CIFAL York presents a panel discussion to celebrate, reflect on and discuss some of the key ongoing United Nations (UN) efforts to mark UN Day, celebrated annually on Oct. 24.
UN Day recognizes the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, and marks the day the UN Charter was ratified.
CIFAL centres provide innovative training throughout the world and serve as hubs for the exchange of knowledge among government officials, the private sector, academia and civil society. CIFAL York will host “UN Day Celebration, Reflection & Panel Discussion: Equity, Education & Sustainable Development” on Oct. 24 from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom.
The event will bring together academics, professionals, and students to share their views, perspectives, and suggestions to make the world more equitable and sustainable with a focus on UN efforts around equity, education and sustainable developments.
Panellists for this event are:
Dawn R. Bazely, professor, Department of Biology, York University
Andrea Davis, associate professor, Department of Humanities, York University
Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chair, Faculty of Education, York University
Sandra Peniston, assistant professor, School of Nursing, York University
Marlie Whittle, associate director of philanthropy, EcoJustice
Julia Satov, global director of diversity & inclusion, Litera; co-Chair and strategic advisor, EDI Committee, UNITAR CIFAL York
Nitima Bhatia, PhD student, Faculty of Education, York University
Francesca Muñoz, youth observer, COP26 and student at the University of Glasgow
World’s tiniest lecture hall presents big thinking on environmental threat
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Lassonde School of Engineering Assistant Professor Shooka Karimpour reflects on her experience delivering a micro-lecture in the world’s tiniest lecture hall about our world’s growing problem of microplastics.
Shooka Karimpour with a tiny version of herself on her shoulder
Last week, York University launched the world’s tiniest lecture hall to bring focus to the big issue of microplastics and their impact on the environment. The tiny lecture hall is part of a new art installation unveiled at Vari Hall on York’s Keele Campus and the Centre of Excellence at the Glendon Campus.
It takes the form of an exact replica of a theatre-style lecture hall but is the size of a lecture podium. The transparent plexi-glass model – which is constructed mostly from recycled plastics collected from Lake Ontario – features tiny chairs, a tiny screen, a tiny professor speaking to tiny people. There’s a scannable QR code that launches a virtual entrance to a riveting, six-minute micro-lecture on the universal threat of microplastics delivered by Lassonde School of Engineering Assistant Professor Shooka Karimpour.
Karimpour is a researcher focused on hydrodynamics and professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Lassonde. Through her research, she is leading an effort to get us to rethink our use (and eventual ingestion) of plastic and it’s within the world’s tiniest lecture hall that she delivers her big and powerful message on the problem of microplastics.
YFile spoke with Karimpour immediately following the launch of the world’s tiniest lecture hall to hear first-hand from her about why she took part in this innovative endeavour.
The world’s tiniest lecture hall
Q. What is a micro-lecture?
SK. A micro-lecture is a lecture delivered in a brief, concise microformat. This micro-lecture is presented using very innovative filmmaking techniques to provide the presentation in a micro-format as well. So, in addition to being short, concise and presented in a micro-format, they are now offered in a micro-scale.
Q. How did you get involved with this very tiny lecture hall?
SK. My research is in environmental hydrodynamics so I look at the mobility of natural matters like sediments and pollutants in water bodies. Over the last few years, I have become interested in microplastics and how they move in water and I have been successful in securing meaningful partnerships with government agencies and private entities, and the word has gone around. I think when launching this lecture, the University considered that a micro-lecture and microplastics would be an interesting and meaningful wordplay. They reached out to me and I gladly accepted.
Q. Tell us about your experience actually making this micro-lecture.
SK. This was several months in the making. We started in June and it is now October. It has been a very pleasant experience working with the York team and the creative agency. This is a big environmental issue that the world is dealing with and everyone working in this project was very curious and dedicated to learning more about microplastics. The creative team helped me quite a lot along the way to fine tune my language, highlight the points they found to be important. Overall, it was a very good experience. As researchers, we sit in our labs and get buried in proposals and papers and there is a gap in how we translate our work to a broader audience. These type of content deliveries help to fill that gap.
The lecture hall is the size of a podium and features a clear plexi-glass support containing a collection of plastics harvested from Lake Ontario
Q. What was the most interesting part of the experience creating this micro-lecture?
SK. The unveiling of the tiny lecture hall installation has been so very enjoyable.
I really enjoyed the journey and working in a completely different setting. All the filmmaking techniques, the multiple cameras, lights and direction helped me highlight the urgency of this environmental issue and deliver that message in a more captivating way.
