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Glendon College leads conversation about future of Arctic security

Arctic lake in Canada

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

A panel of experts will debate how to best prepare for the profound changes that lie ahead in the North in a discussion on Nov. 29 organized by York University’s Glendon College.

The Glendon Global Debates return this month to examine the impact of global warming on the economic and social life of the people who call the Arctic home and for all those to the south.

The Arctic is warming faster than the global average, making the prospect of ice-free Arctic waterways open to commercial traffic a possibility in the near future. Such an ice-free east-west passage would establish the shortest route for the transfer of goods between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. These changes are being monitored closely by nations far from the Arctic; for example, China has declared itself to be a near-Arctic state.

Aleqa Hammond, former prime minister of Greenland and a panellist at the upcoming event, contends that “Russia and China are already eyeing the Arctic and the region risks becoming the new frontline for confrontation between great powers.” The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has warned Inuit leaders that foreign states could gain a foothold by offering to fill infrastructure gaps in the North.

Canada shares the arctic space with a number of other countries including Denmark, Greenland, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and the U.S. Nearly 40 per cent of Canada’s land mass is considered Arctic and northern. Canada and Russia claim ownership of three-quarters of the coastline, and this represents more than 70 per cent of Canada’s coastline.

Gabrielle Slowey
Gabrielle Slowey

Recently named the inaugural Fulbright Chair in Arctic Studies at Dartmouth College (U.S.), Professor Gabrielle Slowey now teaches courses in Canadian, Indigenous and Arctic politics at York University. Her research investigates the intersection between Indigenous people, governance, resource extraction and the environment.

“There has to be a human dimension to Arctic security; people have to be part of the process, discussion and solution,” said Slowey, who will bring her unique perspective to the conversation.

The development of safe Arctic transportation routes also opens the possibility for increased economic development, including resource extraction. These activities will have a profound impact on the economic and social life of the people who call the Arctic home, as well as those far beyond.

Professor Kari Roberts from Mount Royal University has made the study of Russia-West relations her life’s work and has spent many years studying Russia’s interests in the Arctic and what this means for Canada and NATO.

“It is rarely in the interest of any state to disrupt geopolitical order,” said Roberts, who will join Hammond and Slowey on the panel. “And it is even less advantageous for Arctic states, including Russia, to further undermine the historically peaceful and co-operative relationships in the region, which are now being tested in the current geopolitical moment.”

Countries like Canada and Greenland have stated that the Arctic is central to their national identity, prosperity, security, values and interests. This conversation, hosted by the Glendon Global Debates, will explore what concrete actions should underpin these statements.

Moderated by Susan Pond, director of the Glendon School of Public & International Affairs, this hybrid event will explore opportunities and possible threats afforded by a warming Arctic region.

Join the event on Nov. 29, alongside distinguished guests, and become a part of this crucial conversation.

Register here: eventbrite.ca/e/arctic-security-are-we-ready-for-the-future-tickets-754666205937?aff=oddtdtcreator.

For those wishing to join virtually, the debate will also be livestreamed. A link to the event will be shared with all registered participants via email a few hours prior to the event.

The debate will be conducted in English. We invite the audience to ask questions in either French or English.

Le Collège Glendon mène la conversation sur l’avenir de la sécurité dans l’Arctique

Un panel d’experts débattront la meilleure façon de se préparer aux profonds changements qui s’annoncent dans le Nord lors d’une discussion organisée le 29 novembre par le Collège Glendon de l’Université York. 

Alors que la région risque de devenir le nouveau front de confrontation entre les puissances mondiales, les Débats internationaux de Glendon sont de retour pour examiner l’impact sur la vie économique et sociale des habitants de l’Arctique et de tous ceux au sud. 

L’Arctique se réchauffe à un rythme plus rapide que la moyenne mondiale, offrant ainsi la perspective de voies maritimes arctiques sans glace qui pourraient bientôt être utilisées pour la navigation commerciale. Un passage est-ouest sans glace établirait la route la plus courte pour le transfert de marchandises entre les océans Atlantique et Pacifique. Ces changements sont surveillés de près par des nations éloignées de l’Arctique. Par exemple, la Chine s’est déclarée un État proche de l’Arctique. 

