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York University celebrates Ada Lovelace Day with lecture and workshop

Ada Lovelace featured image
Ada Lovelace featured image
Ada Lovelace, English writer and mathematician (1815-52), daughter of Lord Byron and friend of Charles Babbage.
BJ5F25 ADA LOVELACE

Ada Lovelace Day, an international celebration of women’s achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), took place this year on Oct. 9. Lovelace was a 19th-century English mathematician and writer who also happened to be the very first computer programmer. She wrote what were essentially computer programs for the analytical engine that computing pioneer Charles Babbage was designing, but never actually created. Her contributions were largely overlooked – an issue that continues to exist for women in many fields, especially science.

For the fourth year in a row, York University is joining the global celebration with the International Ada Lovelace Day Lecture. On Monday, Oct. 22, biology Professor Jeremy Kerr of the University of Ottawa will give a lecture titled “Waiting for Equity or Making it Happen: What’s the Difference?” from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. in 107 Life Sciences Building, Keele Campus. He will reflect on his experiences mobilizing STEM research to policy-makers and politicians, and connect his work on equity with his advocacy for citizen science and science literacy.

Jeremy Kerr
Jeremy Kerr

Kerr, who completed his doctorate in York University’s Department of Biology, is an active science communicator and the University of Ottawa’s University Research Chair in Macroecology and Conservation. He was president of the Canadian Society for Ecology and Evolution from 2016-18, where he developed policy for increasing equity, diversity and inclusion in STEM. His research, which is regularly published in high-impact journals, examines global patterns in species richness, including trends in populations of rare and endangered species.

The lecture will be followed by a workshop in which Kerr will share tips on how to talk about STEM to policy-makers and politicians. It will take place in 306 Lumbers Building from 2 to 3 p.m.

These events are part of York’s International Ada Lovelace Day 2018 celebrations. The Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon, also part of the celebrations, took place on Oct. 11 in the Steacie Science and Engineering Library.

York hosts open access conference, invites community members to apply

Life in the University series

York University’s Dean of Libraries has announced that OpenCon 2018, the prestigious international open access conference, will take place at York University’s Keele Campus Nov. 2 to 4.

The event runs in partnership with University of Toronto and Ryerson University.

OpenCon creates an opportunity for energetic, engaged students and early career academic professionals to learn about open access, open education and open data. It also provides an opportunity for participants to develop critical skills, find collaborators and catalyze action toward a more open system for sharing the world’s information.

Delegates become part of the larger OpenCon community, which has more than 10,000 participants from more than 176 countries and remain engaged through monthly community calls and their own projects, campaigns and initiatives.

Due to the popularity and international reach of the conference, enrollment for OpenCon is highly competitive. A cohort of attendees is selected from a pool of thousands of qualified candidates. As the hosting institution, the York University community has been offered five spaces for OpenCon 2018.

The Open Access Open Data Steering Committee is offering these spaces to York University community members, and will select five participants from the applications received, based on the likelihood that participation will translate into impact.

Those interested in participating are asked to apply using this web form. Deadline for submission is Friday, Oct. 19, end of day. Selected participants pay no registration fee. The registration cost of $300 USD is supported by York University Libraries.

By supporting OpenCon, the Open Access Open Data Steering Committee is very pleased to offer the campus a wider forum for discussion and consideration on changes to the system of scholarship, sustainability of current economic models of scholarship, access to publicly funded research, issues surrounding authors rights in the digital age, new scholarly distribution systems and other connected open movements.

Joy Kirchner, dean of Libraries, and Rebecca Pillai-Riddell, associate vice-president, Research, are co-Chairs of the Open Access Open Data Steering Committee.

Learn about science and space during week-long event at York

York University Libraries, as part of its commitment to supporting the dissemination and discovery of knowledge and open access to research, will present Science Literacy Week, a week-long celebration of science, from Sept. 17 to 21.

The University community and members of the public are invited to learn about science at York University during this event, and this year Science Literacy Week will highlight space in celebration of Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques’ December launch.

Events include:

  • public talks by faculty on space, biology and brain topics;
  • “Is the Earth Flat? Fake News and You” – a workshop to help you differentiate fake news from real news;
  • equipment used on space missions, fun science demos, and posters of undergraduate and graduate space-related work in the atrium of Scott Library;
  • a display of historical news articles about the moon landings and posters of Lassonde Earth and Space Science and Engineering undergraduate and graduate projects at Steacie Library; and
  • science book displays at York University library branches.

