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Upcoming lecture looks at practice of evidence-based hope

Two hands holding black heart

The late professor David V.J. Bell, former dean of York University’s Faculties of graduate studies and environmental studies, had a passion, commitment and dedication to sustainability and education that left a lasting imprint on policymakers, educators and youth across Canada and abroad.

David V.J. Bell
David V.J. Bell

Honouring his legacy, the Annual Dr. David V.J. Bell Memorial Lecture is intended to help bridge the gap between research and what is practised in educational institutions by identifying Canadian thought leaders to share their insights on education for sustainable development as it applies to policy, teacher education and practice, and student empowerment.  

This year, the Fifth Annual Dr. David V.J. Bell Memorial Lecture, hosted by national charity Learning for a Sustainable Future in partnership with York’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change, features keynote speaker Elin Kelsey presenting a talk titled “How to be hopeful in a world of doom: the practice of evidence-based hope.” The virtual lecture will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Elin Kelsey
Elin Kelsey

Kelsey is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Victoria School of Environmental Studies and Western Washington University’s School of Environment. She is also an award-winning author, speaker and thought leader for the evidence-based hope and climate justice solutions movement, helping people to believe that desired change is possible. Her work focuses on the reciprocal relationship between humans and the rest of nature, particularly in relation to the emotional implications of the narrative of environmental doom and gloom on children and adults

To register for the lecture, visit lsf-lst.ca/forms/dvj-lecture-registration. Details on how to join the session will follow.

For further information about the event, email elaine@LSF-LST.ca. To learn more about the keynote speaker, visit elinkelsey.org.

Timing is everything in sales conversations, study finds

Salesperson talking to woman in yellow shirt

New research from York University’s Schulich School of Business shows that when it comes to sales, service and marketing communications, it’s not just what you say that matters – but when you say it.

Grant Packard
Grant Packard

The findings are contained in the recently published article “When Language Matters” in the Journal of Consumer Research, co-written by Schulich marketing Professor Grant Packard and collaborators from the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in China and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

The researchers carried out a multi-method investigation, including analysis of thousands of moments across hundreds of service conversations at two sales firms, plus four separate experiments, to document the moment-to-moment dynamics between language and important marketing outcomes like customer satisfaction and purchases.

The researchers demonstrate their approach to identifying when language matters by looking at “warm” and “competent” language – which can be as subtle as the difference between a salesperson asking, “How are you today?” (warm) versus, “How may I assist you?”(competent). Conventional wisdom in marketing is that a warm approach leads customers to think employees are less competent, so competence should be prioritized throughout the customer interaction.

This new research shakes up this conventional wisdom. Customers were more satisfied – and spent more money – when employees used both warm and competent language but at separate, specific times. Specifically, customers were more satisfied when agents used warmer language at the beginning and end of conversations. Warmer language, it was found, can be costly during the middle of the conversation, when customers expect to “get down to business.” Competent language works the opposite way: it can be costly at the start and end but enhances customer satisfaction and purchases when emphasized in the conversation’s middle.

“Our research helps update beliefs about the ‘warmth-competence paradox,’ provides a method for determining when certain kinds of language matters and highlights ways to improve the customer experience,” explains Packard.

Managers and researchers who want to put these findings into practise using their own data can try out the free, automated language analysis tool developed by the research team, at WhenLanguageMatters.net.

“Our findings can help improve customer service, aid employee assessment and development, and fine-tune artificial intelligence chatbots’ effectiveness,” Packard says. “They can also more broadly be used to shed light on word-of-mouth, sales interactions and marketing communications.”

Researchers share findings that could lead to better cancer care

heart and stethoscope

One of the hallmark characteristics of many cancers is a debilitating body- and muscle-wasting condition called cachexia, which affects the way the body processes food and absorbs nutrients. New research from the Faculty of Health – overseen by Professor Olasunkanmi Adegoke and PhD student Stephen Mora ­– looks to better understand the syndrome by asking the question: why do cachectic patients have impaired ability to use nutrients?

Olasunkanmi (Ola) Adegoke
Olasunkanmi (Ola) Adegoke

Cachexia is caused by cancer itself (notably, the cancers of the lung, liver, pancreas, colon) and/or by treatment like chemotherapy. It results in significant weight loss, especially loss of muscle.

