Ali Raza

Addicted to our devices: Researchers track global patterns of smartphone use

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:58:05 +0000

Addicted to our devices: Researchers track global patterns of smartphone use

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/08/2023 - 09:58

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Researchers surveyed more than 50,000 participants across 195 countries in a bid to understand who is at risk of smartphone addiction (photo by Erin Li/Pexels)

Ali Raza

Topic

Breaking Research

Global

Psychology

Research & Innovation

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Subheadline

Survey suggests likelihood of problematic smartphone use greater among women, young people

Are you addicted to your smartphone? If so, you're not alone.

A team of researchers at the ��Ƶ have collected the largest set of data in any study regarding problematic smartphone use.

The study – published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction – found that among 41 countries with at least 100 participants, women scored higher than men in problematic smartphone use, with the results being inversely proportional to age. That is, the older a user is, the less likely they are to have problematic smartphone use.

“We weren’t expecting this kind of robust consistency,” says study co-author Jay Olson, a post-doctoral researcher in the department of psychology at U of T Mississauga.

Jay Olson (photo by Gabriel Helfant)

The data also allowed researchers – including Dasha Sandra, a PhD student in the department of psychological clinical science at U of T Scarborough – to identify geographic patterns since it covered multiple countries across several continents.

The highest scores of problematic use were found in Southeast Asia, while the lowest were in Europe.

Olson says the results prompt “fundamental questions in the field” such as: Why are women shown to have higher rates of problematic smartphone use? What is it about young people that increases their likelihood of problematic use? And what are the social and cultural differences from country to country that influence these results?

The researchers collected survey responses from 50,423 participants aged 18 to 90 across 195 countries. Survey participants answered questions according to the Smartphone Addiction Scale, a widely used measure to study problematic smartphone use.

Olson says problematic use among women may have something to do with how each gender generally uses their smartphones.

“Researchers think women tend to use their phones more for social reasons: communication with friends and family via social media,” he says, adding that uses related to social validation (for example, “likes” on Instagram) are “the kinds of uses that can build habits very quickly.”

It’s not that men don’t use their phones for social reasons, he says, but it’s believed they tend to use fewer social functions such as keeping up with group chats, connecting with family or following influencers.

The research team aims to test this hypothesis as they continue to analyze the data.

Problematic usage can also reflect distress or anguish experienced by individuals.

“People try to avoid negative emotions by using their phone – kind of like an adult pacifier,” he says, noting differences in both gender and age can be related to differences in distress levels.

The research also accounts for cultural differences around smartphone use. Using an index of “cultural tightness” and “cultural looseness,” researchers examined the data through varying social norms across the globe. The distinction can also be made by examining collectivist cultures – which prioritize group connections – versus individualist cultures.

Their hypothesis is that strictness of social norms plays a role in smartphone use. In an individualistic culture, for example, “it’s not expected that you would be calling your family every day,” Olson says.

Another factor is the number of available screens competing for users’ attention. Olson notes that some countries bypassed widespread laptop and desktop computers in favour of developing mobile data networks, meaning that smartphones became people’s primary computing device. For example, Europe, which recorded the lowest rates of problematic use, has been using the internet since it first arrived on personal computers in the 1980s and 1990s. Southeast Asia, by contrast, recorded the highest rates of problematic use and had widespread adoption of the internet via smartphones in just the last 15 years.

“It explains some differences in screen time,” Olson says.

Not all smartphone use is problematic since it largely depends on how an individual is using a phone.

“A social media manager could be logging eight hours of screen time a day, but this doesn’t necessarily have a problematic effect on your life versus somebody who uses their phone for half an hour from midnight to 12:30 a.m. while trying to fall asleep,” Olson explains.

The research team plans to run a longer-term version of the survey to track smartphone use over time. It’s also looking into developing a habit-based intervention for problematic smartphone usage, for which data like this is critical.

“This is in some sense a global experiment,” Olson says. “Smartphones became popular around 2008 and we’re just tracking the effects of this globally, post-hoc.”

Anishinaabe student shares inspiration behind U of T’s 2023 Orange Shirt Day design

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:15:49 +0000

Anishinaabe student shares inspiration behind U of T’s 2023 Orange Shirt Day design

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 09/28/2023 - 10:15

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MJ Singleton, a student at U of T Mississauga, says their winning Orange Shirt Day design emphasizes the importance of healing the intergenerational trauma of residential schooling by supporting and loving those around you (supplied photo)

Topic

Subheadline

Earlier this year, MJ Singleton won the university's Orange Shirt Day design contest, which saw submissions from Indigenous students across the three campuses

For Anishinaabe and two-spirit ��Ƶ Mississauga student MJ Singleton, part of truth and reconciliation is healing through intergenerational trauma and breaking the cycle.