“York University Libraries are proud to invite the community to York University for Science Literacy Week,” said Joy Kirchner, dean of Libraries. “We’re excited to welcome visitors to be inspired by our researchers and the abounding possibilities of science.”

To view the event schedule and suggested science resources, visit bit.ly/scilitYork.

Science Literacy Week has grown to become a pan-Canadian initiative for promoting science to the public. York University is one of 200-plus Canadian partners from more than 100 cities coast to coast participating in this event to highlight the importance of science to society, as well as York’s contributions to scientific endeavours.

To learn more about Science Literacy Week and to see what other events are happening in the area, visit scienceliteracy.ca.

Libraries at York U, Ryerson partner on workshop to address colonization issues

Life in the University series

York University Libraries and Ryerson University Libraries will jointly host a summit that brings together community members, scholars, and cultural heritage workers for two days of presentations, discussion, and workshops to commit to active steps toward decolonizing the description of cultural heritage materials.

The event “In Our Own Words: Decolonising Description in the Library and Archival Community” takes place June 14 and 15 at York University’s Keele Campus in The Collaboratory, Scott Library.

Systemic issues related to colonization continue to reside in library and archival description. The Protocols for Native American Archival Materials, as well as specific calls to action directed at knowledge and heritage institutions released by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission clearly outline pathways for addressing the impacts of colonization in and around educational and cultural heritage environments.

The emphasis of this event will be on establishing a community of practice in our region that crosses institutional boundaries and that surfaces and centers local and community expertise. The event will be grounded by Indigenous knowledge principles, with a strong emphasis on reciprocity.

There will be a working summit following a hybrid open conference model with open, participant-led sharing circles, as well as keynote talks given by Indigenous researchers, community members, and cultural heritage workers.

Organizers seek to engage in exploring questions such as: How can we link descriptive practices to social justice work and decolonisation? How do we create and maintain a collaborative community of practice? How does structured data such as Linked Open Data create space? How do we engage in community-led description? How do we meet the needs of and support Indigenous researchers and community members?

Attendees will have opportunities to participate in discussion circles, consider how to integrate Indigenous ways of seeing information into local practice and contribute to a collaboratively developed action plan that will help us move forward. Closer to the summit there will be an opportunity to submit discussion ideas ahead of time.

Questions and comments should be directed to Stacy Allison-Cassin: sacassin@yorku.ca

Registration costs are $55 and can be done online.

York research, archives part of events that explore Toronto’s culture and history

Broadview and Danforth (image: Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections Toronto Telegram Fond)

Events running as part of the annual Myseum of Toronto’s Intersections Festival will share York University research and archival material through an evening of film, an interactive exhibit and a walking tour that explores the city’s cultural and historical diversity.

The Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections (CTASC) of York University Libraries and its community partners present the material as part of the festival, thanks to the work of York archivists Anna St. Onge and Katrina Cohen-Palacios; York History Professor Sakis Gekas, Greek Canadian History Project (GCHP); York History PhD graduates Jay Young (Archives of Ontario) and Christopher Grafos (GCHP); York’s School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design (AMPD) masters graduate Ananya Ohri (Regent Park Film Festival); and York History PhD candidate Michael Akladios, Coptic Canadian History Project (CCHP).

Film

On Thursday, March 8, from 6 to 7:30pm at the Palmerston Toronto Public Library Theatre, Motion Pictures: Immigration Films from the Vaults of Toronto’s Archives will demonstrate the role of moving images within the creation and dissemination of stories of immigration, and the integral role of Toronto-area archives in the preservation of such films.

Motion Pictures: Immigration Films from the Vaults of Toronto’s Archives

CTASC and the Archives of Ontario will screen archival film footage that explores how the medium of film contributes towards – and sometimes questions – narratives of immigration and multiculturalism, and the importance of archives as repositories for key records of the immigrant past.

During the event, the Regent Park Film Festival (RPFF) will present its innovative project Home Made Visible which aims to address an important gap in the preservation and celebration of the home movie footage of Indigenous and Visible Minority Canadians. CTASC is the RPFF’s archival partner in this project.