Aleqa Hammond, ancienne Première ministre du Groenland et panéliste invitée, affirme que « la Russie et la Chine surveillent déjà l’Arctique et que la région risque de devenir le nouveau front de confrontation entre les puissances mondiales ». Le Service canadien du renseignement de sécurité (SCRS) a d’ailleurs déjà averti les leaders Inuits que des États étrangers pourraient prendre pied en comblant les lacunes en matière d’infrastructures dans le Nord. 

Le Canada partage l’arctique avec plusieurs autres pays, dont le Danemark, le Groenland, l’Islande, la Finlande, la Norvège, la Suède, la Russie et les États-Unis. Près de 40% de la géographie du Canada est considérée comme arctique et nordique. Le Canada et la Russie revendiquent la propriété des trois quarts du littoral, ce qui représente plus de 70% du littoral canadien. 

Récemment nommée Chaire Fulbright inaugurale en études arctiques au Dartmouth College (États-Unis), la professeure Gabrielle Slowey enseigne maintenant des cours en politique canadienne, autochtone et arctique à l’Université York. Ses recherches examinent l’intersection entre les peuples autochtones, la gouvernance, l’extraction de ressources et l’environnement. 

 « Il doit y avoir une dimension humaine à la sécurité arctique : les gens doivent faire partie du processus, de la discussion et de la solution », a déclaré Slowey, qui apportera également sa perspective unique à la conversation.  

Le développement de routes de transport arctiques sûres ouvre également la possibilité d’un développement économique accru, y compris l’extraction de ressources. Ces activités auront un impact profond sur la vie économique et sociale des habitants de l’Arctique, ainsi que de ceux bien au-delà. 

La professeure Kari Roberts de l’Université Mount Royal a fait de l’étude des relations entre la Russie et l’Occident le travail de sa vie et a passé de nombreuses années à étudier les intérêts de la Russie dans l’Arctique et ce que cela signifie pour le Canada et l’OTAN.  

« Il est rarement dans l’intérêt de tout État de perturber l’ordre géopolitique. Et il est encore moins avantageux pour les États arctiques, y compris la Russie, de compromettre davantage les relations historiquement pacifiques et coopératives dans la région, qui sont actuellement mises à l’épreuve dans le contexte géopolitique actuel », a déclaré Roberts, qui rejoindra Hammond et Slowey sur le panel. 

Des pays comme le Canada et le Groenland ont affirmé que l’Arctique est au cœur de leur identité nationale, de leur prospérité, de leur sécurité, de leurs valeurs et de leurs intérêts. Cette conversation, organisée par les Débats internationaux de Glendon, explorera les actions concrètes qui devraient sous-tendre ces déclarations. 

Modérée par Susan Pond, directrice de l’École des affaires publiques et internationales de Glendon, cet événement hybride explorera les opportunités et les menaces possibles liées au réchauffement de la région arctique. 

Joignez-vous à nos distinguées invitées et à la conversation le 29 novembre. 

Inscrivez-vous ici : eventbrite.ca/e/arctic-security-are-we-ready-for-the-future-tickets-754666205937?aff=oddtdtcreator. 

Pour ceux qui souhaitent participer virtuellement, le débat sera également retransmis en direct. Un lien vers l’événement sera communiqué à tous les participants inscrits par courriel quelques heures avant l’événement. 

Le débat se déroulera en anglais. Nous invitons le public à poser des questions en français ou en anglais. 

Glendon School of Public and International Affairs director earns recognition from NATO

gold star award on a blue background

Glendon College’s new director of the Glendon School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), Susan Pond, has been recognized by the NATO Security Force Assistance Centre of Excellence (SFA COE) with the prestigious title of senior Fellow.

The award recognizes the relationship Pond developed with SFA COE in supporting its strategy and related products for the NATO Alliance and Partners.

Susan Pond accepting her award as a NATO SFA COE senior Fellow.
Susan Pond accepting her award as a NATO SFA COE senior Fellow.

