Scarborough

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 08/22/2024 - 19:04

St. George

Connaught Community Research Partnership Award

Connaught Fund

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Department of Anthropology

Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Dentistry

Rotman School of Management

Institute for Advanced Study

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Nine researchers from the ��Ƶ have received Connaught Community Partnership Research Program awards.

Given by the Connaught Fund, the awards support research carried out in collaboration with non-academic community partners and driven by their needs and priorities. For the 2024-25 funding cycle, the Connaught Committee made the decision to exceed its $300,000 allocation to award a total of $820,000 to nine research initiatives.

“It is a testament to the range and excellence of research proposals that the Connaught Fund will, this year, support more Community Partnership Research Programs than ever before,” said Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“In recent years, projects supported by this program have blossomed into established relationships that are enriching research at our university and poised to have a sustained impact on communities.

“I have no doubt that this will continue to be the case with this year’s awarded projects, which address complex challenges that range from tracking contaminants in traditional foods in First Nations to enhancing the wellness of older adults in retirement living.”

The recipients of the 2024-25 Connaught Community Partnership Research Program awards are:

Elyse Caron-Beaudoin, department of health and society, U of T Scarborough – Kihcinahowin kîspin piscipowin astîk kimîcowinân (Tracking contaminants in traditional foods)
Mark Chignell, department of mechanical and industrial engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering – Activity spaces for community-living older adults: Implementing a pilot space in a naturally occurring retirement community and evaluating its impact on physical and cognitive function, and social interaction
Bernhard Ganss, Faculty of Dentistry – Chalky teeth in Ontario’s children: Determining prevalence and raising awareness in the Durham region
Daniel Grace, department of social and behavioural health sciences, Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Advancing 2-spirited health equity: Learning through the narratives of 2-spirited people impacted by HIV
Matthew Hoffmann, department of political science, U of T Scarborough – From envisioning to empowering a just transition in Scarborough
Sheng Liu, operations management and statistics, Rotman School of Management – Enhancing support for survivors of abuse through intelligent volunteer management
Angela Mashford-Pringle, Waakebiness Institute for Indigenous Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health – Rivers of plenty: Enabling heart healthy eating in James and Hudson’s Bay
Laura Risk, department of arts, culture and media, U of T Scarborough – Old sounds, new stories: A partnership with the Canadian Museum of History to activate the Fonds Jean Trudel
Daniel Sellen, department of anthropology, Faculty of Arts & Science – The ecosystem of birthing and lactation in Toronto: Lived experiences of marginalized parents and the role of community support providers

Ellie Hisama and Mahua Sarkar named members of the Institute for Advanced Study

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 17:03:40 +0000

Ellie Hisama and Mahua Sarkar named members of the Institute for Advanced Study

Research & Innovation

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 07/09/2024 - 13:03

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L-R: Ellie Hisama and Mahua Sarkar (photo of Hisama by Johnny Guatto)

Ellie Hisama, dean and professor of music at the Faculty of Music, and Mahua Sarkar, professor in the department of sociology at U of T Scarborough, have been named members of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) for 2024-25.

Established in 1930 in Princeton, N.J., IAS is dedicated to advancing fundamental discovery in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment. Each year, the institute welcomes more than 250 of the most promising senior and post-doctoral researchers and scholars to carry out cutting-edge research across four areas: historical studies, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences.

Hisama’s stint at the IAS will see her focus on a book project on composer and musician Julius Eastman, titled The Fragment and the Long Song of Julius Eastman. “It is a highlight of my career to be part of the IAS, an institution I have long admired for its steadfast support of field-changing research,” Hisama said. “It is a special honour to be part of an institution where Natalie Zemon Davis, the distinguished historian and U of T professor, was a member.”

Sarkar will also work on a book, titled Moving Stories: Contemporary Guest Work and Bangladeshi Contract Migrants. "It is an honour and a privilege to be asked to join the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton as a member," Sarkar said. "Having spent time at similar institutes in Europe and Asia in the past, I have a deep appreciation for the quality of intellectual exchange possible at such institutions, and the time they afford for reflection and writing.

"And of course, the IAS in Princeton is the oldest of such spaces, and has served as a model for many others. In short, I am thrilled."

Hisama and Sarkar join the ranks of several U of T faculty members to have been appointed to the prestigious institute, whose past and present scholars include 35 Nobel Laureates, 44 of the 62 Fields Medalists, several MacArthur and Guggenheim fellows and winners of the Wolf, Holberg, Kluge and Pulitzer Prizes.

Read the Faculty of Music story on Ellie Hisama

Read about Mahua Sarkar's research

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Six recent graduates awarded Governor General's Academic Medals

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 15:53:47 +0000

Six recent graduates awarded Governor General's Academic Medals

Academic Achievement

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 07/08/2024 - 11:53

Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering

Department of Computer Science

Department of English

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Information

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

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Clockwise from top left: Karl Manis, Chido Muchemwa, Tatiana Ruiz Bedoya, Jeff Chen, Zehui Yin and Jing Wang (supplied images)

Six recent graduates of the ��Ƶ have been awarded 2023-2024 Governor General’s Academic Medals in recognition of their academic excellence.

