Faculty of Arts &amp; Science

Department of Computer Science

Geoffrey Hinton

Global

Nobel Prize

President Meric Gertler

Subheadline

"If you believe in something, don’t give up on it until you understand why that belief is wrong"

Empower curiosity-driven research. Follow your convictions. Think not just about how to advance technology, but how to direct its use for good.

These were among the key messages delivered by Geoffrey Hinton, University Professor Emeritus of computer science at the University of Toronto and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, during an Oct. 8 press conference held by the university to mark his historic award.

Widely regarded as “the godfather of AI,” Hinton was named a co-winner of the prize – alongside John J. Hopfield of Princeton University – for his work on Boltzmann machines and artificial neural networks, which laid the groundwork for advancements in AI and stimulated new research directions in physics.

��οPresident Meric Gertler hailed Hinton for having “a profound impact on multiple fields and disciplines,” crediting “his leadership and exemplary mentorship of young scholars” with helping ��οbecome a global leader in AI and machine learning.

“I think one cannot overstate the impact of a win like this on the ability of Canada, Toronto and the University of Toronto to be able to welcome talented newcomers, great students and wonderful faculty from across the country and around the world because of the recognition that arises with Geoff’s win,” President Gertler said.

For his part, Hinton echoed his remarks from earlier in the day that he was “flabbergasted” to receive the prize and pleased that the Nobel committee recognized the advancements in artificial neural networks.

He also answered questions about his influences, legacy and how it feels to go from being an obscure researcher who toiled in a largely forsaken field to a Nobel Laureate – and his advice for researchers who hope to one day follow in his footsteps.

Here are five key themes that emerged from Hinton's news conference:

His legacy

“I’m hoping AI will lead to tremendous benefits, to tremendous increases in productivity and to a better life for everybody. I’m convinced that it will do that in health care.

“My worry is that it may also lead to bad things, and in particular, when we get things more intelligent than ourselves, no one really knows whether we’re going to be able to control them.

“We don’t know how to avoid [catastrophic AI scenarios] at present. That’s why we urgently need more research. So I’m advocating that our best young researchers, or many of them, should work on AI safety and governments should force large companies to provide the computational facilities they need to do that.”

A collaborative effort

“I think of the prize as a recognition of a large community of people who worked on artificial neural networks for many years.

“I’d particularly like to acknowledge my two main mentors: David Rumelhart, with whom I worked on the backpropagation algorithm … and my colleague Terry Sejnowsky, who I worked with a lot in the 1980s on Boltzmann machines and who taught me a lot about the brain.

“I’d also like to acknowledge my students. I was particularly fortunate to have many clever students, much cleverer than me, who actually made things work. They’ve gone on to do great things.

“I should also acknowledge Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun who were close colleagues and very instrumental in developing this whole field.”

Canada’s research strengths

“I think the main thing about Canada as a place to do research is there isn’t as much money as there is in the U.S., but it uses its money quite wisely.

“In particular, the main funding council for this type of research, called NSERC, uses money for basic curiosity-driven research, and all of these advances in neural networks came out of basic curiosity-driven research – not out of throwing money at applied problems, but out of letting scientists follow their curiosity to try and understand things. And Canada’s quite good at that.”

Many thought he was wasting his time

“It was a lot of fun doing the research, but it was slightly annoying that many people – in fact, most people in the field of AI – said that neural networks would never work.

"They were very confident these things were a waste of time and we would never be able to learn complicated things – for example, understanding natural language – using neural networks. And they were wrong."

Believe in your ideas

"My message is this: if you believe in something, don’t give up on it until you understand why that belief is wrong.

"Often, you believe in things and you eventually figure out why that’s a wrong thing to believe in. But so long as you believe in something and you can’t see why that’s wrong – like, ‘the brain has to work somehow so we have to figure out how it learns the connection strengths to make it work’ – keep working on it and don’t let people tell you it’s nonsense if you can’t see why it’s nonsense."

‘Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton’s Nobel Prize makes headlines around the world

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 19:24:35 +0000

‘Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton’s Nobel Prize makes headlines around the world

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 10/09/2024 - 15:24

Cutline

(photo by Polina Teif)

Topic

Computer Science

Geoffrey Hinton

Nobel Prize

News of Geoffrey Hinton’s Nobel Prize in Physics travelled around the globe, making international headlines for the British-Canadian scientist known as the “godfather of AI.”

A University Professor Emeritus of computer science at the University of Toronto, Hinton won the prize jointly with Princeton’s John J. Hopfield for early discoveries and inventions in the realm of physics that laid the groundwork for today’s artificial intelligence boom.

Hinton told The New York Times he was, “shocked and amazed and flabbergasted. I never expected it.”

After receiving the call from Stockholm in the wee hours, Hinton, who was in California, spent much of the day attending press conferences and speaking with reporters from a “cheap hotel room with no internet,” even oscillating mid-interview between the Times and the BBC.

Nevertheless, he seized the moment to emphasize both the promise and pitfalls of AI-based technologies.

“It’s going to be like the Industrial Revolution – but instead of our physical capabilities, it’s going to exceed our intellectual capabilities," he told the BBC. “… but I worry that the overall consequences of this might be systems that are more intelligent than us that might eventually take control.”

Independent UK acknowledged the unusual nature of Hinton’s win in the physics category.

“I’m not a physicist, I have very high respect for physics,” Hinton said. “I dropped out of physics after my first year at university because I couldn’t do the complicated math. So, getting an award in physics was very surprising to me. I’m very pleased that the Nobel committee recognised that there’s been huge progress in the area of artificial neural networks.”

