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.

‘UNHack’ to build Sustainable Development Goals into experiential learning

Image shows a hand holding a pine cone against a lush backdrop of greenery

Each year more than 300 students from across York University engage in an intensive experiential learning event called UNHack, which is focused on helping students understand the creative problem-solving process. This year, UNHack will take place Nov. 19 to 21 and will be offered as a virtual event.

Focused on the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNHack offers an interesting and empowering experiential learning activity. This year, UNHack is organized by the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) in conjunction with the York University Sustainability Office and its SDG Student Hub initiative. Joining UNHack as new partners are leaders from the School of Nursing’s Nursing Student Tutoring, Ambassadorship and Mentorship Programs.

UNHack organizers are calling on faculty across York University to direct their students to this powerful virtual experiential education event. UNHack is different from most hackathons in two ways: the “UN” comes from the United Nations, and the “hack” from hackathon, which focuses attention on local problems that are linked to the the UN’s 17 SDGs. Addressing global problems at the local level helps students recognize that they can have an impact and make a difference to critical problems that the world needs to address. UNHack is not a traditional hackathon focused on coding; this event promotes a full range of technical and creative solutions aligned around identifying the critical problem and then developing creative solutions to that problem (not the ability to develop code or software). Final prototypes of solutions are informed by the diverse minds and lenses applied to the issue, resulting in creative outputs that could encompass drawing, creating a model or other visuals, rather than technology.   

Challenges in UNHack can either be developed by students or selected from those offered by York University or industry partners. In previous years, participants in UNHack have developed a system to facilitate reusable food containers, a campus-based rideshare platform, apps to help improve mental health and innovative ways to reduce paper use in posters on campus. Many of these solutions are currently in the early stages of being deployed at York University.  

To learn more, visit the UNHack web page or contact Maedeh Sedaghat, BEST program officer, by email at maedeh.sedaghat@lassonde.yorku.ca .   

Experiential Education Symposium committee seeks student presenters

Yfile featured image shows the EE symposium banner

The Experiential Education (EE) Symposium committee is looking for enthusiastic students to share their #EEStory at the fourth annual Experiential Education Symposium taking place Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022.

The EE Symposium showcases experiential education at York University and celebrates the achievements of students and faculty who have participated in EE. Students interested in participating in the symposium will have an opportunity to create either a poster, video or podcast to showcase their experiential education adventure. Workshops and training materials will be provided to successful applicants, and a roadmap will be given for what to expect from the event.

Students who apply and are successful will automatically enter a draw to win a $100 YU-card. They will also gain valuable skills, including how to present in a professional setting, and can showcase their experience to the York community.

How faculty members can get involved:

• by referring students who have participated in an EE course to apply to the EE Symposium;
• by attending the EE Symposium on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, and cheering on student presenters;
• by inviting other community partner connections to attend and see what York students are up to; and
• by attending the EE Symposium to learn how EE is supported across York University’s Faculties and to witness inspiring approaches to EE.

For more information, including details about participant eligibility, application criteria and the program for the day, visit the EE Symposium website or send an email to eesteam@yorku.ca.

Project Commons offers innovative way to add experiential learning to courses

A group of students sit around a table and discuss a project

Launched by the York Capstone Network, the Project Commons makes it possible for faculty members to easily infuse their courses with interdisciplinary projects that are already linked to on- and off-campus partners.

By Elaine Smith, special contributor

If you’re looking to add an experiential education (EE) component to any of your courses, look no further than the Project Commons, York University’s one-stop shop for “real world” projects that can be integrated into any York classroom.

“The Project Commons makes it possible for faculty members to easily infuse their courses with interdisciplinary projects that are already linked to on- and off-campus partners,” said Danielle Robinson, an associate professor of dance in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD).

Danielle Robinson
Danielle Robinson

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

With assistance from staff in the YU Experience Hub 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 students in solving complex problems. Many of these projects – which are directly tied to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) – have been taken up by capstone courses, but they are available to faculty for use in any of their classes.

“For faculty members, it’s plug-and-play experiential education,” said Robinson. “We have done the legwork of finding partners and projects that are already connected to UN SDGs. There are so many ways the projects can be used: as course assignments for a whole class, as team or individual projects, as year-long classroom activities.”

