Tag: Students

Approved tag

Eco Arts Festival to showcase students’ environmental art

artistic crafts earth hands heart BANNER

A banana fish is set to be one of the hits of the 2024 Eco Arts Festival, an annual explosion of artistic talent organized by the students in the Environmental Arts and Justice (EAJ) program in York University’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC), which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

The Eco Arts Festival is an environmental initiative where art is a catalyst for ecological change and a way to highlight the intersection of art and the environment in the EAJ program. It takes over the lobby and two exhibit spaces – Zig-Zag and Crossroads – in the Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building, displaying visual arts and offering performances and readings.  

EUC_The Great Banana Fish migration cover 1

The banana fish, an organically shaped yellow creature, is the star of visual artist and an EUC master’s degree student Michael Bradley’s illustrated book, The Great Banana Fish Migration, a tale that he’ll be reading aloud at the festival later this year.  

This mythical creature fits well with this year’s theme, Beast Friends Forever, a title conceived by festival co-ordinator and EUC doctoral student Giuliana Racco and inspired by Professor Andil Gosine’s research into animal-human interactions and species loss. Gosine is an artist and curator who is the EAJ program co-ordinator. 

“Arts are a place for the students to contend with their anxiety about what is happening in the world, and to think about how we might respond to the crisis we face,” Gosine says. 

Many of the student-artists displaying their work in the festival were enrolled in one or both of Gosine’s two EUC summer courses: Environmental Arts Workshop (for undergraduates) and Cultural Production: Image (for graduate students). These three-week intensive courses are akin to “an arts residency,” says Gosine, who brings artists to class and encourages the students to take their research and passion for environmental issues and translate them in a way that challenges them to explore their creative instincts.  

A similar fourth-year course in the undergraduate EAJ program, Arts in Action, brings together both undergraduate and graduate students to realize the project they have been dreaming up.  

“Fourth-year undergrads and first-year master’s students use the course to deeply explore their interests, with dedicated attention to each of their projects,” Gosine explains. “It’s a rare opportunity to move from research on an environmental concern to exhibition of an artwork that might stimulate conversation and action.”  

As for the undergraduate EAJ program, Gosine considers it unique; he accepted a teaching position at York to be part of it. 

“It’s rare to have such a confluence of learning styles,” he says. “We are allowed to have an interdisciplinary approach. Here, you can be both an artist and a social scientist.”

Chrocheted Chickens

Among the art that festival attendees will see are Tess Thompson-van Dam’s crocheted chicken sculptures harking back to Victorian times when the elites brought chickens to tea parties; drawings by Andrew Carenza that reinterpret horses pictured in historical European paintings through a contemporary, Queer lens; work on historical and contemporary ideas of Eden; and the travelling banana fish. Bradley’s reading of The Great Banana Fish Migration and an Eco Arts collaborative workshop offer participatory opportunities. 

Bradley, an Ottawa Valley native, had a thriving art practice in Taiwan but returned to Canada for master’s studies. He has been drawing banana fish daily since 2018 and creating stories about them. The current book talks about the fish’s journey to find its place in the world and how that might always be changing. 

“I’m not commenting on the politics of migration in a direct way, but when people migrate they have a confused sense of place. I hope people can relate,” he says. “There are a lot of ways that art and environmental science can intersect,” Bradley adds. “I’m not a politician or a policymaker, but artists, creators and curators are part of the cultural community, so if the environment requires a cultural shift, artists are the best people to usher in this change.” 

Bradley’s work, and the Eco Arts Festival, will have that on full display.  

Urban Studies students advance learning with Montreal field trip

Montreal skyline

Living in the Greater Toronto Area, it’s not complicated for students in the Cities, Regions, Planning program at the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) to assess Toronto’s strengths and weakness, but an annual field trip to Montreal allows them to apply their analytical skills elsewhere.

For five years, Teresa Abbruzzese, an assistant professor and urban geographer, organized a field school – a short-term academic program consisting of mentored field research – in the fall for third-year Urban Studies students in her research methods course in the Department of Social Science in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.  

She was excited to bring this experiential learning opportunity to her new home in the Cities, Regions, Planning program for her third-year course, Doing Urban Research: Theory & Practice, for the Fall 2024 term. 

