Two York students named finalists in SSHRC 2022 Storytellers Challenge

SSHRC Storytellers image printed with permission from SSHRC

York University students Alexandra Markwell and Vincci Li are Top 25 finalists in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) 2022 Storytellers Challenge. 

This annual contest challenges post-secondary students from across the country to demonstrate how SSHRC-funded research is making a difference in the lives of Canadians. 

This year’s Top 25 Storytellers represent post-secondary institutions throughout Canada and were chosen from among 230 applicants. Their research stories include topics that are important to Canadians and have wide-reaching implications such as racial profiling in policing, the spread of misinformation and more.  

Alexandra Markwell
Alexandra Markwell

Markwell is a psychology student at the Faculty of Health and an incoming clinical development master’s student. Their research submission for the 2022 Storytellers Challenge is Responsive Parenting Programs: Empowering Parents to Support Children’s Language. The research is supported through SSHRC’s Insight Grant.  

In Markwell’s application, they mention, “in a SSHRC-funded project at York University, our team examined how effective responsive parent programs are at enhancing children’s early language skills by analyzing 33 studies with more than 600 families from around the world. We found that teaching parents to be more responsive led to improvements in children’s language skills. However, we also found that families with more social disadvantages benefitted less.”  

The research findings examine that families need to be supported through systems and policies that decrease social disadvantage, reduce strain on parents and allow parent-child relationships to thrive in order for children to have support through lifelong learning, success, and mental wellness.  

Vincci Li
Vincci Li

Li is a PhD candidate in York’s Social & Political Thought graduate program. Their research submission for the 2022 Storytellers Challenge is Crowdfunding for Our Lives. 

Through this study, Li learned the stories of people who have created a medical crowdfunding campaign, benefitted from one, or contributed to a campaign for personal health care-related expenses. The research project is supported through SHHRC’s Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctorial program.  

In the storytelling submission, Li says, “My research adds to existing studies by centering the stories of those who have lived through the experience of raising or contributing to medical crowdfunding campaigns. Together with my participants, we’re exploring the strengths and gaps in personal and social safety nets.” 

Li’s research not only asks questions about how Canadians care for each other but how people should care for one another in order to work toward building a more fair and equitable system of health care and social services in Canada.  

Each finalist receives $3,000 and a chance at one of the coveted Final Five spots, which comes with an additional $1,000. The Final Five winners will be announced at an event at the Congress for the Humanities and Social Sciences, hosted at York University, on May 16 at 2 p.m. EST.  

The event will be live-streamed for the public to access. For additional information about the 2022 Storytellers Challenge, visit the SSHRC website.  

York University’s Scott Library opens Media Creation Lab for research and teaching 

Featured image shows a camera on a red background

A new Media Creation Lab in the Scott Library provides students and faculty with access to new teaching and hands-on learning opportunities that span across disciplines.

From creating a 3D model of a structure, a virtual version of a city, to creating a podcast to teach or complement a project, York University Libraries’ new Media Creation Lab in Scott Library offers new ways for students, faculty and instructors to learn and teach. With the transition back to campus and almost two years of hybrid and online learning at York University, the new lab officially opened its doors this month, offering tools to any creator wanting to stretch their skills, engage and experiment with new media production technologies. 

The creation of this space by York University Libraries speaks to the 21st-century academic library as a site of knowledge production and creation, according to Digital Scholarship Librarian at the York University Libraries Kris Joseph

“The library is often seen as a place of consumption where you take out books, but students have always been creating in libraries,” says Joseph. “They take out books because they want to write a paper, for example. Now students are creating other types of media. Here at the York University’s Media Creation Lab, we facilitate the discovery and the creation of knowledge using digital media. This is a place where knowledge is moved, consumed, repurposed and created.” 

