Approved tag
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:
La version française suit la version anglaise.
In response to a public statement made by three student unions on Oct. 12, serious concerns, outrage and fear have been expressed by many, including students. The statement has been widely interpreted as a justification for attacking civilians and a call to violence. While the University affirms the right of students and other community members to express political views, including support for the Israeli and/or Palestinian people, the University has condemned this statement noting that freedom of speech is not absolute.
Despite multiple efforts to engage the student unions’ leaders to address the serious and ongoing harms created by their statement, the groups have yet to take any of the steps set out by the University, and the situation remains urgent.
Today (Oct. 20), the University initiated the formal process by giving a written notice to the student union leaders that we suspect they have breached their responsibilities under the Regulation Regarding Student Organizations, including failure to operate in an open, accessible, democratic, non-discriminatory manner, and failure to act in accordance with the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion for all members.
The University has required the unions to take the following remedial actions or to demonstrate to the designated representative under the regulation that a breach has not occurred:
Each student union must take the remedial action required by the University, or state in writing that their position is that they have not breached the regulation, by no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25. If the union denies that a breach has occurred, there will be a due process hearing to determine if there has been a breach, which could result in sanctions, the most severe of which would be the University withdrawing recognition of the union.
The University is deeply disappointed that this step is now required, but we are compelled to uphold University policies and to act in the best interests of the York community, including those of the student unions and their memberships.
Le 18 octobre, la présidente Rhonda Lenton a mis à jour la communauté universitaire de York au sujet de notre responsabilité collective de contribuer à un environnement de travail et d’étude sain et inclusif, tout particulièrement compte tenu du besoin d’aide humanitaire dans la Bande de Gaza, des pertes de vie dont le nombre ne cesse d’augmenter, de la sécurité des otages et des répercussions directes du conflit sur les membres de notre communauté universitaire, plus particulièrement la communauté étudiante, le corps professoral et le personnel d’origine palestinienne et israélienne, et de celles et ceux qui ont des liens étroits avec cette région du globe.
Dans la foulée d’une déclaration publique de trois associations étudiantes en date du 12 octobre, beaucoup ont exprimé de graves inquiétudes et craignent maintenant pour leur sécurité, dont des membres de la communauté étudiante. Beaucoup ont compris que, par cette déclaration, les associations estimaient que les attaques contre des civils et les appels à la violence étaient justifiés. L’Université reconnaît le droit de la population étudiante et des autres membres de la communauté de partager leurs points de vue politique, y compris leur appui aux peuples israélien et/ou palestinien, mais l’Université a condamné cette déclaration en affirmant que la liberté d’expression avait ses limites.
En dépit de nombreux efforts visant à inviter la direction de ces associations étudiantes à prendre en compte le tort considérable que la déclaration avait causé et continuait de causer, les trois associations n’ont toujours pris aucune des mesures proposées par l’Université, et la situation reste urgente.
Aujourd’hui, l’Université a enclenché une procédure officielle par laquelle elle a informé écrit la direction des associations étudiantes que nous sommes d’avis qu’elles ont failli à leurs responsabilités en vertu du règlement sur les organismes étudiants (Regulation Regarding Student Organizations), plus précisément qu’elles n’ont pas agi de manière ouverte, accessible, démocratique et non discriminatoire, et qu’elles ne se sont pas comportées conformément aux principes de diversité, d’équité et d’inclusion de l’ensemble de leurs membres.
L’Université a demandé aux associations étudiantes de prendre les mesures correctives suivantes, ou encore de démontrer au Représentant en vertu du Règlement qu’il n’y a eu aucun manquement :
Ou alors
Chaque association étudiante doit prendre les mesures exigées par l’Université, ou alors déclarer par écrit qu’elles sont d’avis qu’elles n’ont pas enfreint au Règlement, au plus tard à 17 h le mercredi 25 octobre 2023. Toute association qui nie toute infraction au Règlement sera convoquée à une audience en bonne et due forme visant à déterminer s’il y a eu infraction, ce qui pourrait la rendre passible de sanctions pouvant aller jusqu’au retrait de la reconnaissance de l’Association par l’Université.
L’Université est profondément déçue de devoir prendre cette mesure, mais il nous incombe de faire respecter les politiques universitaires et d’agir dans l’intérêt de la communauté de York, y compris dans l’intérêt des associations étudiantes et de leurs membres.