The initiative gives students a chance to experience another city, using participant observation while taking notes and photos and having conversations with local citizens. The trip is mandatory and the costs are low, but there is a day trip to Hamilton, Ont., for a cheaper alternative. 

“The trip enables our students see the historical and contemporary issues facing Montreal and to develop a comparative understanding of cities,” said Abbruzzese. “It’s also important to give them the opportunity to do preliminary fieldwork.” 

“The point of the trip is to prepare them to work on their own individualized research project,” she said. “It trains them to be social scientists and allows them to hone their academic skills, such as critical analysis, research and writing.” 

Members of the Montreal field trip
At City Hall, (Front Row, L to R): Prof. Doug Young,  Prof. Teresa Abbruzzese, Councillor Sterling Downey, Prof. Silvano de la Llata (Concordia University), and Prof. Mike Cado right (Music, York); other rows: third-year students in Urban Studies/Cities, Regions, Planning 

The Montreal field school emerged from a political moment in history when Donald Trump assumed the American presidency in 2017. Abbruzzese and her colleagues in Urban Studies at the time decided to halt the field school to Buffalo – the original international location of the field school for many years – and instead they chose Montreal as the setting.  

Once the Canadian city was decided, Abbruzzese thoroughly enjoyed the creative process of putting together a new field school.  

“Logistically, it’s never easy to execute, but I strive to enhance the field school experience each year,” she said. “All the guest speakers make this field school special and welcome our urban group from York University back each year.” 

She, her students, and other professors boarded a Megabus for the ride east and followed a packed itinerary that included historian/expert-led walking tours of neighbourhoods such as Saint-Henri, Montreal North, Little Burgundy and Mile End; a visit with City Councillor Sterling Hall – who has experienced homelessness – and a tour of City Hall; and talks by professors from Concordia University.  

The students packed a lot into the trip, getting a sense of the richness and diversity of Montreal. They saw poverty and affluence, arts and industry. They gained an understanding of some of the city’s challenges with issues such as housing, transportation, socioeconomic disparities, public spaces and heritage as well as the French-English divide, said Abbruzzese. 

“All of this sparks comparative analysis in their heads and they begin to ask a lot of questions,” she said. “They’ll use all of this to create a manuscript – a fieldwork diary organized around themes. They’ll organize, reflect, and analyze their empirical notes and contextualize their observations with broader scholarly conversations in Urban Studies.” 

Just as important, noted Abbruzzese, is that the trip serves to transform the class from individual students into a community.  

“It is a tradition for professors from the program to join this field school, so that students have an opportunity to get to know the other professors in the program, and professors get to know the students,” she said. “Professor Doug Young from the Urban Studies program has joined me on this field school from Buffalo to Montreal for the last eight years. Students have always appreciated sharing this experience with other professors from the program, which made the experience more memorable.” 

“In addition, students become a support network for each other and become more connected after this field school,” she said. “They’re all friends afterward.” 

Vanessa Reynolds
Vanessa Reynolds

Vanessa Reynolds, a third-year geography and urban studies major, confirms that. “This was a group that hadn’t talked to each other in class, but we all bonded and, now, we’re really friends,” she said. “It was such a great experience; I’d recommend that anyone do it.” 

She found the trip eye-opening in many ways, and changed her perspectives. 

“I’m so Toronto-centric, but seeing Montreal gave me deeper insights into how a city runs, and seeing different parts of the city that people often don’t was amazing,” Reynolds said. Furthermore, she added, “I want to travel more. It makes you want to see the world. It was an experience that made university different.” 

Shazde Mir, a fourth-year urban studies major who plans to pursue a career in policy development or community planning, said Abbruzzese’s passion for Montreal made her glad she took the trip, as she got to know the city and gain insights into city planning. 

“I saw a different perspective of what it means to be an equitable city,” Mir said. “You can’t treat people as less than.” 

After visiting a working-class neighbourhood with prominent community initiatives that reminded her of Toronto’s Jane and Finch area, Mir wondered why cities have areas where a lack of investment from the government is visible. 

