Human Biology / en From machine learning to mentorship, graduate Irene Fang showed leadership during her time at U of T /news/mentorship-and-machine-learning-graduating-student-irene-fang-leadership <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">From machine learning to mentorship, graduate Irene Fang showed leadership during her time at U of T</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-06/Irene-Fang-Headshot-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=irfKlNon 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-06/Irene-Fang-Headshot-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=5hUVIAaw 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-06/Irene-Fang-Headshot-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=zGob5OIz 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-06/Irene-Fang-Headshot-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=irfKlNon" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>siddiq22</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-06-22T13:43:55-04:00" title="Thursday, June 22, 2023 - 13:43" class="datetime">Thu, 06/22/2023 - 13:43</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>Irene Fang graduated with an honours bachelor of science degree, working on research&nbsp;that could lead to new treatments and therapies for immunocompromised patients (supplied photo)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/david-goldberg" hreflang="en">David Goldberg</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/6899" hreflang="en">Convocation 2023</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/immunology" hreflang="en">Immunology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/machine-learning" hreflang="en">machine learning</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medical-research" hreflang="en">Medical Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Even while undertaking complex research, the human biology and immunology student took the time to help her peers</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>While studying for her honours bachelor of science degree, new University of Toronto graduate <strong>Irene Fang</strong> capitalized on opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.</p> <p>Majoring in <a href="https://www.hmb.utoronto.ca/">human biology</a> and <a href="https://artsci.calendar.utoronto.ca/section/Immunology">immunology</a> in the <a href="https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a>, Fang researched innovative methods in ultrasound detection driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. She’s also working on research into cells and proteins in humans that could lead to new treatments and therapies for immunocompromised patients.</p> <p>Even amid&nbsp;that busy schedule, Fang was determined to help others succeed. As a senior academic peer advisor with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.trinity.utoronto.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Trinity College</a>, she was admired for her dedication to learning and the οcommunity.</p> <p>“I want to keep giving back because I am so appreciative of the upper-year mentors I connected with, starting in first year,” Fang says. “They continue to serve as an inspiration, motivating me to further develop personal and professional skills.”</p> <p>Fang spoke with Faculty of Arts &amp; Science writer <strong>David Goldberg</strong> about what she learned during her undergraduate studies, the importance of peer support and her post-graduation plans.</p> <hr> <p><strong>Why was οthe right place for you to earn your undergraduate degree?</strong></p> <p>οprovided a plethora of academic, research and experiential learning opportunities alongside a world-class faculty to help cultivate my curiosity and consolidate my knowledge. In conjunction with an unparalleled classroom experience, I gained a real-world perspective with international considerations through the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/academics/research-opportunities/research-opportunities-program">Research Opportunities Program</a>.</p> <p>I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention how extracurricular activities enhanced and enriched my university experience. The <a href="https://sop.utoronto.ca/groups/">many clubs</a> at οhelped me focus on my passions and make meaningful connections with like-minded peers who became my support network, enabling me to reach my full potential.</p> <p><strong>How is your area of study going to improve the life of the average person?</strong></p> <p>It is absolutely fascinating that AI has already revolutionized the medical field. Specifically, AI possesses the potential to aid in the classification of ultrasound images, enhancing early detection and diagnosis of internal bleeding because of injuries or hemophilia. Overall, AI may lead to more efficient care for patients, thereby improving health outcomes.</p> <p>In terms of my immunology research, since the memory B cells expressing the specific receptor are dysregulated in people suffering from some autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, a better understanding of how memory B cells are regulated could provide valuable insight into the underlying mechanisms of such diseases so we can enable scientists to develop new therapies that alleviate patients’ symptoms.</p> <p><strong>What are you hoping to do after graduation?</strong></p> <p>I aspire to pursue a career in the medical field, conduct more research and nurture my profound enthusiasm for science while interacting with a diverse group of people. I hope to devote my career to improving human health outcomes while engaging in knowledge translation to make science more accessible to everyone.</p> <p><strong>Why was working as a peer advisor at οimportant to you?</strong></p> <p>I remember feeling overwhelmed as a first-year student until I reached out to my academic peer advisors. Had I not chatted with them, I would not have known about&nbsp;– let alone applied for&nbsp;– my first research program. Looking back, it opened the door to many more new, incredible possibilities and opportunities.</p> <p>This experience made me realize the significance and power of mentorship, inspiring me to become an academic peer advisor. Seeing my mentees thrive and achieve their goals has made this role so rewarding&nbsp;– so much so that I am determined to engage in mentorship throughout my career after graduation.</p> <p><strong>What advice do you have for current and incoming students to get the most out of their οexperience?</strong></p> <p>Ask all questions&nbsp;– because there are no silly questions. Get involved, whether it be volunteering, partaking in work-study programs, sports or joining a club. Meeting new people and talking to strangers can be daunting, but the undergraduate career is a journey of exploration, learning and growth.</p> <p>Be open-minded and don’t be afraid to try something new. Immersing yourself in distinct fields enables you to discover your interests and passions, which can lead you to an unexpected but meaningful path.</p> <p>Also, be kind to yourself because failures are a normal part of the learning process&nbsp;– what’s important is that you take it as an opportunity to learn, grow and bolster your resilience.</p> <p>And finally, although academia and work can keep you busy, remember to allocate time for self-care. Exercise, sleep and pursue hobbies because mental health is integral for success in life.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:43:55 +0000 siddiq22 302075 at 'People need to take care of themselves': With new website, οprof seeks to create a path to well-being /news/people-need-take-care-themselves-new-website-u-t-prof-seeks-create-path-well-being <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'People need to take care of themselves': With new website, οprof seeks to create a path to well-being </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Frances-Garrett_Windvane-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cXszRgnr 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Frances-Garrett_Windvane-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=f0LCR10O 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Frances-Garrett_Windvane-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wvVk3ss6 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Frances-Garrett_Windvane-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cXszRgnr" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-03-24T11:58:10-04:00" title="Thursday, March 24, 2022 - 11:58" class="datetime">Thu, 03/24/2022 - 11:58</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Frances Garrett, an&nbsp;associate professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies, gave students assignments that promoted well-being throughout the pandemic and later turned the approach into a larger project called Windvane (photo courtesy of Frances Garrett)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/chris-sasaki" hreflang="en">Chris Sasaki</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/religion" hreflang="en">Religion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trinity-college" hreflang="en">Trinity College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“As we are blown by waves of grief or fires of rage, a global pandemic, climate disaster and social injustice, can we channel our energies into strengths?” The University of Toronto’s&nbsp;<strong>Frances Garrett </strong>hopes the answer will be&nbsp;“yes.”</p> <p>Garrett, an&nbsp;associate professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies in the University of Toronto’s department for the study of religion in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science,&nbsp;posed the question on her <a href="https://windvane.life/">recently launched website Windvane</a>, which&nbsp;gathers resources designed to help students understand and attend to their well-being.