Franz Newland
Franz Newland

Carolyn Steele, who teaches in the Department of Humanities and is the career development co-ordinator in Career Education & Development, says Project Commons’ offerings are “invaluable.” Last year, her students in the humanities community-focused experiential education course Doing Culture chose to use five of the available curated projects. One project, for example, was done in conjunction with African Community Services of Peel and explored ways to engage Black communities by organizing and running a series of community conversations.

“The projects are posed as a question and students are invited to respond to part of it based on their skill sets and interests,” Steele said. “The projects can, therefore, play out in many different ways.

“When the students take on one of these projects, they meet with the partner, decide on the direction and deliverables they wish to take, and forge ahead. They own the process, and the skills and knowledge they acquired throughout their degrees are put forth in a new context. Many had no idea they could do these things, and they see that all their learning really matters.”

Michaela Hynie, a professor in the Department of Psychology, taught an honours thesis course option for community-based research. A group of her students worked with a Project Commons organization, the Markham Arts Council, to evaluate a seniors’ dance program – collecting data, making observations and providing the council with their findings. Each student was able to use this collaborative project experience as the basis of their individualized honours thesis.

“It was helpful to have this resource available,” said Hynie. “It aligned nicely with the course and the students benefited. They were able to apply their research skills in the real world, not just in an academic setting.”

“These efforts help organizations, too, giving them tools and ways of thinking about the impact of their work along with the data.”

Jeffrey Harris, an assistant professor in the teaching stream at the Lassonde School of Engineering, has accessed several of the opportunities offered by the Project Commons while working with the YU Experience Hub to source project experiences for students in his third-year class, Mechanical Engineering: Professionalism and Society.

“I’ve made the course project-focused so the students must work on a project with some kind of societal/social implication,” Harris said. “One of my goals is to get engineering students to think about how they can make contributions to the world and also develop empathy and communications skills.”

The Project Commons comes in very handy, said Harris, because “over time, I’ve learned that students need authentic projects to work on.”

Last year, his students worked with: startup YU Ride, using a commuting lens to consider how to reduce the University’s carbon footprint; Peel Community Climate Council, to determine ways that food waste can be reduced; and MaRS, to explore how laneway spaces in Toronto can be utilized better.

“It would be a huge effort to do the networking required to curate these partnerships year after year,” he said. “I’ll continue to use this resource. In fact, I’m thinking about how to engage with partners for a 500-person first-year class, because when students work on a project beyond the walls of the institution, it resonates a lot more.

“Project Commons makes it a lot easier to add experiential education to our existing courses.”

Steele says the Project Commons is “a phenomenal resource.”

“In many areas, the pressure to create projects fall on the professors, which means making connections; it can be daunting and time consuming. But you can take one of these projects, think about how it makes sense in your course and determine how it could meet the learning objectives of the course. There are more than 70 projects just sitting there waiting to be used.”

Faculty across York’s campuses are invited to explore the EE options that Project Commons provides.

York team helps local school realize its vision for a youth park

youth park
Teresa Abbruzzese
Teresa Abbruzzese

A small team from the Urban Studies program in York University’s Department of Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, has volunteered their time to help a local Grade 7 class realize their dream of creating a park specifically designed for youth aged 12 to 18.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parks have become more beneficial than ever, providing a safe place for children to hang out and have fun. Not all parks are meant for all ages, though, which is a topic that was explored this year by the Grade 7 class at Summitview Public School in Stouffville, Ont.

Led by York alumna Connie Calvert, the library, arts and digital learning lead at Summitview, the Grade 7 students reflected on their experiences in parks and came to the conclusion that there weren’t any that felt acceptable for youth to be in without judgement from other park goers. Thus began their assignment to design a park specifically for youth – and that’s where the assistance from a team of York urban studies experts came in, guiding Calvert and her class to bring their vision to life.

Mark Antoine
Mark Antoine

The team includes: Assistant Professor Teresa Abbruzzese, who has a background in critical urban and social theory; Mark Antoine, a sessional instructor and Urban Studies program alumni, who is a senior development planner for the City of Vaughan; and Monica Dolmanyos, who just graduated from the Urban Studies program, and used this project to complete her placement hours for Abbruzzese’s “The Urban Professional” course, gaining first-hand experience with city planning.

