AGYU programs shortlisted for prestigious awards

November 29, 2023

Exhibition view: Meleko Mokgosi: Imaging Imaginations, 2023. Photo: Toni Hafkenscheid.

Two programs offered by the Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) have been shortlisted for the 46th Annual Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries (GOG) Awards.

The GOG Awards, which will be announced during a Dec. 2 ceremony, is the only annual juried awards program of its kind, recognizing the “outstanding achievement, artistic merit and excellence of arts institutions and professionals in the public art gallery sector.”

“For more than two decades, the GOG Awards have given the visual arts sector in Ontario a place to acknowledge the value of its role in building and supporting artists and shaping the cultural fabric of daily life by celebrating the pivotal work of public art galleries,” says Jenifer Parpararo, AGYU director/curator. “Galeries Ontario / Ontario Galleries estimates that 99 per cent of Canadians engage with arts, culture and heritage in some way every year. It is paramount that we come together to celebrate and honour our burgeoning cultural sector and to recognize the hard-working people who break down barriers and reach new horizons with their impactful projects.”

The programs nominated for an award were led by AGYU Curator Felicia Mings and AGYU Education and Community Engagement Coordinator Allyson Adley.

The nominated exhibits and programs are:

Meleko Mokgosi: Imaging Imaginations, which was on view from Jan. 20 to June 10. Curated by Mings, this exhibition is shortlisted for two GOG Awards: Exhibitions of the Year Budget over $50,000 and Exhibition Design & Installation.

For Imaging Imaginations, Mokgosi’s first solo exhibition in Canada, the artist debuted new works from his series Spaces of Subjection, 2022. Within this growing body of work, Mokgosi examined the complexities of subjecthood and the politics of identity and identification.

“AGYU would like to thank Meleko, Jack Shainman Gallery and the Anderson Ranch Arts Center for helping us realize this exhibition. We want to acknowledge the dedication and support of the entire AGYU team, and especially Clara Halpern, assistant curator, during the run of the show,” said Papararo. “Thank you also to our team of installers – Carmen Schroeder, Uros Jelic, Gray Richards, Nadine Maher, Christian Echeverri, Dave Ronchka and Matthew Koudys – who helped us bring the curatorial vision to life and kept the works safe. And with special thanks to the Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation for their financial support of this exhibition.”

The 2022 edition of Art on my Mind, a series of free songwriting, vocal and performance workshops, is nominated for the Education Award. Presented in partnership with the Black Creek Community Farm, this program was geared towards youth in the Jane-Finch community. It included live performance workshops facilitated by hip-hop powerhouse Dynesti, and songwriting and vocal production workshops with rising R&B and soul singer Kibra.

A workshop session during Art on my Mind. — Art on My Mind workshop with mentors and participants, 2022. Photo: Allyson Adley.

Performance during Art on my Mind — A performance during Art on my Mind showcase, 2022. Photo: Allyson Adley.

Participants were able to enhance performance by developing dynamic stage presence, writing meaningful lyrics and honing their vocal production skills. In addition to receiving personalized performance coaching from experienced artists, selected participants also had a paid opportunity to perform at the AGYU’s end-of-program showcase celebrating the Black Creek Community Farm’s 10-year anniversary on July 23, 2022. This free event featured performances by the program facilitators, Kibra and Dynesti, along with performances by R&B, reggae, dancehall and hip-hop artists Terence Penny, Nicole Chambers, Zenesoul, Mez Mariye and Teepolo.

Art on my Mind also included mural painting workshops with acclaimed visual artists Curtia Wright and Ray Vidal, which culminated in the painting of a shipping container that was transformed into a Black Creek Community Farm landmark.

“We want to acknowledge the support of the AGYU team and 2022 Young Canada Works Communications Assistant Shadio Hussein,” said Papararo. “Art on My Mind would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of our workshop facilitators and participants, as well as our wonderful partners at Black Creek Community Farm.”

Art on My Mind was funded by the Toronto Art Council through the Animating Toronto Parks program and supported by the Toronto Art Foundation’s Arts in the Parks program.

The AGYU was also noted as a partner in a nomination for the Tim Whiten – Elemental: Earthen exhibition at the Art Gallery of Peterborough for the First Exhibition in a Public Art Gallery award. Whiten is a professor emeritus at York University with a prolific career in the arts.

The GOG Awards ceremony takes place Dec. 2 in the Sears Atrium at Toronto Metropolitan University. To purchase tickets to attend, visit the event page.