By Elaine Smith
Dr. Ahmad Firas Khalid, a physician and assistant professor at the School of Global Health, created the simulation and ran it to great acclaim for 100 students last May in partnership with Associate Professor Adrian Viens, director of the School of Global Health. As a result, they have slated the second annual WHA simulation for May 1 to 3, 2024, with the theme of One Health.
The simulation provides students with an experiential education (EE) opportunity to understand the workings of the WHO’s supreme governing body, and asks them to consider a current global health issue, participate in a WHA committee, draft a resolution and present it to the entire assembly.
In addition, students are exposed to numerous experts in the field who will offer guidance and share their own experiences. Participants in 2023, for example, were treated to an online address by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, and Dr. James Orbinski, a Nobel laureate and director of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at York.
“It demonstrates how valuable experiential education is,” said Khalid. “It was so well received that we’ll be making it an annual event. We started working on this year’s simulation the minute the last one ended.”
Khalid and Viens can attest to the value the simulation has for students, based on their research. The pair used a mixed method of study to evaluate the program, an event that was supported by a grant from the Academic Innovation Fund and funds from other donors.
They asked all participants to fill out a pre-assessment survey to evaluate their skills with dialogue, complex problem thinking, communications and use of simulations. Afterward, they conducted semi-structured interviews with 18 participants to determine which of their skills participation improved and how it benefited them. These findings will form the basis of a research paper and will be shared at conferences.
The findings indicated:
“The simulation improved our students’ skill sets in communication, interpersonal skills, time management and collaboration, and it enhanced their understanding of complex issues, filling gaps in their knowledge more effectively than a classroom lecture,” said Khalid. “We’re mimicking the outside world with a structured, informed pedagogical approach.
“You can’t underestimate the simulation’s value in career preparation. I have already heard from two students who took part in 2023 and have decided to pursue master’s degrees in public policy as a result of this experience, something that wasn’t on their radar previously.”
Khalid and Viens have taken the feedback they received during these interviews to improve upon the experience for this year’s participants. They’ll be holding four workshops in the months leading up to the simulation to help students prepare for the negotiating, informed discussion and writing required.
“We want to be innovative in our approach every year and push the envelope,” said Khalid. “We want to push the students to think about both the dominant and the counter-narratives.”
Currently, available funding means that the simulation is capped at 100 students, but Khalid and Viens are working with partners to see if it’s possible to open the door to larger numbers.
Interested students from the Faculty of Health should contact Khalid directly.
By Elaine Smith
The experiential education (EE) course – created during the pandemic by Ingrid Veninger, assistant professor of cinema and media arts, and John Greyson, associate professor of cinema and media arts at the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) – made its in-person debut in May. Students in the course had the opportunity to study current aesthetics and practices of new neo-realist cinema; workshop a broad range of film studio and green screen methods; be trained in professional on-set and studio production techniques; work in teams to develop, script and shoot original short dramatic films; and perform key creative roles on at least two dramatic shoots.
“This is a studio-based, collaborative course that teaches the art of the green screen and shows that it isn’t just useful for stories about superheroes,” said Greyson, who taught the in-person version. “There’s a unique approach to how you can tell stories with actors using the green screen.
“As a student, having that entrée and exposure is an extraordinary gift.”
The course was open to all third- and fourth-year film, theatre, visual arts and dance students at AMPD, as well as graduate students, but it required an application and an interview.
“The application focused on their skills and on the stories they wanted to tell – stories told in a neo-realistic style with a social justice theme,” Greyson said. “These are social justice stories coming out of their own lives; the stories that Hollywood ignores. We chose salt as a theme that tied them all together.”
Fourth-year acting student Natasha Advani Thangkhiew drew on personal experiences with eating disorder and anxiety that inspired a story written by classmate JJ Mokrzewski. It became one of six screenplays the class filmed and told of the challenge the protagonist faced in going out on a dinner date with someone on whom she had a crush.
Advani Thangkhiew found the process of acting in a story based on her own experiences “enlightening.”
“When it comes to telling a personal story, what I learned is that as an actor, it is very important to detach yourself and look at the experience as an entity that is separate from yourself, because this allows the story to evolve in the way that it is supposed to,” she said. “Eventually, it is not only my story; it becomes a story where every person in the group finds ownership and meaning.”
Veninger agreed that although each writer took one of the stories selected and wrote the draft of a script, the feedback and commentary turned the process into a collaboration that brought out the students’ creativity and allowed them to find ways to make the story their own.