“I’ve started looking into tours here in Toronto to get to know the history of the city’s development,” she said. “I want to go back to Montreal and I’d like to visit other cities to see how different governments went about developing them, what the priorities were. 

“The trip solidified my love for Toronto. I want to see more progressive policies so we can create a more equitable city.” 

Ultimately, said Abbruzzese, “our objective is to produce graduates who are informed, critically engaged, and sensitive to issues of sustainability, social justice, equity and diversity.” 

Given the feedback, it is apparent she is meeting that goal. 

Inaugural fair helps EUC students explore green career possibilities

Briefcase with potted plant on it

Over 300 interested York University and high-school students attended the inaugural Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) Green Career Fair in January. 

In partnership with the not-for-profit organization Green Career Centre, the event welcomed students to the Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building to explore possibilities for careers that aren’t often well promoted, but for which there is a growing need among employers. A recent worldwide survey by the Manpower Group found that 70 per cent of employers are urgently recruiting or planning to recruit green talent and people with sustainability skills. 

The idea for the fair came from Lauren Castelino, a master of environmental studies student at EUC and founder of the Green Career Centre, who organized a fair last year, attended by EUC staff. The centre focuses on providing under-represented youth with green career opportunities, advancement and inclusion. 

Organizers from both the Green Career Centre and Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. From L to R: Joel Famadico Jr., Emma Bramante, Kenneth Ebhomeye Oko-Oboh, Lauren Castelino, Gayathri Baiju, Joanne Huy, Rosanna Chowdhury, Shaniah Hutchinson, Tomisona Oludairo, Bottom: Lester Pinlac
Organizers from both the Green Career Centre and Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change.
From left to right: Joel Famadico Jr., Emma Bramante, Kenneth Ebhomeye Oko-Oboh, Lauren Castelino, Gayathri Baiju, Joanne Huy, Rosanna Chowdhury, Shaniah Hutchinson, Tomisona Oludairo, Bottom: Lester Pinlac

“We mutually thought it would be a great idea to expand the reach of the initiative by working together,” said Castelino, who is also pursuing a diploma in Business and the Environment from EUC and the Schulich School of Business. “EUC’s facilities were much larger than the first venue we used … and we were also appreciative of the staff support we could receive through the collaboration.” 

“We intentionally held our full-day event on the same day as the university-wide Career Fair hosted by the York Career Centre as a way of taking advantage of the synergy,” said Joanne Huy, an alumna who graduated in 2015 and is now the alumni engagement and events officer for EUC. “Staff at each event suggested that attendees visit the other fair, too. It was a win-win situation.” 

The partners invited EUC students and alumni to participate and invited everyone from York and the local community to attend. The day featured a morning of workshops followed by the career fair. The workshops included a presentation about net-zero programs given by staff from York’s Sustainability Office, a session focused on green job resources and a panel featuring EUC alumni. There was also a speed networking event matching alumni with groups of students for more intimate conversations. 

Participants speaking to vendor at the fair
Participants speaking to vendor at the fair

“I’m dedicated to empowering the next generation of changemakers, so it was great to invite our alumni panellists back to campus to share their career paths and discuss how EUC prepared them for the future,” said Huy. “We have 13,000 alumni worldwide and they are eager to contribute. It’s meaningful to them and to our current students.” 

The Green Career Fair itself featured booths set up by more than 20 organizations involved in environmental work, including the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority, the Community Climate Council and Outward Bound. Participating organizations focused on issues such as food insecurity, environmental policy, environmental arts and environmental education. Exhibitors showcased jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities. 

Muzamil Gadain, an alumnus who graduated from EUC in 2023, works as a project co-ordinator for the Black Environmental Initiative, an organization that works to foster change that considers cultural roots, including issues such as food security and food sovereignty. He, along with a co-worker and a volunteer, used their booth to recruit volunteers. 

“We weren’t actively hiring, but there were volunteer roles we needed to fill,” said Gadain. “About 20 volunteers signed up, so it worked very well. We also had an opportunity to network with other like-minded organizations and made some good connections. 

Muzamil Gadain and his colleagues from the Black Environmental Initiative boothing at the fair
Muzamil Gadain (left) and his colleagues from the Black Environmental Initiative boothing at the fair

“Our supervisor was very pleased to have access to university youth and we are happy to be able to help them develop their skills. Some of them have already made contributions by developing social media content and contributing to articles. It was a worthwhile event and we would definitely do it again.” 

