Featured Archives - News@91��ɫ

Meet me at the STAIRS: 91��ɫ U brings sundial back to campus

egamulin — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 21:33:58 +0000

Cast in bronze, highly accurate, eight-foot sundial gifted by 101-year-old former chemistry prof

In their earliest iterations, sundials were sticks and stones stuck in the ground. Human observers would read shadows cast by the sun to tell time. Some of the most accurate early sundials were from Africa, Australia, China, the Arabic world, Greece and Rome. Societies created sundials that were beautiful, large scale, and acted as gathering spaces for communities. Since solar clocks are tied directly to locations on Earth, different latitudes required different designs from human ingenuity.

It is in this spirit of sculptural appeal, scientific discovery, human connection and time and place that 91��ɫ has brought a sundial back to campus, with the help of a 101-year-old donor.

R.L Kellogg and Robert Stairs meet for the first time in person outside the STAIRS, the sundial Kellogg designed and Stairs fully funded.

Robert Stairs first happened upon 91��ɫ’s sundial in 1970, standing on a platform between the Steacie Science Library and the Farquharson building. The sundial appeared to be made of bronze, but it was actually made of wood and painted to resemble metal. Liking it so much, he bought a miniature version at a hobby shop on Yonge Street. Back on campus years later, Stairs discovered the sundial was gone.

“Unfortunately, by 1980, the wood had warped and rotted, to the point that it was beyond repair,” explains Stairs, a Trent University professor emeritus who was also the school’s first chemistry professor.

Decades passed, but time did not erase the memory of the sundial. Several years ago, Stairs embarked on a project to bring the sundial back to campus, with the help of many collaborators along the way, including Allan I. Carswell Observatory Director Elaina Hyde and R.L Kellogg, Vice President of the , who designed the new sundial, dubbed the STAIRS (Schmoyer-Type Adapted Interactive Reliable Sundial).

“91��ɫ used to have a publicly accessible sundial, which meant that everyone could come out and experience astronomy firsthand, interactively, on campus. It was a great meeting place,” says Hyde, also an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Science at 91��ɫ.

Hyde says the STAIRS will serve similarly, being incorporated into observatory tours and class curriculum. “It's basically another telescope, but for the sun,” she says.

“It’s got huge educational overlap with classes in natural science, space sciences, physics and astronomy and remote sensing. We have used our precise location in Toronto, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee, to place a particularly accurate solar clock of a unique design."

91��ɫ Prof. and Observatory Director Elaina Hyde and Trent Prof. Emeritus Stairs.

Kellogg used the iconic 1950s Richard Schmoyer sundial, which 91��ɫ acquired in the 1960s, and still lives atop the Arboretum Parking Garage in the Observatory atrium, as the basis for the update. However, Stairs requested that the 91��ɫ sundial not have a “cheat” on the gnomon, the part of sundials that cast the shadow used to read time.

“They’ve both got a funny curve, to change sun time into civil time, accounting for the seasonal correction of the sun’s variable motion,” explains Kellogg. “Shmoyer stretched this curved shape for readings during solstices.”

With the gnomon weighing in at over 200 pounds and interactive, designed to be rotated depending on the time of year, they were ok to lose this feature. “We figured in June, most of the students aren’t here, and same with Dec. 21.”

Situated south of 91��ɫ Lions Stadium and directly in line with the Observatory, the STAIRS also adjusts for longitude from the time meridian, and it was the remote sensing group at 91��ɫ that helped map true north for the instrument. The STAIRS tells time in both daylight saving, printed in Roman numerals above, and standard time, written in Arabic numerals below.

Powerful instruments: The newly-unveiled STAIRS (Schmoyer-Type Adapted Interactive Reliable Sundial) is seen with the Allan I. Carswell Observatory in the background.

“I hope the sundial will be appreciated as sculpture. It is also a hands-on astronomical instrument,” said Stairs in his closing remarks during the unveiling of the STAIRS. “My personal motto, appropriate for a sundial, is ‘Horas non numero nisi serenas’ or as Brian from Monty Python might say, ‘Always look on the bright side of life.”

A popular engraving on sundials, the motto translates to “I only count the serene (or sunny) hours. The message also has a literal meeting, as sundials can only tell time on sunny days.

While the mid-September morning chosen for the unveiling of the STAIRS was overcast, the sun did make its presence known during parts of the morning, with the STAIRS reading time within minutes of what the smartphones of guests were reporting.

‘When I see it live, I am most impressed by it,” said Stairs, smiling, the light shining in his eyes.

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Additional info for media:

91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91��ɫ's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. 91��ɫ’s new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028 (subject to accreditation). 91��ɫ was recently named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the 14th consecutive year. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Contacts:

Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, egamulin@yorku.ca, media@yorku.ca

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Vaughan Community Health Lecture to discuss how technology is transforming health care

egamulin — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:28:34 +0000

TORONTO, Sept. 17, 2026��–��This year’s third annual Vaughan Community Health Lecture – Digital Health: How Technology Is Transforming Health Care – will discuss what the role of digital health is and how it can support the health needs of the community, while showcasing health-innovation research from wearable monitors to how AI-powered social robots can help older adults live more independently. Top of Form

The lecture, hosted by 91��ɫ in collaboration with the City of Vaughan and Mackenzie Health, will take place on Thursday, Sept. 24, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Vaughan City Hall, Vaughan Room, First Floor, ().