A lifelong artist, Singleton uses the medium of painting to express themselves and their heritage.

Earlier this year, Singleton won U of T’s Orange Shirt Day design contest, which saw submissions from Indigenous students across the three campuses to commemorate Orange Shirt Day 2023. Also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sept. 30 is a day to recognize the destructive legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system.

“My grandma was a residential school survivor in Kenora (Ont.) – at St. Mary’s,” Singleton says.

Singleton’s grandmother, along with seven other siblings, attended St. Mary’s Indian Residential School. Growing up in Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation (Eagle Lake) between Kenora and Thunder Bay, Singleton recalls hearing stories of trauma and grief about their grandmother’s experience and how it affected generations to follow – an idea they incorporated into their design.

“[The design] is about how someone feels for another person,” Singleton says. “How intergenerational trauma can be broken and healed for future generations.”

“I wanted to showcase that even through you are hurt, you can still be strong for one another and be there for one another.”

The design is titled noojimo’iwe, which is Anishinaabemowin for “she heals.” It emphasizes the importance of healing the intergenerational trauma of residential schooling by supporting and loving those around you. It portrays a mother holding hands and walking forward with her two children. Above them, a bright sun with contour lines connecting to floral patterns and designs represents all living things.

Singleton says the design was additionally motivated by the discovery of more than 170 plausible graves at St. Mary’s.

“It’s just heartbreaking to think of what my grandma would have gone through in her childhood,” Singleton says.

The image of the mother clasping the hands of her two children was also inspired by a family photo with their brother and mother. While Singleton says they weren’t thinking of it while painting, the image was ingrained in their mind.

Singleton studies criminology, law and society at U of T Mississauga, with a minor in psychology. While initially attracted to U of T Mississauga’s forensic science program, Singleton grew to like the professors in the criminology, law and society program and the prospects of a law career.

After feeling overwhelmed in first year, Singleton says they became involved at the Indigenous Centre at U of T Mississauga, made new friends – and discovered the Orange Shirt Day design contest.

“It really was an uplifting experience,” Singleton says, “especially when the [All-Nations] Powwow came to UTM – that was really exciting and all my friends were there.”

Having won a similar contest in December for the Ontario Native Women’s Association, Singleton says it gave them the courage to enter U of T’s contest.

Singleton hopes to pursue Indigenous law to effect change for their community.

T-shirts with Singleton’s design are available U of T Bookstore while supplies last, with $10 from each $21.99 shirt given to the Orange Shirt Day Society.

U of T biologist explains why there were so many mosquitoes this year

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:50:27 +0000

U of T biologist explains why there were so many mosquitoes this year

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 09/21/2023 - 12:50

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(photo by Jimmy Chan/Pexels)

Topic

Subheadline

Mosquitoes hibernate over the winter and emerge to lay their eggs in stagnant pools of water as the temperature approaches 15 C

If you think there were more mosquitoes this year than usual, you’re not wrong.

Spring and summer in 2023 saw record temperatures across the globe, including in southern Ontario. Combined with a wetter-than-average season, that meant mosquitoes had more habitats in which they could reproduce and grow.

“It’s been extremely wet,” says Rosalind Murray, an assistant professor of biology at the ��Ƶ Mississauga who studies insects. “That’s one of the main reasons we saw so many mosquitoes early on in the season.”

Mosquitoes, which hibernate over the winter, emerge to lay their eggs – usually in stagnant pools of water – as the temperature approaches 15 C.

And this year’s conditions were ideal: A warm spell in April melted lingering snow from the winter and was followed by heavy precipitation in May and June. That, in turn, created more habitat options for the insects to breed – including puddles in urban areas.

Rosalind Murray is an assistant professor of biology at U of T Mississauga (supplied image)

“As soon as it gets warm, they fly out of their hibernation areas and lay eggs wherever they can ... like parking lots or flooded lawns,” Murray says. “Mosquitoes are hardy – they can often survive in these puddles of water.”

If temperatures don’t cool off at night between warm spells – as was the case this spring – then mosquitoes have ideal conditions to proliferate. Warmer temperatures also increase the number of bacteria found in puddles, which mosquitoes eat.

And the warmer the temperatures, the faster mosquitos hatch. At 10 C, mosquitoes can grow from egg to adult in around 40 days, while in temperatures higher than 25 C, it takes just four days for mosquitoes to grow to adulthood. Depending on the species, mosquitoes live for a few days or a few weeks.

“There’s huge turnover of these animals, especially if we have wet and warm conditions where there’s a lot of habitats for them,” Murray says. “Their metabolism speeds up because it’s so warm.”