&nbsp;</p> <p>“During the pandemic, all of my online classes included assignments aimed at promoting student well-being because, I thought, people need to take care of themselves during this stressful time more than ever,” says Garrett, who is also&nbsp;director of the&nbsp;Buddhism, psychology and mental health program&nbsp;at&nbsp;New College.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Many of the students were appreciative of these assignments and said, ‘I never thought I should or could take care of myself.’ They found it very beneficial, and I decided I should make this self-care work into a bigger project.”</p> <p>Windvane is&nbsp;a collection of reflections, insights, exercises and practical resources to help students and other members of the οcommunity “put student flourishing at the centre of post-secondary course design.”</p> <p>It builds on knowledge Garrett has accumulated over the course of a career that has included studying&nbsp;the relationships between Buddhism and medicine, Buddhist travelogues and nature writing in Himalayan mountain cultures. She also practises experiential learning and outdoor education, and has a special interest in supporting students’ well-being.</p> <div class="media_embed" height="422px" width="750px"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BA9N4Bjhfr0" title="YouTube video player" width="750px"></iframe></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Among the resources are video interviews featuring faculty, students, alumni and staff from the οcommunity reflecting on and giving guidance about a myriad of topics.</p> <p>For example,&nbsp;<strong>Alistair Dias</strong>&nbsp;is an associate professor, teaching stream, in the&nbsp;human biology program. In a series of&nbsp;videos, he talks about how a strong mind-body connection is beneficial for healing both physical and mental conditions&nbsp;–&nbsp;and that by strengthening the mind-body connection through mindfulness, we can strengthen the brain’s ability to adapt and change.</p> <p><strong>Marsha Hewitt</strong>&nbsp;is a professor in the department for the study of religion and the&nbsp;Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College. Among a&nbsp;variety of topics, she talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic has traumatized us on a global scale, and how “now more than ever, it is important for educators to show deep care for their students.”</p> <p>The site describes the practice of using&nbsp;movement and physical activity&nbsp;– not simply to become fit or make our bodies look a certain way – but as “one avenue towards learning how to be deeply present.”</p> <p>In the section describing the practice of&nbsp;meditation, students learn about the mindfulness exercise of focused attention and how learning to focus is important in “quieting our minds, calming our anxieties, and strengthening our ability to choose presence.”</p> <p>There is also guidance on “putting Windvane into practice” by developing a&nbsp;personal plan for well-being.</p> <p>Windvane reflects Garrett’s view that the popular “wellness movement” neglects the understanding that an individual’s well-being often depends on their social, political and cultural circumstances. What it means to “be well” depends on factors that are particular to individuals.</p> <p>In other words, well-being is different for everyone.</p> <p>Windvane also provides practical help for achieving well-being with guidance in practices such as creativity, breathing, eating well and listening to music.</p> <p>“If we are experiencing racism, or living in poverty, or experiencing sexism or homophobia, or something else that has an impact on our well-being,” she says, “we can't just go and meditate on a cushion or take a yoga class and make those things go away.</p> <p>“We have to think about what well-being means for each of us as individuals. It might be different for you and me, and for people in different cultures. We have to consider what’s within our own power, and what requires a more collective action with support from other people and institutions.”</p> <p>The project is supported by&nbsp;eCampus Ontario's Virtual Learning Strategies program, which provides funding for improved access and innovation to digital resources for Ontario students.</p> <p>“Windvane is for students,” says Garrett. “But it's also for instructors, because I’d like this project to be used by all instructors in all disciplines in the classroom. Many of them think: ‘I'm not a psychologist; I'm not qualified to teach about well-being.’ Windvane is an attempt to give instructors the tools and the confidence to include something like this in their courses, no matter what subject they teach.</p> <p>“As university professors, it’s our responsibility to address well-being in our classes. It just doesn't make sense anymore to have a class where you're not addressing the current reality of students’ lives.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 24 Mar 2022 15:58:10 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 173575 at 'Hidden hunger': οcourse examines global impacts of diets lacking key micronutrients /news/hidden-hunger-u-t-course-examines-global-impacts-diets-lacking-key-micronutrients <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">'Hidden hunger': οcourse examines global impacts of diets lacking key micronutrients</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1319926338-crop_0.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K4vbsr7p 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1319926338-crop_0.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=NCA35fOf 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1319926338-crop_0.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gDAp9uht 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-04/GettyImages-1319926338-crop_0.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K4vbsr7p" alt="A woman holding a mug."> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-01-03T15:23:21-05:00" title="Monday, January 3, 2022 - 15:23" class="datetime">Mon, 01/03/2022 - 15:23</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p>Micronutrient deficiencies can occur because food is not prepared properly or is not combined with other foods in an optimal way – such as eating a fortified breakfast cereal with a morning coffee (photo by Adene Sanchez/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/chris-sasaki" hreflang="en">Chris Sasaki</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trinity-college" hreflang="en">Trinity College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">οMississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For both instructor and students, the University of Toronto’s “Global Hidden Hunger” course holds special meaning because of their own personal experiences.</p> <p>The course, offered by the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science’s&nbsp;human biology program&nbsp;(HMB), looks at the causes and impact around the world of diets lacking in micronutrients like vitamin A, folate, iodine, zinc, iron and vitamin D.&nbsp;</p> <p>In contrast to the hunger and malnutrition caused by a lack of macronutrients like protein and carbohydrates – which many associate with the Global South – hidden hunger caused by a lack of micronutrients is found in both the Global South and North. And while it may not make the same types of headlines as famine, hidden hunger still affects half the world’s population.</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/Leanne-R-De-Souza-Kenney-crop.jpeg" width="300" height="400" alt="Leanne DeSouza"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Leanne De Souza Kenney (photo courtesy of Kenney)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>“When my family immigrated to Canada, we had to make some difficult choices about what kinds of food we could eat,” says&nbsp;<strong>Leanne De Souza-Kenney</strong>,&nbsp;assistant professor, teaching stream, the HMB program. “I remember that it was a big deal when we could put meat on the table and a luxury when we were able to have fresh vegetables.”</p> <p>The course,&nbsp;originally created by HMB associate professor&nbsp;<strong>Alistair Dias</strong>,<strong>&nbsp;</strong>was taught by De Souza-Kenney in the summer of 2021 and again in the fall. οMississauga’s&nbsp;<strong>Eve Hammed&nbsp;</strong>took the course in the summer and&nbsp;says she<strong>&nbsp;</strong>realized she herself suffered from micronutrient deficiencies.</p> <p>“The problem of hidden hunger is not exclusively a socioeconomic or geographical problem,” says Hammed. “It’s more widespread than I realized, but it’s less visible and, as a result, rarely addressed. It’s not part of the conversation we usually have about food security and poverty. That was eye-opening.”</p> <p>Micronutrient deficiencies occur for a variety of often intersecting reasons including inadequate access to food, either because it’s not physically available or is not affordable. This happens in regions like Canada’s North but so-called “food deserts” also exist in cities like Toronto.</p> <p>Another factor contributing to hidden hunger is a lack of knowledge. For example, micronutrient deficiencies can also occur because food is not prepared properly or is not combined with other foods in an optimal way.</p> <p>For example,&nbsp;spinach is a good source of iron&nbsp;but if it’s not prepared properly, that iron remains locked up in the cells of the plant, providing us with no nutrition. Plus, when you consume iron-rich food like a fortified breakfast cereal, the micronutrient is less available to you because you’re combining it with the caffeine in your morning coffee.