Current Sudents

With the launch of its first satellite, student team charts a course to new knowledge

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:44:03 +0000

With the launch of its first satellite, student team charts a course to new knowledge

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 01/19/2024 - 12:44

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A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Nov. 11, 2023, carrying a satellite designed and built by the 91�Թ� Aerospace Team (photo courtesy of SpaceX)

Safa Jinje

Topic

Our Community

Aerospace

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Graduate Students

Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Space

Undergraduate Students

UTIAS

Subheadline

“We worked on this project for so long with such a narrow focus that actually seeing it deployed was very rewarding”

Students in the 91�Թ�’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering recently gathered in the basement of the Sandford Fleming Building – known to many as “The Pit” – to witness the deployment of HERON Mk. II into space.

The 3U CubeSat satellite, built and operated by the space systems division of the 91�Թ� Aerospace Team (UTAT), was launched into orbit on a Falcon 9 rocket on Nov. 11, 2023 as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-9 rideshare mission that lifted off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, Calif.

The feat was entirely student funded with support from 91�Թ� Engineering through student levies and UTAT-led fundraising efforts.

“The experience of the launch was very surreal,” says master’s degree student Benjamin Nero, HERON’s current mission manger.

“We worked on this project for so long with such a narrow focus that actually seeing it deployed was very rewarding.”

“There are any number of things that could go wrong that might prevent a satellite from deploying,” adds Zachary Teper, a fellow master’s degree candidate who is part of the technical development team working on HERON’s ground station.

“So, watching each of the call outs coming out of the SpaceX mission control, seeing the rocket go up and meet every one of its mission objectives and then finally seeing our satellite get ejected out of the dispenser in the correct trajectory was a big relief – because we knew that it was finally in space and on the right path.”

Members of the UTAT space systems division gather on the sixth-floor roof of the Bahen Centre for Information Technology with the fully assembled ground station (photo by UTAT Space Systems)

Launching HERON – short for High frequency Educational Radio communications On a Nanosatellite – was the culmination of years of teamwork that brought together the efforts of more than 100 students.

HERON Mk. II, the second iteration of UTAT’s spacecraft, was originally designed and built between 2016 and 2018 for the fourth edition of the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge. Since space systems division was formed in 2014, many of the students who worked on the initial HERON design and build have since graduated. But the current operations team continued to develop the satellite and renew the student levy that allowed them to secure their space launch.

“The original objective for HERON was to conduct a biology experiment in space,” says Nero, who joined the team in 2019 during his second year of undergraduate studies. “But because of delays in the licensing process, we were unable to continue that mission objective. So, we re-scoped and shifted our focus to amateur radio communication and knowledge building.”

From left to right: HERON Mk. I (2016), HERON Mk. II Prototype (2018), HERON Mk. II Softstack (2020), HERON Mk. II Flight Model (2021) (photos by UTAT Space Systems)

Once the satellite’s final assembly was completed in 2021, the team began flight model testing and assembling a ground station, while also managing the logistics of the regulatory approvals needed to complete the launch.

“It’s difficult to put something in space, both technically and bureaucratically,” says Nero. “There are a lot of different governments that care about what you’re doing and want to know when and how you’re doing it.”

Getting to space was a significant milestone for the team, but it’s still only the beginning of their work.

“The goal for us as a design team is to start gathering institutional knowledge that we didn’t have before,” says Reid Sox-Harris, an undergraduate student who is HERON’s ground station manager and the electrical lead for UTAT’s next space mission, FINCH (Field Imaging Nanosatellite for Crop residue Hyperspectral mapping).

“We’ve never operated a satellite. So, we’re taking a lot of lessons learned with us through this process.” 

For example, when a satellite is deployed for the first time, the ground control team only has a rough idea of its movement and eventual location. They must simulate the launch to figure out exactly where it is before they can establish a connection. And when they receive new positional data, they must rerun their simulation.

“We have to take into account effects such as air resistance, or the sun’s solar cycles and the gravitational effects of the sun, the moon and the Earth – it’s a fairly complicated simulation,” Sox-Harris says.

Nero adds: “Part of the difficulty with a simulation is that a model is only useful for a certain period. An old estimate could result in as much as a few kilometres of drift from the satellite’s actual position per day.”

HERON’s ground station on the roof of the Bahen Centre (photo by UTAT Space Systems)

The team was not only tasked with designing a ground station capable of communicating with a satellite more than 500 kilometres away, but one that can survive a frigid and snowy Canadian winter.

“For any project, the most important thing you should be doing is testing,” says second-year student Swarnava Ghosh, who primarily works on the ground station software. “One challenge with our ground station currently is that there are too many variables that are not fully tested – and everything needs to be perfect in the chain for the communication to work. If the ground station is not pointing in the right direction, we won’t get a signal and we won’t establish communication. And if the amplifier is not working, then we won’t establish communication.” 

The team is confident that they will ultimately resolve any outstanding issues and establish communications with HERON. More importantly, they will be able to take what they’ve learned and apply it to the next mission.

“With FINCH, we want to make sure the ground station software and satellite can communicate on the ground,” says Sox-Harris. “Right now, there are over 500 kilometres between the satellite and ground station, so we can’t fly up there and test whether a command has worked.”

FINCH is set to launch in late 2025 on a rideshare rocket flight. Its current mission objective is to generate hyperspectral imaging maps of crop residue on farm fields in Manitoba from a low-Earth orbit.

There are many technical developments that are new to FINCH that weren’t applicable to HERON, the team says, including a novel optic system for remote sensing that is being developed by students.

“The risks associated with FINCH are mitigated by the work that is being performed by HERON right now. We’re learning many lessons that will be directly applicable to our next mission, and we’ll continue to learn from HERON for at least another year or more,” says Sox-Harris.