Antoine taught the Summitview students to write planning reports, rationales and other formal documents, while Dolmanyos taught them how to lead focus groups, collect data and present it in an effective manner.

The students’ extensive research and planning showcased how this park would benefit the community through its upscale design targeted at youth, including swings, chess tables and parkour structures, to name a few of its many unique features. Focus group data from participants within Summitview and other schools revealed strong interest in the park, with feedback suggesting it be located on the bike trail and use eco-friendly lighting sources.

Monica Dolmanyos
Monica Dolmanyos

Although the location and name of the park have not yet been decided, a successful presentation to the Stouffville City Council on June 15 resulted in Summitview’s proposal being sent to the town planning department for further consideration. The project is now moving forward to next steps.

Abbruzzese commends the students for their incredible work, initiative and dedication to developing their proposal. “They are such an inspiring group to work with and we are particularly thankful for Connie Calvert, who is also an alumna of York University, for reaching out to us.”

Dolmanyos will continue to work with this team as she begins her master’s in information studies at the University of Toronto. As a new alumna of York, she says she “appreciates the creative synergies and community partnerships that can be created when York University alumni stay connected.”

If all continues to go well, Summitview’s Grade 7 class will get to see their youth park vision through to completion. And, with any luck, this experience has inspired them to consider pursuing a degree in urban studies at York when the time comes.

York University hosts 2021 virtual STEM Entrepreneurship Experience

Twenty high-school students from across Canada gathered virtually last week for the 2021 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Entrepreneurship Experience hosted by York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering. Delivered by the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (BEST) program, the four-day intensive experience was designed to help engineering and science students develop business skills and entrepreneurial mindsets to help them understand what it takes to launch a startup enterprise.

STEM Entrepreneurial Experience
Twenty high-school students from across Canada participated in the 2021 virtual STEM Entrepreneurship Experience hosted by the Lassonde School of Engineering

Held via web conference from Aug. 17 to 20, the experience allowed participating students to meet online with fellow entrepreneurs, network with former BEST graduates and experience the process of transforming their science projects into viable businesses, supported by BEST faculty and resources at York and the Lassonde.

“It has been so rewarding to see our innovators ramp up their aspirations to use their innovations to address important issues,” says Associate Professor Andrew Maxwell, director of the BEST program and Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship at Lassonde. “The experience helps young innovators gain new skills as they develop their ideas through a structured learning journey, benefiting from experienced mentors and access to entrepreneurial tools that help them grow as entrepreneurs while increasing the likelihood of establishing a successful venture.”

Fifteen of the 20 participants were awarded a scholarship to the program through the first virtual Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF) held May 17 to 21. Winners were selected based on the their entrepreneurial spirit and their CWSF project’s potential for commercial viability. The remaining five participants were incoming and current York students who were selected by the University.

“The BEST program at Lassonde School of Engineering is one of the most innovative and practical STEM initiatives in the country,” says Reni Barlow, executive director at Youth Science Canada, which puts on the annual CWSF. “Exploring STEM through projects is one thing – bringing them to market is quite another. Our country desperately needs this type of program to help youth develop the competencies and confidence they need to determine the commercial viability of their projects and bring them to market effectively and efficiently. STEM exploration and innovation is at its best when it leads to a tangible impact on the lives of people.”

About the STEM Entrepreneurship Experience

Youth Science Canada and Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology in conjunction with Lassonde’s K2I Academy, offer Canada’s top young innovators an opportunity to develop their science projects into a viable business. The experiential learning approach helps participants learn both the creative problem-solving skills they will need for future career success and how they might personally contribute to generating Canada’s next high-growth technology ventures. For more information, visit bestlassonde.ca.

About Youth Science Canada

Youth Science Canada (YSC) fuels the curiosity of Canadian youth through STEM projects. A registered charity incorporated in 1962, YSC delivers on its mission through national programs such as mySTEMspace, the National STEM Fair Network, Canada-Wide Science Fair, STEM Expo, Team Canada representation at international youth STEM competitions and events, and Smarter Science professional development for teachers. Through these programs, YSC provides direct support to the more than 500,000 students who do STEM projects in any given year. For more information, visit youthscience.ca.

