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York University recognizes Emancipation Day

Students walking outside Vari Hall

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

On this Emancipation Day, York University recognizes and honours the unwavering resistance and strength of Black communities. Emancipation Day recognizes the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, which took effect on Aug. 1, 1834, making the purchase or ownership of slaves illegal within most parts of the British Empire, including Canada. The symbolism behind this historical date represents a resounding reclamation and call for change. This call is never far removed from the daily experiences of people of African descent as they continue to grapple with anti-Black racism, one of many lasting legacies of the transatlantic slave trade.

As we commemorate Emancipation Day, we must also recognize Canada’s long historical role in the enslavement of people of African descent and Indigenous Peoples, as well as the ways these legacies remain active in our everyday interactions. Slavery in Canada was practised for two centuries, and Canada’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade can be linked to our history of international trade. It is important that we understand how these occurrences are inextricable and that our lack of awareness and silences are in service of attempts to erase or dismiss the realities of Black and Indigenous communities and individual experiences in Canada.

Black liberation is deeply connected to the liberation of all other groups, and this calls for a collective response to anti-Black racism and other forms of racial inequities. Black scholarship, research, innovation and social activism have made significant contributions to Canadian society, culture and economy. York University recognizes the obligation to counter anti-Black racism with numerous initiatives, including the creation of funding research mechanisms that affirm Black identities and offer counternarrative tools that disrupt harmful approaches to help create a more just and equitable world.

One of the primary ways York University recognizes the work of reclamation across the community is through the documents Addressing Anti-Black Racism: A Framework on Black Inclusion and the accompanying Action Plan on Black Inclusion: A Living Document for Action (2021), which put forward a road map for the ways that York should respond and situate itself in the various contexts and processes in which anti-Black racism, colonialism and other forms of oppression operate. Many new and ongoing initiatives have been documented in the 2022-23 Annual Report on Black Inclusion, and all community members are encouraged to read this annual report. Members of the community are also encouraged to engage in the important work of the Harriet Tubman Institute through watching the Tubman Talks series on the Tubman Talks YouTube channel.

Thank you, Merci, Miigwech,

Alice Pitt
Interim Vice-President Equity, People and Culture

Déclaration à l’occasion du Jour de l’émancipation 2023

À l’occasion du Jour de l’émancipation, l’Université York reconnaît et honore la résistance et la force inébranlables des communautés noires. Le Jour de l’émancipation commémore la Loi de 1833 sur l’abolition de l’esclavage qui a été promulguée le 1er août 1834; cette loi rendait l’achat ou la possession d’esclaves illicites dans la plupart des territoires de l’Empire britannique, y compris le Canada. Cette date historique symbolise une revendication sans équivoque et un appel au changement. Cet appel n’est jamais très éloigné des expériences quotidiennes des personnes d’ascendance africaine qui continuent à lutter contre le racisme anti-Noirs, l’un des nombreux vestiges de la traite transatlantique des esclaves.

Dans le cadre de la commémoration du Jour de l’émancipation, nous devons également reconnaître le rôle que le Canada a joué pendant longtemps dans l’asservissement des personnes d’ascendance africaine et des peuples autochtones, ainsi que les traces de ce passé qui subsistent dans nos interactions quotidiennes. L’esclavage a sévi au Canada pendant deux siècles, et la participation du pays à la traite transatlantique des esclaves peut être imputée à son historique de commerce international. Il est important de comprendre que ces faits sont inextricablement liés et que notre manque de sensibilisation et nos silences favorisent les tentatives d’effacer ou de balayer les réalités des communautés noires et autochtones et les expériences individuelles au Canada.

La libération des Noirs est étroitement liée à la libération de tous les autres groupes, ce qui nécessite une réponse collective au racisme anti-Noirs et à d’autres formes d’inégalités raciales. L’érudition, la recherche, l’innovation et l’activisme social des Noirs ont largement contribué à la société, à la culture et à l’économie canadiennes. L’Université York est consciente de son obligation de lutter contre le racisme anti-Noirs grâce à de nombreuses initiatives, notamment la création de mécanismes de recherche de financement qui renforcent les identités noires et offrent des récits à contre-courant qui perturbent les approches dommageables afin de contribuer à la création d’un monde plus juste et plus équitable.