Dahdaleh grad students showcase global health research

November 29, 2023

Four accomplished graduate scholars from York University’s Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research (DIGHR) will share details of their research projects, as well as insights on the progress of their research journeys, at the fourth annual Global Health Graduate Scholars Symposium on Dec. 13.

Taking place at the Keele Campus, Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholarship students Eyram Agbe, Caroline Duncan, Alexandra Scott and Nawang Yanga will offer an overview of the groundbreaking research they are undertaking in line with DIGHR’s three themes: planetary health, global health and humanitarianism, and global health foresighting.

The Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholarship was created to attract exceptional incoming and continuing domestic and international graduate research students to DIGHR. The scholarship is granted annually to graduate students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement in global health research.

This year’s presentations are:

Digital Deprivation: COVID-19, Education, and Teacher Health in Ghana – Eyram Agbe
Agbe is a master’s student in the Development Studies program. Her research seeks to understand the diverse psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 on basic school teachers in Accra, Ghana, and how these factors affect their ability to support new curriculum implementation as schools have returned to in-person classes. This study seeks to centre the critical role that social vulnerability plays in education; specifically, how teachers’ health outcomes are situated within contentions over technopolitical visions by stakeholders.

Drinking Water Provision in the Canadian Arctic: Current and Future Challenges and Emerging Opportunities – Caroline Duncan
Duncan is a PhD candidate at the Lassonde School of Engineering. Her research seeks to understand the complex factors that affect the quality and accessibility of drinking water in the Arctic using an interdisciplinary and participatory approach. Duncan works closely with the Municipality of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, collaborating with community members, government and non-governmental organization stakeholders involved with drinking water from source to tap to develop a model to test treatment, as well as work towards policy interventions to optimize drinking water safety.

The Myth of “Good Enough”: Law, Engineering, and Autonomous Weapons Systems – Alexandra Scott
Scott is a PhD student, Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholar and Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellow at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School. Her work explores the development and deployment of autonomous weapon systems (also known as “killer robots”) under international law and the role that engineers play in both.

TB in Tibetan Refugee Settlements in India: What We Know and What Is Missing – Nawang Yanga
Yanga is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Health. Her dissertation focuses on the lived experiences of Tibetan refugees with tuberculosis (TB) in Indian settlements. This is greatly motivated by her own experiences with TB and by the sheer lack of literature in this community, despite having some of the highest TB incidence rates globally. The aim of her project is to introduce a social perspective to TB discourse by highlighting the connections between social conditions and TB that are unique to Tibetan refugees in India.

Visit the event page to register and attend: yorku.ca/dighr/events/4th-annual-global-health-graduate-scholars-symposium.

The graduate students’ research is funded by the Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholarship. The 2024 competition is currently accepting applications. To learn more about the eligibility criteria and application process, visit the scholarships page: yorku.ca/dighr/scholarship.

Centre for Vision Research conference to spotlight latest vision science

November 28, 2023

York University’s Centre for Vision Research (CVR) will host the Vision Research Conference 2023 from Dec. 4 to 7 and welcome guests from across North America and Europe to the Second Student Centre. Titled “The New VISTAs in Vision Research,” the conference will feature discussions around cutting-edge, transdisciplinary approaches to vision science.

The long-running conference is part of CVR’s ongoing mission to pursue world-class, interdisciplinary research and training in visual science and its applications. That extends to the collaborative Vision Science to Applications (VISTA) program, funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, which looks to build on York’s expertise in biological and computer vision.

The three-day conference will feature programming that includes several lectures, as well as interactive events such as lab visits, poster sessions, presentations and industry exhibitions.

Lecture sessions – featuring professors from Canada, the U.S., Germany and Ireland, among others – will highlight a range of interdisciplinary subjects, including visual cognition, creative visualizations, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Among participating York faculty are Richard Wildes, associate director of VISTA and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, who will give the opening keynote; Jane Tingley, an associate professor in computational arts; and Doug Crawford, Distinguished Research Professor, Canada Research Chair in visuomotor neuroscience and scientific director of the Connected Minds program, who will provide the closing keynote. CVR Director Robert Allison will open the conference with welcoming remarks.

Further information about the New VISTAs in Vision Research conference can be found here: yorku.ca/cvr/conference2023.

Those interested in registering can do so here: eventbrite.ca/e/cvr-vista-coference-new-vistas-in-vision-research-tickets-597849192027.