The Scott Library Media Creation Lab (MCL), a 1,700-square-foot lab, offers students, faculty and researchers access to high-end audio and video recording equipment, an audio-visual media creation space, dedicated virtual reality (VR) spaces, a sound-isolated podcasting booth, portable virtual reality headsets and workstations for hands-on digital media production work. It allows users to produce podcasts, virtual reality projects, music recordings and other creative multimedia outputs.

studio equipment in a darkened room
The new MCL offers equitable access to space, equipment and resources for students and faculty who are creating multimedia as part of learning, research and teaching

“One of the things you can do in our VR Rooms is motion capture: record a body in motion and then use that data to create an animation or a performance piece for a class. The computers in the MCL have tools to create 3D environments that bring projects to life,” says Joseph.  

One of the goals of the lab is to facilitate experiential education (EE) in partnership with undergraduate and graduate degree programs across the Keele Campus and at York University in general. Joseph says the possibilities are endless. 

“Imagine for example in a history or archaeology course. Instead of talking or writing about a historic building, you can build a 3D model of it and then instead of doing a presentation, you can take your class on a VR tour of your building in a digital city,” says Joseph. 

The lab is part of York University Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Centre, which is recognized for its leadership and innovation through equity, sustainability and responsible citizenship.  

“As part of the new Digital Scholarship Centre, the Media Creation Lab supports consultation services for all students and faculty that coalesces the Libraries’ expertise in digital fluency. This includes content expertise to data visualization to publishing expertise backed by a suite of publishing infrastructure and tools to enhance assignment production, teaching materials, scholarship and student work,” says York University’s Dean of Libraries Joy Kirchner. “Our experts are on hand to help our entire community engage with their material in digitally enhanced collaborative spaces.”  

The MCL provides equitable access to space, equipment and resources for students and faculty who are creating multimedia as part of learning, research and teaching. In February, the lab converted its pop-up virtual reality space into two dedicated virtual reality rooms and installed an audio recording booth from Bear Cave Silent Booths. With equipment targeted for both remote and in-house use, the lab will support the creation of video interviews and tutorials, student presentations, podcasts, digital storytelling, short films, virtual tours, lectures and more. The lab will also provide hands-on library staff assistance with using the equipment and will hold instructional workshops to help users better understand all the things they can accomplish with using the equipment.  

A student enters a bear cave sound booth
The MCL has a Bear Cave Silent Booth for students and faculty to use when creating audio for multimedia

“The Libraries conducted an extensive research study of digital scholarship needs at York University and we are innovating in response to what we’ve learned,” says Andrea Kosavic, associate dean, digital engagement and strategy in the Office of the Dean of Libraries. “As an example, we heard about a faculty member seeking to integrate VR in a classroom setting with just a single headset. We’ve directly addressed this challenge, collaborating with faculty to bring groups of students into the libraries for VR experiences and have created a lending library for media equipment. We are here to democratize access to media creation for everyone at York University.” 

You don’t have to be an expert or even know how to create a podcast, 3D model or use VR – the Digital Scholarship Centre welcomes beginners. Co-curricular and extracurricular workshop materials, co-developed with the Glendon Digital Media Lab (GDML), will help orient students and faculty to the space and can easily be integrated into course assignments or project designs. Like its Glendon counterpart, the space can also serve as home to a student club dedicated to media creation. The lab will also have workshops available to help users learn about the equipment they want to use. 

“We’re working now on getting equipment for our flexible studio space, which will be great for hosting workshops on media creation, and for doing everything from object photography to video shoots and VR exhibitions,” adds Joseph. “That’s our exciting next step.”  

For reservations, visit the Media Creation Lab.

York Capstone Day celebrates innovation and creativity  

Cross Campus Capstone Classroom FEATURED image for new YFile

York Capstone Network’s (YCN) annual York Capstone Day event will take place virtually on Friday, April 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Funded by the Business in Higher Education Roundtable, the annual showcase welcomes students from any Faculty at York to present their completed capstone projects. Bringing project partners and mentors as well as York community members together, the event celebrates the innovation, creativity, ambition and impact of York students. 

Both pre-capstone and capstone students are welcome to share their research-design projects in thematic panels throughout the day and compete for five campus-wide monetary prize awards, including:  

Sustainable Development Goals Award 
The award will be presented to the team whose project demonstrates an exceptional commitment to advancing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in keeping with York University’s SDG Challenge as outlined in the current University Academic Plan. Learn more.  