L’une des principales façons de valoriser le travail de revendication réalisé dans la communauté se traduit par la publication par York des documents suivants : Lutte contre le racisme anti-Noirs : Un cadre d’inclusion des personnes noires et son compagnon, le Plan d’action pour l’inclusion des personnes noires : Un document évolutif pour passer à l’action (2021); ces deux publications présentent le plan d’action de l’Université pour réagir et se situer dans les divers contextes et processus où le racisme anti-Noirs, le colonialisme et d’autres formes d’oppression sont présents. De nombreuses initiatives récentes et en cours sont décrites dans le Rapport annuel 2022-2023 sur l’inclusion des personnes noires et nous encourageons tous les membres de la communauté à le lire. Nous invitons aussi les membres de la communauté à suivre les travaux importants de l’Institut Harriet Tubman, en regardant la série Tubman Talks sur la chaîne YouTube Tubman Talks.

Merci, thank you, Miigwech.

Alice Pitt
Vice-présidente intérimaire de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture

PhD nursing student receives Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral Award

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Danielle Washington, the first student in York University’s PhD in Nursing program to be awarded the Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral (CGS-D) Award, was honoured for her research, titled “Exploring the Mental Well-Being of Black Women Living in Poverty and at Risk of Intimate Partner Violence.”

The CGS-D is one of the two listed awards within the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Doctoral Research Award program and includes $35,000 of funding to support students pursuing a doctorate in a health-related field in Canada.

Danielle Washington
Danielle Washington

“I am very grateful for the CIHR doctoral award. The financial support will allow me to increase my focus on my doctoral studies,” says Washington, whose doctoral work is being supervised by Nazilla Khanlou, professor and Women’s Health Research Chair in Mental Heath. “I am also thankful for the support of Dr. Khanlou and the School of Nursing professors at York University who have been and continue to be very instrumental in my graduate journey.” 

In the upcoming year, Washington – a registered nurse in the mental health field, with experience working with marginalized populations – will use the three-year funding to carry out research focusing on the mental well-being of Black women who experience poverty and intimate partner violence.

She aims to promote an understanding of the interplay between poverty, intimate partner violence and mental well-being for Black Canadian women, while identifying the facilitators and barriers Black women encounter when accessing support services. Washington plans to engage in knowledge translation and dissemination activities throughout her research career and incorporate her research findings into ongoing advocacy, health policy development and mental health initiatives. She looks forward to seeing how her research will contribute to the Canadian health-care field during and beyond the tenure of her award.

k2i receives $400K donation from 407 ETR

Two Female Students Building Machine In Science Robotics Or Engineering Class

York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering k2i (kindergarten to industry) academy will put a $400,000 donation from the 407 ETR towards programming that will help dismantle systemic barriers for underrepresented groups in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and prepare the next generation for careers in these fields.

The donation was announced at an on-campus event at the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence, where leadership from Lassonde and 407 ETR were on hand to speak to the importance of the initiative and what this gift would mean for the programming offered through k2i.

“We launched the k2i academy three years ago with the idea of bringing STEM learning to life,” says Jane Goodyer, dean of Lassonde. “The k2i academy is a sandbox for innovation in STEM education, building a network of collaborative partners, committed to creating systemic change in our education system. With this gift, Lassonde will continue our work to increase equity, diversity and inclusion, and create a talent pipeline in STEM through job-ready training and innovative learning models.”

K2i academy Lisa Cole
Lisa Cole

The donation will be divided equally between two programs, administered by Lisa Cole, director of the k2i academy.

The first program, the 407 ETR Path2STEM Fund, will support a micro-credentialled Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program. SHSMs allow students to gain experiences and develop skills toward their high-school diploma in Ontario while focusing on a specific economic sector. The 407 ETR Path2STEM Fund will be used to create a series of innovative SHSM experiences in engineering and digital technologies. Geared toward diverse learners, the program will prepare students for innovative post-secondary programs and meaningful STEM careers.

407 ETR President and CEO Javier Tamargo says his organization is keen to invest in a highly skilled and diverse workforce that can meet the challenges of tomorrow.