Emma Bramante, an EUC work-study student who is majoring in sustainable environmental management, helped organize the event by doing outreach to organizations and potential employers. She also contributed to the development of marketing materials and helped to raise awareness to students, alumni and organizations. 

The high turnout delighted her and she is eager to see the Green Career Fair blossom and grow. 

“I anticipate an expansion in the scope of exhibitors, with a broader range of organizations participating, including both established environmental companies and emerging grassroots organizations and non-profits,” Bramante said. “Furthermore, I anticipate the integration of virtual components into the fair to increase accessibility and reach a wider audience beyond the local community.” 

Castelino, too, was thrilled by the interest the Green Career Fair generated. 

“I was so ecstatic to see this event come to life, and to reach more under-represented youth,” she said. “Some highlights included having three workshop presenters, four speakers, eight sponsors, 21 vendors and 300-plus attendees. I was so grateful to have the opportunity to share my knowledge through a Green Jobs Resources Workshop.” 

In June 2023, led by Castelino, Huy and Rosanna Chowdhury, the Green Career Fair was one of four applications awarded funding through the Sustainability Innovation Fund. The Faculty has now built the event into its annual budget. 

“Going forward, the fair will also give us a chance to build relationships with organizations as we develop our EUC co-op program,” Huy said. “The synergies are beautiful to see.” 

Initiative provides community space for EUC Black students

Two Black students walking inside on York's Keele Campus

Black students in York University’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) now have a dedicated community space in the Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building (HNES) to use for meetings, workshops and informal gatherings. 

EUC's Black Community Space
EUC’s Black Community Space

The EUC Black Student Caucus spearheaded the initiative to obtain a dedicated community space, says Melissa Theodore, a decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion (DEDI) advisor for EUC. It is one of the objectives stated in EUC’s Black Action Inclusion Plan 2020-25. The space was created to support a community of students, staff and faculty, providing them with a location where they can engage with one another on themed discussions and promote Black excellence, while furthering a sense of community and connection, as well as student academic and personal success.

The equity committee at EUC first held a space equity dialogue to determine what students’ needs were before approaching Interm Dean Phillip Kelly. The dean allocated HNES 248 to them, and the caucus held a launch event there on Oct. 5, 2023. The space has been open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays ever since. 

“The space is important because Black students felt it was necessary to have a place where they could speak freely, be themselves, meet other Black students and form bonds,” Theodore said.  

“It also adds to our recruitment and retention opportunities, because it should encourage more Black students to enrol in our programs. There is a low number of Black students in some of our programs, but the numbers are increasing and we want to keep the momentum going. What better way than for them to have their own space?” 

The space will also serve as the central hub for Black Mentorship Program initiatives, providing students with support in fostering self-discovery to establish personal and academic goals that align with their individual identities and aspirations. 

Theodore hopes to form a sub-committee of the equity committee to guide the space and ensure that its care and programming are sustainable. Currently, programming is led in partnership between EUC’s Alumni Engagement and Experiential Education teams, and work-study students Shaniah Hutchinson and Tomisona Oludairo. Both are EUC undergraduate students who have taken responsibility for programming under Theodore’s guidance. 

Tomisona Oludairo
Tomisona Oludairo
Shaniah Hutchinson
Shaniah Hutchinson

“It is supposed to be a space for students run by students,” Hutchinson said. “It allows students, faculty and staff to celebrate their culture and heritage and it fosters solidarity and social justice.” 

Oludairo noted, “We want to promote cultural resilience, organize events and manage programs. We are looking for feedback from students about events and programs and are reaching out to the Black community.” 

The space has hosted a number of events to date.  

In November, a panel of EUC’s Black graduate students from various programs assembled there to share information about their pathways into their graduate program and their experiences of coursework, funding, research and the graduate community. EUC graduate assistants were also on hand to answer questions about graduate programs. 

In January, Black Voices, a film screening and storytelling event, was a collaboration between EUC and Black Excellence at York. It showcased Black filmmakers, including York students and graduates. The films screened focused on social and racial justice issues, and the films were followed by a discussion. 

