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Go ENG Girl returns to inspire the next generation of women engineers

Go ENG Girl 2016
Go_Eng_Girl
Lassonde students guide Go ENG Girl participants in a hands-on learning activity during a previous year’s event

On Saturday, Oct. 5, York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering will once again host the annual Go ENG Girl event, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence on the Keele Campus.

Go ENG Girl is a free event organized by Ontario’s top universities, in partnership with the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering, offering girls in Grades 7 and 8 the chance to learn more about engineering through a series of fun, hands-on activities and exhibits.

This effort to encourage young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is an important part of Lassonde’s mission for 50:50 gender parity in its programs. Lassonde is committed to attracting top talent – including women – into the field of engineering. Women are integral to creating the world’s future community of compassionate, skilled and passionate engineers.

Female undergraduate students and professional engineers will take part in the day to share their stories of passion, inspiration and success. Accompanying parents and guardians are also encouraged to participate, with an information session on engineering career pathways just for them.

The agenda for the day will include the following:

• 9 to 9:30 a.m. – registration
• 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. – welcome
• 9:45 to 10 a.m. – guest speaker from Hatch, Maheen Sani
• 10 to 10:45 a.m. – the Great Spaghetti Bridge Challenge
• 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. – parent session: STEM educator Isha Decoito
• 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. – student activity: Hello Café – disaster-proof road systems
• 12 to 12:15 p.m. – testing demonstrations (parents and students)
• 12:15 to 1 p.m. – lunch and farewell

Go ENG Girl is a popular event that often fills up, so register now to guarantee your spot. This event is reserved for girls – which is interpreted in the broadest sense of the word.

For more information, visit lassonde.yorku.ca/go-eng-girl-2019 or contact Sonia Szubelak at ext. 44019 or outreach@lassonde.yorku.ca.

Broaden your mind with the Scholars’ Hub Speaker Series

Do you enjoy hearing about the latest thought-provoking research? The Scholars’ Hub Speaker Series features discussions on a broad range of topics, with engaging lectures from some of York University’s best minds.

The Scholars’ Hub events are presented by York’s Division of Advancement in partnership with Vaughan Public Libraries, the Markham Public Library and the Aurora Public Library. Students, alumni and all members of the community are welcome to attend.

The next event in the series takes place on Oct. 2 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bathurst Clark Resource Library at 900 Clark Ave. W., as part of the York University Scholars’ Hub in Vaughan, Ont.

John Moores Lassonde York U
John Moores

At this session, Professor John E. Moores in Lassonde’s Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, Research Chair in Space Exploration, will deliver the talk “Our Solar System: A Planetary Rosetta Stone.”

The past 25 years have seen a revolution in our understanding of where planets may be found and how many are out there. In that time, we have discovered thousands of new planets and we now believe that, on average, there is a planet for every star in the sky. Yet, we know most of the planets beyond our own solar system as little more than wiggles and bumps on a graph. Just like the Rosetta Stone allowed us to translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, it is our exploration of our own solar system that will allow us to translate those bumps and wiggles into the language of rock and ice, oceans and storms. Only then can we truly know those planets as worlds in their own right.

To RSVP, fill out the form online.

Other events in the series are scheduled to take place, including:

• Scholars’ Hub at Markham Public Library on Nov. 14, featuring philosophy Professor Regina Rini with her talk “Everyone is Wrong on the Internet: Disagreement and Error in Social Media Discourse.”

DARE winners to display summer research at upcoming celebration

On Oct. 2, this year’s cohort of Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) winners will showcase the work completed in the summer of 2019 under the leadership of professors from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).

Student participants will attend the DARE Research Poster Session and Celebration to present their research and engage with attendees. All are welcome to attend the event, which will take place from noon to 2:30 p.m. in the Collaboratory located in the Scott Library on the Keele Campus. Light refreshments will be served.

“The quality and range of research projects carried out by DARE awardees is a point of pride for LA&PS,” said J.J. McMurtry, interim dean of LA&PS. “The upcoming celebration is a way to honour their hard work and valuable contributions to our Faculty.”

This year, 40 student researchers received the DARE award, which included $5,000 in funding to work collaboratively with LA&PS faculty on a research project throughout the Summer 2019 term. (Learn more about DARE in the YFile article “LA&PS announces winners of 2019’s Dean’s Award for Research Excellence” and view the 2019-20 award recipients in the winners’ gallery.)