Closer to home, Hinton’s award was lauded in the national media, from CBC: The National – which highlighted his emphasis on the importance of supporting curiosity-driven research and his role in training many of today’s AI leaders – to the front pages of The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail.

“I want to emphasize that AI is going to do tremendous good,” Hinton told the Globe after receiving the news about the win. “In areas like health care, it’s going to be amazing. That’s why its development is never going to be stopped. The real question is can we keep it safe?”

Read Hinton’s interview in the New York Times (paywall)

Read the BBC story

Read the Globe and Mail story (paywall)

Watch CBC: The National’s report

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

mattimar — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:43:16 +0000

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

mattimar Tue, 10/08/2024 - 15:43

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto/University of Toronto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Computer Science

University Health Network

Vector Institute

Subheadline

“You always knew when Geoff had a new idea. The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility"

Reactions to Geoffrey Hinton’s Nobel Prize win began almost immediately after it was announced Tuesday morning.

Known as the “godfather of AI,” the University Professor Emeritus of computer science at the University of Toronto shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with John J. Hopfield of Princeton University for groundbreaking work that laid the foundation for machine learning using artificial neural networks.

U of T’s Geoffrey Hinton and Princeton’s John J. Hopfield are pictured during the announcement for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics (photo by Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)

At U of T, students, faculty and staff gathered at an event hosted by the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, which Hinton joined as a professor in 1987.

Those in attendance described a revered and beloved figure, citing Hinton’s determination, playful approach to research and excitement for new ideas.

"I really don’t think there’s anyone more deserving of this recognition," said Chris Maddison, assistant professor in U of T’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences, and one of Hinton’s former students.

"Geoff was a fantastic adviser. He worked really, really hard to remove the barriers for his students and he was laser focused on ideas and building his own understanding."

Hinton also received congratulations from universities and other research organizations around the world, including the Royal Society, the Alan Turing Institute and Cambridge University, Hinton’s alma mater.

Meanwhile, friends, colleagues and leaders in politics and business took to social media to express their congratulations for Hinton’s remarkable achievement.

Here’s a snapshot of what some of them said:

From left: Melanie Woodin, Chris Maddison, Nick Frosst, Kevin Swersky and Eyal de Lara (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Congratulations to Geoffrey Hinton on this fantastic recognition which is a testament to the importance of supporting basic research and the long journey that can lead to profound discoveries like deep learning that forever change our world. Hinton's phenomenal work has seeded new and innovative research by his former students and many around the world who are using AI to solve global challenges in areas like medicine and climate change.“

– Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives at U of T

“I would say his approach to science has stuck with me. Everything I know about how to do science, I mostly learned from him. It's his curiosity and playfulness ... that has been most impactful. I would also say his thoughtfulness, thinking about the consequence of the technology and how it affects society is something that we have taken seriously at Cohere as well.”

– Nick Frosst, ��οalumnus and co-founder of Cohere

“You always knew when Geoff had a new idea. The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility. He was famous for bursting into a room and pronouncing that, he now finally, after all these years, understood how the brain worked. Above all, he understood that research was a human endeavor. Research is really hard. It becomes personal. It's intertwined with tragedies and compromises. I saw him go through some of his own when I was a student in the group, and I went through my own. I remember when I was going through some health challenges, I went to him and I said, 'Geoff, sometimes it's really hard to go on.’ And he looked at me and he said, ’But we're not going to let that slow us down, will we?’"

– Chris Maddison, assistant professor in U of T’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences, Faculty of Arts & Science

��οis the only computer science department with a Nobel Prize winner, says Professor Michael Brudno (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate an award for somebody who has made huge contributions – obviously in AI broadly, [and] to this department. No other computer science department can say that they have a Nobel Laureate. But I think beyond that, it really goes back to show how the birthplace of modern AI is Toronto, how this is the place where it all started and how it's upon us as the AI faculty in this department to continue this legacy.”

– Michael Brudno, professor in U of T’s department of computer science, acting vice-dean, graduate education in Faculty of Arts & Science, a chief data scientist at University Health Network and a faculty member at the Vector Institute

Geoffrey Hinton shares a laugh with fellow AI researcher Raquel Urtasun, left, at the Vector Institute’s opening in 2017 (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

"Geoff is the most influential person in AI, and our field would certainly not be the same without his immense contributions. He is also a tremendous educator, and has mentored many students and postdocs who have gone on to become very influential in the field of AI. Geoff cares deeply about the Toronto and Canadian ecosystem and was the driving force in the formation of the Vector Institute, which we co-founded together. Through our time as colleagues at the University of Toronto, I've deeply admired his commitment to the advancement of AI for good. This recognition is well-deserved and acknowledges his decades of work leading AI innovation and building the foundation for the AI revolution that is happening today.”

– Raquel Urtasun, professor in U of T’s department of computer science, faculty member and co-founder at the Vector Institute, founder and CEO of Waabi

“I was the first to call Geoff Hinton “Godfather of Deep Learning,” which later became “Godfather of AI.” Thrilled to see him win the Nobel prize together with John Hopfield for AI. Congrats @geoffreyhinton.”

– Andrew Ng, co-founder of Coursera, founder GoogleBrain, former chief scientist at Baidu

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Geoffrey Hinton at a 2019 event (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

“Dr. Hinton is a stalwart in his field. Celebrated as one of the ‘Godfathers of AI’, he brings decades of leading expertise in AI research as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Department of Computer Science, and the current Chief Scientific Advisor at the Vector Institute in Toronto – one of our three national AI institutes. Dr. Hinton is also an outspoken advocate for the responsible development and adoption of AI, educating the world about the benefits and challenges this technology poses.

