The Barbara Godard Prize for the Best 91亚色 Dissertation in Canadian Studies recipient is Andrew Zealley, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC), for 鈥�.鈥� The recipient of the Odessa Prize for the best undergraduate paper in a fourth-year course is Emily Belmonte for 鈥淯nderstanding Treaty One: Subsistence and Survival 1871-1888.鈥�

The Barbara Godard Prize

Zealley鈥檚 work maps the artistic response to the complex and contradictory experience of living with HIV-AIDS within the Toronto gay community. He uses audio, video and writing to argue for experiential and situated knowledges as forms of HIV management and prevention.

鈥淚 want people to understand that pleasure is possible; pleasure is within grasp if we can learn to let go of 鈥� or refuse 鈥� institutionalized mandates around sex and intimate relationships,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 want people to find ways to talk about their personal health goals during sexual moments, to integrate sexual health talk into sexual play. I hope that people will better understand, through my work, the insidious role that gentrification plays in our pleasure lives. Homogeneity poisons imaginations and desires.鈥�

The prize adjudication committee praised his research for exposing the underlying tensions between art and scholarly practice as processes for understanding this experience, by sourcing material often inaccessible or undervalued by institutional research. Overall, the committee noted the thesis provides a timely reminder of the numerous social discourses that continue to pathologize HIV-AIDS.

Zealley is currently working on multiple projects, both in an artistic and academic capacity. He is part of the Wetrospective exhibition at the AGO this month and has a new vinyl LP record, The Magic of the Think Machine Gods, releasing in October. He is also working on research projects with EUC graduate Peter Hobbs and Nick Mul茅, a professor in 91亚色鈥檚 School of Gender, Sexuality and Women鈥檚 Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS); and participating as a video maker in 鈥淰iral Interventions,鈥� a project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and overseen by EUC Professor Sarah Flicker and Associate Professor John Greyson of 91亚色鈥檚 School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD).

The Odessa Prize

Belmonte鈥檚 essay was completed under the supervision of Professor Sean Kheraj (Department of History, LA&PS) as part of the fourth-year Honours Thesis Seminar (HIST 4000). Her honours thesis focused on interpreting Treaty One (with the Chippewa and Cree Indians of Manitoba) and examining the events leading up to the signing, as well as the immediate aftermath in the 1870s.

鈥淐anadians should not only be interested, but they should feel a sense of urgency to learn about the history of the land they are privileged to live on and how its first people were treated so shamefully at the hands of the government,鈥� says Belmonte. 鈥淐anadians need to understand the treaty-making period, how we are all treaty people, and how there were very specific promises and rights granted to Indigenous people during the treaty process that were never upheld in a very deliberate process in order to secure land acquisition and pave the way for agrarian settlement.鈥�

The prize committee recognized her work as a thoughtful and well-considered synthesis of scholarship on the history of Canada鈥檚 colonial expansion into the northwest. The committee noted the thesis is exceptionally well-organized and well-written, and demonstrates great care and sophistication in sorting out the layers of events and meanings surrounding this critical moment in Canadian history.

Belmonte is entering her final year at 91亚色 and aims to graduate in June 2022 with a degree in both history and education. She plans to become a teacher with her certification to teach at the primary and junior levels, 鈥渂ut one day I may also consider teaching history at the senior and intermediate levels as well,鈥� she says.

The work of both prize recipients was nominated by the Robarts Centre for the . Belmonte鈥檚 essay earned the Best Canadian Studies Undergraduate Essay/Thesis Prize and was noted for being well-written and carefully documented, and was highlighted as an example of undergraduate scholarship of very high quality, according to the Canadian Studies Network in their congratulatory email.

Zealley and Belmonte were both interviewed about their work by the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies. Read those reflections .