“This means the FINCH mission can be more complicated, it can move faster and ultimately we can have better reliability, which is something that we always strive for in aerospace.”

91�Թ� named most sustainable university in the world

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 14:06:41 +0000

91�Թ� named most sustainable university in the world

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 12/05/2023 - 09:06

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(photo by David Lee)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

Global Lens

Climate Positive Campus

UTogether

Meric Gertler

QS World University Rankings

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The QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 placed 91�Թ� first out of more than 1,400 institutions across 95 countries

The 91�Թ� has been named the most sustainable university in the world by the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024, which evaluates post-secondary institutions for their environmental impact, social impact and governance.

The ranking, released today by London-based Quacquarelli Symonds, placed 91�Թ� first overall out of more than 1,400 institutions across 95 countries – up one place from the inaugural edition of the ranking last year.

91�Թ� did particularly well in two of the three main areas comprising the overall ranking: environmental impact, where it moved up one spot to second globally; and social impact, where it ranked fourth in the world – up three spots. The university also tied for 15th place in the newly added category of governance.

“The 91�Թ� community is absolutely delighted by this recognition of our global leadership in sustainability,” said 91�Թ� President Meric Gertler. “It is a wonderful tribute to the innovation and commitment of the many 91�Թ� faculty, students, staff and alumni who are dedicated to meeting every aspect of this great challenge of the 21st century.

“They are demonstrating that effective action is possible on our campuses, in our communities and around the world.”

The QS sustainability ranking evaluates universities based on data used in the QS World University Rankings. That includes information from reputation surveys and research output related to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. It also considers the availability of institutional policies, operational data, alumni impact and national data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and World Bank.

The ranking uses more than 75 data points, grouped into nine lenses, to rank institutions in its three main categories. For environmental impact, the ranking examines environmental education, research and sustainability. For social impact, it looks at employability and outcomes, equality, health and well-being, impact of education and knowledge exchange. And for governance, the ranking evaluates indicators of good governance such as student representation and transparent financial reporting.

New data points introduced this year include net-zero commitments, renewable energy generation and citations of scholarly research in policy documents.

91�Թ�’s exceptional global performance headlined a strong showing by Canada, which had two universities in the top five and three in the top 10 – more than any other country (the University of British Columbia ranked fourth and Western University ranked 10th).

The QS sustainability ranking comes amid several high-profile sustainability initiatives across 91�Թ�’s three campuses in recent years.

On the St. George campus, 91�Թ� has implemented a number of infrastructure projects aimed at achieving the goal of becoming climate-positive by 2050 – a goal it now expects to reach well ahead of schedule and has since been expanded to 91�Թ� Mississauga and 91�Թ� Scarborough. These include the construction of Canada’s largest urban geoexchange field beneath Front Campus, set to be operational in spring 2024, and plans for a significant retrofit of its district energy systems via Project LEAP, an effort supported by the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

At 91�Թ� Mississauga, sustainability is embedded into academic programs, research and campus operations per the Sustainability Strategic Plan. The campus has a high-tech geothermal system beside the Instructional Centre and is actively expanding the use of solar energy across its buildings. 91�Թ� Mississauga also launched Project SHIFT, an initiative to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to electricity.

91�Թ� Scarborough, too, has placed sustainability at the forefront of curricula, partnerships and planning through initiatives supported by its Sustainability Office. This fall, 91�Թ� Scarborough opened a new student residence that meets Passive House standards for energy-efficient construction and is also proceeding with new climate-responsible constructions including the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) and the EaRTH (Phase 2) complex, part of the collaborative EaRTH District initiative that includes plans for a net-zero vertical farm. It's also the host of SDGs @ 91�Թ�, an institutional strategic initiative working to advance the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Nearly 30 per cent of all undergraduate courses at 91�Թ� in 2023-24 have a sustainability orientation, up from 25 per cent the previous year, and there are more than 100 graduate and PhD programs with sustainability-related content. Undergraduate students in all programs can participate in the Sustainability Pathways program, which allows them to explore sustainability from various disciplinary lenses and perspectives. Undergraduate and graduate students alike can also contribute to real-world sustainability initiatives on- and off-campus via the Campus as a Living Lab and Community-Engaged Learning initiatives.

The university is also making significant progress toward its 2021 commitment to divest from fossil fuel investments in its endowment fund and now collects a fee on all university-funded air travel to fund decarbonization and biodiversity projects on campus.

And researchers across the three campuses – such as those working with Climate Positive Energy, another 91�Թ� institutional strategic initiative – are generating new discoveries, technologies and knowledge that are contributing to a more sustainable future.

In a press release announcing the ranking, QS noted universities’ sustainability credentials play an increasingly important role in students’ decisions on where they want to study.

“Our 2023 Sustainability Survey revealed a striking trend: 79 per cent of prospective international students view an institution’s sustainability practices as extremely or very important. Additionally, 82 per cent actively seek information on these practices while researching universities,” wrote QS’s CEO Jessica Turner.

“This demonstrates a clear shift in priorities among today’s students – they are increasingly weighing the social and environmental impact of their future alma mater alongside academic excellence.”

Overall, 91�Թ� is ranked first in Canada and among the top 25 universities globally in the five most closely watched international rankings: QS World University Rankings, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities, Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

First-year student arrives at 91�Թ� with a plan to improve Toronto’s transit

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 17:25:49 +0000

First-year student arrives at 91�Թ� with a plan to improve Toronto’s transit

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 08/28/2023 - 13:25

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A member of New College, incoming first-year student Zarif Ali is hoping to study computer science and meet others who are passionate about improving transit and “other things that ... could dramatically improve our quality of life” (photo by Polina Teif)

Topic

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Cities

Faculty of Arts & Science

New College

Transit

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

Zarif Ali says the idea for his rewards-focused app grew out of a Grade 9 geography project

Zarif Ali is betting the 91�Թ� – and its culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in particular – can help him get where he wants to go.