LA&PS improves access to experiential education with new database

LA&PS new internship program
LA&PS new internship program

The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) has launched a new work-integrated learning (WIL) database that will improve access to experiential education opportunities for its students.

WIL is a process of curricular experiential education which formally and intentionally integrates a student’s academic studies within a workplace or practice setting, ranging from capstone courses with external partners, to part-time placements for academic credit, to full-time paid internships/co-op programs. This database highlights courses that meet the definition of WIL set out by Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL).

A female leaning over and typing on a laptop
The database allows students to search for WIL opportunities available to them by academic department or school.

The database allows students to search for WIL opportunities available to them by academic department or school. Some WIL experiences – such as placement courses and practicums – are unique to specific academic programs. Others – such as the LA&PS Internship Program, the Work Study Program and the Cross Campus Capstone Classroom – are available to eligible students in any academic discipline.

“We are excited to offer this streamlined service to students because work-integrated learning experiences can enhance a student’s education and help connect academic knowledge with workplace skills,” Associate Dean, Programs, Sean Kheraj said. “There are so many great WIL opportunities available to LA&PS students and we want as many students as possible to take advantage of all the ways that they can get work experience while they learn.”

Melanie Belore, associate director, experiential education, said that traditionally, work-integrated learning has found a more natural home in the Faculty’s professional programs; however, after working closely with employer partners and students over the years it is evident that some of the skills most sought after in the workplace – critical thinking, cross-cultural communication, creativity, flexibility – are being cultivated in the Faculty’s liberal arts programs.

“I believe that creating more intentional pathways into diverse career paths, especially for our liberal arts students, is critical not only for program recruitment and retention, but because the world today desperately needs liberal arts thinkers across all sectors,” Belore said.

The database will create more visibility for students seeking experiential education opportunities within LA&PS programming.

“We hope that the WIL database will help students become familiar with the different types of opportunities that can help prepare them for post-graduation early on in their studies, so they have ample time to prepare for their upper years,” Experiential Education Coordinator, Irene Seo, said.

Seo encourages prospective, new and current students to use the WIL database to:

  • view WIL courses and opportunities that are available in each department/school
  • learn more about WIL and customize how to gain work experience prior to graduation
  • plan out academic pathways by checking WIL prerequisites early
  • search for both curricular and co-curricular WIL opportunities
  • read student testimonials (not available for all opportunities yet).

For faculty members and program directors who have work-integrated learning courses that they would like included in the WIL database, contact eelaps@yorku.ca.

Faculty members curious about creating a work-integrated learning course within their program can find more details on the LA&PS Experiential Education Development Fund (stream 3) webpage.

The show must go on: How York theatre students helped adapt a local high-school musical for pandemic times

Out of Sync poster

A year-end musical theatre production can be as important to the heart and soul of a high school as its season-opening football game or senior prom. So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit last year and began robbing students of some of their most formative experiences, drama educators scrambled to keep the curtains from closing.

Marlis Schweitzer
Marlis Schweitzer

Karen O’Meara, department head of dramatic arts at Richmond Green Secondary School in Richmond Hill, Ont., was one such teacher. Determined to forge ahead with her combined Grade 11 and 12 musical theatre production, she reached out to Marlis Schweitzer, professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre in York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, whom she had been collaborating with on workshops for drama teachers. They both decided that this was the perfect opportunity to combine forces in a new way.

“At the time,” explains O’Meara, “I was putting on a production, which I then had to translate into an online production. What ended up resulting from that conversation was a number of York theatre students saying, ‘Hey, we don’t have anything to do. It’s the pandemic and everything is locked down; we would love to help with your show.’ So those were the initial seeds of this project.”

Karen O'Meara
Karen O’Meara

With the help of those enthusiastic student volunteers, Richmond Green presented its first online production in spring 2020 – and it was a huge success. Heading into the next pandemic-impacted school year, Schweitzer decided to take the project one step further by officially incorporating it into York’s theatre curriculum as a for-credit experiential education offering called the Independent Production Practicum.

The course kicked off in January of this year and the seven enrolled students – Isabella Liscio, Megan Keatings, Hannah Smith, Rachel D’Arpino, Dave Harack, Laura Nigro and Joshua Kilimnik – jumped right into planning mode, joining O’Meara for a two-hour meeting on Zoom every Monday night. When the high-school semester began the following month, the York students took the high schoolers through a series of theatre workshops, which O’Meara says “set the bar high for the students and gave them a fantastic foundation to continue with creative exploration.”

