YSpace, 91亚色's innovation hub, has partnered with 91亚色 Region to launch the new ELLA Incubator program, an initiative designed to empower aspiring women entrepreneurs in the technology industry by offering essential resources and mentorship to help them grow and scale their business ventures beyond their launch.

YSpace ELLA was created to support women entrepreneurs in launching and growing their businesses. Since 2020, it has achieved significant success, supporting over 150 women entrepreneurs in raising over $10 million in capital, generating over $20 million in revenue and creating numerous jobs.

The ELLA Incubator program is part of YSpace鈥檚 broader Project JumpSTART initiative, which focuses on driving economic development and innovation within 91亚色 Region. The collaborative effort brings together YSpace, the Schulich School of Business鈥檚 Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the Treefrog Accelerator and 91亚色 Region to foster a supportive environment for entrepreneurs.

The new program is membership based, offering participants access to networking events, educational workshops and webinars, regular check-ins with advisors and more.

"Our goal is to provide women entrepreneurs with the tools, mentorship and community they need to achieve their business aspirations,鈥� says Nicole Troster, ELLA entrepreneurship manager. 鈥淭he ELLA Incubator is dedicated to create an environment where innovative ideas can flourish.鈥�

David Kwok, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace, adds: "The ELLA Incubator program represents our commitment to fostering innovation, supporting women entrepreneurs.鈥�

The ELLA Incubator is part of YSpace's broader mission to cultivate a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering collaboration between industry leaders and emerging entrepreneurs. This program is now open to women entrepreneurs in the technology sector, with a primary focus on companies that are based in or looking to expand into 91亚色 Region.

To learn more about the ELLA Incubator program and how to apply, visit YSpace's ELLA Incubator web page.

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Janine Marchessault 鈥� a professor in 91亚色's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design and the 91亚色 Research Chair in Media Arts and Community Engagement, who recently 鈥� is building alliances between institutional and community-led media archives from around the world through efforts like the Global Audiovisual Archiving (GAVA) Conference and more.

The GAVA Conference was conceived by the Eye Filmmuseum, a unique Dutch museum dedicated to film preservation and education, in 2021 as an international forum to forge connections and identify challenges within the field of media archiving. Smaller collections, in particular, are vulnerable to disappearance and inaccessibility and, according to Marchessault, are in urgent need of care as a matter of social justice and human rights.

鈥淭he problems that smaller archives face include a lack of storage space, funds to access digitization technologies, specialized labour and formal archival training," says Marchessault, the principal investigator of Archive/Counter-Archive, a project and research network dedicated to activating and preserving audiovisual archives created by Indigenous Peoples, Black communities and people of colour, women, 2SLGBT2QIA+ and immigrant communities. "Often, these kinds of 鈥榖est practices鈥� are defined by richer institutions, without due consideration of or engagement with the contexts, resources and politics of other regions.鈥�

Among the possible solutions is international collaboration, which GAVA looked to foster with the conference鈥檚 鈥淏uilding Alliances鈥� theme this year. Gathering an interdisciplinary assortment of over 200 archivists, artists, filmmakers, scholars and activists from around the world at the TIFF Lightbox in downtown Toronto, GAVA provided a space for new collaborations and partnerships to develop. The conference laid the foundation for a new global research network of community-based archives to work with and support one another.

鈥淲e gathered an impressive group of presenters whose innovative engagements are redefining what archives are, where they exist and how they are experienced,鈥� explains Marchessault. The goal is to build a platform that is more inclusive and accessible for smaller archival organizations and projects, which makes it different from other large international archiving conferences.

Supported through a Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Partnership Grant and Connections Grant, GAVA was co-organized by the 91亚色-based project Archive/Counter-Archive: Activating Canada's Moving Image Heritage, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Eye Filmmuseum. All three organizations are united by their dedication to generating new archival film methodologies and the preservation of precarious and marginalized media archives.

To extend the conference鈥檚 goal of sharing knowledge and resources between established and underfunded media archives, Marchessault is currently working with the Eye Filmmuseum to develop a new international platform for archivists, artists, activists, and scholars from around the world to share information and resources. She will also co-edit a special issue of the journal Public: Art/Culture/Ideas with other members of the GAVA advisory board to capture the cutting-edge ideas presented at the conference.

According to Marchessault, creating alliances with international archives 鈥� focusing on community-based organizations 鈥� is critical at this time. With the world facing shared ecological and political challenges, a global perspective on archives fosters important solidarities through shared resources and co-created knowledge.