The condition’s associated body wasting is linked to poor food intake and loss of appetite, but even if patients do eat – introducing more nutrients and calories – the cachexia doesn’t go away. The condition not only can lead to poor quality of life for those affected but can impede effective treatment.

Adegoke and Mora’s research, published in the American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology, aimed to better understand the hows and whys of cachexia in the hopes of leading to improved treatment for cancer patients.

Stephen Mora
Stephen Mora

Their research project studied what happened to skeletal muscle cells, known as myotubes, treated with a clinically relevant chemotherapy drug cocktail. They noted profound atrophy of these cells. A link to poor levels of amino acid – the building blocks for body proteins and therefore the strengthening of muscles – in these cells led the researchers to add amino acids. There was no improvement.

In process, however, they did identify a protein whose abundance was drastically reduced in the muscle cells treated with the drugs. The function of this protein is to transport amino acids into the cell, where they can then be used to make body proteins. Adegoke and Mora then manipulated the muscle cells so they would have high amounts of this transporter. This led to a profound – and promising – rescuing of the cells treated with the chemotherapy drugs.

Adegoke and Mora hope their findings provide data that may lead to the development of interventions that can limit or prevent cancer-associated wasting syndrome.   

The research – which was funded by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada – builds upon Adegoke’s ongoing work, and expertise, in molecular mechanisms regulating skeletal muscle growth and metabolism.

Passings: Lillian Lerman

A field of flowers at sunset

York University Professor Emerita Lillian Lerman, a former undergraduate program director of the Division of Social Science in the Faculty of Arts (now the Department of Social Science in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies), passed away on Jan. 26.

A longtime and beloved member of the York University community, Lerman was a lecturer and academic leader who had the unique ability to bring people together in one of the most expansive areas of the University. Beyond her academic and administrative excellence, she was a trusted mentor and friend to many students, professors and staff.

After her retirement in 1991, the Lillian Lerman Book Prize – a $100 award for the most outstanding student essay in a 1000-level social science course – was established in her honour to recognize her dedication and contribution to undergraduate teaching.

Lerman will be deeply missed by a host of family, friends and colleagues.

Public matters: York partners on project advocating for public education systems

classroom with desks and chairs BANNER

York University has joined together with five other organizations to create the Public Education Exchange (PEX), an initiative to investigate the future of public education by making research more available, providing policymakers with valuable insights and engaging the public.

Sometimes organizations are formed from a single source of inspiration – an idea, a spark, a challenge, a singular moment or movement. PEX’s inception was not triggered by a single event, but a recent shift in public education.

Private actors – whether parents, religious institutions, businesses or other non-governmental organizations – have become increasingly involved in public education systems. In tandem, there has been the emergence of new policies and practices in public schools that risk undermining public education and exacerbating inequalities.

Sue Winton
Sue Winton

With this shift, information and dialogue is needed, but hasn’t always been available. PEX was created to help provide that.

“The decision to pursue the PEX came from the challenges I faced accessing research on education privatization across Canada and concerns about the possibility for accelerated privatization during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Sue Winton, the PEX project director, York Research Chair in Policy Analysis for Democracy and a professor in the Faculty of Education.

PEX is a collaboration between the University of Windsor, the University of Manitoba, the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation and the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives. The joint effort secured funding from a Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Partnership Development Grant in the spring of 2023 to pursue its mission of connecting researchers, advocates, policymakers, and the public to foster dialogue and knowledge exchange. “It’s about making information accessible to everyone and creating spaces for meaningful conversations,” Winton asserts.

education-privatization-illustration
An infographic featured on the PEX website.

The initiative is still in its early stages, with plans to build a network of collaborators, researchers and advocates across the country, but it has already made notable progress. For instance, the project’s website serves as the online hub for the network and features information and resources. However, Winton envisions the PEX as more than just a website; it will be a dynamic network of individuals engaging through online webinars, in-person meetings and community-based dialogues.