The free event will connect the community with health-care experts, share insights on virtual care, artificial intelligence, and remote monitoring, including how digital tools can safely and effectively support personal well-being and future health-care solutions.

It will feature interactive exhibits, a digital health innovation zone and an expert panel discussion exploring how technology transforms health-care access, patient experiences and management.

As 91��ɫ works toward the launch of its new School of Medicine (pending accreditation), discussions like these highlight 91��ɫ’s commitment to modern, technology-enabled community health care.

Opening Remarks, confirmed speakers:

Lisa Philipps, Interim President & Vice-Chancellor, 91��ɫ 
Purvi Desai, Vice President Digital Health & CIO, Mackenzie Health  
Michael Genova, Deputy City Manager, City of Vaughan

Digital Health Panel:

Emcee and Panel Moderator Dr. Mira Backo-Shannon, Vice Dean, Integrated Community-based Learning Network and Health Systems, 91��ɫ School of Medicine

Vijay Mago, Chair & Associate Professor, School of Health Policy and Management, 91��ɫ 
Sam Fielding, Chief Information Officer, Southlake Health

Dr. Aviv Gladman, Critical Care Physician and Chief Medical Information Officer, Mackenzie Health  
Dr. Nour Khatib, Emergency Physician and Chief Medical Information Officer, Oak Valley Health

The event is open to everyone, including community members, health professionals, students, alumni and wellness advocates.

To register for this free event:

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Media Contacts:

91��ɫ Media Relations, media@yorku.ca

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School attendance is a relationship issue, Faculty of Education interim dean says

egamulin — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:51:18 +0000

Faculty of Education Interim Dean Sarah Barrett

Sept. 11, 2026, TORONTO – While there is a lot of focus right now in Ontario on attendance rules, testing and scores, 91��ɫ Faculty of Education Interim Dean and Professor Sarah Barrett says that none of this will work without a focus on what is core to teaching, which is relationships.

How fundamental this is was made especially clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, when relationships between teachers, students, parents and even the government were particularly strained, a topic Barrett explores in her book . Available open-access online as a free PDF download, Barrett interviews 50 teachers and surveys hundreds more for the book. What emerges are stories where remote learning became a disembodied experience that weakened peer and teacher-student bonds, further marginalizing students who may have already felt like they didn’t belong, says Barrett.

“When relationships break down, that's when students have major attendance issues. If it's not about health, or being a high-performing athlete, it's about being bullied, feeling like teachers don’t care or parents feeling like their child is not being seen,” says Barrett. “Recent government changes can be beneficial, but none of them will work for the most vulnerable students unless we prioritize and protect relationships in schools.”

Barrett is available to talk to media about:

Why strong relationships are a core need of teaching
Why students who struggle the most in classrooms are the most affected when relationships break down
The importance of in-person connections in classrooms to build relationships and community
How policies regarding classroom size, testing and more can either help or hinder teachers looking to build strong relationships in the classroom and beyond
Relational struggles in classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic and lessons for contemporary pedagogy

More Faculty of Education experts can be found here

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Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Cinespace helps develop 91��ɫ student talent for film and TV industry

sandramc — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:09:29 +0000

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2026 – As film lovers get ready for the start of the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) tomorrow, 91��ɫ is celebrating a future full of cinematic dreams thanks to ’ continued commitment to the support and education of the next generation of local film talent through an in-kind donation.

Cinespace is extending an already successful and meaningful partnership with the University by donating the exclusive use of its Stage 1 and 2 by 91��ɫ (MMS) for an additional two years. The gift will allow students from 91��ɫ’s (AMPD) to learn the art and craft of the film industry through hands-on exploration, experiential learning and practical training in the latest media technologies.

"This partnership with Cinespace Studios is a significant investment in 91��ɫ's creative economy. By giving our students access to professional stages and industry mentorship, Cinespace is helping provide an education that extends beyond the classroom. Our students are learning on the same stages where award-winning films and series have been produced, gaining first-hand experience and building the skills they need to succeed. We are grateful to Cinespace for its ongoing support and for sharing our commitment to developing the next generation of talent in Canadian film and television," says 91��ɫ Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps.

From left: Lisa Philipps, 91��ɫ Interim President; Keith Gee, Co Managing Partner Cinespace; Magali Simard, VP - Global Industry & Brand��Cinespace; and Brandon Vickerd, AMPD Dean.

Students gain exposure to and are mentored by leading industry TV and film experts that encourage their creativity and nurture their storytelling abilities often resulting in their films screening at TIFF as students and graduates. Several 91��ɫ alumni films are once again in this year’s festival, speaking to the importance of the gift from Cinespace, Toronto’s largest film and TV industry production hub.

91��ɫ’s MMS is important as it gives students and future filmmakers the opportunity to explore their passions whether that’s aspiring to become a director, screenwriter, production designer, sound recordist, editor, cinematographer, costume designer or performer.