Climate change is exacerbating the wet and warm conditions favoured by mosquitos, bringing higher temperatures and more energetic weather systems. A growing concern is that southern species of mosquitoes are migrating to northern latitudes, serving as vectors for dengue fever, West Nile virus or the Zika virus.

“We are seeing more and more of these tropical species moving north,” Murray says.

One of Murray’s graduate students, Sherry Du, studies sexual dimorphism in mosquitoes. Du’s research reveals that mosquitoes are showing an affinity for puddles containing high concentrations of road salts.

“Mosquitoes have been found to love those environments,” Du says. “Urban or city mosquitoes are tough and hardy – they can tolerate polluted water conditions.”

Salty environments, meanwhile, place stress on dragonflies, which prey on mosquitoes. That means more mosquitoes survive because fewer are being eaten.

While warming temperatures could result in more mosquitoes than normal, it’s not a given. A dry season could negatively affect mosquito populations by limiting their habitat, Murray says.

As expected, mosquito populations began to dwindle in September and into the fall as they return to hibernation.

“But if we have a huge heat wave, then they’re going to come out,” Murray says.

U of T marine biologist dives deep in pursuit of ocean conservation data

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:50:07 +0000

U of T marine biologist dives deep in pursuit of ocean conservation data

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 09/14/2023 - 09:50

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U of T Mississauga Assistant Professor Cassidy D’Aloia, right, and PhD student Taylor Naaykens, left, take a selfie underwater after completing a successful field season (photo by Cassidy D’Aloia)

Topic

Subheadline

Cassidy D’Aloia studies the population impact of larvae that travel far from their place of birth via ocean currents

Cassidy D’Aloia dives deep to learn about life under the sea, yielding critical data and research for marine conservation efforts.

An assistant professor of biology at the ��Ƶ Mississauga, D’Aloia studies the molecular ecology of coastal fishes and invertebrates and tries to understand the patterns, causes and consequences of dispersal and gene flow in the ocean.

Put simply, she tries to understand where the offspring of sea organisms wind up – whether fish, molluscs or echinoderms – and how larvae move around in ocean currents.

“Do you eat fish? Do you want to keep eating fish? Then dispersal data is important if you want to predict how fish populations will fare for the future,” says D’Aloia, who joined U of T Mississauga last year after completing her postdoctoral work.

As part of her research, she runs the D’Aloia Lab, where she and a team of graduate students work at the intersection of marine ecology, evolution and conservation biology, asking many interdisciplinary questions with answers that have profound implications for the future of marine life and conservation efforts.

D’Aloia examines the sea floor on the hunt for fish (photo by Taylor Naaykens)

Scuba diving in the coral reefs

D’Aloia and her team often collect ocean life data by scuba diving. Dives have taken place in the southern Caribbean Sea off the coast of Belize or Curaçao, or in the North Atlantic off the coast of eastern Canada. Because much of their field work focuses on organisms living in coral reefs, they see firsthand the effects of climate change on the health of these ecosystems.

Diving off the coast of Belize this past summer, D’Aloia says she saw how damaged coral reefs have become.

“Corals are critical to marine biodiversity,” she says. “Rising ocean temperatures are a huge problem for coral reefs because of the impact. We study a lot of things that live on corals and this year the coral bleaching was bad.”

Coral bleaching happens when the water becomes too warm and corals expel algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn completely white. While the bleaching doesn’t necessarily kill the corals, it places them under more stress and makes them vulnerable to disease. That, in turn, can impact other species that are dependent on them, including humans that rely on the ocean for their livelihoods.

A healthy reef with high cover of living coral off the coast of Curaçao (photo by Cassidy D’Aloia)

An average day in the field in Belize involves waking up at 6 a.m. to eat breakfast and ready the scuba equipment before getting to the water by 8 a.m. From there, D’Aloia and her team swim out to the coral reef and begin diving where they record data, map populations and collect tissue samples from tiny organisms for genetic analysis.

With a few breaks in between, the team makes deep dives three times a day before heading back to the field station by 4 p.m. to clean the gear, back up data, make dinner and sleep. The field work goes on six days a week for a month or two.

“Our field work is gruelling,” D’Aloia says. “But I just love it. Being in the field is by far the best part of the job. It’s a very special feeling being underwater – like visiting another planet. It’s a real privilege to be able to do that.”

D'Aloia has worked in Belize for many years, building and strengthening relationships with local fishers, the University of Belize and other researchers. Her work has led to several partnerships, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada. She works with the federal government department to develop science-based management plans for Canada’s fish stocks.

D’Aloia’s current research in Belize is funded by the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future and U of T Mississauga, in collaboration with the University of Belize’s Environmental Research Institute.

