For many Indigenous learners, choosing a post-secondary institution involves more than academics. A community of support, culturally responsive spaces and a sense of belonging can influence where students see themselves succeeding.

In partnership with Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, 91亚色's Office of Indigenous Initiatives, the five-day Indigenous Pathways Program helps aspiring Indigenous learners ages 18 and older build meaningful and intentional connections ahead of their academic journeys. The immersive experience introduces participants to 91亚色's academic offerings while connecting them to the University鈥檚 Indigenous-focused spaces, resources, supports, staff and faculty across its three campuses.

By helping learners feel welcomed, supported and able to envision a future at 91亚色, the program fosters belonging and helps build confidence, clarity and purpose leading up to the transition to post-secondary education. It also reflects a broader institutional commitment to Indigenous student success, says Holly LaForme, manager, Indigenous initiatives at 91亚色鈥檚 Division of Equity, People & Culture.

鈥淔or many Indigenous learners, education systems have not always felt safe, welcoming or full of possibility. Arriving at a large urban institution, often far from family, community and familiar supports, can feel overwhelming,鈥� says LaForme, who helped lead the IPP project. 鈥淎t the Centre for Indigenous Student Services, connection and community-building are foundational to the way we support student success. My hope is to bring a sense of care, familiarity and relationality to the university experience so Indigenous learners feel grounded as they adapt to a new environment, explore their identity and define their path forward.鈥�

Throughout the week, participants stayed in residence and engaged with faculty, staff, current students and alumni. In collaboration with the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, programming highlighted a range of academic pathways through experiences that included a session with Indigenous scholar, 91亚色 assistant professor and acclaimed author Jesse Thistle; workshops in creative writing and social work; hands-on engineering and AI activities at the ; career-focused programming at the , including an Indigenous alumni panel; and a visit to 91亚色's Markham Campus for a immersive day that concluded with a sacred fire.

For participant Sheena Kitchemokman, meeting other Indigenous students and learning about resources available at 91亚色 were key reasons for joining the program.

"The reason why I signed up for the Indigenous Pathways Program is to see what opportunities are available and to meet other Indigenous students who are going to 91亚色," she says.

That sense of connection is a central focus of the program, says LaForme. By introducing participants to Indigenous faculty, students, alumni and support staff, the program helps learners build relationships and gain a clearer understanding of what life at university can look like.

鈥淩ather than asking students to imagine whether they belong in a post-secondary environment, the program provides a meaningful way for participants to experience that community firsthand,鈥� says LaForme, who notes some learners travelled from northern communities to participate.

Those connections, she adds, extend beyond the classroom. Participants are introduced to Indigenous spaces across 91亚色鈥檚 campuses, including Skennen鈥檏贸:wa Gamig, an Indigenous support centre at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele Campus where Indigenous students can use the space for community and cultural connection. For Kitchemokman, it was a welcoming space that left a lasting impression.

"My favourite space on campus is the native student lounge," she says of Skennen鈥檏贸:wa Gamig. "It really does make me feel at home."

Finding this strong sense of community, as well as a clearer understanding of academic options, strengthened her confidence in choosing 91亚色 for her post-secondary studies. She describes one session she attended as inspiring, noting she had 鈥済oosebumps listening to the panel talk about their life experiences and education stories.鈥�

She says the program would benefit all Indigenous learners 鈥� especially those considering 91亚色.

"Coming to the Indigenous Pathways Program has convinced me that this is the right university for me because of all the love and support you get from faculty and student bodies," she says.

Although the Indigenous Pathways Program spans five days, its impact extends beyond a single week.

鈥淏y helping prospective students explore university life, connect with Indigenous community and experience the care and shared hopes offered by non-Indigenous allies, friends, peers and partners across the 91亚色 U community, the program creates meaningful pathways into post-secondary education,鈥� says LaForme.

鈥淏eing able to physically experience these spaces, build relationships and see oneself at 91亚色 is an important first step in making that future feel real, supported and full of possibility.鈥�

LaForme says the program, which ran July 27 to 31, has already encouraged some of the participants to apply.

The post 91亚色 program builds belonging for Indigenous learners appeared first on YFile.

Razieh (Neda) Salahandish, an assistant professor at the , is developing a wearable biosensor that uses sweat to track physiological changes in real time. The tool aims to redefine preventative health care, supporting earlier detection of health conditions.

To do this, the device uses technology that combines microfluidic systems with AI to analyze biomarkers found in sweat 鈥� a body fluid Salahandish says contains valuable information about human health. A small patch collects sweat from the skin, analyzes it for disease biomarkers, and sends results to health care practitioners anytime a patient scans the device with a specific app. 

"We believe sweat has the potential to become an important source of health data," says Salahandish. "Because it contains valuable biological information, our goal is to use that data to provide health insights in a way that is continuous, accessible and non-invasive." 

Unlike traditional diagnostic methods that often require blood samples or laboratory testing, wearable sweat-sensing technology offers a non-invasive approach to monitoring physiological changes as they occur. 

To advance the technology, Salahandish worked with 91亚色's YSpace and the IP Innovation Clinic to launch WearDOXX, a health technology company focused on developing biotechnology and AI-enabled health care devices. Through WearDOXX, Salahandish and her collaborators are working to translate years of research into commercially viable health technologies.聽

The project has attracted support from investors, industry partners and funding agencies as researchers work to bring the technology from the lab to everyday use. In 2025, the initiative received a $300,000 Ontario Centre of Innovation Collaborate 2 Commercialize grant and a $345,000 Mitacs Business Strategy Internship grant. 

The recent $5-million infusion from investors allows the work to move toward clinical validation and support continued technology development, testing and commercialization efforts. 

"The support we've received reflects growing interest in technologies that make health monitoring more accessible and proactive," says Salahandish. "Our focus now is to continue to build the evidence and infrastructure needed to for broader adoption." 

Over the next two years, Salahandish and her team will refine and test the technology, with plans to bring it to market soon after. While no launch date has been set, she is enthusiastic about its potential impact. 

鈥淭his is about giving people control over their health in ways we haven鈥檛 seen before,鈥� she says. 