</p> <p>In both the summer and fall, the course had a significant community-engagement component involving the Vancouver-based&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uniquegettogethersociety.com/">Unique Get Together Society (UGTS)</a>. Founded and run by Debra Abraham, the society provides a wide range of services, including nutritional support, as well as resources for Black, Indigenous and other underserved communities and families.</p> <p>“I’ve never heard from someone with quite the knowledge and life experiences of Debra,” says&nbsp;<strong>Matisse Blundell</strong>, a member of&nbsp;Woodsworth College who took the course in the summer. “She shared some very sobering personal stories with us which exposed the impact of systemic trauma on Indigenous Canadians. It was a powerful experience.”</p> <p>Students took the information they gained through the course and their own research about specific micronutrients and shared it with UGTS and members of the society’s community. The students looked at the foods available to the people in the community and provided shopping and menu recommendations for avoiding micronutrient deficiencies.</p> <p>They also developed projects designed to help UGTS and organizations like it fight hidden hunger.</p> <p>οMississauga student&nbsp;<strong>Pooja Dey</strong>&nbsp;and her team proposed a project that harnessed “mobile health” (mHealth) technology to provide health-care support via mobile apps, text messages or voice messages to at risk populations. For example, the technology would help women who – because they are pregnant or who in the past year have given birth – may be iron deficient by providing them with dietary guidance, as well as daily prompts to take their supplements.</p> <p>“As science students, we see the power of research and knowledge,” says Dey. “But often&nbsp;this knowledge isn’t accessible to the general population – and certainly not to vulnerable groups. Being able to translate this information about iron deficiency and by taking advantage of mHealth interventions, we hope to empower women&nbsp;and support their agency and decision-making.”</p> <p>With the success of the summer course, De Souza-Kenney expanded the scope in the fall by adding a global community engagement partnership to the existing relationship with UGTS. Supported by&nbsp;<a href="https://learningabroad.utoronto.ca/gc-home/">οGlobal Classroom</a>&nbsp;funding, that collaboration is with&nbsp;Landmark University and&nbsp;Covenant&nbsp;University in Nigeria&nbsp;– both of which focus on agriculture and food security.</p> <p>In the fall course, Canadian and Nigerian students developed proposals to fight global hidden hunger and food security.</p> <p>Trinity College student&nbsp;<strong>Alexander Nassar</strong>&nbsp;and his team are working on a project to fortify tea with vitamin B12. Their target population are the elderly, a demographic that can suffer from vitamin B deficiency and that consumes large amounts of tea.</p> <p>“Since we are collaborating with Nigerian universities, we also wanted the idea to be accessible for rural populations in Nigeria,” says Nassar. “Informal medicine vendors travel to those areas to distribute standard pharmaceutical products, and we thought tea could be easily distributed this way. Tea is also inexpensive and is a relatively stable product to carry around.”</p> <p>The projects aren’t just for marks. They will be evaluated and three will receive funding to make them a reality.</p> <p>In addition to turning student proposals into projects, De Souza-Kenney is hopeful that the course will have a lasting effect on students.</p> <p>“I really hope they will be inspired to look at careers where they get to use this information and affect change in meaningful ways,” she says.</p> <p>“I hope that this gives them some direction in addressing the human right for food and nutrition, and direction in fighting inequities that stem from the color of your skin, low income, the fact you are a new immigrant&nbsp;or are from a single parent family.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 03 Jan 2022 20:23:21 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 301215 at COVID-19: After studying elder care, οstudents form group to support seniors and front-line staff /news/covid-19-after-studying-elder-care-u-t-students-form-group-support-seniors-and-front-line-staff <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">COVID-19: After studying elder care, οstudents form group to support seniors and front-line staff </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/SAGE%20photos-inside3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZgieAAQg 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/SAGE%20photos-inside3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4ROepYYE 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/SAGE%20photos-inside3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=H2QHHJn- 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/SAGE%20photos-inside3.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZgieAAQg" alt="Photo of Vanessa Rezai-Stevens, wearing a blue mask, and holding two cardboard carafes of coffee"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-08-20T11:44:16-04:00" title="Thursday, August 20, 2020 - 11:44" class="datetime">Thu, 08/20/2020 - 11:44</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Recent graduate Vanessa Rezai-Stevens delivers coffee to long-term care facility staff (photo courtesy of SAGE)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sean-mcneely" hreflang="en">Sean McNeely</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/coronavirus" hreflang="en">Coronavirus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trinity-college" hreflang="en">Trinity College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A group of students and recent graduates from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts &amp; Science are pitching in to help support long-term care workers and seniors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>Seven students who are taking a course that covers topics such as Alzheimer’s, aging and elder care&nbsp;created the&nbsp;Student Association for Geriatric Empowerment&nbsp;(SAGE) earlier this spring.</p> <p>Co-founder&nbsp;<strong>Rowaida Hussein</strong>, who just graduated with an honours&nbsp;bachelor of science degree with a double major in neuroscience and cell and molecular biology, says SAGE’s mission is to support front-line workers and elderly people during the COVID-19 crisis.</p> <p>“As a former volunteer at a long-term care facility, I can't imagine how residents are feeling.&nbsp;I can't imagine how staff are feeling,” says Hussein, who was a member of&nbsp;Trinity College. “We’re in a position right now as students to do something and help out, so why not?”</p> <p>SAGE is currently working on four projects to help senior residents and staff during the ongoing pandemic, focusing on supporting three long-term care facilities in the GTA.</p> <p>The first initiative, dubbed the “Community Care Project,”&nbsp;involves partnering with businesses and restaurants to provide long-term care staff with coffee, baked goods, meals, energy drinks and self-care products.</p> <p>The second project, called “Companion Calls,” involves volunteer students reaching out to residents in senior homes to combat isolation and loneliness.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/SAGE%20photos-lead.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Rowaida&nbsp;Hussein, co-founder of SAGE,&nbsp;in Amsterdam during a class trip to tour senior care facilities (photo courtesy of SAGE)</em></p> <p>The second project is led by <strong>Vanessa Rezai-Stevens</strong>,&nbsp;who also graduated in June with an honours bachelor of science degree and a major in&nbsp;neuroscience and minor in immunology and forest conservation.&nbsp;She was a member of&nbsp;St. Michael’s College.</p> <p>“These are video chats between student volunteers and residents,” says Rezai-Stevens, who is working at the O’Neill Centre for long-term care in Toronto this summer. “Even just a short conversation with a friendly person can make all the difference in their day.”</p> <p>Upcoming projects include “Encouragement Notes,” which involves&nbsp;volunteers sending personal letters to front-line workers expressing how much their efforts and commitment are appreciated.</p> <p>“These are the people who have devoted their careers to caring for one of the most vulnerable populations, despite dangerous working conditions,” says Rezai-Stevens. “I saw first-hand how hard nursing and care staff were working to keep residents healthy and safe. They really deserve everyone’s utmost gratitude and appreciation.”</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/SAGE%20photos-inside1.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Vanessa&nbsp;Rezai-Stevens&nbsp;is leading SAGE’s Companion Calls project, with volunteers reaching out to seniors through video calls (photo courtesy of SAGE)</em></p> <p>Later this summer SAGE also plans to unveil its “Bloom Together” gardening project, giving residents the chance to boost their emotional and mental well-being.</p> <p>“Gardening is really helpful at nursing homes&nbsp;–&nbsp;it increases social engagement and the feeling of community,” says Hussein. “We thought,&nbsp;‘It's summer, let's try and sponsor some tools, flowers and soil. We're getting packages together very soon.’”</p> <p>In addition to their οlectures and course materials, Hussein, Rezai-Stevens and other SAGE members say they were motivated to act after joining their professor on a class trip to Amsterdam to learn about new strategies and social innovations for caring for seniors in Europe.