Q. Can you summarize in your own words the unseen enormity of microplastics?
SK. Microplastics and plastic pollution are a very big issue. When you think about microplastics, they have invaded every part of the Earth’s waterbodies. During in-situ detection-based research, microplastics have been found near their source, such as wastewater treatment systems and close to rivers. Microplastics have also been found in remote areas, such as in deep sea ocean sediments and in the Arctic. This micro-lecture highlights the source and threat of microplastics – and plastic pollution in general – to aquatic ecosystems and human health. In addition to explaining what microplastics are, I also provide information on how we can be more plastic conscious individually and as a result become a more plastic conscious society.
Q.What are the most important steps you recommend that we do to curb our use of plastics?
SK. We should refrain from using single-use plastics. I read that the average life of a plastic product is only several minutes! Mismanaged single-use plastics are abundantly found in the environment, so we should try to stay away from single-use plastics, such as plastic bottles, food containers, as much as possible. Really the solution is to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Canada is taking great steps into controlling plastic pollution by banning microbeads in cosmetic products and is moving towards a ban on single-use plastics. As responsible citizens, it is very important to be active on this very important environmental issue. Talk to your family members, neighbours, and people in your social circle about the plastic problem and help them understand that we are in a plastic pollution crisis.
The QR code to Karimpour’s micro-lecture can be accessed by the York Universrity community by visiting the art installation at Vari Hall or the Glendon Centre of Excellence. Wider audiences can find the micro-lecture at https://www.yorku.ca/rightthefuture/stories/microlecture/.
York professor partners with Town of Penetanguishene to develop park focused on climate change solutions
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The innovative Climate Change Solutions Park will also served to build community awareness of reconciliation and Indigenous knowledge.
José Etcheverry
Climate change has emerged as the world’s most critical environmental issue, as well as one of the most pressing social, economic and health challenges of our time. While it is a global issue, its impacts are felt most acutely at a local level.
This development will create an inspirational location for experiential learning, networking and innovation opportunities for local and visiting students, such as training in precision agriculture and local sustainable development strategies. It will also allow for the development of cutting-edge research and practical applications toward solving climate change.
The project focuses on addressing climate change by creating an ecosystem of innovation by involving not only students, but local and Indigenous partners, community leaders and creators. It will provide new practical opportunities for those interested in designing and implementing paradigm-shifting climate change solutions, locally and internationally. The Penetanguishene Ecology Garden was chosen by Etcheverry as an ideal location to mark the beginning of his nationwide project.
“We will aim to educate and provide awareness for the public and the community on reconciliation. There is much knowledge left to learn from the Indigenous communities in our country and we are here to support, nourish, and disseminate that knowledge theoretically and experientially,” says Etcheverry. “We will also be working with Land of the Dancing Deer to assist them in the planning, development and execution of the Healing Village and their permaculture gardens through student involvement.”
The Climate Solutions Park is also working with the Rural Urban Learning Association, a registered Canadian charitable organization with a diverse membership, to ensure trust, genuine relationship building, and community engagement remain central to their mandates with the Indigenous communities where the projects are located.
“The ecology garden represents a wonderful foundation that the Climate Solutions Park will continue to foster, nurture and evolve over time. We will remain connected with our roots in Penetanguishene – while reaching towards a greater collective vision for climate change solutions locally and globally,” says Codrina Ibanescu, president – Rural Urban Learning Association.
There is also a bursary available for some students to participate York’s 4REAL (4th Renewable Energy & Agricultural Learning) project, which is linked to one of York University’s renewable energy courses and focuses on local climate change solutions with an emphasis on the United Nationals Sustainable Development Goals. The bursary aims to help domestic students gain experiential opportunities at several farm and green industry sites, including the Climate Solutions Park in Penetanguishene.
Join conversation on navigating new normal in international exchanges and mobility
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On Nov. 17 during International Education Week 2022, York University and its international partners will host the second Sustainable on the Go Virtual Conference (SOTG 2022), an event designed to engage new voices, partners and stakeholders in creative dialogue formats to further enrich the discussion on sustainable and inclusive internationalization in higher education.
The conference’s theme, Navigating the New Normal in Higher Education, will appeal to anyone working in or pursuing work in a field related to international mobility and their need to consider the challenges and opportunities of navigating the new normal in higher education in ways that are sustainable and inclusive.
The event is co-organized by York International, the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability and international partners, and will aim to ensure youth engagement is central to the conversation.
The conference will focus on three main topics with inclusivity, gender and education for sustainable development (ESD) cross-cutting all conversations:
Sustainable and inclusive global learning: How can universities ensure that all students, regardless of their socio-economic or cultural background, are empowered and supported to participate in international education and global learning opportunities?