“407 ETR is a company rooted in STEM. In fact, about half of our workforce is employed in a STEM-related position ranging from data analytics and IT to traffic and tolling. These professionals are integral to our business, and so is ensuring that our team is reflective of the vibrant communities we serve,” says Tamargo. “That starts with doing our part to help foster a diverse talent pool, which is why we’re so proud to support the Lassonde School and York University’s work to move more youth into the pipeline towards rewarding academic and professional careers in STEM.”

The second program, the 407 ETR Work Integrated Learning Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Fund, will specifically be geared to help k2i expand its offerings to students underrepresented in STEM, including women, Black and Indigenous youth, and those from low-income communities. Since 2020, k2i has been offering paid summer work opportunities for students in grades 10, 11 and 12 while gaining school credit. The programming is done in partnership with the Toronto District School Board, York Region District School Board and Peel District School Board. Students receive 140 hours of paid work with an added opportunity to earn a high-school prerequisite credit for STEM pathways while learning skills in coding, design, electronics and more. This year’s on-campus program offered a unique Grade 12 English credit, rooting language and communication in hands-on science and engineering experiences.

Lassonde, 407 ETR, and k2i academy teams

Students are empowered to explore, question, wonder and discover through interactive learning experiences to strengthen skills in computational thinking, coding, electronics, engineering design, 3D modelling and creativity. Combining work and learning provides an innovative way for students to explore possibilities in STEM careers, connect with networks and mentors to launch their interests in post-secondary studies, gain experience in developing STEM skills, and strengthen professional skills in communication, collaboration and problem-solving.

“With this generous donation from 407 ETR, we will continue our journey of offering paid educational experiences to underrepresented students in environments that are dynamic, innovative and collaborative,” says Cole. “We’ve already reached 6,000-plus youth and offered more than 175,000 hours of learning, and we’re thrilled to be able to expand this work and hit our next milestones.”

407 ETR has been a supporter of the Lassonde School of Engineering and York for over a decade. In 2013, a donation was made to support the 407 ETR Learning Laboratory, home to pre-laboratory training, theory and application for a generation of civil engineering students.

Learn more at News @ York.

Two York students presented with Autism Scholars Awards

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Alaa Ibrahim and Carly Magnacca, two York University doctoral scholars, are named recipients of the 2023-24 Autism Scholars Award.

The community of scholars fostered by this awards program excel in the creation of new knowledge of child autism that positively increases the province’s capacity for diagnosis and assessment of autism and leads to a strengthened treatment system. Ibrahim and Magnacca will each receive a one-year award of $20,000 to advance their research, which can lead to improved treatments and health-care policies.  

Alaa Ibrahim
Alaa Ibrahim

Ibrahim will begin her PhD in the Clinical Developmental Psychology program at York University in September. Her PhD research focuses on examining flourishing in autistic youth. Flourishing is the term used to describe individuals achieving wellness and is associated with high levels of positive mental health. Her study examines existing positive mental health interventions for autistic youth, in addition to understanding the experience of flourishing in a marginalized/racialized autistic community in Canada.

The important topic undertaken by Ibrahim will help provide better understanding of Canada’s marginalized groups in terms of their flourishing and well-being, as well as inform intervention design for these populations. Additionally, this dynamic study can provide researchers, clinicians and policy-makers with autistic experiences that can help ensure all youth with autism, including those from marginalized groups, are supported to flourish.

Outside of her cutting-edge research, Ibrahim has participated in international collaboration projects with the World Health Organization as a therapist and trainer of a parent-mediated intervention in Canada, Egypt and Jordan. She is also starting her clinical training at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto.

Magnacca will enter her first year of the PhD program in Clinical Developmental Psychology at York in the fall. She has worked with autistic individuals for several years in many different roles, including as a research analyst at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH and Chair of the Kids Brain Health Network’s Policy Advocacy Research Training Committee.

Carly Magnacca
Carly Magnacca

Magnacca’s research aims to better understand the experiences of autistic youth who previously received Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) and explore the impact of these intensive interventions to better inform policy and families’ intervention decisions. IBI is an evidence-based, intensive behaviour-analytic intervention designed to support young children with autism and has been demonstrated to improve cognitive functioning and adaptive behaviours.

