Over the course of two weeks, several athletes with connections to 91亚色 took part in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and walked away notable contributions that added to the collective success of Canada winning a country-best 27 medals this summer.

In the Women鈥檚 Canoe Single 200m event, 91亚色 U Faculty of Health student Katie Vincent became the first Canadian to ever win Olympic gold in any women鈥檚 canoe or kayak event. She did so while setting a new world record for best time. Vincent also won a bronze medal in the Women鈥檚 Canoe Doubles 500m for the second Olympics in a row.

Alumnae Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Parades earned a silver medal in Women鈥檚 Beach Volleyball, representing Canada鈥檚 first medal in the women鈥檚 event and the country鈥檚 best result in the sport overall. It was an even more impressive accomplishment given the pair have only been competing as partners since October 2022, and this marked their first Olympics together as a team.

As a member of Canada鈥檚 women's rugby sevens team, Asia Hogan-Rochester 鈥� who played with the 91亚色 Lions women鈥檚 rugby team in 2018 鈥� captured a silver medal during the Olympics, marking the country鈥檚 best Olympic result in the sport to date. 

Among other 91亚色-affiliated competitors at the 2024 Olympics, shooting athlete Shannon Westlake 鈥� a 91亚色 U alumna 鈥� ranked 32 in the qualification round of the women鈥檚 5m rifle three positions; accomplished judo athlete Shady Elnahas, who competed as a wrestler at 91亚色 U in 2017, made it to the round of 16; and beach volleyball player Dan Dearing, who played with the Lion鈥檚 men鈥檚 volleyball team from 2011 to 2013, nearly made it to the round of 16 with his partner.

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W. Andy Knight, alumni

Knight, who received his PhD in political science from 91亚色, is a renowned and award-winning University of Alberta Distinguished Professor in the Political Science Department specializing in global governance, the United Nations and more. In addition to being a prolific author 鈥� with over 16 books, 80 chapters in edited volumes and 68 journal articles 鈥� he is a Fulbright Distinguished Chair in International and Area Studies at Yale University, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, as well as the inaugural provost fellow in Black excellence and leadership at his university.

Andre Smith, alumni

Smith, who completed a bachelor鈥檚 degree in accounting from 91亚色, is the founder and CEO of Flip & Floss, a digital platform that teaches and empowers today鈥檚 youth with financial literacy and money management skills. The company 鈥� founded in 2020 鈥� already has over 5,000 users and 1,000 workshops.

Previously, Smith has received the CBC Toronto Community Champions award (in 2020) and was the BMO Black Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Technology Industry.

Nadine Williams, alumni

Poet, author and arts educator Nadine Williams has published four collections of poetry, two children鈥檚 books and 16 volumes of literature for Black History Month that are part of Canadian school curriculums. She is frequently called upon as a speaker and presenter, having shared her work at Citizenship & Immigrants Canada ceremonies and at events with prestigious attendees like former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, Jamaica鈥檚 former prime minister Portia Simpson and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She is also using an art installation project called The Fabric of Our Being to raise awareness about the United Nations鈥� International Decade for People of African Descent project.

Other recognitions Williams has received include being named on a list of 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2022, being given the 2024 Women Who Inspire Change Award from the Jamaican Canadian Association and earning a parliamentary mention for contributions to Black history in Canada.

Gervan Fearon, former faculty

Fearon, who once served as a 91亚色 associate professor and associate dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, is the current president of George Brown College in Toronto.

Fearon was recognized for his contributions as a prominent education advocate, driving and leveraging the transformative power of learning to improve social and economic mobility.

His career鈥檚 work has previously earned him the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Micha毛lle Jean Foundation Influencer Award and an appointment to the Order of Ontario.

Visit the the to find out more about the winners.

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The six-story, 9,012-square-metre, 50-classroom building, which earlier this year for its sustainability and occupant wellness features,聽聽on 91亚色 U鈥檚 Keele Campus. Its twisted appearance is meant to symbolize the school鈥檚 twist on the traditional mission of continuing studies 鈥� that is, to solve Canada鈥檚 most pressing labour challenges by connecting employers to a highly skilled talent pool through its unique program offerings.

"Our new building has been purpose-built to give our learners and instructors what they need to thrive," said Christine Brooks-Cappadocia, assistant vice-president of continuing studies, "whether that鈥檚 excellent teaching and learning spaces, a place to feed your baby, a prayer room, gathering spaces or, most critically, community that welcomes and celebrates your growth."