Those alliances also underscore the driving premise of the GAVA Network, which is that community-based archives defined by social movements and shared identities can create forms of knowledge that challenge social and political inequities.

The outcome, says Marchessault, can lead to 鈥渄esigning practices of care and pedagogical approaches for the next generation of archivists, artists, activists, humanists and historians in ways that are inclusive, expansive and liberatory.鈥�

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The City of Ottawa has long recognized the pivotal role of skilful leadership in achieving its vision of prosperity, sustainability and resilience. For over a decade, 91亚色鈥檚 Schulich ExecEd has been a trusted partner, helping to equip Ottawa鈥檚 leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the increasingly complex challenges of municipal leadership. This past year, Schulich ExecEd delivered an updated version of its Masters Certificate in Municipal Leadership program to 50 City of Ottawa managers.

Customized to meet the diverse needs of both new and seasoned leaders at the City of Ottawa, this 12-day learning program, which unfolded over 12 months, included three modules: Essentials of Municipal Leadership, Strategic Municipal Leadership and 鈥� the new addition 鈥� Future-proofing Municipalities.

鈥淭his program has challenged the participants to think about the type of leader they want to be 鈥� someone who encourages and develops people, who listens, who models integrity, who puts others first, and who acts with courage and care as we work together to build a truly great city,鈥� said Wendy Stephanson, city manager. 鈥淚t has also presented a wonderful opportunity for our leaders to broaden their skills and explore new and innovative ways of thinking.鈥�

The new module epitomizes the City of Ottawa鈥檚 forward-looking vision, challenging participants to embrace complexity, leverage data, and lead through change with strategic foresight and digital acumen.

The cohort-based learning experience also provided networking and collaboration opportunities among leaders across different departments, fostering a culture of peer-to-peer learning and building collegial relationships to last beyond the program.

鈥淭he content was like a reassuring reality check,鈥� said one participant. 鈥淓veryone is facing similar struggles and challenges, but all we have to do is redefine how we look at these and give ourselves some leeway in terms of how we define success.鈥�

Last month, the City of Ottawa hosted a Celebration of Learning event, recognizing the 50 program participants for their dedication and accomplishments. With leaders from both the city and Schulich ExecEd in attendance, the celebration served as a testament to the transformative power of education and collaboration in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.

鈥淚n an era of unprecedented uncertainty, the need for skilled and agile leaders in the public sector has never been more apparent,鈥� said Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. 鈥淓xecEd鈥檚 Masters Certificate in Municipal Leadership program delves deep into the psychology of leadership, effective communication, cultures of innovation, political acuity and agile decision-making. Those are skills that municipal leaders of our future need to harness today to nurture their leadership strengths, and those of their teams, and deliver on their commitment to provide exceptional service to their communities.鈥�

Through strategic partnerships like this one, municipal professionals are being empowered with the skills and knowledge necessary to continue to shape the future of the communities they serve.

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At 91亚色鈥檚 Lassonde School of Engineering, building relationships with external partners is a key objective that not only enhances Lassonde鈥檚 reach and reputation but provides students with unique learning opportunities and experiences.

Recently, Liam Butler, an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, teamed up with construction company Printerra, which offers 3D construction printing. Together, they are helping to address Canada鈥檚 growing demand for affordable and sustainable housing by manufacturing 3D-printed concrete homes. Using state-of-the-art printing technology and low-carbon concrete materials, the project's goal is to transform the future of housing construction by reducing both labour costs and construction time.

In support of this initiative, Butler received funding through the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada's Alliance Advantage program. In addition to aiding research objectives, this funding will allow for the training and recruitment of graduate-level student researchers, who will have the opportunity to advance their engineering skills through lab testing and field monitoring.

鈥淭he major goals of this project are testing the feasibility of 3D-printed concrete homes and their long-term performance against different climate conditions,鈥� says Butler.

This project will take advantage of innovative facilities at Lassonde, including the High Bay Structures Lab and the 鈥� a unique space that allows for outdoor testing and monitoring of natural and infrastructure materials to evaluate their performance under realistic climate conditions.

鈥淧rinterra is the first industry partner to directly undertake work at the CD3 Facility,鈥� says Butler. 鈥淭his project fulfills the entire vision of the facility, and we hope it will put us on the map and generate further interest from industry partners.鈥�

In addition to performance testing, Butler will focus on the development of low-carbon concrete mixtures that can be used to 3D print structural components.

Similar to 3D printing with plastics and metals, using concrete involves the successive deposition of thin layers of material through an extrusion nozzle. The properties of the concrete must be closely controlled to ensure each layer hardens and holds its shape prior to adding the next layer.