Through breakout rooms on their weekly Zoom calls, the York students went on to provide mentorship in areas where they had passion and interest. There were rooms for choreography, vocals, directing, producing and script-writing, to name a few. They attended the high-school classes whenever they could, and provided leadership within the classroom setting – running scenes and coaching students on various aspects of the show. Their contributions did not go unnoticed.

Isabella Liscio
Isabella Liscio

“The York students were outstanding,” says O’Meara. “They had so much genuine enthusiasm for what our students were doing. They were always willing to offer their expertise, make suggestions and provide great feedback.”

One of the York theatre students, Liscio, who just finished her third year specializing in performance creation and research, started working with O’Meara in May 2020 as a volunteer to get classroom hours for her teachers college application. She has now helped Richmond Green put on three productions. “This experience has meant so much,” she says. “I want to be a drama teacher and I didn’t have much experience working with high-school students before. I got to learn and explore with them what this genre of online theatre is and work with them in the areas of acting, directing, marketing and production.”

Rachel D'Arpino
Rachel D’Arpino

Another third-year student, D’Arpino, who is majoring in performing arts and concurrent education, originally applied for the course thinking it was a volunteer opportunity that would serve her well as she pursues a future as a high-school drama teacher. She was thrilled to discover that it had become a for-credit course and she hopes to continue her involvement with the school. “Karen wants our opinion, asks us to help and gets everyone involved,” she says. “The kids are so immersed in everything, learning it all and putting it together from scratch. It has been such an amazing opportunity to give input and watch the whole experience come to life.”

Like the others, Harack, who will be heading into his third year of York’s theatre production program in the fall, plans to attend teachers college post-graduation. He knows this experience with Richmond Green will help him thrive in that setting and in the industry at large. “Seeing the students take the lead has been really awesome,” he says. “To see them progress from an idea to filming scenes and then editing, it was a really rewarding experience.”

Putting on a large-scale production during pandemic times certainly had its challenges, though, requiring the students to adapt on the fly to the ever-changing restrictions. “We knew we were only going to get a very short time together in person and we had to take advantage of every minute,” says O’Meara. “Our biggest learning was that if you want to produce work virtually, you have to be very organized, have a solid plan and be flexible to change.”

And change they did. The 28-person high-school class was expecting to have two in-person blocks for filming, but when everything was shut down after the first block, they had to go back to the drawing board and rewrite the script accordingly. “But because we had such a good plan at the start and a very good scene-by-scene vision, that really helped guide us when we had to make a change,” says O’Meara.

Out of Sync poster
Student-designed promotional poster for the “Out of Sync” production

The end result was “Out of Sync,” a completely student-written musical that went live on the evening of June 23 via Zoom, of course. The show was about four high schools – one private, one public, one arts-focused and one sports-focused – competing against each other in a lip-sync battle. As the rival schools went from cut-throat saboteurs to considerate allies, the show left its audience with the feel-good takeaway that music has the power to unite people from all walks of life.

Understandably, signs of the pandemic were everywhere in the production – students in masks, physical distancing, scenes filmed in students’ homes, in parks, on Zoom and some spliced together to make it appear that the cast was in the same place when in reality they were not. And perhaps that was part of the show’s charm, serving as a sort of time capsule for the strange and surreal year that was.

No one yet knows what the next school year has in store, but one thing is certain: the educational experience gained from putting on this production in such turbulent times will have a lasting impact for all involved.

“I’m delighted that our students have had such an exciting opportunity to work closely with Ms. O’Meara and the students at Richmond Green on the development of a new musical,” says Schweitzer. “Through this collaboration, they’ve developed leadership and teaching skills that will enhance their careers, whether they decide to go on to become high-school drama teachers themselves or pursue other creative avenues. I look forward to seeing this kind of partnership grow in the future.”

