A total of 16 awards were given to teams of upper-year students based on their presentations at Capstone Day, an annual showcase hosted by the York Capstone Network (YCN) and the Lassonde School of Engineering.
Capstone Day offers upper-year students the chance to share capstone and pre-capstone projects focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to fellow students, faculty members and off-campus project partners.
“This exciting event serves as the culmination of their capstone projects, as well as their degree and university experience. It is also a pan-campus, community-building event, as it brings together hundreds of students, professors, and their on/off-campus partners into one virtual space, within which we can connect, share ideas, and imagine new ways to create impact on our world together,” Danielle Robinson, co-founder and co-lead of the University’s Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4), has said of the occasion.
This year’s Capstone Day saw more than 200 members of the York community and external visitors learn about the work of 517 presenting students focused on real world issues and creating positive change. The projects collectively represent innovative and sustainable design solutions, the addressing of societal issues, advancement of SDGs or creation of long-term positive change. That is especially true for the award winners, determined by a committee of 20 judges.
For example, the winners of the Tech Stewardship Prize – awarded to the work with the greatest commercial potential – went to a team project called KROP Vision, an indoor farming system meant to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce crops losses.
Another team, which received York’s Office of Sustainability SDG Award, developed a curriculum made up of four lessons that target various facets of sustainability to support creating a culture of sustainability among York’s residences.
“Through our meetings with senior residence staff, we learned that within the residence education plan, there’s little to no emphasis on sustainability,” said Ravi Mahadeo, a biology student and team member of Sustainable 7. “We believed that building that culture of sustainability through education would be effective.
“Our goal was to educate students in these areas, all while equipping them with the knowledge to act more sustainability in their everyday lives.”
Faculty members can learn more about capstone courses, C4, the Project Commons and implementing experiential education into their classrooms by connecting with members of the York Capstone Network.
The full list of awards and project titles are:
Engineering Capstone Prize: “Smart Nordic Walk” by ENG Team 21 – The Pole Walkers
Honorable Mention: “Drone Range Extension (D.R.E.)” by Team 36a – Aerial-Electro-Claw
CIVL GeoSolv Innovation & Sustainability Award: “Timber Pedestrian Bridge” by Team 7 – Sapling Solutions
CSCE – CSCE National Capstone Design Competition Nominee: “Integrated Water Systems Design at Downsview Taxiway West District” by Team 2 – IRD Engineering
CIVL: Student Choice Award: “Integrated Water Systems Design at Downsview Taxiway West District” by Team 2 – IRD Engineering
Technology Impact Award (BEST Lab): “Modular Smart Home” by ENG Team 38 – Modular Smart Home
Technology Impact Award (BEST Program for C4): “Nordic Walking Poles” by Team BE
Office of Alumni Engagement, Alumni EDI Award: “DiaSol” by Team CA
Office of Alumni Engagement, Alumni Engagement Award: “Sustainable 7” by Team AF
YSPACE General Innovation Award: “Building Cents” led by Munzungu Nzeyedio, Team BC
YSPACE Black Entrepreneurship Alliance Award: “Financial Education” led by Bobby Lewis, Team BI
C4 Community Impact Award (Positive Change Initiative): “ECO6IX” by Team Cj and “YU Waste” by Team AD
C4 Pivot Award: “The Pivoteers” by Team BB and “DiaSol” by Team CA
C4 Partner Choice Award: “RydUp” by Team AB
For more on these projects, the winners and other C4 information, contact with the York Capstone Network at ycn@yorku.ca.
COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled for June
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York University’s Health, Safety and Employee Well-Being will host a series of COVID-19 vaccination clinics for the York community.
Clinics will be hosted at both the Keele and Glendon Campuses, beginning June 14.
Vaccins offerts : Vaccins Pfizer monovalent et bivalent contre la COVID-19, vaccins Moderna monovalent et bivalent contre la COVID-19
Glendon Campus clinic
Wednesday, June 28
Location: Lobby for the Centre of Excellence, Glendon
Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
How to access: walk-in only
Vaccines offered: COVID-19 Pfizer monovalent and bivalent, Moderna monovalent and bivalent
Mercredi 28 Juin
Emplacement : Lobby for the Centre of Excellence, Glendon
10h00 à 14h00
Comment y accéder : Sans rendez-vous uniquement
Vaccins offerts : Vaccins Pfizer monovalent et bivalent contre la COVID-19, vaccins Moderna monovalent et bivalent contre la COVID-19
Four projects receive funding through York’s Sustainability Innovation Fund
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A selection committee from the President’s Sustainability Council identified projects that advance climate action at the University for the second round of funding from York’s Sustainability Innovation Fund (SIF).