Three PhD alumni were awarded gold medals, which are presented to graduate students on the basis of academic performance in courses, evaluation of thesis and thesis defence, and originality and significance of research:

Tatiana Ruiz Bedoya – department of cell and systems biology, Faculty of Arts & Science
Chido Muchemwa – Faculty of Information and the Mark S Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Faculty of Arts & Science
Karl Manis – department of English, Faculty of Arts & Science

Three undergraduate alumni were awarded silver medals, which are given to students with the highest academic standing upon graduating from a bachelor degree program:

Jeff Chen – department of civil and mineral engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Jing Wang – department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science
Zehui Yin – department of management, U of T Scarborough

Read about the Governor General's Gold Medal

Read about the Governor General's Silver Medal

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Teaching assistants, course instructor recognized with Teaching Excellence Awards

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:21:37 +0000

Teaching assistants, course instructor recognized with Teaching Excellence Awards

Teaching

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 07/03/2024 - 11:21

Department of Chemistry

Department of English

Department of Sociology

Faculty of Arts & Science

Institute for Biomedical Engineering

Teaching Excellence Awards

U of T Mississauga

Women & Gender Studies Institute

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Clockwise from top left: Cassandra Olsen, Paul Pritchard, Shay Chavoshian, Sam Sanchinel, Kat Furtado, Titilola Aiyegbusi and Qusai Hassan (supplied images)

Six teaching assistants (TAs) and one graduate course instructor (CI) have been recognized with 2024 Teaching Excellence Awards by the ��Ƶ’s Teaching Assistants’ Training Program.

The TA Teaching Excellence, BIPOC TA Teaching Excellence and CI Teaching Excellence awards recognize the outstanding contributions of TAs and graduate student CIs who regularly support, inspire and challenge undergraduate students.

The recipients of the TA Teaching Excellence Awards are:

Shaghayegh (Shay) Chavoshian, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Cassandra Olsen, department of English, Faculty of Arts & Science
Sam Sanchinel, Women and Gender Studies Institute, Faculty of Arts & Science
Qusai Hassan, department of chemistry, Faculty of Arts & Science
Paul Pritchard, department of sociology, U of T Mississauga

In 2022, the Teaching Assistants’ Training Program introduced the BIPOC Teaching Excellence Award to recognize lived experiences of Black, Indigenous and racialized communities whose academic experiences have been impacted by systemic barriers, and to highlight their accomplishments and excellence in teaching practice. The winner of this award for 2024 is Titilola Aiyegbusi from the department of English in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

The recipient of the CI Teaching Excellence Award is Kat Furtado from the department of classics in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

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Andrew Lee recognized with Sanders Prize in Metaphysics

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 17:03:35 +0000

Andrew Lee recognized with Sanders Prize in Metaphysics

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 07/02/2024 - 13:03

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Andrew Lee (supplied image)

Andrew Lee, an assistant professor in the department of philosophy at the ��Ƶ Scarborough, has won the Marc Sanders Prize in Metaphysics.

Winners of the prestigious, biennial essay competition are recognized with a cash prize and publication in the journal Oxford Studies in Metaphysics. Lee won the prize for his essay A Puzzle about Sums, which offers a novel solution to a metaphysical puzzle.

The puzzle is associated with Riemann’s Rearrangement Theorem, a mathematical theorem stating that the sum of an infinite series of numbers can sometimes depend on the order in which those numbers occur. Lee's essay delves into how to interpret the metaphysical significance of that theorem.

“I feel really grateful to receive recognition for my work,” said Lee, who is best known for his work on the philosophy of consciousness but also explores other topics in contemporary analytic philosophy. “It can be hard to break into a literature outside of one’s main area, so I’m glad that the ideas in this paper will receive attention.”

Lee is already developing follow-up work on related topics to those explored in his award-winning essay.

Rudy Boonstra receives Fry Medal from Canadian Society of Zoologists

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 18:19:11 +0000

Rudy Boonstra receives Fry Medal from Canadian Society of Zoologists

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 06/13/2024 - 14:19

Department of Biological Sciences

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Rudy Boonstra (photo by Ken Jones)

Rudy Boonstra, professor emeritus in the department of biological sciences at the ��Ƶ Scarborough, has been awarded the 2024 Fry Medal by the Canadian Society of Zoologists.

The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to knowledge and understanding of an area in zoology. It was established in 1974 in honour of aquatic ecologist and former U of T professor Frederick E.J. Fry.

Boonstra’s research examines factors that affect animal populations and how animals cope with stressors such as social interactions, predation, lack of food and a changing climate – and has included a special focus on the effects of maternal stress on offspring. His work has spanned the Canadian boreal forest, prairies, mountains and the Yukon and Arctic regions.

“Being awarded the Fry Medal is a great honour,” says Boonstra, who recently retired after 40 years at U of T Scarborough but remains active in his research.

Long-time colleague Stephen Reid, an associate professor in the department of biological sciences, hailed Boonstra for his relentless advocacy for climate change mitigation and prevention strategies. “Rudy was sounding the alarm at a time when many of us were really just coming to understand that climate change was real and that its effects would be planet-altering and devastating to humans and other animals,” says Reid.

Read the U of T Scarborough story

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Laura Risk wins Opus Prize for Album of the Year

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 17:49:24 +0000

Laura Risk wins Opus Prize for Album of the Year

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 04/18/2024 - 13:49

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Laura Risk (photo by Emmanuelle Roberge)

Laura Risk, assistant professor in the music and culture program in the ��Ƶ Scarborough’s department of arts, culture and media, has won the Opus Prize for Album of the Year in the category of World music and traditional Québécois music.

The Opus Awards were created by the Quebec Council of Music in 1996 to celebrate exceptional concert music and musicians across Quebec.

Risk was honoured for her latest album, Traverse, which was praised for its nuance, sensitivity and technical precision. She combined her experience as a fiddler and researcher to create this 10-track exploration of traditional fiddle music, which draws on her extensive studies of traditional music from both Quebec and Scotland.

"With this album, I hoped to capture something of the way that traditional music brings us together across time and place," Risk said.

Listen to Laura Risk's new album on her website

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U of T faculty, staff and students recognized with 2024 Awards of Excellence

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:59:13 +0000

U of T faculty, staff and students recognized with 2024 Awards of Excellence