Join York’s memorial ceremony for National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, Dec. 6

November 24, 2023

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York community,

As we approach the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on Dec. 6, we welcome all members of the York University community to join us in commemorating the 14 women who tragically lost their lives on the same day 34 years ago at École Polytechnique in Montreal.

Participating in community events and conversations helps to eliminate gendered violence and gives us an opportunity to recognize the 14 women who lost their lives: Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte.

We also acknowledge the missing and murdered Indigenous women and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community on this day.

Together, we must reaffirm our commitment to stand with survivors, raise awareness and challenge the sociocultural norms that perpetuate violence and hate in all its forms. In a time where conflict continues to devastate countless communities across the world, it is also an opportunity for us to reflect on our individual and collective capacity to drive positive change and to help realize a world that is safe, welcoming and inclusive for us all.

Event Details
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 6
Time:  1 to 2 p.m.
Event website: events.yorku.ca/events/national-day-of-remembrance-and-action-on-violence-against-women-memorial

Keele Campus
Live location: The Eatery (first floor), Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence
Format: hybrid (in person and online)
Link to Livestream: https://webcastguru.zoom.us/j/86005194576?pwd=OHcvSnVocGVuYldZQ2xLSFplSzFuZz09

Glendon Campus
Viewing room: Glendon Manor Hall
Format: hybrid (in person and online)
Link to Livestream: https://webcastguru.zoom.us/j/86005194576?pwd=OHcvSnVocGVuYldZQ2xLSFplSzFuZz09

In solidarity with victims and survivors, we invite you to wear a white ribbon during the memorial ceremony as a symbol of your commitment to ending gender-based violence. Ribbons are available at the Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education (The Centre).

As part of a larger international campaign, 16  Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, The Centre and partners from across York are offering a series of webinars and events that provide an opportunity to reflect on the ways our community can work together to eliminate gender-based violence and recognize the impact it has on our community. For more information about The Centre and upcoming events and resources, please visit the website.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor

Lisa Philipps
Provost & Vice-President Academic

Joignez-vous à la cérémonie de York pour la Journée nationale de commémoration et d’action contre la violence faite aux femmes le 6 décembre

Chers membres de la communauté de York,

À l’approche de la Journée nationale de commémoration et d’action contre la violence faite aux femmes le 6 décembre, nous invitons tous les membres de la communauté de l’Université York à se joindre à nous pour commémorer les 14& femmes qui ont tragiquement perdu la vie le même jour, il y a 34 ans, à l’École polytechnique de Montréal.

Participer à des événements et des conversations communautaires contribue à éliminer la violence basée sur le genre et nous donne l’occasion de rendre hommage aux 14 femmes qui ont perdu la vie : Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, et Annie Turcotte. Nous rendons également hommage aux femmes autochtones disparues ou assassinées et aux membres de la communauté 2ELGBTQIA+ en ce jour.

Ensemble, nous devons réaffirmer notre engagement à soutenir les survivantes, à sensibiliser l’opinion et à remettre en question les normes socioculturelles qui perpétuent la violence et la haine sous toutes leurs formes. À une époque où les conflits continuent de dévaster d’innombrables communautés à travers le monde, c’est aussi l’occasion de réfléchir à notre capacité individuelle et collective à susciter des changements positifs et à contribuer à la réalisation d’un monde sûr, accueillant et inclusif.

Détails de l’événement
Date : Mercredi 6 décembre
Heure : 13 h à 14 h

Site Web de l’événement : events.yorku.ca/events/national-day-of-remembrance-and-action-on-violence-against-women-memorial

Campus Keele
Lieu de l’événement en personne : The Eatery (premier étage), Centre Bergeron pour l’excellence en ingénierie
Format : Hybride (en personne et en ligne)

Campus Glendon
Salle de visionnement : Manoir Glendon
Format : Hybride (en personne et en ligne)

En solidarité avec les victimes et les survivantes, nous vous invitons à porter un ruban blanc lors de la cérémonie commémorative afin de symboliser votre engagement à mettre fin à la violence basée sur le genre. Les rubans sont disponibles au Centre d’intervention, de soutien et d’éducation contre la violence sexuelle (le Centre).