About the prizes

The Barbara Godard Prize for the Best 91亚色 Dissertation in Canadian Studies, which has been awarded annually since 2012, is named in memory of Professor聽Barbara Godard, former Avie Bennett Historica Chair of Canadian Literature and former professor of English, French, social and political thought, and women鈥檚 studies at 91亚色. The Odessa Prize for the Study of Canada, first awarded in 2011, was established through the generosity of 91亚色 alumnus聽Irvin Studin聽(BBA Schulich, PhD Osgoode Hall Law School), who dedicated the award to his parents who hailed from the famous port city of Odessa, Ukraine. Learn more about these prizes at聽.

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Jean Michel Montsion

Glendon Professor and Acting Director at the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, Jean Michel Montsion has undertaken some compelling research on Ontario universities鈥� service delivery to Indigenous and international students, focusing on three universities. He argues that the spatiality 鈥� that is, any property relating to or occupying space 鈥� of the information hubs created to support these two groups differs significantly. This is because certain institutional assumptions have been made about these student groups, the social presence and activities hosted, and the lived experiences of the students utilizing these services.

鈥淢y study of information hubs reveals not only how Indigenous and international students are thought to become contributors to Ontario society, but also raises questions about the framing of traditional and mainstream students,鈥� Montsion explained.

In this original article, he reflects on the differences between the two models and brings to light the spatial politics of information hubs in Ontario universities.

This research was supported by the provincial government via the Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund; key findings were published in the Canadian Journal of Higher Education (2018).

Two populations recently targeted in universities鈥� recruitment efforts

Recruitment is vital to all universities; connecting with and attracting potential students is paramount. One key challenge for Ontario universities, Montsion argues, is to remain competitive in recruiting incoming students while still meeting the institution鈥檚 mandate of accessibility, especially for historically under-represented groups. To do this, Ontario鈥檚 institutions of higher education are increasingly targeting two populations: Indigenous and international students.

In this new research, Montsion focused on three universities and looked at how they were providing services to these two student groups.

Universities have historically failed these two student populations

Current higher education strategies to recruit and retain Indigenous students are mindful of public debates about Indigenous rights and historical injustices. Administrators are caught between two approaches: (1) Indigenous education on Indigenous terms; and (2) integration or bringing Indigenous students into the mainstream. Universities usually find a middle ground, which Montsion describes as 鈥渃ombining activities that address discrimination, make Indigeneity visible in curricula and through partnerships with local Indigenous organizations, and launch initiatives aimed at mitigating the lack of traditional social support.鈥�

Universities also struggle with serving the needs of international students. They often fail to provide a way for these students to fight isolation and racism, or to help these students to integrate into their new communities.

Fieldwork in three universities

Building on existing research and theories in this area, Montsion conducted qualitative fieldwork from December 2014 to February 2015. 鈥淭hese three universities were selected based on their proximity to the researcher and the institutions鈥� public reputations in their recent efforts to meet the needs of either Indigenous or international students,鈥� he explained.

Through interviews and observations, Montsion determined how students and university staffers felt about these locations. The information that was gained from this was corroborated with searches on university websites 鈥� where formal communications pieces reside.

Resource centres for Indigenous students; experience desks for international students

Montsion鈥檚 research revealed that Indigenous student services are organized as a resource centre. This is done to create a separate space for Indigeneity on campuses, with activities celebrating Indigeneity and connecting with the students鈥� cultural well-being.

A recent graduate explains the multiple roles his university鈥檚 resource centre played for him:

鈥淲hen I was in first year, it was nice to know that it [the resource centre] was there and that there were other students around so I can have that kind of camaraderie and collegial kind of togetherness, and also allow me to be proud of who I am, and not be afraid of who I am, because it is kind of intimidating of being like, 鈥業鈥檓 M茅tis and I don鈥檛 know what that really means and I am not fully Native.'鈥�

Conversely, Montsion found that international student services take the form of an experience desk to emphasize rapid integration into the mainstream. Here, programs focus on language and cultural training and student success stories 鈥� that is, finding post-graduation employment.

Key findings raise important questions about framing

These consistent configurations, resource centres and experience desks say a lot about how Indigenous and international students are thought to become contributors to Ontario society. This also raises important questions about the framing of traditional and mainstream students.