For the third annual Architecture & Interiors Awards, a three-person jury of U.S. industry experts spent hours reviewing the nearly 200 submissions received from commercial architecture and design firms around the world to determine the 34 winning projects. The School of Continuing Studies Building emerged a standout, with one juror noting its "subtle singularity" and "understanding of the site and relationships."

"This award is a recognition that this is good design for both the physical environment but also in career-focused education," said Brooks-Cappadocia. "We are thrilled to celebrate this win with Perkins&Will and our community of learners and employers."

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Ricci's book was awarded the 鈥� given to the best book in the field every two years 鈥� for its new approach to women鈥檚 and gender history and its findings that have the potential to shape future research and advocacy.

Countercurrents was also shortlisted for the prize, an annual book prize awarded by the Canadian Historical Association to a non-fiction work of Canadian history believed to have made the most significant contribution to an understanding of the Canadian past.

In recognition of its focus on Quebec, the book was also named a finalist for the , a literary contest celebrating authors of published works relating to the province's political landscape.

Countercurrents looks to write a new history of feminism that incorporates parallel social movements into the overarching narrative of the women鈥檚 movement. Case studies compare and reflect on the histories of the Quebec Native Women鈥檚 Association, the Congress of Black Women, the Front de lib茅ration des femmes du Qu茅bec, various Haitian women鈥檚 organizations and the Collectif des femmes immigrantes du Qu茅bec 鈥� and the political work they did.

鈥淎manda Ricci's history of diverse Montreal feminist groups gives us a new perspective on contemporary feminist activism," wrote reviewer Denyse Baillargeon from the Universit茅 de Montr茅al. "Clear and complex, Countercurrents shows that the roots to this vast social movement run deeper than we thought, and that its aspirations and struggles go well beyond the borders of Quebec.鈥�

Bringing to light previously overlooked archival and oral sources, Ricci introduces a new cast of characters to the history of feminism in Quebec. The book presents a portrait of the resurgence of feminist activism, demonstrating its deep roots in Indigenous and Black communities, its transnational scope, and its wide-ranging inspirations and preoccupations.

For more information about the book and where to purchase it, visit the .

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91亚色 Biology Professor Kohitij Kar, in the Faculty of Science, will host the recipient of a prestigious (MSCA) Postdoctoral Global Fellowship in his lab for two years starting this November to advance cutting-edge work in artificial intelligence and visual tracking.  

The recipient, from the University of Udine in Italy, received a fellowship valued at C$340,000 from MSCA, which empowers researchers wishing to carry out their work abroad.

Dunnhofer is an award-winning researcher at the Machine Learning & Perception Lab in the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, & Physics of the University of Udine.

His fellowship project, titled 鈥淭owards primate-like artificial neural networks for visual object tracking,鈥� will focus on studying algorithms at the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience in the field of visual object tracking. Visual object tracking is the use of algorithms in continuously recognizing objects, such as people and vehicles, and has applications in fields like autonomous driving, robotics and medicine.

The project will draw on Kar鈥檚 expertise as a Canada Research Chair in Visual Neuroscience and his experience leading the Visual Intelligence & Technological Advances Laboratory, which is a core part of the Vision: Science to Technology Application Program, the Centre for Integrative & Applied Neuroscience, and the Centre for Vision Research at 91亚色. His research lies at the intersection of neurophysiological investigations of visual intelligence in non-human primates and artificial intelligence systems. He is using his findings to develop artificial intelligence systems that mimic the primate brain in hopes of developing treatment strategies for neurological disorders.

As typically encouraged by the Marie Curie fellowships, Dunnhofer will augment his expertise in computer vision with Kar鈥檚 lab鈥檚 expertise in studying computations within biological vision systems like non-human primates.

For more information about the fellowship program, visit the .

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Not long ago, self-driving cars were merely the stuff of science fiction. Today, however, researchers across the globe are diligently working to integrate autonomous vehicles (AVs) into everyday life. Among these trailblazers is a team of students from 91亚色鈥檚 Lassonde School of Engineering who achieved a second-place win in the Self-Driving Car Student Competition at the 2024 American Control Conference in Toronto last month.

One of the most prestigious conferences in the field of control systems, it brings together experts from academia, government, and industry to share creative ideas and network with like-minded individuals. The Self-Driving Car Student Competition, sponsored by Quanser 鈥� a company that designs and manufactures engineered lab equipment 鈥� provides an opportunity for student researchers to apply their critical thinking skills and solve technical challenges faced by autonomous vehicles.