The Sustainability Innovation Fund provides funding to support campus sustainability projects that help build a culture and practice of sustainability at York University and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This round of funding awarded over $50,000 to projects that contribute to the University’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and achieving net zero and advancing SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The winning projects reflect various ways to utilize the campus as a living lab and address direct or indirect emissions through activities such as commuting, energy use, food consumption, waste management, behaviour change, awareness and engagement, and nature-based solutions.
“By supporting these projects, we are making significant strides towards creating a more sustainable community at York University and beyond,” said Mike Layton, chief sustainability officer. “We’re also breaking down financial barriers to empower students, staff and faculty to become agents of positive change and take meaningful steps to reduce our impact on the planet.”
The four winning projects are:
Living Learning Community – Sustainability
Project team: Aaron Brown and Melanie Howard, Residence Life, Division of Students
Residence Life will pilot a Living Learning Community (LLC) specific to sustainability during the 2023-24 academic year. The program seeks to address SDG 12 (Ensure sustainable production and consumption patterns) and 13 (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts).
York University Composting Centre
Project lead: John Simoulidis
Project team: Andrew Maxwell (Lassonde School of Engineering), Dean J.J. McMurtry (Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS)), Dean Alice Hovorka (Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC)), Tom Watt (Ancillary Services), Calvin Lakhan (EUC), Mark Winfield (EUC), Karl Karvonen (Facilities Services), Sabine Dreher (Glendon College), Nicolas Cabal (student), Ronon Smith (student), Sabrina de Losada Casab (student)
This project began through the first round of SIF. It will continue to develop an on-site composting centre to divert organic waste away from landfills, process it on site and turn it into useful compost that can be applied at Maloca Garden (Keele) or Glendon Garden, two spaces well situated as ”living labs.”
Green Career Fair: Exploring Climate Careers to Achieve Net Zero
Project leads: Lauren Castelino, Joanne Huy and Rosanna Chowdury (EUC)
This project will host an annual Green Career Fair at York University to engage students and GTA youth. The fair will lead discussions on transitioning to net-zero emissions and showcase green career paths and organizations championing initiatives towards this goal. It aims to prepare underrepresented youth for green careers through nurturing a stronger sense of connection, inclusion and well-being.
Determining the merits of large battery electricity storage at York University
Project lead: Tim Hampton (EUC)
Project team: Mark Winfield (EUC), Hany Farag (Lassonde), Steven Prince (Facilities Services)
This project will assess the desirability (environmental impact reduction), feasibility (fit with existing campus infrastructure and staffing) and viability (whether the system will reduce overall costs) of a large battery storage system at York University.
The next round of SIF funding is planned for Fall 2023. To learn more about the Sustainability Innovation Fund, visit the Office of Sustainability website.
York community celebrates Pride Month
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A ceremony to celebrate Pride Month on June 7 at York University’s Vari Hall Rotunda was attended by staff, faculty, students and other University community members, who took part in the day’s events organized by the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (CHREI) in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Events and Student Community & Leadership Development.
Beginning with opening remarks, the event featured a flag unfurling ceremony and booths to share information about SLGBTQIA+ resources and services available at York. Attendees were also invited to enjoy free treats and snap a selfie with York’s mascot Yeo.
See a photo gallery of the event, below. Visit York’s Pride Month website to learn more.
Professor oversees new website exploring Portuguese diaspora
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A new website and travelling exhibit that explores the past and present of Canada’s Portuguese diaspora was developed by York University faculty member Gilberto Fernandes.
A former visiting professor in the Faculty Liberal Arts & Professional Studies’ (LA&PS) Department of History, Fernandes is currently a research associate in the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies and was recruited by the Portuguese Embassy in Canada to create the project.
The website, titled “Movimento Perpétuo: The Portuguese Diaspora in Canada,” was officially launched on June 1, coinciding with the beginning of Portuguese Heritage Month in Canada and the upcoming 70th anniversaries of the establishing of Portugal Canada diplomatic relations (1952) and the beginning of Portuguese mass migration to Canada (1953).