A coral-dwelling fish (Elacatinus evelynae) sitting atop a healthy coral (photo by Cassidy D’Aloia)

The importance of data

To understand how larval development of marine life is connected to conservation efforts, D’Aloia explores the consequences of larvae travelling far from their place of birth on ocean currents.

“We’re interested in how organisms move in the very early part of their life cycle,” she says. “It sounds simple, but it’s a tricky problem in marine biology.”

Larval dispersal determines how populations change over time and how they evolve. Species studied include snails, gastropods, cod, American lobster, sea cucumbers, hogfish and conch fish.

“Fish and harvested invertebrates are one of the last wild animals we still harvest in their natural environment, so I think it lends itself well to the integration of science and policy and trying to work together to give the fundamental scientific data that can help us make sustainable choices,” D’Aloia says.

“If we want to make decisions on spatial conservation, then you need this data.”

D’Aloia grew up in New York state, away from the ocean, but says she always loved science and biology. As a result of great high school teachers and encouraging university professors, she sought to become a marine biologist and “fell in love with the ocean.”

PhD student Taylor Naaykens runs surveys and counts fish underwater (photo by Cassidy D’Aloia)

Now an assistant professor overseeing a team of graduate students, she offers training and support for students to conduct research and build their careers as marine biologists. That includes learning how to scuba dive.

“Research that can support the conservation of those ecosystems is so important,” D’Aloia says. “I think supporting students who are trying to pursue good research and want to make a difference in the world is a good thing.”

U of T linguistics prof researches Torontonians' unique speaking style

siddiq22 — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 19:12:49 +0000

U of T linguistics prof researches Torontonians' unique speaking style

siddiq22 Mon, 07/31/2023 - 15:12

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Derek Denis, an associate professor of linguistics at U of T Mississauga, is researching how Toronto's diverse languages are influencing English locally (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Subheadline

Derek Denis and his students are examining Toronto's city slang and distinctive accent

Do you say "Toe-rohn-to" or "Tronno"? And what about that old stereotype that Canadians tend to say "aboot"?

While such distinctions in how we speak English are subtle and may be explained by a difference in dialect or variety, it’s how these subtle changes occur in a multicultural city like Toronto that interests Derek Denis, an associate professor of linguistics in the department of language studies at the ��Ƶ Mississauga.

While teaching one of his courses, Denis told his students about Multicultural London English (MLE), a multiethnolect – a way of speaking with influences from multiple different languages – studied by linguists.

A subsequent conversation with a student led him to wonder if Toronto also had its own multiethnolect.

Denis and U of T Mississauga students Vidhya Elango, Nur Sakinah Nor Kamal, Maria Velasco and Srishti Prashar conducted research and found that the Greater Toronto Area does indeed have its own multiethnolect – which they call Multicultural Toronto English (MTE).

It’s a way of speaking that arises from a variety of unique features present in Toronto, including the vast diversity of languages spoken in the city. The team's findings were published earlier this year in the Journal of English Linguistics.

“I was telling [students] about the development of a new pronoun – which is the ‘man’ pronoun – in MLE,” Denis says.

“Pronouns are slow to change linguistically, so the fact there is this new pronoun was exciting, and one of my students put her hand up and said, ‘We have that here, too.’”

An example of this is, “I almost missed the TTC, but mans made it here anyway,” where “mans” replaces the pronoun “I.” Variations heard in Toronto and in London include man, mans and mandem.

Indeed, “mans,” “Tronno“ and other such terms are features of MTE, Denis says.

The study found that among immigrant youth communities in the Greater Toronto Area, the way vowels are pronounced differed from previous reports of how Canadian English is spoken.

While similar phenomena have been documented in European cities, there hasn’t been a lot of research on the subject in North America, prompting Denis' interest in looking into the way Torontonians speak.

“I grew up in Scarborough, in a pretty diverse area,” Denis says. “You hear all kinds of English around you, all kinds of accents. So I started looking into this in an academic way.”

Denis’ team of work-study students collected data through interviews of youth in ethnolinguistically diverse regions of the GTA, which involved a set of questions to answer, casual conversations and a word list to read aloud.

“We noticed particular vowel realizations,” he says. “So, we created a list of about 100 or so words that had those target sounds in them.”

The researchers investigated a mix of vocalic phenomena, but two of them – “Canadian raising” (for example, the difference in the way Canadians and Americans pronounce “about”) and “goat” monophthongization – particularly caught Denis’ attention.

“Canadian raising affects two vowels,” Denis says. “When the vowel is followed by a certain sound, the realization of that vowel is a little bit higher in the mix. It’s subtle.”

However, the not-so-subtle “aboot” is what Americans hear us say, as the phenomenon doesn’t exist in American English. Denis says the presence of such a stereotype results in a social meaning attached to how the word is pronounced. As a result, his team's research shows that young Torontonians are trying to avoid pronouncing the word in any way resembling “aboot.”