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award 
The award will be presented to the team whose project demonstrates an exceptional commitment to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in alignment with priorities identified by York University. Learn more.  

High Impact Award 
The award will be presented to the team whose project exhibits the greatest potential to demonstrate a long-term, positive impact for stakeholders and society as a whole. Learn more

BEST Lab Award 
The prize will be presented to the team whose project demonstrates exceptional innovativeness and inventiveness, impact in addressing an important societal issue, and the viability of the project. Learn more.  

Emerging Leaders Award  
The award will be presented to the team whose project touches on at least one of the main award themes of sustainability; equity, diversity, inclusion; high-impact; or technology. Learn more.  

Interdisciplinary student panels with alumni and partners will form the primary events of the day. There will also be a variety of professional development and networking opportunities for students, created in partnership with Career Education and Development, York University Libraries, and Innovation York.  

Most of the projects shared at Capstone Day come from the Project Commons, an interdisciplinary lending library of SDG-linked, real-world projects for any York classroom. Professors who check out projects from the Commons receive one-on-one support from experiential education (EE) experts, who help them customize the project(s) for their classroom and its unique learning goals. Participating students are connected with project partners eager to support student learning. To learn more about the Project Commons and how it can help you infuse the SDGs and EE into your classroom, click here to book an appointment. 

Capstone Day is a free and open event for all York community members. Participation applications are due Friday, April 1. Event registration will open in April. Visit the YCN webpage for more information.  

Experiential learning an essential part of Osgoode Hall Law School

Osgoode Hall Law School main foyer hallway

By Elaine Smith

By the time students graduate from Osgoode Hall Law School, they will each have had an opportunity to take part in some type of experiential education (EE). Law students can pursue a variety of hands-on learning, including working in a legal clinic, taking a praxicum course that incorporates legal theory with practice, volunteering with a public interest organization or participating in moot court sessions.

“All of these experiential education programs enhance our students’ legal education by translating theory into practice,” says Lisa Del Col, manager of experiential education and career development at Osgoode. “The skills they develop as a result help them down the road as they undertake legal careers. All EE experiences contain a component of reflection, which requires students to critically think about the activity and how it links to ethics and the larger role of lawyers in society. Osgoode Hall has one of the most robust legal EE programs in Canada.”

Craig Scott Osgoode York U
Craig Scott

Professor Craig Scott, Osgoode’s associate dean, academic, identifies three major forces driving the school’s EE commitment: a philosophy of learning; the school’s history; and, maintenance of its leadership position in legal EE.

“First of all, our learning philosophy is that students can only fully appreciate the application of theory or doctrine in context,” Scott says. “Understanding that context has limits if you only learn it in the abstract. By working in the community and with clients and practitioners, your understanding deepens.

“In addition, some 15 years ago, when we were looking at expanding experiential learning at Osgoode, Professor Obiora Okafor led a study on that topic that introduced the notion of praxis. It maintains that students can’t really understand theory outside of practice or practice without theory – they are complementary. It is the intersection of the two and a feedback loop that produces more fulsome knowledge.”

The result of the study is Osgoode Hall Law School’s requirement that all students take a praxicum course. Clinical placements satisfy this requirement, as do designated courses such as Insurance Law, a course designed to help students achieve a better understanding of the insurance law. Specifically, the role an insurance lawyer plays in advancing and defending claims arising out of a motor vehicle collision, a slip and fall accident, or a long-term disability claim. As part of the course, students participate in litigation events.

Reinforcing this focus on experiential learning is Osgoode’s motto “Justice Through Law” and the school’s historic commitment to social justice, notes Scott. “We’ve long been attentive to the deficits in society in terms of terms of law’s impacts on powerless individuals,” he says. “Many of our clinics focus on the underserved. We have a robust partnership with legal aid clinics.”

He points most specifically to the Parkdale Community Legal Services (PCLS) clinic, established in 1971 as the first community-based legal aid clinic in Ontario. It offers clinical opportunities for the largest number of Osgoode students.