Gilberto Fernandes
The project contains over 70 profiles of Portuguese Canadian individuals and organizations in Ontario and Quebec; more than 80 digitized artifacts (some in 3D) crowdsourced from community members, most of them featuring audio commentary from the participants; 15 virtual tours of locations associated with the participants, featuring their audio commentary; 75 short documentaries from Rádio Televisão Portuguesa – Internacional (RTPi), National Film Board, and other sources; an illustrated timeline of Portuguese Canadian history with over 300 entries; an interactive business and service map of Toronto’s Little Portugal; videos made by community members; various selections of digitized historical records from public archives and personal collections; infographics, and more.
Participants were selected from among 100 short documentaries that Fernandes co-produced in 2015-17 for RTPi’s show Hora dos Portugueses. All of the artifacts and many of the photos, videos and records featured on the website were sourced from these participants. Many were also interviewed for the purpose of producing audio clips to accompany their materials.
A significant number of historical records featured on the website were selected from the archival holdings of the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections, including some of the community records donated with the help of the Portuguese Canadian History Project, of which Fernandes is the co-founder and lead director. The York University Libraries’ Digital Scholarship Infrastructure provided photographic equipment, technical training and a studio that helped develop many of the website’s immersive and interactive features.
Amanda Dinally, Ester-Judit-Flores, Madeline Ball and Rui Pascoal – undergraduate students in the Cross-Disciplinary Certificate in Public History at the LA&PS and Glendon College’s Departments of History – also made important contributions to this project during their experiential education placements in 2022-23.
The website is intended to become a community-sourced platform going forward, and a reference for researchers, teachers, students, artists, journalists and anyone interested in the Portuguese diaspora in Canada and around the world.
The exhibition with which the website is associated will be shown at the Toronto Metro Hall between Sept.11 and 22 and will be unveiled by a high-ranking official of the Portuguese government.
Lion’s Cup golf tournament raises $154,000 for athletes
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It was a successful day on the golf course Wednesday, May 31 as York University Athletics & Recreation raised $154,000 for athletic scholarships at the 20th annual Lions Cup, presented by TD Insurance.
Nearly 100 golf enthusiasts convened at the Wyndance Golf Club in Uxbridge, Ont., coming together with a mission to extend financial assistance to student-athletes. Notably, a number of York’s current student-athletes, who have similarly benefited from financial aid in their educational pursuits, actively interacted with the golfers.
Organizers led a variety of events on the course, such as the accuracy challenge and the longest-drive competition, all the while embracing the opportunity to establish valuable connections with professionals in their respective fields of study.
From left: Janae Brown (track and field), Joselyn Gagliardi (women’s soccer), Jasmine Heath (track and field), David D’Agostino (men’s hockey), Guy Burry (co-chair, Lions Cup), Corrado Messina (senior relationship manager, Ontario Market Lead, TD Insurance), Bart Zemanek (associate director, advancement, Athletics & Recreation), Lucas Van Den Driesschen (track and field), Lexy Anonech (women’s hockey), Agostino Principato (men’s soccer), Nicholas Mohammed (summer intern, Athletics & Recreation)
Inaugurated as the Chair’s Cup in 2001, the Lions Cup carries a rich history. Its creators, Marshall Cohen, the former Chair of the York University Board of Governors, and his wife, Judi, had a visionary goal: to establish an event that not only generated funds but also cultivated bonds and backing among friends, alumni, and other supporters. Recent years have witnessed a notable shift in the tournament’s emphasis, now centred on bolstering varsity student-athletes by channeling all proceeds directly into athletic scholarships for the Lions.
The success of the scholarships is made possible through the generous contributions of both new and returning sponsors of this year’s tournament. Their support plays a vital role in promoting excellence in athletics and recreation, granting tomorrow’s athletes the opportunity to achieve their academic and athletic aspirations.
For a complete list of this year’s tournament sponsors and donors, please visit the tournament webpage.
Schulich ExecEd partners with York Regional Police to upskill civilian employees, officers
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Schulich ExecEd at York University’s Schulich School of Business, in partnership with York Regional Police (YRP), has debuted the Future of Leadership in Policing Program, meant to strengthen the business acumen and leadership skills of sworn and civilian employees.
The Future of Leadership in Policing Program is designed to be highly customizable, in order to ensure synergy with the learner’s current job position, to be driven by organizational values and help professionals identify potential avenues for growth at YRP.
The program is a series of five streams designed to support the various units, job positions and members at YRP, ensuring accessibility to experiential education across the organization. Participants will also have access to this program in a live, virtual format, to enhance the learning experience by providing a further layer of accessibility for those who are remote or in the field.