“At Cinespace, we believe our role extends beyond providing the spaces where great film and television are made. We have a responsibility to help develop the people who will shape the industry’s future. Ontario’s ability to create exceptional stories that reach audiences around the world begins with developing exceptional talent here at home,” says Magali Simard, Cinespace VP - Global Industry & Brand.

“There is no substitute for learning inside a working studio, experiencing the pace, collaboration and professional standards of real-world production alongside the people who do this work every day. By renewing 91��ɫ’s exclusive use of two stages at our Kipling campus for another two years, we are helping emerging filmmakers move beyond the classroom, develop their craft and build lasting careers in the film and television industry.”

The Cinespace stages have boosted local talent by providing storytelling opportunities for AMPD students since 2016, helping to bring Canadian cinema to a global audience and creating a positive and enduring effect on the multi-billion-dollar Canadian film industry, creatively and economically.

The partnership between 91��ɫ and Cinespace creates a television, digital media and filmmaking pipeline for emerging local talent with diverse experiences and views, many of whom came to 91��ɫ from around the globe, providing a rich and varied pool of potential stories just waiting to make the leap to screens big and small. 91��ɫ’s MMS at Cinespace creates a place where creation and innovation thrive through a focus on film production, performance, immersive environments and virtual production.

"This is an investment in the future of Canada's film and television industry. By providing our students with access to professional, industry-leading production environments, Cinespace is helping bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice. At AMPD, we are committed to creating experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to thrive as creative leaders, storytellers and innovators. We are deeply grateful for Cinespace's continued partnership and their shared commitment to developing the next generation of film talent," says AMPD Dean Brandon Vickerd.

Much of the magic happens when students are given the opportunity to learn and innovate using state-of-the-art technology – markerless motion-performance capture, augmented reality, virtual reality, immersive environments, motion simulation, digital post-production equipment, high-performance computing technology and more.

Courses, training, masterclasses and workshops happen next to studios where internationally acclaimed feature films and series are created, including The Shape of Water, Chicago, Mean Girls, Resident Evil, Chucky, Law & Order, Titans, The Umbrella Academy, The Handmaid’s Tale and Frankenstein.

Some of the 91��ɫ alumni films screening at this year’s TIFF

The newest film, Everything Else is Noise (Lo demás es ruido), by award-winning filmmaker, director and 91��ɫ alumnus Nicolás Pereda, will have its ’s Wavelengths program. It is his third film in as many years to be screened at TIFF - Lázaro de noche (TIFF ’24), and Copper (TIFF ’25).

Award-winning alumnus Antoine Bourges will have the world premiere of his latest film shown at TIFF’s Short Cuts program. He has had several shorts screen at TIFF along with his mid-length film East Hastings Pharmacy and feature film .

by filmmaker Rodrigo Barriuso features the work of several 91��ɫ alumni, including cinematography by alumnus Rodrigo Michelangeli, editing by 91��ɫ alumna and instructor Michelle Szemberg with first assistant editor alumna Verona Choi. It will screen as part of TIFF’s Centrepiece program.

is MFA alumna Yuula Benivolsi’s feature directorial debut being shown as part of TIFF’s Wavelengths program along with current PhD student Mustafa Uzuner's . Alumna Sylvia Mok's will screen as part of TIFF’s REDEFINED Short Film Showcase.

One of the biggest Canadian Films last year at TIFF, Blue Heron, was directed by 91��ɫ alumna Sophy Romvari in collaboration with cinematographer and fellow alumna Maya Bankovic, receiving a 98 per cent review on .

Although not at this year’s TIFF, the 2026 biopic film about Anthony Bourdain’s early days, which has already opened in theatres, was directed and co-written by award-winning alumnus Matt Johnson whose film , produced by another alumnus Matthew Miller, opened TIFF’s Midnight Madness last year.

91��ɫ’s MMS has also led to funding for alumni film projects, including Concrete Valley, through Telefilm Canada’s Talent to Watch program.

In addition, TIFF annually selects Canada’s Top Ten, celebrating the best in recent Canadian cinema, from feature-length films to shorts, and 91��ɫ alumni are often on that list further reflecting the creative impact of 91��ɫ graduates on the film industry.

The Cinespace and 91��ɫ partnership is one of dream making come true.

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Contacts:

91��ɫ Media Relations, media@yorku.ca

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91��ɫ experts available to discuss back-to-school related topics

egamulin — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 19:15:52 +0000

With students arriving back in classrooms, experts from 91��ɫ’s and beyond are available to speak to the issues impacting education this back-to-school season.

Carl James

Prof. Carl James

Recognized nationally and internationally for his work in education and equity, Professor has written many books on race, education and immigration. In particular, his research looks at the Black experience in Canada and how anti-Black racism continues to be perpetuated in systems such as education and employment. James currently holds the position of Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora. Current projects include community outreach such as the Day at 91��ɫ programming that helps Black high-school students see themselves in post-secondary and the Jean Augustine Mentorship program that pairs Black students at 91��ɫ with those entering the university. He also has partnerships with Black researchers across Canada that will serve to create better data on race and education.

