. Director of U of T Mississauga’s Institute of Communication, Culture, Information & Technology, McEwen first joined U of T’s Faculty of Information in 2010 after completing her PhD at U of T. She and Bryan Stewart, the former vice-principal, research, developed proposals to support faculty returning to work after pregnancy or parental leave. McEwen later became a special adviser to the vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga on anti-racism and equity.

“The proposals were ignited by the fact that gender equity is among the most well-documented challenges within the academy and child-care commitments often affect the career trajectory of female researchers,” McEwen says, adding that she saves space on her research team in the Faculty of Information for women to work on STEM projects and gain credit as published academic authors.

Melanie Woodin, the dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, U of T’s largest faculty, expanded the portfolio of vice-dean, faculty and academic life to include equity and is taking steps to promote more women into leadership roles (photo by Frost Williamson-Dickies)

Melanie Woodin is another senior leader at U of T who is looking at ways to ensure that women don’t encounter barriers to advancement at the university. The dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science – U of T’s biggest faculty – she oversees a group of over 900 faculty and almost as many staff.

Woodin says the faculty follows best practices to ensure a deep pool of candidates. But she is also taking steps to address the cumulative inequalities that might narrow the candidate pool and present barriers to women’s representation.

“We’ve significantly increased the hiring of women into assistant professor positions, but they are still underrepresented as full professors” she says. “So, what’s slowing their rate of promotion to full professor?

“Often, there are a series of relatively small challenges that add up.”

For example, she cites research showing that women in academia often aren’t assessed fairly for the work they do. “Women conduct a disproportionate amount of service, including service that is not formally recognized such as informal mentorship,” Woodin says. “That work is often really time consuming, but doesn’t factor into promotion decisions.”

One of her first acts as dean was to expand the portfolio of vice-dean, faculty and academic life to include equity, a position held by Alexie Tcheuyap. Under Woodin’s direction, the faculty is also looking at its internal processes for assessing faculty contributions and promoting females into leadership roles.

“One issue we’re looking at is: What sort of culture change do we have to make to ensure all faculty have the opportunity to be recognized as potential leaders,” Woodin says, adding that when vacancies appear in important academic positions, the faculty makes an extended list of qualified candidates – regardless of whether they have put their own names forward.

“We don’t rely solely on nominations because they [generally bring forward] those who look like a historical representation of previous leaders,” she says.

“When you start to broaden your definition of leadership, the results are incredible.”

For Hisama, who also begins her term as dean of the Faculty of Music on July 1, U of T’s commitment to equity and diversity didn’t just pique her interest; it was one of the reasons she applied for the job.

“In the candidate brief and in discussions with the search committee, I could tell diversity, equity and inclusion were front and centre,” she says.

At Columbia, Hisama founded a workshop for female high school students to learn to produce and record music with the university’s faculty and alumni. As the humanities representative on the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ committee on equity and diversity at Columbia, she also helped call attention to women and BIPOC faculty’s concerns and, more recently, raised awareness around racism faced by Asian-Americans after COVID-19 by organizing a public panel titled “A New ‘Yellow Peril?’”: A Conversation about Anti-Asian Racism.

When she arrives in Toronto, Hisama says she’s looking forward to listening to the concerns of faculty and continuing to work toward equity, diversity and inclusion. She’s also enthusiastic to take her seat at the table as part of U of T’s growing cadre of women leaders.

“Historically there have been so few women and BIPOC in these roles,” she says. “I think it’s really exciting that U of T is striving to be a leader in this.”

This is U of T: Judith Taylor, a 'difficult woman' who helps students grow

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 05 Mar 2020 15:15:27 +0000

This is U of T: Judith Taylor, a 'difficult woman' who helps students grow Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 03/05/2020 - 10:15

Topic

#MeToo

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Sociology

Women and Gender Studies

Judith Taylor doesn’t shy away from difficult topics in her classroom. In fact, she embraces them.