</p> <p>“We visited long-term care facilities to see the kinds of social and structural systems that they have in place to enhance the quality of life for their elderly,” says <strong>Franco Taverna</strong>, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science’s human biology program who taught the class that inspired the student group. “That trip really inspired them to explore opportunities here.</p> <p>“I’m very impressed with what they’ve been able to accomplish.”</p> <p>Hussein says the class coupled with the pandemic’s devastating impact on Canada’s&nbsp;long-term care sector caused a light bulb to go off.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Something clicked in my mind,” says Hussein. “I can't just sit there with all the knowledge that we've gained.”</p> <p>SAGE is looking for more volunteers for all of their projects and encourages students to follow their activities on social media.</p> <p>“The message that has come across the most to me from our efforts is: ‘Thank you for thinking of us’, which tells me we haven't been doing enough as a community,” says Hussein. “It's really touching to hear but this means there’s more work to do.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 20 Aug 2020 15:44:16 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 165516 at Firm founded by οalumnus to supply Ontario with nearly one million portable COVID-19 test kits /news/firm-founded-u-t-alumnus-supply-ontario-nearly-one-million-portable-covid-19-test-kits <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Firm founded by οalumnus to supply Ontario with nearly one million portable COVID-19 test kits</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Paul%20Lem_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3GGpvEgU 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Paul%20Lem_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=J3EzELKA 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Paul%20Lem_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=61AbDkNJ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Paul%20Lem_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3GGpvEgU" alt="a close up of a hand holding up a Spartan Bioscience cube"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-04-03T12:26:30-04:00" title="Friday, April 3, 2020 - 12:26" class="datetime">Fri, 04/03/2020 - 12:26</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo courtesy of Spartan Bioscience)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/michael-mckinnon" hreflang="en">Michael McKinnon</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/coronavirus" hreflang="en">Coronavirus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>Update May 4, 2020: Health Canada has said it wants to run additional testing on Spartan Bioscience's test kit</em></p> <p>The Government of Ontario is purchasing nearly one million portable COVID-19 test kits from Spartan Bioscience, a biotech firm led by a University of Toronto alumnus.</p> <p>The portable Spartan Cubes, <a href="/news/firm-led-u-t-alumnus-joins-fight-against-covid-19-portable-test-kit">which drew the attention of the federal government last month</a>, can provide results in as little as 30 minutes.</p> <p>“We think portable, rapid COVID-19 testing will be important to help control the pandemic,”&nbsp;says <strong>Paul Lem</strong>, CEO of Spartan Bioscience.&nbsp;“It is gratifying to see a made-in-Canada solution helping Canadians.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Spartan’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spartanbio.com/company/news/ontario-ramps-up-covid-19-testing-by-purchasing-over-900-000-testing-kits/">announcement&nbsp;of its plan to provide more than 900,000 kits to Ontario</a> follows news of a $9.5-million contract between Spartan and Alberta Health Services for 250 handheld devices and 100,000 test kits. Both purchases are pending Health Canada approval, with the first shipments expected to arrive next month.</p> <p>“We think it’s a game changer,” says Lem, who earned his bachelor of science in human biology from U of T’s Faculty of Arts &amp; Science in 1998 as a member of University College. He received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 2002 before returning to U of T’s medical microbiology residency program.</p> <p>By adapting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 DNA test to its own Spartan Cube, Spartan Bioscience is bringing portable testing to remote locations across the country – and ultimately around the world.</p> <p>The Cube is a small box-like device that collects and analyzes DNA without the need to send samples to a traditional lab, making it ideal for in-field diagnostic testing.</p> <p>“This is our whole reason for existing,” says Lem. “Our mission has always been to bring DNA testing out of the lab and into these portable personal DNA analyzers.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:26:30 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 163963 at Firm led by οalumnus joins fight against COVID-19 with portable test kit /news/firm-led-u-t-alumnus-joins-fight-against-covid-19-portable-test-kit <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Firm led by οalumnus joins fight against COVID-19 with portable test kit</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Paul%20Lem.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sFsz8KkK 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Paul%20Lem.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=R6jgJWnB 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Paul%20Lem.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=t5vUsJcy 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Paul%20Lem.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sFsz8KkK" alt="Paul Lem holds up one of his Spartan cubes"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-03-25T11:18:39-04:00" title="Wednesday, March 25, 2020 - 11:18" class="datetime">Wed, 03/25/2020 - 11:18</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Paul Lem, a οalumnus and the CEO of Spartan Bioscience, holds up his company's Spartan Cube, a handheld diagnostic kit that Spartan is adapting so it can be used to test for COVID-19 (photo by Alex Collier/Spartan Bioscience)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/michael-mckinnon" hreflang="en">Michael McKinnon</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/coronavirus" hreflang="en">Coronavirus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A University of Toronto alumnus&nbsp;is behind a biotech firm that could soon be bringing portable COVID-19 tests to communities across the country — and ultimately around the world.&nbsp;</p> <p>Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced the federal government is working with Spartan Bioscience — led by CEO <strong>Paul Lem </strong>— to adapt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 DNA test to its own Spartan Cube. Lem predicts the mobile, hand-held diagnostic kit, which provides test results in just 30 minutes, could be ready for this use in as few as eight weeks.</p> <p>“We think it’s a game changer,” says Lem, who earned his bachelor’s degree&nbsp;in human biology from U of T&nbsp;in 1998 as a member of University College. He received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 2002 before returning to U of T’s medical microbiology residency program.</p> <p>“We’re seeing headlines about how there’s a global shortage in testing," Lem adds. "Canada is no exception; we have a huge shortage across the entire country. We also have remote towns and northern communities where they collect swabs and sometimes can’t get results back for nine or 10 days, and the virus is spreading in the meantime. Especially in a country like ours that’s so spread out, we’re going to need these portable testing devices to control COVID-19.”</p> <p>The cube collects and analyzes DNA without the need to send samples to a traditional lab, making it ideal for in-field diagnostic testing.</p> <p>Spartan’s technology already has regulatory approvals worldwide, including from Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and in Europe. Spartan’s customers include leading organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, the CDC and&nbsp;the New York State Department of Health, as well as&nbsp;Fortune 500 companies.</p> <p>Lem says the pandemic has created an all-hands-on-deck situation, with all of Spartan’s 70 staff devoted to adapting the CDC’s test to the cube&nbsp;</p> <p>“This is our whole reason for existing,” explains Lem. “Our mission has always been to bring DNA testing out of the lab and into these portable, personal DNA analyzers. It’s like home pregnancy tests or home glucose tests that gave everyone access to their test results.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We’re seeing in real time how powerful it would be to have portable COVID-19 tests: Imagine every school, community centre, town, small hospital having access to these rapid results. We have a huge responsibility to get these tests in the hands of Canadians as fast as possible.”&nbsp;</p> <p>In addition to adapting the CDC's test for the disease and getting Health Canada's emergency approval, Spartan Bioscience will have to ramp up production to build what is likely to be hundreds of thousands of devices.