Jenny Rodrigues

While every member of the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021 graduated during virtual convocations, returning to the university to gather as a community and share in a U of T tradition cheered by friends and family was a chance to make new memories.

“It was my first experience graduating in Canada so I am grateful to have been present and have my moment on stage with all my peers and fellow graduates,” says Mariana Saraiva, who earned an executive MBA degree from the Rotman School of Management in 2020 and returned to celebrate with her classmates last month. “For me, it was extraordinary to return to campus and celebrate what we achieved in person.”

Over the 28 ceremonies, U of T photographers and videographers captured the heartfelt and triumphant moments as alumni donned their gowns, reconnected with their peers and walked across the historic stage.

Members of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education’s Class of 2020 and 2021 gather at Convocation Hall on Dec. 7 (Photo by Dewey Chang)

U of T Mississauga grads smile alongside Alexandra Gillespie (centre), U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga. (Photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Alumnae from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy pose for a photo and show off their bouquets in front of Convocation Hall. (Photo by Steve Southon)

A pair of alumni from the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering are all smiles at their graduation celebration. (Photo by Tristan McGuirk)

Family and friends embrace outside Convocation Hall at the graduation celebration for the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. (Photo by Dewey Chang)

Jason Bazylak, professor, teaching stream, in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering, carries the Eagle Feather during Faculty of Applied Sciences & Engineering celebrations. (Photo by Tristan McGuirk)

Hey there, grad! An alumnus from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design waves for the camera. (Photo by Harry Choi)

Wisdom Tettey, U of T vice-president and principal, U of T Scarborough, applauds an alumna as she waves to the crowd and crosses the stage at Convocation Hall. (Photo by Ruilin Yuan)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ��Ƶ (@uoft)

In this video, U of T alumni share how it feels to return to the university for their in-person graduation celebrations. (Video by Nicole In)

Acknowledge the past and look forward: New director of Indigenous initiatives to make U of T a welcoming space

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 17:51:22 +0000

Acknowledge the past and look forward: New director of Indigenous initiatives to make U of T a welcoming space

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 12/11/2019 - 12:51

Cutline

Shannon Simpson, currently the director of First Nations House and Indigenous Student Services, has spent the past 16 years improving Indigenous services and visibility on U of T's St. George campus (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Jenny Rodrigues

Topic

Our Community

Indigenous Initiatives

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

First Nations House

Indigenous

Truth and Reconciliation

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Shannon Simpson, currently the director of First Nations House and Indigenous Student Services, is taking on a new leadership role at the ��Ƶ as the director of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives – part of the university’s calls to action in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

For the past 16 years, Simpson has committed herself to improving Indigenous services and visibility on the St. George campus. Working in First Nations House and Indigenous Student Services since 2003, Simpson has been key to improving Indigenous supports and services across all three campuses and has witnessed first-hand the efforts the university has made to take steps towards reconciliation.

“So much has changed in the last two years,” says Simpson, a member of the Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation.

“I’ve always felt that the senior leadership at U of T have been really supportive of the work we do at First Nations House, but with the university’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, there has been a real shift in that they want to enact change.”

In her new role, Simpson will continue to guide initiatives such as the Indigenous Landscape project in front of Hart House, which will highlight Taddle Creek and pay tribute to the Indigenous nations that lived alongside it.

“That project is really exciting,” says Simpson. “We don’t exactly know what it’s going to look like yet but I imagine it’s going to be this beautiful, interactive, very obviously Indigenous outdoor space where teaching and ceremony can happen.

“The more we can have visual reminders of whose land this institution lies on, an Indigenous student walking around campus can see and feel ‘I belong here.’ We express it verbally in our land acknowledgements, but visual representations will make those acknowledgements more real.”

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president, human resources and equity, says Simpson will excel in the the role because of her deep expertise and successful advocacy in bringing Indigenous issues forward to academic administrators and senior leaders at the university.

“Throughout her years at U of T, Shannon has demonstrated her ability to connect with Indigenous staff, faculty and students on the issues that matter to them, and to bring those issues forward to our leaders,” Hannah-Moffat says. “Her expertise, commitment and many years of service have been instrumental in developing the university’s direction towards reconciliation.”

As she takes on a more tri-campus view, Simpson says she is encouraged by the number of Indigenous faculty who have been hired by U of T in recent years. She will work closely with Indigenous faculty members Susan Hill and Suzanne Stewart, both provostial academic advisers, in areas such as mentorship, curriculum development and protocols for community-based research involving Indigenous peoples.