The competing team from Lassonde, known as Full Throttle 鈥� Spacecraft Dynamics Control and Navigation (SDCN), was led by Mingfeng Yuan, a postdoctoral researcher working under the supervision of Jinjun Shan, a professor in the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering.

As the only Canadian team at the competition, the Full Throttle 鈥� SDCN team's award-winning performance highlighted their technical expertise and capacity to represent Canada on a global stage.

The team also included PhD candidates Hunter Schofield and Yida Zang, MASc candidate Amal Haridevan and undergraduate students Hao Zhang and Yiqun Ma.

鈥淪elf-driving cars are complex systems, and it鈥檚 impossible for a single person to design and debug the entire system on their own in a short period of time,鈥� says Yuan. 鈥淭he success we achieved at this competition was a result of the unity and full commitment of our team.鈥�

The competition was structured into three distinct phases, starting with an initial pool of 40 teams, representing 28 universities and 15 countries.

First, teams developed and validated solutions using a cutting-edge digital twin platform for self-driving cars. This phase was followed by the implementation of solutions on actual hardware.

The final and most difficult challenge took place at the American Control Conference, where teams navigated a complex circuit with a fully operational self-driving car. This stage required expert-level programming, as teams ensured their car demonstrated impeccable driving accuracy and appropriately responded to street signs, traffic lights and various obstacles.

The high-pressure environment put the team鈥檚 programming and problem-solving skills to the ultimate test.

鈥淓vents like this are incredibly valuable for the student experience,鈥� says Yuan. 鈥淭hey foster team spirit and provide an opportunity to apply our knowledge in a practical setting.鈥�

In addition to the educational experience gained by participating students, this competition allowed the Full Throttle 鈥� SDCN team to meaningfully contribute to the exciting future of the AV market.

鈥淎utonomous vehicles are revolutionizing the transportation industry due to their potential to enhance safety, improve driving efficiency and increase vehicle accessibility,鈥� explains Yuan. 鈥淭he applications for AVs are vast, diverse, and have the potential to reshape cities, economies and our daily lives.鈥�

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The Canadian Association of Research Administrators (CARA) recently announced Mickel A. Allen, a research and administrative support assistant in the Lassonde School of Engineering's Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, as the recipient of their Unsung Hero Award. Presented at CARA's Canadian Conference on Research Administration held in St. John's, N.L., the award recognizes Allen's dedication and contributions to the field of research administration.

The award is presented annually to CARA non-executive members who, although not always in the spotlight, have made significant impacts through their volunteer work with the organization and beyond.

鈥淎s a volunteer-led association, CARA is deeply grateful for the contributions of research administrators like Mickel Allen," said Dominique Michaud, president of CARA. "Her generous sharing of time and expertise on various committees and her efforts in cultivating national and international connections have been crucial for the synthesis and dissemination of knowledge within the profession.鈥�

Allen鈥檚 industry service and leadership were highlighted in her selection for this award. Her contributions to the CARA organization include serving as an ambassador on both national and international stages and volunteering on the editorial committee. Additionally, she played a key role as a co-facilitator for the 2021 CARA West Regional Conference and the 2023 CARA National Conference, and has been deeply involved in workshops, webinars, virtual conferences and the Mohawk College/CARA partnered Certificate in Research Administration.

"As an immigrant and woman of colour from Jamaica, being named an 'unsung hero' is profoundly meaningful," said Allen. "It represents a journey marked by resilience, dedication, and excellence within a diverse and often challenging environment. I aspire to embody the quiet heroism that lies in steadfast commitment, navigating new territories, and championing the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion."

Recently seconded to the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation as an Organized Research Unit centre co-ordinator, Allen is also a member of the Office of Research Services' Research Administration Network, where she works to forge collaborations between 91亚色 and other higher education institutions in both Canada and the Caribbean.

"Receiving the Unsung Hero Award is not only a recognition of individual excellence," she said, "but also a testament to the collective values upheld at Lassonde and across the University."

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Three researchers from the Lassonde School of Engineering at 91亚色 have received support for innovative interdisciplinary research projects from the Lassonde Innovation Fund (LIF), an initiative that helps advance work that addresses global challenges and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This year鈥檚 LIF initiatives focus on a range of topics, spanning from green roof innovation to exploring planetary skies. Through these projects, faculty members are committed to advancing scientific research and creating solutions for a more just and sustainable world.

Learn more about this year鈥檚 LIF projects below.