鈥淚ndigenous students are framed in contrast to non-Indigenous students and their unspoken relationship to their settler identity. International students are framed in contrast to domestic students and their unquestioned ability to have unproblematic cross-cultural encounters,鈥� Montsion explained.

He believes that such assumptions should be acknowledged, as part of a larger discussion around questioning how spaces are produced to deliver services to various student groups. This is an important first step, Montsion emphasizes.

To read the article, visit the . To learn more about Montsion, visit his .

To learn more about Research & Innovation at 91亚色, follow us at , watch the and see the .

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, 91亚色, muellerm@yorku.ca

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Every Wednesday throughout the month, Vari Hall Rotunda will play host to displays and demonstrations featuring the University鈥檚 faculty and graduate researchers. Drop by to learn what they are up to.

"Research Month provides an opportunity for the 91亚色 community to share knowledge and ideas as we celebrate excellence in research and scholarship at the University,鈥� said Robert Hach茅, vice-president research & innovation. 鈥淲e invite students, staff and faculty to drop by Vari Hall on Wednesdays in February to explore the many research projects and to learn more about the range of research activities at 91亚色.鈥�

The Research Month index on 91亚色's Research website contains complete information about the researchers and research centres and institutes participating in the event.

Social sciences and humanities research 鈥� Feb. 1, from noon to 2pm.

Confirmed participants include:

• Assets Coming Together for Youth: Linking Research Policy and Action for Positive Youth Development
• Canadian Business Ethics Research Network
• The City Institute at 91亚色
• Professor , Department of Sociology, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• Professor 聽鈥� Children as Peacemakers
• The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• The Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on the Global Migration of African Peoples
• , Department of Humanities, Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
• The Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies
• The 91亚色 Centre for Asian Research
• 91亚色 Centre for Education and Community

Science and engineering research 鈥� Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 10am to 2pm.

Confirmed participants include:

• 鈥� Professor , Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health
• The Faculty of Environmental Studies
• IRIS
• Four Grad students from Professor 's lab, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science聽& Engineering
• Professor , Department of Earth & Space Science聽& Engineering, Faculty of Science聽& Engineering
• Professor , Department of Computer Science聽& Engineering, Faculty of Science聽& Engineering
• Professor Gunho Sohn, Department of Earth & Space Science聽& Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Professor , Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Faculty聽of Science & Engineering

Health research displays will be showcased Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 10am to 2pm, and fine and performing arts research will be featured Wednesday, Feb. 29, from 10am to 2pm. Check back often for more information by clicking here.

Want to participate?

Do you have completed works, prototypes, technology or works in progress that you could demonstrate? Do you have graduate or undergraduate students working with you who could assist and help talk about the work? If you have other ideas, VPRI would love to hear them.

Interested faculty members or research centres should contact Arielle Zomer in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation at ext. 21069 or azomer@yorku.ca. Note that space is limited and allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.

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Led by Professor Colin Coates (left), Canada Research Chair聽in Canadian Cultural Landscapes and professor of Canadian Studies at Glendon College,聽the聽project is expected to cast light on the impacts of an earlier period of economic 鈥済lobalization鈥� as a way of better understanding the challenges of current practices.聽It is one of eight projects across Canada that has been granted funding in the 2011 Digging into Data Challenge.

Fourteen teams representing Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States have been awarded grants to investigate how computational techniques can be applied to 鈥渂ig data鈥� to change the nature of humanities and social sciences research. Each team represents collaborations among scholars, scientists and librarians from leading universities worldwide.

Coates, who is also the director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies at 91亚色, is one of the principal investigators on the project titled Trading Consequences,聽which received $125,000 in funding. The project聽will examine the economic and environmental consequences of commodity trading during the 19th century and聽employs information extraction techniques to study large corpora of digitized documents from the 19th century. This innovative digital resource will allow historians to discover novel patterns and to explore new hypotheses through聽structured query and a variety of visualization tools.

