Canada’s response to youth homelessness during pandemic is focus of Making the Shift webinar
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Making the Shift (MtS), a youth homelessness social innovation lab co-led by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness at York University, will present the fourth webinar of the “In Conversation With…” series on May 28 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Homeless youth are 193 times more likely than members of the public to have been involved with the child welfare system
Titled “Child Welfare and Youth Homelessness Prevention in Canada,” the webinar will examine pandemic responses to homelessness across the nation. In response to the pandemic, some provinces and territories have placed temporary moratoriums on transitions from care. These measures have opened up opportunities to rethink what transitions should look like for youth moving forward. Youth who have had some type of involvement with child protection services over their lifetime are at increased risk of experiencing homelessness, and advocates have long argued more needs to be done to support young people during these times of transition.
Drawing upon emerging research and perspectives from the frontlines, attendees will learn about the long-term solutions that are needed to support youth when transitioning from care, ensuring no young person is prematurely forced out of care. The question that will be addressed is: How can we build on some of the recent promising developments to collectively rethink our approach to child protection?
Join Melanie Doucet, PhD social work and MtS Scholar with Lived Experience, senior researcher and project manager at the Child Welfare League of Canada and researcher with the Centre for Research on Children and Families at McGill University; Michael Ungar, founder and director of the Resilience Research Centre and Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience; and David French, managing director of A Way Home Canada, in a rich discussion on how to stop the pipeline of young people from the child welfare system into homelessness through focusing on well-being instead of keeping young people in survival mode.
Audience members will also learn about the innovative research and knowledge mobilization work of Making the Shift at York U, a youth homelessness social innovation lab with a mandate to make the shift from managing the crises of youth homelessness to a focus on prevention and housing stabilization.
Making the Shift is a Network of Centres of Excellence at York U, under the co-leadership of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (York U).
Schulich MBA welcomes diversity, equity and inclusion fellowship recipients
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York University’s Schulich School of Business has announced two new fellowship opportunities: Access to Success and Reaching Out MBA.
The Access to Success Organization is a not-for-profit that supports the development of future leaders with disabilities. This merit-based fellowship celebrates outstanding students who have demonstrated excellence in academic, professional or extracurricular areas.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Schulich School of Business as the latest business school to launch the Access to Success Fellowship,” said Varun Chandak, president of the Access to Success Organization. “We applaud Schulich’s commitment to disability inclusion and are looking forward to working with them to build a pipeline of future leaders with disabilities.”
The mission of Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) is to increase the influence of the LGBTQ+ community in business by educating, inspiring, and connecting MBA students and alumni. As a ROMBA partner school, Schulich is planning to award up to two fellowships to eligible incoming MBA students. Each Fellow will receive a minimum $20,000 scholarship and access to exclusive leadership programming.
“Building upon Schulich’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, we look forward to welcoming our first fellowship recipients to the MBA program this fall and are excited to see the contributions they will make to the Schulich community,” said Hollis Sinker, executive director of Student Services & International Relations at Schulich.
In addition to Access to Success and Reaching Out MBA, Schulich remains a proud Forté Foundation partner school.
The Forté Foundation is a non-profit consortium of leading companies and top business schools working together to launch women into fulfilling, significant careers through access to business education, opportunities and a community of successful women. In partnership with the Forté Foundation, Schulich provides support to women applying for and enrolling in their MBA through entrance awards, fellowships, professional development and networking events. Selected Forté Fellows join an exclusive group of women that represent 54 leading business schools in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
To be considered for any of these fellowships, applicants must submit an MBA application for the September intake and indicate interest in being considered as a Fellow for one of these organizations to an admissions officer. To learn more about these initiatives, contact admissions@schulich.yorku.ca.
Welcome to the May 2021 issue of ‘Innovatus’
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Welcome to the May 2021 issue of ‘Innovatus,’ a special issue of YFile devoted to teaching and learning at York University. This issue focuses on the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS).