Connecting the local and global classrooms: What are new or innovative forms of pedagogy in different regions to address diversity, equity and other sustainability themes?
Local and global community engagement: What are the roles and responsibilities of students or graduates of higher education in their local communities? How do we empower and prepare students for continued community and global engagement post-graduation?
The conference is a dialogue platform that will allow participants to tackle these vital questions and come together to discuss workable solutions and plans of action. It has ambitious, but important goals:
Discussing COVID-19’s impact on sustainable and inclusive internationalization: What have we learned? What would we like to continue and move forward with post COVID-19? What would we like to leave behind?
Contributing to the future vision of sustainable and inclusive internationalization and mobility, informed by the cross-cutting issues of inclusivity, gender and education for sustainable development.
Providing a platform for dialogue on the role of ethical internationalization in higher education for the entirety of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) including the sharing of innovative programs and practices in global learning.
Including different speakers and audiences with a focus on Youth (Youth Engagement Program), and historically underrepresented stakeholders by facilitating their participation and highlighting their contributions towards the future of internationalization in higher education.
Sharing experiences from implementing the commitments of the Toronto Declaration.
Students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to contribute to and shape the future of global mobility and exchanges as they discuss the evolving landscape at educational institutions post pandemic.
Join the conversations – the early bird registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 30. Register here.
For more information, contact: Mario Guerrero (he/him), project officer, York International at sotg@yorku.ca.
York’s first Provostial Fellows lead on sustainability
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In 2021, the inaugural cohort of Provostial Fellows began a series of year-long projects that would take meaningful action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs play a central role in the University Academic Plan, which includes a call for the community to create positive change through the goals. Now that their terms have ended, here is a look back at what the Fellows have achieved.
Reducing York’s carbon footprint Burkard Eberlein Professor of Public Policy and Sustainability, Schulich School of Business
Burkhard Eberlein
Burkard Eberlein’s project, “Advancing Carbon Neutrality at York: Reimagining Mobility,” will continue to target York’s carbon emissions from commuting and travel, with a special focus on air travel related to studying, research or University business activities.
The first phase of this project included a scan of actions taken by universities across North America and globally to identify some best practices and how they reduce carbon emissions. Carbon reduction potential, ease of implementation and impacts on equity, diversity and inclusion were just some of the criteria developed when considering the best practices that could be adopted at York.
Schulich students were also engaged on the project and analyzed data from York’s carbon inventory. The carbon inventory reveals the areas where the University’s carbon impact is most substantial, including mobility. A key area of interest is reducing single-occupancy vehicle commutes to York’s campuses. Overall, the goal is to match global best practices with York’s specific emissions profile so that proposals for action can target relevant areas that achieve the most impact.
In the project’s next phase involves a community-wide survey to gauge support for initiatives to reduce mobility-related emissions. Results are expected to inform recommendations to the University community and leadership. The University has stated a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2049 and the project promises to propose concrete actions to make tangible progress in a key area of indirect carbon emissions at York.
Mobilizing a community to improve access to clean freshwater Sapna Sharma Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Sapna Sharma
For the past year, Sapna Sharma focused on raising awareness and building networks of scholars whose work examines freshwater access and managing climate change risks.
“I think it is really important that we improve awareness about the inequalities in freshwater access in Canada and around the world. For example, although Canada has over nine million lakes and 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater supply, there are still 29 communities that do not have reliable access to clean drinking water – this isn’t acceptable,” says Sharma.
Sharma contributed to pieces published in Excalibur, The Narwhal, Bridge Michigan and Cottage Life, focusing on the history of drinking water advisories in Canada, the need to prepare for climate change and what shrinking lake ice coverage is doing to the quality and quantity of fresh water supply. She also highlighted the importance of inclusion when it comes to identifying solutions to the freshwater and climate crisis.
On World Water Day, Sharma brought together more than 100 local and international participants for a solutions-driven workshop on the impacts of climate change on freshwater. She also joined more than 40 students for a career networking event with water professionals that same week. On July 12, she hosted a rooftop networking event at Malaparte TIFF Bell Lightbox, bringing together water, climate and sustainability researchers and industry partners to support collaboration across disciplines.
Sharma plans to continue organizing regular water research seminars and networking sessions for the York community. Partnering with CIFAL York, the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health and two Organized Research Units – One Water and the Risk and Insurance Studies Centre – her goal is to grow networks and partnerships that advance the SDGs at York.