&nbsp;</p> <p>Spartan got closer to securing the funding it will need when Navdeep Bains, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, announced the government is leveraging its purchasing power to ensure Canadian innovations, such as the Spartan Cube, can start saving lives sooner. As confirmed by Trudeau the same day, the federal government has signed a letter of intent with Spartan Bioscience and two other Canadian companies, <a href="/news/firm-founded-u-t-researchers-manufacture-portable-ventilators-covid-19-patients">including one co-founded by U of T's Joe Fisher</a>,&nbsp;to fight the pandemic. &nbsp;</p> <p>“We know Canadian companies are among the most innovative and agile in the world, and we are very confident that we’re going to be able to work with them to respond to the pressing needs in our health-care system,” Trudeau said at a news conference. &nbsp;</p> <p>Lem said that announcement was validation for the hard work he and his team put into Spartan Bioscience since its founding 14 years ago.&nbsp;</p> <p>“We all felt really honoured,” says Lem. “This reminds us why we come into work each day. People’s lives are at stake. The work we do is important.”&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 25 Mar 2020 15:18:39 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 163864 at οresearcher’s active-learning app bridges gap between students and instructors /news/u-t-researcher-s-active-learning-app-bridges-gap-between-students-and-instructors <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">οresearcher’s active-learning app bridges gap between students and instructors</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT15030_20180825_Geography%26Planning-AnelyseWeiler_9138.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=IPWWfhL0 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT15030_20180825_Geography%26Planning-AnelyseWeiler_9138.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=OezTtzRP 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT15030_20180825_Geography%26Planning-AnelyseWeiler_9138.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4LQqt-Li 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT15030_20180825_Geography%26Planning-AnelyseWeiler_9138.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=IPWWfhL0" alt="Photos of students in a classroom"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-02-03T11:28:30-05:00" title="Monday, February 3, 2020 - 11:28" class="datetime">Mon, 02/03/2020 - 11:28</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The app – called Team Up! – allows students to work together on problems in real time while providing immediate feedback to both instructors and students (photo by Diana Tyszko)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/chris-sasaki" hreflang="en">Chris Sasaki</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cell-and-systems-biology" hreflang="en">Cell and Systems Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ecology-evolutionary-biology" hreflang="en">Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/teaching" hreflang="en">Teaching</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A class of 1,500 students in the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall presents a number of challenges for instructors.&nbsp;</p> <p>How do you make lectures engaging and interactive? How do you know if students understand a concept and are ready to move on to the next? How do you get students to learn together?</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Melody%20Neumann_0205%20%281%29.jpg" alt>To cope with these challenges,&nbsp;<strong>Melody Neumann</strong>, an associate professor, teaching stream in the department of cell and systems biology in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science,<strong>&nbsp;</strong>developed an active-learning tool called Team Up! that was made available&nbsp;to classes across the university earlier this year.</p> <p>The secure browser-based app,which&nbsp;works on a phone, iPad or laptop,&nbsp;allows students to work together on problems in real time while providing immediate feedback to both instructors and students.&nbsp;The software, supported by U of T’s learning management system Quercus, also enables partial marks for approximate answers and is free to use, unlike classroom response tools such as Top Hat.</p> <p>Team Up! is not just for Con Hall-sized classes, but for any class – including online – where the opportunity for interaction between instructors and students is limited.&nbsp;</p> <p>Neumann’s research focuses on many aspects of undergraduate teaching, including the development of innovative and evidence-based practices.</p> <p>“I love teaching,” Neumann says. “I love empowering students. I've always been interested in using technology to teach and technology has now advanced to the point where Team Up! is possible.</p> <p>“Plus, it’s based on evidence that shows us the best way to teach.”</p> <p><strong>Megan Frederickson<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></strong>, an associate professor in the&nbsp;department of ecology and&nbsp;evolutionary biology<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span>, uses Team Up! in her&nbsp;adaptation and biodiversity<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span>&nbsp;(BIO120) course, which she teaches in Convocation Hall to more than 1,700 students.</p> <p>“Team Up! helps make a big course like BIO120 more interactive,” says Frederickson, “especially because it allows students to answer questions about the lecture material in small groups, in real time. This is a great way to learn new concepts.”</p> <p><strong>Brian Wilson<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></strong>&nbsp;is a sessional lecturer in the&nbsp;department of physics<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span>&nbsp;who has used Team Up! in two different courses.</p> <p>“With Team Up!, I take a standard physics problem and break it down into three to five steps,” says Wilson. “Each of these is its own question, which students keep working on until they get it correct. That means they learn what they need to&nbsp;before going on to the next step. They work in groups for 10 to 15 minutes while I walk around and help anyone who still needs help.”</p> <p>Even in a class with hundreds of students, Team Up! lets instructors know how their students are doing.</p> <p>“It helps me understand what aspects of the lecture material are clear and what aspects students are still confused about,” says Frederickson.</p> <p>“In a large classroom, getting audience feedback about whether something we discussed makes sense is a challenge,” says Wilson. “Any audience response system helps with this, but Team Up! is better because students instantly find out if they’re wrong and have an opportunity for discussion with each other before trying a second time.”</p> <p>“Also, the default is that they work in teams. And the team gets to give only one answer, so they should be trying to convince each other that they are correct. This helps foster active, peer-based learning.”</p> <p>The app has also garnered praise&nbsp;from the wider academic community. In 2016, Team Up! won the annual IMS Global Learning Consortium’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imsglobal.org/article/ims-global-announces-winners-3rd-annual-connected-learning-innovation-app-challenge" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Connected Learning Innovation App Challenge<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></a>. More recently, it placed second in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.academic-conferences.org/conferences/ecel/ecel-future-and-past/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">e-Learning Excellence Awards<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></a>&nbsp;at the 18th European Conference on e-Learning in Copenhagen.</p> <p>Neumann developed Team Up! with the help of her faculty partners,&nbsp;<strong>Michelle French<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></strong>, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the Faculty of Medicine’s&nbsp;department of physiology<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span>, and&nbsp;<strong>Franco Taverna<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></strong>, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the&nbsp;human biology program<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span>.&nbsp;</p> <p>The collaboration also included U of T’s&nbsp;<a href="https://act.utoronto.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Academic &amp; Collaborative Technologies<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></a>&nbsp;(ACT),&nbsp;<a href="https://onlinelearning.utoronto.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Online Learning Strategies<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></a>&nbsp;(OLS) and&nbsp;<a href="https://its.utoronto.ca/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Information Technology Services<span aria-label="(link is external)"></span></a>&nbsp;(ITS).</p> <p>Team Up! was used&nbsp;in 10 courses by some 6,000 students in&nbsp;2018-2019 before being rolled out university-wide.</p> <p>Now, Neumann is looking to enhance Team Up! by adding further functionality and encouraging more of her colleagues to adopt it.</p> <p>“It's important that these homegrown tools continue to evolve and I’m looking forward to seeing people use it in ways that I never expected,” she says.