Will Gage
As someone who has pursued a passion through graduate studies, I know the importance offered by a graduate degree. In this issue of ‘Innovatus,’ we hint at the enormous breadth of the role that FGS plays within York University. As FGS Dean Thomas Loebel writes in his eloquent letter, FGS is like no other Faculty. The pan-University innovations developed within FGS benefit all of York University’s Faculties. Stories in this issue cover FGS’ leading edge approach to wellness, the unique and very individual nature of a graduate degree, and the exciting innovations that showcase new ways of thinking. It’s all extraordinary and compelling.
This issue also marks the last for this academic year. I look forward to the start of a new academic year in September with the deep and sincere hope that we will finally emerge from the pandemic with a return to in-class learning, on-campus activities and more.
Thank you, as always, for the many suggestions and comments about the stories and concepts presented in ‘Innovatus.’ Please keep them coming.
Featured in the May 2021 issue of ‘Innovatus’
Dean’s letter: The Faculty of Graduate Studies is a Faculty like no other In his introductory letter to this issue of ‘Innovatus,’ Faculty of Graduate Studies Dean Thomas Loebel writes about the Faculty’s diverse role as a hub, enabling program administrators, professors and students to share best practices and collaborate in developing the types of regulations and guidelines that promote, rather than stifle, new ideas. Read full story.
‘Knowledge Now’ brings graduate research to life during pandemic During the pandemic, a new initiative out of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University, “Knowledge Now,” brought graduate research to life online through a series of short videos about individual research produced by students, as well as two synchronous online panels that were recorded and made available online. Read full story.
Wellness is top of mind for the Faculty of Graduate Studies The Certificate in Personal Wellness & Learning Skills is only one of a variety of wellness services offered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University, where self-care is a decanal priority. The Faculty offers students a variety of resources and services designed to meet their needs, including wellness webinars and workshops and a resource hub. Read full story.
Non-traditional theses becoming new tradition for Faculty of Graduate Studies A 2018 report by the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies promoted rethinking the dissertation, and the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University has picked up the baton and run with it, creating its own task force to explore ways of easing the way for different approaches. Read full story.
Pointing graduate students toward the future Graduate students are often so focused on their research, coursework and other commitments that they may not initially consider planning for skills development opportunities, so the Faculty of Graduate Studies at York University has developed a framework to assist: the Individualized Development Plan. Read full story.
‘Innovatus’ is produced by the Office of the Associate Vice-President Teaching & Learning in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs.
I extend a personal invitation to you to share your experiences in teaching, learning, internationalization and the student experience through the ‘Innovatus’ story form, which is available at tl.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=16573.
Will Gage Associate Vice-President, Teaching & Learning
Dean’s letter: The Faculty of Graduate Studies is a Faculty like no other
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Thomas Loebel
The Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) is a Faculty like no other – in part because FGS is pan-university, co-ordinating 10 Faculties’ diverse graduate learning, training, researching and creating missions. We are a hub, enabling program administrators, professors and students to share best practices and collaborate in developing the types of regulations and guidelines that promote, rather than stifle, new ideas. “Regulations and guidelines? How exciting!” And they are, but they are also tricky to get right, to phrase with foresight and responsibility: innovatio, cura, fidelitas and some gravitas. For instance, in this issue, you will learn how students and professors took up the challenge to devise new thesis and dissertation guidelines to enable the diversity of innovative research that graduate students are producing at York. Gone is the monograph? Never. But so many students think and create across platforms, in multiple languages, codes and new media. How can the august function of the thesis or dissertation – grossly put, knowledge dissemination for the initial purpose of degree-level assessment by a team of experts – not just accommodate but rather facilitate multimodal and openly accessible forms and vice versa?
Annually, FGS seeks to promote graduate students’ work through everything from scholarship and awards adjudication to different in-person celebrations, during which students talk about their research and share ideas. The lemon of the pandemic cancelled not just these events, but also our annual Three-Minute Thesis event, in which students practised communicating their research and its significance to a public audience. Lemonade became “Knowledge Now,” comprising not only an ever-growing series of short videos shared via our social media channels, but also panel discussions in which students from diverse disciplines come together to discuss pressing issues. If you want to hear about some of the ways in which York is furthering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals embedded in the University Academic Plan, then just listen to our students.