“Canada is at the forefront of AI technology thanks to trailblazers like Dr. Hinton. His curiosity for discovery and contributions to innovation will inspire generations to come. On behalf of all Canadians, I congratulate him on his remarkable achievement.”

– Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

A.M. Turing Award winners Yann LeCun, left, Yoshua Bengio, middle, and Geoffrey Hinton at an AI summit in Montreal (photo courtesy of RE•WORK)

"@HopfieldJohn and @geoffreyhinton, along with collaborators, have created a beautiful and insightful bridge between physics and AI. They invented neural networks that were not only inspired by the brain, but also by central notions in physics such as energy, temperature, system dynamics, energy barriers, the role of randomness and noise, connecting the local properties, e.g., of atoms or neurons, to global ones like entropy and attractors. And they went beyond the physics to show how these ideas could give rise to memory, learning and generative models; concepts which are still at the forefront of modern AI research. Their ideas inspired me so profoundly that I decided to choose learning in neural networks for my own research as a graduate student. They motivated me to look for abstract principles that could be as simple as the laws of physics, but could explain biological as well as artificial intelligence. I'm truly delighted for them and for our field."

– Yoshua Bengio, professor at Université de Montréal and co-winner of the A.M Turing Award with Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun

“It was the first thing I saw in the morning. I opened my phone, and it was the headline of The New York Times and I was like, ‘Yes!’ I was very excited. I saw his perseverance – he always goes with what he believes, not what the flow is – and it's quite inspirational for me. That’s what I look for, especially in the health care area. I want to do something meaningful, something big.”

–Tina Behrouzi, second year PhD student in U of T’s department of computer science

Geoffrey Hinton poses with graduate students Ilya Sutskever, left, and Alex Krizhevsky, right, in 2013 (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Congratulations to @geoffreyhinton for winning the Nobel Prize in physics!!”

– Ilya Sutskever, ��οalumnus, co-founder of OpenAI and co-founder and chief scientist at Safe Superintelligence

“Going to Geoff’s office was always fun. Normally when you go to a supervisor's office, you give them a progress update. You go through what your latest results are, you talk about a couple of your ideas and you get some feedback. Going to Geoff’s office was a completely different story. He would be telling you what his latest idea was. He would show you his latest results. And his whole thing was just that he was really excited about it, and his hope was to inspire you enough to start running with it.”

– Kevin Swersky, ��οalumnus and research scientist at Google DeepMind

“[Hinton's] pioneering research at the University of Toronto not only revolutionized the field of AI but has also been instrumental in establishing Canada as a global powerhouse in AI research and innovation."

– Tony Gaffney, president and CEO of the Vector Institute

Fei-Fei Li and Geoffrey Hinton speak at a 2023 event in Toronto (photo by Polina Teif)

“This is beyond exciting! #AI’s far reaching impact is just beginning.”

– Fei-Fei Li, professor of computer science at Stanford University and co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute

“Congratulations to @geoffreyhinton, University Professor Emeritus at@UofT, on winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics! Widely regarded as the “godfather of AI,” Hinton’s pioneering work in artificial neural networks has transformed the global AI landscape. Dr. Hinton’s achievement highlights the best of #Ontario’s world-class talent and thriving AI ecosystem, driving innovation and shaping the future of critical #technology!

– Victor Fedeli, Ontario’s minister of economic development, job creation and trade

"On behalf of the Department and the University, we are very proud to acknowledge Geoff's global achievements and this international recognition. His contributions to machine learning and artificial intelligence have benefited virtually every discipline in science, engineering, social sciences and medicine. As we celebrate the department’s 60th anniversary, this award embodies six decades of impact and innovation in computer science and technology.”

– Eyal de Lara, professor and chair of U of T’s department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

“Heartfelt congratulations to Geoff Hinton @geoffreyhinton on winning the Nobel Prize! What an incredible honor! I feel deeply privileged to have had the opportunity to be your PhD student, work with you, and learn from you.”

– Russ Salakhutdinov, professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University

Hinton approached his research with an “almost childlike playfulness,” says Graduate student Ujan Sen (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Waking up today, seeing that news, just motivates me even more and reaffirms the decision that coming to ��οwas the absolutely the best decision I could have taken. I think one of the people who had previously worked with him mentioned something along the lines of: Geoff didn't really care too much about pedigree. He cared about ideas, regardless if you have a master's or PhD. And the way he approached his research and the almost childlike playfulness and innocence he had with sort of getting to the answer is something that I really resonate with.”

– Ujan Sen, master’s student in U of T’s department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

"I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Geoffrey Hinton on winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. His groundbreaking work in machine learning has made Canada world-renowned in the field of AI. He is a true inspiration for the next generation of Canadian researchers!"

– François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry

“I’m originally a chemist. It was a surprising thing for me that a Nobel Prize is being awarded to a computer scientist. This is a big moment for computer science. I think it will bring recognition to physics-based approaches and core thinking.

“I think it’s great that some universities like ��οare willing to believe in crazy ideas. People need to encourage outside-the-box thinking.”

– Ella Rajaonson, PhD student in the Matter Lab with ��οprofessor Alán Aspuru-Guzik

“Congratulations!”

– Olivia Chow, mayor of Toronto

Geoffrey Hinton wins Nobel Prize in Physics

davidlee1 — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:35:09 +0000

Geoffrey Hinton wins Nobel Prize in Physics

davidlee1 Tue, 10/08/2024 - 15:35

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto/University of Toronto)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Computer Science

Geoffrey Hinton

Nobel Prize

Physics

Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society

Subheadline

A ��οUniversity Professor Emeritus, Hinton shared the honour with Princeton University's John J. Hopfield for discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks

Geoffrey Hinton, a University Professor Emeritus of computer science at the University of Toronto, has won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Widely regarded as the “godfather of AI,” Hinton shared the prize with John J. Hopfield of Princeton University for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks.