Senior Fellow is an honorary title awarded to highly distinguished senior experts who have forged positive connections with the NATO SFA COE and are committed to supporting its activities and projects on a continuing basis. 

The NATO SFA COE is a multinational entity that provides expertise contributing to the development and experimentation of concepts and doctrines, and also conducts education and training activities for instructors, mentors and personnel belonging to other Nations.

The organization states its mission is “to improve effectiveness of the Alliance in promoting stability and reconstruction efforts for conflict and post-conflict scenarios through related lessons learned, education and training analysis, development of concept and doctrine activities” as well as “to provide a unique capability to Alliance, NATO Nations and NATO Partners in the field of SFA.”

The award was presented to Pond by Col. Matteo Luciani, director, and Maj. Ludovica Glorioso, legal advisor from NATO SFA, while on a visit to Glendon College, where they also met with Principal Marco Fiola and Professor Francis Garon, as well as students from Glendon’s Masters in Public and International Affairs (MAPI).  

The presence of Luciani and Glorioso at the Glendon Campus was a follow up to the signature earlier this year of a Letter of Cooperation (LOC) between NATO SFA and Glendon.

“These meetings with NATO SFA COE representatives allowed us to further discuss the role of Glendon’s School of Public and International Affairs, in support of the development of an education hub, as well as a unique summer internship opportunities for MAPI students at the SFA Centre of Excellence in Rome,” said Pond. 

Pond was recently at the offices of the Italian delegation to the United Nations on Oct. 31, where she was given the opportunity to speak about York University and Glendon College, as well as the University’s role in support of ongoing research. Previous to her role as director, Pond served Glendon as a senior Fellow where she taught graduate students and provided expertise on defence and security issues. She also served in several leadership roles at NATO for more than three decades.

The Glendon School of Public and International Affairs is preparing for an exciting year of programming, beginning with the Glendon Global Debate event “Arctic security, are we ready for the future?” on Nov. 29.

Glendon student earns National Youth of the Year award

gold and red stars

A third-year psychology student at York University’s Glendon College has earned the 2023 National Youth of the Year award from BGC Canada, the country’s largest child- and youth-serving charitable and community services organization. The award is presented in partnership with Hyundai Canada.

Sebastian Cifuente is BGC Canada’s 2023 National Youth of the Year (CNW Group/BGC Canada)
Sebastian Cifuentes is BGC Canada’s 2023 National Youth of the Year (CNW Group/BGC Canada).

Sebastian Cifuentes was selected for his outstanding leadership, service and achievements within his community at BGC West Scarborough. As a natural-born leader within his club, Cifuentes says he wants to use his voice to amplify those in his community that need to be heard. He plans to share his experiences as a child of immigrant parents to help others understand the value of making opportunities, resources and programs accessible to families.

Youth of the Year is BGC Canada’s national initiative, now in its third year, that acknowledges and honours exceptional young individuals. It strives to inspire young people to serve as active role models and advocates for youth across the country.

“Sebastian is an incredible volunteer and contributor to BGC West Scarborough and to his community. I am extremely proud of him and all of our participants in the Youth of the Year program,” says Owen Charters, president and chief executive officer of BGC Canada. “As BGC ambassadors, they are working to define the next generation of young people through their compassion, dedication and drive. They have already made a strong impact on their local communities and clubs, and I can’t wait to see what they do next as they continue to grow and thrive.”

As an aspiring educator, Cifuentes is also the founder of the Homework Help Program at BGC West Scarborough – a one-to-one after-school academic support program for children within schools around the community. He was moved to start this program after his own experiences, and realizing many youth in his community had difficulty finding support for their homework, living in homes where English is not the first language. Cifuentes continues to advocate for education as the key to unlocking someone’s full potential.

“Everyone has the power to be a leader, but not everyone recognizes it. BGC Canada has given me the opportunity to thrive and own who I am,” said Cifuentes. “My biggest passion is to work with the community and to help kids learn. It is my goal to become a teacher and work with youth full time.”

