The town hall will take place Sept. 21, from 11am into the noon hour, in the Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, Keele campus. All students, faculty, staff and parents are welcome.

Right: 91亚色 President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri

Shoukri will talk about the growth and evolution of 91亚色, its recent successes, and the opportunities and challenges moving forward, followed by a Q&A period with the entire executive team.

The Q&A will include Shoukri, Gary Brewer, vice-president finance & administration; Robert Hach茅, vice-president research & innovation; Patrick Monahan, ;聽Jennifer Sloan, vice-president university relations; and Robert Tiffin, vice-president students. The Q&A will be moderated by 91亚色 law Professor , director of the 91亚色 Centre for Public Policy & Law.

The town hall will also be available to watch via webcast through the president's website.

In addition, questions can be sent in advance by e-mail to the president at mshoukri@yorku.ca and via Twitter using the hashtag #yutownhall.

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

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Join President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri and the rest of the senior executive team at the President鈥檚 Town Hall 鈥� an interactive dialogue bringing 91亚色 faculty, staff and students together.

The town hall will take place Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 11am into the noon hour, in the Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre, Accolade East Building, Keele campus. All students, faculty, staff and parents are welcome.

Right: 91亚色 President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri

Shoukri will talk about the growth and evolution of 91亚色, its recent successes, and the opportunities and challenges moving forward. Then it鈥檚 your turn to ask questions to the entire executive team.

Joining Shoukri for the Q&A period will be Gary Brewer, vice-president finance & administration; Robert Hach茅, vice-president research & innovation; Patrick Monahan, ;聽Jennifer Sloan, vice-president university relations; and Robert Tiffin, vice-president students. The Q&A will be moderated by 91亚色 law Professor , director of the 91亚色 Centre for Public Policy & Law.

Can鈥檛 attend in person? There is more than one way to participate. The town hall will be available to watch via webcast through the president's website.

In addition, questions can be sent in advance by e-mail to the president at mshoukri@yorku.ca and via Twitter using the hashtag #yutownhall.

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

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Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent paid an informal visit to 91亚色's Keele campus yesterday to view first-hand the results of the government's聽investment in聽Canada's current and future聽scientists and researchers.

Above: From left, Environment Minister Peter Kent, senior project superintendent Chris Robinson and 91亚色 President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri review the building blueprints

Kent, who is also MP for nearby Thornhill,聽was on campus to tour the construction site of the new 160,000-square-foot Life Sciences Building. The facility's construction was made possible by $70 million in federal and provincial funding through the (KIP), part of the federal government's聽Economic Action Plan and the Ontario government's 2009 Budget.

Right: Kent congratulates Shoukri during a ceremony on the temporary steps leading to the Life Sciences Building

"91亚色 is pleased to have received funding under the Federal-Provincial Knowledge Infrastructure Program," said 91亚色 President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. "These investments are enhancing 91亚色's solid reputation as Canada's leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university, and strengthening our capacity for quality research and innovation."

The addition of the Life Sciences Building to the Keele campus will increase available learning and research facilities for students and faculty in high-demand science and health-related disciplines, such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry and kinesiology.

"As Canada begins to emerge from global recession, the investment in state-of-the-art research labs is essential to creating and securing valuable skills jobs both now and in the future," said Kent. "By modernizing research and training facilities on Canada's college and university campuses, this will help build the foundation for future growth. Our government is working to ensure the best science and innovation opportunities as well as the world's best researchers are right here on Canadian soil."

Left: Kent addresses the group gathered for the tour

Construction of the聽Life Sciences Building is entering its final phase. Scheduled聽to open this fall, it will聽provide聽top-notch learning and research facilities for聽up to 1,700 additional undergraduate students and up to 50 new life science researchers. Leading-edge technologies, such as a聽radioisotope suite and a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer for advanced imaging will be among the high-tech equipment contained in the new structure.

"This building will provide an incredible opportunity for 91亚色 to meet the growing demand by young Canadians who would like to study life sciences and health," said Shoukri. "It will also help our young researchers to build their careers and use their knowledge to advance the frontier of understanding for the world and it will create an opportunity to help economic development through innovation."

Constructed using Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) principles, the building聽uses strategies aimed at improving聽energy savings, water efficiency,聽carbon dioxide聽emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources.

The Government of Canada's Knowledge Infrastructure Program is a聽$2-billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure enhancement at Canadian postsecondary institutions. It聽is part of nearly $16 billion in new infrastructure investment allocated under the聽Economic Action Plan since 2009.

Above: From left, 91亚色 master's聽candidate Omar El-Ansari; Faculty of Health Dean Harvey Skinner;聽Vice-President Research & Innovation Stan Shapson;聽 Environment Minister Peter Kent;聽President & Vice Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri; Vice-President University Relations Jennifer Sloan; Sidra Khan, a second-year life sciences student; Janusz Kozinski, dean of the Faculty of Science & Engineering; and Paul Marcus, president & CEO of the 91亚色 Foundation

The Government of Ontario also committed to investing in infrastructure by designating $780 million to colleges and universities to modernize faciilties and boost long-term research and skills training capacity.

By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor.

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

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The releases won 91亚色 and its researchers recognition in media outlets across Canada and around the world, including publications such as The New 91亚色 Times, the Washington Post and news organizations in the United Kingdom and Asia.

The winning entry featured these releases:

• Songbirds fly three times faster than expected
• 91亚色 U-designed space elevator would reach 20 km above Earth
• Perfectionism pointless, potentially harmful for most elementary students: 91亚色 U study
• Reactions to racism not as strong as we think: 91亚色 study
• Toronto teens need more sexual health education and clinics, new surveys finds

Left: Backpack-toting birds were featured in one of five award-winning news releases

The CASE competition covers institutions from the international organization鈥檚 North American, European and Asia-Pacific regions. Overall, staff of the University Relations Division and the 91亚色 University Foundation have won 10 medals in 2010 competitions: four from CASE and six from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (see YFile, May 26).

鈥淭hese latest awards confirm the respect that 91亚色 has earned for its expertise in communicating to the world information about our research and our values,鈥� said Jennifer Sloan, vice-president university relations. 鈥淚 am very proud of the team and the work they have done in partnership with faculty and other University departments.鈥�

Walls' and Hughes' work on 91亚色鈥檚 media releases can be seen daily on this site, on the University鈥檚 main home page and are carried in YFile.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, with files 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.

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