“It became an amazing think tank of ideas around social justice, and the best ideas won,” she said. “There was a general attitude of receptivity, active listening and meaningful collaboration. Everyone had a desire to see the script improved.”
Added Greyson, “Having the writers in the same room as the actors from the beginning meant they could tailor the roles to the actors, which transformed the stories.”
The cinematography crew shot the location footage in advance, and it was added during post-production. A still from the footage was projected onto a video screen before the actors began working so they could imagine the location in their minds and adjust their movements accordingly.
“It was my first time acting in front of a green screen, and it forced me to activate my imagination,” said Advani Thangkhiew. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to do it in class where the stakes aren’t as high.”
Working at YUMMS in the Cinespace facility was also a revelation.
“Even having access to that kind of space, equipment and property houses is amazing,” Advani Thangkhiew said. “The studio is such a valuable resource and being able to shoot scenes in one of the best studios in the city was incredible.”
Veninger noted that AMPD is grateful to have such outstanding studio space, originally a gift from the Mirkopoulos family, the owners of Cinespace, and recently renewed by TPG Real Estate Partners. It has two sound stages, equipped with teaching resources, a standing set, a green screen stage and professional equipment.
“Students are working in a space with real productions such as ‘Law & Order’ swirling around them,” she said, “and they get inspired knowing that shows like ‘The Umbrella Academy’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ were shot just down the hall.”
Shooting the Set received generous contributions from industry collaborators. In addition to the gift from Cinespace Film Studios, in-kind sponsorships were received from Wiseacre Rentals and MBS Equipment Co., as well as an iHUB innovation grant from CEWIL Canada that allowed them to provide students with a stipend. CEWIL is a leading organization for work-integrated learning in Canada and champions it through partnerships with educational institutions, governments and others.
At the end of the five-week course, Greyson and Veninger organized a movie preview night at the York U Motion Media Studio to showcase the films to family, friends, colleagues and industry guests, followed by a networking mixer.
“This is one of the best courses I’ve taken at York,” Advani Thangkhiew said. “Everyone who came learned and grew so much.”
Shooting the Set will be offered again in May 2024. Contact Professor Greyson for more information.
By Elaine Smith
Van Dreumel, an assistant professor and undergraduate program director for the Faculty of Health, was exploring ways to assist students in building necessary skills for success while transitioning to university when she met Steele, an assistant professor in the Department of Humanities in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Steele was working on a project to assist students with their transition from university to the working world by building on classroom knowledge, skills and experience. The two teaching-stream faculty members decided to join forces to equitably support the student transition continuum from the time they enter the University to the time they graduate to the next stage in their lives – whether that meant the workforce or more schooling.
“We felt that this same continuum could happen in a single course, not only across courses,” Steele said. “An instructor could begin with preliminary reflection skills early in the course and advance to more complex applications of reflection later in the course to enable students to identify career interests emerging out of the course content.”
Along with a team of instructors, students and subject matter experts, the pair created the Envision YU curriculum with “tools and resources that professors can embed directly into courses and customize to fulfill learning objectives using course content, so students engage naturally and can build skills,” van Dreumel said.
Steele noted that when this is done iteratively, the students become more fluent with these skills and transition to the next stage of their lives with more agency and confidence.
The Envision YU resources and supporting materials include interactive activities (H5P-based lessons), videos, infographics, tip sheets and worksheets. Instructors can use the resources as-is, or they can tailor the resources based on their specific course requirements. Many of them have been student- and instructor-tested.
The Envision YU curriculum assists in building four capacities that are crucial to student success: reflection, self-regulation, teamwork and transfer. Faculty also have the option of incorporating resources developed for various stages of learning into their courses. The Envision YU curriculum has resources tailored toward different stages of skill development: comprehending, developing, applying and advancing.
Steele says these Envision YU capacities are ubiquitous, needed by all students, no matter their academic focus. For instance, she said, “The ability to transfer knowledge, skills and experience from one context to another is critical in today’s dynamic world, but many instructors’ expertise is focused only on academic contexts, and they are uncomfortable including material that stretches beyond their disciplines.
“Our toolkit helps instructors, so they aren’t expected to be experts in everything, yet can provide opportunities for students to master transition skills in their courses.”