Hinton said he was “flabbergasted” at the honour as messages poured in from around the world.

“I had no expectations of this,” he told ��οNews shortly after the win was announced in Stockholm Tuesday morning. “I am extremely surprised and I'm honoured to be included.”

He later told reporters at a press conference he was “in a cheap hotel in California” with no Internet and a poor phone connection when he was notified about his Nobel Prize.

“I was going to get an MRI scan today, but I think I’m going to have to cancel that.”

Hinton and Hopfield are credited with wielding tools from physics to advance basic research in the field. Specifically, Hopfield created an associative memory that can store and reconstruct images in data, while Hinton invented a way to find properties in data and perform tasks such as identifying specific elements in pictures.

“On behalf of the University of Toronto, I am absolutely delighted to congratulate University Professor Emeritus Geoffrey Hinton on receiving the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics,” said ��οPresident Meric Gertler. “The ��οcommunity is immensely proud of his historic accomplishment.”

Hinton was selected for the high-profile award for his use of the Hopfield network – invented by his co-laureate – as the foundation for a new network called the Boltzmann machine that can learn to recognize elements within a given type of data.

The Boltzmann machine can classify images and generate new examples of the pattern on which it was trained, with Hinton and his graduate students later building on this work to help usher in today’s rapid development of machine learning – a technology that now underpins a host of applications ranging from large language models such as ChatGPT to self-driving cars.

Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

“The laureates’ work has already been of the greatest benefit. In physics we use artificial neural networks in a vast range of areas, such as developing new materials with specific properties,” said Ellen Moons, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

The win by Hinton and Hopfield was covered by media and other organizations around the globe, with The New York Times describing the Nobel committee’s decision as “an acknowledgement of AI’s growing significance in the way people live and work,” and the prestigious journal Nature noting Hinton’s innovations now “form the basis of many state-of-the-art AI tools.”

Hinton joined ��οas a professor of computer science in 1987 after working in various universities in the U.K., where he was born, and in the United States. He went on to be named a University Professor – U of T’s highest academic appointment – in 2006.

Driven by a desire to understand the human brain, Hinton and his graduate students built on his early efforts with an array of developments that paved the way for an explosion in deep learning. One of the first cohort of researchers supported by the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Hinton’s work helped catapult Canada to its current status as a global leader in AI development.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the Nobel Prize in Physics, noted Hinton persisted with his research even as the scientific community lost interest in artificial neural networks during the 1990s, and ultimately “helped start the new explosion of exciting results” in the 2000s.

Hinton, for his part, said during a ��οpress conference Tuesday evening that his achievements wouldn’t have been possible without support for curiosity-based research – something he said Canada was good at.

He added that his shock at winning the Nobel stemmed from the fact that, while his work has drawn on statistical physics, he isn’t a physicist himself – and even “dropped out of physics after my first year in university because I couldn’t do the complicated math.”

He also said that he plans to donate the money associated with the prize to various charities, including one that provides jobs for neurodiverse young adults.

Hinton likened the influence of AI to that of the Industrial Revolution during a virtual press conference with the academy earlier in the day – “But instead of exceeding people in physical strength, it’s going to exceed people in intellectual ability.”

He added that the rise of AI “is going to be wonderful in many respects,” citing health care and workplace productivity as two areas poised to benefit hugely from the technology. “But we also have to worry about a number of possible bad consequences, particularly the threat of these things getting out of control,” Hinton said.

In early 2023, Hinton quit his job at Google and focused on sounding the alarm about the risks of rapid and unfettered AI development. He outlined his reasoning in a 46-minute ��οvideo last year, urging young researchers to focus their efforts on the emerging field of AI safety – a message he repeated in media interviews following his Nobel win.

He has continued to tackle the issue at lectures and public appearances around the world, including at U of T and at Cambridge University, his alma mater.

“I am thrilled Geoffrey Hinton, an esteemed colleague and dear friend has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics,” said Melanie Woodin, dean of U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science.

“Geoff is an historic visionary whose groundbreaking work in deep learning and neural networks has made ��οand the Toronto region a leading global centre for AI. And it speaks volumes about his integrity that while he helped lay the foundation for the artificial intelligence revolution, he is also one of the leading voices urging that we develop this technology responsibly and ethically.”

Similarly, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lauded Hinton for his efforts to realize responsible AI development, releasing a statement and writing on X: “Geoffrey, we’re glad to have a mind like yours developing safe and responsible AI for the world.”

Geoffrey Hinton delivers a lecture about responsible AI to ��οstudents and faculty (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Hinton, who is co-founder and chief scientific adviser at the Vector Institute in Toronto, joins an illustrious list of past Nobel Prize in Physics winners that includes Albert Einstein and Marie Curie (who also won a Nobel in chemistry). The prestigious award is the latest in a long list of accolades for Hinton. They include the Association for Computing Machinery’s A.M. Turing Award – widely considered “the Nobel Prize of computing” – in 2019 alongside collaborators Yann LeCun and Yoshua Bengio.

Hinton is the fourth ��οfaculty member to win a Nobel Prize over the years.

Sir Frederick Banting and J.J.R Macleod won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work with Charles Best in 1923 to isolate insulin. In 1986, John Polanyi was one of three winners of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of the new field of reaction dynamics.

Other members of the ��οcommunity, including several alumni, have received or been associated with the international honour.

Oliver Smithies, a past professor at U of T, was a joint winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007 for discovering the “principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells.”

Also in 2007, Professor Robert Jefferies shared in the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in which he was a key Canadian representative as an international leader in Arctic science and global change biology.