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:28:30 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 162034 at οfaculty recognized for enhancing student experience at annual Excellence in Teaching Reception /news/u-t-faculty-recognized-enhancing-student-experience-annual-excellence-teaching-reception <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden"> οfaculty recognized for enhancing student experience at annual Excellence in Teaching Reception</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/1018TeachingAwards003_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qHuD46Gu 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/1018TeachingAwards003_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Wjlvc608 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/1018TeachingAwards003_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Mcmo6oF0 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/1018TeachingAwards003_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qHuD46Gu" alt="From left to right: Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President and Provost, Matthew Sergi, (with daughter Clio Glenn-Sergi) Anne McGuire,, and Toula Kourgiantakis, in the Gallery Grill "> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>perry.king</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-10-21T16:56:29-04:00" title="Monday, October 21, 2019 - 16:56" class="datetime">Mon, 10/21/2019 - 16:56</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">From left to right: Cheryl Regehr, vice-president and provost, Matthew Sergi with daughter Clio Glenn-Sergi, Anne McGuire and Toula Kourgiantakis (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/perry-king" hreflang="en">Perry King</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/early-career-teaching-award" hreflang="en">Early Career Teaching Award</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/awards" hreflang="en">Awards</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cheryl-regehr" hreflang="en">Cheryl Regehr</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/english" hreflang="en">English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/factor-inwentash-faculty-social-work" hreflang="en">Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/immunology" hreflang="en">Immunology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/new-college" hreflang="en">New College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/teaching" hreflang="en">Teaching</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">οMississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Inside a crowded Hart House Gallery Grill, the University of Toronto recognized some of its best and brightest teachers – and asked them to help further improve the οstudent experience.</p> <p>The reception, held every year,&nbsp;recognizes faculty members who have won teaching-related awards from οand external institutions.</p> <p><strong>Cheryl Regehr</strong>, U of T’s vice-president and provost, praised the dozens of teachers in attendence and congratulated&nbsp;them on their honours, noting that their work in the classroom plays a key role in helping οachieve a top global ranking&nbsp;and high marks&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-top-public-university-north-america-employability-times-higher-education-ranking">in graduate employability</a>.</p> <p>“The work that you do is incredible,” said&nbsp;Regehr,&nbsp;“and you have a profound impact on our students and the way in which they experience learning and are prepared for the world.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Regehr asked those in attendance to go further in their work. In addition to taking on more leadership and mentorship opportunities, she encouraged faculty to help οbetter connect with its students and suggested the award-winners lend their insights to departments and faculties to help enhance student and classroom spaces.</p> <p>“By changing policies, changing space and creating opportunities for connection, we can improve the lives of our students,” Regehr said.</p> <p>The reception formally presented plaques to <a href="/news/creativity-passion-and-genuine-sense-leadership-four-u-t-faculty-honoured-early-career-teaching">winners of this year’s Early Career Teaching Award</a>, which are given to faculty in the early stages of their career who go above and beyond to help students learn. Three of the four winners&nbsp;–&nbsp;<strong>Anne McGuire</strong>, <strong>Matthew Sergi</strong> and <strong>Toula Kourgiantakis&nbsp;–&nbsp;</strong>were in&nbsp;attendance to&nbsp;accepted their plaques.</p> <p><em>οNews </em>asked the early-career award winners&nbsp;and three other&nbsp;faculty members at the event what they can do to continue enhancing the student experience at U of T. Here’s what they said:</p> <hr> <h4>Toula Kourgiantakis</h4> <p><em>Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work<br> Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1018TeachingAwards001_0.jpg" alt="Portrait of Toula Kourgiantakis"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“I want to continue being curious, I don’t want to stop. I continue reminding myself that even when you have been doing this for 10, 20, 30 years, I am still a learner myself. Yes, I am bringing in some of my knowledge, but I am also really interested and curious about [students’] knowledge and experiences.</p> <p>“I think that makes for a nice partnership and, hopefully, a springboard for students. It pulls out their strengths and helps them to actualize some of heir own strengths as they move forward in their own educational and professional careers.”</p> <h4>Matthew Sergi</h4> <p><em>Assistant Professor, Department of English, Faculty of Arts &amp; Science<br> Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1018TeachingAwards005_0.jpg" alt="Portrait of Matthew Sergi with daughter Clio Glenn-Sergi on his shoulders"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“I believe that, for the humanities,&nbsp;there’s a number of crises where the humanities are asking itself what it’s for in new ways. I think that the primary growth edge of that conversation happens around accommodations of accessibility and disability in the classroom.</p> <p>“Given all the new media that we’re facing off with, it makes us start to pay attention to how to read and what it means to read. I am a professor of dramatic literature, so there’s questions about how the body reads, how the voice works, how the senses are involved in an active performance. Those correspond to questions that students with accommodation needs, their advocates and I have been working on – trying to figure out how to accommodate diverse students, with diverse modes of learning, in ways that are fundamentally part of the course.</p> <p>“In doing it, it makes it stronger for everyone. I’ve learned that in a new way this year.”</p> <h4>Anne McGuire</h4> <p><em>Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, New College<br> Early Career Teaching Award</em></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1018TeachingAwards006_0.jpg" alt="Portrait of Anne McGuire"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“I have been trying to build my courses around the principle of collective access, which is a practice in disability studies that really complicates the idea of individual accommodations by saying ‘Hey, we’re in this together, so how can instructors, TAs and students make and share a classroom that works for us, where we all can learn and be comfortable?</p> <p>“Collective access could be as simple as making a conscious effort to learn and use each other's names&nbsp;–&nbsp;even in the bigger courses – so that as a group&nbsp;we can feel more connected to each other and&nbsp;more invested in each other’s learning and perspectives."</p> <h4>Tania Watts</h4> <p><em>Professor, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine<br> JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award (co-winner)</em></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1018TeachingAwards002_0.jpg" alt="Portrait of Tania Watts "></p> <p>“In the classroom, it’s really important to not just give [students] the facts, but to really give context. Also, trying to teach them the way to think about science and how to look at things. In the lab, I think it’s really important to teach them critical thinking, how you can be critical yet supportive at the same time. It’s not about a right or wrong answer, but doing the work well and trying to get the truth as opposed to what we think it should be.”</p> <h4>Shay Fuchs</h4> <p><em>Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, οMississauga<br> University of Toronto Mississauga Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Fellowship</em></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1018TeachingAwards004_0.jpg" alt="Portrait of Shay Fuchs"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“Enhancing the student experience&nbsp;– that really never ends. There’s always new things:&nbsp;The students are changing, the environment is changing, so the way I learned and the way people in my cohort were learning, in terms of pedagogy,&nbsp;doesn’t necessarily work for many of our students.</p> <p>“Keeping up to date and making changes and updates to our courses, the way we teach, how we use technology and being up to date about learning habits are key. This is something that really never ends and part of it is keeping up with changes in your clients and updating your methods and tools to make them more suitable for your students.”</p> <h4>Franco Taverna</h4> <p><em>Associate Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Arts &amp; Science<br> Faculty of Arts &amp; Science Outstanding Teaching Award</em></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/1018TeachingAwards007_0.jpg" alt="Portrait of Franco Taverna"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“My focus, currently,&nbsp;has been on experiential learning in the community-engaged space and&nbsp;providing students more opportunities to learn in the community – to apply what they learn, apply their discipline knowledge in the community, to apply their passion and motivation to make a difference in other people’s lives.