There’s a big cognitive load for professors when they get into the more nuanced aspects of teaching, especially in terms of classroom-based experiential education. Many instructors don’t know the theory of reflective writings and are, thus, ill-equipped to teach their students how to reflect critically. With the resources in Envision YU, they can use one or more of the several reflective assignments to guide their students to reflect critically on the syllabus, assignment feedback, course-based experiences, their skills, values, and the relevance of course topics and readings in their students’ lives.
“Envision YU is about the impact you can have on your students – not only in class, but down the road. We want to provide instructors with the flexibility and self-confidence to integrate these skills in courses across the curriculum,” said Steele.
Envision YU is an open access resource and is available through eCampus Ontario. Steele and van Dreumel are available to answer faculty questions and assist in customizing the tools.
The program was ranked 37th globally and 12th among programs based in North America. This year’s Financial Times ranking marks the 15th time that the Kellogg-Schulich EMBA program has been ranked No. 1 in Canada.
The program also ranked among the top 20 in the world in the following categories:
“We’re delighted to have once again been ranked the No. 1 EMBA program in Canada and one of the top programs globally in what is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent EMBA ranking,” said Schulich School of Business Dean Detlev Zwick.
The Kellogg-Schulich EMBA is a partner in the Kellogg School of Management’s global network of EMBA programs. With world-class connections and over 40 specialized elective courses, the Kellogg-Schulich EMBA offers the opportunity to personalize the learning experience while leveraging diverse perspectives from business leaders around the world.
For complete details regarding the 2023 Financial Times EMBA ranking, visit: rankings.ft.com/rankings/2950/emba-2023.
The Athlete Women Empowered Classic is a U Sports women’s basketball tournament featuring teams from York, Concordia, Trinity Western and the University of Toronto – the only teams currently led by Black women coaches.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, York’s women’s basketball head coach Christa Eniojukan, along with Concordia’s Tenicha Gittens, Trinity Western’s Cheryl Jean-Paul and U of T’s Tamara Tatham, designed the pre-season tournament with the goal of establishing a pathway for BIPOC women to step into leadership roles in sport.
In addition to the five-game schedule, the event held at York’s Keele Campus will offer workshops, panel discussions and networking session that provide opportunities to interact with coaches, athletes and industry leaders. Attendees will have the chance to observe top athletes showcasing their skills and competing in various awe-inspiring sports. From heart-pounding races to jaw-dropping stunts, this event promises non-stop action and unforgettable moments.
On Friday, Oct. 20, York will face Concordia for an 11 a.m. game, followed by a 1 p.m. game featuring Trinity Western and U of T.
On Saturday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m., York will take on Trinity Western and at 1 p.m., U of T and Concordia will play each other.
The final day, Sunday, Oct. 22, will have an early start with a 9 a.m. game between Concordia and Trinity Western.
Tickets are free and are available online.
More about Christa Eniojukan
The York University Lions women’s basketball head coach has been coaching youth teams and student-athletes for more than a decade, most notably with Ontario’s U17 provincial team from 2014-17.
In July, the former Lion guard (2003-05), who has won six national medals, including four gold, earned a silver as the head coach of Canada’s women’s team at the second annual GLOBL Jam, a tournament featuring some of the best U-23 talent in the world. The Lions boss is entering her third season at the helm.
Eniojukan and the Lions kick off their 2023-24 season on Nov. 3 when they welcome the Waterloo Warriors to Tait McKenzie Centre for a 6 p.m. tip.
Read more about Eniojukan here.
“As someone who is a foodie and loves to cook and bake, I was really looking forward to having my own kitchen,” she says. “But it was challenging for me to feel motivated to cook and find easy ways to accommodate my schedule. I can only imagine how other new students living in residence may have felt if they had never cooked for themselves before.”
Despite this, Nguyen, a former biomedical science student who was a peer health educator during her second year of studies at York, turned her experience into an opportunity. She merged her passions for well-being and food advocacy to develop Fuel: Feel Good University Eating & Living – a cookbook containing a collection of diverse recipes and tips to help students and University community members on their journey towards nutritious eating habits.
“I wanted to support students like me who may have struggled with living alone and cooking on their own for the first time,” Nguyen says.
The development of Fuel began this year. It was entirely student-led, and the book consists of approximately 30 recipes. Each recipe was created and tested by York’s peer health educators, who promote University services, resources and health initiatives to students across campus. Nguyen and the peer health educators also included tips within the book to manage cooking and mindful eating.