A recent graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Scarborough’s Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate, Ali has been making media headlines in recent months for Transit+, his concept for an app that would incentivize public-transit riders through a rewards program while consolidating other features from existing apps, such as route and schedule information and digital fare payment.

“It was originally part of our Grade 9 geography culminating project,” says Ali, 18, who will be starting first year in the Faculty of Arts & Science as a member of New College with an eye toward entering the computer science program in his second year. “Our teacher assigned us to create something that would improve the quality of life in Toronto.”

He says had wanted to attend 91�Թ� ever since middle school and made up his mind when he discovered the university had a specialist program for designing computer interfaces.

“I was immediately interested, as that relates directly to how I want to thrive in my career. It was very clear to me from the beginning that 91�Թ� was going to be my top choice – and so I actually didn’t end up applying anywhere else.”

Inspired by a transit-focused episode of comedian Hasan Minhaj’s talk show Patriot Act and his own burgeoning interest in computer science, Ali decided to focus on a digital solution to the issue of transit cuts and fare hikes due to transit agencies’ lack of revenue.

“Transit+ is like Starbucks Rewards for your transit fare,” he explains. “The more you ride the TTC or Metrolinx using your Presto card, the more points you would be able to rack up – and at the end of the week or month, you could redeem them for a free bus ride or even a weekly or monthly pass. And if you wanted to incorporate small businesses around the city, you could have them do promotions within the app for you to redeem using Presto or your credit card.”

Ali points to other transit agencies that have implemented similar systems over the years, such as the STM Merci loyalty program in Montreal that was able to generate $100 million in additional revenue from new ridership over the course of its three-year pilot project, according to a study, or Hong Kong’s Octopus smartcard and its rider perks.

“Right now, the app is very focused on the rewards program – it’s meant to incentivize people who are either considering using transit, or already using it, to use it more frequently. If you're able to increase ridership, you increase the total revenue that the agency is able to bring in,” Ali says.

Encouraged by his teachers and fellow classmates, Ali kept fine-tuning his idea for the Transit+ app throughout high school while continuing to learn more about computing by watching YouTube videos and taking a Grade 10 computer science course.

“I’m interested in computer science because of how it enables you to create things that are accessible to so many people,” Ali says.

He credits his experience at Wilfrid Laurier for helping him prepare to enter university.

“The teachers there were absolutely wonderful in guiding everyone throughout our high school career – especially in the last two years in the IB program,” Ali says.

“There was definitely a competitive atmosphere, but it just fueled everybody to try and do the absolute best they could in whatever field they wanted to get into. And happily, everybody in my friend group was able to get into their top choice for university.”

Ali’s former geography teacher, Karen Pak – who graduated from the master's program at 91�Թ�'s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in 2017 – says the school project that led to Ali's app was based on principles from the Global Ideas Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, where she was formerly the mentor program manager. She says Ali's enthusiasm for learning will serve him well in university.

“As an educator, you always hope that students will be sparked by something to make learning truly tangible and applicable,” Pak says.

“Zarif deserves all the credit in taking this opportunity and turning it into a pathway for his creativity and intellect – a winning combination. I know he will go on to accomplish incredible innovations and inspire others to do the same.”

As he gets ready to start at 91�Թ� in September, Ali is as focused on his academic goals as he was on building Transit+.

“I’m hoping that I can meet the requirements to get into the computer science major. After second year, I want to go into the focus in human-computer interaction program, because that’s where you get to learn about design fundamentals.

“And I’m hoping to meet like-minded people at 91�Թ� who are also as passionate about computer science and improving things like transit or looking at other things that could be very simple to implement, but could dramatically improve our quality of life,” Ali says, adding that he’s planning to join some of 91�Թ�’s entrepreneurship clubs and accelerators to help him further develop his app.

For Transit+ to become a reality, Ali knows he’d need buy-in from TTC and Metrolinx – and has already reached out to local politicians, activists and transit staff who've offered feedback and even helped him refine his pitch.

Ironically, Ali – who immigrated to Scarborough from Bangladesh with his parents in 2010 – has never been much of a transit rider himself. But that’s all about to change as he gears up for his daily commute to campus this fall.

“I've always been lucky enough to have my schools or wherever I need to go really close by, so I never really rode transit that much,” he says. “But now that I'm coming downtown to attend 91�Թ�, I feel like having a program like Transit+ in place would be great.”

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Back to School 2023

5 things students need to know as 91�Թ� gears up for classes this fall

mattimar — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 19:09:00 +0000

5 things students need to know as 91�Թ� gears up for classes this fall

mattimar Thu, 08/24/2023 - 15:09

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Ela Dai, a recent grad and this year’s ASKme program assistant, says ASKme booths are a “campus compass” for new and returning students (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

From orientation events to community gatherings, there's a flurry of activity happening across the university's three campuses

Ela Dai was too nervous to ask questions when she first arrived at the 91�Թ� in 2018 – so, her father encouraged her to approach an ASKme booth on the St. George campus.

The booth’s volunteers helped Dai, who was arriving from Türkiye, and her father sort out a question about the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) – and now, four years later, Dai is a recent graduate of the Faculty of Arts & Science and this year’s ASKme program assistant.

“The ASKme booths have become the campus compass for a lot of students,” says Dai.

“The ambassadors are students or recent grads, so they know where you’re coming from because they experienced being a new student. It creates a safe environment.”

The booths are just one of the many resources that staff, faculty, librarians and student volunteers are rolling out on 91�Թ�’s three campuses over the next several weeks in preparation for the arrival of more than 90,000 new and returning students from across Canada and around the world.

That includes online and in-person workshops, seminars and orientation events focused on everything from academic skills to finances, housing and more.