Salahandish is also earning recognition for her work. She was recently named one of five finalists for the Ontario Centre of Innovation's 2026 Baylis Ontario Life Sciences Innovator Award, with the recipient to be announced in September. She is also the recipient the 2026 Young Woman Researcher in Biomedical Devices award from the Venus International Women Awards. 

With files from Deirdre Kelly

The post How perspiration is inspiration for future of preventive medicine聽 appeared first on YFile.

As the institution advances its priorities in student success, research and community engagement, members of the 91亚色 Retirees鈥� Association (YURA) play an active role in supporting initiatives and building lasting connections through fundraising, mentorship, volunteer service and research participation.

Established in 1986, YURA provides retirees with ways to remain connected to 91亚色 鈥� and one another 鈥� through lifelong learning, philanthropy, advocacy and social interactions.

鈥淩etirement opens the door to new interests, opportunities and experiences,鈥� says Diane Woody, YURA鈥檚 co-president and former associate professor and senior scholar in the Department of French Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 鈥淚t typically brings challenges as well, which one hopes to navigate with resilience and equanimity. A true gift in retirement is to travel through this journey accompanied by others with whom one has a shared history.鈥�

From its inception, YURA was imagined as an inclusive group, says Woody, noting that it has remained true to the initial vision and organizes its activities around four pillars: to provide the means for retirees to maintain ties with one another and with 91亚色; to promote ongoing learning; to create ways for retirees to give back; and to strengthen the voice of retirees within the University community.

The association recently marked 40 years at an event on May 13, creating an opportunity to reflect on key moments in YURA鈥檚 history and to celebrate its steadfast participation in the 91亚色 community.

Steve Dranitsaris, YURA co-president and former senior executive officer in the Office of the Vice-President Finance & Administration, says backing students remains a central focus of YURA鈥檚 work.

Over the years, YURA has raised funds to support access to post-secondary education and student well-being, leading to the creation of three endowed award programs: the Mature Student Bursary, established in 1992; the William Small Award, established in 1998 in recognition of 91亚色鈥檚 first secretary and former vice-president administration who played a key role in the creation of YURA; and the Graduate Student Award, established in 2014.

The awards assist students at different stages of their academic journeys and reflect a long-standing commitment to help future generations of 91亚色 students succeed.

鈥淵URA takes special pride in its tradition of giving back by supporting 91亚色 and its students,鈥� says Dranitisaris. 鈥淓ach year, several students in each category receive awards. They often share a message of gratitude for the multiple ways the award supports them and many say that while the financial boost is welcome, the award makes the greatest difference by renewing their belief in themselves and in their ability to realize their educational dream.鈥�

YURA鈥檚 current fundraising initiative is focused on study pods in 91亚色 Libraries. The soundproof, bookable spaces offer students private areas for focused study, virtual meetings and collaborative work. The project reflects the association鈥檚 advocating for learning environments and resources that contribute to academic success.

Members will continue those efforts through the annual YURA Challenge fundraising walk, which returns to the Keele Campus on Oct. 6.

Retirees also continue to contribute their expertise to 91亚色鈥檚 academic mission. Faculty retirees remain active as senior scholars, publishing books and articles and participating in research activities. Others serve on committees, mentor graduate students and provide guidance through workshops that help students strengthen presentation and professional skills.

Many members also share their institutional knowledge through volunteer service. Retirees volunteered during Congress 2023 at 91亚色 and continue to contribute to a range of University initiatives and activities.

Research remains another important area of engagement. Through a close relationship with the 91亚色 Centre for Aging Research and Education, YURA members participate in studies examining aging, retirement and well-being. The partnership supports research that informs understanding of aging-related issues and public policy, while giving retirees the chance to contribute to scholarly inquiry from a new perspective.

鈥淚t is uniquely fitting that YURA members participate as subjects in numerous research projects that focus on issues and policies relating to aging and well-being in retirement. For faculty retirees, switching roles from researcher to research participant becomes a novel learning experience,鈥� Woody says.

Lifelong learning is a cornerstone of the association. Throughout the year, members participate in educational sessions and outings focused on topics such as digital literacy, health and resilience, financial and estate planning, and adapting to technological change.

More recently, retirees have participated in Intergenerational Climate Caf茅 discussions organized by YURA member Harvey Skinner, former dean of the Faculty of Health. These conversations bring together students and retirees to explore climate-related challenges and share perspectives across generations.

Other avenues for socializing and participating in cultural outings and educational programming include visits to theatres, museums, galleries and parks, as well as workshops and guest speakers that explore a range of topics.

鈥淪uch outings provide opportunities for members to renew friendships while enjoying cultural experiences and learning more about local history,鈥� says Woody. 鈥淵URA has helped 91亚色 retirees鈥痬aintain鈥痬eaningful connections with colleagues, engage in ongoing learning, contribute time, energy and resources to support current students, and make scholarly and other contributions to 91亚色.鈥�

YURA maintains close relationships with several University partners, including Advancement and Alumni Engagement, Pensions and Benefits, and the Association of Retired Faculty and Librarians. 91亚色 retirees also serve on key University bodies, including the Pension Fund Board of Trustees, the All-University Pension Committee and the Retirement Planning Centre Advisory Board.

Beyond 91亚色, the association is connected to national and international organizations, including the College and University Retiree Associations of Canada and the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education, helping members stay informed about issues affecting retirees in higher education.

Operated entirely by volunteers, YURA continues to help retirees to stay engaged, strengthen relationships and contribute to the University community. Four decades after its founding, the association remains an important bridge between 91亚色 and the retirees whose expertise, experience and commitment continue to contribute to the institution鈥檚 mission.

鈥淚ts existence for four decades bears witness to the commitment and dedication of its members,鈥� says Woody. 鈥淲e look forward to the future and issue a warm invitation to all retirees to join the association.鈥�

For more, visit the YURA website or send an email to yura@yorku.ca.

With files from Diane Woody and Steve Dranitsaris

The post Retirees help strengthen 91亚色 community through YURA appeared first on YFile.

For nearly five days, the heavy blanket of smoke trapped toxic particles over Toronto, drastically increasing health risks while the wildfires caused catastrophic damage in communities across northwestern Ontario. 