“I don’t care about keeping it all careful,” says Taylor, an associate professor in the department of sociology in the Faculty of Arts & Science and the Women and Gender Studies Institute. “We get into it and everyone is better for it.”

Taylor is a scholar of social movements whose research focuses on feminist activism, neighbourhood community organizing and social change-making within public institutions.

While the Brett Kavanaugh U.S. Supreme Court hearings were in progress, Taylor wrote an op-ed for the Toronto Star about her experiment emulating white male privilege.

Her story was widely shared, inspiring many readers – and angering more than a few.

In her classes, she similarly encourages students to tackle controversial subjects head-on. Sometimes they’ll make mistakes or say something others don’t want to hear.

And that’s OK, she says, “Because that’s how you grow intellectually, that’s how you grow personally and that’s how you grow politically.”

Celebrating Indigenous students and International Women's Day: Check out these March events

tom.yun — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 21:33:11 +0000

Celebrating Indigenous students and International Women's Day: Check out these March events

tom.yun Fri, 02/28/2020 - 16:33

Cutline

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Italy

School of the Environment

Sustainability

U of T Scarborough

Women and Gender Studies

With spring approaching, there are a plethora of events taking place at the ��Ƶ in March. International Women's Day falls on March 8 and will feature a gala, performances from a Syrian women's choir and more. The fourth annual Honouring Our Students Pow Wow is also taking place this month.

Here are some of the many events taking place this month:

March 1

Experience all thing Japan at the U of T Japan Association’s Winter Festival, taking place at Hart House. Raffles, performances, food and more will be on hand. Tickets are $8.

March 3

U of T President Meric Gertler, a renowned urban theorist, will be discussing his vision of city-building and the challenges that the Toronto region faces at ��Ƶ Schools. He’ll be interviewed by Marina Jimenez, U of T's global media strategist.

Learn about Italian-Canadian cuisine through this food talk taking place at U of T Mississauga’s Noel Ryan Auditorium. Teresa Lobalsamo, an associate professor of language studies, will explore the links between food, immigration, identity and cultural meaning in the Italian community.

March 4

Writer and concert pianist James Rhodes will be speaking at the Isabel Bader Theatre. He’ll be talking about his latest memoir, Instrumental, which details how music has helped him through mental health struggles and childhood trauma.

Comedian and U of T alumnus Adam Growe, best known for hosting Cash Cab on Discovery Channel, will be delivering a talk at the George Ignatieff Theatre.

With the decline of print media and the rise of new technologies, what’s happening to journalism in the modern era? CityNews reporter Cynthia Mulligan will be moderating a discussion on this topic at U of T Mississauga featuring National Post reporter Tom Blackwell, Toronto Star reporter Wendy Gillis and Globe and Mail assistant managing editor for news Christine Brousseau.

See the story of Sarnia, Ont. and the Aamjiwnaang First Nation through the Broadleaf Theatre’s Chemical Valley Project. This documentary-theatre project is hosted by U of T’s School of the Environment and is taking place at the Robert Gill Theatre.

It’s Games Night at the U of T Scarborough Library Makerspace. You can choose from a selection of board games or bring your own.

March 5

As part of their coursework, students at the Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies are putting on a performance of The Winter’s Tale. Catch this Shakespearian classic from March 7 to 14. General admission is $20 while students can snag tickets for $10.

March 7

Ahead of International Women’s Day, the Women’s and Trans Centre at U of T Scarborough is holding its annual conference. Tickets to Metamorphosis are $10.

March 8

Celebrate International Women’s Day at U of T. The International Women's Day Gala is taking place at Hart House. There will be speakers, performances and a dinner. Tickets are $25.

Toronto’s Haneen Choir, a Syrian women’s collective, will be performing at Hart House in celebration of International Women’s Day. The choir aims to promote Syrian heritage and support newcomer women.

As a part of U of T Mississauga’s Sustainability Week, the second annual Trashion Show is taking place at Kaneff Rotunda. Fashion designers and artists will be showcasing their sustainability-themed outfits made from re-used and recyclable materials.