Here’s a brief snapshot of the many ways 91�Թ� is rolling out the welcome mat for students this fall – and a few suggestions on how they can make the most of the upcoming year:

Get to know 91�Թ�

Attendees at last year’s Homecoming event at 91�Թ� Scarborough (photo via UTSC)

There’s a flurry of events scheduled at St. George, 91�Թ� Scarborough and 91�Թ� Mississauga during the month of September – but if there’s one day students won’t want to miss, it’s Sept. 6.

In the morning, a tri-campus “cheer-off” will take place at Varsity Stadium at 10:30 a.m., bringing together students from all three campuses in advance of a tri-campus student parade that will march – loudly – from Varsity Stadium to the intersection of St. George and College Streets.

Later in the day, the annual tri-campus clubs fair will take place on St. George Street between College and Harbord/Hoskin Streets from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students are invited to explore hundreds of clubs at 91�Թ� – from eSports and K-pop to Afro-dance and culture – to find their community.

And that’s only the beginning. Here are just a few of the other events scheduled to take place at 91�Թ� Mississauga, 91�Թ� Scarborough and the St. George campus to welcome students to the fall term.

Sept. 1. Snap the 6ix photo scavenger hunt at 91�Թ� St. George
Sept. 2. The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union Frosh at 91�Թ� Scarborough
Sept. 5. Resources and Involvement Fair at 91�Թ� Mississauga
Sept 5. Black Excellence Orientation – Bonnet and Durag Bash at 91�Թ� Mississauga
Sept. 6. Campus Bites and Sights at 91�Թ� Mississauga
Sept. 7. Healthy Campus Day at 91�Թ� Scarborough
Sept. 8. Spadina Block Party at 91�Թ� St. George
Sept. 13. First Nations House Orientation at 91�Թ� St. George
Sept. 23. Homecoming at 91�Թ� Scarborough

There's also a tri-campus Xplore Hart House event on Sept. 1 on the St. George campus that includes shuttle bus access from 91�Թ� Scarborough and 91�Թ� Mississauga.

Find more orientation events by using Student Life’s calendar (St. George), the orientation events page at 91�Թ� Mississauga and the orientation events page at 91�Թ� Scarborough.

Don’t be afraid to ASK(me)!

ASKme Anything volunteers are on hand to answer all of students’ questions (photo by Johnny Guatto)

No matter how big or small the question, students can find help across all three campuses.

Dai stresses that the ASKme booths are there to provide essential information to make the transition to university – or getting reacquainted with campus – that much easier.

She says they get questions ranging from, “Where is Hart House?” to “How do I study as a new university student?”

On the St. George campus, there are four booths set up at the Koffler Student Services Centre, the campus gates at King’s College Road and College Street, near Sidney Smith Hall and at Robarts Library from Aug. 21 until Sept. 15.

At 91�Թ� Scarborough, ASKme Anything booths will be located by the bus loop outside Highland Hall, at the front of the Student Centre, at the front of the Instructional Centre and at the Bladen Wing Hallway.

Students at 91�Թ� Mississauga are encouraged to visit the Centre for Student Engagement front desk office to have their questions answered. The office is open from 9:30 to 5 p.m. and an available resource to students year around.

There are even welcome booths at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Terminals 1 and 3. They will be open from Aug. 21 to Sept. 10 from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Find your first class – and arrive on time

91�Թ� Mississauga campus map

The first day of classes varies for each campus.

At 91�Թ� Scarborough, students will start on Sept. 5, while 91�Թ� Mississauga kicks off the fall semester on Sept. 6. Students on the St. George campus begin heading to class on Sept. 7.

91�Թ�’s tri-campus map tool is a great resource when it comes to figuring out where to go – and don’t forget that most lectures start 10 minutes after the hour to make sure students have time to get where they need to be. And, when it finally comes time to hit the books, 91�Թ� Libraries has put together a helpful tip sheet about accessing its collections and other resources, as well as where to find study spaces across the three campuses.

Find your community

Students from the LGBTOUT Centre for Queer, Questioning & Allied Students promote their organization at Clubs Day (photo by James Poremba)

One of the best things about attending 91�Թ� is that it’s located in a city renowned for its diversity, which is reflected in the university’s many groups and student associations.

From First Nations House to the Black Students’ Association to LGBTOUT and the Multi-Faith Centre, there is a wide range of opportunities on the three campuses for students to connect, share their experiences and make meaningful connections.

Joining a club at 91�Թ� also provides an avenue to try something new, or delve deeper into your hobbies, and fosters a sense of belonging within the university community. From eSports to art, there are literally hundreds of community-oriented clubs and student groups across the three campuses – meaning there’s something for everyone.

In addition to the Sept. 6 clubs fair, the Student Organization Portal – a clubs directory – is a great resource to discover campus groups and includes information on what each group does and how to go about joining it.

Make health, wellness and safety a priority

91�Թ� strives to provide a safe supportive environment where students, staff, faculty and librarians can thrive in their academic and personal pursuits.

The 91�Թ� Campus Safety app features emergency contacts, tips, support services, and a live chat feature that connects users with 91�Թ� safety staff in real-time. App users can also use a Mobile Bluelight feature which sends the user’s on-campus location to a safety team in case of a crisis. Other features include TravelSafer, enabling safety staff to monitor users’ on-campus walks, and Friend Walk, which allows a trusted contact to monitor your walk anywhere in the world.

Additionally, 91�Թ� community members are automatically enrolled in UTAlert – a service that allows the university to send important messages via email. Students can log into the UTAlert portal to ensure that their info is up to date, and add a phone number to receive text messages.

Students are also encouraged to stay safe online by practicing good password hygiene, using multifactor identification where available and generally being on the alert for suspicious websites, emails and texts. More information can be found on the university’s Security Matters website, including a tool to report phishing attempts.

