A new hub for 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Science students will offer critical supports for student success by strengthening advising services and offering additional study spaces.

The new Taihua Wang Science Student Success Centre, which officially opened on May 26, is located on the main floor of the Life Sciences Building at the Keele Campus and offers an improved space for academic and social enhancement.

Funded by a $1.6-million gift by Taihua Wang, founder and CEO of Cell Biotechnology Co. Ltd., students can access the 3,843-square-foot space that features a more functional hub for student advising and support, along with new and revamped study and social spaces. These new features include new seating, a lounge area and bookable study pods that students can reserve online.

鈥淭his incredible gift by Dr. Wang, a Chinese Canadian business leader and stem cell scientist, will benefit all Faculty of Science students,鈥� said Rui Wang, dean of the Faculty of Science.鈥�淚t will help strengthen our advising and counselling supports and add much-needed study and social space for students to flourish academically and personally. In doing so, it will help accelerate our mission of educating our students to become active members of our global scientific community.鈥�

The welcoming space will allow students to study individually or in groups and takes advantage of the expansive light from wrap-around windows in the Life Sciences Building. At the opening ceremony, Amna Imran, a third-year student double majoring in biology and psychology, spoke about what impact the centre would have. "It鈥檚 not just a physical space, it鈥檚 a supportive environment designed to help students grow, ask questions, and connect," she said. "Having a centralized hub where we can study, seek guidance, and build relationships with our peers will make an enormous difference in how we experience our time at 91亚色."

Considered to be a pioneer of the clinical application of stem cells in China, Taihua Wang says 91亚色 is a 鈥済reat university鈥� and that 鈥渢his initiative aims to provide enhanced student services, nurturing them to become future global leaders.鈥�

91亚色 President and Vice-chancellor Rhonda Lenton says the Taihua Wang Science Student Success Centre allows 91亚色 to support students pursing education in the sciences.

鈥�91亚色 is proud to mark the opening of the Taihua Wang Science Student Success Centre, a space that reflects our core commitments to access, excellence and positive impact,鈥� says Lenton. 鈥淭his centre, made possible by Dr. Wang鈥檚 transformative gift, will strengthen 91亚色's ability to empower students and help them reach their full potential in science and beyond.鈥�

The May 26 opening ceremony was attended by the donor and his family, science students, faculty members and staff.聽

Courtesy of Yfile

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With efforts led by Biology Professor Gary Sweeney from the Faculty of Science, the new laboratory will focus on integrating clinical research with biomedical laboratory studies to improve human health, particularly in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, as well as conditions related to aging.

Read the full story in聽YFile.

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91亚色鈥檚 Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Faculty of Science and Facilities Services, hosted a successful Bioblitz event during Campus Sustainability Month in October, inviting the 91亚色 community to explore and document the diverse species of plants, animals, and other organisms found on the Keele and Glendon campuses. Participants used the iNaturalist app to record their findings, contributing to a valuable inventory of local biodiversity. The event saw a fantastic turnout, with 37 participants making 790 observations across 326 species on 91亚色鈥檚 campuses.   

A standout contributor was Alice Kostin, a neuroscience student from the Faculty of Science, who made an impressive 164 observations of 79 different species, earning her recognition for her dedication to documenting campus biodiversity. Kostin鈥檚 efforts earned her first place and a $50 reward on her YU Card. 

鈥淧articipating in 91亚色鈥檚 Bioblitz was a chance for me to explore Canada鈥檚 diverse beauty right here on our campus,鈥� she said. 

The event showcased a wide range of wildlife, from familiar species like gray squirrels and Canada geese to rarer sightings, including a white-throated sparrow, red-tailed hawk and even a coyote. The data collected will play an important role in advancing 91亚色鈥檚 sustainability goals, particularly through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet @ Campus program, which encourages students to actively participate in biodiversity conservation and environmental stewardship. The event also included walks on campus, which were led by professors Gordon Fitch, Alex Mills and Laura McKinnon, as well as Valerio Larivera, supervisor of grounds management.  

The Bioblitz event aligns with 91亚色鈥檚 Sustainability Strategy, supporting the University鈥檚 efforts to regenerate local ecosystems and foster biodiversity on campus, creating a healthier and more inviting environment for all. It also provides students with valuable opportunities to engage in environmental initiatives and contribute to 91亚色鈥檚 pursuit of a WWF Living Planet Leader certification. 

鈥淭he Bioblitz is about more than just species identification 鈥� it鈥檚 about fostering a deeper connection to the natural world,鈥� said Mike Layton, chief sustainability officer. 

Community members are encouraged to contribute to  year-round and to keep an eye out for another Bioblitz event this spring. For information about how to get involved in sustainability on campus or how to join the WWF Living Planet Leader certification, visit the Sustainability at 91亚色 website. 

Courtesy of YFile

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Science Professor Jesse Rogerson has published a new book, Daydreaming in the Solar System (MIT Press), with co-author John Moores, a professor at Lassonde, that takes readers on adventures to distant planets, moons, asteroids, and comets. Each chapter is a tale about a unique escapade, with accurate descriptions rooted in science and watercolour illustrations by 91亚色 Biology student Michelle Parsons.

鈥淚n this book we tried to transport people to real places in space and give them a sense of what it would be like to be there,鈥� explained Rogerson, who is a professor in the Division of Natural Science in the Department of Science, Technology & Society. 鈥淲hat would you see, hear, smell, feel and taste? The stories are science fiction in a sense, but also as real and accurate as it can get based on what we know as scientists.鈥�

For instance, one of the chapters is about cave diving through one of Saturn鈥檚 moons, which would be made of ice and very porous. Another chapter takes the reader surfing on Saturn鈥檚 rings, 鈥渨hich would be like floating through a fog,鈥� Rogerson described. In another story, the reader takes a hot air balloon trip around Venus, which has very fast winds and a similar atmospheric pressure to Earth at 60-70 km above the surface; apparently, no space suit would be required.

鈥淭he goal was to make it an accessible and exciting reading experience for a lay audience, and for readers to be able to imagine themselves being there. Space is everyone鈥檚 space, and it is still nature, so I see the book as a creative way of helping people appreciate and respect the wonders that are out there.鈥�

The book sparks imagination through not just the stories, but also the watercolour illustrations in each chapter that are 鈥渞eal and surreal at the same time,鈥� said Rogerson. They depict the reality of environments that people have never been to before.

The illustrations were done by Michelle Parsons, who previously worked as an engineer and is now a science illustrator (see ) and an undergraduate student in the Biology program at 91亚色.

鈥淚 have always loved art, and my passion for science illustration grew from trying to recreate the natural world accurately. Studying biology is helping me to expand my toolbox as an artist.鈥�

Parsons worked in parallel with Rogerson and Moores, taking drafts of the chapters and developing rough sketches that were then turned into detailed paintings as the stories were finalized.

Daydreaming in the Solar System is available at the , , and other .

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