The university has also allocated a fund to hire 20 new Indigenous staff members.

“I am thrilled with Shannon’s appointment as director of Indigenous initiatives as she is an exceptional leader, facilitator and community-builder,” says Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost.

“The ��Ƶ is deeply committed to reconciliation, with one of the priorities being the recruitment of Indigenous faculty and staff. We will continue to act on the calls to action to address the inequities facing Indigenous Peoples in Canada.”

While Simpson is excited to have more staff support on each campus, she says more can be done.

“Increasing the number of Indigenous staff is absolutely a priority,” she says. “With the growth in faculty, it’s been fantastic for students that they can see Indigenous knowledge or access Indigenous content in different departments and courses. But a lot more growth needs to happen among staff as various units are experiencing a growing number of Indigenous students in their departments. It’s always helpful to have Indigenous staff in place in those situations.”

Moving forward, Simpson wants to build on the work that has been done by supporting ongoing efforts to integrate Indigenous content into curricula, develop physical spaces on campus and create pathways for Indigenous applicants to work and study at U of T.

“I think we're heading for a space where Indigenous students feel welcome, they feel like the courses they take are representing their histories,” she says.

“We just want everyone to come into the university and understand that Indigenous curriculum and students, the original and current caretakers of the land, are all being acknowledged and working together.”

‘The embodiment of grace and inclusion’: Carol Chin installed as principal of Woodsworth College

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 16:16:09 +0000

‘The embodiment of grace and inclusion’: Carol Chin installed as principal of Woodsworth College

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 10/17/2019 - 12:16

Cutline

Carol Chin, an associate professor in the department of history, was officially installed as the eighth principal of Woodsworth College during a ceremony this week (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Jenny Rodrigues

Topic

Our Community

Cheryl Regehr

Faculty of Arts & Science

History

Meric Gertler

Woodsworth College

Carol Chin, who was officially installed as the eighth principal of Woodsworth College this week, describes herself as “an app with ideas.”

During her installation address on Wednesday, the associate professor in the ��Ƶ’s department of history spoke of the significance of being installed – much like a mobile phone application – because things that are installed are expected to work hard.

“All of this pomp and circumstance is to ensure that I’m going to do the work of the college – work that involves both public events like this and the less visible but no less important work like an app that runs in the background.”

As for the “ideas” part, Chin was referring to an acronym that captures Woodsworth’s emphasis on values such as inclusion, diversity, equity, access and support.

Archer Pechawis, a new media and performance artist, led the procession, which included President Meric Gertler and Chancellor Rose Patten, at Carol Chin’s installation ceremony on Wednesday (photo by Johnny Guatto)

U of T President Meric Gertler, who called Woodsworth a “very special place with a distinctive history,” said Chin was the perfect person to helm the college and champion its strong commitment to diversity, equity and outreach.

“I’ve had the great pleasure of working with Carol in her previous administrative roles, and I’ve really come to appreciate so many things about her – her calm, unflappable manner being among them,” President Gertler said.

“But most of all I’ve been deeply impressed by her focus on students and her dedication to their success. That quality aligns so perfectly with the ethos of this college and it will continue as a great source of strength for Woodsworth in the years to come.”

U of T President Meric Gertler speaks at Carol Chin’s installation ceremony at Woodsworth College as Chin looks on (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Chin, who began her tenure as principal in July, has served at U of T in various administrative roles over the years. She was the acting principal of Woodsworth from 2015 to 2016; the acting chair of the department of history in 2018, and the associate chair, undergraduate in the same department between 2010 and 2015. She has also served in various committees, including the Provostial Advisory Committee on the Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence (2015-16); Academic Board (2015-16); and the Planning and Budget Committee (2015-16).

With a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a master’s degree and PhD from Ohio State University, Chin’s research interests include late 19^th and 20^th century American foreign relations, with a particular focus on U.S.-East Asian relations. She also studies the intersection of national identity with concepts of empire, culture and gender, as well as the ways in which these themes can enhance the study of international relations.

“You can undoubtedly see why Carol Chin is perfect for this role,” said Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost, in her remarks. “She has brought to the college the ideal blend of intelligence, compassion and vision. Carol Chin's cross-disciplinary and global interests will without a doubt contribute to Woodsworth’s mission, ethos and community.”