By Lindsay MacAdam, communications officer, YFile

Globally Networked Learning Virtual Journal Club: An extra-credit project going strong

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels

Are you interested in learning more about the many advantages of globally networked learning (GNL)? Why not consider joining a free GNL webinar on July 7, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. EDT? The webinar features an exciting GNL opportunity known as the Virtual Journal Club, presented by Assistant Professor Karen Bernhardt-Walther (teaching stream, economics). You can learn more about Bernhardt-Walther’s work using the Virtual Journal Club in the following story. At the webinar, you can also meet the York-GNL team and find out about available funding, supports and mentorship opportunities. Register here: yorku.zoom.us/j/98086572037?pwd=Q1g5YzU0VHoveHhRQmt3N2JvakhrQT09.

On a Thursday morning in January, a group of York University economics students are deeply engaged in discussing economic questions regarding trade, history and geography during their weekly Zoom session with fellow economics students at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich, under the guidance of professors Karen Bernhardt-Walther (York) and Matthias Lang (LMU).

Karen Bernhardt-Walther
Karen Bernhardt-Walther

The students’ discussions are based on readings they complete each week and are often a continuation of forum discussions online in Moodle. The topics vary but the students always scrutinize questions of real-world relevance using economic analysis: how to help children succeed; how to limit inequalities and ensure equal opportunities; and what managers in firms do and how that differs across countries.

This co-curricular Virtual Journal Club (VJC) is an example of globally networked learning at its best: an approach to teaching and learning that enables students and faculty based in different locations worldwide to participate and collaborate.

The VJC was initiated by Bernhardt-Walther, an assistant professor of economics in the teaching stream.

“More than ever, during the pandemic we need to reach out and connect internationally,” said Bernhardt-Walther. “There is a risk of lockdowns and travel restrictions narrowing our horizons. Yet, many of the problems we face are global, so building these connections is more important than ever.”

A longtime champion of improving undergraduate education, Bernhardt-Walther – who did her own undergraduate education in Germany – co-created this project to allow students to connect across continents and to give undergraduate economics students a better idea of what economics research and a career in the field might be like.

“Compared with other fields, such as chemistry or psychology, undergraduate students in economics rarely have a chance to experience economic research before they graduate,” explained Bernhardt-Walther. “This likely has a disproportionate impact on students with minority backgrounds who are underrepresented at the graduate level. Even if these students are strong academically, they lack the opportunity to find out that research and graduate studies might be a possibility for them. Without role models or other encouragement, many never consider it.”

Reaching out to her colleagues in Germany, Bernhardt-Walther quickly connected with Lang, who is an associate professor of economics at LMU.

“I was excited right away by this opportunity to connect and offer our students an international exchange experience when all in-person exchanges had been cancelled,” said Lang.

Together they applied for funding from the inaugural Initiative for Virtual Academic Collaboration (IVAC) call run by the German Foreign Exchange Service (DAAD). The York U-LMU Virtual Journal Club was one of five projects with Canadian institutions to receive funding

The funding from York’s GNL initiative and the DAAD-IVAC program – supported by the German Ministry for Research and Education – helped to pay for library subscriptions for eBooks and to hire teaching assistants at LMU. Together, Bernhardt-Walther and Lang created a reading list of books and research papers for the journal club seminar course.

“In the core curriculum, students learn all the standard micro- and macro-economic theories,” said Bernhardt-Walther. “That’s important; students need those foundations. But there is not enough time to showcase the breath of the applicability of economic models. In the VJC, we get to discuss some of those topics. It’s an exciting sampler of what’s out there for students to study in the wider economics universe.”

Recruiting participants, the professors were looking for students who would share their excitement for economics and who were interested in connecting with transatlantic peers. They admitted 10 applicants from each university who fit the bill.

Lang suggests the VJC may have hit a sweet spot, offering social interactions, economic discourse and an international exchange experience. “In the middle of the pandemic, many students felt like lone wolves,” said Lang. “When offered the opportunity to creatively engage in cross-cultural debates of economic questions with students from different countries and across two continents, our students jumped at the chance.”

Given LMU’s academic calendar, the GNL project began in October 2020 and finished at the end of March 2021. The weekly online sessions last 90 minutes. At the beginning of each session, students typically share something personal or cultural such as a favourite musician they enjoy listening to, what they might do on a rainy day or holiday traditions.

“We started this as an ice breaker in the first week to get students to talk,” explained Bernhardt-Walther. “We noticed how much it put students at ease as they discovered some differences and often similar preferences, so we kept the question and had fun with it.”