The unprecedented devastation has 91亚色 experts debating whether Canada should explore a new national agency to manage wildfire response 鈥� or revamp the system in place. 

The recent fires in northwestern Ontario are now accelerating conversations about how Canada manages wildfires, which have gained momentum since fires tore through Jasper, Alta. two years ago consuming about a third of the town鈥檚 buildings.  

Since then recovery has remained painfully slow, highlighting the longterm impacts of the shorterm devastation of wildfires. As of March 2026, only 4 per cent of the 374 properties lost to fire have been fully rebuilt. Meanwhile, insured losses have swelled from early projections of $900 million to an estimated $1.3 billion, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Those numbers have made Jasper a test case for a broader question facing Ottawa: should the federal government overhaul how it manages wildfires 鈥� perhaps by creating a national agency 鈥� or focus on fixing the system it already has? 

Across Canada, opinions diverge sharply on what that change should look like. The debate runs straight through 91亚色鈥檚 Disaster and Emergency Management program at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, where two professors studying wildfires stake opposing positions. 

After a major fire, 鈥渋t is all left to individual communities impacted to manage it themselves,鈥� and a federally mandated framework would be beneficial, says Ali Asgary, 91亚色 professor and director of the Advanced Disaster, Emergency and Rapid Response Simulation (ADERSIM) Lab, which uses large-scale simulations to model disasters and test emergency responses. 

His colleague, Professor Eric B. Kennedy, studies the human dimensions of fire and how people and institutions use evidence to make decisions in wildfire and other emergencies. Like Asgary, Kennedy shares 鈥渢his sense that we need transformative thinking,鈥� but argues that Canada should focus on transforming the systems and programs it already has, rather than building a new national agency from scratch. 

Both agree recent seasons have revealed how fragile Canada鈥檚 wildfire system becomes under extreme pressure 鈥� and that Jasper stands as one of the starkest examples. 

A system under pressure

When the Jasper wildfires erupted in July 2024, scarce resources and confusion over jurisdiction hampered early firefighting efforts, despite what officials described as a well-oiled crisis response. 

Ken McMullen, chief of emergency services for Red Deer Emergency Services and president of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC), served as an incident commander on the scene. One fire burned to the northeast of Jasper, while three fires to the south merged into a singular inferno racing toward town. 

Inside the blaze, the heat and winds acted like a convection oven, generating gusts as powerful as an EF-5 tornado with wind speeds exceeding 300 km/hr, uprooting trees and hurling flames up to 50 metres into the ir. When mountainside trees gave way, embers rained down on the town, setting homes and businesses ablaze. 

McMullen and his team coordinated the wildland, municipal and volunteer firefighting teams in evacuating 20,000 people, and deploying high-volume sprinkler systems, a rotating air fleet for water drops and hotspot detection, and continuous fuel removal to steer the flames鈥� path. 

Still, when air tankers were needed that first night, none of Canada鈥檚 106-plane fleet was available 鈥� already committed to fires burning in other provinces. By the next day, the blaze had grown too large for water drops to make a difference. By the third, the wind and smoke made flying unsafe. 

It would take 47 days before the fires were declared under control. By the end of the 2024 fire season, two Canadian firefighters had died, including one in Jasper. 

Now, with wildfires raging across northwestern Ontario, McMullen, Kennedy and Asgary all agree that Canada is not ready, and they鈥檙e urging swift, systemic change at the federal level. 

鈥淎t the height of a wildfire season, everybody鈥檚 interested. Politicians are interested. Industry is interested to learn, what do we do differently?鈥� McMullen says. But once major fires are extinguished, they鈥檙e on the back burner until spring. 

鈥淲e forget in January what we talked about in July,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e have to make it a 365-day conversation.鈥�

A changing risk landscape

For Kennedy and Asgary, that conversation requires starting with fire itself and how it has evolved. 

Climate change has generated hotter temperatures and drier landscapes, altering fire behaviour and lengthening wildfire seasons around the world. Kennedy leads YEMERGE, a pan-University research network that studies how people, communities and institutions prepare for and respond to crises such as wildfires. His lab examines how local governments adopt mitigation programs such as FireSmart Canada, and how bureaucratic processes and staff turnover in government can hamper fire mitigation efforts. 

鈥淭he big challenge is the magnitude of what we鈥檙e facing,鈥� Kennedy says. 鈥淲e have huge forested areas. We have a lot of the [urban] interface at risk of exposure, we have a lot of historic building stock that is not necessarily fire adapted, and we鈥檝e got challenges 鈥� like how to make housing more affordable that can, at times, be at odds with doing well on fire.鈥� 

The 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons were among the top five worst in Canada鈥檚 wildfire history. With 16.5 million hectares of land burned from coast to coast, 2023 was the most destructive on record, followed by 2025 at 8.9 million hectares. 

鈥淲hen you have three consecutive years, you can鈥檛 say 鈥榰nprecedented鈥� anymore,鈥� McMullen says. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 say it was 鈥榰npredictable.鈥� So if [fires] are predictable, that means that they are preventable.鈥� 

91亚色鈥檚 Disaster and Emergency Management program is instrumental in making those predictions. Asgary鈥檚 team at ADERSIM forecasts the behaviour of existing wildfires with AI modelling, develops drone-based wildfire sensing tools for water quality assessments, and uses virtual reality to help residents make changes related to wildfire. 

鈥淲e can provide a lot of research and training capacities, especially when it comes to the use of new technologies in this area,鈥� Asgary says. 

However, resources have been stretched to capacity across the country, burdened further by a complicated chain of command. In Canada, emergency management for any hazard is usually executed first at the municipal level. As a disaster grows, communities call on their provincial or territorial ministries for more support. 

Fire management in Canada also involves all 13 provincial and territorial wildland fire agencies. Those agencies own and operate the non-profit Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC), a collaborative body that coordinates resource sharing and mutual aid but does not function as a federal agency itself. 