PCLS embraces a model of community lawyering that integrates strategies designed to redress individual legal problems with those designed to facilitate broader systemic reform. The systemic work of the clinic takes many forms. Some of these forms include public legal education, community development, coalition building, community organizing, media strategizing and law reform. PCLS works with community members to identify issues and challenges that are facing them and to develop strategies to address these issues.

Scott, himself, is the director of a clinical program, the International and Transnational Law Intensive Program (ITLIP). The ITLIP places students with a variety of partner organizations while they simultaneously engage in parallel academic work. Each year, the program’s 15 students work with Canadian law firms and non-governmental organizations that are leaders in transnational human rights lawyering and advocacy. They can also work with international organizations such as the United Nations’ International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, addressing legal issues of an international or transnational nature. Currently, three students in the program are working on litigation regarding Iran’s 2020 downing of Ukrainian Air Flight 752 with three separate partner organizations.

Del Col agrees that clinical experience with its blend of theory and practice is valuable. “It’s an opportunity to work in-depth on one topic from both an academic and experiential standpoint,” she said. “It’s a chance to see legal work in action.”

In addition to clinical work, law students can also apply for mooting opportunities. Through these opportunities, students get a taste of litigation and related legal skills by participating in various simulations and competitions. Osgoode’s mooting and lawyering skills program offers students the opportunity to test their hands in a variety of advocacy-based activities. These activities could range from traditional appellate moot court competitions to trial advocacy, arbitration, mediation and negotiation competitions.

Osgoode students in the Juris Doctor program are also required to complete 40 hours of public interest work before graduating. They then complete a paper reflecting on the experiences or they can participate in a moderated discussion group with fellow students.

Finally, says Scott, York University is one of the leaders in Canada when it comes to legal experiential education.

“Given the sheer number of clinics we run (17), the range of topics they address and the high percentage of students who experience them. When you do something valuable and recognizable, it is important to continue being seen as a leader; we want to continue to be known for it,” notes Scott.

No matter which EE opportunities an Osgoode student participates in, the experience is valuable, Del Col says. “Just getting hands-on experience, an opportunity to put theory to practice, is very valuable.

“It’s one thing to read about a criminal, business, or Indigenous rights case, but seeing these areas of law in action helps round out a student’s education and will benefit them down the road,” she adds.

Investor Protection Clinic at York University blazes trail in Canada

Osgoode Investor protection clinic

By Elaine Smith

Poonam Puri
Poonam Puri

Investors who fear they have been scammed by fraudsters or given negligent financial advice by registered advisors but can’t afford expensive legal representation now have somewhere to turn. The Investor Protection Clinic at Osgoode Hall Law School, established in 2017 by Professor Poonam Puri, is the first of its kind. The clinic arose out of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grant, which provided funding for critical research, including an academic conference on investor protection and recovery that brought together experts from Canada and around the world.

“Investor recovery is a big challenge in Canada, especially if you can’t afford legal counsel,” says Puri, a leading expert in business law, corporate governance, and capital markets standards and regulation. “It’s particularly acute these days because fewer people have defined benefit pension plans, and so they have to save on their own for retirement. Often, they turn to investing to help build their nest eggs. If things go wrong, however, average people face a complex legal system and often cannot afford to hire legal counsel.”

Faced with this community need, and given her position as a professor at York’s esteemed law school, Puri decided to act. She also saw a chance to expand the University’s experiential education offerings to law students. “I’m always looking for ways to enrich the student experience at York – and this was no different,” says Puri.

During her 25 years at York University, Puri has had an incredible impact, is at the leading edge of pedagogy and is focused on advancing the University’s teaching mission. In addition to the clinic, she is also the founder and director of the master’s degree in business law. She constantly promotes lifelong learning among lawyers, regulators and business professionals. Puri is known for her passion for mentorship, groundbreaking research, innovative teaching and sustained impact.

The clinic she heads is staffed by 12 to 15 law students each year who look after dozens of intake analyses a year. The number of supervising law firms involved has grown from six to 13. Through 2021, 70 per cent of clients have had little or no income and many were vulnerable seniors.