Through these offerings, Winton explains, PEX will look to advocate for a robust public education system that prioritizes collective benefits over individual gains. “We believe in highlighting the successes and potentials of public education while pointing out the potential damage caused by privatization policies,” she says. “The focus is on fostering a system that embodies equity, reflects democratic values and prioritizes the collective well-being of society.

“I truly believe that by coming together and sharing our insights, we can shape a future where public education remains a cornerstone of our democratic society,” she adds.

Prof’s book reimagines jazz education

Piano and flute with sheet music

One of the defining elements of jazz music is improvisation, when musicians spontaneously create new melodies as they play. It is a skill that comes naturally to some and requires years of practise for others. In an effort to help budding musicians develop that ability and more, Ron Westray, a professor in York University’s Department of Music and the Oscar Peterson Chair in Jazz Performance, has published a new book called Jazz Theory: Contemporary Improvisation, Transcription, and Composition (Anthem Press, 2024).

Ron Westray
Ron Westray

Highlighting the importance of an organized teaching method, Westray’s book outlines the obstacles and misunderstandings in jazz education and covers a wide range of theoretical topics to help prepare students of all abilities and learning styles for effective improvisation, composition and transcription (writing down music after it is played). 

“The incorporation of diverse tools and methods, like transcribing and analyzing chords and scales, illustrates a dedication to historical comprehension and real-world use,” explains Westray, who was a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York City before embarking on his career in academia. “This approach enables students to expedite their learning process and attain a thorough grasp of the topic.”

The stylistic considerations of jazz improvisation and composition, he says, require an extensive and working knowledge of jazz theory, which is why this book is an essential resource for both music students and teachers alike.

“My aim,” says Westray, “is to elucidate the fundamental principles that shape auditory perception and musical creativity.”

In the process, he hopes to help a whole new generation of jazz educators and musicians.

The book, released on Feb. 6, is now available for purchase at Indigo, on Amazon and other places books are sold.

Passings: Pat Rogers

passings

Pat Rogers, a former York University faculty member, died on Jan. 21 at the age of 78, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Pat Rogers
Pat Rogers

Known to many as “Dr. Pat Rogers,” a title she would often roll her eyes at, she had a remarkable academic career that spanned several institutions and many roles.

Born just after the war, in Woking, England, to a Scottish mother and a Welsh father, Rogers spent her early years in Belfast, Northern Ireland, followed by Cardiff, Wales, before embarking on a mathematics degree at the University of Oxford – and being one of few women in her class of ’65.

While pursuing her PhD at the London School of Economics, she taught at North London Polytechnic, Goldsmiths’ College and the University of London’s Bedford College, and then relocated to Canada to become a faculty member in mathematics and education at York University in Toronto.

After being tenured as a full-time professor at York, Rogers became the founding director of the Centre of the Support of Teaching, and her legacy in that role remains in the form of a plaque in Vari Hall’s Seminar Room 3003. In keeping with what her former colleagues describe as her boisterous teaching style that demanded chairs and tables be moveable to encourage discussion, the plaque honouring her is the only thing in the room that is bolted down.

Rogers left York in 2000 to pursue two terms as dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Windsor, where she helped develop community-focused programs and where she was consistently energized by a group of academics who remained her good friends. She ended her career as associate vice-president of teaching and learning at Wilfrid Laurier University.

During her career, Rogers was the recipient of numerous teaching awards, including the prestigious 3M National Teaching Fellowship, an award she helped establish as president of the Society for Teaching & Learning in Higher Education. She was also the first Canadian and the first woman to be a appointed as the annual Pólya Lecturer for the Mathematical Association of America.

Diagnosed with cancer for the second time in 2021, Rogers continuously impressed her family, friends, and many health practitioners with the tenacious and spirited way she battled it – the same tenacity and spirit that made its mark at York University and beyond.

York campuses offer four vaccine clinics throughout February

A syringe with a vaccine bottle

To help keep the community safe and combat the spread of these respiratory viruses, York University is offering vaccination clinics throughout the winter season at both its Keele and Glendon campuses. Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations will be available at the following four clinics during the month of February.

Glendon Campus clinics

  • Tuesday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Centre of Excellence lobby.
  • Tuesday, Feb. 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Centre of Excellence lobby.