Student development is a constant focus of the Faculty. Intellectual development is the core, and it drives so much personal development during the graduate school experience. That experience can be highly pressurized at times. An experiment fails. A qualifying examination looms. The cursor on the blank screen becomes Morse code: SOS. Grad Wellness at FGS is here to help – and help it does. Read about how just one of our grad-specific wellness services – the Certificate in Personal Wellness & Learning Skills – has helped students to gain a new relation to their abilities and move forward with new confidence. What comes after graduate school, however, can also generate great anxiety. “What sort of career do I want? Will it arise inside or outside of academe?” “Can I continue researching outside of the University? Where?” “I worked with NGOs and community groups for my research, but how do I translate a fieldwork experience into a career?” Just as with personal development, students’ needs of professional development are so diverse. One size fits all is usually just uncomfortable. There are so many professional development workshops being offered everywhere at York – by programs, with supervisors, through the Career Centre, the Libraries, Faculties and FGS – that everywhere can feel like nowhere without guidance, discussion and a way to curate an individualized program of professional development. By doing so, one can also identify gaps, plan ahead over the length of the degree and work with the available resources at York – FGS being a central, co-ordinating hub – to access the supports you need.
If you find this edition of ‘Innovatus’ inspiring, then please visit the FGS website and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) for more information about what is possible for graduate study at York.
Sincerely,
Thomas Loebel, Dean and Associate Vice-President Graduate
‘Knowledge Now’ brings graduate research to life during pandemic
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Graduate students
In any other year, the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) would have celebrated the breadth of research by graduate students with a large reception on campus. However, these are not normal times and the pandemic required FGS to be more creative in promoting graduate research. The result: “Knowledge Now: Graduate Research at York.”
“We wanted to find a way to celebrate and also highlight original, cutting-edge research in different disciplines,” said Yuko Sorano, manager, external scholarships and graduate awards for FGS.
Thomas Loebel
Knowledge Now brought graduate research to life online through a series of short videos about individual research produced by FGS, as well as two synchronous online panels that were also recorded and made available online. Each panel focused on a theme that cut across disciplines and explored one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, referenced in York’s current Academic Plan. The Climate Action panel was moderated by Mark Hayward, associate dean, academic for FGS; and the Reducing Inequality panel was moderated by FGS Dean Thomas Loebel.
“With the short videos, we tried to highlight a diversity of research, but there’s so much more that we can include,” Sorano said. “We’ve just begun discussing the next phase of the project.”
The videos were produced in an interview format via Zoom. Students were asked to answer six questions about their research, its impact and goals. The communications team in FGS, led by Anesa Albert, graduate communications and recruitment manager, prepared the web and video production for this initiative.
Kushbu Patel
Kushbu Patel, a PhD student in psychology who studies behavioural responses to surface colour and lighting and its application to virtual reality, was happy to discuss her research.
“It was my first time recording a YouTube video for such a broad audience and Yuko provided me with necessary support and guidance,” Patel said.
She discussed the question with her supervisor to boil her explanations down to the required time frame and reviewed her responses with Sorano before the recording started. There was also an opportunity to re-record the answers to polish her delivery.
“It’s a great way to reach out,” Patel said. “My supervisor forwarded it to the agency that gave me my scholarship and they’ve disseminated the link, and a lot of other graduate students have seen it.
“It’s really professionally done, so I can also put it on my resume and I have posted it on my Facebook page.”
Aaron Tucker
Aaron Tucker, another Knowledge Now video “star,” is a PhD candidate studying face recognition technologies.
“Part of my research requires public engagement,” Tucker said. “There is only so much I alone can do, so I usually take every opportunity to speak about it. And, with our Zoom culture today, everyone is making videos.”
Tucker likes to speak extemporaneously, so he made notes and thought it through, but didn’t read from a script. He was pleased by the result.
“I’ve been using it as a bite-sized way to share my research with non-experts,” he said.
He also enjoyed seeing the breadth of research being done by his peers.
“It was neat for me to see what others are working on; York is so big.”
The panel discussions, in contrast, were more like dialogues, said Sorano, exploring broad issues and how the University can respond to them. The participants briefly explained their research before plunging into a moderated discussion. Each panel featured graduate students from various disciplines to offer a diversity of perspectives.