Project: 鈥淎ssessing Hydraulic and Thermal Performance of Green Roof鈥� by Magdalena Krol

Krol, an associate professor of civil engineering, will leverage her expertise, and that of civil engineering Professor Usman Khan, as well as the testing capacity of the , to compare the performance of conventional roofs against green roofs.

Green roofs have the ability to both mitigate flood risk by retaining storm water and reduce energy costs of buildings and homes. Currently, there is limited research that critically evaluates the performance difference between conventional and green roofs, creating a significant knowledge gap in urban sustainability.

This project 鈥� a first of its kind 鈥� aims to bridge the gap by constructing modules of both roof types and monitoring their behaviour under realistic conditions such as fluctuating temperature, precipitation and humidity. Using various tools and technologies, data will be collected over time to analyze specific performance indicators, including storm water retention and energy dissipation.

Establishing a thorough understanding of green roof efficiency is crucial for further development of design guidelines and encouraging the adoption of these systems in urban areas.

Project: 鈥淚nterpretable Learning of Bio-signaling Systems via Data-driven Graph Analysis鈥� by Gene Cheung

A professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Cheung鈥檚 initiative will build on existing research exploring the use of a graph-based tool to evaluate and classify biological signals, as well as evaluate the response of cells, in the eye.

In collaboration with Andrew Eckford, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, as well as Yuji Nakatsukasa, an associate professor at the University of Oxford, the researchers will apply their expertise to refine the graph-based classifier to determine exactly which cells are responding to particular visual information.

This advanced tool has the potential to increase understanding of the visual system, helping inform the development of assistive technologies for visual impairments. The project also serves as a foundation for future work that aims to extend analyses to more diverse and complex biological signals.

Project: 鈥淧erceiving Planetary Skies through Space, Time, and Experience鈥� by John Moores

Moores, an associate professor in the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, will pursue a project that blends art and science to create space-themed immersive experiences inspired by data gathered from planetary skies. This research is driven by the idea that engaging with planetary data in a more captivating way can help reshape our understanding of other planets.

Moores will work in collaboration with Sarah Rugheimer, an associate professor in the Faculty of Science; Jennifer Steeves, a professor in the Faculty of Health; and Ian Garrett, an associate professor in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design.

The project includes three objectives: utilizing radiative heat transfer techniques to model alien skies, developing immersive exhibits that simulate exotic space environments, and analyzing individuals鈥� psychological and physiological responses to these space-themed displays.

This interdisciplinary research promises to investigate, inform and inspire, fostering a deeper connection between space and humanity, while advancing understanding of planetary skies.

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The 91亚色 SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit, designed to assist the interdisciplinary infusion of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in academic curriculums, recently earned a prestigious spot as an international finalist for the Green Gown Awards, which recognize exceptional sustainability initiatives. It serves as culmination of the pioneering journey to create it.

The seed of the SDG toolkit began in 2021 with Provostial Fellow and Professor Cheryl van Daalen-Smith. She wanted to create shared practices to promote and enable the infusion of all 17 SDGs into classrooms across 91亚色 campuses and disciplines.

A community of practice was formed with over 60 educators and the decision was made that a toolkit could be a useful communal resource. Tracy Bhoola, a SDGs project coordinator and manager in the Graduate Supervisory Support Hub and former ESL instructor, as well as doctoral student and research assistant Nitima Bhatia, were enlisted to create a comprehensive online tool that would help faculty across 91亚色 better integrate SDGs into learning environments through discussions, lessons or curriculums.

But what should that toolkit look like?

Bhoola and Bhatia first turned to faculty, creating a survey asking participants what they would want out of the SDG toolkit, how they would use it, and what would make it most user-friendly.

鈥淲e wanted to know how we can make things easier and simpler for everybody so that they can access it,鈥� says Bhatia.

The survey provided two guiding principles: faculty wanted relevant resources to be accessible in three clicks or less, and that they be organized by discipline and individual SDG.

鈥淭hat forced us to make sure we were organized and ask, 鈥楥ould we get people what they wanted,鈥欌�� says Bhoola.

The pair began researching what toolkits may already exist at other academic institutions to gain inspiration from how they were organized. They found nothing comparable to what they had in mind for 91亚色. As for possible resources to include in the toolkits, most were only applicable to elementary education 鈥� not college or university.

It fell then to Bhatia and Bhoola to be something of pioneers, investing uncountable hours to not only find existing resources and materials, but then adapt them for the university level curriculums. Along the way they leveraged their unique experiences and perspectives as teacher and student to aid the project, assessing resources based on how they might use them.