</p> <p>“Helping [students] build professional, community engagement, communication skills – these are all very important career development skills so they’re better prepared to move into careers and progress in their careers&nbsp;and be successful after graduation.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 21 Oct 2019 20:56:29 +0000 perry.king 159773 at Undergraduate students hone research skills at human biology lab 'boot camp' /news/undergraduate-students-hone-research-skills-human-biology-lab-boot-camp <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Undergraduate students hone research skills at human biology lab 'boot camp'</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/HMB-bootcamp-Weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WrT1RVdm 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/HMB-bootcamp-Weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=uKcAgKXm 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/HMB-bootcamp-Weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Q3VTyIhS 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/HMB-bootcamp-Weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WrT1RVdm" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-08-21T13:33:40-04:00" title="Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 13:33" class="datetime">Wed, 08/21/2019 - 13:33</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">οundergraduate students conducted a simulated research project over the course of a two-week human biology lab boot camp designed to provide hands-on research experience in a wet lab (photo by Diana Tyszko)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/chris-sasaki" hreflang="en">Chris Sasaki</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cell-and-systems-biology" hreflang="en">Cell and Systems Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/immunology" hreflang="en">Immunology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>&nbsp;</p> <p>After an intensive two weeks, the 49 undergraduate students enrolled in a human biology lab boot camp achieved the program’s primary goal: acquiring the “wet lab” skills and research experience that students often aren’t exposed to until graduate school.</p> <p>The students – who come from a variety of life science programs – learned lab techniques and how to work with lab equipment, chemicals and biological materials as they designed and carried out a research project in molecular biology.</p> <p>The undergraduate students also gained valuable insight into what a career in research is like.</p> <p>“For students who don’t know what they want to do yet but think they might want to pursue a career in research,&nbsp;the hands-on experience helps them decide,” says <strong>Colleen Dockstader, </strong>an assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of&nbsp;human biology and a co-creator of the program.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Dockstader_web-embed.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>The boot camp was the brainchild of&nbsp;Colleen Dockstader (above) and Melanie Woodin, who is the dean of the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science (photo by Chris Sasaki)&nbsp;</em></p> <p>At the boot camp, students designed their own study to investigate the role of a particular protein in the function of neuronal cells and looked at the abundance of the same protein in healthy and diseased brain tissue.</p> <p>Yet, for many attendees, the confidence gained from the two weeks was even more important than acquiring lab skills and research experience.</p> <p>“I’m now confident I can apply the techniques I learned in a wide range of situations – in research, academia or a non-academic setting,” says <strong>Elisa Cohen</strong>, a fourth-year University College student working on a double major in immunology and health and disease.</p> <p>“Students told us they applied for jobs they wouldn’t otherwise have applied for because of the confidence they got from the program," Dockstader says.&nbsp;“One student said she applied for a job and got an interview, and the confidence she had in her interview was because she understood the research experience and felt good about herself. And, in the end, she got the job.”</p> <p>The boot camp, first run last year, was the brainchild of Dockstader and <strong>Melanie Woodin</strong>, a neuroscientist in the department of cell and systems biology who is now dean of the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science. The idea was sparked by the pair’s observation that undergraduates were not getting the experiential research and lab training they needed based on reports by recent graduates that they weren’t prepared for research – an assessment echoed by their supervisors.</p> <p>With an Ontario government&nbsp;grant, Woodin and Dockstader turned their idea into reality.</p> <p>“We came up with the concept of a boot camp,” Dockstader says, “because we wanted it to be like an exercise boot camp where you work really hard. You plow through it and you go, go, go for two weeks straight.”</p> <p>In addition to the lab and research experience they gained, students also received valuable career guidance from lab instructors and facilitators including Dockstader and <strong>Jasty Singh</strong>, an assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of immunology, as well as post-doctoral ressearchers and senior graduate students.</p> <p><strong>Martin Mak</strong>, a fourth-year Woodsworth College student majoring in immunology and human biology, says that while learning lab techniques was important, “even more helpful was the guidance I received from the facilitators about my academic career path.</p> <p>“They gave exceptional advice that’s really helping me plan my future.”</p> <p>Describing the dynamic between students and instructors, Dockstader says, “The students would pick their brains and ask them: How did you get to where you are now? What do you think I should do?</p> <p>“The students found it extremely valuable.”</p> <p>Guidance also came during career development sessions with speakers from industry and from U of T’s Career Centre.</p> <p>“I was very thankful that we got to hear from career advisers as well as professionals from outside research regarding what our possible next steps could be,” says Cohen.</p> <p>“Yes, we’re an academic institution – we have a great med school and a great graduate school,” says Dockstader. “But we also want students to realize there are many different paths to take.</p> <p>“There are so many other ways to apply your science degree.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 21 Aug 2019 17:33:40 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 157794 at As spring convocation wraps up, six οgraduates offer advice to future students /news/spring-convocation-wraps-six-new-u-t-graduates-offer-advice-future-students <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">As spring convocation wraps up, six οgraduates offer advice to future students</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/group%20photo.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qvtbNqU_ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/group%20photo.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=PIOBUIjm 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/group%20photo.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=2iUk5do0 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/group%20photo.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qvtbNqU_" alt="Composite photo of six Arts &amp; Science graduates"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-06-21T11:35:31-04:00" title="Friday, June 21, 2019 - 11:35" class="datetime">Fri, 06/21/2019 - 11:35</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/faculty-arts-science-staff" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science Staff</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2019" hreflang="en">Convocation 2019</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cell-and-systems-biology" hreflang="en">Cell and Systems Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/human-biology" hreflang="en">Human Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/athletic-centre" hreflang="en">Athletic Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/criminology" hreflang="en">Criminology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ecology-evolutionary-biology" hreflang="en">Ecology &amp; Evolutionary Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/english" hreflang="en">English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ethics" hreflang="en">Ethics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/history" hreflang="en">History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/jackman-humanities-institute" hreflang="en">Jackman Humanities Institute</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mathematics" hreflang="en">Mathematics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/new-college" hreflang="en">New College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trinity-college" hreflang="en">Trinity College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-college" hreflang="en">University College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/varsity-blues" hreflang="en">Varsity Blues</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The parades of smiling graduates going to and from Convocation Hall are almost over. The crowds of family and friends snapping selfies on front campus will soon be a memory – that is, until the next cohort of students celebrate their big academic milestone in the fall.&nbsp;</p> <p>But before the University of Toronto’s most recent graduates set off for exciting careers or further study, we asked six from the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science to pass along advice to current and future students.