James is available for interviews on:

The educational experiences of Black youth in Canada
Race, racism and racialization in the school system
Equity, inclusion and social justice pertaining to marginalized Canadian students
The disproportional educational achievements of Black female and male students��
Generational differences in the social and schooling experiences that lead to the academic performance and educational outcomes of racialized students

Molade Osibodu

Associate Prof. Molade Osibodu

Drawing on experiences growing up in Nigeria, working as a secondary school math teacher in South Africa, and obtaining her PhD in the U.S., Faculty of Education Associate Professor ’s research examines the enduring impacts of coloniality in math education, with a focus on the lived experiences of Black youth and educators in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa. Grounded in decolonial frameworks, Black geographies, and participatory research methodologies, her scholarship explores how mathematics curriculum, policy, and pedagogy are shaped by eurocentric and racialized structures.

Osibodu can speak to:

Math education broadly and the experiences of Black youth in mathematics classrooms in particular
Critically examining the role of mathematics in society and who is deemed "naturally able" to do and be successful in mathematics
Changes to Ontario curriculum, including new rules for financial literacy learning and why excessive testing does not necessarily lead to more learning��

Sue Winton

Prof. Sue Winton

The privatization of public education shows itself in a number of areas, says , 91��ɫ Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy and the author of Unequal Benefits: Privatization and Public Education in Canada. Privatization undermines the public school system and perpetuates inequalities, says Winton.

Winton is available for comment on:

How policy plays a role in supporting or undermining public education��
How increasing privatization can affect kids, families, communities, and democracy
How school fees, fundraising, school choice, and specialized programs can all contribute to the increasing encroachment of privatization

Note: Winton is away at a conference Aug 30 - Sept 9 is not available for media interviews at that time.

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91��ɫ's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs, while at the Markham Campus, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration are built into every program. 91��ɫ’s new School of Medicine, the first Canadian medical school to focus on community-based primary health-care education, will welcome its first cohort in September 2028. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post 91��ɫ experts available to discuss back-to-school related topics appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

Exposure to forever chemicals through sea spray may be overblown

sandramc — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 13:41:26 +0000

TORONTO, Sept. 01, 2026 – Coastal residents may be worried about exposure to forever chemicals from sea spray during hot summer months, but 91��ɫ researchers found there was little evidence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination from marine aerosols, a finding that surprised them.

Coast of Newfoundland near one of the sampling sites (Grand Codroy, NL)

The study looked specifically at areas impacted by sea spray from the Atlantic Ocean generated by waves breaking on the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, however, despite its windy, marine location they found it was not an issue as previously thought.

“We designed this study specifically to see if sea spray was contributing to a mobilization of PFAS in coastal regions and Newfoundland is a great place to do that. It's a marine location and it’s very windy so we expected there to be quite a lot of PFAS from sea spray,” says senior author Professor , an atmospheric chemist and Guy Warwick Rogers Chair in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Science. “We were quite surprised we didn't see anything that would indicate sea spray was contributing to PFAS in the area.”

Earlier international studies using mainly modelling and lab work had found sea spray to be a significant and direct source of forever chemicals. Lead author 91��ɫ PhD student Daniel Persaud, Young and the team conducted field work on the ground to understand the extent of the problem, expecting their results to support the former findings, but that is not what happened.

The researchers collected and analysed both wet and dry deposition samples from precipitation, such as rain, and dust that settled on the ground from particles and gases in the atmosphere at several locations up to 30 kilometres from the eastern coast. The researchers focused on forested watersheds in the Newfoundland and Labrador Boreal Ecosystem Latitudinal Transect, which are all influenced by marine aerosols and were selected because of their proximity to the ocean.

“Because the sites are windy and close to the ocean, we expected a strong marine-aerosol signal. Instead, the measured PFAS showed little association with sodium, which we used as a tracer of sea spray,” says Persaud.

Wet deposition samplers located at one of the sampling sites (Pynn's Brook, NL)

They did find PFAS at all study sites, but evidence pointed to a break down of PFAS precursor compounds in the atmosphere, which would have been transported from elsewhere and not from sea spray. They mostly found perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a subclass of PFAS, including perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluoroalkanesulfonic acids (PFSAs), which are not from local sources in Newfoundland.

Instead, these PFAAs likely came from industrial and commercial centres elsewhere in Canada and the United States, and potentially even further afield. PFAAs and their PFAS precursors are typically found in firefighting foams, non-stick materials and performance chemicals and can be transported long distances, including the Arctic, raising environmental and bioaccumulation concerns.

The researchers say their results are not necessarily exclusive to the east coast of Canada either as Newfoundland offers a worst-case scenario in terms of the amount of driving wind, crashing waves and extensive coastline, exacerbating the amount of sea spray and creating the perfect storm for forever chemicals. “This sort of sea spray is really not a major source global pollution according to our study,” says Young.

One of the interesting findings pointed to the extent dry depositions contribute to PFAS in the environment. The researchers measured for both wet and dry depositions in this research, but that is not universally done and their results underline the importance of doing so to understand the full impact of PFAS in the environment.