Typically, these mixtures contain significant amounts of Portland cement, a conventional material used to make concrete 鈥� and a significant contributor to global carbon dioxide emissions. By developing new, low-carbon concrete materials, Butler will establish a sustainable alternative to conventional concrete, helping to offset the associated carbon footprint of 3D-printed housing.

This project also gives student researchers the chance to collaborate with industry professionals and achieve research outcomes that directly relate to industrial applications. Such opportunities are crucial for career preparation, offering learners hands-on experiences and connections that are invaluable as they transition from academia to their professional careers.

鈥淭his project is going to demonstrate the strong potential of 3D-printed concrete homes while building trust in new, low-carbon concrete materials and construction technologies 鈥� it is a very exciting time for our research group,鈥� says Butler.

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91亚色鈥檚 Schulich School of Business, the top ranked school in Canada for sustainability, has joined forces with Corporate Knights, one of the world鈥檚 leading sustainable economy media and research companies, to develop one of Canada鈥檚 first climate finance indexes. The new national index will track and measure corporate spending targeted at accelerating decarbonization efforts.

The index will serve as a useful tool for companies to track and measure their climate performance against peers within their industries while also providing important information for governments formulating public policy decisions around decarbonization.

Professor Olaf Weber, the CIBC Chair in Sustainable Finance at Schulich, is spearheading the initiative on behalf of the school. According to him, the development of a climate finance index 鈥渁ddresses the uncertainties around what companies really do to achieve their climate goals.鈥� Adds Weber: 鈥淎n index that addresses how much companies invest to achieve their goals presents a more objective indicator than general announcements in sustainability reports.鈥�

As part of the process of developing the index, Corporate Knights and Schulich hosted a session on June 26 involving two dozen leaders from the building, transportation and power sectors who engaged in a cross-sector approach to find ways to measure decarbonization. The session took place in the former Toronto Stock Exchange boardroom at Schulich鈥檚 Miles S. Nadal Management Centre and was moderated by public policy expert Diane Fox Carney.

Corporate Knights magazine will soon publish a synthesis report detailing Canada's climate investment gap and will unveil the new climate finance index, with index weightings by sector to show Canada's climate investments versus requirements. Sustainability experts from Schulich will provide in-depth analysis of the results.

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Tom Watt, director of Food Services at 91亚色, will join the Board of Governors for Fairtrade Canada, the Canadian arm of Fairtrade International, which is responsible for supporting, promoting and advocating for fair terms of trade for farmers and workers disadvantaged by global trade structures.

91亚色鈥檚 representation on the Fairtrade Canada board marks the latest achievement in the University鈥檚 progress to advance fair trade practices across its campuses. In May, the University announced its silver fair trade campus designation 鈥� a commemoration of years of dedicated collaboration between students, faculty and staff to provide more sustainable options across 91亚色's campuses. A year prior, 91亚色 U hosted Congress 2023, which was recognized as the biggest fair trade event in Canadian history.

Considering recent successes, 91亚色 is well poised to have a voice on the Fairtrade Canada board, to share insights and lessons learned from advancing fair trade initiatives at the third largest university in Canada.

鈥淚 believe a major reason for the confidence in my experience was the many successful fair trade initiatives we鈥檝e had here at 91亚色 over the past few years,鈥� says Watt. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see how my experience at 91亚色 will enhance Fairtrade Canada鈥檚 activities and how my experience on the board will benefit what we do at 91亚色.鈥�

Representation on the Fairtrade Canada board is expected to generate benefits for both parties. The board is responsible for governance and oversight of fair trade activities in Canada, including establishing the organization鈥檚 mission, vision and strategy, ensuring legal compliance and monitoring performance. The board also develops policies that align with fair trade principles, engages in advocacy through relationship building, identifies and mitigates risks, upholds ethical standards, and promotes sustainability and social justice.

91亚色鈥檚 history of advocacy and adherence to principles of sustainability and social justice will now be added to the organization's board, which includes leaders from fair-trade certified food and textile companies. The collaboration is expected to also support 91亚色 in advancing its own fair trade practices.

In addition to this new role on Fairtrade Canada鈥檚 board, Watt also serves as co-chair of 91亚色鈥檚 Fairtrade Steering Committee and on the Sustainability Taskforce.