Embedding the SDGs in York curriculum Cheryl van Daalen-Smith Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Associate Professor in the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies and the Childhood and Youth Studies Program, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Cheryl van Daalen Smith
Cheryl van Daalen-Smith’s vision was to collaboratively seek ways to infuse the UN SDGs into interdisciplinary classrooms across the University. Her project “More than Bees and Trees” sought to inspire and amplify curricular SDG initiatives and advance York University’s commitment to interdisciplinarity. Through a community development approach, this Fellowship spawned an SDGs in the Classroom Community of Practice, which continues to grow and add to the more than 60 educators who are involved from across the University.
Members of the community of practice thought that a toolkit would help further realize van Daalen-Smith’s vision. Two community members, Tracy Bhoola, an instructor at YUELI, and Nitima Bhatia, a PhD student and research assistant, took the lead in creating content for the SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit website. Through diligent leadership, this interdisciplinary resource is now available to educators both within York University and around the world, further supporting the University’s commitment to open access.
The SDGs-in-the-Classroom Community of Practice also brought together University partners and stakeholders who were engaged on the UN SDGs. The group listened to members who had already found some success with integrating the SDGs in classrooms and to students who shared who would share their learning experiences and recommendations. York’s list of UN SDG Curricular Champions were identified among instructors who had found innovative ways of connecting the SDGs to diverse interdisciplinary topics, concepts and disciplines.
Finally, the first-ever SDGs in the Classroom Teach-In was hosted in conjunction with the Teaching Common’s Annual Teaching in Focus conference, on May 10, drawing together 90 national and global registrants. The session hosted panel discussions, drop-in live coaching sessions and interactions with curricular champions and toolkit creators. With a vibrant, three-year Academic Innovation Fund grant now underway, the work of this Fellowship will continue to be led by School of Nursing Assistant Professor Sandra Peniston, with a myriad of interdisciplinary instructors guiding the development of simulations, apps, games, and other ways to continue to bring the “wicked problems” addressed by the SDGs into York’s classrooms.
Building global competences at York Qiang Zha, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education
Qiang Zha
Qiang Zha focused on how a liberal arts education could be reimagined and reinvented for the 21st century. He developed a framework for this purpose, organizing curriculum around intellectual, intelligent and global core competences. Zha’s framework also looked at ways to boost the relevance and benefits of a liberal arts education for more students.
In Canada, the Council of Ministers of Education have endorsed six pan-Canadian global competencies to help students meet the “shifting and ongoing demands of life, work and learning.” These include critical thinking and problem solving, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and collaboration.
Zha maintains that York University is well positioned to practice and champion global competence education, a belief supported through a comprehensive analysis of both course resources and curricular strengths at York.
“I think that the SDGs provide us with a unique opportunity to shape a transformative curriculum and teach global competence,” says Zha. He is currently creating a list of courses that build global competences, so that they may be organized into a certificate program for students. Over the course of the fellowship, Zha also led a partnership with 21 partner organizations across North America, East Asia and Western Europe in a proposal to fund a project titled, “Reimagining Liberal Arts Education with a Transcontinental Partnership.” The project received development funding and has been invited to compete for more support.
York University dishes on a new food services program and service provider
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York University’s Food Services announces its new “YU Eats” program in partnership with Chartwells, the educational division of Compass Group Canada.
Following a rigorous Request for Proposals (“RFP”) process to identify a food services company that would mirror York’s commitment to offering an exceptional dining experience for its students, faculty and staff, Chartwells was selected.
The University aims to provide the community with the best quality of food and food options on campus. “People have come together around food for millennia. Food services are integral to providing a positive student experience and to community development, particularly on our campuses,” said Anthony Barbisan, executive director of the Ancillary Services Department. “We asked for a lot of different ways for food services to be enhanced based on our extensive consultations with the community and our new partner, Chartwells, addressed them all. I am optimistic that together with Chartwells, we will build a leading-edge dining program with food outlets and menus that will engage the entire community, delivering on quality, wellness, sustainability, inclusion, authenticity and affordability.”
The new “YU Eats” program, which launches this fall, will bring many exciting enhancements, including:
Scratch-made meals that are authentically prepared by new culinary teams led by Chef Roderick Gruffydd, director of culinary. YU Eats also welcomes Glendon’s new Executive Chef, Frederic Pouch.
Menu rotations that provide greater variety and a wider range of global fare that reflects the diversity of the York community.
Inclusion of progressive Indigenous cuisine in partnership with Chef Jenni Lessard, based in the Qu’Appelle Valley in Saskatchewan on Treaty Four Territory, and the homeland of the Métis.