Students seeking mental health support can visit the Student Mental Health Resource site or health and wellness at St. George, 91�Թ� Scarborough and 91�Թ� Mississauga.

More information about 91�Թ� can be found at UTogether

91�Թ� ranked first in Canada, among top 25 universities globally in Shanghai ranking

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 20:00:33 +0000

91�Թ� ranked first in Canada, among top 25 universities globally in Shanghai ranking

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 08/18/2023 - 16:00

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(photo by Matthew Dochstader / Paradox Images)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Shanghai Ranking Consultancy

The 91�Թ� is rated first in Canada and 24th globally in the latest edition of ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s worldwide university rankings.

Among public universities, 91�Թ� placed sixth in North America and 13th overall in the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities, released earlier this week.

This marks the seventh year in a row that 91�Թ� has placed among the world’s top 25 universities in the closely watched annual ranking, which was first launched in 2003.

“We are thrilled to see the 91�Թ� once again recognized as a world leader in research and education,” said Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“Our consistent performance in these and other worldwide rankings reflects 91�Թ�’s unwavering commitment to making new discoveries, advancing knowledge across disciplines and producing graduates who can effect change on a global scale.”

The Academic Ranking of World Universities is based on six weighted measures related to research and academic performance. They include: the number of alumni and faculty winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals; the number of highly-cited researchers in 21 broad subject categories; the number of papers published in the prestigious journals Nature and Science; articles cited in major science and social sciences citation indices; and each institution’s per capita academic performance.

In all, the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy evaluated more than 2,500 universities to determine the 1,000 that would make the cut for its 2023 publication.

91�Թ� received a similar score to last year but dropped two spots as the rising performance of Chinese universities saw Tsinghua University join the top 25 for the first time while Imperial College London, ranked 23rd, maintained its position.

The ranking’s top 10 universities were identical to 2022, with Harvard University taking the top spot in the ranking, followed by Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Cambridge, the University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, University of Oxford, Columbia University, the California Institute of Technology and University of Chicago.

Four other Canadian universities made the top 100: the University of British Columbia (44), McGill University (70), University of Alberta (91) and McMaster University (98).

Overall, 91�Թ� is ranked first in Canada and among the top 25 universities globally in the five most closely watched international rankings: QS World University Rankings, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities, Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

91�Թ�’s Faculty of Music partners with community group to mentor young pianists

mattimar — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 17:48:48 +0000

91�Թ�’s Faculty of Music partners with community group to mentor young pianists

mattimar Mon, 06/05/2023 - 13:48

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Elizabeth Afeworki, a Grade 10 student, performs Nocturne in G Minor by Frédéric Chopin during a recital at 91�Թ�'s Faculty of Music (photo by Mariam Matti)

Topic

Subheadline

Dixon Hall community members have been receiving mentorship from Faculty of Music graduate students

Jessica Lui remembers her childhood piano lessons being very technical – so much so that she quit playing at age 13. “It wasn’t very fun as a kid, being forced to practice all the time,” she says.

Now, Lui – a master’s student in the piano performance and pedagogy program at the 91�Թ�’s Faculty of Music – is teaching piano to a new generation after rediscovering the instrument as a young adult.

She says she wants to make sure her students have a great experience.

“I wanted to do something different than my early teachers, to make it more fun,” Lui says.

Since September, 91�Թ� piano pedagogy graduate students such as Lui have been mentoring and giving virtual piano sessions to young pianists through the Faculty of Music’s partnership with Dixon Hall, a multi-service agency in downtown Toronto that provides music lessons to children and other community members in Regent Park, Moss Park and the St. Lawrence community through the Dixon Hall Music School.

Grade 12 student Ryan Tran takes a bow following his performance (photo by Mariam Matti)

The partnership has provided valuable mentorship opportunities for young pianists like Elizabeth Afeworki and Ryan Tran.

“When you’re a student and another student is helping you, it feels better,” says Afeworki, who is in Grade 10. “It was a relaxed and calm environment.”

Tran, who is in Grade 12, says he picked up new techniques during his sessions.

“They taught me to sing the melody in my head,” he says.

The partnership with Dixon Hall was forged last spring when Associate Professor Midori Koga, faculty supervisor of the piano pedagogy program at 91�Թ�, served as a practice partner for the students from Dixon Hall as part of a pilot program.

“I was Zooming from my own home into their living rooms,” says Koga. “We were having informal conversations about practice and the challenges they’ve faced. It was an opportunity for me to catch a lovely glimpse of music in their homes and family lives.”

Midori Koga, who launched the partnership with Dixon Hall, delivers opening remarks at the Piano Festival (photo by Mariam Matti)

In the fall, Koga officially launched the Practice Partners Program with Dixon Hall with a donation by Charles and Janet Lin. Charles taught in 91�Թ�’s department of physics in the 1980s. He and Janet also support the Paul and Celestine Lin Graduate Scholarship at the Faculty of Music. The scholarship was named after Charles' parents.

"Supporting Dixon Hall through music education is one of the actions we take to reduce inequities in our community,” Charles and Janet said in an emailed statement. “The young people are our future."

Students from Dixon Hall signed up for 20-minute coaching sessions designed to support their regular piano classes every week. They consulted the Faculty of Music graduate students on technique, how to practice new pieces and how to polish up their performances.

“The idea was that our role wasn’t as their teachers, but as mid-week supports for their practice,” Koga says. “It was valuable for the graduate students to experience working with a broader community, and helpful for the Dixon Hall students to receive support and encouragement between their lessons.”

The program culminated with a Piano Festival in late May. The Dixon Hall pianists visited the Faculty of Music on the St. George campus for a combination of master classes for more advanced students, individual lessons, assessments and a showcase recital at the end of the day in front of family and friends.