鈥淭his is an excellent example of 91亚色 staff championing our values with community partners to maximize the benefit for all,鈥� says Kim McLean, assistant vice-president of Ancillary Services at 91亚色 U. 鈥淲e are proud to offer so many fair-trade certified products through Food Services and the YU Bookstore, and look forward to continuing to contribute to the advancement of Fairtrade Canada鈥檚 mission.鈥�

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91亚色's Schulich ExecEd is partnering with Skills/Comp茅tences Canada (SCC), an organization dedicated to enhancing the involvement of youth and their communities in skilled trade and technology careers, to provide leadership training for the next generation of workers.

As part of the collaboration, Schulich ExecEd served as an education sponsor for this year's , a multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices, which was held in Quebec City last month. Schulich ExecEd also served as the official 2024 training partner of the Skills Canada National Alumni Committee, comprised of 13 youth leaders from across Canada who will receive critical training in the areas of strategic communications, business case development and coaching.

鈥淲e take pride in our collaboration with Skills/Comp茅tences Canada, serving as a sponsor and the official training partner of the National Alumni Committee for 2024," says Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. "The programming provided goes beyond theoretical knowledge, focusing on cultivating leadership skills crucial for empowering the next generation of youth.鈥�

In an effort to bridge the gap between trade expertise and business acumen, Schulich ExecEd endeavours to equip future leaders with essential business skills such as management, leadership, finance, communications, data analytics and more. Through accelerated programming, Schulich ExecEd will provide tools to help ignite an entrepreneurial spirit, cultivate a resilient workforce and empower trades professionals to achieve desired growth levels in their respective fields.

"In today鈥檚 dynamic business landscape, young professionals are faced with multifaceted challenges that demand a comprehensive skill set," says Mayer. "Through this meaningful partnership, we aim to empower these talented youth members with the business acumen necessary to navigate the complexities of tomorrow鈥檚 job market."

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The 91亚色 Emergency Mitigation, Engagement, Response & Governance Institute (Y-EMERGE) has established a partnership with the Research & Innovation Centre at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS-RIC) in Rwanda that will bring AIMS PhD students to 91亚色 to pursue their research in mathematical modelling as a tool for addressing climate change.

The project, called Human Capacity Building in Climate Change and Health in Africa, is being jointly funded by 91亚色 International (YI) and Global Affairs Canada's Canadian International Development Scholarships 2030 program, marking the first external grant to Y-EMERGE. It is also the first time 91亚色 International has matched funds on this scale in support of an international research endeavour.

鈥�91亚色 International is delighted that our researchers were able to leverage C$25,000 in matching funds to secure a significantly larger external grant for an impactful international research collaboration,鈥� said Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president of global engagement at YI. 鈥淭he money will be used to top up scholarships for up to six female PhD students coming to 91亚色, as well as to provide emergency bursaries for any PhD student travelling to 91亚色 for this program.鈥� 

As part of the project, 10 PhD students from the AIMS Research & Innovation Centre will each spend a year at 91亚色 between 2025 and 2028 to advance their work with mathematical modelling and climate change. Y-EMERGE will be hosting the program, with 91亚色 International assisting in helping the students to feel at home. Participating students will have the opportunity to develop their research by working with experts in their areas of interest. 

AIMS is no stranger to 91亚色 U; the institutions have previously collaborated on infectious disease modelling for influenza and COVID-19.

For Professor Jude Kong, founder and director of the University鈥檚 Africa-Canada Artificial Intelligence & Data Innovation Consortium (ACADIC) and a native of Cameroon, this collaboration is a passion project. He believes a focus on climate change and health is imperative, as the African continent is already feeling the effects of climate change.

鈥淲e鈥檒l take the modelling experience present at 91亚色's Y-EMERGE, as well as ACADIC and AIMS, to ensure we build the capacity to model climate change in Africa,鈥� said Kong. 鈥淐limate change is coming and the situation is worsening in Africa. It will affect health in a way that has never happened before, and we鈥檒l be able to build responsible models with an understanding of the local dynamics. 鈥� We鈥檒l be using local expertise, so the results will be locally relevant, decolonized and intersectional.鈥�

Professor Jianhong Wu, director of Y-EMERGE, is equally committed to the project.

鈥淲e consider this to not just be the beginning of an intensive collaboration with the AIMS Research & Innovation Centre in particular, but AIMS in general,鈥� he said.

Professor Wilfred Ndifon, president of the AIMS Research & Innovation Centre, added, 鈥淔or us at the institutional level, we have achieved our successes thanks to partnerships like the one we have with 91亚色.鈥�

To help facilitate this long-term partnership, Y-EMERGE is forming a college of mentors to work with the AIMS students and establishing an advisory board to guide the growing Africa-Canada collaboration in mathematical modelling.