“DARE engages our students with all aspects of the research process,” said David Cuff, director, strategic research and partnerships, Office of the Associate Dean, Graduate Studies & Research. “These projects showcase the value of learning how to communicate research results to audiences who will really stand to benefit from this work.” 

Projects are diverse in their themes and scopes, with subjects ranging from disability in the disaster context to refugee advocacy under former prime minister Stephen Harper and the political economy of plastic packaging.

“When we created the DARE program two years ago, we knew that this was a truly unique opportunity for both our researchers and our students,” said Sandra Whitworth, associate dean, graduate studies and research. “It’s wonderful to see the results of these projects expressed in such creative and insightful ways.”

Join York International for its ‘Go Global Campaign 2019’

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels

Every year, from September to December, York International organizes the Go Global Campaign to let York students know about the many global learning opportunities that are available to them. From academic exchanges, international internships and summer programs, there are so many wonderful opportunities for York students to take their learning abroad. The following events have been arranged:

Join us for one of two Go Global Fairs!
Date and time: Oct. 3 and Nov 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Vari Link and Central Square, Keele Campus
Come and talk to the Global Learning Staff, Global Ambassadors, York students returning from their international program and students attending York University from overseas on an exchange. Everyone has information and helpful tips about  exchange destinations, internship host institutions and summer programs.

Get first-hand information on exchange host universities from an expert!
Date and time: Oct 3. and Nov 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Room 242, York Lanes, Keele Campus
Get firsthand accounts from international students who are here at York University on an exchange. They will be giving presentations on their home universities.

Sign- up for Go Global information sessions
Every year, York International Global Learning staff host information sessions in Room 242 York Lanes. Drop by to get an overview of the timeline, requirements and application procedures. Check the York International Events Calendar for sessions on exchanges, internships and summer programs. New dates being added all the time.

Talk to Global Ambassadors
Global Ambassadors are former exchange students and interns who help York International reach out to a wider number of students. They are present at campus fairs, faculty-based events and they even do class visits. Talk to them and ask about their study and internship experiences.

For more information, visit the York International Go Global website.

York University is partnering with the OPP to bring awareness to the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act

Students walking in Accolade
Students walking in Accolade

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have reached out to universities and colleges across the province to partner with them on their awareness campaign for the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act.

The act, which was signed into federal law in May 2017, provides some legal protection for individuals who call 9-1-1 to get help for themselves or someone suffering from a drug overdose.

The act provides protection from charges related to:

  • possessing drugs for personal use; and
  • violating conditions of parole, bail, probation or a conditional sentence for a simple drug possession charge.

Health Canada has declared the use of opioids to be a national health crisis that does not discriminate. It affects people from all walks of life, age groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Anyone who experiences or witnesses a drug overdose should call 9-1-1 and York Security Services at 416-736-5333. The University’s security officials are trained to provide emergency first aid, including administering naloxone, which experts have indicated can be used safely in response to an opioid overdose. Security officials follow a recommended protocol, which means they would contact EMS immediately in that type of health emergency.

The University provides resources and information to help community members who may be affected by substance use. To learn more, visit the Understanding Opioids website.

York University is committed to positive well-being for all community members. Resources are available on campus as well as in the community to help individuals achieve positive well-being.

For a list of resources, visit the Mental Health & Wellness website.

Weekend wrap: Women’s soccer Lions put four unanswered goals past Golden Hawks

Lions logo
York U Lions

The York University Lions women’s soccer team beat the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks with a 4-0 win during the away game at University Stadium in Waterloo, Ont., on Friday night.

It was York’s fourth-year veteran Kiyani Johnson who scored three-quarters of the Lions’ goals.

At 13:37 into the game, after shots by Vanessa Salvaggio and Marissa Castellano that went wide, Johnson scored an unassisted goal against the Golden Hawks, not only securing the first goal for the Lions but the first goal of the game. More details on the York Lions website.

No. 3 men’s soccer Lions down Golden Hawks 9-3, extend win streak to five

The No. 3 nationally ranked York University Lions men’s soccer team won their fifth game of the season when they beat the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks 9-3 at University Stadium in Waterloo, Ont., on Friday night.

Third-year forward Soji Olatoye was the high scorer for the Lions, as he was able to secure a trio of goals during the game. At just 27 seconds into the game, Olatoye secured the first goal for the Lions. Laurier’s Glorious Okpali responded soon after, tying the game 1-1. More details.

Field hockey Lions climb back to second after 2-1 win over University of Waterloo Warriors

The York University Lions women’s field hockey team beat the University of Waterloo Warriors 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. It was the team’s second game of the day.