A significant increase in the availability of nutritious plant-based meals.
Coffee from Birch Bark Coffee Co., a First Nations owned business that offers organic, Fair Trade and SPP-certified coffees.
New franchise outlets including Copper Branch and Palgong Bubble Tea.
Partnerships with local chefs and food halls to provide experiences including the Virtual Kitchen Collective and the Upper East Food Club .
A new online catering portal, Spoonfed, which includes discounts for student organizations.
Local sourcing, micro-farming, waste reduction and other sustainability and food security programs.
To learn more about food services at York and to stay up-to-date on the latest enhancements, visit the Food Services website.
Charles Hopkins receives Lithuanian State Award
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York University UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins was awarded the Lithuanian State Award on July 6 by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda.
Lithuanian and foreign citizens were presented with state orders and medals for their services to the Republic of Lithuania.
Nausėda recognized Hopkins for making a significant contribution to the preservation and free transfer of unique documents of the history of Lithuanian diplomacy to the Lithuanian Museum of Canada.
Among the 60 individuals who were awarded for helping to build sustainable international ties of peace, friendship and cultural exchange, Hopkins’ work in rescuing and safeguarding documents representing international treaties proving the Lithuanian independence during the period of 1918 to 1940 was recognized as important work to public service and life.
York University UNESCO Chair Charles Hopkins received the Lithuanian State Award on July 6 from President President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda
“I am humbled by this recognition by the government of the Republic of Lithuania. I share the respect for these tangible documents as proof of the existence of the Lithuanian state as an independent nation, especially during times when ground truth and facts are questioned,” said Hopkins.
Hopkins found the documents on a rainy morning in the 1980s when he noticed a pile of books and documents abandoned on a neighbour’s driveway after the home was being put up for sale. He had known that his neighbour, the late wife of the former Lithuanian Ambassador to Canada, had several formal government documents stored in the house from her late husband’s years of diplomatic service, and so Hopkins decided to retrieve the boxes, knowing he would ensure they were taken care of properly.
Hopkins discovered documents signed by Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Russian leader Vladimir Lenin, Pope Pius XI, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, King George V and many more, including a large, detailed map outlining the border with Russia and other neighbouring countries.
After several attempts working to return the documents to the Lithuanian community, the documents sat in Hopkins basement for up to 40 years until 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hopkins came upon the Lithuanian Museum-Archives of Canada located in Mississauga, Ontario during one of his walks with his wife.
When Hopkins spoke to the exhibition curator, they recognized the items Hopkins had owned and understood the value of documents. The items were then handed over to the Lithuanian State Historical Archives in Vilnius.
“I was relieved when we finally turned the documents over to Lithuanian authorities. I had tried before but with no luck. While I did not see their eventual significance, I took them in. I always knew that my neighbours had gone to great lengths to get these boxes to safety and felt I needed to protect them. I knew it was the right thing to do, and I am glad I was able to return these documents to their rightful owners, ending their 80 plus years in hiding,” said Hopkins.
Since April 2021, the documents have been returned to the government of the Republic of Lithuania in Vilnius. They have been restored and are now available to the public to view at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
For his efforts in keeping the long-sought documents safe and returning them, Hopkins was also awarded the honour of the National Archive at a ceremony in Toronto in November 2021.
In addition to traveling to Lithuania to receive his award, Hopkins is adding further value to his travels to Europe in support of the Sustainable on the Go initiative. He has held meetings with the National Education Agency in Lithuania with university network partners to discuss perspectives on recent United Nations developments in education and initiated new projects for future teachers in Lithuania. During this trip, he is also spending time at the Global Citizenship Alliance in Salzburg, Austria, working with a new generation of higher education faculty and administrators from the United States to engage in the global pursuit of sustainability.
Osgoode professor examines how taxation could help combat the climate crisis
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It’s an often-overlooked weapon in the fight against the devastating impacts of global warming. But international tax law could play a key role in mitigating the climate crisis, says a professor at Osgoode Hall Law School.
Ivan Ozai
Assistant Professor Ivan Ozai said his recent paper in the Canadian Tax Journal, titled “Designing an Equitable Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism,” was the first in the publication’s history to analyze the topic of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) from a perspective that includes considerations of global justice.
“I hope this work contributes to the development of this nascent area of research and carries into the sphere of international tax policymaking,” he said. “There is only a handful of scholars worldwide discussing these concerns.”
In June, Ozai published a post on the same topic in the respected Kluwer International Tax Blog.