“You are the embodiment of grace and inclusion, and Woodsworth is absolutely going to benefit from your intellectual rigour.”

Carol Chin sings alongside U of T’s Spirit Singers to close the ceremony marking her installation as principal of Woodsworth College (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

In a display of her involvement with campus life, Chin jumped into the chorus line as U of T’s Spirit Singers closed the ceremony with a traditional Hebrew song “Hine ma tov,” with lyrics that translate to “How good it is for all of us to dwell together in peace.”

Rescuing crops, reframing history and researching MMIW: 2019 Connaught New Researcher Award winners announced

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 14:05:45 +0000

Rescuing crops, reframing history and researching MMIW: 2019 Connaught New Researcher Award winners announced

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 09/09/2019 - 10:05

Cutline

Three of this year's 52 winners of the Connaught New Researcher Award: Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, Shauna Sweeney and Jerry Flores

Jenny Rodrigues

Topic

Our Community

Mathematical and Computational Sciences

Anthropolgy

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Awards

Biochemistry

Biology

Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies

Chemistry

Computer Science

Connaught Fund

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Earth Sciences

Economics

English

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Information

Institute for Management & Innovation

Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Management

Mathematics

Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Molecular Genetics

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Philosophy

Political Science

Psychology

Research & Innovation

Women and Gender Studies

Insects destroy up to one quarter of global crops each year, resulting in estimated losses of up to $470 billion. Even in greenhouse conditions, pests can still cause damage by making their way inside through vents.

It’s a problem the ��Ƶ’s Eliana Gonzales-Vigil aims to tackle by better understanding the complex relationship between plants and bugs.

The biological sciences researcher at U of T Scarborough is specifically looking at how to protect crops from the cabbage looper, a common pest of tomatoes and other vegetables such as peppers, cucumbers and – of course – cabbage.

“My long-term goal is to understand how plants defend themselves from insect herbivores,” Gonzales-Vigil said.

“But to achieve this, we need to understand all the players involved.”

Gonzales-Vigil is one of 52 winners of this year’s Connaught New Researcher Award, designed to help recipients establish a strong research program and increase their competitiveness for external funding. The award is part of U of T’s commitment to fostering excellence in research and innovation by supporting faculty members who are launching their academic careers.

Read the full list of Connaught New Researcher Award winners here

Up to $1 million will be distributed among this year’s winners.

“I would like to congratulate all the winners of the Connaught New Researcher Award,” said Vivek Goel, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“These researchers are doing exciting, innovative work across many different disciplines. It’s the ��Ƶ’s hope that this funding will help set the stage for world-leading scholarship and important new discoveries.”

(photo courtesy of Eliana Gonzalez-Vigil)

Gonzales-Vigil is embarking on a study to explore how impacting the gut microbiome of the cabbage looper may help tomato plants be more resistant against the insect’s attack.

“We want to test the idea of whether the microbiome of the cabbage looper is being affected by the plant’s chemistry. If yes, then can we manipulate the plant’s chemistry by adding something like a probiotic that would impede insect growth?”

She added the Connaught award will help kick-start a new line of research after having most recently focused on how poplar trees defend themselves through a waxy compound secretion.

“Having the Connaught has given me the freedom to start something that’s new,” she said, adding that she hopes her research will eventually lead to insect control methods that can be used around the world.

Shauna Sweeney

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

During her undergraduate studies, U of T’s Shauna Sweeney was drawn to Caribbean history courses – in particular the history and the economy of the markets in Caribbean nations. It was an area of research Sweeney, who is herself of Jamaican background, wanted to explore further.

An assistant professor in the department of history and at the Women & Gender Studies Institute, Sweeney is currently working on a manuscript that examines the prominent role of enslaved women in developing an informal economy in the Caribbean.

She said that by selling or trading goods to each other, enslaved women asserted their own economic rights and ultimately laid the groundwork for a free community following abolition.

“In conventional studies of capitalism that consider the deeply violent and exploitative context of slavery, enslaved peoples' own economic lives and politics tend to fall out,” Sweeney said. “So, it’s important to me to restore the social and economic importance of trading to enslaved people and their descendants.”

“In addition to being commodities on paper, enslaved people actually were agents in their own economies and had economic interests of their own.”

Sweeney plans to conduct further transnational research with the Connaught award, travelling to Europe to visit the Archivo de Indias (Archives of the Indies) and the Archives Nationales d’Outre-mer (National Overseas Archives).