Setting up a deposition sampler at one of the sampling sites (Grand Codroy, NL). Shown in the picture is 91��ɫ co-author Professor Trevor VandenBoer

“It’s something that hasn't been understood but helps us to better predict where we're going to find forever chemicals when they're moving around the globe and where they will ultimately end up,” says Persaud. “Understanding the difference between wet and dry depositions really helps not only us but other researchers going forward.”

PFAS are not only found in rain and snow, but Young says she still finds it surprising that dry deposition remains so important even in a place like Newfoundland where it rains quite a lot, but it also points to the importance of including dry depositions of PFAS in studies to better understand where they are being deposited, how they are getting there and the environmental impact, whether that’s a remote desert or the Arctic far from the pollution source.

The 91��ɫ researchers worked with scientists at Memorial University in St. John’s, where Young previously worked and collected samples, the Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada in Corner Brook, and the Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environmental and Climate Change Canada in Burlington, ON.

“I see it as good news story. We worried the PFAS could move from ocean to land and back forever, but it doesn't seem like it's as big of a problem as we thought,” says Young.

The paper, , was published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal of Environmental Science Processes & Impacts.

About 91��ɫ

Media Contact: Yanni Dagonas, 91��ɫ Media Relations, yannidag@yorku.ca or media@yorku.ca

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Researchers closer to understanding how brains and AI differ in identifying facial expressions

sandramc — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:55:17 +0000

The research is important for building more brain-like AI for understanding social perception that could in the future explain differences in autism, for example, leading to improved clinical tools

TORONTO, Aug. 27, 2026 – The human brain can recognize a person’s face and their expression in less than a blink of an eye, but current artificial intelligence (AI) models, although fairly accurate at doing the same, use a different process than a brain and that may not be good enough for applications in health care or education, according to new research out of 91��ɫ.

“Faces are critical to human communication. Very small changes in facial appearance can influence how we understand a conversation, whether we think someone is comfortable or distressed, and how we respond socially. We need to understand how those AI systems arrive at their judgments and where their interpretation of human social signals differs from ours,” says 91��ɫ senior author and Assistant Professor Kohitij Kar. “A major long-term benefit is that this work gives us a way to move beyond simply describing differences in social perception and toward understanding the neural mechanisms that produce them.”

The study, , published in Nature Communications.

A first step toward that goal is understanding how the brain represents both who a person is and what facial expression they are making, and then asking whether computational models capture those same representations.

“We can measure which individual facial expressions humans find easy or difficult to interpret, determine whether the same patterns are present in a carefully validated animal model, measure the underlying neural activity directly, and then use AI models to turn those biological observations into testable computational explanations,” says Kar, of the Faculty of Science and a member of the 91��ɫ-led Connected Minds.

An example of a participant looking at one of 12 people’s faces showing a variety of expressions - anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness and shame

For this study, postdoctoral researcher and lead author Maren Wehrheim, and team, tested and compared 11 artificial neural network (ANN) models, 290 humans and two non-human primates using 360 images of 12 people’s faces expressing anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness and shame at five different strengths.

The researchers first asked whether non-human primates showed structured patterns of facial-expression perception similar to those seen in humans. They then tested whether ANNs could reproduce not only overall accuracy, but also the characteristic image-by-image judgments of the primates and the neural representations recorded from the monkeys’ brains. This allowed the team to test and constrain computational explanations of facial-expression perception.

An image of a face making one of the six expressions was shown for 200 milliseconds to keep the behavioral response limited to perceptual processing only. The human participants and non-human primates were then shown two additional images of the same person, to keep the focus on facial expression and not on their identity, from which they had to pick the correct facial expression.

“People became more accurate as expressions grew stronger, but some faces were consistently easier to judge than others. These image-by-image patterns created a fingerprint of human perception,” says Kar.

The non-human primates were able to identify different expressions, displaying similar structured, reproducible behavioral patterns, and although not as accurate as humans, they had an ability to perform the task with some differences. Both found the same faces difficult to judge and when it came to identifying shame, and less so anger and disgust, non-human primates were almost as accurate as humans.

As for ANNs, many were highly accurate in choosing the correct facial expression, however, the researchers were surprised that broadly trained object-recognition models did better at replicating the monkeys’ characteristic errors and behaviour than those specifically trained on faces or facial muscle movements.

“The finding highlights an important lesson for AI. Getting the right answer is not the same as solving the problem in a brain-like way. A specialized system may become efficient while discarding information that still shapes biological perception,” says Kar, the Canada Research Chair in Visual Neuroscience and a member of 91��ɫ’s Centre for Vision Research and Centre for Integrative and Applied Neuroscience.

The researchers then went beyond behaviour and AI by recording activity from 308 sites in macaque inferior temporal (IT) cortex as the animals viewed the faces. IT is a high-level visual area important for recognizing objects and faces. By focusing on this visual pathway, the study examined the perceptual computations supporting expression discrimination rather than higher-order emotional or affective responses.

They found it matched the monkeys’ behaviour better than the ANNs. “Surprisingly, the strongest match to behavior appeared around 70 to 100 milliseconds after the image appeared, while later activity, although better at classifying the expression labels, was less similar,” says Kar.