The European Union (EU) has made the most headway in implementing a so-called carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) to equalize carbon prices on EU-produced and foreign-produced carbon-intensive goods, explained Ozai in the post. So far, the United States and Canada are the only other countries to consider adopting a CBAM. Both Canada and the U.S. refer to the tax mechanism as a BCA.
CBAMs are designed to fill the void created by the lack of a common, international price on carbon, he noted.
“First, a country adopting more stringent carbon policies may lose competitiveness in its carbon-intensive industries due to partial displacement of domestic production by imports of goods from countries with less strict policies,” he wrote. “Second, the potential relocation of production to those other countries may shift rather than reduce global GHG emissions, a phenomenon commonly known as ‘carbon leakage.’”
Instead of a uniform CBAM for all countries, however, Ozai’s research calls for the adoption of a “differential CBAM” that would be more fair to developing countries.
“From a global perspective,” he explained, “addressing climate change requires considering two interrelated concerns: reducing global carbon emissions and meeting the development needs of developing countries.”
Ozai said the 197 countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) endorsed the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility” (CBDR), which allocates greater responsibility to more developed economies to address the climate crisis because they have historically contributed more to it.
“The CBDR principle was a compromise to bring developing countries on board the global movement for reducing GHG emissions,” he explained. “Dismissing the principle now would likely stifle international cooperation, hindering rather than promoting the pursuit of reducing global carbon emissions.”
So far, said Ozai, only the U.S. is considering a differential border carbon adjustment. In July 2021, U.S. Senator Chris Coons introduced a bill in the Senate proposing a border carbon adjustment that would exempt the least developed countries.
Ozai’s overall research is examining how international tax regimes could be modified to improve global distributive justice, especially towards developing countries.
“Developed countries’ interests have historically influenced international tax policies to the detriment of the interest of the developing world,” he explained. “I apply some of the contemporary discussions in the political philosophy literature about global justice to the field of international taxation to consider ways to ensure international cooperation, but also to address global poverty and inequality.”
York University becomes a living lab for next-gen electric vehicles
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SARIT vehicles on York’s Keele Campus with Frank Stronach
Auto magnate Frank Stronach, a former governor of York University, is working with Lassonde School of Engineering Professor Andrew Maxwell, who is the Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship, to transform the University’s campuses into a living lab for the next generation of electric vehicles known as the SARIT (Safe, Affordable, Reliable, Innovative Transit).
In the spring of 2021, when Stronach announced his intention to launch a tiny three-wheeled electric commuter car to reduce greenhouse gases, ease traffic jams and solve parking problems, Maxwell saw an opportunity. What if York U’s campus became a “living lab” to test the prototype SARIT (Safe, Affordable, Reliable, Innovative Transit) vehicles the billionaire Magna International founder hoped was the future of sustainable commuter transportation? Maxwell picked up the phone and left a message.
“We were looking for a sustainability project on campus, and we already had a bunch of things going on with electric vehicles, so I thought this is a really cool idea,” said Maxwell. It was a perfect match as Stronach, who was already well connected to the University, had established SARIT’s production facility in Aurora, less than an hour’s drive from the University’s Keele Campus. “I said, ‘Here’s the idea’ and he said yes,” Maxwell recalled. “It was like he built this vision within 10 minutes and took massive leaps forward. He said, ‘Let’s test it there, let’s do research there. Let’s build a living lab, a dealership.’ It was like bang, bang, bang, and everything we said in that first conversation we’re actually putting into practice.”
The SARIT (Safe, Affordable, Reliable, Innovative Transit) vehicle has the potential to revolutionize how we travel from destination to destination
A SARIT micro-mobility prototype sits outside of the Bergeron Centre at the Lassonde School of Engineering. Stronach delivered the first prototype to the Lassonde School in April, and the work began immediately. Ever since, faculty, students and campus-facilities staff in the “mini-city” of Keele Campus have been putting their heads together to realize the potential of Stronach’s vision for the SARITs.
And now Stronach has demonstrated his commitment to the initiative by way of a $100,000 gift, which was announced on June 23 at an event at Lassonde’s Bergeron Centre for Excellence in Engineering after Stronach arrived on campus with another batch of SARIT prototypes for students, faculty and staff.
The funds are part of wider partnership between Stronach and the University, which will support research-funding opportunities in sustainable urban agricultural and, of course, the continued testing, development and improvement of the SARIT electric vehicle prototypes on an ongoing basis in York’s living lab. “When we look back at history, change has always been brought about by students, and we need a culture change,” Stronach said at the June 23 announcement. “When I look three years down the road, gasoline prices will triple. When I look 10 years down the road, gasoline will be rationed.”