Interactive exhibit

From March 12 to 24, St. Mark’s Coptic Museum and the Coptic Canadian History Project (CCHP) will present The Journeys of the Copts and their Artifacts, showcasing the culture, immigration, and achievements of Egypt’s Coptic Christian diaspora in Toronto and Canada through three initiatives in public programming.

A multimedia talk on March 12, 22 (6:30pm) and 24 (3pm) will explore the topic of “St. Mark’s Parish: Copts’ Journey Through Toronto’s Places of Worship, 1962-1978.” As well, a new exhibition will share the museum’s history and milestones alongside the stories, challenges, and achievements of 33 Coptic professionals. While displaying the museum’s first artifacts and memorabilia, the museum will also launch a historic series of contemporary narrative icons by iconographer Victor Asaad Fakhoury, which masterfully chronicle events that have affected the Coptic Church and Copts in Egypt since the so-called “Arab Spring” in 2011.

Walking tour

On March 24 and 25 at 10:30am and 2:30pm, A Historical Walking Tour of the Danforth will be led by the Greek Canadian History Project (GCHP) to illuminate Greek immigrant life and the history of Greektown in previously unexplored ways. The event will take participants to important historical sites that currently escape our collective memory.

Clara Thomas Archives
Broadview and Danforth (image: Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections Toronto Telegram Fond)

Accompanied by materials from CTASC, the tour will highlight political, gender, spiritual, and cultural elements of Greek life on the Danforth from the 1960s to the 1990s, when Danforth was a space where newly-arrived, predominantly semi-rural Greek immigrants intersected with and shaped Toronto’s urban setting.

Tours taking place on March 25 will occur before and after the Greek Independence Day parade, which is an annual commemorative event in Toronto’s Greektown.

All are welcome to attend these events, and individuals are encouraged to RSVP on each event’s website.

For more information, visit the Myseum: Intersections website.

Data, technology, creativity and coffee — it’s all there at Steacie Hackfest

Hackfest

For the third year, students will come together for two full days at York University’s Steacie Science and Engineering Library to collaborate on innovative ideas using data, technology, creativity – and possibly a lot of coffee.

The third annual Steacie Library Dungeon Hackfest runs from Feb. 21 at 9am until Feb. 22 at 5pm. It presents an opportunity for students to work in groups on a concept, and then bring that concept to life.

hackfestStudents from disciplines such as computer science and engineering, fine arts, business, digital media and health will work together to share ideas and create solutions, while showing their strengths and interest in crunching data, business development and visualization.

Breakfast, lunch and caffeine will be provided.

Over the two days, students will follow an agenda to help guide them through the process, which will include a mentor drop-in, final presentations and a reception.

Students who are participating and are interested in learning more skills and tools for the hackfest are encouraged to attend the pre-hackfest workshops running on Feb. 20.

Some of the workshops are:

• Android Mobile App Development by Abdullah Sawas;
• How to Pitch Ideas for the Hackfest by Nilay Goyal;
• Getting Started with Git by Ali Sadaqain;
• York Course Schedule Data: How to Use It For Your Hackfest Idea by Neal Stephenson; and
• Amazon Echo Development by Jim Freemantle.

For more information, visit the Steacie Library Dungeon Hackfest 2018 website.

Fake news and how to spot it — join the discussion Feb. 13

Fake news is everywhere. What is real and what is fake? Can news sources be trusted? To counter the spread of fake news, York University Libraries is organizing a panel of journalists and academics on Feb. 13 at the Collaboratory on the second floor of Scott Library to discuss how news is gathered and disseminated, and the implications of sharing inaccurate information.

It runs from noon to 2pm, and will feature the following panellists:

• Kate Allen, Toronto Star science and technology journalist, on the topic: The Journalistic Process;
• Gail Cohen, Osgoode Hall Law School journalist-in-residence, on the topic: Fake News, Journalistic Integrity, and Trials by Media;
• John Dupuis, science and engineering librarian at York University, on the topic: Predatory Journals as Academic parasites; and
• Fred Fletcher, University professor emeritus, communication studies and political science, on the topic: “Fake News” – What it is and Why it Matters.

The event is part of an initiative to inform the York University community about and to counter the spread of fake news. Attendees will learn about the journalistic process and explore the implications of false or unreliable information as experienced through fake news.