Keele Campus clinics

  • Wednesday, Feb. 14, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Central Square, Bear Pit.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Central Square, Bear Pit.

OHIP is not required at these clinics and vaccines are free of charge. The clinics are walk-in; first come, first served. Free masks and rapid antigen test kits are also available while supplies last. And for those who are curious, yes, it is safe to get both the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines at the same time.

Anyone with new symptoms of illness, or who has recently tested positive for COVID-19, is encouraged to complete the Ontario Ministry of Health’s self-assessment tool for further direction and guidance before visiting a vaccination clinic.

For those with questions regarding respiratory virus protocols, students can contact SCHW@yuoffice.yorku.ca and employees can contact SFCCM@yorku.ca. The hours of operation for these resources are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information about upcoming vaccination clinics, staff and faculty can visit yorku.ca/hr/covid19 and students can visit students.yorku.ca/health/communicable-diseases/covid-19.

Count yourself in and complete the Employment Equity Self-Identification Survey

survey red checkmark checkbox BANNER

York University has launched a revised version of its Employee Self-Identification Survey, which aims to provide a greater understanding of the University community and an up-to-date picture of its workforce demographics. The survey is now available in HR Self Serve.

 “The Employment Equity Self-Identification Survey allows York to identify gaps in employee representation and plays a crucial role in understanding our representation rates. This then factors into several processes, including our recruitment efforts and the thresholds identified in our collective agreements,” said Laina Bay-Cheng, vice-president equity, people and culture. “Data collection has been identified as an integral element of the DEDI Strategy, which calls for monitoring our proportion of equity-deserving groups to ensure representation in employment at all levels within the institution.” 

Employees have recently received an email with instructions on how to complete the survey. 

“With the survey now available through HR Self Serve, employees can easily update their self-identification responses at any time, in the same way they update any of their other personal details, like their address or emergency contacts,” added Bay-Cheng. “I encourage everyone to complete the survey and would like to assure the community that great care is taken to ensure confidentiality and that no individual can be identified in reporting, as all reporting is done on an aggregated basis. This is an important improvement to University systems. It’s an opportunity for employees to ensure they and their identities are fully and accurately represented.”  

The findings of the survey are reported on in the Annual Employment Equity Reports, and past ones can be viewed online.

York conference to advance AI for a healthy, just society

connected minds banner

On Thursday, March 7 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., York University’s Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society, the Centre for AI & Society (CAIS) and the IP Innovation Clinic will host the latest iteration of the Bracing for Impact conference series, which will focus on the rapid advancements and implications of artificial intelligence (AI).

AI is changing the world rapidly and as it does, it is important to have conversations not just about how to develop and use AI, but what the most responsible ways to do so are.

This year’s Bracing for Impact conference – titled Shaping the AI Challenge for a Healthy, Just Society – looks to advance socially conscious AI by exploring what implications the technology’s advancement may have for improving society. The conference will focus on the rapid advancements and implications of AI, with the spotlight on the technology’s intersection with health, neurotechnology, intellectual property, regulation, data governance, the arts and more. This one-day conference will bring together a multidisciplinary audience to discuss how AI can help shape a healthy and just society.

Giuseppina (Pina) D'Agostino
Giuseppina (Pina) D’Agostino

“In 2017 when we first launched Bracing for Impact, AI was still somewhat far-reaching,” explains Giuseppina (Pina) D’Agostino, vice-director of Connected Minds, founder and director of the IP Innovation Clinic and co-director of CAIS. “AI is now here and many of us are still in a brace position, attempting to understand how this technology is intermingling with our daily lives with all of its benefits and challenges. Our conference brings together diverse voices essential to explore these critical issues for the benefit of a healthy and just society for all.”

The conference will bring together Canadian and international academics as well as legal, policy, and technology practitioners to speak to ways of shaping AI and its uses for social betterment.

The event is being held at OneEleven on 325 Front Street West in Toronto and is sponsored by Microsoft Canada. Student and professional rates are offered and include food and refreshments.

Register via the Eventbrite page. For any questions about the conference, email connectedmindsinfo@yorku.ca.