The first quarter of the game started with both teams producing several shots on goal; however, none of them were able to find the back of the other’s net. The game remained scoreless until Waterloo’s Eileen Tudorica scored the first goal with seconds remaining in the first quarter of the game.

The Lions were able to get on the scoreboard shortly after the start of the second quarter when first-year player Michelle Lee passed to fellow rookie Lexi Hannah who fired a goal into Waterloo’s territory and tied the game 1-1. More details.

Earlier in the day, the Lions field hockey team snapped their four-game win streak with a 3-1 loss against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at Alumni Field. More details.

No. 9 Gee-Gees defeat football Lions in annual homecoming game

The York University Lions football team got off to a strong start against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees in the annual homecoming game. The Lions were ultimately defeated by a score of 46-12 during the game at Alumni Field on Saturday evening.

The home squad dominated the first quarter, spending most of it in Ottawa’s end and moving the ball well. At three minutes into the game, Basem Attalla got the Lions on the board with a 22-yard field goal, but his second attempt was short and the third ricocheted off the upright. The Lions led just 3-0 after the opening frame. More details.

Cross-country Lions open season at Bill Salter Invitational in London, Ont.

The York University Lions cross-country teams opened their season on Saturday morning in London, Ont., for the 34th edition of the Bill Salter Invitational hosted by Western University.

Despite it being her first season with the Lions, the spotlight wasn’t too big for Carmen Krawczynski Gonzalez. She crossed the line first for the Lions in a time of 24:49, good for 45th overall. Under a minute behind her was second-year runner Anna Prouzou in a time of 25:41, finishing 62nd, while rookie Meaghan Evon finished 70th, running 26:02 in the six-kilometre race. More details.

History T-shirts travel the world

Iceland. Jamaica. New Zealand.

These are just some of the destinations where the Department of History’s T-shirts have been photographed as part of the Travelling T-Shirt Contest.

Department of History Professor Sean Kheraj on location at Machu Picchu

The contest started after Department of History Professor and Associate Dean Sean Kheraj shared a photo of himself wearing the shirt in Machu Picchu.

Knowing it would be difficult to outdo this epic image, he challenged his colleagues to snap their own photos around the world.

Kheraj said he couldn’t have imagined a better outcome. From the Great Barrier Reef to Mount Zion, history faculty and staff took the challenge in stride.

“It’s been so exciting to see my colleagues try to top my excellent photo,” Kheraj said with a laugh. “I hope the tradition will continue throughout the year, as staff and faculty explore the world for research, conferences and holidays.”

Winners were announced just in time for the new school year.

Click here to see the winning photos, along with all the other submissions.

Photos have also been shared on the History Department’s Twitter and Instagram accounts, with the hashtag #TravellingTShirtContest.

Start the fall season with mindfulness meditation programs

A person in meditation pose

Students, staff and faculty are invited to start the fall season with a mindfulness meditation clinic hosted by the York University Psychology Clinic.

The 10-week clinic, “Personal Peace and Personal Productivity – The Science of Mindfulness,” is being offered on Tuesday evenings (5:30 to 7 p.m.) and Wednesdays at lunch hour (noon to 1 p.m.).

This program is geared to both novice meditators and individuals who practise meditation more regularly in their lives.

Based on strong existing evidence, mindfulness assists with better focusing, more peace of mind and lower stress. Evidence indicates that it helps individuals process information more precisely, fluently and with better working memory – that, in turn, aids retention, efficiency and competency.

This 10-week mindfulness group focuses on how you can feel your heart and relax, with a calmer heartbeat and more mental acuity. The clinic uses a narrative approach that helps transform “wired and tired” experience to calm competence and more interpersonal flexibility and generosity.

The workshop is facilitated by Dr. Paul Ritvo, clinical psychologist.

Fees will not be processed until after the first group session and should be covered by most extended health plans. For more details on how to register, email yupc@yorku.ca.

Interdisciplinary research team at York makes breakthrough discovery in vision research

A breakthrough discovery by York University researchers shows that children have difficulty suppressing irrelevant visual details when having to resolve other specific details.

The purpose of the research was to determine if young children can suppress their visual surroundings when attempting to inspect a specific detail in front of them (i.e. to recognize if someone is wearing a hat, do human brains have the innate ability to suppress other details of the person like hair colour) or if this ability develops over time.

Vision Research Image.jpg
The research space used to conduct the study

The study, “Development of spatial suppression surrounding the focus of visual attention,” was published in the Journal of Vision and was conducted by an interdisciplinary research team including Department of Psychology PhD student Audrey Wong-Kee-You and her primary supervisor, Professor Scott A. Adler. Lassonde Professor John Tsotsos, from the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, also collaborated on the research.