Dans le cadre d’une campagne internationale plus large, 16 jours d’activisme contre la violence basée sur le genre, le Centre et des partenaires de York proposent une série de webinaires et d’événements qui permettent de réfléchir à la manière dont notre communauté peut travailler pour éliminer la violence sexiste et reconnaître l’impact qu’elle a sur notre communauté. Pour plus d’informations sur le Centre et sur les événements et ressources à venir, veuillez consulter le site Web.

Sincères salutations,

Rhonda Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière

Lisa Philipps
Rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques

Student documentary explores climate migration, urban development crises

November 22, 2023

Members of the York University community are invited to attend a documentary screening of Climate Migration and the Urban Environment: Dhaka’s Story of Development and Disaster on Friday, Nov. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. in 140 Health, Nursing and Environmental Studies Building on York’s Keele Campus.

To culminate the research for her master of environmental studies in York’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change, York student Mara Mahmud along with photographer and videographer Emily Bruno embarked on 30 days of fieldwork in Dhaka, Bangladesh. There, they filmed and conducted interviews with academics and development practitioners focused on answering the following research question: what does Bangladesh have to teach about modelling effective adaptation strategies to respond to the climate-induced migration and rapid urban development in the Global South?

The resulting investigative documentary explores the relationship between climate change and migration within urban development and planning practices in Bangladesh, a country experiencing severe consequences of anthropogenic climate change (climate change caused by human activity). The film tells stories about the complex field of resistance and resilience in Dhaka, and Bangladesh more generally, in response to the climate crisis.

Through the examination of ongoing efforts to resolve the urban development crises in Dhaka, the film identifies innovative approaches to the environmental challenges brought on by the effects of climate change. Though this film uses Dhaka as a case study, opportunity exists for application in countries that will be facing similar crises in the near future.

Join the community for an evening filled with curiosity, knowledge sharing and an inquiry into the capacity of human resilience in the wake of climatic disaster.

For more information and to register for the film screening, visit the Eventbrite page.

York University marks 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence

November 21, 2023

TheCentre-16DaysofActivism-Digital_Web-Banner

The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education at York, along with partners across the University, will offer a series of events to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, an annual international campaign that begins on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and goes until Dec. 10, Human Rights Day.

Started in 1991 as a global effort to recognize and speak out against gender-based violence, the 16 Days campaign aims to renew commitment to end violence against women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

The Centre has organized a variety of events to inspire and educate community members while honouring victims of gender-based violence as well as 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals from all walks of life who experience and have lost their lives to violence.

Human Rights Day honours the date the United Nations General Assembly’s adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Dec. 10, 1948. This document sets out fundamental human rights to be universally protected. It is a milestone in the history of human rights, and has been translated in over 500 languages, holding the Guinness World Record as the most translated document.

In Canada, we also observe the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women during the 16 Days to remember the women who were murdered during the tragic mass shooting at Polytechnique Montréal on Dec. 6, 1989.

The Centre at York University works to foster a culture where attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate sexual violence are rejected, survivors are supported, community members are educated and those who commit incidents of sexual violence are held accountable. It offers supports and services, training and events to educate and help University community members.

All community members are invited to attend the events listed below. Learn more at thecentre.yorku.ca/global-16-days-campaign.

YU Athlete’s Memorial Pin-making Event – in partnership with Athletics & Recreation

Date: Nov. 27
Time: noon to 2 p.m.
Location: 305 York Lanes

Join YU athletes as they create white ribbons (a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls) and purple ribbons (attempts to educate the public that violence against women and children is not culturally acceptable) for the York community throughout the duration of the week.

Supporting Your Queer Child

Date: Nov. 28
Time: noon to 1p.m.
Format: online
Registration: email thecentre@yorku.ca

The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education in partnership with Toronto Public Health hosts a session that facilitates discussions among participants about how parents/caregivers can foster healthy attitudes about sexuality with their children and support their needs. Registrants are asked to submit questions and topics they are interested in learning more about for this session when they register.

Healthy Relationships Workshop

Date: Nov. 29
Time: 1 to 2 p.m.
Format: online
Registration: email thecentre@yorku.ca

The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education in partnership with Nellie’s hosts a workshop on healthy dating and relationships for those who identify as women in university to learn about what healthy relationships look like, how to identify red flags in a relationship and what to do if they need support. The workshops will be interactive and allow students to learn and understand the topics in a trauma-informed environment.

Raising Sexually Healthy Tweens

Date: Nov. 30
Time: noon to 1 p.m.
Format: online
Registration: email thecentre@yorku.ca

The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education in partnership with Toronto Public Health hosts a workshop with the goal of providing parents/caregivers with the tools, knowledge and support they need to foster healthy attitudes about sexuality with their tweens.