As for the phenomenon of “goat” monophthongization, Denis explains that a monophthong is a sound formed by one vowel in a syllable – like “cat” – while a diphthong is a sound formed with a combination of two vowels in a syllable, like “coin,“ or the subtler “goat.”

“It’s the process of a vowel that is normatively produced as a diphthong becoming a monophthong, so there’s less movement of the tongue,” Denis says.

Denis and his team found that in MTE, the youth surveyed exhibited “monophthongization” – a two-vowel syllable turning into a one-vowel syllable – with the word “goat,” where the “oa” sound became more of an “oh” sound: “goat versus “goht.”

“‘Goat’ monophthongization is probably the phenomenon we can most clearly link from an influence from Jamaica patois,” Denis says. “The vowel in Jamaican patois is not quite exactly the same, but we can trace the influence to it.”

MTE results from what linguists called a “feature pool,” where several variables influence how a language slowly changes over time. In Toronto, some of those features might be associated with ethnic diversity, such as with the “goat” example. But some features arise from the authenticity of being from a particular community – such as in the difference of how the word “Toronto“ is pronounced within the city itself or by others from elsewhere.

The results of the team's research showed a great deal of variability in the ways of speaking among youth in immigrant communities – the result of various changes and developments in how English is spoken across Toronto, notes Denis, who continues his research on MTE and plans to publish a book on the findings.

“It’s like this mixture that people pick and choose from,” Denis says. “That’s why I hesitate to call this a dialect because it’s not exactly that – it’s a pool of features that individuals use to develop their own linguistic style.”

With endowment, U of T Mississauga aims to become global leader in Jain Studies

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:04:40 +0000

With endowment, U of T Mississauga aims to become global leader in Jain Studies

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 06/23/2023 - 11:04

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Gyan and Kanchan Jain with U of T Mississauga Vice-President and Principal Alexandra Gillespie (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

The ��Ƶ Mississauga has received an endowment to establish a new chair dedicated to Jain Studies – its first-ever endowed chair in the humanities.

The contribution marks a significant step in U of T Mississauga’s commitment to expanding its Centre for South Asian Critical Humanities (CSACH) and transforming the study of the global past and present. The establishment of an endowed chair signifies a vital investment in the study of Jainism, along with its history, culture, philosophies and far-reaching influence on South Asia.

The endowment of $2.5 million from Gyan and Kanchan Jain and their family will be matched by the university for a total of $5 million. Many members of the Jain family attended U of T, including Gyan and Kanchan’s three sons, daughter and grandchildren.

“Bringing Jain Studies to the ��Ƶ Mississauga is an opportunity to cultivate a deeper understanding of Jain principles such as ahimsa, an idea that can bring peace and happiness to every living being and promote non-violence in our actions,” said Gyan Jain.

A strong connection to the university combined with a rekindled passion to support and grow the study of Jainism motivated the family to offer their support.

“My family and I are so pleased to see that the ��Ƶ Mississauga has evolved into one of the top centres of South Asian studies in North America,” said Hans Jain. “To be able to contribute to its growth through the endowment of the Gyan and Kanchan Jain Chair in Jain Studies is truly an honour and privilege for all of us.”

Hans Jain recalled a recent visit to India with his family. The emotional and breathtaking tour of ancient Jain temples, meetings with diverse communities and visits to older relatives inspired the family to spread knowledge of Jainism.

“On behalf of the entire university community, I would like to thank the Jain family for their transformative investment in Jain Studies,” said U of T Vice-President of Advancement David Palmer. “This generous contribution will foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Jainism and will position U of T as a leading academic institution in this field.”

In addition to an endowed chair, the funds will support work in community collaboration and knowledge translation. The endowment will enable students, scholars and partners to study Jainism, an Indian religion with more than five million adherents worldwide.

"Jainism continues to have vital influence in South Asia and Canada and around the world,” said U of T Mississauga Vice-President and Principal Alexandra Gillespie. “We have a great opportunity to promote new research and teaching about this ancient belief system and to partner with Jain communities – locally and globally – to share this knowledge openly."

The Jainism belief system emerged in India around 600 BCE following the teachings of Mahavira Jain, but Jain tradition traces an even earlier history. Jainism emphasizes non-violence, truthfulness, non-possessiveness and self-discipline as core values, and is one of the oldest religions still practised today. Many of those principles have greatly influenced South Asian philosophies and belief systems. Today, most Jains live in India, with Jain communities found in Canada, Europe and the United States.

Jainism’s influence on the history and culture of South Asia cannot be overstated, said Ajay Rao, vice-dean of graduate studies and postdoctoral affairs and associate professor in U of T Mississauga’s department of historical studies.