“The clinic provides students the opportunity to experience law in action,” Puri says. “Students work with real people who have suffered significant harm. Every week, the students combine what they’re seeing on the ground with critical scholarly readings, and they’re able to reflect on how the system impacts regular people. Students take a critical view of the law, and they then take those perspectives with them even after graduation.”

One of the clinic’s recent successes, for example, involved helping a single mother in her mid-40s whose longtime adviser and friend withdrew funds from her investment accounts without her consent. She sought the clinic’s help in fighting the fraud. The clinic represented her in intense negotiations with the firm and the clinic was successful in getting her money back. Most recently, the clinic has been dealing with an influx of fraud cases in cryptocurrency.

Mo Bakri
Mo Bakri

Second-year law student Mo Bakri appreciates this kind of experiential learning.

“This is the first time I’m getting to work directly with clients in the legal realm,” Bakri says. “I am learning to communicate and work sympathetically with people who have experienced hardship and financial loss while assessing what I can do to realistically help them from a legal perspective. These skills will serve me greatly in my legal career.”

Bakri also enjoys dealing with the supervising lawyers and his fellow clinic staff/students.

“I like engaging with the work and then presenting and defending my analysis of the case in front of others,” he says. “I also like the practice aspect: the fast pace and the opportunity to deal with different situations and figure out the answers while working with people with different perspectives.”

Becoming a member of the clinic’s legal team is very competitive; Puri always receives more applications than there are spaces. In selecting students, she is committed to inclusive excellence. Each year’s cohort has students from a range of experiences and backgrounds.

The students work in pairs for intake meetings and the entire class meets weekly to discuss all potential cases to see if the clinic can be of assistance. Along the way, the students learn about the various regulatory agencies and they learn to draft clear and compelling legal documents and negotiate fair settlements for clients.

Sean Campbell, a partner at Tyr LLP, a Toronto law firm, has been working as a supervising lawyer with the clinic for three years and believes the clinic is extremely valuable.

“The clinic provides access to justice,” Campbell says. “It’s so expensive to hire a lawyer to find out your rights. This is a free clinic where you can reach out to very competent, budding young lawyers for advice and aid. I also think it’s important to give students the practice skills that they don’t get enough of in class. They learn to ask the right questions, sort through information and put a legal framework around it to see if there are avenues they can pursue for redress.”

He enjoys being a mentor to “bright, enthusiastic people” and is happy to give back to the profession.

“They teach me things, too,” Campbell says. “It’s not always a one-way street.”

Campbell lauds Puri for her initiative in creating the Investor Protection Clinic, and both of them would like to see more law schools follow suit.

“It’s remarkable that a clinic like this didn’t exist in Canada before; it allows clients to sort out their options without spending a lot of money,” says Campbell.

It’s a need that cried out to be filled, and York University’s diverse and talented law students have stepped in. Puri is immensely proud of the clinic’s students and humbled by the support that the clinic has received in the broader community.

Experiential Education (EE) Celebration Event for faculty, Feb. 24

A person is using a computer

The 2022 EE Faculty Celebration will highlight diverse examples of classroom-focused, community-focused and work-focused experiential education (EE) and how faculty members have engaged employer and community partners in facilitating innovative EE opportunities.

This event is focused primarily for York University faculty and staff who are engaged with and interested in experiential education. The event follows the student-focused EE Symposium that took place on Feb. 2. The EE Faculty Celebration event will provide a chance for participants to network with other faculty members who have developed and facilitated experiential education opportunities for their students. The EE Faculty Celebration event takes place Feb. 24 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and will be presented over Zoom.

Register online online by Tuesday, Feb. 22 to join this worthwhile opportunity to share and learn more about the variety of ways experiential education can be integrated into courses through stories of examples, lessons learned, and important campus resources available. 

York Capstone Network partnership with BHER expands opportunities for students

Cross Campus Capstone Classroom FEATURED image for new YFile

The partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) provides more experiential learning (EE) opportunities that give students hands-on experience and help develop skills that enable them to create impact and drive positive change.

By Elaine Smith 

Danielle Robinson
Danielle Robinson

A York University partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) will make it “easier for the Project Commons to help professors infuse real-world learning into our classes,” said Danielle Robinson, associate professor of dance in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) and co-founder of its parent organization, the York Capstone Network.  