Youth of the Year winners receive prize packs, laptops and post-secondary scholarships, as well as media and leadership training to prepare them for the next two years as official BGC ambassadors.

The home club of each Youth of the Year recipient will also receive a grant to further support their youth engagement and leadership work. Learn more about Youth of the Year at bgccan.com/youth-of-the-year.

Film screening highlights Department of Dance residency

New production of Pina Bausch’s 'Rite of Spring’ features a cast of 37 dancers from 14 African countries. Florent Nikiema featured centre. Photo credit: Maarten Vanden Abeele

On Nov. 1, the Department of Dance and the Harriet Tubman Institute will host a screening of the biographical documentary MABOUNGOU: Being in the World as part of dancer and choreographer Florent Nikiéma’s guest artist residency at York University.

Florent Nikiéma
Florent Nikiéma

As part of the residency – which began Oct. 14 and will end Nov. 3 – Nikiéma has been working with the students of the York Dance Ensemble, the Department of Dance’s pre-professional performance company for third- and fourth-year dance majors, on the creation of a new piece. Alongside this process, Nikiéma is also guest teaching each of the dance program’s undergraduate modern dance classes, including Traditional and Current Dances of Sub-Saharan Africa, the Department of Music’s West African Drum Ensemble course, as well as two courses in the Drama and Creative Arts program at Glendon.

“We are so fortunate to have an artist of Florent’s international standing working with our undergraduates,” says Susan Lee, assistant professor in dance and the artistic director of the York Dance Ensemble. “Exposing our students to different working processes and to new creative ideas is an invaluable experience for them.”

Nikiéma will also be collaborating with Associate Professor Ian Garrett in the Department of Theatre on the lighting and projections design for the new piece that will premiere in February 2024.

A practitioner of contemporary African dance and music, Nikiéma studied under Senegalese artist and African modern dance pioneer Germaine Acogny at the École des Sables before his engagement with Tanztheater Wuppertal in Germany. In November 2022, Nikiéma toured in Toronto as part of the groundbreaking remount of Pina Bausch’s iconic 1975 work Rite of Spring with an all-African cast. During his time in Toronto, Nikiéma came to York University to give a contemporary African dance workshop. His class was so well-received that Associate Professor Bridget Cauthery applied for a Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Knowledge Mobilization grant to bring Nikiéma back to York for a longer period.

Nikiéma’s creative work is informed by his deep knowledge of traditional West African dance forms, Acogny technique and by concepts from Western European concert dance. His choreography prioritizes ecological attunement to landscapes and to the non-human. Stating that “human beings have lost the true meaning of the term cohabitation with nature and its components,” Nikiéma’s new work for the York Dance Ensemble will respond to his concerns for environmental disaster.

In addition to the screening, there will be an artist discussion panel featuring four artists all originally from Africa, now living in the diaspora: Governor General’s Performing Arts Award-winner Zab Maboungou; Executive Director of the African Dance Ensemble Isaac Akrong; dancer Pulga Muchochoma; and Nikiéma. The event is sponsored by PUBLIC, the journal of arts, culture and ideas.

“This Department of Dance and Special Tubman Talk event presents an opportunity for African-based choreographers to define their approaches to creating, teaching and performance that cannot be reduced to normative definitions of traditional or contemporary dance,” says artist/scholar Collette “Coco” Murray, who will be moderating the discussion panel. “I look forward to having this important and far-reaching conversation with my colleagues.”

For more information and to register for this free event, follow this link: events.yorku.ca/events/maboungou-being-in-the-world-film-screening-artist-panel.

In pictures: York’s Convocation celebrates Class of 2023

convocation

Fall Convocation for York University’s Class of 2023 ran from Oct. 11 to 20 and featured six ceremonies on the Keele Campus.

At this year’s Fall Convocation, graduands from 10 York Faculties received their degrees during ceremonies overseen by the chancellor of York University, Kathleen Taylor.