This finding points to a heterogeneous coding architecture where facial identity processing and emotional expression overlap in the temporal cortex of the brain, indicating that the brain may act on an early visual signal even as it continues to process and refine the image.

The study validates the non-human primates as an appropriate animal model for exploring human facial expression processing and establishes a foundation for similar research and the potential for it to translate to human social cognition.

“Although, the study looked at visual discrimination, not emotional understanding, it revealed how quickly the primate brain turns a face into a meaningful perception. The findings provide a benchmark for building more brain-like AI and a framework for studying differences in social perception,” says Kar.

The current study did not examine autism directly, but Kar says the framework now makes it possible to ask a more mechanistic question about social-perception differences. “For autism in particular, we ultimately want to move from saying that two people perceive the same facial expression differently to being able to explain what visual information was represented differently, what neural computation produced that difference, and whether a computational model can predict it. Differences in facial-expression perception are well documented in autism, but clinical measures often tell us that perception differs without revealing why. That distinction will ultimately matter clinically.”

Rather than treating social perception as a single ability that is atypical in a person, this approach could eventually make it possible to build individualized perceptual profiles that identify which aspects of visual processing differ for a particular person.

“In the longer term, such profiles could help develop more sensitive behavioral assessments, identify subgroups that may benefit from different types of support, and provide quantitative measures for evaluating whether an intervention is actually changing the perceptual process it is intended to affect,” says Kar.

“Over the longer term, the better those computational models become, the more they may allow us to replace exploratory biological experiments with simulations and reserve animal research for the smaller set of causal questions that genuinely cannot be answered in any other way.”

Next steps are to apply this framework directly to autism – – and continue to improve the AI models.

About 91��ɫ

Media Contact: Yanni Dagonas, 91��ɫ Media Relations, yannidag@yorku.ca or media@yorku.ca

The post Researchers closer to understanding how brains and AI differ in identifying facial expressions appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

First Canadian solo exhibit by internationally celebrated artist Torkwase Dyson opens at The Goldfarb Gallery of 91��ɫ

sandramc — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:57:54 +0000

The new exhibit, The Distance Inside Us (Bird and Lava), will take over the gallery as it questions liberation and confinement amid an escalating ecological crisis.

TORONTO, Aug. 26, 2026 – will host the first solo exhibition in Canada by acclaimed – The Distance Inside Us (Bird and Lava).

Curated by Lillian O'Brien Davis, the exhibit will occupy all three gallery spaces and run from Sept. 11 to March 6, 2027, with an opening celebration on Sept. 10 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Torkwase Dyson, photo by Hansi Liao��

Dyson's practice – spanning painting, sculpture, and immersive installation – examines how Black and brown bodies perceive, negotiate, and are shaped by space. In The Distance Inside Us (Bird and Lava), Dyson turns to questions of liberation and confinement amid an escalating ecological crisis, extending a body of work she has described through what she calls Black Compositional Thought: a visual language built from geometric abstract “hypershapes” that trace the spatial logics of self-emancipation and survival.

Dyson, Torkwase
The Distance of My Flesh 2: I Am Everything That Will Save Me (Bird and Lava), 2024
graphite and string on wood
36" (91.4 cm), diameter
3" (7.6 cm), depth
No. 92719

“The Bird and Lava series was born during the pandemic as the artist worked in isolation, using drawing as a monastic, meditative practice,” says O’Brien Davis. “The shape-language which runs throughout the exhibition is a directive by the artist which literally illustrates the political potential of shape and surface to build new worlds.”

Dyson is one of the most closely watched artists working today, with a string of major institutional presentations over the past two years. Dyson’s international profile has continued to grow this year including at the 61st International Venice Art Biennale; debuting a new commissioned work, Tomorrow Was Yesterday, as part of the 59th Carnegie International in Pittsburgh; and unveiling the monumental sculpture Nia at the inaugural Art Basel Qatar.

Her earlier career includes presentations at the Shanghai Biennale, Liverpool Biennial, Seoul Mediacity Biennale, and Desert X, and her work is held in major public collections including the Art Institute of Chicago, Whitney Museum of American Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

In 2026, Dyson will also be one the constellation of thinkers and practitioners convened annually by Professor Christina Sharpe's Alchemy Lecture at 91��ɫ, a gathering dedicated to thinking through the most pressing issues of our times. This spurred the connection for the solo exhibition at the Goldfarb Gallery. Dyson will present as part of the Alchemy Lecture on Oct. 29. There will be more programming announced to complement the exhibition, including the launch of the exhibition publication in March 2027 that will serve as part of the exhibition’s closing celebrations.

Dyson, Torkwase
Departure (Bird and Lava), 2024
acrylic and graphite on canvas
36" × 36" × 2" (91.4 cm × 91.4 cm × 5.1 cm)
No. 93151

About The Goldfarb Gallery

The Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery of 91��ɫ is a public facing art organization operating at the forefront of contemporary artistic, curatorial, and art institutional practices. As a socially minded not-for-profit contemporary art gallery that is a space for the creation and appreciation of art and culture, its mission is to enhance the voices of artists and the value of art to interpret, challenge, and transform daily lives. Through professional critical exhibitions, researched publications, supported commissions, experimental performances, and accessible workshops, our programs form a bridge between on-campus, local, and global communities.