The research trips will also help lay a foundation for her second project, which will focus on white female slave owners.

Jerry Flores

(photo courtesy of Jerry Flores)

As a Mexican who was born and raised in Los Angeles, U of T Mississauga’s Jerry Flores brings an outsider’s perspective to a high-profile research project in Canada: an ethnography of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW) and men in Toronto.

Flores, an assistant professor in the department of sociology, previously published a book about young, incarcerated Latina women.

As he heard more stories about MMIW, he began to notice similarities.

“The experiences of a lot of these women go like this: They’re abused at home by a partner or a family member and run away to get away from it,” Flores said.

“They end up on the street and participate in high risk behaviour or may end up getting involved in drugs or sex work. They meet a new partner – for young women, it’s usually an older man – that brings them home, but quickly spirals into drugs, alcohol and abuse.”

Specifically, Flores wants to study the circumstances in which Indigenous people make their way to Toronto. He’s asking: What challenges did they face to come here? Have they lost people on their journey to Toronto? What stories have they heard?

Flores is working closely with local organizations, including the Native Women’s Association of Canada and the Aboriginal Law Society in Toronto, to gather stories. Funding from the Connaught New Researcher Award will help compensate participants for their time and provide support for the community organizations that are assisting Flores in his research.

“By definition, ethnography is a study of culture. I’m trying to understand the culture of the Indigenous community in Toronto – how they negotiate life, the challenges and the high points. What is it that they need, what do they want to accomplish, and how can we as a collective – U of T Mississauga and U of T in general – support them?”

Flores hopes that the study will be able to provide concrete recommendations for policy, community action and scholarship on MMIW.

Here is the full list of winners of the 2019 Connaught New Researcher Award:

Humanities:

Tania Aguila-Way, assistant professor, department of English

Barend Beekhuizen, assistant professor, department of language studies, U of T Mississauga

Brendan de Kenessey, assistant professor, department of philosophy

Catherine Evans, assistant professor, Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies

Cindy Ewing, assistant professor, department of history

Sarah Gutsche-Miller, assistant professor, Faculty of Music

Adam Hammond, assistant professor, department of English

Rosalind Hampton, assistant professor, department of social justice education, Ontario Institute For Studies in Education

Mary Elizabeth Luka, assistant professor, department of arts, culture and media, U of T Scarborough

Luther Obrock, assistant professor, department of historical studies, U of T Mississauga

Shauna Sweeney, assistant professor, department of history and Women & Gender Studies Institute

Katherine Williams, assistant professor, department of English

Life Sciences/Social Cultural

Jennifer Brooks, assistant professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Aaron Conway, assistant professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Marzyeh Ghassemi, assistant professor, departments of medicine and computer science

Quinn Grundy, assistant professor, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Péter Molnár, assistant professor, department of biological sciences, U of T Scarborough

Olli Saarela, associate professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Molecular

Michael Garton, assistant professor, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, assistant professor, department of biological sciences, U of T Scarborough

Thomas Hurd, assistant professor, department of molecular genetics

Hyun Kate Lee, assistant professor, department of biochemistry

Baohua Liu, assistant professor, department of biology, U of T Mississauga

Physical Science

Melissa Anderson, assistant professor, department of Earth sciences

Amy Bilton, assistant professor, department of mechanical and industrial engineering

Maryam Mehri Dehnavi, assistant professor, department of computer science

Maria Drout, assistant professor, department of astronomy and astrophysics

Murat A. Erdogdu, assistant professor, departments of computer science and statistical sciences

Tovi Grossman, assistant professor, department of computer science

Fan Long, assistant professor, department of computer science

Semechah Lui, assistant professor, department of chemical and physical sciences, U of T Mississauga

Fabio Pusateri, assistant professor, department of mathematics

Arul Shankar, assistant professor, department of mathematical and computational sciences, U of T Mississauga

Diana Valencia, assistant professor, department of physical and environmental sciences, U of T Scarborough

Stanislav Volgushev, assistant professor, department of mathematical and computational sciences, U of T Mississauga

Joseph Williams, assistant professor, department of computer science

Mark Wilson, assistant professor, department of chemistry

Social Sciences

Monica Alexander, assistant professor, departments of statistical sciences and sociology

Noel Anderson, assistant professor, political science, U of T Mississauga

Jennifer Brant, assistant professor, department of curriculum, teaching and learning, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Michelle Cameron, assistant professor, department of anthropology