Federal emergency management currently falls under the purview of Public Safety Canada and its Government Operations Centre (GOC), which focuses on preparedness and response. In the case of Jasper, the GOC provided humanitarian and logistical support for residents, and coordinated the deployment of Canadian Armed Forces heavy-lift aircraft with the team on the ground. 

There are gaps between existing agencies: CIFFC mobilizes personnel but does not hire or train firefighters, and the GOC鈥檚 activities stop short of the other two tenets of emergency management: prevention and mitigation, and recovery. 

Jurisdictional responsibility for wildfires is further complicated by fragmentation at each level of government. If a wildfire occurs on federal lands managed by the Department of National Defence or Parks Canada, those agencies coordinate the firefighting efforts, not the province.

That was the situation with the Jasper wildfires. A 2025 report commissioned by the Municipality of Jasper cited the provincial government鈥檚 interference as a slowdown to response operations. The report found the province of Alberta repeatedly requested information from the command team and attempted to make decisions, even though it had no jurisdictional authority because the town is located within a national park. 

A year prior, the National Risk Profile (NPR), a national disaster risk assessment published by Public Safety Canada, had warned that jurisdictions are not aligned in their emergency management approaches and programming. The NPR identified further challenges, including information-sharing bottlenecks between the health and emergency management systems. 

Asgary says the current system isn鈥檛 working like it used to. Even well-resourced provinces such as Ontario or B.C. have been overwhelmed in recent years, leaving little capacity to support neighbours. Without a top-down framework, Asgary says, municipalities hire consultants and end up with equipment and software incompatible with other stakeholders 鈥� a problem that only surfaces when operations scale up during a disaster. 

鈥淭he time has passed to do reactive policy making,鈥� Asgary says. 鈥淲e are now in the middle of a major climate change-related crisis. It should be clear for everyone that the current system is not sufficient.鈥� 

The resource challenge

As a disaster unfolds, resources are often assigned based on availability rather than what is best suited for the job, Asgary says. 

鈥淭he wildfire is not going to tell us, 鈥業鈥檓 going to happen now,鈥欌�� he says. 鈥淭hese resources may be already deployed somewhere else.鈥� 

A national reserve firefighting force is an oft-cited solution, but unlikely without a systemic change in recruitment, says McMullen, who represents fire chiefs across Canada in his role as president of the CAFC. Of Canada鈥檚 126,000 firefighters, about 90,000 are volunteers 鈥� a pool that has shrunk by nearly 29 per cent since 2016. McMullen correlates the drop with recent wildfire seasons that have strained volunteers, who are normally called upon an average of 22 minutes a week to provide support in their local communities. 

If provinces were to increase investment in attracting and recruiting new firefighters or equipment to the pipeline, Kennedy says there would be 鈥渆nough slack in the system to keep trading and sharing and providing mutual aid.鈥� 

The provinces and territories currently own and share an aging fleet of water bombers. The federal government hasn鈥檛 committed to investing in a national fleet, but did announce $316.7 million over the next five years to contract additional aircraft from third parties for the 2026 season and beyond. Provinces, meanwhile, are moving ahead on their own: Alberta announced in February that it would invest $400 million to purchase five De Havilland Canadair 515 firefighting aircraft, with the first delivered in 2031. Manitoba is also in line to acquire three of the new water bombers, with the first to arrive by 2031.

Two paths forward: the debate

Calls for a national wildfire agency surface every year during the height of wildfire season as another potential solution to the resource problem. 

Kennedy says a wildfire agency is a 鈥済reat buzzword,鈥� but notes CIFFC is already working effectively at pooling resources between provinces and navigating equipment procurement with the federal government. 

鈥淭hese 15 fire agencies have been working for decades to build trust with communities, to build relationships, to develop infrastructure and get their systems working well. Why would we want to create a 16th fire bureaucracy?鈥� Kennedy says. 鈥淭his call [acts as] a code word for, 鈥榃e need more co-ordination,鈥� or, 鈥榳e need more collaboration.鈥欌�� 

He says Canada鈥檚 approach would be better served with continuous injections of funding to existing systems. He sees the Government Operations Centre as a potential springboard for building a solid operational framework for all emergencies, including wildfires. 

Asgary envisions an emergency management agency that also covers floods and earthquakes. He says the current system 鈥渋s not really able to help to the level that these provinces expect, because they don鈥檛 have [the resources]鈥� during the time of the actual emergency. 

He points to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency as an example of an agency with a wide mandate to do anything required to manage a disaster and its aftermath, including waiving bureaucratic processes and pulling resources from governmental departments. 

McMullen and the CAFC have been lobbying for more of a hybrid role in the form of a national fire commissioner or liaison, who would act as point person for all federal fire-related conversations. 

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) echoes Asgary鈥檚 call for a central emergency management agency so communities can avoid creating a new 鈥減laybook鈥� after every disaster. The IBC, which oversaw $2.4 billion in insured loss claims related to weather in 2025, has called on the federal government to discuss their response to emergency management. Talks are underway: Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience Eleanor Olszewski led public and industry consultations through March 2026, with a report forthcoming. 

Canada remains the only G7 country without a national emergency management agency or a national fire administration. 鈥� 

A future with fire

Central to whatever comes next is mitigation 鈥� the actions taken before a fire. 

鈥淲e have to accept that we will live with fire,鈥� Kennedy says. 鈥淗ow do we make the landscape less attractive for that fire to spread?鈥� 

One way is to focus on improvements to the wildland itself. Containing every fire means the forest becomes overburdened with healthy trees that act as fuel. Controlled burns can encourage regeneration of the landscape, and clearing long strips of land to form built-in firebreaks can slow the spread of wildfire. 

Another approach is to work within communities on updating building codes so new structures use fire-resistant materials 鈥� which the town of Jasper is doing 鈥� and on educating residents about wildfire-proofing measures they can make to their homes. 

Disaster response already costs the federal government about $1.8 billion a year. However, the National Risk Profile estimates a return on investment of $4 to $10 for every dollar spent on mitigation, with the highest returns related to risk assessment, hazard analysis and mitigation planning. 

Canada is nowhere near international investment benchmarks established by the European Union that suggests governments spend between 0.66 and 1.25 per cent of their GDP annually on climate adaptation, which includes fire mitigation activities. For Canada, that would fall between $21.5 and $40.7 billion. In 2026, the federal climate adaptation spend is $7.1 billion. 