"Our team of environmental historians is excited to be partners with the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews in the Trading Consequences project. Canadian economic development has historically been defined by commodity flows, and it is important to understand the environmental impacts of this commerce in the past, just as it is today. The focus on Canadian data will test the techniques created through this collaborative project for mapping the scope and impact of international trade in the 19th century," said Coates.

鈥�91亚色 is proud to receive recognition in the 2011 Digging into Data Challenge,鈥� said Robert Hach茅, 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president research & innovation.聽鈥淭hese important research projects advance knowledge as researchers work collaboratively and internationally to find new ways to analyze, search for and store data using digital and electronic technologies.鈥�

鈥淭he Digging into Data Challenge is an international initiative that enables Canadian researchers to take advantage of the huge digital resources now available and to develop close partnerships with overseas universities,鈥� said Chad Gaffield, president of the Social Sciences聽& Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). 鈥淭hese exciting projects cross both disciplines and national borders; they lead to new insights into human thought and behaviour.鈥�

The successful cohort of聽projects received a total of nearly $5 million in funding from eight international research funding agencies. SSHRC鈥檚 contribution of聽$869,117 will support Canadian researchers from eight of the fourteen teams. 聽

For more information, visit the 听飞别产蝉颈迟别.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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The first lecture will take place on Monday Oct.聽3 from 11am to 1pm in聽305 91亚色 Lanes. Professor Matthew Evenden (right) from the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC) will聽present his lecture titled聽鈥淥f muskrats and minerals: The Second World War and the Canadian environment.鈥� Evenden鈥檚 talk will focus on the processes of economic and environmental transformation in Canada during the Second World War through an examination of commodities such as aluminium, timber, wheat; even muskrats have a part in the story.

Other speakers in the series include geography Professor Arn Keeling and聽history Professor John Sandlos from Memorial University, and geography Professor Graeme Wynn,聽history Professor Tina Loo聽and Professor Emerita of geography Julie Cruikshank, all of UBC.听听

The series is run in conjunction with a series at UBC's Green College with additional support from Networks in Canadian Studies and the Environment (NICHE) and the UBC Canadian Studies Program.

The Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies is located on the聽seventh floor of the 91亚色 Research Tower.

For more information, visit the聽Robarts Centre website, or contact Laura Taman, Robarts project coordinator, at llt@yorku.ca.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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The new directors are Professor Colin Coates, director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies (RCCS); Professor Laurence Harris, director of the Centre for Vision Research (CVR); Professor Christina Kraenzle, director of the Canadian Centre for German聽& European Studies (CCGES); Professor David Mutimer, director of the Centre for International聽& Security Studies (YCISS); and Professor Lisa Philipps, director of the Centre for Public Policy & Law (YCPPL).听听

鈥淥n behalf of the 91亚色 research community, I would like to congratulate Professors Coates, Harris, Kraenzle, Mutimer and Philipps on their appointments,鈥� said Robert Hach茅, 91亚色's vice-president research & innovation.聽鈥淭heir leadership expertise will be essential to further strengthening the unique and exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary research, collaborations and partnerships at 91亚色鈥檚 research centres and institutes.鈥�

Colin Coates (left), Canada Research Chair in Cultural Landscapes, is also professor in the Canadian Studies program at Glendon College and president of the Canadian Studies Network-R茅seau d鈥櫭﹖udes canadiennes.聽His research examines political culture in New France and the history of Canadian utopias.聽He also conducts research in the area of environmental history, and is an executive member聽of the聽Network in Canadian History & Environment 鈥� Nouvelle initiative canadienne en histoire de l鈥檈nvironnement, funded by聽the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Coates has co-edited and authored several books including, Introduction aux 茅tudes canadiennes: histoires, identit茅s et cultures (with Professor Geoffrey Ewen, Glendon) and Visions: the Canadian History Modules Project (with Professor Marcel Martel, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies,聽along with four colleagues from other universities), Majesty in Canada: Essays on the Role of Royalty among others.聽Coates won the Lionel Groulx-Yves Saint-Germain Foundation鈥檚 prize for Heroines and History 鈥� Representations of Madeleine de Verch猫res and Laura Secord (co-authored with Cecilia Morgan of OISE).