Late last term, BHER announced 21 new partnerships with post-secondary institutions and industry leaders to engage students in work-integrated learning (WIL) – also known as experiential education (EE) – across Canada with support from the federal government and RBC Future Launch. These partnerships are expected to create nearly 16,000 new WIL experiences for students over the course of the current academic year.

“These are the initiatives that ensure the University will meet several key priorities outlined in our University Academic Plan,” said Provost and Vice-President Lisa Philipps. “By working in partnership with organizations that give our students hands-on experience, they will develop skills that enable them to create impact and drive positive change.”

“This collaborative work between the Business + Higher Education Roundtable and all its partners will lead to new and innovative ways to help post-secondary institutions and employers create quality opportunities for students across Canada,” said the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, federal minister of innovation, science and industry, in the official news release. 

“At a time when we are facing a convergence of increasingly urgent global issues – climate change, racism, political polarization, poverty and inequality – this partnership with the Business + Higher Education Roundtable to increase experiential learning opportunities focused on addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could not be timelier,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “By providing new opportunities for our students to gain hands-on experience in advancing the SDGs, we are not only helping them to develop their teamwork, critical problem-solving, and communication skills but creating a more resilient, just and sustainable future for us all.”

Franz Newland
Franz Newland

The Project Commons will be the beneficiary of this new York partnership. It was launched in 2019 by the York Capstone Network to provide students across our campuses with challenging, real-world projects that allow them to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their university careers. Franz Newland, an associate professor at the Lassonde School of Engineering, co-founded the network with Robinson. 

“Having a partnership with BHER gives us the resources to support our sustainable, community-focused project bank as a plug-and-play EE resource for faculty across York campuses to engage in work-integrated learning opportunities with engaged community partners and organizations,” said Newland. 

With assistance from staff in the YU Experience Hub, the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS) Experiential Education area and Lassonde, they have made connections with a wide assortment of organizations, businesses, and even cities and schools that are eager to work together with York students in solving complex challenges. Many of these projects – which are directly tied to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) – have been taken up by various capstone courses, but they are now available to faculty for use in any of their classes. 

“The Project Commons has lived at York on a small scale since 2019, but hasn’t been able to reach its full potential until now,” said Robinson. “We have been waiting for just this kind of funding opportunity to see how much it could be scaled across campus.”

The BHER partnership funding will provide for a co-ordinator to lead the program, an opportunity to redo the Project Commons website, and the means to showcase its offerings at a pan-University showcase on April 29.  

“We’ll be able to spread the reach of the Project Commons even wider and amplify its impact,” said Robinson. “The partnership will make it easier for faculty to infuse real-world learning into classes and thus make their teaching more fulfilling and effective. As we all know, experiential education leads to deeper student learning, more student satisfaction and better career prospects.” 

Classes from diverse Faculties are already taking advantage of Project Commons offerings, including the Schulich School of Business, Glendon College, the LA&PS and Lassonde. 

The Project Commons is currently based at the YU Experience Hub, allowing faculty and staff easy access to its EE opportunities, along with others curated by the hub.

“The more EE opportunities that York is able to provide, the better for our students,” said Professor Will Gage, York’s associate vice-president, teaching and learning. “This partnership is another step toward establishing York University as a nexus for experiential education.”  

Valerie Walker, PhD, chief executive officer of BHER, said, “We are thrilled to help employers and students connect and develop innovative solutions for the evolving skills and talent challenges of Canada’s economy.” 

The announcement of this initiative was made on Nov. 25. To learn more about the Project Commons, check out its website and then email the York Capstone Network at ycn@yorku.ca. There’s also a prior YFile article on the Project Commons that is available here.

Experiential Education symposium showcases learning in action

Yfile featured image shows the EE symposium banner

This year’s Experiential Education (EE) Symposium will take place in a virtual format on Wednesday, Feb. 2. The event will feature the achievements of students and faculty who have taken part in EE activities over the past year.