Ima-Obong Ituen
A PhD student in Earth & Space Science, Ima-Obong Ituen took part in the Climate Action panel. She is studying the effects of climate change on farming in northern Ontario and exploring the ways the changing climate is opening up new economic opportunities there.
“It was a privilege and a thrill to be part of the Knowledge Now panel discussion,” she said. “It was nice to have a platform to discuss what we’re doing and it was a great learning opportunity. The questions the dean posed were broad enough so we could all answer in our own way.
“It really broadens our own perspectives when we see other perspectives and realize there is not one set way of doing things.”
Ituen said the panel was an opportunity to show graduate students how research actually unfolds.
“You can start on one path and go on a different trajectory,” she said. “I have realized that the path isn’t necessarily straight and you need to pivot sometimes, but you’ll get there. This is valuable knowledge for graduate students early in their research careers.”
Sorano said FGS ran Knowledge Now as a campaign in March, leading up to the panel discussions and video releases.
“Students come with a huge passion for exploring their topic, but they don’t often have the chance to discuss it with a wider audience outside academia,” she said. “This is a chance to showcase it more broadly.
“In-person events may have different advantages, but we could potentially use a hybrid model in the future. The pandemic has brought us new possibilities to explore.”
By Elaine Smith, special contributing writer, Innovatus
Wellness is top of mind for the Faculty of Graduate Studies
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Harsh Doshi
Harsh Doshi originally signed up for the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ Certificate in Personal Wellness & Learning Skills as a way to meet people and stave off the gloom of winter in Toronto. He was surprised to discover how relevant it was to his life as a master’s degree student in human resources management.
“The stress of a graduate program can be real, although you don’t necessarily realize it,” Doshi said. “It’s only when you compare it to other times in your life that you become aware. We don’t discuss it in our classes, but when you see others who are experiencing the same thing, it makes you feel more normal.”
Alyssa Samuel
Alyssa Samuel, who is working toward her master’s degree in Canadian common law at Osgoode Hall Law School, has also become a champion of the certificate program. “I’ve always been a big advocate of personal wellness and self care,” said Samuel. “I know how stressful things can get. When I heard about the certificate in a newsletter, I wanted to get my mind back into those strategies, but I got way more than I expected.”
In a year filled with intense courses delivered online, Samuel really looked forward to the wellness sessions as a way to connect with others.
“It gave me a feeling of not being alone and it was wonderful to meet people going through the same struggles as I was,” she said. “It helped us validate ourselves and realize it was okay to feel like this; I am not judging myself as much as a result.”
The Certificate in Personal Wellness & Learning Skills is only one of a variety of wellness services offered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), where self-care is a decanal priority.
Thomas Loebel
“The intense research focus of graduate school demands highly challenging, often rapid intellectual development, which can generate various pressures on students’ mental and physical well-being,” said Professor Thomas Loebel, dean of FGS and associate vice-president, graduate.
“In response, FGS has developed a suite of resources, accessible in individualized one-on-one and collaborative group formats, to help students alleviate those pressures. Our goal is hopefully yours, too: we want you to be able to enjoy this period of your self-development fully, to be energized and not enervated by it. Along the way, we seek to gather further recommendations from the community as we strive to develop a culture of care at York University.”
Sarah Irwin-Gardner, a registered psychotherapist, is the manager of graduate student wellness services for FGS and the co-developer of the wellness certificate. “FGS has recognized that mental health and well-being matter and affect academic pursuits,” Irwin-Gardner said. “It’s important and responsible for us to think about the particular needs of the graduate student community and help them thrive.”
Sarah Irwin-Gardner
The Faculty offers students a variety of resources and services designed to meet their needs. Many of them are health promotion- and prevention-oriented, such as the wellness webinars and workshops, and a resource hub that points students toward myriad services and resources, both on and off campus, that can assist with issues as diverse as accessibility and fitness. Students can also apply to a fund to help them create their own wellness initiatives.
“York is a large place, and offers great services,” Irwin-Gardner said. “Many areas contribute to overall student well-being.”