A main component of the research involved a study held at the Ontario Science Centre with 400 kids participating, designed and conducted by Wong-Kee-You. She concluded that this quality to suppress irrelevant visual details when having to focus on other specific details only develops by 16 to 18 years of age and is, in fact, not an innate characteristic of the human brain.

The research can be applied in countless ways, such as informing educational practices by enabling educators to better align teaching methods and educational requirements to age-appropriate attentional skills or influencing how environments for children are designed.

In the future we may be better equipped to recognize difficulties in children and determine how to best deal with them to improve their visual function, said researchers.

This is also a revelation for those in the field of machine learning, as the principles of machine learning theory are built on the idea that one need only feed an artificial brain with sufficient data. These results show that the human brain takes years to develop and does so while it learns about its world.

This insight from human visual development suggests that a different approach to machine learning and artificial intelligence is needed if it is to truly behave as humans do.

The interdisciplinary nature of this research is a key part of its success.

“I had spent a good portion of my PhD reading and learning about descriptive models of visual attention, but meeting John [Tsotsos] and working on this project gave me the opportunity to familiarize myself with his computational theory, the selective tuning model of attention,” said Wong-Kee-You. “This gave me a different perspective and allowed me to consider the strengths of theories with an algorithmic mechanism.”

STS Seminar Series explores the psychological contributions to science and technology studies, Sept. 24

Kieran O'Doherty

The second event in this year’s Research Seminar Series in Science & Technology Studies (STS) takes place on Sept. 24 and features guest speaker Kieran O’Doherty, a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Guelph.

Now in its 26th year, the series has hosted hundreds experts from across Canada and around the world presenting on a wide range of STS-related topics. The talks are free and open to the public, and STS majors are especially encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be provided.

The Sept. 24 seminar, titled “Psychological Contributions to Science and Technology Studies,” will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in 203 Bethune College (Norman’s).

Kieran O'Doherty
Kieran O’Doherty

Science and technology are central to almost all domains of human activity. As a result, they are the focus of subdisciplines such as the philosophy of science, the philosophy of technology, the sociology of knowledge, and the history of science and technology. Further, multidisciplinary programs such as science and technology studies focus on a systematic investigation of the dynamic relationships between science, technology and human life. Many contributions to STS question mechanistic and universalistic scientific visions and instead argue for a socially and culturally situated conception of the production of scientific knowledge and technological artifacts.

To date, psychology has been marginal in this space, and the contributions that have come from psychology have tended to come from relatively narrow epistemological orientations. O’Doherty argues that it is because of mainstream psychology’s adherence to a vision of itself as a science modelled on the natural sciences – universal, objective, guided by a view of humans as a collection of variables to be measured – that it has failed to engage meaningfully with STS.

To counter this trend, O’Doherty and his colleagues recently collected contributions on the study of science and technology specifically from psychologists working from perspectives that are aligned with STS. The resulting book, Psychological Studies of Science and Technology, was published this year by Palgrave-Macmillan. Contributors’ orientations include theoretical psychology, critical psychology, feminist psychology, queer psychology, history of psychology and qualitative psychology, among others.

In this talk, O’Doherty will reflect on the position of psychology in relation to STS and argue that a pluralistic vision of psychology has much to offer.

Here’s a look at the rest of the Fall 2019 lineup:

Oct. 8: Kean Birch (York University), “Automated Neoliberalism”

Oct. 22: Zbigniew Stachniak (York University), “The IBM Images Archive”

Nov. 5: Kelly Bronson (University of Ottawa), “Data-driven: Agribusiness, Activists and Their Shared Politics of the Future”

Nov. 19: Kate Henne (University of Waterloo), “Grey Matters: Imagining Traumatic Brain Injury Through the Lens of Sex Difference”

Dec. 3: John McLevey (University of Waterloo), “Democracies in Crisis? Online Deception, Disinformation and Political Polarization in Comparative Perspective”

Unless otherwise specified, all seminars in this series will take place on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in 203 Bethune College (Norman’s).

Further details will appear in YFile prior to each talk, and the lineup for Winter 2019 will be released at a later date. This series is sponsored by York University’s Department of Science & Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, and co-ordinated by members of the department. For more information about the Research Seminar Series in Science & Technology Studies, contact Professor Conor Douglas at cd512@yorku.ca or visit sts.info.yorku.ca/seminar-series.