Her work is split into two parts. Study A involves comparing the long-term outcomes of individuals who received IBI to those who received other intensive interventions or no intensive intervention. Study B involves interviewing a subset of individuals who participated in Study A regarding their experience of receiving (or not receiving) an intensive intervention.

Magnacca’s study can be essential to help families understand the long-term outcomes of intensive interventions and guide them to make the choice that would benefit them the most. Moreover, the results of the research can aid policy-makers in education and social service systems when making decisions about interventions that should be funded and made widely accessible.

Find out more about the Autism Scholars Awards and the outstanding work the community of autism scholars are undertaking to help increase Ontario’s capacity to diagnose, assess and treat autism.

York’s membership in CALAREO, a hemispheric consortium, begins to blossom

Cropped globe on a table

By Elaine Smith

Although he knew little Spanish, Adam Hallag, a fourth-year York electrical engineering student, jumped at the opportunity to spend a couple of months this summer as a research intern at the Universidad Tecnólgica San Juan del Rio in Mexico’s state of Querétaro.

“I wanted to have a professional opportunity to add to my resume,” said Hallag. “Once you graduate, it’s harder to get a job without some work related to your field.

Adam Hallag
Adam Hallag

“When this opportunity from CALAREO (Canadian and Latin American Research and Exchange Opportunities consortium) came through, I took it as an opportunity to go abroad to get experience while learning about another culture.”

While there, he is immersed in a project to develop the design for a closed-loop solar tracking system that uses sensor technology to adjust solar panels so that the sun rays are orthogonal to the panel, which is where maximum power is attained.

“It has been challenging, combining the work with learning Spanish and travelling alone for the first time,” said Hallag, “but I’ve learned a lot of hard and soft skills.”

Hallag is one of the first York University students to take advantage of the global research opportunities provided by CALAREO.

York membership in a consortium that includes other Canadian institutions – Carleton University, Lakehead University (secretariat), Memorial University and Vancouver Island University – meant signing a Memorandum of Understanding that commits York to facilitating and increasing student mobility, building and strengthening relations in strategic research areas, and encouraging co-operation that results in national and international grants to enhance research collaborations and training of students.

CALAREO also received funding from the federal Global Skills Opportunity fund, providing financial support that allows Canadian students who are Indigenous, low-income or have a disability to participate in these global learning opportunities, whether field study or research. In addition, CALAREO partners with Mitacs to offer undergraduate students the opportunity to undertake research abroad.

York has already taken advantage of this funding. During Reading Week in February, Alejandro Zamora, associate professor of Hispanic studies at Glendon College, led a group of 11 students to Colombia for field study as part of a course in Hispanic geopoetics; nine of the students were funded through CALAREO.

The trip, organized in collaboration with the University of Magdalena in Santa Marta, focused on the work of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, the Nobel Prize-winning poet and author who drew inspiration from the region. Students had the opportunity to work in partnership with their Colombian counterparts and become involved in community projects.

Membership in CALAREO provides York with another avenue to broaden its scope internationally – an initiative the University is actively pursuing – as demonstrated by the University Academic Plan’s commitment to advancing global engagement and its new Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy.

The consortium currently has partnerships with Mitacs, Colombia, CONACYT (Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology) and the Mexican state of Querétaro. As York’s engagement with CALAREO grows, the University will aim to increase the diversity of these partnerships; certainly, collaborative opportunities abound, if a recent trip to Brazil by York International (YI) team members is any indication.

In April, Helen Balderama, YI’s director of global engagement programs and partnerships, and Recep Demir, global partnerships manager, attended FAUBAI, the largest higher education conference in Latin America as part of a CALAREO delegation. Over a five-day period, the pair met with about 30 Brazilian institutions to explore new opportunities for collaboration and reciprocity.

“We have so many commonalities and explored possibilities for collaboration,” said Demir. “There was considerable interest in the International Visiting Research Trainee program, SDGs in Action and globally networked learning (GNL).

“CALAREO opened doors for us and we’re glad we came.”

Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president, global engagement and partnerships, said, “York’s increasing engagement with CALAREO is another step toward increasing York’s student and scholars’ engagement and impact in Latin America. We anticipate that membership in the consortium will be fruitful and mutually beneficial for all of the partners involved.”

Those interested in learning more about CALAREO or other ways to engage or advance your international and global priorities can contact Balderama at helencb@yorku.ca.

Summer program welcomes STEAM high school students

Two Female Students Building Machine In Science Robotics Or Engineering Class

From July 9 to 27, York University is hosting 64 high school students living on campus who are participating in the SHAD program, which looks to provide challenging and transformational opportunities focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), business and design thinking.

SHAD is an inclusive month-long national summer program open to high school students in grades 10 and 11, which aims to cultivate the next generation of preeminent leaders in STEAM, business, social justice and entrepreneurship.

York University has been designated a SHAD campus since 2019, and the program echoes the experiential education York University aims to deliver its students, instilling self-confidence, entrepreneurial and workforce skills, and a network for life into all participating students.

An element of the program is to offers exposure to big ideas, and this summer students are being introduced to a broad cross-section of subjects through lectures with titles like: “Women in Leadership Sports,” “Indigenous and Refugee,” “Neuroscience Research at York,” and more. Lecturers include several York-affiliated professors.

Upon completing the program, participants are designated SHAD Fellows and become respected members of SHAD’s network for life. SHAD Fellows are described by the organization as being leaders and changemakers committed to the values of community, diversity, creativity, responsibility and excellence. They create positive change where they live, study and work, across the country and around the world.

York students organize Ontario Exercise Physiology Conference

marathon_runners

Students from both York University and Queen’s University, with faculty input, organized the annual Ontario Exercise Physiology (OEP) Conference, which will bring together over 180 trainees from Ontario and Quebec to share their passion and research in exercise physiology and related fields.

The core purpose of the OEP Conference, running July 25 to 27, is to help trainees develop their research aptitude, presentation skills, career development strategies and build a network through a program that gives them time to talk and have discussions about their work and common interests.

A fundamental characteristic of the conference is that it is student organized and oriented, intent on creating something that benefits their peers across the province. (Input from Associate Professor Christopher Perry from the School of Kinesiology & Health Science at York and Christopher McGlory in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University was provided).

Instead of principal investigators, only undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral Fellows, present their research to their peers and to volunteer faculty in attendance. Trainees receive feedback on their theses to help develop their perspectives and stimulate new ideas. Feedback is provided during a standard question-and-answer period, but also through the structured program that brings students and faculty together through additional activities.

OEP student organizing committee

The conference also features two keynote faculty speakers to serve as an early career and established career mentor at the meeting. Rather than present their research, both mentors will share their path from undergraduate studies to their present-day roles as faculty, including their experience of journeying through uncertainties and identifying passions through each step of their process.

The CEO of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology will also provide an exciting presentation on careers that can be pursued with a kinesiology and health studies degree. This talk will emphasize the many ways that trainees can make an impact on improving the lives of people through exercise prescription and related professions. There will also be a mentor from industry to talk about the experience of transitioning from graduate school to a career outside of academia.

The event wasn’t just organized, in part, by York students, but the University helped sponsor the event, spanning all major tiers of the institution including the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, the Faculty of Health and the Office of the Vice-President, Research.

Further information about OEP can be found here.

York grad leaves legacy of positive change

Issa Jamaa and J.J. McMurtry

By Elaine Smith

Recent York University graduate Issa Abdi Jamaa is eager to apply the valuable lessons he has learned both inside and outside the classroom to the professional world. 

Jamaa arrived in Canada as a teenager for secondary school before attending university. After exploring various Canadian universities, he says he selected York for its academic excellence and vibrant multicultural and diverse community.

“As a Black international student, I felt that York exhibited real diversity and an authentic sense of belonging,” Jamaa said.

He enrolled in economics, where he excelled, earning an honours BA and graduating summa cum laude in Spring 2023. Jamaa was also a member of the Dean’s circle of student scholars in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).