Investments start and stall with shifts in government, which further complicate consistent action, and are often targeted at firefighting instead of systemic change, Kennedy says. 鈥� 

鈥淭here is simply no number of firefighters that would be enough in Canada. We will never have enough air tankers. We will never have enough hoses. We will never have enough firefighters. That is a black hole of investment,鈥� says Kennedy. 鈥淲e could pour as much money into firefighting as we want, and it will never be enough, because the root causes of this are not fire suppression alone, but are ecosystem management, addressing climate change and building more resiliently.鈥�

Contributed by Kristina Urquhart

The post Playing with fire: Is Canada's wildfire strategy working? 91亚色 scholars debate appeared first on YFile.

Earlier this year, Bronson was in his basement doing something he had never done before: memorizing lines for his first one-person show, The Last Hornblower, which debuted at the Hamilton Fringe Festival this month.

Written and performed by Bronson, the show reflects his career specializing in existentialism, world religions, literature and philosophy by pairing the Norse mythological story of Ragnarok 鈥� a final battle in which the gods knowingly march toward their fate 鈥� with a contemporary story about a pilot living with Alzheimer disease.

By linking modern and ancient narratives, Bronson wants audiences to see themselves as part of a much longer human story.

"It's important to feel your roots and to feel that you're connected, not just to your parents or your background, but to stories stretching back thousands of years, with themes we're still drawn to today 鈥� whether we recognize it or not," says Bronson.

Helping people discover those connections is also central to Bronson's work as an educator in 91亚色's Department of Humanities.

Among his courses are 鈥淕ods and Humans,鈥� which examines interactions between gods and humans in literature, art and philosophy, and 鈥淭he Modern Age: Shapers & Definers,鈥� which explores influential figures who defined modern artistic and intellectual traditions.

Both draw on stories, beliefs and ideas from different eras, cultures and religious traditions 鈥� but rather than treating them as historical artifacts or texts belonging to someone else's belief system, Bronson encourages learners to look for relevance to contemporary life, and to their own lives.

One way he does this is by pairing ancient texts with modern examples from popular culture to illustrate how older works continue to inform the art, narratives and ideas that resonate today.

A discussion of movement and dance in a Hindu scripture, for instance, might lead to a contemporary film, documentary or other example of dance in modern culture, allowing students to consider how similar ideas continue to surface in contemporary life.

"The scripture might be 2,000 years old. That's not changing," says Bronson. "But what's changing is the ways that we see it today."

Those moments when "a light goes on" are among Bronson's favourites. A student who may have had little exposure to a particular religion, philosopher or cultural tradition suddenly recognizes something familiar in an ancient story and, in turn, sees themselves reflected in it.

For Bronson, those realizations can be transformative.

"When they see that their interests or their experiences are connected to something larger, longer, more longstanding, it adds a kind of dignity to it," says Bronson.

It was those moments of recognition that unexpectedly led Bronson toward theatre.

During a visit to the Hamilton Fringe Festival last year, he attended several storytelling-based performances and recognized something familiar: people gathering around stories, wrestling with big ideas and discovering meanings they might not have arrived at on their own.

The experience got him thinking about how those kinds of conversations might take place outside the University and how theatre could provide a space for them.

鈥淭hat's often what we do in academia 鈥� make those connections for students,鈥� says Bronson. 鈥淏ut there are people who aren't going to university, or who have been out of university, or just haven't had that experience.鈥�

Through The Last Hornblower, Bronson hopes audiences encounter something similar to the moments he values most in the classroom: recognizing that ideas they may have thought belonged only to philosophers, religious traditions or ancient myths are also present in their own lives.

More than anything, he hopes they leave with a renewed sense of where they fit within the larger human story.

鈥淲e all appreciate that in art. We all look to art for that,鈥� says Bronson. 鈥淎nd when it happens, we come back to our everyday world, if not elevated, at least slightly changed.鈥�

runs at the Hamilton Fringe Festival until July 26.

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When聽Dorin was a doctoral student in the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change and began discussing potential PhD research projects with Colla, her supervisor and one of Canada's leading pollinator conservation scientists, she already knew the questions she wanted to pursue.

With a background in wildlife biology, Dorin had followed growing concern about bee declines and understood the significance of the issue given the critical role pollinators play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting food production.

鈥淟ike many others, I was deeply concerned about the declines we were seeing,鈥� Dorin says. She considered such question as: 鈥淲hat does effective pollinator conservation look like? How can we engage landowners in taking action to protect pollinators?鈥�

For many doctoral students, refining broad interests into a focused dissertation project can be one of the most challenging parts of the process. Dorin says Colla鈥檚 guidance was instrumental in helping her navigate that challenge.

鈥淪he had an incredible ability to ask the right questions and encourage me to think more deeply about the science,鈥� says Dorin.

With Colla's mentorship, those questions eventually led Dorin to explore what she saw as an overlooked area.

She explains that while a lot of research focuses on crops that depend on animal pollination, such as apples and blueberries, crops that do not require pollinators cover larger areas of agricultural land.

鈥淚f we assume those landscapes don't matter because the crops themselves don't need bees, we're overlooking millions of acres that pollinators may still use,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wanted to understand what role these pollinator-independent crops play in supporting wild bee populations across agricultural landscapes.鈥�

That realization led Dorin and Colla to take a closer look at vineyards. Although grapes do not require animal pollination, vineyards represent large agricultural infrastructure and could provide important habitat for wild bees.

To explore that possibility, Dorin and Colla studied wild bee communities in 26 commercial vineyards in Niagara Region over two growing seasons. In addition to sampling bees, they examined factors including vegetation between vineyard rows, surrounding land uses, soil characteristics and topography.

The approach reflected one of Dorin's guiding principles throughout the project.

鈥淏ees don't recognize farm boundaries or distinguish between crop types,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey move freely across the landscape 鈥� nesting, foraging and dispersing where suitable habitat and resources exist.鈥�

For Dorin, taking that broader perspective is essential to developing conservation strategies that reflect how pollinators experience the landscape. The findings, now published in , reinforce that outlook.