In 1999, ��οProfessor James Orbinski accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Doctors Without Borders, which was recognized for its humanitarian work.

Anti-nuclear activist and ��οalumna Setsuko Thurlow accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Norway in 2017 on behalf the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

In 2001, Michael Spence, an alumnus of University of Toronto Schools, was one of three joint winners of the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for his contributions to analyses of markets with asymmetrical information.

Bertram Brockhouse, who completed two degrees at U of T, was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1994 for the development of neutron scattering techniques for studies of condensed matter.

Arthur Schawlow, an alumnus, was one of three winners of the same prize in 1981 for his contribution to the development of laser spectroscopy.

In 1998, ��οalumnus Walter Kohn was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for development of the density-functional theory.

Former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, who received a bachelor’s degree from U of T, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.

��οexperts tackle questions about AI safety, ethics during panel discussion

rahul.kalvapalle — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 18:33:43 +0000

��οexperts tackle questions about AI safety, ethics during panel discussion

rahul.kalvapalle Wed, 10/02/2024 - 14:33

Cutline

From left: U of T's Roger Grosse, Sedef Kocak, Sheila McIlraith and Karina Vold take part in a panel discussion on AI safety (photo by Duane Cole)

Kyle Coulter

Jovana Jankovic

Topic

Our Community

The Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology

Department of Computer Science

Centre for Ethics

Department of Philosophy

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Vector Institute

Victoria College

Subheadline

"We should be building AI systems that promote human flourishing – that allow human beings to live with dignity and purpose, and to be valued contributors to society”

What does safe artificial intelligence look like? Could AI go rogue and pose an existential threat to humanity? How have media portrayals of AI influenced people’s perceptions of the technology’s benefits and risks?

These were among the pressing questions tackled by four experts at the University of Toronto and its partner institutions – in disciplines ranging from computer science to philosophy – during a recent panel discussion on AI safety.

Sheila McIlraith, professor in U of T’s department of computer science at the Faculty of Arts & Science and Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute, said the notion of AI safety evokes different things to different people.

“Computer scientists often think about safety critical systems – the types of systems that we’ve built to send astronauts to the moon or control our nuclear power plants – but AI safety is actually quite different,” said McIlraith, an associate director at the U of T’s Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (SRI).

“For me personally, I have a higher bar, and I really think we should be building AI systems that promote human flourishing – that allow human beings to live with dignity and purpose, and to be valued contributors to society.”

The event, hosted by SRI in partnership with the Vector Institute, the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology, the Centre for Ethics and Victoria College, invited McIlraith and her fellow panelists to discuss how AI technologies can be aligned with human values in an increasingly automated world.

They also discussed how risks surrounding the technology can be mitigated in different sectors.

Karina Vold, the event’s moderator, underscored the challenge of building safe AI systems in an uncertain world (photo by Duane Cole)

Moderator, Karina Vold, assistant professor in the Institute for the History & Philosophy of Science & Technology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, noted that because AI systems operate “in a world filled with uncertainty and volatility, the challenge of building safe and reliable AI is not easy and mitigation strategies vary widely.”

She proceeded to ask the panel to share their thoughts on the portrayal of AI in popular culture.

“The media devotes more attention to different aspects of AI – the social, philosophical, maybe even psychological,” said Sedef Kocak, director of AI professional development at the Vector Institute.

“These narratives are important to help show the potential fears, as well as the positive potential of the technology.”

The discussion touched on several topics related to AI safety (photo by Duane Cole)

Roger Grosse, associate professor in U of T’s department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science and a founding member of the Vector Institute, said that safety concerns around AI are not merely rooted in science and pop culture, but also in philosophy.

“Many people think that the public’s concerns regarding AI risks come from sci-fi, but I think the early reasoning regarding AI risks actually has its roots in philosophy,” said Grosse, who also holds Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society.

“If we’re trying to reason about AI systems that don’t yet exist, we don’t have the empirical information, and don’t yet know what their design would be, what we can do is come up with various thought experiments. For example, what if we designed an AI that has some specific role, and all of the actions that it takes are in service of the role?

“For the last decade, a lot of the reasons for being concerned about the long-term existential risks really came from this careful philosophical reasoning.”

The discussion also touched on the dangers of AI models misaligning themselves, how to guard against bias in the training of large language models, and how to ensure that AI models with potentially catastrophic capabilities are safeguarded.

“This [safeguarding] is an area where new research ideas and principles will be required to make the case,” said Grosse. “Developers saying, ‘Trust us’ is not sufficient. It’s not a good foundation for policy.”

Despite addressing topics surrounding potential harms and risks of AI, the panelists also shared their optimism about how AI can be wielded for the greater good – with Grosse noting AI offers the promise of making knowledge more widely accessible, and Kocak focusing on the myriad benefits for industries.

Watch the Sept. 10 conversation below:

‘Think against yourself’: Panel discussion on civil discourse draws students to U of T’s Hart House

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 17:38:08 +0000

‘Think against yourself’: Panel discussion on civil discourse draws students to U of T’s Hart House

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 09/24/2024 - 13:38

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Students ask questions during a recent panel discussion about civil discourse on university campuses that was hosted by Professor Randy Boyagoda (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Chris Sorensen

Topic

Our Community

English

Hart House

Religion

Undergraduate Students

Vic One

Victoria College

Hugh Considine got a crash course in discussing polarizing topics almost immediately upon arriving at the University of Toronto.

The second-year student studies religion in the Faculty of Arts & Science – a subject, he says, that can be about as controversial as it gets.

“People have an unimaginable amount of investment in it,” says Considine, 19, a member of Innis College. “Depending on who you ask, it’s literally your soul at hand – the ultimate thing that could be risked.”