Each module has been developed with the unique leadership competencies and strategic objectives of York Regional Police for a fully comprehensive, synergized and custom experience for learners. This approach will take participants directly from the classroom back into the working environment. The Future of Leadership in Policing Program was designed with the goal of fostering growth at each career stage, inspiring exemplary leadership knowledge at every level of an individual’s career
“We are excited to announce the Future of Leadership in Policing Program in partnership with York Regional Police,” said Schulich ExecEd Executive Director Rami Mayer. “We are proud to partner with YRP as it addresses the challenges of policing in perhaps the most diverse region of the country and one that serves the community of York University. YRP has recognized that the high standards and values of the police service are reinforced and strengthened by leadership training at all levels of the organization. As such, it is making a significant and important investment in its people.
“We have long held at Schulich ExecEd that leadership values, skills and decision-making capabilities are a continuum from early in-career to senior roles. Leadership behaviours must be demonstrated in different ways across the talent pipeline. York Regional Police has recognized this, and the training provided will be customized and targeted at different job categories and roles, each with their own specific challenges and the respective leadership skills required,” he added.
“The best part of the Future of Leadership in Policing Program is that it was designed with our people at top of mind,” said YRP Chief Jim MacSween. “Our members work in so many different roles and diverse working environments across the region, so it was critical to find education opportunities that were accessible to all.
“Designed to include five unique learning streams and virtual classroom instruction, I’m confident that our partnership with Schulich ExecEd has resulted in a program that puts our people, and their professional and personal development, first,” MacSween continued.
Upon completion of the program, each participant receives a Schulich ExecEd digital micro-credential. At Schulich ExecEd, accelerated reskilling is a way forward allowing professionals to grow their careers, level up for senior roles and enable them to diversify their skillsets, specializations and knowledge.
Special performance part of AGYU exhibit by York grad student
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The Art Gallery of York University (AGYU) will host a special performance by York University PhD student Erica Stocking as part of MotherGinger Promenade, an exhibit running until Dec. 2.
The performance, which takes place June 10 at 3 p.m. with a reception following at 4 p.m., charts a path through the emergence of fashion as a discipline within modernism in late 19th century Paris, its entanglement in rhythms and spaces of visibility, and the social and material conditions of movement. Inspired by early examples of public promenades (such as those on the Bois de Boulogne in Paris after its redevelopment as a society gathering point in the late 1800s) as spaces where economic, social and aesthetic interests come together in an event of looking and being seen, Stocking invites the audience to consider, “What is a closet and where can it take you?”
Erica Stocking, MotherGinger Promenade, 2023. Courtesy the artist
The performance builds on Stocking’s ongoing project, MotherGinger, named after the iconic drag character from Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker. By referencing this figure, characterized by a massive dress that houses eight children, Stocking foregrounds the connection between mothers as producers of human bodies for labour, Western industrialization and the blurring of the boundary between leisure and work.
Stocking has developed MotherGinger as a brand, with multiple forms from performances to pop-up shops. Situating itself within fashion as a conceptual framework, this project considers the ways that gender, fashion, Western modernism, subjectivity and survival intertwine within this balletic character.
Engaging both container technologies and the character’s roots in the Zanni characters of commedia dell’arte, MotherGinger Promenadeis an invitation, a monologue, and a fashion show.
Exhibition: AGYU Vitrines May 27 — Dec. 2
For this installation of MotherGinger, Stocking has transformed the AGYU vitrines into stylized containers – evoking closets, window displays and travel trunks. In calling attention to the structure of the vitrines, and their role as containers, this installation echoes the writing of Australian researcher Zoë Sofia on “container technologies,” which highlights the significant role of containers throughout history, including vessels and a myriad of objects and devices frequently associated with women’s labour. For Sofia, as well as for Stocking, containment is not passive; it is active and integral, exemplified by human beings’ inextricable entanglement and reliance on their own container, their own environment.
The AGYU vitrines are situated in the colonnade of the Accolade East Building, a space designed for movement. To promenade is to move with the intent of display, and, in this iteration of MotherGinger, garments made from domestic household materials and found objects displayed in the vitrines are removed, worn, and later returned in a series of performances that echo the movement of clothing through private and public spaces, testing what it means to be seen.
Erica Stocking: MotherGinger Promenade is curated by Clara Halpern, assistant curator, Exhibitions, AGYU.