Visitor Information:

Exhibition: The Distance Inside Us (Bird and Lava) Artist: Torkwase Dyson Curator: Lillian O'Brien Davis Location: Goldfarb Gallery, 91��ɫ, 83A 91��ɫ Blvd, Toronto ON.

The nearest subway and Wheel-Trans stop is on Line 1. is the nearest parking. Dates: Sept.11. to March 6, 2027. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m. Admission: Free

Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ, sandramc@yorku.ca and media@yorku.ca

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91��ɫ students reimagine downtown Stouffville through innovative community solutions

sandramc — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

A year after formalizing a partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), 91��ɫ and the Town of Stouffville are already seeing results through two student-led project proposals aimed at creating a more dynamic, inclusive and accessible downtown core.

The projects emerged through 91��ɫ's Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4), an experiential learning initiative that brings students from diverse academic backgrounds together to address real-world challenges with a social impact.

“Experiential education is central to a 91��ɫ degree. Programs like the Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom take students out of the traditional classroom and into real communities, where they learn to apply their knowledge to genuine challenges alongside municipal partners,” says 91��ɫ Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps.

91��ɫ Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps

“Partnerships like the one with the Town of Stouffville give our students the chance to see the direct impact of their ideas while helping build stronger, more inclusive communities across the region.”

As part of the 91��ɫ–Stouffville partnership, students were asked to explore how the Town might revitalize downtown public spaces to increase foot traffic and be inclusive, safe and resilient for all citizens. They also wanted these spaces to be both beautiful and reflect the Town’s unique local identity.

Student teams worked in close collaboration with Town staff and community stakeholders to develop creative solutions addressing different dimensions of downtown revitalization, from strengthening community participation to improving accessibility and navigation.

“This partnership with 91��ɫ is bringing fresh thinking and meaningful energy to the Village of Stouffville,” says Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt. “By working with students, Town staff and community partners, we are exploring creative ways to make our downtown more welcoming, accessible and vibrant for residents, visitors and local businesses.”

Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt

This year’s projects consisted of two teams that worked closely with the Town. 91��ɫ’s C23 team proposed a plan for a year-round community hub designed to empower underrepresented residents to participate more actively in shaping the future of downtown Stouffville. Combining a physical third space on Main Street with a digital engagement platform and community programming, the initiative sought to make civic participation more accessible and inclusive.

Meanwhile, the C18 team proposed a hybrid navigation ecosystem combining an interactive downtown kiosk with a mobile dashboard. By integrating municipal information with local business directories, the platform is designed to simplify parking and navigation while helping residents and visitors discover local businesses, services and community amenities.

“This collaboration is a strong example of what can happen when education, innovation and community come together,” says Town of Stouffville CAO, Sunny Bains. “The ideas brought forward by 91��ɫ students offer fresh perspectives that will help inform how we continue to build a vibrant, accessible and people-focused downtown Stouffville.”

Town of Stouffville CAO, Sunny Bains

Community members, including residents, business owners and members of the Village of Stouffville Advisory Committee were excited to speak with the students about the projects, creating an atmosphere of positive community engagement.

The collaborative approach generated meaningful conversations and valuable insights for future downtown initiatives, supporting the long-term growth of the Village of Stouffville.

The concepts and recommendations from the two projects are now incorporated into the Town’s ongoing downtown planning efforts and have provided insight into how to create a connected, welcoming and active downtown, influencing discussions around public spaces and placemaking.

“At C4, we believe students learn best when they are empowered to work with communities on challenges that matter,” says C4 Curriculum Lead and Professor Andrea Kalmin. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Town of Stouffville, which gives our students the opportunity to work alongside municipal leaders, community organizations and residents to co-create solutions that have a positive impact.”

91��ɫ’s C23 team presented a plan for a year-round community hub designed to empower underrepresented residents to participate more actively in shaping the future of downtown Stouffville

She notes that in the process of working on C4 projects, students develop an interdisciplinary mindset, collaborative leadership skills and the confidence to navigate complexity, build meaningful relationships and create positive change. Capabilities that will serve them well throughout their careers.

These student initiatives represent some of the first tangible outcomes of the five-year MOU signed by 91��ɫ and the Town of Stouffville in 2025. The next batch of students will begin their placements with the Town this September.

About 91��ɫ

Media Contact: Yanni Dagonas, 91��ɫ Media Relations, yannidag@yorku.ca or media@yorku.ca

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Thinking and moving tasks surpass crossword puzzles at brain health

sandramc — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:47:39 +0000

Whether you’re suffering from a concussion, early signs of dementia or are concerned about healthy aging, 91��ɫ neuroscientist says combining thinking and movement builds brain resilience

Dementia can be brewing in the background for years before the telltale signs of memory lapses and difficulties with wayfinding creep into people’s daily lives or are caught through memory tests, but endless crossword puzzles or sudoku are unlikely enough to make a meaningful difference.