After the opening, students break into small groups to discuss the week’s topic and reading assignment: whether students are convinced by the arguments presented, why it was (or wasn’t) contentious, where else a similar argument could be applied, but also what worked well in the writing and what it contributed to the field. Each session ends with a wrap up, where Bernhardt-Walther shares a key takeaway message and directs the students to relate lessons learned to their own real-world observation.

Overall, the VJC is a great success.

“We’re getting amazing feedback. We have seen students leveraging their digital competencies into forming relationships across continents,” said Lang. “Pedagogically, it’s been terra nova for me – and very exciting.”

Both partners plan to repeat the VJC during the next academic year. They believe it will be attractive even after the pandemic ends.

“Globally networked learning is an equitable way for students to gain cross-cultural experience. It allows students to participate who might financially or otherwise be constrained to join an international exchange.” – Karen Bernhardt-Walther

Besides the co-curricular VJC, York supports eight other GNL-enhanced courses.

“Globally networked learning has a lot to offer,” said Helen Balderama, York International’s associate director, international partnerships and programs. “GNL collaborations can be single activity with students at a partner university, an entire course or anything in between. Both faculty members and students come away from the experience enriched.”

Balderama encourages interested faculty to contact the University’s GNL project team for additional information (yorkinternational.yorku.ca/gnl-contact).

This article is a collaboration involving Karen Bernhardt-Walther, Matthias Lang and Elaine Smith  

Lassonde welcomes undergraduate student researchers for Summer 2021 term

Bergeron Centre

In May, the Lassonde School of Engineering welcomed 62 undergraduate student researchers for the seventh annual Lassonde Undergraduate Research Awards (LURA) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Student Research Awards (NSERC USRA) programs.

John Moores Lassonde York U
John Moores

The students will be working on various research projects alongside Lassonde faculty members for the duration of the summer term. “For many of us, summer encounters with research can be the spark that ignites a lifelong passion for inquiry in engineering and science,” says Lassonde Professor John Moores, associate dean, Research and Graduate Studies. “Getting to experience how world-class research is actually done provides our students with a sense of accomplishment and the confidence that they, too, can make a contribution to advance knowledge and solve global problems.”

This year, the Lassonde School of Engineering awarded 17 NSERC USRA and 45 LURA, with each student receiving a minimum stipend of $10,000. Incoming students include representatives from programs across the Lassonde School of Engineering and York University as well as the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and McGill University.

The undergraduate summer research program focuses on providing undergraduate students with experience in a professional research environment and giving them a chance to take part in experiential education. In 2021, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, students have embarked on meaningful research experiences with the faculty members across all four departments. This year, students are conducting much of their work remotely, but some may be able to access campus facilities to conduct laboratory research, depending on regulations.

“Thanks to LURA, I had the opportunity to participate in research as an undergraduate student. This opportunity helped me see how curiosity, collaboration and creative problem-solving can be integral parts of the research process,” said Arma Khan, a student in the 2020 LURA program, now an MASc student in mechanical engineering with Professor Marina Freire-Gormaly. “It led me to appreciate the role researchers have in the scientific community and inspired me to pursue my master’s, where I can further delve into research.”

A virtual rendering of a conference facility
A virtual rendering of the 2020 Lassonde Undergraduate Summer Student Research Conference. The event took place entirely online

This year, professors have worked tirelessly to provide students with flexible opportunities for engagement and create research environments for students to hone their skills, solve problems, analyze data, write reports and disseminate their findings.

The research projects span across a variety of areas, many of which support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), including UN SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being; UN SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and UN SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Research projects include:

  • protecting heritage structures from climate and fire;
  • robot-based disinfection of COVID-19;
  • development of autonomous vehicles;
  • technology to ensure safety of drinking water; and
  • human-computer interaction in virtual environments

In August, each student will get the opportunity to present their findings at the 2021 Summer Undergraduate Conference taking place virtually on Aug. 17.

In 2020, the Summer Undergraduate Conference included live oral and pre-recorded video presentations from over 60 students, and a keynote address from Caroline Floyd (BSc ’01). Attendees included government officials, professors, industry experts and students.

Learn more about the program here.