Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology

Nayani Jensen wins 2024 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Canadian Writers

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:12:29 +0000

Nayani Jensen wins 2024 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Canadian Writers

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rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 08/02/2024 - 12:12

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St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology

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Nayani Jensen (supplied image)

Nayani Jensen, a PhD candidate in the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology (IHPST) at the Faculty of Arts & Science, has been named winner of the short fiction category in the Writers’ Trust of Canada’s 2024 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Canadian Writers.

Jensen was recognized for Like Rabbits, a story about the 17th-century Dutch physician, physiologist and anatomist Regnier de Graaf, who made key discoveries in reproductive biology before dying at the age of 32. Jensen imagined the end of de Graaf’s life based on real historical research and archival work.

The Writers’ Trust short fiction jury said Like Rabbits was “historical fiction at its most intimate,” lauding Jensen for crafting “a timeless story of ambition and a tender portrait of a marriage.”

“I sincerely did not think that I was going to win,” Jensen said. “I was very happy just to have been a finalist, so it was a big surprise, but it was wonderful.”

Little Rabbits is part of a collection of fictional short stories, each grounded in a scientific discovery or debate. “It's big questions about science as well as human questions all looked at through the lens of the short story,” Jensen said.

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Read the Writers' Trust jury citation

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13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

lanthierj — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:43:09 +0000

13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 09/05/2023 - 15:43

Department of Biochemistry

Department of Medicine

Department of Philosophy

Department of Psychology

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hospital for Sick Children

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UHN

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Thirteen faculty members from across the ��Ƶ have been appointed Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada – a prestigious distinction given to the country’s most distinguished scholars, artists and scientists.

“The ��Ƶ congratulates these extraordinary researchers on this important recognition of their dedication, leadership and impact,” says Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “Across a diverse array of disciplines, they are addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges – and their contributions to their respective fields continue to break new ground.”

The new Fellows are:

Ryan Balot of the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Paul Bloom of the department of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Tom Chau of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Robert Gerlai of the department of psychology at U of T Mississauga
Alberto Leon-Garcia of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Jason Moffat of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the department of molecular genetics in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Amit Oza of the University Health Network (UHN) and the department of medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Daniela Rotin of SickKids and the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Aaron Schimmer of UHN and the department of medical biophysics in in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
William Seager of the department of philosophy at U of T Scarborough
Valerie Tarasuk of the department of nutritional sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine
R. Paul Thompson of the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science and Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science
Daniel Trefler of the Rotman School of Management

They join more than 350 Fellows of the Royal Society affiliated with U of T.

Karina Vold awarded AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures

lanthierj — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 13:17:18 +0000

Karina Vold awarded AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Wed, 04/19/2023 - 09:17

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St. George

Department of Philosophy

Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology

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(supplied image)

Karina Vold, an assistant professor at the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has been awarded an AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt.

This first cohort of 15 scholars was selected to “solve hard problems in artificial intelligence (AI) through interdisciplinary research.”

Vold’s research – at the intersection of the philosophy of cognitive science and technology, AI and psychology – will contribute to progress against these difficult problems, which include “solving for the technical capabilities of AI, deploying AI responsibly and harnessing AI for the benefit of society.”

“We hope the research progress of this group of exceptional, multidisciplinary scholars inspires new ideas within the global AI community, enables breakthroughs and ensures a future in which we all benefit from this promising technology,” said James Manyika, co-chair of AI2050, in a statement.

Vold is cross-appointed to the department of philosophy and is a faculty associate at the Centre for Ethics and a research lead at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. Before joining the ��Ƶ, Vold worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge.

“I’m very grateful to receive this support from Schmidt Futures,” Vold said. “Machine systems using artificial intelligence are increasingly able to outperform humans at specific tasks, such as beating world champions at Go and solving 50-year-old grand challenges in biology. It will be important to consider how humans can use these extraordinary performances to gain access to new insights, thereby aiding our own learning and knowledge discovery.

“My project will draw on a range of fields including philosophy, psychology, history, education and machine learning research, particularly around explainable and interpretable AI.”

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Four graduate students named Naylor Fellows

lanthierj — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 17:34:58 +0000

Four graduate students named Naylor Fellows

Academic Achievement

lanthierj Mon, 01/09/2023 - 12:34

Students

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Department of Chemistry

Faculty of Law

Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology

Faculty of Arts & Science

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(L-R): Nayani Jensen, Jill Downey, Kate Mitchell and Damilola Iduye

A climate engineer exploring the history of science communication. A chemist making your home safer. An expert in law and public administration with a passion for prison reform. And a nurse anchored in two cultures reforming the way we offer diabetes care.

Interdisciplinary scholars Nayani Jensen, Jill Downey, Kate Mitchell and Damilola Iduye are the recipients of the 2022 C. David Naylor Fellowships.

Established in 2013 by the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation, the $30,000 Naylor Fellowships support outstanding ��Ƶ grad students with origins in Atlantic Canada.

“We’re delighted to welcome Damilola, Jill, Kate and Nayani to the university,” says Leah Cowen, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “They join a community of world-class scholars who are committed to serving society by solving the biggest challenges of our time.

“We’re so grateful to the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation for championing researchers like these as they launch their careers.”

Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology

Nayani Jensen wins 2024 RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Canadian Writers

Read the Faculty of Arts & Science story

Read the Writers' Trust jury citation

13 U of T faculty members named Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Read more about the Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada

Karina Vold awarded AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Futures

Four graduate students named Naylor Fellows

Read more about the Naylor Fellows