One of the most enjoyable events of the academic year, York University’s annual EE Symposium offers a brilliant roster of presentations created by students who have been involved in an experiential learning activity during their undergraduate studies. The multimedia event showcases their learning through posters, podcasts and video submissions and offers insight into what students learned, the skills and knowledge they acquired and stories of how they will take these experiences into their future studies and career plans.

The student presentations will showcase the classroom, community and work-focused EE activities and participants in the symposium will have an opportunity to engage with the student presenters through an interactive question-and-answer session. The symposium will also include a panel discussion on EE that features the perspectives of students, faculty and a community partner and will highlight the many different ways that experiential learning can be facilitated in post-secondary education. Panellists will speak to the benefits that EE can have for students, faculty and community partners.

The student presentations will be available to explore on the EE symposium website.

There are spots still available for students, faculty and staff and for interested community partners. Registration is open until the end of the day on Jan. 31. To register, visit https://www.yorku.ca/eesymposium/registration/.

Year in Review 2021: Top headlines at York University, January to April

A journal cover that says 2021

As a new year emerges, YFile takes a look back on 2021 to share with readers a snapshot of the year’s highlights. “Year in Review” will run as a three-part series and will feature a selection of top news stories published in YFile. Here are the stories and highlights for January to April, as chosen by YFile editors.

January

York University, Mackenzie Health launch innovative health collaboration in York Region
York University joined forces with Mackenzie Health in an innovative new community-focused health collaboration that will aim to enhance health services, training of highly qualified personnel, research and innovation and healthier outcomes for York Region residents, and beyond.

York University launches new international Indigenous Student Exchange Program with virtual pilot
The exchange program is funded by the federal government-sponsored Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program. Ten Indigenous students at York University joined Indigenous students from partner universities worldwide to participate in a series of facilitated online workshops on a variety of themes.

Image shows two people talking over video chat
As a succession of government and public health measures and guidelines came into effect, the Emergency Management Team met regularly over evenings and weekends to plan and implement changes

Recognizing hard work and dedication in York University’s 2020 COVID-19 Emergency Management Team
As the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly impacted all aspects of daily life in 2020, York University moved quickly to assemble an emergency team that would prove instrumental in its ability to respond to the crisis. Throughout the pandemic, the emergency team managed preparedness and response efforts, working evenings, weekends to mobilize efforts to protect University community members.

Dahdaleh Institute research on improving water safety in humanitarian operations published in leading journal
Groundbreaking new research from York University’s Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research providing recommendations to improve the safety of household water supplies in refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps was published in Water Research, the leading water science and engineering journal.

February

Faculty member Mark Terry’s documentary film was recognized during the UN SGD 2020 Action Awards

Youth Climate Report, documentary film project led by York faculty member Mark Terry, recognized with UN SDG Action Award
The Youth Climate Report, a documentary film project led by Mark Terry – explorer, award-winning filmmaker and contract faculty member and course director at York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change – earned an Honourable Mention from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2020 Action Awards.

York University announces new Postdoctoral Program for Black and Indigenous Scholars
York University launched a new Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for Black and Indigenous Scholars, as part of a wider commitment to promoting justice and embracing a variety of scholarly perspectives, backgrounds and lived experiences.

Lassonde’s K2I Academy launches Helen Carswell STEAM Program for Black and Indigenous Youth
The K2I Academy welcomed 25 Black and Indigenous students from the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) to participate in a 14-week paid research program. The high school students worked on research projects related to engineering, computer science, earth science and/or atmospheric science under the guidance of undergraduate research assistant mentors, supervised by Lassonde faculty.

Compelling content across communication platforms earns York Communications & Public Affairs eight awards
York University creates content that matters and earned eight prestigious awards in recognition of the high-quality work produced by Communications & Public Affairs (C&PA).

March

Charles Hopkins
York’s UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, Professor Charles Hopkins

York named founding partner of new global UNESCO network on education for sustainable development
York University announced it is one of six founding partners of a global UNESCO network on Education for Sustainable Development led by Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany.

Researchers at York University receive $9 million in Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) funding
Three major research projects at York University received more than $9 million in research infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more than $518 million in research infrastructure funding on March 3 supporting 102 projects at 35 post-secondary institutions and research hospitals across the country.