There are also intervention-focused services in the form of wellness consultations and short-term counselling. Irwin-Gardner is excited to be adding a full-time graduate student counsellor to the staff and welcoming a practicum student to help meet demand.
“Our team is growing,” she said.
Now that services are being delivered remotely, the FGS Certificate in Personal Wellness & Learning Skills may have the largest reach.
“When we ran the program in class, it was capped at 20 people to allow for sharing and group cohesion,” said Irwin-Gardner. “Now that we’re online, we have 100 participants. It speaks to the need for building connections during the pandemic, and it also removes scheduling barriers. We’ve had participants from around the world.”
Irwin-Gardner leads the program in partnership with Cathy Boyd-Withers, a learning skills specialist from Learning Skills Services who works with students at all levels to develop the learning skills needed for academic success in any discipline. These skills, such as time management and effective study strategies, help to alleviate academic stress and deadline pressure. The pair attended a 2017 presentation where they heard about a similar program for undergraduates at Ryerson University and decided to create a York FGS version that matched learning skills with well-being strategies.
Cathy Boyd-Withers
“Wellness can impact learning and vice versa,” Irwin-Gardner said. “We wanted to provide a space to discuss these topics that are so important to graduate student life.”
They introduced the certificate in fall 2018. The learning skills portion of the program includes topics such as time management, procrastination, productivity and growth mindset. The wellness portion of the program looks at the dimensions of wellness and reminds students of tools and skills they may already have to help themselves. Irwin-Gardner also teaches relaxation skills, such as visualization, diaphragmatic breathing and mindfulness.
“We do a pre-survey so we can tailor the program to the group’s needs,” she said. “We encourage them to adopt or try out the things that sound interesting and abandon or leave those that don’t.
“The students receive the certificate based on attendance, not on performance. We want to keep it informal and provide students with an opportunity to meet people from other disciplines they might not encounter otherwise. The peer connections are foundational to this program.”
The enthusiasm of students such as Doshi and Samuel are evidence that the priority FGS places on wellness is valuable.
“It was something to look forward to,” said Samuel. “It gave me a feeling of not being alone and being able to talk about whatever was going on because we all had stress and struggles. And every session, I met someone new.”
Doshi agreed.
“I have only good things to say about the certificate,” he said. “It makes you feel that it’s OK not to be OK – that you need to accept that you’re human. I’m a little more mindful and accepting as a result.”
By Elaine Smith, special contributing writer, Innovatus
York University advances plans to establish a new School of Medicine supported by GTA health and government leaders
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Today, York University and Greater Toronto Area (GTA) health sector and local government leaders are signalling positive momentum and growing support for a new School of Medicine at York that will focus on training family and community doctors in an integrated setting.
Medical and health curriculum and research will support this integrated and preventive model for health care, which aims to promote care beyond the walls of hospital facilities. The model is expected to create greater health equity for diverse communities in the GTA and underserved communities across Canada, including the more than one million Ontarians who do not have access to primary care.
York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton
“As we contemplate the public health demands of today and tomorrow, we know that innovative community collaborations, modern medical education and integrated health services will be vitally important. New medical schools can help to take the lead in making some of the structural changes that are necessary in the system,” says York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “York University has long been a leader in health education and research, and we look forward to working with partners across the region to build on this strong foundation as we create a new model for health care that will better serve the current and future public health needs of the GTA and the country.
“We appreciate the support of esteemed health and local government leaders as we embark on the next phase of our plans to establish a School of Medicine, and remain committed to providing modern medical education that creates healthier and more equitable communities and drives positive change both locally and globally.”
Long known for its interdisciplinary approach to research, teaching and learning, York University possesses significant depth and breadth of academic programming and research, providing a solid foundation for a modern medical school. York’s Faculty of Health includes one of Canada’s largest Nursing and Nurse Practitioner programs, as well as outstanding bachelor and graduate degrees in psychology, kinesiology and health sciences, global health, health studies, health policy and management, health informatics, critical disability studies and neuroscience.