鈥淥ur research found a very high abundance and diversity of wild bees in vineyard agroecosystems, showing that these independent crops can support thriving bee communities,鈥� says Dorin.

The study found that bee communities were shaped by a combination of local and landscape-level conditions. Bee abundance and diversity were typically higher in vineyards surrounded by semi-natural habitats such as forests and treed areas. Taller vegetation between vineyard rows was also linked to healthier bee communities.

Another finding involved nesting habitat. Soil conditions were linked to different types of bees, suggesting conservation efforts must consider not only where pollinators find food, but also where they live and reproduce.

The results were the culmination of years of work for both Dorin and Colla.

Finishing the project, however, was not without its challenges. Examining wild bee communities across vineyard environments from multiple angles was an ambitious undertaking. But Dorin says Colla never made anything feel impossible for her students.

鈥淪he genuinely believed we were capable of succeeding,鈥� says Dorin. 鈥淪he trusted her students with meaningful responsibility, but she was always there when we needed guidance.鈥�

And because research rarely goes exactly as planned, she says, there were plenty of moments when that support was needed. Dorin recalls that whether challenges emerged during fieldwork, in the lab or during data analysis, Colla consistently offered advice, reassurance and a fresh perspective.

That commitment to her students remained unchanged, even as Colla faced significant health challenges.

By then, much of the project's fieldwork had been completed and the focus had shifted to data analysis and writing. Dorin says Colla remained actively involved throughout that stage of the research, continuing to meet with her to discuss results and provide feedback.

鈥淓ven during such a difficult time, she was still thinking about her students,鈥� says Dorin. 鈥淭hat says a great deal about the kind of mentor she was.鈥�

After Colla's death in 2025, finishing the project 鈥� even though much of the work had already been completed 鈥� was difficult for Dorin. She says it was impossible not to think about how much Colla would have enjoyed seeing the final dissertation and the resulting publications.

Dorin also believes Colla would have been especially excited by opportunities to share the findings with farmers, land managers and policymakers.

鈥淪he recognized that good science alone isn't enough,鈥� says Dorin. 鈥淪he believed that meaningful conservation requires research, but also policy, community engagement, education and action.鈥�

That way of thinking continues to shape Dorin's own approach to conservation and her goals for this latest study. She hopes the findings will help bridge the gap between science and on-the-ground land management, and encourage new ways of thinking about how wild bees can be supported 鈥� even in landscapes not traditionally considered pollinator habitat.

The work also contributes to a more nuanced understanding of pollinator conservation. Ontario is home to hundreds of species of wild bees, each with different nesting and foraging requirements, making a one-size-fits-all solution for supporting pollinators unlikely. Instead, Dorin says, understanding how different habitats benefit different species can lead to more informed conservation decisions across agricultural ecosystems.

That includes, she says, thinking beyond individual farms. Pollinator conservation occurs at the landscape scale, meaning it is not only how a vineyard is managed that matters, but also how nearby forests, hedgerows, roadsides, neighbouring croplands and even soils are managed.

Dorin sees those ambitions as a continuation of Colla's influence.

鈥淭hroughout her career, she showed us that conservation is not something achieved in isolation. It requires connecting science with communities, research with action and people with the ecosystems they depend on,鈥� says Dorin.

Dorin was among the many students, researchers and conservation advocates influenced by that philosophy. The vineyard study 鈥� and the hopes she has for its impact 鈥� reflect lessons Colla instilled throughout her career.

鈥淐ompleting this project without her was bittersweet. I wish she could have been there for my defence and to celebrate these publications, but I feel incredibly grateful that I had her mentorship for so much of this journey,鈥� she says. 鈥淪heila was simply one of the best people I've ever known.鈥�

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AI is increasingly influencing research, industry and everyday life, prompting new opportunities alongside important questions about its development, application and impact.

In recognition of AI Appreciation Day, this special edition of YFile highlights research and innovation in AI across the 91亚色 community.

The stories within reflect the diverse ways researchers and alumni are engaging with AI technologies to address complex challenges and advance knowledge. Topics range from efforts to make AI tools safer for youth mental health support and AI developments in cancer care, to emerging applications in geophysics and real estate technology.

These stories illustrate how members of the 91亚色 community are exploring AI across disciplines while considering the importance of human expertise, as well as critical thinking and oversight in shaping how these technologies are developed and used.

While this special issue explores advances in AI, all articles were researched, written and edited by people, reflecting the essential role of human insight in journalism.

Featured stories include:

How 91亚色 researchers are using AI to support cancer care
Can AI help clinicians spend less time reviewing scans and more time caring for patients? 91亚色 researcher Ali Sadeghi-Naini is developing tools designed to support faster, more informed decision-making in cancer care.

Can AI be trusted to assess climate risks? A 91亚色 study investigates
A 91亚色 study explores how AI can help communities prepare for climate-related hazards by investigating whether emerging tools are ready for real-world applications.

91亚色 prof explores AI safeguards for youth mental health
AI is becoming a trusted source of advice for many young people. Postdoctoral researcher Abeer Badawi is exploring what that means for their mental health 鈥� and how to prevent harm.

Schulich alumni scale AI real estate investment tool聽
Learn how three Schulich School of Business graduates used 91亚色 mentorship and connections to launch Leni, an AI-powered tool that supports real estate investors in their decision making.

Know someone making an impact at 91亚色? Share your story ideas with YFile.

The post AI innovation at 91亚色 U starts with human intelligence appeared first on YFile.

In oncology clinics, diagnosing disease, monitoring treatment response and tracking tumour growth often begin with a meticulous review of medical images. For oncologists and radiologists, this can mean spending hours measuring tumours and comparing scans to understand how a patient's cancer has changed over time.

Much of that work is still done manually, even when clinicians are carrying out many of the same assessments across large numbers of cases. "There are many occasions where the time of oncologists and radiologists is spent reviewing cases that are very similar," says Sadeghi-Naini.

Spending significant time reviewing scans and performing routine assessments, he says, leaves less time for patients who require more urgent attention.