Issues and Impacts of Misogynoir

Date: Nov. 30
Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Format: online
Registration: email thecentre@yorku.ca

The Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion in partnership with the Centre for Sexual Violence, Response, Support & Education hosts an interactive session where participants discuss the issue of misogynoir, which shows how sexism and racism manifest in Black women’s lives to create intersecting forms of oppression. Participants explore the detrimental impacts of internalized racism as well as engage in a discussion about healing and self-care.

LA&PS writer-in-residence hosts award-winning filmmaker Deepa Mehta

November 17, 2023

The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and the Department of English invite the York University community to an evening with Writer-in-Residence Shyam Selvadurai and internationally revered filmmaker Deepa Mehta.

On Dec. 7, Selvadurai will host Mehta for a screening and discussion of her latest collaboration, the documentary film I Am Sirat. The film follows Sirat Taneja, a trans woman in India, as she navigates living a dual life.

In 2020, Mehta collaborated with Selvadurai, adapting his bestselling book Funny Boy into a feature film. The two won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Mehta holds an honorary degree from York University and is widely recognized for her daring films that push industry and cultural boundaries. She has been at the forefront of numerous television series and has directed and produced many critically acclaimed documentaries and feature films, like her celebrated Elements Trilogy: Fire (1996), Earth (1998) and Water (2005).

She has received both a Genie Award and an Oscar nomination. In 2012, she received Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.

Selvadurai is the author of Funny Boy, Cinnamon Gardens, Swimming in the Monsoon Sea and The Hungry Ghosts. His work has won the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Lambda Literary Award and the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award, and has been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award. He is also the editor of Story-Wallah: A Celebration of South Asian Fiction and a comprehensive anthology of Sri Lankan literature called Many Roads Through Paradise.

The Writer-in-Residence Program connects faculty, staff and students with a professional writer for feedback, critiques and support. Four meetings per week are available by appointment through Calendly.

The event occurs at the Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7. Registration is now open.

YCAR launches lecture series on climate change

November 15, 2023

Heavily industrialized area with clouds of pollution looming in the sky at sunset, pollution, haze, smog

The York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) is launching a new lecture series, titled “Climate Dystopias in Asia,” set to begin Nov. 22 and explore the relationship between climate change challenge and societal impact throughout Asia.

The “Climate Dystopias in Asia” series will feature scholars presenting their research and findings on the complex relationship between environmental shifts and societal impacts in Asia, focusing on the various adaptations that communities and organizations are undertaking in response to these challenges.

“Asia, as we know, is warming faster than the global average. It increasingly faces extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heat waves that significantly impact lives and livelihoods. To put the spotlight on climate challenges that cities, coasts and hinterlands face in different parts of Asia, we will invite scholars from interdisciplinary backgrounds to offer grounded analyses of the complexities and limitations of climate adaptation strategies,” says Professor Shubhra Gururani, the director of YCAR.

The inaugural lecture of the series will feature Professor Kasia Paprocki from the Department of Geography & Environment at the London School of Economics & Political Science. The in-person talk, titled “Threatening Dystopias: Development, Scientific Knowledge and Adaptation to Climate Change,” will draw on Paprocki’s book, also named Threatening Dystopias, that examines the politics of climate change adaptation in Bangladesh.

By situating climate change in a longer history of growth and development, Paprocki will explore the oversimplified crisis narratives that define Bangladesh’s approach towards climate change. In global climate change policy and media circles, Bangladesh is the poster child for climate disasters related to rising sea levels and is often portrayed as “the world’s most vulnerable country to climate change.” Paprocki will critically evaluate these narratives and offer an analysis that digs deeper and shows how the prevailing storyline may overlook the political and economic forces that contour Bangladesh’s climate geography.

The talk will draw on Paprocki’s research and publications’ focus on climate change adaptation in South Asia, specifically in Bangladesh. Forging a conversation between political ecology, agrarian studies, climate change and risk narratives, Paprocki will examine the narrative of climate change as it circulates in Bangladesh and situate the responses to climatic change in the deeper histories of colonial policies and agrarian politics of land and underdevelopment.

“With this event and the series more generally, we hope to offer a platform for a deeper understanding of the nuanced interactions between environmental challenges and societal change in Asia,” says Gururani.