Issa Jamaa
Issa Jamaa delivering his speech at the Chancellor’s installation

Beyond academics, Jamaa cultivated a diverse skill set by seeking out challenging campus employment and extracurricular activities. As soon as he arrived at the Keele Campus, Jamaa jumped into governance activities, starting with the Economic Students’ Association. During his first semester at York, he was elected to the student government of Vanier College Council (VCC) as director of finance, then vice-president, academic and external affairs. A year later, he was elected as VCC’s president and orientation Chair.

For more than four consecutive academic years, Jamaa served as a designated student representative on the LA&PS Faculty Council. In that role, he advocated passionately and consistently for students, focusing on the needs of racialized, first-generation and international students.

There, he challenged the tendency to treat international students as “income generators on one hand, and social and cultural challenges on the other,” arguing that both positions are problematic. He encouraged faculty, staff and the dean’s offices to recognize the humanity of all students.

“In his tireless dedication to student issues, he challenged everyone he encountered to think differently and reconsider the needs of racialized, first-generation and international students,” said LA&PS Dean J.J. McMurtry. “Issa exhibits all the qualities we hope to see in our graduates: passion, perseverance and a commitment to social justice and advocacy. Whatever he chooses to do next, I know he will change the future for the better.”

Jamaa further extended his student advocacy as a volunteer on a number of Faculty committees, including the Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Success, and the Committee on Curriculum, Curricular Policy and Standards, where he combined his support for students with an interest in inclusive pedagogy.

In 2019, Jamaa was elected as a senator for the York University Senate, the University’s highest academic governing body, where he also chaired the Senate’s student caucus. Through the caucus, he supported initiatives that included the University’s Anti-Black Racism Framework. His work in the Faculty Council and Senate opened the door to other opportunities, such as serving as a member of three University search committees: dean for the Faculty of LA&PS; vice-provost, students; and chancellor. His efforts came full circle when was a speaker at the induction ceremony for York University’s 14th chancellor, Kathleen Taylor, in May 2023.

He also participated as a student representative to the advisory committee that created the Division of Students’ most recent five-year strategic plan and was one of President Rhonda Lenton’s ambassadors for three years.

“It is exciting to see students building their leadership skills here at York and bringing the commitments of our University Academic Plan to life. Issa has helped students access opportunities to realize their full potential and his work will have a lasting impact as they in turn create positive change in communities around the world,” said Lisa Philipps, provost and vice-president academic. 

“Through all of these opportunities, I learned about how the institution worked, with its complex systems and governance structure,” Jamaa said. “I also found things that needed improvement from a student-centric perspective by taking every opportunity I got to voice the concerns of students.”

For example, Jamaa successfully advocated to make work-study positions accessible and equitable to all international, as well as domestic, students, collaborating with University partners such as York International, and senior University officials.

Throughout his undergraduate career, Jamaa held various professional jobs on campus, such as lead ambassador and senior special projects assistant at the Dean’s Office (LA&PS), as well as a special projects assistant at the Office of the University Registrar. Additionally, he assumed the role of a CCTV operator on campus, joining the team in 2018 and earning a promotion to team lead in 2020. Currently, Jamaa continues working with the community safety department’s CCTV team while focusing on his future endeavors.

“I’d like to gain more work experience for a few years before I return to my academic journey in earning either an MBA, or a law degree, or even a combination of both,” Jamaa said.

In recognition of Jamaa’s leadership, dedication to student advocacy and service to the University community, he earned several University-wide awards, including the eighth Annual Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award, the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership Award in Student Governance, the Outstanding Student Leadership Award, Faculty of LA&PS (twice), the Marilyn Lambert-Drache Award for Initiative in Governance, and the Alumni Golden GRADitude Award.

“Issa Jamaa exemplifies the core values of York University, showcasing the transformative potential of higher education and the immense impact of actively engaging in various aspects of university life,” said Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president, global engagement and partnerships. “His relentless commitment to effecting positive change and breaking down barriers, particularly for international students, serves as an inspiration to his peers and the wider community. With his unwavering determination and excellent skills, Issa is poised to make significant contributions in his future endeavors, while leaving a lasting legacy at York University.”