For Black History Month in February, the Faculty sponsored a panel called Navigating Blackness Within the Workplace. The panellists, alumnus Masani Montague (managing director, Masani Productions); Muna-Udbi Abdulkadir Ali, an assistant professor at EUC; and Miquela Jones, a second-year interdisciplinary social science student, offered their insights into the working world and shared strategies for navigating the workplace. 

When the Faculty’s Eco Arts Festival takes place, the space is slated to be home to a collaborative art workshop, jointly sponsored by the Black Caucus, Black Excellence at York and Eco Arts. 

When the space isn’t hosting events, it is open to students as a gathering place. They can sprawl on the bean bag chairs and sip a cup of coffee made in the nearby kitchen, chat with each other or read. 

“We want people to enjoy the space,” said Hutchinson. “It’s a comfortable, relaxing area and a place they can unwind.” 

To use the space after hours, HNES 248 can be booked free of charge by reaching out to the Office of Student and Academic Services team at osasinfo@yorku.ca. 

President presents Jane Goodall with honorary degree at special convocation ceremony 

Lenton and Goodall

The following is President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton’s address at the Honorary Degree Convocation Ceremony in April 2024: 

Dear faculty, staff, guests and to our students in the audience today, bonjour and boozhoo.

I am delighted to welcome all of you to this special celebration in honour of our exceptional honorary degree recipient, Dr. Jane Goodall.

Science paints a bleak picture of our future.

Failure to respond to the damaging effects of climate change is already evident in the loss of biodiversity, environmental degradation, increased risk to water and food security, intensifying suffering and loss of life of humans and animals, not to mention magnifying political conflicts and social inequality around the world.

The One Health approach acknowledges that humans, animals and the environment are interconnected, and that in order to advance one, we must fight for the health of all three.

We are at an inflection point: will we take individual and collective action and work together to identify and develop solutions that will ensure our planetary well-being? Or will we be complacent or even deny the evidence affecting us all?

Looking toward the people we have on stage and in the audience, we know that we have the talent, the diversity of ideas and the commitment to shape the actions that need to be taken. 

Like many of you, I have long been inspired by Dr. Goodall’s legacy.

Throughout her life, Jane Goodall has conducted groundbreaking research, advanced conservation and environmental stewardship, and inspired advocacy for our planet and all its inhabitants. 

Jane, it is an absolute honour to have you here with us today to recognize the remarkable impact you have made across the world. I know I speak on behalf of all of York when I say that your achievements are an inspiration to us all. 

Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do, and congratulations on this very well-deserved recognition.

At York University, we recognize the importance of convening people and ideas for meaningful action. 

Since its inception, York has been a progressive, research-intensive University committed to enhancing the well-being of the communities we serve by supporting research excellence, interdisciplinary knowledge translation and collaborative partnerships that drive positive change, both locally and globally.

Advancing sustainability is a goal that underscores everything we do, which is why our University Academic Plan includes an institutional challenge to strengthen our contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Our impact is well noted – we have been recognized as a global leader for five consecutive years in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, where we currently rank in the world’s top 40 for our impact on the SDGs.

Each of the Faculties represented here today – Science, Health and the Lassonde School of Engineering – have played a critical role in elevating our sustainability leadership with cutting-edge initiatives such as:

  • the UNITAR Global Water Academy – a joint initiative led by York in collaboration with UNITAR and various other partners to address the global water crisis, which is led by inaugural director Professor Sapna Sharma from the Faculty of Science;
  • Connected Minds – a groundbreaking, collaborative, $318.4-million research initiative led by York in partnership with Queen’s that is creating an international hub of expertise in socially responsible research and technology; 
  • numerous projects by Lassonde that promote green energy solutions and a reduction in greenhouse gases – including a dynamic project undertaken in partnership with Stronach International to develop and test a new generation of affordable, electric micro-mobility vehicles.

At the institutional level, we have announced ambitious goals to achieve net zero by 2040 or sooner. And we are well positioned to meet these aspirations through our various decarbonization initiatives. 