Laurence Harris (right)聽is a professor in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, a member of the graduate programs in Kinesiology聽& Health Science and in Biology, and has served as chair of the Psychology Department. He is the director the Multisensory Integration Laboratory at 91亚色, which investigates how information from visual, auditory, vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile senses is combined by the brain to create our perception of body and space. Applications of his research include the design of virtual environments and improving perception in situations where sensory information is impoverished, such as in the unusual environments of underwater or in space, in ageing or in clinical conditions such as partial blindness or Parkinson鈥檚 disease.聽Recently, Harris聽ran an聽experiment on the International Space Station looking at astronauts鈥� perception of orientation. He is the author of聽more than聽100 scientific articles and has edited nine books on topics pertaining to vision including Vision in 3D Environments, Cortical Mechanisms of Vision, Seeing Spatial Form, and Levels of Perception. 聽He is editor-in-chief of the journal Seeing and Perceiving: a journal of multisensory science.

Christina Kraenzle (left) is a professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures聽& Linguistics (DLLL) in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.聽She has served as a CCGES affiliate since 2004 and been a member of the centre鈥檚 executive committee since 2005 through her role as the coordinator of the German Studies Program within DLLL.聽Kraenzle鈥檚 research explores modern German literature, film and culture, with a focus on transnational cultural production, migration, travel and globalization. Her recent publications include Mapping Channels Between Ganges and Rhein: German-Indian Cross-Cultural Relations (with J枚rg Esleben and Sukanya Kulkarni, 2008) as well as articles in The German Quarterly, German Life and Letters, Transit: A Journal of Travel, Migration and Multiculturalism in the German-Speaking World, and the volume Searching for Sebald: Photography after W. G. Sebald.

David Mutimer (right), a professor in the Department of Political Science, is also the founding editor of Critical Studies on Security and the editor of The Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs.聽 He has been a member of YCISS since 1987 and has previously served as its deputy director.聽Mutimer was also聽a visiting professor at the University of Geneva in Switzerland and Newcastle University in the United Kingdom (UK), as well as a principal research fellow in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford in the UK.聽Mutimer鈥檚 research considers issues of contemporary international security through lenses provided by critical social theory and explores the reproduction of security in and through popular culture.聽His research has focused on various aspects of weapons production and control, and more recently on the politics of the global war on terror, and of the regional wars around the world which are being fought by Canada and its allies.聽Mutimer is presently leading a SSHRC-funded international research project on arms export controls.聽His recent published work includes journal articles in Studies in Social Justice, The Cambridge Review of International Affairs and Contemporary Security Policy among others.

Lisa Philipps (left) has been a faculty member聽at Osgoode Hall Law School since 1996.聽Prior to that, she held appointments in the faculties of law at the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia, and has held visiting professorships at Melbourne Law School, University College London and the University of Toronto among other institutions.聽She served as associate dean research, graduate studies & institutional relations at Osgoode from 2009 to 2011.聽Philipps' research focuses on tax law, budgets and feminist legal studies.聽She has published widely on topics, including聽fiscal transparency, income splitting, gender聽budgeting, the distributional impact of tax cuts, the tax treatment of unpaid work, charitable tax incentives and more. Most recently she published two co-edited books on Tax Expenditures: State of the Art and Challenging Gender Inequality in Tax Policy Making: Comparative Perspectives.听听

In all, 91亚色聽lists 29 research centres and institutes.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Spotting the unexpected countries is what Seth Feldman, director of 91亚色鈥檚 Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and a film professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Fine Arts, loves most about the World Cup in Canada. 鈥淵ou don't expect to see as many Argentine flags as you do, or flags from the African countries, or Chilean flags, for that matter,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 always like that kind of mix that comes out of this.鈥�

In Canada's large urban centres, Feldman said, there is more of an openness to accept multiculturalism than there is in other western nations, such as the United States. 鈥淵ou don't feel like you're betraying Canada by cheering for Italy or Argentina or Germany.鈥�

There's also a simple reason for the lack of Canadian flags flapping around now, Feldman said. 鈥淚t's just something about Canada not qualifying for the World Cup,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f Canada ever did, you'd see an awful lot of Canadian flags out.鈥�

The Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies promotes and supports interdisciplinary and discipline specific research pertinent to the study of Canada. Over the years the Centre has expanded to encompass a theme of "Canada in the World."