He credits his professors for creating an environment where students feel unafraid to speak their minds, encouraging them to comment, ask questions and generally “poke and prod” one another so we “would actually think about what’s being said.”

It’s a microcosm of what campus life is supposed to be all about: a diverse group of people coming together to expand their worldviews through study, debate and discovery – and it’s a message that was reinforced during a recent event for Victoria College students in the Vic One program.

The hour-long panel discussion, held at Hart House on Sept. 18, focused on the critical role of civil discourse on university campuses. It brought together two high-profile ��οacademics and authors – Ian Williams of the department of English and Janice Stein of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy – and New York Timescolumnist Pamela Paul.

The first in a series of planned events and initiatives on the topic, the talk was moderated by Professor Randy Boyagoda, the university’s provostial adviser on civil discourse and chair of its Working Group on Civil Discourse, and is part of a broader effort to strengthen the culture of civil discourse on campus. That includes cultivating dialogue across different points of view and the discussion of challenging subjects.

Hundreds attended the event at Hart House, including Hugh Considine at bottom right (photo by Johnny Guatto)

The discussion, which drew about 150 attendees, touched on everything from today’s increasingly polarized political and cultural environment to the risks faced by universities – and society at large – if open discussion and debate of difficult topics are frowned upon or crowded out.

Not surprisingly, the panel members each had a unique take on the nature of the threat and what should be done about it.

Paul, for example, said she was especially concerned about a culture of self-censorship, saying she opted to become an opinion writer after years editing the New York Times Book Review upon recognizing the bulk of discussion about politics and culture was taking place only at extreme ends of the spectrum.

“What you had was this growing vacuum in the middle where nuance and complexity lived and no one was speaking up,” she said.

Stein, however, said that not all forms of self-censorship are necessarily undesirable, noting that she refrains from vocalizing thoughts she deems unnecessarily rude.

“When we’re in a learning community together, we have to say things in a way that people can hear,” said Stein, the Munk School’s founding director and University Professor and Belzberg Professor of Conflict Management in the department of political science. She added that what matters is why we self-censor – do we do it out of fear or out of consideration for others?

Williams, a professor of English and author who has published acclaimed books of poetry, essays and works of fiction, warned against viewing debate as simply an opportunity to persuade someone else of your views.

“The more interesting way of having these conversations [is not to] focus on converting a person to a team, but saying, ‘Here’s how my ideas have changed over time.’”

There were several other takeaways for the largely student audience, which included several first-years.

Paraphrasing French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, Boyagoda, a writer, professor of English and vice-dean, undergraduate in the Faculty of Arts & Science, urged students to “think against yourself ” by creating their own counterarguments as an intellectual exercise. Similarly, Paul spoke about the value of engaging with those who don’t share your opinions.

Stein and Williams also emphasized the ��οcommunity’s shared responsibility to create an environment where people can ask questions and test out ideas. And if you find yourself amongst people who refuse to grant that space? “Just take that conversation elsewhere, rather than burying it or self-censoring it,” Williams said.

Following the talk, students asked questions about the “paradox of tolerance,” or the idea that creating a tolerant society requires being intolerant of intolerance, and how to cope with the repercussions of being ostracized for expressing an unpopular view, among other things.

Considine, one of four undergraduate student members of the civil discourse working group, said he was pleased to see so many students engaging with the topic.

“That’s something that, as one of the student representatives – and as the youngest student representative – I'm very conscious about.”

Geoscientists confirm 'dripping' of Earth’s crust beneath Türkiye's Central Anatolian Plateau

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 10:35:54 +0000

Geoscientists confirm 'dripping' of Earth’s crust beneath Türkiye's Central Anatolian Plateau

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 09/18/2024 - 06:35

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Earth scientists have identified active sinking at the Konya Basin in Türkiye due to the dripping of lithospheric material beneath the planet’s surface over millions of years (photo by temizyurek/Getty Images)

Sean Bettam

Topic

Breaking Research

Earth Sciences

Global

Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies

Recent satellite data reveal that the Konya Basin in the Central Anatolian Plateau of Türkiye is continually being reshaped over millions of years, according to a new analysis led by Earth scientists at the University of Toronto.

The researchers say experimental simulations – combined with geological, geophysical and geodetic data – explain the enigmatic sinking of the basin within the rising plateau interior and further suggests a new class of plate tectonics that has implications for other planets that do not have Earth-like plates such as Mars and Venus.

The study, published in Nature Communications, shows the sinking in the region is due to multi-stage lithospheric dripping – a phenomenon named for the instability of rocky material that makes up Earth’s crust and upper mantle. As dense rock fragments beneath the surface detach and sink into the more fluid layer of the planet’s mantle, major landforms such as basins and mountainous folding of the crust form at the surface.

“Looking at the satellite data, we observed a circular feature at the Konya Basin where the crust is subsiding or the basin is deepening,” says lead author Julia Andersen, a PhD candidate in U of T’s department of Earth sciences in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“This prompted us to look at other geophysical data beneath the surface where we saw a seismic anomaly in the upper mantle and a thickened crust, telling us there is high-density material there and indicating a likely mantle lithospheric drip.”

Artist’s impression of the multi-stage lithospheric dripping process in Central Anatolia (illustration by Nevena Niagolova)

The results echo a similar investigation by the researchers into the formation of the Arizaro Basin in the Andes Mountains of South America, suggesting the phenomenon can occur anywhere on the planet and explains tectonic processes typically found within mountain plateau regions.

Past studies show the Central Anatolian Plateau has risen by as much as one kilometre over the past 10 million years because of the lithospheric dripping phenomenon.