The pair also continued to draw on faculty feedback, not just from the survey but ongoing collaborations. 鈥淭hey needed to be involved because if people are asked questions and are involved in each step of the process, they're invested more,鈥� Bhoola says.

After six months of work, the SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit launched in June 2022, featuring lesson plans, case studies, classroom support materials, reports, course design guidance and more.

Since its launch, the toolkit has been accessed by educators and students from over 50 countries, expanding its pool of collaborators along the way. Within Canada, for example, George Brown College reached out to partner on expanding the toolkit鈥檚 experiential education section, the University of Calgary鈥檚 Haskayne School of Business added to the business section, and the University of British Columbia contributed to the wellness section. International institutions have reached out to provide content as well.

鈥淚t's nice to have that collaboration and build on that community, so it's not just the 91亚色 community 鈥� it鈥檚 beyond,鈥� says Bhoola.

The external collaborations following the toolkit鈥檚 launch have been important too in contributing to one of the team鈥檚 major ongoing goals. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just that we got these resources and we created this toolkit and that鈥檚 it,鈥� says Bhatia. 鈥淲e wanted it to be a living and breathing thing.鈥�

As the toolkit moves forward and evolves, that鈥檚 something Bhoola and Bhatia want to remind internal collaborators too, urging faculty to continue sharing how they鈥檙e using the toolkit, what resources they like and if there鈥檚 something missing that they would like to see.

As Bhatia and Bhoola reflect on the year since the tool launched 鈥� and the recent Green Gown Awards finalist nomination 鈥� they feel grateful for the engagement. 鈥淚t validates our efforts, and the hours upon hours that we've put into it,鈥� says Bhoola.

It also gives them a push, says Bhatia. 鈥淚t keeps inspiring us, giving us the motivation and encouragement to keep going.鈥� Bhoola agrees: 鈥淚t reinforces our commitment towards the SDGs and our toolkit.鈥�

That commitment remains strong, especially as both are very cognizant of the stakes and potential impact the SDGs can have.

鈥淚f we can help bring those to them, or put them into the classroom, that's what's going to drive the change in the future,鈥� says Bhoola. 鈥淲e need to make sure that we're constantly there for teachers and students so that they can right the future.鈥�

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Four undergraduate students from 91亚色鈥檚 Faculties of Science and Health were among 17 individuals selected from across Canada to participate in the 2024 Ward Family Summer Student Research Program at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital.

The 12-week program offers students an opportunity to work alongside leading scientists in the field of pediatric disability and developmental differences.

The 91亚色 students and their summer research projects are:

Vivien Ayllon-Kovacs

Ayllon-Kovacs is entering her third year in biomedical science (honours). Her research focuses on the relationship between brain activity and connectivity and language impairments across neurodevelopmental disorders. Her summer project explored the use of the Oral and Written Language Scales, 2nd edition (OWLS-II) tool to determine the relationship between oral language and brain measures in neurodivergent children compared to typically developing children.

The study found that the OWLS-II is effective for measuring language functionality, and that some brain regions may have a different influence on language functionality in both subject groups.

Huda Jirreh

Jirreh recently graduated with a BSc in biomedical science (honours) from 91亚色. She is interested in exploring the clinical applications of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology as a means to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. During the Ward research program, she designed a BCI-controlled music instrument in collaboration with other researchers, clinicians, and music therapists.

Following the completion of the summer program, Jirreh will conduct a case study to analyze the effectiveness of using the instrument in music therapy to improve attention in children with cerebral palsy.

Sajeela Rana

Rana is entering her third year of biomedical science, minoring in psychology. During the Ward summer program, she conducted a systematic chart review of patients from Holland Bloorview鈥檚 psychopharmacology clinic, allowing her to gain a deeper grasp on the holistic aspects of client and family care. This work inspired her research question examining the relationship between financial barriers to care and burnout for caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

She hopes that, in the near future, comprehensive care can consist of support for caregivers鈥� mental health, respite access and financial resource navigation to reduce caregiver strain.

Zahra Wakif

Wakif is a third-year student in psychology (specialized honours). She is interested in accessible care with a focus on mental health, and aspires to recognize and alleviate inequities in healthcare. Much of her work is around children鈥檚 health, development, resilience and social inclusion, with a focus on children with developmental delays or differences. Wakif鈥檚 summer research project focused on identifying the current diagnostic facilitators and barriers that community pediatricians across Ontario face in conducting autism assessments. The research aims to help develop toolkits for clinicians that would encourage more assessments and improve diagnosis and care access for families.

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