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Above: The 91亚色 Research Tower, which opened in September 2009, features聽some 84,000 square feet of space and houses 12 research centres and two research project teams

鈥�91亚色 is a leading university in social sciences and humanities research, and nothing proves that more than a peer-review process,鈥� said Mamdouh Shoukri, 91亚色's president聽& vice-chancellor, referencing the recent successes of 91亚色 researchers in securing a Killam Prize, two out of four of the Social Sciences聽& Humanities Research Council of Canada鈥檚 (SSHRC) Major Collaborative Research Initiative awards, and a SSHRC Community-University Research Award.

鈥淏ut having excellent researchers puts another level of responsibility on the University, which is to make absolutely sure that we have the environment and the support they need to reach their potential,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his building represents 91亚色鈥檚 commitment to building a research culture for success.鈥�

The 10-storey building, which recently received聽, opened in September 2009 and聽features approximately 84,000 square feet (net) with wireless Internet access. It currently houses 12 research centres and two research project teams, and also provides office space for the and (ABEL) group, which provide support services for researchers. The Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, Office of Research Ethics and Office of Research Services occupy the fifth floor, along with extensive conference and meeting facilities (full occupant list).

鈥淚 think this is the best facility for social science and humanities research in the country, and our researchers deserve it,鈥� said Stan Shapson (left), vice-president research聽& innovation. 鈥淚n addition to many new technologies, it鈥檚 built on the Greek agora model of community that allows researchers to come together and collaborate, both with researchers across the University and with external groups. Some of the issues they鈥檙e studying can鈥檛 be solved in isolation. No one has all the knowledge or the strategy to do it all聽鈥� we have to collaborate, which is also why we want the YRT to be a meeting place for the community to work with us.鈥�

Chad Gaffield (left), , was also present for the event as part of a daylong visit to 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus. 鈥淲e use e-communications to deepen and enrich relationships that are, at least periodically, complemented by physical contact,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he genius of the YRT is its confirmation of the importance of creating face-to-face contact and then complementing those interactions through information communications technology. It鈥檚 a new model of engaged scholarship and research.鈥�

Professor (below, right), director of the Centre for Refugee Studies on the research tower鈥檚 eighth floor, spoke about the importance of creating neighbourhoods for researchers. Since moving into the building, McGrath has formed new research connections with peers in the 91亚色 Centre for Asian Research, the Centre for Research on Latin America & the Caribbean, and , all of which are her neighbours on the聽eighth floor.

鈥淗aving neighbourliness, good meeting space and research resources under one roof is great,鈥� said McGrath. 鈥淚 hosted colleagues from all around the world here for a three-day session in the bright and spacious Conference Centre. With help from ABEL, we streamed parts of our meeting online, allowing those who weren鈥檛 able to travel here opportunities to participate. The facilities are fostering our sense of research culture and allowing us to work more collaboratively than I think we would have without it.鈥�

Graduate students have also benefited from new space on floors six, seven and eight that was designed for them as researchers. 鈥淲hen you walk around the building, you see graduate students everywhere,鈥� said Susan Henders, director of the 91亚色聽Centre for Asian Research. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e working on projects, relaxing in the lounges and interacting with their peers. It鈥檚 quality space that brings them into the centres and fosters their work and professional development, complementing their graduate program training.鈥�

Watch videos from the Research Tower opening, with remarks from President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri, Vice-President Research & Innovation Stan Shapson, SSHRC President Chad Gaffield, Professor Susan Henders and Professor Susan McGrath.