For example, through a recent partnership with Noventa Energy Partners, the York community will leverage leading technology to convert wastewater into thermal energy, an initiative that could see Glendon become the first net-zero campus in Canada.

We continue to move the dial on education, research and partnerships across our campuses – from Toronto to Costa Rica to India – to support the SDGs, but each and every one of us must do more to support global co-operation that translates ideas, research and partnerships into positive change. There is, perhaps, nothing more important than this endeavour. For people like Dr. Goodall, it has become a hallmark of her life’s work – and it is incumbent upon us to carry this forward.

As our talented faculty, staff, contract instructors, alumni, students, and honorary doctorates have proven time and time again, individual actions matter, and by fostering dialogue and collective action, we can build a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

Jane, congratulations once again, and I look forward to hearing more from you shortly.

Thank you all once again for joining us today and for being part of this very special occasion. 

Merci. Miigwetch.

Watch the April 11 town hall

Laptop with York U webpage

Students, faculty, instructors, course directors and staff at York University were invited to a virtual town hall on April 11, 2024.

The town hall was presented by York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. She and other members of the University leadership team were on hand to answer questions from the more than 900 people in attendance.

The full video of the town hall is now available to the York U community.

Community members can also find answers to questions submitted to the town hall on the Labour Disruption website’s FAQ.

Additional questions can be sent to communityconversations@yorku.ca.

Call for nominations: Ian Greene Award for Teaching Excellence

LAPS teacher interacting with students

The Ian Greene Award for Teaching Excellence is an annual, merit-based award given to one professor and one teaching assistant (TA) in York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and supporting their students.

The award was created by former students of Professor Emeritus Ian Greene – from York’s School of Public Policy & Administration – in recognition of his outstanding drive and efforts to make learning a unique experience. The award is overseen and presented by the Student Council of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (SCOLAPS).

Award nominations are open to LA&PS students only, ensuring that truly outstanding professors and TAs receive the recognition they deserve. Each student is eligible to nominate one professor and one TA of their choice. Nominees do not need to have taught the students this academic year, but they must be current, practising members of the University’s academic staff.

Recipients are selected by a five-person adjudication committee made up entirely of students. The committee is formed by the award director, a student position elected within the SCOLAPS executive.

To submit a nomination, students can fill out either the online nomination form or the PDF nomination form.

For more information, email Hale Mahon at hmahon@my.yorku.ca

York research advances flood risk management with AI

flood surrounding traffic sign BANNER

In a recently published paper, Rahma Khalid, a PhD candidate in the Civil Engineering Department at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, and her supervisor, Associate Professor Usman Khan, proposed a promising new model for flood susceptibility mapping (FSM) that incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning (ML) methods.

Flood susceptibility mapping – the process of identifying potential flood-prone areas based on their physical characteristics – is a valuable technique used to identify areas that are vulnerable to flooding and inform risk mitigation and protection strategies. Unfortunately, conventional FSM methods rely on time-consuming physical and mathematical models that are also limited in their ability to predict flood risk across large regions.

Rahma Khalid
Rahma Khalid

“We have seen that physical and mathematical models can be very inconvenient for flood susceptibility mapping, especially when it comes to analyzing large areas,” says Khalid. “From a research perspective, we know that using machine learning can improve the speed and efficiency of different processes. This is why we proposed a flood susceptibility mapping model that is leveraged by machine learning for more accurate, rapid and reliable results.”

In their paper, titled “Flood susceptibility mapping using ANNs: a case study in model generalization and accuracy from Ontario, Canada,” Khalid and Khan document how they put their idea to the test and utilized an ML model to map out different regions in southern Ontario and determine their flood susceptibility.

Usman Khan
Usman Khan

They did so by using previously gathered data from different regions across southern Ontario, allowing the model to interpret, identify and predict areas that are at risk of flooding.

The model’s performance was also compared against conventional physical and mathematical models, as well as various emerging ML methods.

“When it comes to flood susceptibility mapping in real-world scenarios, machine learning models have not really been used,” says Khalid. “Industry members are also hesitant to apply these models because there is very little information about their accuracy and reliability.”