Laura Cirelli, assistant professor, department of psychology, U of T Scarborough

Fedor Dokshin, assistant professor, department of sociology

Emine Fidan Elcioglu, assistant professor, department of sociology, U of T Scarborough

Jerry Flores, assistant professor, department of sociology, U of T Mississauga

Ethan Fosse, assistant professor, department of sociology, U of T Scarborough

Charles Martineau, assistant professor, department of management, U of T Scarborough

David Price, assistant professor, department of economics, U of T Mississauga

Tahseen Shams, assistant professor, department of sociology

Jennifer Stellar, assistant professor, department of psychology, U of T Mississauga

Jia Xue, assistant professor, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and Faculty of Information

Marius Zoican, assistant professor, department of management and Institute for Management and Innovation, U of T Mississauga

U of T names two academic advisers on Indigenous curriculum, research ethics

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 18:52:53 +0000

U of T names two academic advisers on Indigenous curriculum, research ethics

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/06/2019 - 14:52

Cutline

Susan Hill (left) was named U of T’s new academic adviser on Indigenous curriculum and education, while Suzanne Stewart (right) was named the university's new adviser on Indigenous research (photos by Johnny Guatto and Nick Iwanyshyn)

Jenny Rodrigues

Topic

Our Community

Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health

Cheryl Regehr

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty of Arts & Science

History

Humanities

Indigenous

Truth and Reconciliation

The ��Ƶ is taking steps to further incorporate Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into education and research ethics.

As part of U of T’s Calls to Action in response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Office of the Vice-President & Provost has appointed two faculty members to special advisory roles on Indigenous issues.

Susan Hill, the director of the Centre for Indigenous Studies, will be U of T’s new academic adviser on Indigenous curriculum and education, while Suzanne Stewart, the director of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, will be the academic adviser on Indigenous research.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Susan Hill and Suzanne Stewart to further the university’s commitment to U of T’s Calls to Action,” says Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost.

“Their expertise will be invaluable in ensuring the university is moving forward on the most respectful path towards truth and reconciliation.”

Susan Hill, the director of the Centre for Indigenous Studies and an associate professor in the department of history, says she’s observed a growing number of faculty who want to expand their curricula and incorporate Indigenous perspectives in their courses (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Hill, an associate professor in the department of history, will advise Regehr on how to improve Indigenous teaching and learning at the university, and will also oversee development of a resource bank to centralize existing Indigenous teaching materials.

In her two years at U of T, Hill says she’s observed a growing number of faculty who want to expand their curricula and incorporate Indigenous perspectives in their courses.

“What I’m seeing is a really large interest from many different faculty in all kinds of fields of study who want to expand their own knowledge so that they can expand the knowledge of their students,” says Hill, who is Haudenosaunee, a member the Wolf Clan, Mohawk Nation and resident of Ohsweken, Grand River Territory.

“They are looking to find creative, practical and realistic ways to respectfully integrate knowledge around Indigenous Peoples into what they teach in their classes.”

She adds, however, that many faculty also realize that Indigenous knowledge is a blind spot in their own education and understanding. “That’s the biggest hurdle,” she says, “knowing what you don’t know. I’ve seen a lot of people here at U of T who are recognizing this and looking for advice.”

Stewart, an associate professor in Dalla Lana’s division of social and behavioural health sciences, agrees with Hill’s take on the challenges facing U of T faculty and says she intends to use her new role to help bridge those gaps.

“One of my major goals is to create mechanisms and support to allow relationships and connections to grow within the tri-campus Indigenous communities and to Indigenous groups outside of the university,” says Stewart, a member of the Yellowknife Dene First Nation.

“I want to support other academics to take this on, and increase the number of Indigenous Peoples working in academic and leadership positions at U of T.”

Suzanne Stewart, the director of the Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health and an associate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, says it’s critical for researchers to be aware of Canada’s history of colonization and how it has shaped today’s society, including the benefits and privileges it has given to all non-Indigenous Canadians (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

For Stewart, advising the vice-president and provost on research ethics means working on policies to remediate harms perpetrated against Indigenous people through academic research.

“These are well known ethical issues that have to do with consent, ownership, control and possession. If these issues aren’t addressed, the data and results can be used – and they have been used and continue to be used – to harm people rather than help them,” Stewart says.