Program participants hold up thank you signs for Charles and Janet Lin (photo by Mariam Matti)

Jingyi Zhou, a piano pedagogy student at 91�Թ�, introduced off-bench activities such as chanting and singing to the pianists from Dixon Hall during her sessions.

“I would ask them to find something that resembles a drum, and they’d bring a pot from the kitchen,” says Zhou, adding that the idea is “to feel the music with your body instead of just your fingers.”

For students Afeworki and Tran, it was their first visit to 91�Թ�’s Faculty of Music.

Afeworki participated in one of the masterclasses and played Nocturne in G Minor by Frédéric Chopin at the recital. Tran, meanwhile, completed a mock assessment, played Interlude by Martha Mier at the recital and said he found the practice sessions informative.

“I was getting advice from another student,” he says. “It was really helpful.”

As for Lui, she says her experience at 91�Թ� so far has been “well-rounded” and applies the techniques she’s learned when she’s teaching.

“Right now, we’re building a foundation for them to be able to do anything they want.”

Dixon Hall students received certificates from the Faculty of Music following the recital (photo by Mariam Matti)

91�Թ� accepts all recommendations of Anti-Asian Racism Working Group’s final report

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 29 May 2023 12:51:58 +0000

91�Թ� accepts all recommendations of Anti-Asian Racism Working Group’s final report

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 05/29/2023 - 08:51

Cutline

(photo by Daria Perevezentsev)

Tabassum Siddiqui

Topic

Our Community

Anti-Asian Racism Working Group

The 91�Թ� is committed to implementing the 40 recommendations for addressing anti-Asian racism on campus issued in the final report by 91�Թ�’s Anti-Asian Racism Working Group.

The final report outlines eight key areas where the university can expand on its work to build a more respectful, accountable, equitable and inclusive community while stepping up efforts to combat anti-Asian racism, which experienced a spike in Canada and other countries during the pandemic.

The report highlights the fact that anti-Asian racism is often compounded by a feeling of invisibility and acknowledges the diverse nature of the Asian community across 91�Թ�’s three campuses, including the unique experiences of international students.

“The 91�Թ� is staunchly opposed to anti-Asian racism in all its forms,” said 91�Թ� President Meric Gertler. “It also acknowledges that anti-Asian racism is too often ignored – and that the rich, complex and diverse Asian experience is sometimes overlooked, while many remarkable contributions from this community are taken for granted.

“We accept the Working Group’s recommendations and commit the university to proceeding as quickly as possible, with accountability and transparency.”

The Anti-Asian Racism Working Group (AARWG) launched in April 2022 as part of 91�Թ�’s commitment to addressing discrimination and growing anti-Asian racism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted members of the 91�Թ� community.

The group comprised 39 members, including 12 faculty, instructors and librarians; 18 staff; and nine students.

“So many people from across different constituencies of the university wanted to help on this work,” said working group co-chair Carol Chin, principal of Woodsworth College and associate professor in the department of history in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“We wanted to ensure that we had a cross-section of different Asian identities, so we tried to include people from different backgrounds and different experiences so that we had a representative group,” added fellow co-chair Vikram Chadalawada, assistant director of student information systems, enterprise applications and solutions integration.

The working group appointed a steering committee and three subcommittees to consult stakeholders and launched a university-wide survey in October 2022 to invite students, faculty, librarians and staff to share their experiences of and perspectives on anti-Asian racism at 91�Թ�. The group then held focus groups and consultations to better understand the issues.

“We felt a great sense of responsibility to be entrusted with the stories and hopes of all the different members of the community, and also then the responsibility to take those disparate experiences and crystallize them into recommendations that the university could actually act on,” Chin said.

That process informed the recommendations in the final report, which are grouped into eight key areas: institutional accountability, data and transparency; communications; hiring, reviews and career development; education, training and mentorship; teaching, curriculum and research; community and belonging; health, wellness and support; and resources (funding, staffing and research).

In its response to the report, 91�Թ�’s administration notes the university is implementing proposed actions as a result of the working group’s consultations and other ongoing equity-related initiatives, and pledges to take meaningful action on creating a more supportive environment for members of 91�Թ�’s Asian community.

“The Anti-Asian Racism Working Group’s recommendations have provided a concrete foundation upon which a more equitable 91�Թ� community may flourish, while recognizing that inclusion and belonging on our campuses cannot take a one-size-fits-all approach,” said 91�Թ� Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr.

“As a result of this important initiative, we commit to an increased vigilance in identifying and confronting anti-Asian racism at 91�Թ� and society at large. We hope that the measures taken in response to this report will result in members of the 91�Թ� Asian community feeling how deeply valued they are as individuals and contributors to our collective and shared success.”

The 91�Թ� community will be updated on progress related to the report’s recommendations via the commitments tracking webpage of the Institutional Equity Office.

“The multidimensional work of responding to racism at the university requires a collective effort,” said Acting Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture Heather Boon. “We recognize the diversity of experience within and across 91�Թ�’s Asian community, and we aim to create a more supportive environment in which all our members feel they belong.

“We will continue to support initiatives that contribute to the well-being and success of Asian faculty, librarians, students and staff.”

Lingyin Shen, co-lead of the Anti-Asian Racism Working Group’s students and curricula subcommittee, said she was encouraged by the feedback throughout the group’s year-long process and hopes their report will lead to substantive change.

“I hope the administration is going to take a very close look at the report and consider all the voices and recommendations, and implement them in a way that is open-minded and practical,” said Shen, who is a 91�Թ� graduate in East Asian studies and works at the Centre for International Experience as an international student immigration adviser.

“It’s a good pathway moving forward,” added subcommittee co-lead Wan Li, a recent 91�Թ� graduate in geography and contemporary Asian studies.

Co-chairs Chin and Chadalawada said they’re pleased with the administration’s response to the report and note discussion on the issues will continue beyond the working group.