Decades of research as the scientific lead of 91��ɫ’s Sensorimotor Neuroscience Laboratory have taught Professor Lauren Sergio that brain games are not enough to stave off dementia or recover from a , at any age. The missing piece is combining , she says. “Cognitive brain training on its own hasn’t been shown to work in terms of maintaining functional independence as it doesn’t incorporate movement.”

91��ɫ Professor Lauren Sergio (R) in her lab with a participant in one of her research projects

Brain changes with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia often show up first as , such as through movement, coordination and slower reactions when having to think and move at the same time, rather than with memory issues, she adds. For those with , whether elite athletes, children or older adults, they recover faster when given tasks that force their brains to make new connections through movement.

Her biomedical research is now being used as the basis for a new brain performance platform, by , bringing cutting-edge neuroscience from the lab into the real word. “This is a toolbox that can not only be used by people concerned with their brain health, but it can help clinicians, such as gerontologists, as well as other health-care providers, to understand and potentially track brain changes for people concerned about dementia as they age or those suffering from an . The concepts of brain health from my research could be incorporated into their work,” Sergio, 91��ɫ Research Chair in Brain Health and Gender in Action.

The NERON platform provides a cognitive baseline and track changes and improvements over time as users do a series of interactive brain and movement training challenges designed to develop new and stronger neural pathways. The goal is to help improve functional ability to do everyday tasks, catch early brain changes and provide tasks to build brain resilience based on Sergio’s research.

“Through dozens of studies, we found using a approach allows us to look at movement as a window into how well the brain regions are talking to each other,” says Sergio, who worked with Innovation 91��ɫ to get her research out to a broader audience. “This is research that for me is really important for it to be accessible to the public in a way that can benefit them starting with a simple way to test how well their brain is functioning.”

One of the NERON kiosks

Continuing to challenge the brain with the kinds of tasks available on the platform can help build cognitive reserve, which not only helps the brain recover faster from a concussion but also provides a buffer against cognitive decline.

"Everyone is concerned about their brain health but measuring how it performs under real load has mostly stayed inside research labs," says Reed Hanoun, CEO, NERON. "We built a way to do it in under 10 minutes, anywhere, so brain performance can finally be tracked as routinely as any other vital sign using any mobile device."

The tasks are designed to continually challenge the brain. Although they may seem simple – like moving a computer mouse to the right to complete an onscreen task when the cursor moves unexpectedly to the left – it requires the brain to abandon automatic mode and really think about completing the task.

“It turns out if you are having a problem with that kind of task, it could be an early warning sign, either of a past history of a brain injury or future dementia,” says Sergio, who has received multiple grants for her research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Through her research with young athletes who have played a sport competitively for more than seven years, she has found they recover function and performance skills faster after a concussion than house league children and youth who have only played a sport for a couple of years. Those athletes who play a particular sport for years develop a particular visual motor skill that helps protects their brain. Sergio is now also looking at older elite athletes to see if they retain that brain resilience as they age.

Sports are not the only way to develop these brain protecting connections. Operating a drone or a backhoe or reversing a vehicle with an RV camper attached into a parking spot are everyday examples how the brain is engaged while doing movement. “Believe it or not, that guy operating a backhoe, he's using way more of his brain when he's working than if he takes a shovel and digs something out manually, which is far less complicated,” says Sergio.

91��ɫ Professor Lauren Sergio (R) with research participants

“All your brain regions have to talk to each other if you're just using a little joystick to do something, like fly a drone. Those sorts of skills, it turns out it requires a lot of brain communication.”

The key is to force your brain out of its comfort zone so it will build new neural connections. “Take up a new instrument, learn a new language, start doing something with your left hand that you would normally do with your right, like brushing your teeth, try pickleball with your left hand or parallel parking your car on the opposite side of the road, as you would if driving in the United Kingdom,” says Sergio of 91��ɫ’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science in the Faculty of Health. “Practicing any of these kinds of skills where you’re challenging your brain to think while it’s doing a new activity could actually help counteract decline.”

Gaming is another one. Sergio points to the brains of gamers as having well-connected neuron pathways not necessarily evident in non-gamers. “You want the surgeon who was a gamer as a teenager doing your laparoscopic surgery,” she says. Although half joking, she points out their brain networks are usually really strong for doing the types of decoupling tasks, where they are often using a monitor to guide their instruments, demanded of today’s surgeons. “That's also who you want to back up your RV camper.”

Her research with athletes, gamers and musicians, which has included imaging their brains while they do complicated tasks, has found they have built up some cognitive protection through brain connections in a way that doing a simpler task, like reading an email, doesn’t. The brain’s networks just don’t light up in the same way.

The bottom line is we need to move our bodies while thinking. “Neuroplasticity doesn't go away. You can always learn new things,” says Sergio.

About 91��ɫ

About NERON AI

is a neurotech company making brain performance measurable and trainable for everyone, anytime, anywhere. In under ten minutes, NERON turns how well the brain and body coordinate into an objective Brain Performance Score; a window into the brain's Cognitive Reserve people can track over time, grounded in 20+ years of neuroscience.

Contacts:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ, sandramc@yorku.ca

Reed Hanoun, CEO, NERON AI, Reed@NeronAI.com

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