“One of the tensions is around this practice or concept of academic freedom, which creates an uncertain environment for research to happen that may or may not be harming people. That’s where policies and programs aimed at looking at some of these ethical issues can start to address some of these concerns.”

Both Hill and Stewart say a deeper understanding of Canadian and Indigenous history will help create a path to move forward.

In the case of research ethics, Stewart says it’s critical for researchers to be aware of Canada’s history of colonization and how it has shaped today’s society, including the benefits and privileges it has given to all non-Indigenous Canadians.

With regards to academic curriculum development, Hill believes educating students on how to understand historical texts in their appropriate contexts is key to ensuring Indigenous perspectives are considered.

Both Hill and Stewart will work with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives to make U of T’s Calls to Action on reconciliation more concrete, building on work already done by the U of T community.

“I see a commitment from the vice-president and provost that I appreciate and respect, and I’m excited for the opportunity to work with her and Suzanne Stewart,” Hill says.

Stewart echoed the sentiment.

“I feel very happy to be a part of this,” she says. “I really want to see U of T succeed. It has so many strengths and there’s a lot of good people here.

“Paying more attention to Indigeneity is important and it’s happening here, so I’m excited to support this move forward and to work with everyone who’s already doing this work.”

With the help of her students, U of T researcher and McLean Award winner is building the future of computer architecture

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:11:57 +0000

With the help of her students, U of T researcher and McLean Award winner is building the future of computer architecture

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 09/04/2019 - 10:11

Cutline

Natalie Enright Jerger, a professor in U of T's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, is considered a worldwide expert in “on-chip” networks (photo by Roberta Baker)

Topic

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Research & Innovation

As a computer architect, the ��Ƶ’s Natalie Enright Jerger is helping make everything from smartwatches to sprawling data centres run as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering’s Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering is considered a worldwide expert in “on-chip” networks and, recently, is focusing on so-called “chiplets,” which are touted by some as a way for chipmakers to circumvent Moore’s Law.

But Enright Jerger’s passions extend well beyond her research. She’s a big proponent of teaching and students, and has strived to make her field more welcoming to women and other underrepresented groups – an effort that hasn’t gone unnoticed by colleagues, who describe her as “tireless” and “stubborn.”

“The whole reason I became a professor is really the students,” Enright Jerger says.

“In the field I’m in, there’s lots of great industry jobs, but the reason I’m here doing what I do is being able to work with the students.”

For her contributions to computer architecture, Enright Jerger was named this year’s winner of the McLean Award. The $125,000 award, jointly funded by the Connaught Fund and the McLean endowment, recognizes early career researchers and supports outstanding basic research in the fields of computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering sciences and the theory and methods of statistics.

The award is designed to help the winner attract and fund promising graduate students and post-doctoral researchers.

“I’d like to congratulate Natalie Enright Jerger on being this year’s recipient of the McLean Award,” says Vivek Goel, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, and the chair of the Connaught Committee.

“With her exceptional record of achievement, we are eager to see what will come next for her and her team.”

For Enright Jerger, the student focus of the award is fitting.

“Being able to support more students and build my research group through the award is really fantastic,” Enright Jerger says.

“The support that the award provides for basic research is critical. It allows us to ask more forward-looking questions and think outside of the box. Asking these questions carries greater risk but higher reward.

“With basic research, my team and I are the ones identifying challenging open problems – cultivating this ability to ask questions is a critical aspect of my students’ training.”

Enright Jerger also hopes to make her field as inclusive as possible in an effort to attract the brightest minds. She recalls being one of just a few women in her undergraduate classes and says the demographics in the classes she currently teaches are still largely the same.

“I’ve gotten really involved in my professional societies and research community in trying to push equity, diversity and inclusion,” she says. “There are a number of really notable women in my field and they’ve certainly been recognized for their accomplishments, but we still see remnants of the old boys’ club.

“It’s time to share that power and to be more inclusive in terms of leadership.”

Enright Jerger points to Cristina Amon, who recently ended her 13-year tenure as dean of U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, as an example of inclusive leadership. Under Amon’s watch, the number of female faculty members almost tripled and more female undergraduate students were recruited, with incoming classes over the past three years consisting of more than 40 per cent women.

Before joining U of T, Enright Jerger remembers asking Amon what she planned to do to help women in engineering.

“I was surprisingly blunt with her at the time,” Enright Jerger says. “Dean Amon talked about her work and her vision and it made me want to come to U of T. I always felt like I personally had her support.