About the artist
Erica Stocking is an artist working at the intersection of sculpture, performance and installation. Her work has been exhibited in Canada at Artspeak, Mercer Union, The Western Front and at the Contemporary Art Gallery. Stocking’s public artworks are part of the City of Vancouver, City of Surrey and SFU Community Trust Collections. She received her BFA from Emily Carr Institute in 2004, and recently completed an MFA at OCAD University in 2021. Stocking lives and works in Toronto and is currently pursuing her PhD in visual arts at York University.
AGYU gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, during exhibitions; AGYU vitrines can be accessed at any time.
AGYU is a public, University-affiliated, non-profit contemporary art gallery supported by York University, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and by our membership.
York University to confer 10 honorary degrees during Spring Convocation
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Spring Convocation at York University will see graduates crossing the stage beginning June 9 at the Glendon Campus, and continuing with Keele Campus ceremonies running June 16 to 23. Throughout the 13 ceremonies, York will confer honorary degrees to nine changemakers who will receive an honorary doctor of laws (LLD), and one who will receive an honorary doctor of science (DSc).
Honorary degree recipients are recognized for their contributions to community building, their advocacy for social justice and their philanthropy, and will offer words of encouragement, motivation and congratulations to graduands.
Below are the honorary degree recipients in order of the Faculty ceremonies at which they will be honoured:
Joan Andrew
Friday, June 9 at 2 p.m. – Glendon College: Joan Andrew (to receive LLD) Joan Andrew is a graduate of Glendon College, York University. She spent more than 35 years working for the federal and provincial governments, retiring in 2009 from the Ontario Public Service as the deputy minister of the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Post-retirement, Andrew joined the now Toronto Metropolitan University as public service in residence in the Department of Politics and Public Administration. Andrew has also held volunteer roles with the United Way and the Toronto Region Immigrant Employee Council, and was the vice-chair of the Niagara Parks Commission until 2018.
Daniel Kahneman
Friday, June 16 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Health: Daniel Kahneman (to recieve DSc) Daniel Kahneman is professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University, and is best known for his work with Amos Tversky on human judgment and decision making, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002. His book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, has sold more than seven million copies worldwide. He is also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2013), and the Distinguished Lifetime Career Contribution of the American Psychological Association.
Denis Mukwege
Friday, June 16 at 3 p.m. – Faculty of Education: Dr. Denis Mukwege (to receive LLD) Denis Mukwege is a world-renowned obstetrician/gynecologist and human rights activist who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 for his efforts to end rape as a weapon of war. In 1999, he founded Panzi Hospital with the intention of it being a center of excellence for maternal health. Many of his first patients, however, were women and girls who had been raped with extreme brutality during armed conflicts. Panzi Hospital and Panzi Foundation have been recognized for their pioneering work in specialized responses to gender-based violence. He has received various awards worldwide for his dedication to peace and justice, including the United Nations Human Rights Award (2008); the European Union’s Sakharov Prize (2014), and more.
Cory Doctorow
Tuesday, June 20 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies I: Cory Doctorow (to receive LLD) Cory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist and journalist. He has written about creative labour markets and monopoly, nonfiction about conspiracies and monopolies, science fiction for young adults and most recently, a technothriller about finance crime. He works for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is a MIT Media Lab research affiliate, is a visiting professor of computer science at Open University, a visiting professor of practice at the University of North Carolina’s School of Library and Information Science and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. In 2020, he was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and in 2022 earned the Sir Arthur Clarke Imagination in Service to Society Award for lifetime achievement.
Susur Lee
Tuesday, June 20 at 3 p.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies II: Susur Lee (to receive LLD) Praised as one of the “Ten Chefs of the Millennium” by Food & Wine magazine, Susur Lee is still at the top of his game. Chef Lee has made numerous television appearances on Chopped Canada, MasterChef Asia, Top Chef Canada, and has been a judge on Wall of Chefs, Top Chef Masters and Iron Chef Canada and America. His awards and achievements include being an ambassador for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award by Canada’s 100 Best, and being named the first foreign chef to be granted The Red Chef’s Hat Award in Qing Dao, China. Lee cooks his signature French and Chinese fusion at his flagship restaurant, LEE.
Ruth Lor Malloy
Wednesday, June 21 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies III: Ruth Lor Malloy (to receive LLD) Ruth Lor Malloy was brought up in a Chinese restaurant family in Brockville, Ont. There she was subjected to racist slurs and social rejection. College in Toronto opened her eyes to other victims of racial discrimination and she wanted to find solutions. This led to testing Black discrimination in Washington, D.C., a key test case of refusal of service to Black customers in a Dresden, Ont. restaurant and a delegation to Ottawa. She is the author of a dozen guide books on China and newspaper travel stories as she explored the world, collected old shoes for Canadian museums and continued to help relieve suffering and misinformation where possible. Her recently-released memoir Brightening My Corner relates her efforts to help, and her struggles with her own relationships and identity.