“The whole 91�Թ� community wants change to happen – and the institution is genuinely committed to change,” Chadalawada said. “It’s the perfect balance of everyone feeling the need to work together to make that change happen.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2023! 91�Թ� gears up for spring convocation celebrations

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 26 May 2023 12:40:48 +0000

Congratulations to the Class of 2023! 91�Թ� gears up for spring convocation celebrations Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 05/26/2023 - 08:40

Topic

Subheadline

More than 12,700 graduating students are expected to cross the stage at Convocation Hall during 32 ceremonies

Excitement is sweeping across the 91�Թ�’s three campuses as soon-to-be graduates prepare to close one chapter of their lives – and open another – at this spring’s convocation ceremonies.

Family, friends and guests will gather at Convocation Hall to cheer on more than 12,700 graduating students who are expected to cross the stage and receive their degrees during 32 ceremonies held between June 1 and 22.

This spring’s graduates will represent more than 106 countries, including Canada, and range in age from 17 to 79. In total, more than 21,000 students will graduate from 91�Թ� this year, including 15,800 this spring.

President Meric Gertler said he is looking forward to celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2023 during 91�Թ�’s tradition-rich ceremonies, calling it a personal highlight of the academic year.

“I am truly humbled to be part of this momentous occasion, which marks the culmination of each student’s academic journey,” President Gertler said. “Many members of the Class of 2023 pursued part of their studies during the pandemic’s most difficult years – and their resilience and perseverance have been an inspiration to us all.

“I am confident that each one of our new graduates will use the knowledge, skills and experience they’ve gained during their time at the 91�Թ� to reach new heights of excellence and help shape the world for the better.”

The spring convocation schedule kicks off with the ceremony for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine on June 1 and concludes with Woodsworth College on June 22. The university remains a mask-friendly environment, and supports all those who choose to use a medical mask in high-density indoor spaces when physical distancing is not possible.

While each graduating student has been allotted two tickets for guests inside the hall, the ceremonies will be livestreamed at 91�Թ�’s Convocation Hub and an additional viewing area will be set up inside the Sandford Fleming building.

The festivities will feature numerous traditions that date back more than a century, including organ music, convocation speakers, hoods and gowns, a bedel carrying 91�Թ�’s gold-plated mace and a 51-bell carillon ringing out from atop Soldiers’ Tower.

The chancellor’s procession will be led by the Eagle Feather Bearer in recognition of the university’s enduring relationship with Indigenous Peoples. The Eagle Feather – a sacred symbol in many Indigenous cultures, including the Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas – was first introduced as a ceremonial element during last spring’s convocation ceremonies .

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, 91�Թ� staff are busy preparing Convocation Hall and printing parchments, which must then be carefully placed into envelopes and double- and triple-checked against a long list of graduating students. Current and retired faculty, as well as staff, who act as readers during the ceremonies spend hours practising the pronunciation of graduands’ names.

As construction on the Landmark Project progresses, the west side of King’s College Circle will be open for the procession to Convocation Hall from the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship, where students will collect their regalia and assemble. Access to Myhal will be limited to graduating students and those in the academic procession.

Sixteen luminaries are set to receive honorary degrees at this spring’s convocation ceremonies. Graduating students, meanwhile, will be presented on the stage by degree in alphabetical order.

Chancellor Rose Patten, who is chair of convocation and confers all degrees, says every graduate who crosses the stage becomes an ambassador of the values that set 91�Թ� apart as a world-leading institution.

“A degree from the 91�Թ� is not only a certificate of academic achievement, but a passport to lifelong learning, leadership and service,” Patten said. “It gives me enormous pride to see our graduates carry forward our commitments to inclusive excellence, collaborative innovation and sustainable stewardship.”

At the end of the ceremony, graduates will follow the chancellor out of Convocation Hall in a recent addition to the academic recessional, said Samantha Smith, acting director of the Office of Convocation.

“The graduates are now treated with the same level of formality as the faculty, staff and other senior officials that are participating,” says Smith. “This further reinforces the message of equity that we work very hard to ensure is present in all 32 ceremonies.”

The recessional will end on Galbraith Road, where graduates can reunite with their guests and take part in activities, including a photo booth operated by Alumni Relations.

In addition to its College Street storefront, the 91�Թ� Bookstore will offer framing services in a tent at Knox College. The courtyard is one of many photogenic locations on the three campuses for pre- and post-graduation snapshots, which can be shared on social media under the hashtag #UofTGrad23.

“On behalf of the 91�Թ�, I want to wish each member of the Class of 2023, as well as their families and friends, a heartfelt congratulations for reaching this important moment,” President Gertler said.

“We can’t wait to see what you do next.”

Students from Ukraine take part in 91�Թ�'s computer science summer research program

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 19 May 2023 15:03:38 +0000

Students from Ukraine take part in 91�Թ�'s computer science summer research program

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 05/19/2023 - 11:03

Cutline

91�Թ� researcher Brokoslaw Laschowski, left, speaks with Anton Zaliznyi and Bohdan Pikula at a recent event to welcome students from Ukraine who are participating in a computer science summer research program (photo by Polina Teif)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Global Lens

Institutional Strategic Initiatives

Robotics Institute

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

91�Թ� Mississauga

Subheadline

Initiative provides computer science students from Ukraine the chance to do cutting-edge research with top 91�Թ� faculty

Anastasiia Pedan has faced many challenges as an undergraduate student at the National Technical University of Ukraine – starting with the global pandemic, when her classes were moved online and she was unable to meet classmates in-person.

Then came the Russian invasion.

“There were alarms, bombings and death all around us,” says Pedan, who was in her second year, studying systems analysis. “It was really hard to concentrate on studying when you are literally living through historical events.”