“Jains have been at the centre of South Asian history and at the heart of many major transformations,” he said. “Having an endowed chair in Jain Studies helps reframe the study of South Asia. Jainism was not marginal in history, but it is marginal in our study of the history, and to make that the centre of what we’re doing is really powerful.”

As part of its community collaboration, U of T Mississauga will strengthen its ties to the Jain community and develop a direct line of engagement with Brampton’s Bhagwaan 1008 Adinath Swamy Jain Temple, Canada’s first Jain temple. The partnership will attract global experts, while graduate students will have the opportunity to connect their textual research with lived practice.

Community partnerships are a critical element in expanding Jain Studies and bolstering CSACH. Census data from 2021 indicates that about half of racialized residents in Peel are of South Asian descent.

“South Asia is the present, it’s here,” Rao said, referring to the vast community residing in the Greater Toronto Area. “It really speaks to the diversity of South Asian communities in Peel Region.”

U of T Mississauga launches SpinUp, a wet lab incubator for life science startups

siddiq22 — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 19:45:20 +0000

U of T Mississauga launches SpinUp, a wet lab incubator for life science startups

siddiq22 Wed, 06/07/2023 - 15:45

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Christina Kakaflikas, director of development with Mississauga’s Economic Development Office; Alexandra Gillespie, U of T Mississauga vice-president and principal; Bonnie Crombie, mayor of Mississauga; Kent Moore, U of T Mississauga vice-principal of research; and Jason Field, president and CEO of Life Sciences Ontario at the BIO 2023 convention in Boston (photo courtesy of City of Mississauga)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Startups

U of T Mississauga

Subheadline

The new venture will provide affordable wet lab space to support early-stage companies and entrepreneurs

Young entrepreneurs or new start-up companies seeking to break into the prolific life sciences sector in the Greater Toronto Area can find resources and mentorship through the ��Ƶ’s network of world-class accelerator programs.

A critical gap exists in that life science entrepreneurship pipeline that the university is seeking to address – providing affordable wet lab space (where drugs, chemicals and other types of liquid biological matter can be analyzed and tested) dedicated to early-stage founders.

This week, U of T Mississauga, joined by the City of Mississauga, announced the launch of SpinUp – U of T’s first wet lab venture incubator with the objective of supporting early-stage life science companies and entrepreneurs.

U of T Mississauga Vice-President and Principal Alexandra Gillespie made the announcement at the BIO 2023 convention in Boston, alongside Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Life Science Ontario President and CEO Jason Field and U of T Mississauga Vice-Principal Research Kent Moore.

“SpinUp will invite entrepreneurs into U of T Mississauga's New Science Building, which will open in 2023 as one of the most comprehensive and energy-efficient laboratory facilities in North America,” Moore said.

“At SpinUp, entrepreneurs can use this facility for a fraction of the cost of comparable spaces, gaining time and conserving capital to build their companies even before they have to seek major private investment.”

The incubator will offer affordable access to the specialized lab space, equipment and programming that emerging entrepreneurs need to mature their lab-based innovations. By addressing two major barriers – access to lab space and cost – U of T will offer a comprehensive set of resources for life science entrepreneurs and start-ups. It will also enrich U of T Mississauga's programs by creating new experiential learning opportunities and fostering research partnerships.

Most of the wet lab will be offered to ventures emerging from U of T’s accelerator programs, while a subset of spots will be available to those off-campus from within the region.

An illustration of the SpinUp lab space in the New Science Building, currently under construction

With any life sciences innovation or company, access to wet lab space and equipment is a critical step in maturing intellectual property and expanding a start-up. With SpinUp, U of T aims to keep new start-ups within the local ecosystem to avoid companies moving outside the region – or even failing before having a chance to begin.

“U of T Mississauga drives life science innovation,” Gillespie said. “Leading researchers, students and partners come together here to launch start-ups that promote health, prosperity and vitality in our communities and around the world.”

U of T ranks No. 1 in Canada for research-based start-ups and is in the top five for university-managed incubators globally. This focus on developing entrepreneurship and innovation has launched more than 600 companies over the past 10 years, leading to more than 9,000 jobs.

In recent years, U of T has been ranked second among North American universities for number of startups, after MIT. SpinUp will serve as a key resource for ventures emerging from the university and elevates U of T’s global position.

“SpinUp is a much-needed and welcomed addition to IDEA – Mississauga’s Innovation District – and we are thrilled that UTM’s new incubation space will be opening soon,” Crombie said.

“Our goal is to work with partners in the community, like U of T Mississauga, to provide resources and facilities to support businesses from early stages of inception to scale-up, until they ultimately transition into their own space with a sustainable path forward. SpinUp will be a key element in this journey for smaller life sciences companies and advances our city’s position as a leader in this space."