Read more about the speaker here at kasiapaprocki.com.

More information about the series can be accessed here.

Event to spotlight academic publishing careers

November 15, 2023

York University’s book publishing program will host Lily Bergh, head publisher and vice-president at Canadian Scholars/Women’s Press, who will give a lecture on potential career paths for those looking to enter intellectual and academic publishing on Nov. 16.

For 35 years, Canadian Scholars/Women’s Press – which has published books by York University professors like Dennis Raphael, Gamal Abdel-Shehid and David Liu – has specialized in publishing academic texts from a wide range of perspectives and disciplines in the humanities and social sciences that may not be heard elsewhere.

It is also at the forefront of the latest ideas that are shaping philosophy, queer theory and feminism in Canada with its Women’s Press branch, which has played an integral role in the proliferation of feminist writing in Canada.

The event with Bergh, who joined the press in 2008, will highlight what students and others in the community can do to become involved in the publishing industry. The talk is part of the ongoing York Lectures in Publishing series, which was started in 2022 by Assistant Professor Matthew Bucemi to help students and others explore all publishing paths available to them.

Bergh’s talk will take place in the Junior Common Room, 014 McLaughlin College at 6 p.m., followed by a Q-and-A. Food and drinks will be served. All are welcome.

York Circle Lecture Series presents experts on topical subjects

November 14, 2023

In collaboration with Jennifer Steeves, the York Circle Chair and associate vice-president research, the Office of Alumni Engagement invites the community to York University’s Keele campus for a new instalment of the York Circle Lecture series.

Beginning Nov. 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Life Sciences Building, prominent faculty members will delve into a diverse array of compelling subjects, reflecting the defining themes of York University.

The York Circle Lecture Series is held four times a year and is open to York’s community, including alumni and friends. Tickets are $5 and include coffee, light snacks and lunch.

Sessions will feature the guest speakers, and attendees will be asked to select one lecture from each session during registration.

10 a.m. sessions

Maxim Voronov, professor, organizational behaviour and industrial relations, Schulich School of Business, presenting “The good, the bad, and the ugly of authenticity.”

Authenticity seems ever-present in today’s society, and it has become an important research topic among organizational scholars. Much of the time, both scholars and practitioners see authenticity as unambiguously good. But we need to acknowledge the darker side of authenticity and explore its implications. The purpose of this talk is to explore “the good, the bad and the ugly” of authenticity, shifting the focus away from authenticity as an attribute of people and things and toward unpacking the process by which people and things are cast as authentic. A particular focus will be on unpacking the contribution of authenticity to both social good and social harm.

Emilie Roudier, assistant professor, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, presenting “Wildland fires: studying our blood vessels to better understand the impact on health.”

Over the past decade, the intensity and size of wildland fires have increased. Wildland fire seasons have lengthened, and these fires contribute to global air pollution. This presentation will highlight how wildland fire-related air pollution can impact our heart and blood vessels.

11:20 a.m. sessions

Usman Khan, associate professor and department Chair, Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, presenting “Harnessing the power of AI for flood forecasting.”

Floods are the most frequent weather-related natural disasters, affecting the largest number of people globally, with economic damages in excess of $900 billion (between 1994 and 2013). Globally, climate change and urbanization have led to an increase in floods in recent decades and this trend is projected to continue in the coming years, including in Canada. Despite this, Canada is the only G7 country without nationwide flood forecasting systems, which are key to saving lives and reducing the damages associated with floods. Hydroinformatics, the study of complex hydrological systems by combining water science, data science and computer science, attempts to improve traditional flood forecasting through the use of advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence (AI). This talk will outline recent research in this area and plans to build a Canada-wide, open-source, real-time, operational flood forecasting system that harnesses the power of AI to improves our ability to predict and prepare for floods.

Antony Chum, assistant professor, Canada Research Chair, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, presenting “The impact of recreational cannabis legalization on cannabis-related acute care in Ontario.”

This presentation will discuss the effects of cannabis legalization on cannabis-related acute care (emergency department visits and hospitalizations). The research conducted discovered specific impact patterns among different demographic groups. Additionally, the talk will delve into regional disparities and analyze the policy implications arising from the legalization process.

Since 2009, York Circle has showcased the ideas and research being generated by York University’s community. Topics come from every Faculty and have included discussions around gender issues, brain function, mental health, international aid, sports injuries, financial policy and many more evolving subjects.

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