Osgoode students, alumni help build accessible legal chatbot

robot with digital display
3d rendering robot working with digital display

Osgoode Hall Law School students Ryan Boros and Elias Tung have spent the summer, when many of their peers take a break from academic pursuits, working on the recently launched Law Newbie – an online chatbot that makes criminal law research accessible to the public.

The free application was developed by Toronto criminal lawyer Jordan Donich with support from recent Osgoode graduate Camille Melo, who now articles with Collett Read LLP, but previously spent the summer of 2022 conducting initial research for Law Newbie. Boros and Tung, each in their third and second years of studies, joined the project to refine the app leading up to and after its launch.

The encyclopedic resource enables users to access details about criminal code offences and potential defence strategies simply by asking the chatbot questions.

“The whole thing has been built with a lot of effort and it’s very intuitive,” said Boros.

“I feel like it’s given me a much stronger idea of the core concepts of criminal law and the finer points,” he added. “The other benefit for me going forward is it’s inspired me to take more technology focused courses next year.”

One of them will be Osgoode’s Engineering the Law course, taught by adjunct faculty member Al Hounsell, who serves as the Toronto-based director of strategic innovation and legal design for the multi-national law firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.

Among other things, the Osgoode course introduces students to how client needs have pushed the boundaries of legal service delivery to include elements of data, computer technology and artificial intelligence (AI), according to the course description. It also gives students the practical skills to break down contracts and legislation into decision trees, to develop markups and workflows for contract development and negotiations, to attain basic experience with common legal technology applications, and to apply design thinking methodology to legal problems.

Ryan Boros and Elias Tung sit in front of Osgoode Hall Law School Ignat Kaneff Building sign.
Ryan Boros and Elias Tung

Tung, who is leaning towards a career in family law, said his work with Law Newbie has helped spark an interest in working at the intersection of family law and criminal law.

“We’re just trying to make the information as accessible as possible,” he said of the project. “There’s definitely a need for criminal law resources like this because a lot of people don’t understand the criminal code – and it’s also important to understand your rights.

“I feel very fortunate,” he added, “because not a lot of people have the opportunity to do this kind of work.”

Melo said the research and writing that she did for Law Newbie last summer gave her a more solid grounding in criminal law.

“I really liked the research component of it and it was good to know as an up and coming criminal lawyer,” she noted. “I really enjoyed working on an access-to-justice initiative like this, too.”

Donich said he is currently experimenting with integrating AI into the chatbot, but is still determining its effectiveness.

“I am manually programming it now,” he said, “and Camille, Ryan and Elias’s brains have been irreplaceable. They’ve all said they wish they had had this experience with technology earlier in law school – and lawyers who are my age are saying the same thing.”

He said he is planning to hire another student to work on the project part-time beginning in the fall.

Along with his work in criminal law, civil litigation and professional regulation, Donich also specializes in cybersecurity and internet-related crime.

“Technology is changing the legal profession, faster than we have anticipated,” he said. “Lawyers and law students need to be part of the change to ensure any innovation improves our client experience and continues to serve the public interest.”

Academic Integrity Month: Call for proposals

glasses and pen resting on notebook

Academic Integrity Month is a pan-University event that will take place throughout October 2023. This event brings together students, faculty and staff for a series of discussions that aim to broaden the understanding of academic integrity at York University.

The theme for this year’s event is “Connecting the Community.” The goal is to showcase innovative academic integrity approaches from the York community that can facilitate new thinking about the topic and new ways to foster student success.

Those who have any academic integrity research, practices or ideas that would benefit the York community are encouraged to submit a proposal for either a presentation or panel session. Some potential topics include (but are not limited to):

  • teaching academic integrity: success stories;
  • incorporating generative artificial intelligence into the learning environment;
  • designing assessments for academic integrity;
  • intersections between decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion (DEDI) and academic integrity; and
  • academic integrity: trends and future directions.

Proposals should be no more than 300 words and are due on Friday, Aug. 18 to academicintegrity@yorku.ca.

Those with questions about a possible presentation topic, or those seeking help developing an idea, should reach out to Angela Clark, academic integrity specialist in the Office of the Vice-Provost Academic, at angclark@yorku.ca.

For more information about academic integrity at York visit https://www.yorku.ca/unit/vpacad/academic-integrity/.