Sadeghi-Naini and his team at the QUANTIMB Lab are working to change that.

The 91亚色-based lab, led by Sadeghi-Naini, develops AI-powered imaging tools to support cancer care with a focus on helping clinicians process medical scans more efficiently.

鈥淭he idea is to automate things 鈥� to detect the location of the disease, quantify it and generate a report so the clinician can quickly review it,鈥� says Sadeghi-Naini, who teaches in the .

Rather than replacing clinical expertise, the goal is to develop AI tools that act as decision support systems, helping care providers assess scans and prioritize care. The tools are trained using large collections of medical scans, allowing them to identify patterns associated with disease progression and treatment response, which can then be flagged for clinical review.

One area of the lab's work focuses on monitoring brain tumours using MRI scans. For some patients whose cancer has spread to the brain, disease may appear as numerous small lesions scattered throughout the organ. In some cases, Sadeghi-Naini says, patients may have 10, 20 or 30 tumours that must be identified and monitored individually over time to determine whether treatment is working.

To help with that task, the lab has developed AI models that can analyze MRI scans, identifying and tracking small cancerous growths across a series of scans. The technology can automate much of that work and generate information to support treatment decisions, reducing the time clinicians spend manually locating and measuring each tumour over successive scans.

Another long-running project examines how tumours respond to treatment. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, one challenge is determining early on whether a tumour is responding to the drug. In some cases, this may only become clear after months of treatment, by which point valuable time and opportunities to adjust a patient's care may have been lost.

Using ultrasound data, Sadeghi-Naini and his team train AI models to look for biological changes that signal whether tumour cells are dying. By assisting in identifying those signals earlier than conventional monitoring approaches, the technology could give clinicians faster insight into whether a treatment is working. Detecting those changes earlier could help determine whether a different approach is needed.

鈥淚f a patient can be identified as not responding as early as possible, that spares months of ineffective chemotherapy and unnecessary side effects,鈥� says Sadeghi-Naini.

Although the projects focus on different clinical challenges, they are built around the same idea: using AI to extract useful information from medical images and help clinicians make decisions more quickly.

Across these projects, collaboration and human insight play a central role. The lab works closely with hospitals and clinicians, including researchers at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to access patient data, test new technologies and ensure the tools being developed address real-world clinical needs.

Feedback and guidance from clinical collaborators on the brain tumour monitoring technology have already been positive, says Sadeghi-Naini, who notes that some have expressed interest in using it as a support tool.

The lab is also designing interfaces that make the technology easier for practitioners to use, recognizing that ease of use is key to adoption in real-world settings.

Collaboration with those working directly in the field also helps accelerate the work. The ultrasound project, for example, has advanced to a clinical trial, a milestone that reflects growing interest among health care experts in evaluating the technology.

Although much of his work involves advanced technologies, Sadeghi-Naini says the motivation behind it is simple: helping patients receive the right care at the right time. Tools that monitor disease more efficiently, or determine sooner whether a treatment is working, could improve decision-making throughout the course of treatment and offer more time to focus on patient care.

"At the end of the day, this clinician time can be spent on somebody who actually urgently needs it," he says.

The post How 91亚色 researchers are using AI to support cancer care appeared first on YFile.

Scientists in environmental geophysics and geotechnical engineering study underground conditions that influence groundwater resources, landslide risks and the stability of critical infrastructure.

As climate change increases flooding and other extreme weather events, understanding what goes on beneath the Earth's surface is becoming more important.

To do that, researchers collect large volumes of information using seismic surveys, ground-penetrating radar, environmental sensors, satellite observations and borehole testing. Each source provides different information. Integrating and interpreting those datasets, however, can be a complex and time-consuming challenge.

"We now collect large amounts of geophysical, geotechnical and environmental data, but these datasets are often analyzed separately," says Akingboye, whose research in EUC focuses on climate-related hazards and infrastructure resilience.

That is one reason AI is steadily being applied in the field, he says. The technology improves how researchers merge datasets, analyze results and identify patterns. This provides a clearer understanding of subsurface conditions to assess landslide risks, monitor infrastructure and evaluate groundwater systems.

With AI expanding into environmental geophysics and geotechnical engineering, Akingboye paused to assess how the technology was being used.

"A question I had been thinking about for some time was, with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, are we actually using it in the most meaningful way in environmental geophysics and geotechnical engineering?" he says.

That question became the starting point for a new co-authored by Akingboye and Professor Adeyemi Oludapo Olusola, who supervises his work in EUC. The paper examined hundreds of recent studies to assess how AI is being used in environmental geophysics and geotechnical engineering, evaluating both the progress being made and the challenges that remain.

鈥淭he sheer range of AI applications was surprising. We found AI being used for subsurface imaging, groundwater assessment, soil-rock characterization, landslide and slope instability prediction, and infrastructure monitoring, among many other applications,鈥� says Akingboye.

The review shows AI improves subsurface research by integrating multiple data streams to deliver detailed underground maps and efficient estimates of soil, rock and groundwater properties.

For Akingboye, documenting AI's growth was only part of the story; it was also about whether the technology could be trusted in environmental and engineering decision-making.

鈥淎 high-performing model is not automatically a useful or trustworthy one. We wanted to ask broader questions: Does the result agree with what we know about the subsurface? Can we explain it? Can we account for the uncertainty?鈥� says Akingboye.

The answer, the review found, is not always clear-cut. Across studies from around the world, researchers encountered recurring challenges including limited data, uncertainty, difficulty applying models across different geological settings and understanding how AI systems arrived at their conclusions.

Akingboye notes the challenges identified in the review are not simply technical problems. Inaccurate or poorly understood predictions can influence decisions about environmental hazards and critical infrastructure, making reliability as important as performance.

鈥淭hese are important gaps because a wrong interpretation can have serious consequences for environmental and engineering decision-making,鈥� says Akingboye. 鈥淭he impacts can be catastrophic and are often felt most severely by vulnerable and marginalized communities with fewer resources to prepare for, respond to and recover from environmental or infrastructure failures.鈥�

As well as identifying challenges, the authors also sought to outline a path forward. They advocate for future AI-driven tools that merge diverse environmental and geological datasets, account for uncertainty and respect established scientific laws governing geological systems.