“As the lithosphere thickened and dripped below the region, it formed a basin at the surface that later sprang up when the weight below broke off and sank into the deeper depths of the mantle,” says Russell Pysklywec, a professor in the department of Earth sciences and a co-author of the study.

“We now see the process is not a one-time tectonic event and that the initial drip seems to have spawned subsequent daughter events elsewhere in the region, resulting in the curious rapid subsidence of the Konya Basin within the continuously rising plateau of Türkiye.”

Andersen adds that the new findings suggest a connection between plateau uplift and basin formation events through the evolution of primary and secondary lithospheric removal. “Essentially, subsidence is occurring alongside the ongoing uplifting of the plateau.”

Andersen and study co-authors, including colleagues at Istanbul Technical University and Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University in Türkiye, arrived at their findings after recreating the dripping process in laboratory experiments and analyzing their observations.

They built laboratory analogue models to establish how the process may have unfolded based on the data provided by the new measurements, filling a plexiglass tank with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) – a silicone polymer fluid approximately 1,000 times thicker than table syrup – to serve as Earth’s fluid lower mantle, adding a mixture of PDMS and modelling clay to replicate the upper-most solid section of the mantle, finishing with a sand-like layer on top made from ceramic and silica spheres to serve as Earth’s crust.

Artist’s impression of two types of lithospheric drip: one produces thickening and uplift of Earth’s crust, while the other results in the formation of a basin at the surface without horizontal deformation (illustration by Julia Andersen/University of Toronto)

The researchers activated the model by inserting a high-density seed into the PDMS and modelling clay layer to initiate a drip that was subsequently pulled downward by gravity. A set of cameras were positioned above and beside the tank to record any changes over time, capturing a high-resolution image roughly every minute.

“Within 10 hours, we observed an initial phase of dripping, which we call a primary drip. After that primary drip touched the bottom of the box, we saw a second drip had begun to sink to the bottom after 50 hours,” says Andersen. “Both the primary and secondary drip were not causing any horizontal deformation in our artificial crust, which we expect is typically associated with a mantle lithospheric drip.”

The researchers already knew that the primary drip had caused changes in surface topography of the experiment, and wanted to know if the secondary drip would have any effect on the surface since it was a smaller sized drip than the primary drip. “What we noticed was that over time, this secondary drip did pull the crust downward and started to create a basin, despite no horizontal movements in the crust at the surface,” Andersen says. “The findings show these major tectonic events are linked, with one lithospheric drip potentially triggering a host of further activity deep in the planetary interior.”

Researchers' lab technique could speed forensic analysis in sexual assault cases

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:43:28 +0000

Researchers' lab technique could speed forensic analysis in sexual assault cases

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 09/17/2024 - 10:43

Cutline

(photo by Science Photo Library/Getty Images)

Chris Sasaki

Topic

Breaking Research

Institute of Biomedical Engineering

Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research

Chemistry

��οMississauga

A team of researchers has developed a new approach to analyzing DNA evidence in sexual assault cases – one that could reduce lengthy delays in the processing of evidence.

While there are almost half a million sexual assaults in Canada every year, many more go unreported because victims are reluctant to come forward.

One of the reasons cited by victims is that analysis of forensic evidence is too slow.

Mohamed Elsayed (supplied image)

“For this research, we read reports and surveys that asked victims why they weren’t reporting assaults,” says the study’s lead author Mohamed Elsayed, who worked on the project as part of his PhD in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto. “And the most common answer was that they didn't have confidence in the justice system – and that lack of confidence was partly because of how long the process takes.”

Elsayed, now a post-doctoral researcher in the department of chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science, co-authored the study with, among others, Leticia Bodo, a master’s student in the department of chemistry, and Aaron Wheeler, a professor in the department of chemistry, the Institute of Biomedical Engineering and the Centre for Research and Applications in Fluidic Technologies, a ��οinstitutional strategic initiative.

All three researchers are also affiliated with the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research.

Processing forensic evidence in sexual assault cases is a technical, multi-step process that involves collecting DNA evidence and sending it to a well-equipped forensic laboratory for analysis by a skilled technician. Once there, the sample is first processed to isolate the assailant’s DNA from the victim’s so the assailant’s DNA can then be analyzed and used to identify a suspect.

The entire process can take days, weeks or longer. Most of that time is taken up with transporting the evidence to the lab, where its analysis can be further delayed depending on how many other cases are being investigated.

To speed things up, researchers focused on the first step: separating two individuals’ DNA from a single sample. At present, this is usually done manually by trained and experienced experts.

Elsayed and his collaborators, by contrast, developed a process called ’differential digestion” using digital microfluidics that helped simplify the overall process and reduce the number of manual steps needed to isolate the assailant’s DNA from 13 to five. “Also, because micro-fluidic processes tend to be faster, we expect that one of the eventual benefits will be shortening the overall time needed,” says Elsayed.

What’s more, the new approach could lead to a mobile solution that no longer requires a lab. For example, testing could be done at a hospital, circumventing the lab’s queue.

The new technique, described in a paper published in the journal Advanced Science, is compatible with the technology known as Rapid DNA analysis that is already in use for the second step of identifying an individual from their DNA. The study’s authors, which included researchers from ��οMississauga’s forensic science program, say the long-term goal is to integrate the two technologies to make the process even more streamlined.

While there remain several challenges to deploying the new technique, Elsayed says he is confident they can be overcome and has turned his efforts toward making it widely accessible and commercially viable.

“Our plan is to develop an instrument that will do in five minutes what currently takes 45,” says Elsayed. “And to run many more samples than previously. Once we do that, the next step would be to introduce the technology to forensic labs and hospitals.