Celebrating experiential education’s pandemic successes
Experiential education was the star of two celebratory events held at York University. Both events showcased how students and faculty have been able to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep experiential education thriving during a year of teaching and learning remotely.

New Research & Innovation resource documents York’s unique contribution in fight against COVID-19
A vital resource created in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation is a comprehensive, ever-expanding and searchable list documenting COVID-19 research and expertise undertaken across York University.

April

York University Lions men's hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren and women's track and field athlete Monique Simon-Tucker were named York's top graduating student-athletes at the 53rd annual Varsity Athletics Banquet April 8, 2021
York University Lions men’s hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren and women’s track and field athlete Monique Simon-Tucker were named York’s top graduating student-athletes at the 53rd annual Varsity Athletics Banquet April 8, 2021

Three student-athletes nominated for York’s Heart of a Lion award
Three York University Lions student-athletes have been nominated for York’s Charles Saundercook Memorial Trophy: men’s hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren, women’s track and field athlete Simone Da Silva and women’s hockey player Kelsey McHolm. Four student-athletes also received the 2021 Lions Legacy awards: men’s hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren, women’s hockey standout Lauren Dubie, women’s soccer player Teni Odetoyinbo and track and field athlete Monique Simon-Tucker.

York University researchers leading national infectious disease modelling efforts
Researchers in York University’s Faculty of Science were awarded federal government funding to lead national disease modelling efforts that will help us better predict, prevent and respond to emerging infectious disease.

New student-driven initiative offers a hub for students to take action on the SDGs
The SDG Student Hub was launched in fall 2020 as part of the partnership between York and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to bring world-class initiatives in sustainable development to its communities. The SDSN works with universities and other knowledge centers to help them activate sustainable development initiatives through knowledge mobilization; problem-solve partnerships with governments, business and civil society; and encourage local social entrepreneurship.

Check back in the next edition of YFile for Year in Review 2021: Top headlines at York University, May to August.

Reminder: Go Global SDGs in Action Student Challenge, call for faculty and student participants

SDG banner for the Go Global SDGs in Action program

York University’s Go Global SDGs in Action Student Challenge is seeking expressions of interest from faculty and students for an international experiential learning initiative focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Funded by the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program Global Skills Opportunity (GSO), York University’s Go Global SDGs in Action Student Challenge aims to empower York students and their peers around the world to take action towards the achievement of the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a global lens. Through facilitated discussions, workshops and immersive opportunities taking place abroad, York students and their peers will develop global competencies, leadership, digital fluency and project management skills necessary to take action on SDGs. By participating in the program, students will learn and experience the opportunities and challenges in leading community action for social change.

Organizers of this initiative are looking to engage with faculty members who have expertise and interest in the SDGs who would be interested in mentoring, providing advice and support to student project teams participating in the SDGs in Action Student Challenge. To learn more, download a PDF of the full Call for Faculty and SDG experts.

Faculty interested in participating in this unique international and experiential learning initiative should send a confirmation of interest as a faculty mentor/SDG expert by no later than Nov. 30, to Helen Balderama, associate director, International Partnerships and Programs, York International, by email at helencb@yorku.ca and copy Marierose Talla, global learning coordinator, York international, by email at rtalla@yorku.ca.

York students are encouraged to apply to participate in this initiative to create local and global impact. By participating in the SDGs in Action Student Challenge, students can grow their knowledge about the SDGs and other important global skills such as intercultural communication, leadership, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, digital fluency and project management skills through workshops. Students can lead their own action projects that contribute to the SDGs with the mentorship from York University, partner faculties, global experts and in collaboration with other student peers from around the world.

Up to $8,000 is available to support study, research or work in the communities/locations that will benefit from an SDG project (funding is available to current York University students only and will depend on duration, location of study, work or research abroad, which will be configured to best fit a student’s degree path and objectives). To learn more, download a PDF of the full Call for Student Participation. Students can apply by visiting https://yorku.moveonca.com/form/618928e2523d487d307c32f2/eng#.

To learn more, visit the Go Global SDGs in Action Student Challenge website.