View photos from the Fall Class of 2023 ceremonies below:

Fall Convocation 2023

Nnimmo Bassey calls for graduands to ‘restore hope in our time’

nnimmo bassey

By Alexander Huls, deputy editor, YFile

On Oct. 13, at the Fall Convocation ceremony for York University’s Faculty of Education, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change, Glendon College, Lassonde School of Engineering and the Faclulty of Science, environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey shared his life story and words of encouragement with graduands.

During her opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor and President Rhonda Lenton urged graduands to consider a critical question as they move forward in their lives and careers. “It’s … imperative that we ask ourselves, ‘How do we function in … society?'” Lenton would go on to introduce Bassey as an example of someone who has been guided by that question for decades, praising him as “a dedicated advocate for the environment … whose gift to future generations is contributing to a more sustainable world.”

During his address to graduands, Bassey recounted his journey to becoming an advocate, driven by the mission to leave society with a more sustainable future. Born in Nigeria, he spoke of growing up during the Nigerian-Biafran war, a time he described as “disruptive and traumatic,” leading him to be exposed to human rights abuses, hunger, disease and more. Those experiences, as well as living under the oppression of a series of military authoritarian dictatorships, led Bassey to develop a desire to change the world around him. “As a young adult, I could not escape being a part of the human rights and anti-dictatorship movement,” he said.

Kathleen Taylor, Nnimmo Bassey, Rhonda Lenton
Chancellor Kathleen Taylor (left), Nnimmo Bassey (middle) and President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton (right) during an Oct. 13 Fall Convocation ceremony.

Inspired over time by anti-colonial leaders throughout the Global South, he came to adopt a cause. He felt that protesting dictatorships was not the zenith of standing against injustice, but rather protesting something else he saw at work under the radar.

“The wheels of oppression at home were crude oil and extractivism activities. Capital trumped concerns for the health of Mother Earth and her children … and complaints against the destruction of the ecosystems and livelihoods were met with brute force while communities were crushed,” he said. “The judicial models and assault on communities were the red lines that dictatorships crossed, and that set me on a lifelong journey of standing for environmental rights as the key basis for the enjoyment of the right to life.”

Over the course of his career, Bassey has become one of Africa’s leading advocates and campaigners for the environment and human rights. He founded Nigeria’s first environmental rights organization in the early 1990s, proceeding to inspire activists to stand up against the malpractices of multinational corporations, which eventually led to the formation of Oil Watch International in 1996, a network resisting fossil fuel expansion in the Global South. Later, he founded the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, an environmental justice organization.

He has also received several accolades, including the distinguished Right Livelihood Award, the Rafto Prize and he was named one of Time magazine’s Heroes of the Environment in 2009.

Despite a lifetime of accomplishments, Bassey spoke of the vital work still left at this critical moment for his work and the world. “It is clear we cannot afford linear growth on a finite planet,” he said. “While record temperatures, wildfires, floods and other stressors raged across the world, leaders are engrossed in xenophobic nationalism, building barriers against climate refugees, and promoting fictional, false and risky climate solutions.”

Despite the challenges, he expressed hope: “The milestones in my journey and the successes in the midst of continual battles have come by the resilience of the peoples and communities. We see expanding movements, readiness of communities to certify conveniences today for the sake of building a safe future for those yet unborn. I have seen the power of traditional wisdom and cultural production in building hope and strengthening alliances against oppression.”

Bassey extended that hope to graduands, urging them to action. “This is a time to stand together to demand justice in all circumstances, to call for an end to genocide, to build solidarity, and not walls, and to restore hope in our time.”

Award honours work advancing knowledge of Slovak history

glasses and pen resting on notebook

York University Professor Emeritus Stanislav Kirschbaum has been honoured for his contributions to advancing knowledge of Slovak history.

Stanislav Kirschbaum
Stanislav Kirschbaum

On Sept. 20 via Zoom link with Slovakia, Kirschbaum of the Department of International Studies at Glendon College was awarded the Daniel Rapant Prize at the conclusion of an academic conference organized in Bratislava by Matica Slovenská.