&nbsp;</p> <p>Each brings a different perspective from&nbsp;a different college, and majored in subjects as diverse as cell biology and criminology.</p> <hr> <h4>Talise Beveridge<br> <strong><em>Woodsworth College<br> English, history and criminology</em></strong></h4> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/talise-beveridge-embed.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Diana Tyszko)</em><br> &nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Talise&nbsp;Beveridge </strong>says many students get caught up in a routine in which they cycle between home, class and the library.&nbsp;</p> <p>But as a οstudent, Beveridge’s life consisted of much more than that. She spent a summer abroad at Oxford University, the same place where she will be pursuing a master’s in English and American studies.&nbsp;</p> <p>She had on-campus jobs at the Athletic Centre and as an exam scribe and reader for students with accessibility needs. She did community work with her sorority and volunteered through the student experience mentorship program.&nbsp;</p> <p>One of her most memorable experiences was being an undergraduate fellow at the Jackman Humanities Institute. The research position allowed her to delve into historical FBI archives and study a 1960s counter-intelligence program in which federal authorities secretly – and sometimes illegally – surveilled domestic political groups like the Black Panthers, Communist Party and anti-Vietnam War movement.&nbsp;</p> <p>Speaking from experience, she tells current and future students to find interests outside school.&nbsp;“A lot of students get into a bubble of going from the library to class, to their house, and they get wrapped up in their schoolwork,” she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I think I’ve become more invested in my schoolwork because I’ve removed myself from it often.”&nbsp;</p> <p>“If you feel like your student experience is lacking, I would encourage you to volunteer or get a job on campus.&nbsp;You’ll meet people you wouldn’t otherwise come into contact with. Remember that you’re not only a student, you’re also a community member. That’s a very grounding thing to think about.&nbsp;It helps you realize you’re not just here for school.”</p> <p><em>– Jovana Jankovic</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Kaitlyn Ferreira<br> <strong><em>University College<br> Cell and systems biology and human biology</em></strong></h4> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/uc-Kaitlyn%20Ferreira_2081.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Diana Tyszko)</em></p> <p><strong>Kaitlyn Ferreira’s&nbsp;</strong>majors in cell and systems biology and human biology&nbsp;gave her insights into human health at varying scales, from the microscopic to broader views of health and disease.</p> <p>But the most valuable skill, she says, was learning&nbsp;to adapt when things don’t go as planned.</p> <p>As a University College orientation leader and peer mentor, she’s thought a lot about what she would tell the students coming behind her. “Enjoy the failures as much as the successes,” she says. “This sounds really out there at first, but trust me, it works.</p> <p>“In any moment of failure you’re going to be really upset and just want to curl into a ball. And that’s OK, you can do that&nbsp;–&nbsp;but after that, you’re going to roll your sleeves up, crack your knuckles and get back to work.<br> &nbsp;<br> “When you look back in a week or a month or a year, you’ll see that that moment of failure made you a stronger person, a better student&nbsp;and opened you up to other possibilities that you wouldn't have had if you succeeded in the first place.”</p> <p><em>– Sean Bettam</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Gina Kwon<br> <strong><em>Trinity College<br> Ethics, society and law</em></strong></h4> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/trinity-gina-kwon.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Diana Tyszko)</em></p> <p>Trinity College’s One Program of small seminars sparked <strong>Gina Kwon’s&nbsp;</strong>interest in social justice and led her to major in ethics, society and law.&nbsp;</p> <p>Her passion for the subject motivated her to apply for an international scholarship to assist a researcher at Australian National University. The researcher&nbsp;is exploring Indigenous communities’ disputes with mining companies trying to operate on their land without consent.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I realized how little I knew about Indigenous-settler relations today,” Kwon said. She added that the research placement broadened her perspective and gave her new cross-cultural insights.</p> <p>To the next generation of students, she says: “Be honest about the things you don’t know. It’s OK to not know. We’ll always be learning.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Kwon is heading to Cambridge University this fall to pursue a Master of Philosophy in environmental policy.</p> <p><em>–&nbsp;Alexa Zulak</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Ethan Kim<br> <strong><em>Innis College<br> Neuroscience and molecular biology</em></strong></h4> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/innis-ethan-kim.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Diana Tyszko)</em></p> <p>Music plays an important role in <strong>Ethan Kim’s&nbsp;</strong>life, so it’s no surprise it was a defining feature of his time at U of T. He was a regular at Innis Jamz, a bi-monthly jam session for musicians at U of T’s small and tight-knit college, and&nbsp;was co-director of the Innis College Choir, where he met most of his friends. He also worked on a musical adaptation of <em>Moby Dick</em> with students from other colleges.&nbsp;</p> <p>On top of that, he started a podcast called Lecture Me Not&nbsp;in which he interviews professors to highlight their personalities and break down the barrier between student and teacher. “Listeners learn about the professor’s life journey and how they got to where they are,” Kim says.</p> <p>His research focus over the last four years was drug addiction. “We’re hoping to find a switch that turns off drug addiction,”&nbsp;he says, adding&nbsp;a discovery that could help resolve the opioid crisis.&nbsp;</p> <p>If he could time-travel back to first year, he would tell himself – and, by implication, other first-year students – to worry less.</p> <p>“Don’t be scared of the future. If you keep working, you’ll eventually get there,” he says. “Don’t worry about other people’s expectations. As long as you meet your own expectations, you’ll be OK. And sleep more. Definitely sleep more.”&nbsp;</p> <p><em>– Chris Sasaki</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Shweta Mogalapalli<br> <strong><em>New College<br> Computer science and mathematics</em></strong></h4> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Shweta%20Mogalapalli_1562.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Diana Tyszko)</em></p> <p><strong>Shweta Mogalapalli </strong>had a foot in the door with one of the world’s largest companies even&nbsp;before graduating.</p> <p>She interned twice at Microsoft’s Seattle office and plans to join their Azure IoT team as a full-time engineer after convocation.&nbsp;</p> <p>She made the most of her university experience as a computer science peer mentor, student ambassador and president of οHacks, a 36-hour hackathon that’s entering its seventh year.<br> As a mentor, she gave students the advice she would have wanted to hear in first year.&nbsp;</p> <p>“My advice for students is to not hesitate to reach out for help,” she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Professors, TAs and even upper-year students are always willing to answer questions and help in any way they can. And take advantage of the vast number of events hosted by computer science and other clubs on campus to meet people and make meaningful connections. Networking is very important – not only for career development, but also personal growth.”&nbsp;</p> <p><em>– Jovana Jankovic</em></p> <h4><br> Natasha Klasios<br> <strong><em>St. Michael’s College<br> Ecology and global health</em></strong></h4> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Natasha%20Klasios_1669.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Diana Tyszko)</em></p> <p>It may seem daunting to juggle varsity sports with exams, assignments and labs.</p> <p>But for <strong>Natasha Klasios</strong>, playing striker for U of T’s Varsity Blues soccer team while keeping up with school was never a chore. In fact, her efforts on the field contributed to her success in class, she says.</p> <p>“My Varsity Blues experience taught me how to deal with adversity, and that talent and hard work are necessary for success,” she says.&nbsp;</p> <p>She won several awards including the Silver T and U Sports Academic All-Canadian Award during her four seasons with the Blues, and represented Canada at the 2017 FISU Summer Universiade in Taipei.</p> <p>She didn’t just travel for soccer. As an undergraduate researcher in Assistant Professor <strong>Chelsea Rochman</strong>’s lab, Klasios went to California to collect samples for her undergraduate thesis, which focused on whether mussels and clams in San Francisco Bay ingested microplastics.</p> <p>To the undergraduates who have yet to don convocation robes, she says: “Get involved.&nbsp;There are so many opportunities available, take advantage of them. οis a big school, but I was able to make the most of my time by getting involved in academic research and with the Varsity Blues community.”&nbsp;</p> <p><em>– Alexa Zulak</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 21 Jun 2019 15:35:31 +0000 geoff.vendeville 156914 at