Shaun Loney
Wednesday, June 21 at 3 p.m. – Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies IV: Shaun Loney (to receive LLD) Shaun Loney (MSc) is a Canadian leader in the social enterprise sector. Based in Winnipeg, where he’s heavily impacted by Indigenous wisdom, Loney has co-founded a dozen social enterprise non-profit businesses now operating in six Canadian cities and six First Nations. He has written five books about his journey modernizing relationships between government and non-profits, including An Army of Problem Solvers: Reconciliation and the Solutions Economy. His work has been recognized as having national importance by Ashoka Canada, Ernst and Young, and Canada Clean50.
Nancy Archibald
Thursday, June 22 at 10:30 a.m. – Faculty of Science: Nancy Archibald (to receive LLD) Nancy Archibald began her career as a public school teacher in Toronto and Niagara Falls, before starting a career at the CBC as a researcher working on documentaries for The Nature of Things. Later taking on roles as story editor and producer/director, Archibald was appointed executive producer of the show in 1972 and senior producer in 1979. She is the recipient of several awards and recognitions, including The Federation of Ontario Naturalist’s Distinguished Service Award (1985) in recognition of outstanding contributions toward maintaining a diverse and wholesome environment, and the Toronto Women in Film and TV’s Outstanding Achievement Award (1990).
Thomas Lee
Thursday, June 22 at 3 p.m. – Lassonde School of Engineering: Thomas Lee (to receive LLD) Thomas Lee is the Walter Booth Chair in Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship at McMaster University. Prior to his role at McMaster, he was part of the leadership of several Canadian start-ups commercializing autonomous robotics, mathematical computation and cryptography. He was a pioneer in the introduction of smart digital technologies in engineering education and his work has influenced universities throughout North America, Europe, Middle East, India and Japan. His current research and teaching explore new ways to address complexity and uncertainty in modern engineering. In 2019, he was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering for his contributions to engineering education and entrepreneurship.
Michael Tulloch
Friday, June 23 at 3 p.m. – Osgoode Hall Law School: Michael H. Tulloch (to receive LLD) Justice Michael Tulloch was appointed Chief Justice of Ontario in December 2022, after serving 10 years as a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, and nine years as a judge on the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario. He has a long and distinguished career of service as a member of the Canadian judiciary, a Crown prosecutor, a lawyer in private practice, and a renowned writer, speaker and professor. Tulloch has led systemic reviews of the justice system at various levels, provided leadership on legal and judicial committees, designed, and delivered international justice sector reform programs, and contributed to a myriad of civic, charitable, and community development initiatives. He holds a BA in economics and business from York University and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University with a law degree in 1989. He was called to the bar in Ontario in 1991.
The convocation website includes a full schedule of all ceremonies.
Spring Convocation set for 2023 graduands
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Beginning June 9, graduating students will experience the time-honoured tradition of crossing a stage to accept a diploma when York University’s 2023 Spring Convocation gets underway.
Running from June 9 to 23, this year’s spring convocation will feature 13 ceremonies at both the Keele and Glendon campuses, as well as new celebrations for Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ graduands.
This year’s events will reflect the first changes recommended by a working group assembled in August 2022 by York President and Vice-Chancellor, Rhonda Lenton, tasked with exploring updates to the University’s convocations that further embed decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion principles, embody respect for Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and align with the institutional value of sustainability.
Among the changes taking effect this year will be clearer language around existing policies regarding First Nations, Métis or Inuit students, faculty and guests being encouraged to wear traditional ceremonial dress of their people and culture; the Canadian national anthem occurring after a land acknowledgement and, where possible, an Honour Song; and further reductions in plastic and paper waste and such as digital programs available via QR codes onsite.
New this year are special celebrations for Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ graduands that will take place on Wednesday, June 28 and Thursday, June 29 respectively. These events will celebrate and recognize the achievements of the Class of 2023 and the professors, staff, classmates, alumni, friends, family and allies who have supported their journey. The events are open to all members of the YorkU community.
As before, all Convocation ceremonies will be webcast live and a link to the feed, as well as a schedule of ceremonies, will be available on the Convocation website.