“It will take years, but the potential is very exciting.”

The research was supported by the ANDE Corporation and NSERC Alliance Society.

"I’m grateful to NSERC for having the foresight to establish the ‘Alliance Society’ program which has a mission to ‘address a societal challenge that will result in new natural sciences and engineering knowledge and societal impact,” Wheeler says.

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Forensic Science

Stay connected, find community: International student shares tips from her guide to studying in Canada

davidlee — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:29:23 +0000

Stay connected, find community: International student shares tips from her guide to studying in Canada

davidlee Mon, 09/09/2024 - 11:29

Cutline

Ngọc Anh Thư (Tina) Huỳnh, a ��οPearson scholar from Vietnam, wrote a Vietnamese-language guide for international students studying in Canada (supplied image)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Back to School 2024

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Global

Rotman Commerce

St. Michael's College

Subheadline

“That's the great thing about being an international student in Canada ... Everyone is friendly. You can just reach out to anyone for help”

Unlike many first-year international students at the University of Toronto, Ngọc Anh Thư (Tina) Huỳnh already has plenty of experience living and studying in Canada – and the inevitable cultural shock that can come along with it.

She even wrote a book on it.

A Vietnamese student who has been attending school in Ontario since Grade 8, Huỳnh has cultivated the cultural fluency, study habits and – it must be said – winter survival tactics needed to thrive in Canadian classrooms.

After writing a guide for other Vietnamese students, she’s been helping her fellow Lester B. Pearson International Scholars adjust to life in Canada by sharing tips in a group chat on everything from what to pack to navigating the airport.

“It kind of reminds me of when I first came to Canada, because I had the same feeling – I was really nervous,” says Huỳnh, who is studying at Rotman Commerce in the Faculty of Arts & Science as a member of St. Michael’s College.

Born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, Huỳnh moved to Canada at age 13, starting her studies in Windsor, Ont. with a Vietnamese host family and later continuing her education at a school in nearby London, where she lived in residence.

Far away from her family and the familiarity of home, Huỳnh says she had to learn how to be independent. But she soon discovered that connecting with others eased the transition.

“What I found helpful was to find a community,” she says. “It could be a group of friends – maybe from your old country, or just someone you meet [here] ... You need someone by your side.”

She also discovered that Canadians were eager to make newcomers feel at home.

“That's the great thing about being an international student in Canada,” says Huỳnh. “Everyone is friendly. You can just reach out to anyone for help.”

A polyglot with fluency in Mandarin, Korean, Spanish and French in addition to Vietnamese and English, Huỳnh says she is quick to pick up new languages, but it still took her a while to get the hang of Canadian slang. For example, she recalls scratching her head when a Tim Hortons cashier threw around strange words like “loonie” and “toonie.”

“I was actually really confident with my English. But then it was destroyed because … communication styles were so different,” she says, encouraging international students to not be deterred by initial language barriers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, Huỳnh responded by building international connections through business. She founded an online venture to retail Korean merchandise to customers in the United States and Canada, which later expanded to serve more than 10 countries globally.

“It was really hard to purchase face masks or any medical supplies, so I thought of starting my business as a way to earn profits to support people during that time.”

The experience, while challenging, proved rewarding, with Huỳnh eventually donating a portion of her earnings to those in need.

In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Huỳnh began to consider how her journey could benefit others. With a deep love for writing, she drew on her notebooks to organize her thoughts on navigating culture shock, adapting to new learning environments and finding community.

Huỳnh’s insights formed the basis of her published book: Cẩm Nang Du Học Canada (A Complete Guide to Studying in Canada).

“I figured it may be a good idea to share all of my knowledge and understanding from my experience with high school students and their parents who are looking for this information.”

Huỳnh founded an online venture to sell Korean merchandise to customers in the U.S. and Canada, which later expanded to serve more than 10 countries (supplied image)

As a Pearson Scholar, Huỳnh is now hoping to build more connections and share her experiences as part of a global community of future leaders.

“I've already connected with a lot of amazing people – a lot of amazing students, alumni, even professors,” Huỳnh says. “The Pearson community is so supportive.”

Here are some of Huỳnh’s tips for international students arriving in Canada:

Stay connected to home: “Stay connected with your family and friends, because maybe you don't notice how much you miss them when they're right next to you. But when you're away from them – especially like for me, half the Earth away – it's really nice to talk to your parents, talk to your siblings, your friends, and just share your life.”
Find comfort in food: “For homesickness, one of the most healing ways, at least for me, is through food. And I think for Toronto, at least, I don't think people have to worry too much about having difficulties finding restaurants for their own culture.”
Dress smart for winter: “My advice would be to stick to thermal clothing – those are just very thin and cling close to your body. When I tell people about that, they’re surprised because thermal clothes are so thin compared to puffy layers of jackets. But trust me, they’ll keep you warmer."\
Take notes in class: “I know that in a lot of countries, especially Asian countries, people are probably used to teachers outlining everything. But it’s different in Canada … Professors can go really fast in lectures, so scribbling some notes – even if you have ugly handwriting – is a great way to learn and revise for exams.”
Embrace Canadian culture: “If you’re walking on the street, and a stranger says, ‘Hi’ – don’t freak out. They’re just being nice!”

Get That Hope: Alumna and former ��οMississauga instructor premières latest work at Stratford Festival

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 15:27:55 +0000

Get That Hope: Alumna and former ��οMississauga instructor premières latest work at Stratford Festival

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 08/29/2024 - 11:27

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Andrea Scott says she wrote her latest play, Get That Hope, after seeing Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, asking herself, “Why don’t we have plays like this about Black Canadian families?” (photo by Helen Tansey)

Topic