Although large electric cars have been rising in popularity – especially with sky-rocketing gas prices – Stronach says large electric vehicles don’t address gridlock, and it will take trillions of dollars to build up the grid system to accommodate widespread use.
With jurisdictions including California, the European Union and Canada, moving towards a ban on gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, Stronach says micro-mobility is the solution. His SARITs surely won’t be the only to market, but he’s hoping to be the first out of the gate. “Micro-mobility in broad terms means, you should be able to park four in a regular parking spot. To be more definitive, it cannot be wider than 3.5 feet, not longer than 7.5 feet because two of those vehicles should be able to drive side by side on a regular road.”
York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton with students from the Lassonde School of Engineering. The students will play an integral role in researching a myriad of different applications for this next generation e-vehicle
Indeed, the SARIT initiative aligns with York’s demonstrated commitment to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, specifically sustainability, for which the University was recently ranked in the Top 10 among the world’s universities on the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
“The deployment of these micro-mobility electric vehicles will leverage York’s commitment to entrepreneurship and sustainability,” said Rhonda Lenton, York’s president and vice-chancellor. “Now more than ever, universities are being called upon to provide transformative leadership that bridges partners across institutions, sectors and borders to maximize our collective impact, and York is committed to bringing all of our resources to help ensure a fairer, more just, and more sustainable future for all.
“I want to thank Frank Stronach and Stronach International for his generous gift, for investing in our students, and for trusting York with this important partnership. I am so proud of what this partnership will do to drive positive change for our communities.”
Maxwell describes the SARIT work as a flagship research project. It’s a collaborative endeavour that involves faculty, students and more than two dozen York Facilities staff, who are running real-life tests of the cars through their work in areas such as maintenance, security and parking. “The SARIT project will become iconic for sustainability, innovation, social issues, living labs, and work-integrated learning.”
“They’ll test things like how fast they accelerate, how fast they are and how they can be used,” said Maxwell. “We want to see what the issues are.”
Students – both undergraduate and graduate – are testing applications for the vehicles beyond campus staff transportation, including their suitability for ride sharing and for use by people with disabilities.
Professor Andrew Maxwell was recognized with a President’s University-Wide Teaching Award during Spring 2022 Convocation ceremonies. Above, from left, York University Chancellor Gregory Sorbara, Maxwell, and York President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton
A planned prototype dealership on campus will also give York researchers an opportunity to do market research that will help determine whether consumers will want to lease or own the vehicles and whether the market will bear Stronach’s anticipated price tag of $6,000-$7,000. There are also plans for a pickup-truck prototype that can haul 300-400 pounds of material and would retail for $7,000-$8,000.
The arrival of Stronach’s micro-mobility prototypes has brought a huge energy to a campus that places high value on sustainability, innovation and collaboration for societal good. “The mood is fantastic – people are so positive and pumped,” said Maxwell, adding that 28 students applied for six research opportunities to work on the project, more than 50 students signed up for a “hackathon” to come up with new research ideas involving the SARIT, and “we got a real buzz with the staff.”
Nick Di Scipio, who recently completed his fourth year of mechanical engineering at Lassonde, says excitement about the project began to mount the day in April when Stronach showed up on campus with the first SARIT prototype. “Just being there in his presence and seeing what was coming to campus was really exciting, and then I find out a few months later that I was chosen to work on this project,” he said. “Frank is a very visionary person, so just being around him, being a part of this is very exciting for everybody involved.”
Di Scipio worked on experiments with pedestrian detection technology for the cars that could add an accessibility feature by giving the driver an audible warning if people are in their vicinity. He also participated in testing different lithium batteries that use a variety of chemical mixtures to see how they perform in the SARIT. Now, Di Scipio has been offered an internship at Stronach’s company, so his work on the SARIT will continue.
“The main thing I see coming out of a project such as this one is seeing how sustainable technologies can come in many different shapes and sizes and how the future of transportation is really changing to benefit people and move away from what we’re currently using that creates issues like climate change,” said Di Scipio. He said what he’s learning on the project is just as important as what he picks up in the classroom.
Artem Solovey, who is in the second year of a master’s degree in transportation engineering, says he has had other experiential learning opportunities through York, but none as meaningful as the chance to work as a researcher on an innovative real-life project involving someone as forward-looking as Stronach.
“There is something very special about being part of something that will be so big in the future,” Solovey said. “It allows you as an engineer to consider the business side and collaborate with other teams on other aspects, and that’s a perfect recipe for creating something very impactful. It can really change a person into becoming something really great.”