Matica Slovenská is a historic Slovak cultural institution founded in 1863, which, since 1995, awards this medal to persons recognized for their contributions to the development of the historical sciences and their efforts to make Slovak history and the life of Slovaks known at home and abroad. It is named after Daniel Rapant, a professor at Slovak (now Comenius) University in Bratislava, who was the most outstanding Slovak historian of the 20th century, and is considered generally to be the father of Slovak history.

Kirschaum, who taught at Glendon College from 1970 to 2022, is recognized internationally as a leading expert on Slovak politics and history. His book History of Slovakia: The Struggle for Survival (2nd edition, 2005) is the first comprehensive history of the Slovak people, not just in English but in any non-Slovak language, as is his Historical Dictionary of Slovakia (3rd edition, 2014).

In addition, he has published 60 scholarly articles in English, French, German and Slovak on various aspects of Slovak history and politics. For his overall scholarship in international studies, Kirschaum was made a chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques de France in 1994, promoted to the rank of officier in 2015 and elected Fellow of Royal Society of Canada in 2002.

The Daniel Rapant Prize is considered one of the most prestigious awards in Slovakia.

Spirit Day – sun, fun and a celebration of York pride

Students and Yeo in front of the York U letters in Vari Hall

York University students, staff, faculty members and course instructors were invited to partake in a day of celebration and festivities dedicated to York University’s community excellence during Spirit Day on Oct. 4. The event was held at both the Keele and Glendon campuses.

Participants were encouraged to exhibit their York U pride by wearing the University’s colours – red, white or blue. The day featured various activities, treats, and giveaways to commemorate and acknowledge the contributions of York community members who have consistently worked towards positive change.

Community members participated in a giant flag drone photo and community tree planting at both campuses, as well as bubble soccer, food pop-up shops, club fairs, photo booths, a community art mural, yoga sessions, pop-up games and more.

For information about Spirit Day, visit yorku.ca/events/spiritday. To view a video capturing the day’s events, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNqnjn7cRzM.

View a gallery of photos from the celebration below.

YU Spirit Day (Oct 2023)-76

Upskill digital storytelling through new course at Glendon

VRHeadsetSimulationFEATURED

By Elaine Smith

Raiman Dilag, director of information technology services (ITS) at York University’s Glendon College, and his team are working to ensure their students have access to the most current technology to enhance their storytelling capabilities.

They will make this possible through an Academic Innovation Fund grant that allowed them to create a new eight-week extracurricular course – XR Storytelling in Extended Reality / XR Accroche Narrative en Réalité Étendue – that will provide interested Glendon students and faculty, with an introduction to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 360-degree cameras, podcasting and 3D printing. The course is not for credit, but those who complete it will earn a microcredential and a digital badge that can be affixed to their resumes and LinkedIn profiles.

Glendon 360 video screenshot
Glendon College offers a new course for all students that allows them to upskill digital storytelling. This photo is a screenshot from a video showing 360-degree photoraphy. For another example, go here.

“While it’s expected for STEM students to be exposed to technological tools, at Glendon, we are deeply rooted in the liberal arts tradition,” Dilag said. “I saw the opportunity to complement resources currently in place, and enhance our students’ access to these and other new tools. Our students have stories to tell, and they benefit from sharing them using new media.”

For those on the outside looking in, the idea of using these tools can be confusing and/or daunting. VR and its sleek headsets can immerse users in another space, such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris before and after the fire. Fans of Pokémon Go know that AR allows users to employ a device to interact digitally with the real world, bringing images to life. 360-degree photography brings the viewer into the space, letting them experience that moment from all of the photographer’s points of view. Podcasts stream on digital devices and are excellent audio/video tools for storytelling, while 3D printing enables the creation, and customization, of 3D objects crafted in one’s imagination or modified from previous designs.

Each of these technologies, independently or in combination, are valuable for storytelling in a digital era.

The eight-week course created by the ITS team will familiarize students with these key tools and require them to work on a group project to show their facility with one or more of them. The project will also reinforce teamwork skills, and in true Glendon nature, is conducted in English or French by the bilingual XR technology co-ordinator.