Learning how to identify proliferating fake news and predatory journals, and be aware of the danger they pose to York researchers, scholars and the community as a whole, is crucial. Attendees will learn about what constitutes fake news and why this matters; hear about the impact of predatory journal publishing; and be given opportunities to discuss and explore issues arising from the spread of misinformation.

There will also be an opportunity to interact with journalists and academics by engaging in a question-and-answer session that follows the panel presentations.

“This is an extremely relevant and timely topic for libraries and librarians, as it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish reliable, authoritative content from unauthenticated or suspect information,” said Joy Kirchner, dean of York University Libraries. “York University Libraries’ teaching and learning mission, and central role in the provision of information literacy education, scholarly communication and digital scholarship embraces a  longstanding commitment to helping students, researchers and scholars engage critically with information sources and digital content they encounter and choosing appropriate journals for publishing research.”

Anyone interested in or concerned about the implications of fake news is welcome to attend.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy some fun activities prior to the event.

Community members may also refer to bilingual Fake News Research Guides created by York University Libraries at the following links:

• researchguides.library.yorku.ca/fakenews (English)
• researchguides.library.yorku.ca/fauxreportages (French)

Researchers seeking a journal in which to publish research can review YUL’s online guide.

Visitors to York University Libraries branches are invited to browse the book displays exploring this topic leading up to this event.

Applications due Jan. 28 for Undergraduate Research Fair

Particpants at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair event in the Scott Library
Particpants at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair event in the Scott Library

Applications for participation in the 2018 Undergraduate Research Fair are now open. Instructors who have recently graded final assignments are asked to note particularly strong research or creative art projects and to encourage those students to apply to York University’s sixth annual Undergraduate Research Fair, to be held on Wednesday, March 7, from 11am to 1:30pm, in the Scott Library Collaboratory.

Undergrad research fair
A 2017 Undergraduate research fair participant tries out a AR device headset

Jointly sponsored by York University Libraries and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Fair honours undergraduate student researchers and provides them with the opportunity to share their work by designing a poster and presenting the results of their research to the York University community in a friendly, cross-curricular environment.

Fair applications are due by Jan. 28 and students are encouraged to apply now. Students wishing to present a poster apply by submitting a graded, research-based project or honours thesis prepared between Jan. and Dec. 2017, along with a 250-word abstract. A workshop on designing and presenting a poster will be offered to participating students, and the Libraries will arrange to print the posters at no cost to participants.

Undergrad students who have created a piece of artwork for a 2017 York credit course may apply to have their work displayed in the Scott Library Art Walk during the Undergraduate Research Fair. One artwork submission will be chosen to grace the cover of the e-journal Revue YOUR Review (York Online Undergraduate Research), associated with the fair.

Monetary prizes ($200, $500 and $600) will be awarded to poster session presenters deemed to have the best lower-year project, best upper-year project, best honours thesis, and best poster presentation. In addition, the Libraries offer an Information Literacy awards of $600/$200 to the Research Fair participants whose project (or creative work involving secondary research) best exemplifies excellent practices in library research and information literacy, evidence of critical thinking, and personal learning and growth. Fair attendees select a People’s Choice winner. All student-presenters will receive an invitation to submit an article on their project, to be considered for publication in the refereed e-journal Revue YOUR Review, sponsored by York University Libraries.

Last year’s fair drew a large audience of students, faculty and administrators from across the York community, as well as friends and family of student-presenters. The 2018 Undergraduate Research Fair welcomes applicants from all York University Faculties, including Glendon College.

This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to participate in several components of the cycle of knowledge production and dissemination. For more information about the Fair, participant eligibility, and how to apply to present a poster or display artwork, visit the Undergraduate Research Fair website.

Applications sought for Undergraduate Research Fair celebrating student innovation

Particpants at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair event in the Scott Library
Particpants at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair event in the Scott Library

Applications for participation in the 2018 Undergraduate Research Fair are now open. Instructors who have recently graded final assignments are asked to note particularly strong research or creative art projects and to encourage those students to apply to York University’s sixth annual Undergraduate Research Fair, to be held on Wednesday, March 7, from 11am to 1:30pm, in the Scott Library Collaboratory.

