Welcome to the March 2021 issue of ‘Brainstorm’

Brainstorm graphic

Brainstorm graphic

‘Brainstorm,’ a special edition of YFile publishing on the first Friday of every month, showcases research and innovation at York University. It offers compelling and accessible feature-length stories about the world-leading and policy-relevant work of York’s academics and researchers across all disciplines and Faculties and encompasses both pure and applied research.

In the March 2021 issue

The future of cities in the wake of the pandemic: What will change? What should change?
COVID-19 is triggering a massive rethink on urban living. Three York University experts consider the ways in which the pandemic is changing how we live together. All three underscore one thing: (in)equity must be at the heart of the analysis.

Teletherapy in the time of COVID-19: The secrets to success – bonus video
A psychologist considers how online therapy during the pandemic could work best and offers some tips to encourage and support both therapist and client to be present and maintain a strong therapeutic relationship while engaging in telepsychotherapy. The lessons learned could help when face-to-face sessions are reinstated.

Putting things right: Indigenous wisdom applied to sustainable water governance
An Anishinaabek researcher consults with Elders and women from the Great Lakes territory, sums up the work of “a wave of Indigenous scholars” and weaves together decolonializing with Indigenous methodologies. With this, she offers some brilliant revelations that will inform future governance around the sustainability of water.

Grad student and alumna’s pandemic-themed play helping young audiences
An AMPD PhD student and alumna are co-producing a play about COVID-19 aimed at helping kids in Grades 5 through 8 emotionally process the pandemic. It offers young audiences the true essentials: identification, resonance and engagement (through talkback sessions) at a much-needed time.

York University librarian develops much-needed pandemic guide for consumers
Acutely aware of the mounting need to better understand pandemics in light of COVID-19, York librarian Marcia Salmon created an indispensable new guide for consumers. It sums up the history of pandemics and offers descriptions of and links to leading resources like the WHO and CDC.

Novel research connects how different parts of the brain work together in eye-hand coordination
Distinguished Research Professor Doug Crawford sits down with ‘Brainstorm’ to discuss the network of activity he and his PhD student discovered when researching how the brain perceives moving objects, how it achieves orientation and signals to the body to reach out and grab these objects. Understanding this network represents a major scientific advance.

Launched in January 2017, ‘Brainstorm’ is produced out of the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs; overseen by Megan Mueller, senior manager, research communications; and edited by Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor and Ashley Goodfellow Craig, YFile deputy editor.