Nguyen says she and her team wanted the cookbook to be as accessible as possible; each recipe was crafted to incorporate different skill levels, dietary preferences and cultural backgrounds.
“We built recipes that were created by students, for students, which made all the recipes in the cookbook very approachable for others who are just like us,” she says, adding that the book is centred around recipes that are balanced, affordable and beginner-friendly.
Alicia Moonesar, assistant director of Health Services, Education & Promotions at York, recognizes that university students may face difficulties when trying to eat healthy on a fixed budget, but says that Fuel hopes to help promote nutritious habits.
“Research demonstrates that students can learn better when they’re well-nourished, and eating healthy meals has been linked to higher grades, improved memory, alertness and quicker information processing,” she says. “This book will give students lots of delicious meal ideas that are easy to prepare and give them the energy they need.”
Moonesar supervises Nguyen and the team of peer health educators, and supported them throughout the construction of the book. She says York’s peer health educators continue to make a difference on campus by utilizing health promotion, health education workshops and engagement activities, and by sharing resources online.
Diversity was also an important element to Nguyen when developing Fuel. The final chapter, “Celebrating Cultures,” incorporates cultural recipes from each peer health educator that contributed to the book. “The diversity of the York community is reflected in the content throughout,” says Nguyen. “One of the recipes in this section is Vietnamese spring rolls, a traditional dish from my culture, which is easily customizable and includes accessible ingredients for students.”
Nguyen hopes the project helps other students across the University.
“It’s wonderful to see what collaboration among students can do,” she says. “My goal is that students use the cookbook, have a positive experience and feel like they were supported by this resource.”
Staff and faculty are encouraged to explore the Fuel cookbook and share it with students and community members.
La version française suit la version anglaise.
York University is a diverse and inclusive institution known for its commitment to enhancing the well-being of the communities we serve. The University has however been clear that freedom of expression is not absolute and must never justify or incite violence.
Deep concern and outrage have been expressed both within and external to the University about the statement made on Oct. 12 by three student unions at York University and I want to update you on how we have responded. Immediately after learning of the student unions’ public message, York condemned the statement. Since then, we have taken additional steps to engage the student unions. On Friday, and again over the weekend, the University reached out to the student unions’ leadership to call on them to reaffirm their commitment to non-violence, anti-discrimination, and to the safety of all students; to withdraw the statement; and to acknowledge and commit to repairing the hurt caused to their student members and others. Senior leaders from the University also met with the unions yesterday (Oct. 17) to reaffirm our expectation.
The three student unions indicated that they were undertaking their own internal governance processes including consultation with their members regarding the impact of their statement and they committed to replying to us by the end of the day on Thursday, Oct. 19. The University will be assessing their responses and applying its own policies and regulations accordingly, following all appropriate procedures to determine outcomes. This does not preclude student members from proceeding with the remedies that they have under the constitution or by-laws of these student unions for accountability.
As indicated in a previous communication, supports are available for students, staff and faculty who may be struggling. Our Campus Safety colleagues have recently enhanced security measures using a community-centered approach to minimize any negative interactions between individuals and groups on our campuses. They also work to ensure that peaceful protest does not interrupt academic activities. We remind community members of our collective responsibility to share ideas and to engage with each other on this difficult topic in a way that reflects our inclusive values and which follows our policies and regulations.
I am asking each of us to remember all that we have achieved by working together collaboratively to fulfill our role as an institution of higher learning and I want to thank you for your part in creating a welcoming and compassionate environment free of intimidation or harassment.
Sincerely,
Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor
L’attaque du Hamas contre Israël et la crise actuelle à Gaza entraînent des répercussions directes sur les membres de notre communauté, notamment la population étudiante, le corps professoral et le personnel d’origine israélienne et palestinienne, ainsi que sur les personnes qui ont des liens étroits avec cette région. Au nom de l’Université, je tiens à exprimer toute ma sympathie à tous les membres de la communauté de York qui sont personnellement touchés. Au fil des jours, nous partageons les préoccupations croissantes du monde entier concernant la sécurité des otages, la nécessité d’une aide humanitaire à Gaza, ainsi que la perte de vies.
L’Université York est un établissement diversifié et inclusif, réputé pour son engagement à améliorer le bien-être des communautés qu’elle sert. L’Université a toutefois précisé que la liberté d’expression n’est pas absolue et qu’elle ne doit jamais justifier la violence.