SpinUp will be part of the New Science Building, which is also the future home of the Centre for Medicinal Chemistry, UTM’s first-in-Canada program in forensic science and leading-edge research labs working to improve human health.

Students from U of T Mississauga's first spoken-word course take the mic for live performance

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 18:22:12 +0000

Students from U of T Mississauga's first spoken-word course take the mic for live performance

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 04/10/2023 - 14:22

Topic

School of Continuing Studies

U of T Mississauga

Students at the ��Ƶ Mississauga had the chance to take a unique course this past semester, learning all about the art of spoken word.

The course, taught by poet and U of T Mississauga lecturer Andrea Thompson, aims to cultivate students' skill in the "empowering art form," Thompson says.

Andrea Thompson

“The goal is to create a transformative experience that changes students’ lives.”

The students in the third-year course are set to show off what they learned at a showcase at the MiST Theatre on April 11.

Thompson had previously taught spoken word at U of T’s School of Continuing Studies, but the U of T Mississauga class – offered as a special topics in creative writing course – is the first credit course in spoken word offered at that campus.

“There aren’t a lot of spoken-word courses being taught [anywhere] as credit courses,” Thompson says. “I was really excited about this, and so were the students.”

Sumyia Hashmi, who will be performing at the showcase, says the course has enhanced her writing and poetry skills.

“I hope it’s a recurring course at the university,” says Hashmi, a fourth-year student studying English with a minor in creative writing.

Hashmi had been writing short stories and prose since Grade 9, but didn't become interested in poetry until coming to U of T Mississauga. After taking a series of courses on poetry and literature, including Thompson's spoken-word class, Hashmi says she's "come out of her shell."

The course taught her not just how to write poetry and recite it, she notes, but also to collaborate with other students, develop critical thinking and articulate her ideas.

Instead of a typical lecture format, Thompson gives her students weekly assignments and writing prompts, encouraging them to work interactively and share their work in open discussions before they perform their poetry.

“A lot of us were nervous at first,” Hashmi says, adding that after hearing Thompson read from her own work and inviting discussion, the students became more comfortable with spoken word as an art form.

A spoken-word performance involves much more than reading words on a page, Thompson says. There is a dramatic element to reciting the poem that involves body language, word choice, pauses, gestures and more.

“You want to use everything in your physicality,” she says. “You use stance breaks, line breaks, word choice – all these tools."

Thompson, who recently released her own spoken-word album, The Good Word, says she's excited to see her students' takes on performing the work they developed in the course.

"Your voice is the number-one tool to take what’s in your head and heart – and on the page – and make that come alive.”

From tires to brakes, U of T researchers tackle 'non-tailpipe' air pollution from vehicles

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 15:45:05 +0000

From tires to brakes, U of T researchers tackle 'non-tailpipe' air pollution from vehicles

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 03/16/2023 - 11:45

Cutline

As governments work to reign in vehicle emissions such as CO2, U of T researchers are drawing attention to other harmful sources of vehicle-related air pollution, including brake pads and tires (photo by Marijan Murat/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Ali Raza

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Pollution

Research & Innovation

Statistical Sciences

Sustainability

U of T Mississauga

With the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, car-related air pollution will be less of a concern, right? Think again, say a group of ��Ƶ researchers who are studying the effects of air pollution from brakes and tires.

While the push to mandate EV aims to reduce tailpipe emissions such as carbon dioxide – the federal government has set a target of complete EV adoption by 2035 – swapping every vehicle on the road still won’t eliminate all the sources of air pollution that can impact human health.

That’s because brake pads, rotors and tires grind down over time and erode. This results in tons of particulate matter like heavy metals and microplastics polluting the air.

Matt Adams

“Millions of tires being driven on the road breaking down –that’s a problem,” says Matt Adams, an assistant professor in U of T Mississauga’s department of geography, geomatics and environment. “It’s an emerging question in the field – it’s hard to know where the particles end up.”

Adams and Greg Evans, a professor of chemical engineering and applied chemistry in U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, belong to a team of U of T researchers who are conducting a three-year study to learn more about tailpipe vs. non-tailpipe emissions. The study is for a U.S.-based organization called the Health Effects Institute, which gathers research on the effects of air pollution. Other researchers include: Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou and Associate Professor Arthur Chan in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering; Associate Professor Meredith Franklin in the department of statistical sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science; and McGill University’s Scott Weichenthal and University of Barcelona visiting professor Maria Pérez.

Evans says the source of vehicle pollution has shifted in recent years.