“I’d like students to think about the stories they want to tell,” said Dilag. “These are just tools; however, a course like this can open doors, because opportunities following graduation may be influenced by things beyond academics, such as exposure to any or all of these XR technologies.

“We’re all about the student experience, recruitment and retention. If this course helps them graduate more career-ready, it’s a great way for us to add value to their university, and post-graduation, experience.”

The in-person course is open to all Glendon students and will be offered during both the Fall and Winter terms. Dilag hopes the success of the course will lead to expansion for all York students.

The team has been planning the course since February: designing the curriculum, writing the proposal, purchasing necessary equipment and making the space attractive. The course will be conducted by the XR technology co-ordinator with oversight from Dilag.

“Let’s get technology in the hands of this dynamic generation and see what they can do,” Dilag said. “I think they’ll impress us.”

He is proud of his team’s work and reminds the larger community that the ITS department “is about more than resetting passwords,” he said. “We aim to humanize technology, and to use it to enable the telling of great stories.”

XR Storytelling in Extended Reality / XR Accroche Narrative en Réalité Étendue begins the week of Oct. 16. Glendon students can register online.

Faculty who may be interested in the course can contact xrglendon@glendon.yorku.ca to discuss their needs and learning objectives.

Watching mushrooms grow: a new lesson in communications

oyster mushrooms

By Ashley Goodfellow Craig, editor, YFile

A cohort of Glendon College students will explore digital innovations in the context of interpersonal and mobile communications through an unexpected pedagogy – a living art installation containing a variety of mushrooms.

Students enrolled this fall in Dreaming of Electric Sheep: Emerging Practices in Communication, a course led by Glendon faculty member Roberta Buiani, will document and care for the installation as part of their curriculum.

The art project, titled Mycosymbiosis and designed by Chinese-Canadian artist Xiaojing Yan, is a time-based and site-specific installation located on the balcony adjacent to Glendon Manor’s ballroom. It will launch on Oct. 2 at 5 p.m., with a viewing event and reception to follow.

Oyster mushrooms in the mobile gallery
Oyster mushrooms growing in the mobile gallery.

“The installation consists of a mobile gallery (Emergent) containing a variety of mushrooms which grow, decay and renew, weaving their intricate forms through its interstitial space and responding to the surrounding natural environment,” explains Buiani.

Emergent – a Living Mobile Gallery is a mobile gallery featuring artworks at the intersection of science and the arts. The goal is to understand and address how life evolves and adapts due to climate change, global mobility, experiments and the shaping of the world. The mobile gallery itself is a porous object, and is designed to explore the role of exhibition spaces.

Yan’s installation combines the complex concept of identity with a perspective on nature that transcends conventional boundaries. Including three types of oyster mushrooms planted along the exterior walls of the mobile gallery, the living art project will showcase how these mushrooms grow through a time-lapse projection inside. This evolving living sculpture will change with varying temperature and humidity, inviting a range of symbiotic organisms that interact with the mushrooms.

Mycosymbiosis art installation
Mycosymbiosis art installation in full.

This installation of Mycosymbiosis represents the second phase of a long-term collaboration between Yan and the team behind Emergent: Buiani (Glendon/University of Toronto), Lorella di Cintio (Toronto Metropolitan University) and Ilze Briede [kavi] (York University, PhD student), with scientific advising from James Scott (University of Toronto).

Buiani’s course, which is a recipient of an Academic Innovation Fund grant, presents an examination of emerging trends in communication and media technologies, delving into web-based advancements and exploring novel modes of interpersonal and mobile communication.

Specifically, interacting with and documenting this installation is an important opportunity for students to not only achieve a better and more nuanced understanding of the complexities involved in interspecies communication in relation to our technological networks, but also to develop a better appreciation for responsible consumption and production, collaborative and collective work, communication with different forms of knowledge and ultimately, care, says Buiani.

The installation will be on view throughout the fall semester, and the Oct. 2 launch will kick off a series of public engagements on networks, care and land-based community building and artistic practice. More information will be available at artscisalon.com/COMS4208.