Making good on a collaboration he first outlined as part of last spring’s convocation address, 91��ɫ’s 2010 honorary-degree recipient and his wife, Jaya, an executive vice-president and vice-president, programming at ATN, pledged $100,000 earlier this month to create the Shan & Jaya Chandrasekar Visiting Artist/Scholar Residency in 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Fine Arts. The commitment is the first step in what Chandrasekar hopes is a long-term association with the University, his family and ATN.

Above: Back row, from left, Paul Marcus, president & CEO, 91��ɫ Foundation; 91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri; Asian Television Network (ATN) President & CEO Shan Chandrasekar. Seated, from left, Faculty of Fine Arts Dean Barbara Sellers-Young and Jaya Chandrasekar, executive vice-president & vice-president, programming, ATN.

“There are untold opportunities for collaboration between artists and scholars and students at 91��ɫ,” he says. “I’m very keen to collaborate with 91��ɫ on initiatives that advance arts and culture around the world.”

Beginning later this year, for each of the next four years the Shan & Jaya Chandrasekar Visiting Artist/Scholar Residency will support a visiting artist or scholar whose expertise includes arts and culture in the South Asian or Southeast Asian region. The candidate will work intensively with 91��ɫ fine arts students and faculty, supporting research and teaching through activities like master classes, lectures, creative/technical demonstrations, art production, and exhibitions and installations.

“91��ɫ is extremely appreciative and grateful for Shan and Jaya Chandrasekar’s generosity,” says Mamdouh Shoukri, 91��ɫ’s president and vice-chancellor. “Shan and Jaya recognize 91��ɫ as an invaluable contributor to Canadian society. They have seen first-hand the impact of our institution in the community, in the province and across this nation."

“Shan is a valued a member of the Fine Arts Advisory Council and has long been an advocate for the arts,” says Faculty of Fine Arts Dean Barbara Sellers-Young. “I share Shan and Jaya’s excitement about what this new residency will mean for our students. The visiting South and Southeast Asian artists and scholars will provide new frameworks for considering the arts and their contribution to society.”

The Chandrasekars have been creating multicultural opportunities in business and the arts since the 1970s when they launched the first television programming dedicated to Toronto’s South Asian community. ATN followed, growing from a single program in 1993 to 33 specialty channels and the first and only 24-hour radio service reaching South Asian audiences throughout North America. In recognition of his contributions to private broadcasting in Canada, Shan Chandrasekar was inducted into the Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2004. Jaya Chandrasekar received the same honour in 2008.

“I’ve always been a bridge-builder, opening doors to diverse avenues of understanding about our world,” says Chandrasekar. “But now I’m working to achieve those goals in a new way, with a new partner.

“Education really is the greatest opportunity. I can only imagine where this exciting collaboration will take us next.”

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

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

Kent, who is also MP for nearby Thornhill, 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 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��ɫ is pleased to have received funding under the Federal-Provincial Knowledge Infrastructure Program," said 91��ɫ President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. "These investments are enhancing 91��ɫ'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 Life Sciences Building is entering its final phase. Scheduled to open this fall, it will provide top-notch learning and research facilities for up to 1,700 additional undergraduate students and up to 50 new life science researchers. Leading-edge technologies, such as a 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��ɫ 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 uses strategies aimed at improving energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources.

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

Above: From left, 91��ɫ master's candidate Omar El-Ansari; Faculty of Health Dean Harvey Skinner; Vice-President Research & Innovation Stan Shapson;  Environment Minister Peter Kent; 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��ɫ 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 – 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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