March 11

This year marks the 99^th anniversary of Skule Nite, the annual musical and sketch comedy show organized by U of T Engineering students. You won’t want to miss Skule Nite 2T0, which runs until March 14 at Hart House Theatre. Tickets are $17 for students and $22 for everyone else.

Explore mental health at the annual Mindfest mental health fair spearheaded by U of T’s department of psychiatry. The event, held at Hart House, is free and includes expert speakers, peer mentors, wellness workshops and more.

March 13

The Physics Student Union is celebrating Pi Day one day early this year. Free pie will be served at the McLennan Physical Laboratories. In addition, physics professor A.W. Peet will be delivering a lecture on general relativity.

The Afghan Students Association at U of T Mississauga is holding a Nowruz Gala at the Blind Duck. There will be performances, food, dancing and more to celebrate Afghan/Persian New Year.

March 14

Architecture and planning students from U of T and Ryerson are organizing City Building Expo 2020 at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. Panelists will include experts and professionals in urban planning, engineering, architecture and more.

The seventh annual China Law Conference is taking place at the Faculty of Law. Hear about the intersections between Chinese law and current events from scholars and legal practitioners.

March 15

Join the Hart House Art Committee for ArtWORK, a one-day networking event for the U of T arts community and leading arts professionals.

March 18

It’s the last Winter Market of the year at U of T Scarborough. Local vendors will be gathering at the Meeting Place in the S-Wing selling fresh food and artisanal crafts.

March 19

Nobel Prize-winning chemist and U of T University Professor John Polanyi will be at Hart House to discuss the risks and potential of artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies. He’ll be joined by Jason Millar, an assistant professor of engineering at the University of Ottawa.

March 21

Join the Indigenous Studies Students' Union for the fourth annual Honouring Our Students Pow Wow, which is being held at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport. All are welcome for this celebration of Indigenous communities.

March 25

Come to the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union’s Supper Social for a jam-packed evening of fun activities. There will be food, karaoke, T-shirt screen printing and quiet space to de-stress. It’s taking place at Rex’s Den at U of T Scarborough.

March 26

The last Hart House Music Committee Open Mic of the school year is on. If you have a knack for music, poetry, comedy or anything else, now is the time to show off your talents. The show takes place in the Hart House Music Room.

March 26

The Hart House Camera Club is holding an opening reception for its photography exhibition. Awards will be presented for the best photographs from the U of T and Hart House community.

March 27

This year marks the 35^th anniversary of the City of Toronto Women and Gender Studies Institute Scholarship. To celebrate, there will be an anniversary party in New College's Wilson Hall, where this year's awardees will be honoured, the creators of the scholarship will be recognized and new scholarships will be announced.

The U of T Festival of Dance is taking place at Hart House. The event will feature over 200 dancers performing a wide variety of styles of dance, from ballet to hip hop and everything in between. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors.

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

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:07:13 +0000

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

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 03/01/2019 - 16:07

Cutline

The MaRS Discovery District's atrium during U of T's Entrepreneurship Week in 2018. This year's event kicks off March 18 (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Topic

Faculty of Music

Hart House

Indigenous

Rotman School of Management

ONRamp

U of T Opera

U of T Scarborough

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

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

March 5

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

March 6

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

March 7

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

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

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

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

March 8

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

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

March 14

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

March 15

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

March 16

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

March 18

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

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

March 21

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

March 22

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

March 25

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

March 27

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

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

March 29

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

March 30

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

International Women’s Day: U of T leads the conversation on girls and women in STEM and sports

ullahnor — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 16:15:30 +0000

International Women’s Day: U of T leads the conversation on girls and women in STEM and sports

ullahnor Wed, 03/08/2017 - 11:15

Cutline

One of the many ways U of T promotes women in STEM is through Girls Leadership in Engineering Experience, an annual event hosted in May by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering to welcome female high school students to the engineering community

Topic

Global Lens