鈥淲e want the students to not only get excellent training but to grow their careers and begin to build up their own networks,鈥� Wu said. 鈥淭he students who come to 91亚色 to train will be ambassadors for collaboration between the African continent and Canada in mathematical sciences.鈥�

Kong is excited by the opportunity to build capacity on his home continent through a 鈥渢rain-the-trainers鈥� model.

鈥淲hen these students return home, they will be sent to other AIMS centres to make data actionable,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need homegrown talent, rather than people from the Global North, to teach others [in Africa]. 91亚色 is one of the many institutions that have reached out to help AIMS change the paradigm, and it is committing funding because they don鈥檛 view this as a one-off.鈥�

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In an effort to enhance undergraduate engineering research in Uganda, faculty members from 91亚色 and the University of British Columbia have joined forces on an education-enhancing project with Academics Without Borders (AWB), a non-profit organization aiming to improve the higher education landscape in developing countries.

The Strengthening Engineering Undergraduate Research (SER-Undergraduate) project, initiated by faculty at the Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST) in Uganda, aims to provide international support to MUST undergraduate students, empowering them to engage in high-quality research endeavours.

As part of the collaboration, 91亚色 U Professor Arash Habibi Lashkari 鈥� an AWB volunteer who is also the founder and director of 91亚色鈥檚 Behaviour-Centric Cybersecurity Center 鈥� embarked on a week-long visit to MUST, where he interacted with students and faculty members to assess the current state of the institution's undergraduate research program and identify areas for improvement.

"I am honoured to be part of this initiative to empower undergraduate students in Uganda to pursue research excellence," says Lashkari. "By sharing our expertise and resources, we can make a meaningful impact on these students' academic and professional trajectory."

During his visit to Uganda, Lashkari engaged in insightful discussions with students, faculty members, the international office and the administration department, guiding and enhancing research methodologies and academic standards. The visit not only fostered knowledge exchange but also served as a testament to the importance of volunteerism and international collaboration in advancing education and research on a global scale.

"Membership in the AWB Network offers opportunities for academics and professionals to share their expertise and knowledge as volunteers in capacity-building projects in partnership with institutions in low- and middle-income countries," says Professor Nancy Gallini, executive director of Academics Without Borders. "Engaging in this work gives faculty and staff a global perspective that enriches education and research on their campuses."

For MUST students, the SER-Undergraduate project allows for access to resources, mentorship and opportunities for hands-on research experience that they wouldn't have otherwise had. By leveraging the expertise and resources of Canadian faculty members serving as volunteers, Ugandan students can gain the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their future academic and professional endeavours.

As the SER-Undergraduate project continues to unfold, the goal of transforming engineering education and empowering a new generation of research-driven scholars in Uganda remains.

For more information, visit the .

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Join 91亚色's Transportation Services Department to kick off Bike Month 鈥� a month-long celebration of cycling across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area 鈥� on June 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of Vari Hall (VH Plaza) on the Keele Campus. 

During the month of June, Transportation Services is partnering with Bike Share Toronto, and Smart Commute to celebrate Bike Month by offering 91亚色 community members a range of bike-friendly resources, including Toronto cycling maps, quick bike repairs and safety handbooks. At the June 5 event, attendees can ask questions to event partners, compete for prizes, and learn about local cycling infrastructure, related services and the benefits of bikes as a form of sustainable travel.

The annual celebration of Bike Month at 91亚色 highlights the institution's commitment to ensuring sustainable travel options are available across its multi-campus network.  

91亚色 was the first institution in the Greater Toronto Area to partner with Bike Share Toronto in 2021, eventually leading to three Bike Share stations being established on the Keele and Glendon campuses. This strategic partnership helped strengthen the cycling culture across university campuses and helped promote sustainable transportation.

These efforts, among others, led 91亚色 to be named a聽 鈥� the first institution in Canada to receive this designation. Among many reasons for the recognition, the University's cycling infrastructure and resources 鈥� including secured bike enclosures and four do-it-yourself repair stations 鈥� were an important factor, providing cyclists with peace of mind and flexibility while navigating 91亚色's campuses on two wheels. The designation reflects 91亚色's commitment to providing a variety of sustainable commuting options aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of students, faculty, instructors and staff.听聽

Over the years, the expansion of 91亚色鈥檚 cycling infrastructure has been equally matched by community adoption, contributing to the University's mission to reach its new accelerated .听

For more information, visit the official  or the Transportation Services website throughout the month of June.

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