鈥淥ne student told me that having study space made him feel valued as a researcher and professional in the making,鈥� Henders continued. 鈥淚 want to commend the University for its foresight in recognizing the critical role graduate students play in organized research units and research on the campus.鈥�

By Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer. Photos courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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The 91亚色 Circle is an ongoing program that offers curious people like Pitt an opportunity to experience university lectures first-hand. It was created for parents and聽family of 91亚色 students,聽alumni, neighbours and friends who want to hear leading 91亚色 faculty explore their ideas and research.

Right: The 91亚色 Circle offers an opportunity for聽non-students聽to hear lectures by 91亚色 faculty

Pitt is among more than聽500 people who have joined the 91亚色 Circle since it began last October and says that she appreciates the opportunity to experience University life聽because she was never able to realize her own dream of attending university. "When I was growing up in Britain, the country was just coming out of the Second World War," she says. "The soldiers lucky enough to survive were offered priority spots in university programs. There were聽very few spots left for everyone else.聽I was not able to attend university and instead studied聽to become a children's nurse. This program offers a great chance for me to experience university."

Coordinated by 91亚色 President Emerita Lorna聽Marsden and Cynthia Bettcher, special adviser to Jennifer Sloan, vice-president of university relations, with help from 91亚色's Alumni Office and print media sponsors and 91亚色 Region Media Group, the 91亚色 Circle embodies the spirit, energy and intellectual excellence of the University鈥檚 50th anniversary, which was celebrated in 2009.

Left: 91亚色 alumnus and 91亚色 Circle member Bart Zemanek聽(BA Spec. Hons. 鈥�07, MSc 鈥�10) with Lorna Marsden

For Marsden, the 91亚色 Circle offers a wonderful opportunity to transport the magic of 91亚色's talented faculty聽into聽the University's聽affiliated communities. 鈥淭he 91亚色 Circle comes from the goal of making our really marvelous faculty members better known through their ideas and work, and聽helps the community聽to better understand the University,鈥� says Marsden. 鈥淭he 91亚色 Circle offers serious talks for lay people who don鈥檛 have the opportunity to attend lectures.鈥�

The circle offers a cross-section of 91亚色鈥檚 leading professors and researchers presenting talks on topics that are current and engaging. Twice a year, the circle鈥檚 membership gathers on 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus for a full day of lectures and a complimentary locally sourced (locavore) lunch. The inaugural event took place last fall. On May 1, the 91亚色 Circle returned, bringing more than 150 members back to the Keele campus.

Right: There is no generation gap here. 91亚色 Circle member Irina Shoikhedbrod brought her son, 91亚色 political science master's student Igor Shoikhedbrod,聽to the聽May 1 event

The October聽launch event featured lectures by Faculty of Health Dean Harvey Skinner, astronomy Professor Paul Delaney and theatre Professor Phillip Silver.

The May 1 event repeated the format established by the inaugural event and offered聽lectures by four 91亚色 faculty.聽The morning sessions featured presentations by聽film Professor Seth Feldman, director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, and psychology Professor Debra Pepler, member of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence & Conflict Resolution. Feldman talked聽about his experience working for a year on a documentary about Charles Darwin and about why聽Darwin matters and how the noted scientist means different things to different people. Pepler spoke about how the patterns of power and aggression established in playground bullying move on to become sexual harassment and dating violence in adolescence and workplace harassment in adulthood.

Left: Professor Seth Feldman talks about his聽research and experience making a documentary on Charles Darwin

Following lunch, the 91亚色 Circle members listened to talks by Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Allan Hutchinson and Schulich School of Business Professor Bernard Wolf. Hutchinson delivered an energetic lecture about some of the great cases that shaped the legal world. Wolf talked about the aftermath of the most recent economic crisis, the resulting ballooning national debts and the implications of the economic health of the United States, Greece and Spain on the global community.

Videos of each of the presentations are available on the 91亚色 Circle Web site.

The response to the 91亚色 Circle events have聽been heartwarming,聽says Bettcher. 鈥淪eventy-two per cent of those who attended the May 1 event completed a survey about their 91亚色 Circle experience," she says. "Of those, more than 99 per聽cent聽indicated聽that they were very satisfied with the day. What we found so significant about the responses was that everyone said they would attend another 91亚色 Circle event.