“I’ve always felt that support from the university level as well, such as the Connaught Fund, which helped get the ball rolling for me.”

Now, Enright Jerger is hoping to pay it forward as her lab grows and she continues on to the next phase of her career.

“As new faculty join our department, I’m looking forward to seeing how I can use my experiences to help them be successful,” she says. “A rising tide lifts all boats. If we’re better as a community, everybody benefits.”

As for her reputation as “stubborn,” Enright Jerger is not about to apologize.

“I am incredibly stubborn,” she says with a laugh. “And I’m not going to let go of this until I feel that we’ve achieved what we want to achieve.”

U of T alumnus back from New York City to lead Four Corners strategy

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 04:00:00 +0000

U of T alumnus back from New York City to lead Four Corners strategy

noreen.rasbach Thu, 04/18/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

Josh Mitchell is U of T's new director of real estate (photo courtesy of Josh Mitchell)

Jenny Rodrigues

Topic

City & Culture

Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre

Alumni

Global

Housing

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Born and raised in Canada’s largest city, Josh Mitchell was eager to apply his knowledge in a new urban context upon completing his master’s degree in urban planning at the ��Ƶ.

But after spending six years at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, most recently as a senior vice-president of real estate transactions, Mitchell is ready to return home after accepting a position as U of T’s director of real estate, where he will take the reins on the ambitious Four Corners real estate strategy.

The new strategy not only addresses the need for more student and faculty housing, innovation space and active retail space, but also sets a goal of generating revenue for the university.

“It was always my intention when leaving U of T to go and look at another city, take those skills and experiences and bring it back home and do something impactful,” Mitchell says. “The Four Corners strategy is incredibly comprehensive and has a thoughtful vision.

“Coming into it with that groundwork already locked in, I’m excited to finally take that vision and excel when the rubber hits the road and negotiate the best deals for the institution.”

Recently approved by Governing Council, the Four Corners strategy focuses on building commercially viable non-academic amenities and services on the edge of U of T’s downtown Toronto campus as well as at U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga. An example of such a project is the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, a 750,000-square-foot innovation complex made possible through a $100-million investment by Onex founder and CEO Gerald Schwartz and Indigo founder and CEO Heather Reisman.

Revenue generated from Four Corners projects will be used to set up a strategic investment fund for the university, with a goal of eventually matching the annual revenue generated by U of T’s endowment.

Mitchell says Four Corners’ “double-bottom line” real estate strategy is what attracted him.

“We’re making sure that this project is financially feasible, but more importantly, the strategy is about enhancing academic and non-academic elements of the U of T student experience,” he says.

“It’s not just about financial returns – there’s a greater purpose there.”

Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president of operations and real estate partnerships, calls Mitchell “the best possible person” to roll out Four Corners.

“This is a bit of a homecoming for Josh after going down to New York City, arguably one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world,” Mabury says. “There, he demonstrated an ability to succeed in creating projects that bring people together even if their interests are disparate or perhaps not aligned.”

One of the New York projects Mitchell recently spearheaded is the forthcoming Union Square Tech Training Center, located in Manhattan’s “Silicon Alley.” The 240,000-square-foot mixed-use building will have 70,000 square feet reserved for a training centre, which has been touted as helping bridge the gap between the tech industry and New Yorkers seeking affordable job training.

“He understands the business from top to bottom, east to west, and we’re extremely fortunate to be getting someone with this track record and experience to the U of T team,” said Mabury.

As for Four Corners, Mabury cites the new 23-storey student residence at the corner of Spadina and Sussex Avenues as an example of how the development strategy aims to meet the university’s – and the city’s – needs. He adds that plans to develop more housing at U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga are also under way.

Finding innovative ways to fulfil the needs of the U of T community is something Mitchell is looking forward to doing through the Four Corners strategy.

“There’s basically a laundry list of amenities that would really enhance the downtown Toronto campus, as well as the Scarborough and Mississauga campuses,” he says. “Those are incredibly opportunistic portfolios. There’s underutilized land to do really interesting things with.”

Another plus: coming back to work at his alma mater after a six-year hiatus from the city means seeing U of T with fresh eyes.

“Being born and raised in Toronto, you grow up with certain biases about the city,” he says.

“But when you leave for five or six years and come back, you see everything with a fresh perspective. I’m really looking forward to doing that.”