Khalid and Khan’s proposed model addressed limitations of other FSM models through training and testing that proved it to be a superior method for flood susceptibility mapping, outperforming other models. It even demonstrated novel capabilities that can help advance the future of flood risk management.

“Our model demonstrated a novel ability to accurately predict flood susceptibility, even across areas that we did not provide training data for,” says Khalid. “Knowing this, we can work towards training our model to understand more about different regions and further improve its ability to predict flood susceptibility in larger areas.”

Currently, Khalid and Khan are working on enhancing the performance of their model with a particular focus on improving data resolution, as well exploring the possibility of supplementing their model with additional ML methods.

Students continue Japanese speech contest winning streak

Microphone on stand

York University students from the Japanese Studies Program in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics (DLLL) built on recent success by winning top prizes at the 35th Canadian National Japanese Speech Contest (NJSC).

In March, four undergraduate students from the program earned top prizes at the annual Ontario Japanese Speech Contest. Among them were Hei Tung Chloe Shek, who received the grand prize, and Wonkyung Lee, who was awarded first place in the Open category.

NJSC contestants who are first-prize winners in each category of the year’s respective provincial Japanese speech contests are invited to travel across the country to compete together in a national competition.

Shek and Lee participated in this year’s contest on March 24 at the Embassy of Japan in Ottawa, where the current Japanese ambassador to Canada and a former Canadian ambassador to Japan were among the five judges of the competition.

njsc2024_shek_receiving_mistui_award
Shek receiving the Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Award

Shek, a linguistics student, won first place in the Advanced category for her speech “Views and allies of ‘young carers,’” which described her personal experience as a young caregiver to her disabled father and emphasized the importance of positive thinking.

She also was the recipient of a brand-new prize called the Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Award, which includes a return ticket to Japan and an official invitation to visit the main branch office of the Mitsui trading company in Tokyo this summer.

Lee, a financial and business economics student, won second place in the Open category for her speech titled “Liquor or Coffee,” in which she used the metaphor of sake and coffee to view people’s lives from unique perspectives.  

DLLL associate professors Noriko Yabuki-Soh and Norio Ota coached the students leading up to the national contest. Yabuki-Soh also served on the 2024 NJSC’s organizing committee. “The level of the national Japanese speech contest is extremely high, and this year’s competition was no exception,” Yabuki-Soh said. “We are so proud of Chloe and Wonkyung.”

Join the York community for a virtual town hall on April 11

Laptop with York U webpage

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York community,

I invite you to join me for a virtual town hall on Thursday, April 11. This town hall is an opportunity for members of our community to ask questions, and to share feedback and ideas on how we can work together to drive positive change.

Participants are required to register for the town hall in advance using their York U email. Questions and comments can be submitted prior to and during the event by emailing conversations@yorku.ca. Learn more about the upcoming event on the Community Conversations website.

Date: Thursday, April 11

Time: 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Link to register: https://yorku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TYUJssstTEeiSgn6dScUAw#/registration

I hope you will join me along with other members of the York University leadership team.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

Le 11 avril, joignez-vous à la communauté de York pour une conversation communautaire virtuelle 

Chers membres de la communauté de York, 

Je vous invite à assister à la conversation communautaire virtuelle du jeudi 11 avril. Cette conversation communautaire est l’occasion pour les membres de notre communauté de poser des questions et d’exprimer leurs idées sur des façons de travailler ensemble pour susciter des changements positifs. 

Pour participer, vous devez vous inscrire à l’avance à la conversation communautaire avec votre adresse courriel de l’Université York. Vous pouvez soumettre vos questions et vos commentaires avant et pendant l’événement en envoyant un courriel à conversations@yorku.ca. Pour en savoir plus sur l’événement, visitez le site Web des Conversations communautaires. 

Date : Jeudi 11 avril 

Heure : De 14 h 30 à 16 h     

Lien pour s’inscrire :  https://yorku.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TYUJssstTEeiSgn6dScUAw#/registration

Ajoutez la conversation communautaire à votre calendrier Outlook à l’aide du fichier .ics en pièce jointe. 

J’espère que vous vous joindrez à moi et aux autres membres de l’équipe de direction de l’Université York. 
 
Sincères salutations,     

Rhonda Lenton  
Présidente et vice-chancelière