“Because of changes in vehicle technology, tailpipe emissions particularly from cars has dropped off a lot over the last two decades,” Evans says. “What we found with research we’ve done in Toronto is that, since 2013, non-tailpipe emissions have exceeded tailpipe emissions.”

While tires are made from a combination of plastics and rubber, brakes are made of heavy metals, including iron, barium and copper.

Particles of heavy metals, microplastics and micro rubber from tires and brakes pollute the air and can contribute to a range of negative health outcomes. Some heavy metals like copper can cause oxidative stress when inhaled. Lungs suffer from inflammation and an immune response is triggered.

“There is not an organ in your body that’s not impacted by air pollution,” Adams says. “We know your health risk is increased. We know a lot of these pollutants are carcinogens. [It] can contribute to cardiorespiratory issues.”

Evans says the researchers hope the study will improve methods of gathering vehicle pollution data.

“At the end of it, we’re hoping to have better methods to able say how much is coming from tailpipe and how much is non-tailpipe, and how do we identify hot spots,” he says.

The findings could potentially result in regulations for tire and brake emissions. In late 2022, the EU proposed new Euro 7 standards to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality. The new proposals were the first worldwide emissions standards to set additional limits for emissions from tires and brakes.

Greg Evans, a professor of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, says his research shows that non-tailpipe emissions have exceeded tailpipe emissions in Toronto since 2013 (supplied photo)

Adams says there are additional considerations when switching over to EVs, including the source of electric power, lithium sourcing and related infrastructure.

“We’re trying to translate the links of how and where you are in the urban environment to your exposure [to air pollution], and then using that to plan cities better for our health,” Adams says.

Planning more healthy cities means building urban areas where people can walk, cycle and take public transit in addition to adopting EVs.

“Air pollution is tricky,” Adams says. “It’s invisible for the most part –we don’t smell it. We’re trying to quantify the intangible for the average person.”

Retelling an epic story: U of T Mississauga prof discusses Mahabharata at the Shaw Festival

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 21:16:49 +0000

Retelling an epic story: U of T Mississauga prof discusses Mahabharata at the Shaw Festival

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 02/27/2023 - 16:16

Cutline

Miriam Fernandes, associate director of Mahabharata at the Shaw Festival, performs on-stage (photo by Dahlia Katz)

Ali Raza

Topic

City & Culture

U of T Mississauga

You’ve probably heard of the Iliad or the Odyssey, yet there’s another renowned ancient epic poem that’s almost 10 times longer than those two combined.

Almost 4,000 years old, the Sanskrit poem Mahabharata is foundational to Indian culture and commonly known throughout South Asia. The epic narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins – the Kaurava and the Pandava – in the Kurukshetra War.

Now, the story is being reimagined with a contemporary lens as a theatre production at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Presented by Toronto’s South Asian-led Why Not Theatre, the story features a family feud that delves into profound philosophical and spiritual contemplation and ideas. Presented in two parts, Karma and Dharma, the play begins on Feb. 28 and will run on multiple days throughout March. The production is written and adapted by Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes using poetry from Carole Satyamurti’s Mahabharata: A Modern Retelling.

Since a long ancient epic with myriad characters might be overwhelming to digest and contextualize for audiences unfamiliar with the story, the ��Ƶ’s Lawrence Switzky and Brock University’s Karen Fricker are hosting “Mahabharata: Conversations” – virtual conversations with experts and artists to discuss the significance of this epic tale.

“It’s an attempt to contextualize this first production,” says Switzky, an associate professor of 20th-century and contemporary drama at U of T Mississauga. “It’s a series of three conversations with various experts who have insights into different ways in which the Mahabharata exists in culture, theatre, TV, comic books and film – and in storytelling at aunties' tables and the various ways which it lives within the life and culture of the South Asian diaspora.”

(Photo by Dahlia Katz)

One conversation took place on Feb. 22, with the other two scheduled for March 8 and March 22. They will focus on the storytelling traditions this centuries-old epic poem has produced as well as the production itself.

Switzky and Fricker have been attending rehearsals and consulting with Why Not Theatre, following the production of the play. The two are now helping the theatre company assemble the script to be published in the summer so that the play may tour internationally.

Switzky says he is excited by the prospect of an international tour, saying it’s a production of a “great scale” that is rare for Canadian theatre.

“This will be a Canadian theatre piece that will live in many countries," he says. “We like the idea that there's a company with that kind of ambition.”

Switzky says his involvement in the production is also part of U of T Mississauga's renewed focus on South Asian diaspora arts. The university has recently launched the Centre for South Asian Civilizations, a new course in modern South Asian literature and workshops with alumni authors Sarena and Sasha Nanua.

Ali Raza

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Retelling an epic story: U of T Mississauga prof discusses Mahabharata at the Shaw Festival