"One of the biggest requests we got following the first 91亚色 Circle event, which took place聽last October,聽was for the recipe for the spicy pumpkin soup that was served at the locavore lunch,鈥澛爈aughs Bettcher. She聽and Marsden immediately got to work聽tracking down the recipe (right) and arranged to have it modified for smaller, family-sized portions. The soup, says Bettcher, was created for the 91亚色 Circle lunch by the chefs working at the Underground restaurant on 91亚色鈥檚 Keele campus.

What's next on the agenda for this legacy jewel? Bettcher says the next event is聽Raise Your Space IQ, which will take place on Saturday, July 17, from 9 to 11pm. During this event, 91亚色 astronomy Professor Paul Delaney (who delivered a presentation at the inaugural 91亚色 Circle event) will lead participants through a tour of the night sky. The 50 91亚色 Circle members who were first to sign up for the event will have an opportunity to look through the University's telescopes and listen to Delaney and astronomy students talk about the wonders of the universe.

Coming this fall, 91亚色 Circle members聽will be able to to a new series of concerts and events brought to 91亚色聽from venues around the world through a new partnership between the 91亚色 Circle and DigiScreen. In a departure from other 91亚色 Circle events, the Prestigious Performances have been thrown open to聽everyone, including 91亚色聽students and faculty. The Prestigious Performances Series will be brought to the big screen in the Price Family Cinema by DigiScreen through聽the company's聽alliance with Opus Arte and the Royal Opera House of London.

The Prestigious Performance Series will offer world-class concerts, theatre, opera and ballet, presented in high definition format, from venues such as Covent Garden in London, the Palais Garnier in Paris, Teatro Real in Madrid, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London and the Lincoln Center in New 91亚色 City. 91亚色 professors will聽moderate聽each performance.

The series will be presented on Sunday afternoons starting at 2pm, with the first presentation on Sept. 26聽showcasing a performance of As You Like It by William Shakespeare, from the Globe Theatre with an enlivening commentary聽by theatre Professor Mark Wilson, associate dean in 91亚色's Faculty of Fine Arts.

Other performances include a concert featuring the music of the late jazz icon Ray Charles with commentary by 91亚色 music Professor Ronald Westray聽and a presentation of Puccini's opera La Boh猫me. For more on these performances, visit the 91亚色 Circle Web site.

Left: 91亚色 Circle member Elizabeth Pitt

The membership will also be returning to the Keele campus on Oct. 30 for another full-day lecture and lunch presentation. Details of this event will be made available early in June on the 91亚色 Circle Web site.

"I can hardly wait," says an enthused Pitt. "My calendar for the fall is聽looking wonderful."

By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor and eldest daughter of Elizabeth Pitt.

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

The post 91亚色 Circle expands its intellectual research offerings for curious minds through public lectures appeared first on Research & Innovation.

Feldman is the director of 91亚色鈥檚 Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies. His series "" was broadcast from November 11 to December 2, 2009. Each of the four episodes explored the life and ideas of the evolutionary 鈥� and revolutionary 鈥� scientist, both in his own time and now.

The episodes are available on archive of past episodes. Each episode is approximately 55 minutes.

1. The Prepared Mind: From Darwin鈥檚 Early Years To His Voyage Of Discovery On H.M.S. Beagle
2. The Transmutationist: Darwin Thinks His Way From The Beagle To The Book
3. Primates vs Primates: What On The Origin Of Species Said, And What Was Said About It
4. The Enduring Legacy Of Charles Darwin: Why Science And Society Today Are Still Wrestling With Darwin鈥檚 Big Idea

The series' index page also contains useful bibliographic and online materials. For additional background, see YFile's interview with Feldman on his Darwin series for Ideas.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, with files courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

The post Listen: 91亚色 film Prof Seth Feldman talks Darwin and Origin of the Species on CBC's Ideas appeared first on Research & Innovation.