Undergrad research fair
A 2017 Undergraduate research fair participant tries out a AR device headset

Jointly sponsored by York University Libraries and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Fair honours undergraduate student researchers and provides them with the opportunity to share their work by designing a poster and presenting the results of their research to the York University community in a friendly, cross-curricular environment.

Fair applications are due by Jan. 28 and students are encouraged to apply now. Students wishing to present a poster apply by submitting a graded, research-based project or honours thesis prepared between Jan. and Dec. 2017, along with a 250-word abstract. A workshop on designing and presenting a poster will be offered to participating students, and the Libraries will arrange to print the posters at no cost to participants.

Undergrad students who have created a piece of artwork for a 2017 York credit course may apply to have their work displayed in the Scott Library Art Walk during the Undergraduate Research Fair. One artwork submission will be chosen to grace the cover of the e-journal Revue YOUR Review (York Online Undergraduate Research), associated with the fair.

Monetary prizes ($200, $500 and $600) will be awarded to poster session presenters deemed to have the best lower-year project, best upper-year project, best honours thesis, and best poster presentation. In addition, the Libraries offer an Information Literacy awards of $600/$200 to the Research Fair participants whose project (or creative work involving secondary research) best exemplifies excellent practices in library research and information literacy, evidence of critical thinking, and personal learning and growth. Fair attendees select a People’s Choice winner. All student-presenters will receive an invitation to submit an article on their project, to be considered for publication in the refereed e-journal Revue YOUR Review, sponsored by York University Libraries.

Last year’s fair drew a large audience of students, faculty and administrators from across the York community, as well as friends and family of student-presenters. The 2018 Undergraduate Research Fair welcomes applicants from all York University Faculties, including Glendon College.

This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to participate in several components of the cycle of knowledge production and dissemination. For more information about the Fair, participant eligibility, and how to apply to present a poster or display artwork, visit the Undergraduate Research Fair website.

Applications sought for Undergraduate Research Fair celebrating student innovation

Particpants at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair event in the Scott Library
Particpants at the 2016 Undergraduate Research Fair event in the Scott Library

Applications for participation in the 2018 Undergraduate Research Fair are now open. Instructors who have recently graded final assignments are asked to note particularly strong research or creative art projects and to encourage those students to apply to York University’s sixth annual Undergraduate Research Fair, to be held on Wednesday, March 7, from 11am to 1:30pm, in the Scott Library Collaboratory.

Undergrad research fair
A 2017 Undergraduate research fair participant tries out a AR device headset

Jointly sponsored by York University Libraries and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Fair honours undergraduate student researchers and provides them with the opportunity to share their work by designing a poster and presenting the results of their research to the York University community in a friendly, cross-curricular environment.

Fair applications are due by Jan. 28 and students are encouraged to apply now. Students wishing to present a poster apply by submitting a graded, research-based project or honours thesis prepared between Jan. and Dec. 2017, along with a 250-word abstract. A workshop on designing and presenting a poster will be offered to participating students, and the Libraries will arrange to print the posters at no cost to participants.

Undergrad students who have created a piece of artwork for a 2017 York credit course may apply to have their work displayed in the Scott Library Art Walk during the Undergraduate Research Fair. One artwork submission will be chosen to grace the cover of the e-journal Revue YOUR Review (York Online Undergraduate Research), associated with the fair.

Monetary prizes ($200, $500 and $600) will be awarded to poster session presenters deemed to have the best lower-year project, best upper-year project, best honours thesis, and best poster presentation. In addition, the Libraries offer an Information Literacy awards of $600/$200 to the Research Fair participants whose project (or creative work involving secondary research) best exemplifies excellent practices in library research and information literacy, evidence of critical thinking, and personal learning and growth. Fair attendees select a People’s Choice winner. All student-presenters will receive an invitation to submit an article on their project, to be considered for publication in the refereed e-journal Revue YOUR Review, sponsored by York University Libraries.

Last year’s fair drew a large audience of students, faculty and administrators from across the York community, as well as friends and family of student-presenters. The 2018 Undergraduate Research Fair welcomes applicants from all York University Faculties, including Glendon College.

This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduates to participate in several components of the cycle of knowledge production and dissemination. For more information about the Fair, participant eligibility, and how to apply to present a poster or display artwork, visit the Undergraduate Research Fair website.