Maxwell said the SARIT, as well as being sustainable, has the potential to “democratize” transportation because of their low cost and potential for use by people with disabilities.
The first vehicles will roll off the lot of Stronach’s facility in Aurora by the end of 2022. Ontario’s Transportation Ministry has given municipalities the green light to decide for themselves whether they can be used on roads or sidewalks, or even bike lanes.
In the meantime, Stronach’s investment in his collaboration with York has had tangible effects, creating research opportunities for faculty and students, experiential learning, co-ops and potential jobs. It is also helping York to fulfil its commitment to building a more sustainable world.
“This will become iconic for sustainability, innovation, social issues, living labs, and work-integrated learning,” said Maxwell. “We have a four-year partnership, and there’s no reason why it should stop there.”
New SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit launches
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An innovative and comprehensive SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit has just been launched. It has been designed to assist York University faculty with their efforts to infuse the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their teaching and learning activities.
The toolkit, which can be found at https://www.yorku.ca/unsdgs/toolkit/, offers a dynamic suite of supports designed to help faculty bring SDGs into their courses as well as having the goals serve as a pedagogical framework for the student learning experience. This in turn will strengthen the application of the SDGs to education, link purpose with impact and encourage students to take the first step towards meaningful change and righting the future. The toolkit provides resources relevant to every program and it offers faculty members different routes for identifying how their classrooms can welcome an SDG discussion, activity, or lesson into their course.
Inspiration for the creation of this toolkit originated from the work by 2021-22 Provostial Fellow and York University Professor Cheryl van Daalen-Smith and her vision to infuse the UN Sustainable Development Goals into classrooms across the University. Her project, “More than Bees and Trees: Seeing the SDGs in our Curriculum – A Pan-University Community Development Initiative,” sought to inspire and amplify curricular SDG initiatives and advance York University’s commitment to interdisciplinarity. She developed the SDGs in the Classroom Community of Practice, which now has more than 60 educators (and it continues to grow) from across the University.
The community of practice membership felt that a toolkit would assist with the realization of van Daalen-Smith’s vision. Two of the community of practice members, Tracy Bhoola, an instructor at YUELI, and Nitima Bhatia, a PhD student and research assistant, took the lead to create and develop an SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit website. Through diligent leadership, wide consultation and curricular wisdom, this interdisciplinary resource is now available to educators both within York University and around the world, further supporting the University’s commitment to open access.
A thought graphic showing how the SDGs in the Classroom Community of Practice enhances faculty efforts to infuse the SDGs into their teaching and learning activities
The toolkit is envisioned to be a living resource, continuing to provide developed and curated resources and materials along with collaborative opportunities to support educators. The toolkit aims to serve everyone by providing inspiring and innovative ways to infuse the SDGs into their unique teaching and learning environments.
There are different sections in the toolkit that offer a variety of resources that will help educators bring SDGs into their classrooms. Educators can choose resources ranging from general documents and reports on SDGs, to discipline-specific materials such as case studies, lesson plans, videos and activities. Resources specific to teaching and learning about a particular goal can also be found in this toolkit. Additionally, the website offers teaching approaches and resources to help educators design their own SDG teaching materials. Information related to upcoming events such as webinars, conferences, workshops and trainings related to SDGs, both at a national and international level, will also be available on the website.
The toolkit features videos with SDGs Curricular Champions
The SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit will also serve as a platform for collaboration. Educators can find information on how they can become members of the SDGs-in-the-Classroom Community of Practice. As well, SDGs Curricular Champions are showcased on the website. They are instructors at York University who are currently infusing the SDGs in their courses using a variety of approaches. Short videos feature these curricular champions from different faculties discussing how they have successfully incorporated the SDGs in their classroom teaching. These videos were created with the intent to provide real-life examples and motivation to other educators interested in the initiative. Educators interested in learning more, or those who want to collaborate, can also contact the curricular champions, or the toolkit leads themselves.
For the empowerment and encouragement necessary to accomplish their goal of bringing this toolkit to life for instructors interested in bringing the SDGs into their diverse classrooms, the toolkit leaders acknowledge support from the Office of the Vice-President Academic and Provost, Provost and Professor Lisa Philipps, the Office of the Associate Vice-President (AVP) Teaching and Learning, AVP Teaching and Learning and Professor William Gage, and Provostial Fellow and Professor Cheryl van Daalen-Smith. They also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the UNESCO Chair at York University, Charles Hopkins, and Executive Coordinator to the UNESCO Chair, Katrina Kohl, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the SDGs in the Classroom Community of Practice members along with the guidance of the Teaching Commons’ educational developers team.