Anastasiia Pedan arrived in Toronto in May to participate in 91�Թ�'s summer research program for Ukrainian students (photo by Polina Teif)

Today, Pedan is in Toronto to participate in the 91�Թ�’s summer research program in computer science for students from Ukraine – one of 21 students selected from over 400 applicants this year.

The program – one of several initiatives at the university focused on supporting students from Ukraine – began in 2022 when Brokoslaw Laschowski, research scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and an assistant professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, and Michael Brudno, chief data scientist for the University Health Network and a professor of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, asked their colleagues at universities in Ukraine what they could do to support students during the war.

“They suggested one of the best things we can do is provide a temporary safe haven for students to continue their research and education,” says Laschowski, who is also an affiliate faculty member at 91�Թ�’s Robotics Institute.

“That’s exactly what we started doing.”

With support from 91�Թ�’s department of computer science, the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the Robotics Institute and the department of mathematical and computational sciences at 91�Թ� Mississauga, the initiative gives Ukrainian computer science students the opportunity to work and study with top 91�Թ� faculty engaged in cutting-edge research. Each student is paired with a supervisor for four months and costs related to travel expenses, on-campus housing accommodations and a research stipend are fully covered.

This week, organizers held a welcome event at Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship on the St. George campus to introduce incoming students to each other and to last year’s cohort. Brudno and Laschowski were there to greet their students, along with Melissa Judd, vice-president of research operations and academic partnerships at the Vector Institute, and Hallie Siegel, managing director of strategy and partnership at 91�Թ�’s Robotics Institute.

“This isn't charity. The mathematics and computer science programs in Ukraine have the potential to be world leading,” Laschowski told the crowd.

“The technical abilities and problem-solving skills of these students are incredible. By us investing in the future of Ukrainian education, we are in investing in the future of robotics and artificial intelligence.”

The welcome event brought together last year's cohort of students to meet the newcomers (photo by Polina Teif)

For her part, Pedan says she is looking forward to spending her summer conducting research about neural radiance fields with Igor Gilitschenski, an assistant professor in the department of mathematical and computational sciences at 91�Թ� Mississauga.

“It’s been an emotional roller coaster,” she says. “But it’s an honour to have been selected.”

UHN’s Michael Brudno, who helped get the program off the ground, welcomes the new cohort of students to 91�Թ� (photo by Polina Teif)

Anton Zaliznyi, meanwhile, will spend his summer researching surgical robots with Lueder Kahrs, an assistant professor at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and in the department of mathematical and computational sciences at 91�Թ� Mississauga.

“The end goal is to help create robots that can help surgeons operate,” Zaliznyi says. “We are a long way away from using it in real life, but I think it will be very impactful.”

In Ukraine, Zaliznyi managed to complete his undergraduate degree in software engineering and his first year of his master’s program in computer science despite the war. But everything had changed.

"You live day by day and it's really hard to think about the future," he says. "It was practically impossible to do any kind of research. I wasn't able to complete what I initially envisioned and planned for my thesis."

He says he is excited for the opportunity to engage with the research community at 91�Թ�.

Oleksii Tsepa, left, and Roman Burakov, right, presented the research they conducted with Assistant Professor Brokoslaw Laschowski, centre, who was their supervisor last year. (photo by Polina Teif)

“91�Թ� is probably the best university in the world when it comes to research,” he says. “I honestly think that there are very few universities who can compete.”

At the welcome event, Roman Burakov and Oleksii Tsepa presented research they worked on last summer with Laschowski as their supervisor.

“I am very grateful for this opportunity,” says Burakov.

“We had our work accepted to the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), which is the top tier robotics conference. Without this program, I would have never done that. It opens a lot of pathways for my future.”

As for Pedan, she has already met with her supervisor, visited the 91�Թ� Mississauga campus and Robarts Library on the St. George campus. She’s looking forward to seeing more of 91�Թ� and the city.

“As far as adjustments go, it’s been relatively quick,” she says.

“I’ve had to adjust to so many different situations and settings over the last two and a half years – so this is one is a walk in the park.”

Sustainable Future – Challenge Accepted! Climate Resilience Ep. 2

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 04 May 2023 13:27:53 +0000

Sustainable Future – Challenge Accepted! Climate Resilience Ep. 2 Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 05/04/2023 - 09:27

Topic

How does climate anxiety affect students and how do they feel about the future of a warming planet?

In the second episode of 91�Թ�’s five-part video series – Sustainable Future - Challenge Accepted! – students from the 91�Թ� Scarborough share their thoughts on eco-anxiety, the global impact of climate change and a path forward to sustainability.

“To reduce climate anxiety is really to take action… and as students we have the power to do that as well,” says Yao Yang Huang, a fourth-year student studying environmental chemistry at 91�Թ� Scarborough.

A student-led effort, the video was directed and filmed by Charlotte Wargniez, who studies environmental geoscience at 91�Թ� Scarborough, with additional camera work by Huang and editor Joel Famadico Jr.

Current Sudents

With the launch of its first satellite, student team charts a course to new knowledge

91�Թ� named most sustainable university in the world

First-year student arrives at 91�Թ� with a plan to improve Toronto’s transit

5 things students need to know as 91�Թ� gears up for classes this fall

Get to know 91�Թ�

Don’t be afraid to ASK(me)!

Find your first class – and arrive on time

Find your community

Make health, wellness and safety a priority

More information about 91�Թ� can be found at UTogether

91�Թ� ranked first in Canada, among top 25 universities globally in Shanghai ranking

91�Թ�’s Faculty of Music partners with community group to mentor young pianists

91�Թ� accepts all recommendations of Anti-Asian Racism Working Group’s final report

Congratulations to the Class of 2023! 91�Թ� gears up for spring convocation celebrations

Students from Ukraine take part in 91�Թ�'s computer science summer research program

Sustainable Future – Challenge Accepted! Climate Resilience Ep. 2

Watch Episode 2 of the Sustainable Future series