To advance AI tools, the authors recommend developing systems with more robust prediction rationale and stronger validation benchmarks. They also call for closer collaboration between researchers, industry and policymakers to ensure future models combine sensor and monitoring data to provide near real-time pictures of changing underground conditions.

Ultimately, the review argues that the next step lies in engineering complex AI models capable responding beyond the datasets and conditions on which they were trained.

鈥淭here is still a significant gap between a model that performs well in a research study and one that can be trusted and applied in real-world practice,鈥� says Akingboye. 鈥淚 think closing that gap, while ensuring that these technologies ultimately support safer, more resilient and equitable communities, is one of the most important areas for future work.鈥�

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Drawing on recent research findings, usage statistics and her own work, Badawi has observed that chatbot use is increasing, with many people turning to these tools not only for information and practical assistance, but also for advice, emotional guidance and support with personal decisions.

Badawi's interest in the issue grew out of her work with Kids Help Phone, Canada's national 24/7 e-mental health service for young people. While working at the Vector Institute, she gained exposure to the mental health challenges facing youth and saw firsthand how digital tools were increasingly being used to provide support.

The experience led her to pursue postdoctoral research at 91亚色 through the Connected Minds program with a focus on mental health and AI safety. Supervised by Assistant Professor Elham Dolatabadi and Laleh Seyyed-Kalantari from the , as well as Frank Rudzicz of Dalhousie University, Badawi鈥檚 research finds that youth, in particular, are turning to AI systems for help navigating everyday challenges, relationships and emotional concerns 鈥� even when they may not explicitly describe those interactions as mental health support.

Badawi's findings reinforced a growing concern about the role AI plays in people's lives. Chatbots, such as ChatGPT, are increasingly serving roles once filled by family members, friends and other trusted sources. Whether youth describe it that way or not, Badawi believes many of these exchanges have begun filling an emotional support role in people's lives.

鈥淓ven if they don't define it as mental health support, they are still using it as a type of mental health support,鈥� she says.

The concern, Badawi says, is that AI chatbots were not designed to serve that purpose.

Unlike therapists and other mental health professionals, general purpose large language models like ChatGPT are not designed to provide clinical care. As a result, users may receive advice or validation before sufficient context is gathered or alternative perspectives are explored.

鈥淵ou can end up with a system that always agrees with you,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t doesn't challenge you or ask questions in the same way a person would.鈥�

That dynamic can have consequences, she notes. Someone discussing a conflict with family, for example, may receive responses that validate their feelings without fully exploring the situation or offering alternative perspectives. Over time, Badawi worries that constant affirmation could contribute to overconfidence, one-sided thinking and an increasing reliance on AI systems.

Her research examines what she and her colleagues call 鈥� a potential pattern of interaction in which repeated reliance on AI may shift reflection, coping, emotional regulation and decision-making away from individuals and toward AI systems.

The concern, however, extends beyond questions of decision-making or dependence. She worries the same behaviours that encourage people to rely on AI for advice and emotional guidance may, in extreme cases, contribute to more serious harm. Models that consistently validate users, reinforce their perspectives and foster emotional attachment can become particularly problematic when people are vulnerable or in distress.

The issue became an important focus for Badawi following reported cases in which AI chatbot interactions were examined in connection with youth suicide. For her, these cases raised urgent questions about how chatbots respond when vulnerable users express distress, form strong emotional attachments to the system or require support beyond what an AI tool can safely provide. They also highlight the importance of designing models that recognize risk and encourage users to seek appropriate human help.

Those cases helped inform a research project supported through OpenAI's AI and Mental Health Grant Program, an initiative aimed at supporting research into how AI systems affect mental health and how they can be designed more safely.

As principal investigator, Badawi is leading Preventing Cognitive Atrophy in LLM Mental Health Support Through Psychometric Evaluation and Therapist-Aligned Design, a project that aims to better understand how AI systems can support mental health while reducing the risk of emotional dependency.

The team is developing new ways to measure how AI behaves in emotionally sensitive conversations. The goal is to design technology that will encourage users to seek help from people they trust and provide resources and responses that support independent coping and problem-solving.

To do that, researchers are analyzing conversations between users and chatbots and are working with experts in psychology and mental health to examine whether models gather sufficient context, encourage independent decicion-making, ask appropriate clarifying questions and respond with empathy.

One goal is to identify conversational patterns that can steer interactions into increasingly risky territory. Ultimately, Badawi hopes the work will help create safeguards that prevent AI systems from reinforcing harmful ideas, fostering unhealthy emotional attachment or encouraging dependence.

The obstacles, however, extend beyond the technology itself.

With more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of AI and health care, Badawi has collaborated with clinicians, mental health professionals and researchers across disciplines. Those experiences, she says, have underscored the importance of collaboration while also revealing how difficult it can be.

One obstacle is determining what a "good" response from an AI system actually looks like. As part of the project, and assess how the models respond in emotionally sensitive situations. Those evaluations help researchers identify the kinds of behaviours they want these tools to emulate 鈥� and those they want to avoid.

But unlike many areas of health care, there is no single correct answer. Different experts can interpret the same interaction in different ways, making it difficult to establish clear standards. A response one psychologist considers appropriate may prompt debate from another, not because either is wrong, Badawi says, but because they are approaching the situation from different perspectives.

鈥淚f humans don't agree, how are you expecting the model to follow a pattern?鈥� she asks.

Despite those challenges, Badawi believes progress is possible. She is also quick to emphasize that AI tools can still provide value.

鈥淲e can鈥檛 stop people from using AI tools,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he question is how to make them safer.鈥�

Her long-term goal is to develop AI-driven tools specifically , with safeguards that recognize when interactions are becoming problematic and encourage users toward reflection, autonomy and real-world sources of support.

鈥淭he real measure of progress is whether AI can recognize danger early, interrupt harmful patterns and connect a vulnerable person to human help before it is too late,鈥� she says.

Ultimately, the objective is simple: people are already using these systems every day. The task now is ensuring they can do so safely.

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