La déclaration faite le 12 octobre par trois associations étudiantes de l’Université York a suscité une profonde inquiétude et une grande indignation au sein de l’Université et au-delà. Je tiens donc à vous faire part de notre réponse. Immédiatement après avoir pris connaissance du message public des associations étudiantes, York a condamné cette déclaration. Depuis, nous avons entrepris des démarches supplémentaires pour impliquer les associations étudiantes. Vendredi et durant la fin de semaine, l’Université a contacté leurs dirigeants pour leur demander de réaffirmer leur engagement en faveur de la non-violence, de la non-discrimination et de la sécurité de tous les étudiants et étudiantes; de retirer leur déclaration; et de reconnaître et de s’engager à réparer les dommages causés à leurs membres étudiants et à d’autres personnes. Par ailleurs, hier, des membres de la direction de l’Université ont rencontré les associations pour leur rappeler nos attentes.
Les trois associations étudiantes ont indiqué qu’elles avaient entrepris leurs propres processus de gouvernance interne, y compris une consultation de leurs membres concernant l’impact de leur déclaration. Elles se sont engagées à nous répondre avant la fin de la journée du jeudi 19 octobre. L’Université évaluera leurs réponses et appliquera ses propres politiques et règlements conformément à toutes les procédures appropriées pour déterminer les issues. Cela n’empêche pas les étudiants membres d’utiliser les recours dont ils disposent en vertu des statuts ou des règlements des associations étudiantes en matière de responsabilisation.
Comme indiqué dans une communication précédente, des ressources sont à la disposition des membres de la population étudiante, du personnel et du corps professoral qui pourraient être en difficulté. Nos collègues de la sécurité du campus ont récemment renforcé les mesures de sécurité et utilisent une approche communautaire pour minimiser les interactions négatives entre les personnes et les groupes sur nos campus. Ils s’assurent également que les manifestations pacifiques n’interrompent pas les activités liées aux études. Nous rappelons aux membres de la communauté notre responsabilité collective de partager des idées et de nous engager mutuellement sur cette question difficile d’une manière qui reflète nos valeurs d’inclusion et qui respecte nos politiques et nos règlements.
Je vous invite à vous souvenir de tout ce que nous avons accompli en travaillant ensemble, dans un esprit de collaboration, pour remplir notre rôle d’établissement d’enseignement supérieur. Je vous remercie de contribuer à créer un environnement accueillant, empreint de compassion et exempt d’intimidation ou de harcèlement.
Sincères salutations,
Rhonda Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière de l’Université York
Since its inception in 2007, the Rover Team has forged a strong reputation by consistently placing among the top teams at various competitions, notably the University Rover Challenge (URC). Inspired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s first Mars Rover, which landed on the red planet 25 years ago, the annual competition takes place in a desert region of southern Utah in the U.S. and involves over 100 international university teams.
Teams compete for first place by designing and programming their rovers to complete scenarios that a rover might face while surveying Mars, such as identifying points of interest, analyzing soil samples or diagnosing a given problem.
In preparation for next year’s URC, YURT is working on a brand-new prototype, which was used to compete at the Canadian International Rover Challenge, held in the badlands of Alberta in August. The team aims to leverage their experience at this competition to improve their rover and achieve success in future challenges.
To design a well-rounded, capable, versatile and competition-ready rover, YURT divides work among four sub-teams: software, mechanical, electrical and science. Students on each sub-team come from a range of educational backgrounds, such as mechanical engineering, chemistry, biology and computer science – all contributing valuable expertise to achieve a unified goal.
“This club doesn’t just embody interdisciplinary work, it requires it – we wouldn’t be able to function without working together,” says Quardin Lyttle, former president and industry co-ordinator of YURT, and third-year electrical engineering student at Lassonde. “We need to collaborate with multiple disciplines to create a successful final product. Being a part of this team allows us to learn many things we wouldn’t learn in class. We design and manufacture things like printed-circuit boards, answer open-ended questions and apply engineering knowledge in a more detailed fashion. These rover projects are very involved.”
In addition to preparing for intense competitions, YURT gives undergraduate students experiential opportunities to explore the field of robotics. For example, the York University Sumo Bot Team, part of the YURS, helps students gain introductory experience with robotics. Students can also join the business and administrative side of YURS to become better acquainted with the club’s activities.
Learn more about the unique clubs at Lassonde.