The University is home to centres of research excellence in antimicrobial resistance, disease modelling, data visualization, advanced robotics, global health, healthy aging, and muscle health, among others. York’s Centre for Vision Research is world-renowned and has an expansive network of global health partners. IP Osgoode provides thought leadership on the ownership, use and governance of data, including personal health data.
York’s many strengths in basic and applied health research are fuelling successful innovation, commercialization and collaborative community-centred partnerships. York recently launched an innovative health collaboration with Mackenzie Health that aims to enhance health services, research and innovation, and health outcomes for York Region residents through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). In 2019, the University further strengthened ties with the City of Vaughan to collaborate on its Healthcare Centre Precinct, which allows for a York campus focused on training the future health workforce in York Region.
Support for a School of Medicine at York University
“Toronto is known around the world for its strong healthcare and medical sector. To have York University – an institution in our city – be home to our next medical school makes sense and will ensure Toronto continues to expand its healthcare sector and the innovation that comes with it. By attracting more students, researchers, teachers and leaders in the healthcare industry, we can continue to bring forward new ideas and breakthroughs that can help save lives and provide residents the top-notch care they deserve. I am in full support of bringing a medical school to York University – it is entirely good news for our residents and for our city.” –John Tory, Mayor, City of Toronto
“The City of Vaughan is pleased to support York University in advancing a new School of Medicine. Through our continued partnerships, we remain focused on enhancing healthcare services, research and innovation to support the healthcare needs of citizens in Vaughan and beyond. As mayor, I am committed to supporting higher learning and education. I believe that collectively, we must undertake city-building with a vision that focuses on improving access to healthcare and education for everyone. By working together and implementing shared goals, we will continue to do better. Now more than ever, providing accessible, front-line care is required to ensure our communities’ health, well-being and greater health equity for all. York University’s strength and breadth of academic programs and research make it well-positioned to establish a School of Medicine. This project is in perfect alignment with our existing collaborative efforts, including the Vaughan Health Centre Precinct, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Canada that will identify transformational opportunities to maximize the best use of lands surrounding the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. As we look to the future, I remain strongly committed to working with York University to support our longstanding shared mission and vision.” –Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor, City of Vaughan
“The Regional Municipality of York is home to one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in Canada. As our communities grow, the needs of residents continue to change. The establishment of a Faculty of Medicine at York University will connect residents to more integrated health services while supporting economic growth and community health and well-being. Through collaborative partnerships and a shared commitment to advancing post-secondary opportunities, York Regional Council remains committed to connecting residents to high-quality education, and supports modern medical education as an investment in our people, the economy and our future.” –Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO, The Regional Municipality of York
“Southlake is supportive of York University’s plans for a School of Medicine. Educating the next generation of physicians and physician leaders is critically important. As the province’s healthcare system transforms to focus on integrated care delivered by Ontario Health Teams, York University’s respected approach to interdisciplinary education can help enable the shift in mindset required to support the adoption of a population health management approach in Ontario.” –Arden Krystal, President and CEO, Southlake Regional Health Centre
“This unique model aligns well with our hospital’s vision of providing care beyond our walls with a commitment to serve the community beyond the boundaries of our physical facilities. We know that a more integrated and preventive model for healthcare leads to greater health equity for our diverse communities and all of the patients and families we care for.” –Jo-anne Marr, President and CEO of Markham Stouffville Hospital
“North York General Hospital is excited to support York University’s vision for a School of Medicine and to expand our partnership to meet our growing community’s health needs. With its commitment to interdisciplinary practice and focus on the social determinants of health, York University is positioned to play an even greater role in promoting healthy communities across the GTA.” –Karyn Popovich, President and CEO, North York General Hospital
“Mackenzie Health is proud to partner with York University to advance the delivery of health care in York Region by supporting plans for a new School of Medicine in the GTA. A new medical school, coupled with our shared commitment and ongoing collaboration with York University to further health research, programming, education and more, will allow us to build capacity together to improve the health and well-being of our communities for generations to come.” –Altaf Stationwala, President and CEO, Mackenzie Health
President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton discusses plans for new School of Medicine at York
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With the support of regional government and healthcare sector leaders, York University is advancing plans to establish a new School of Medicine that will serve the evolving needs of Ontario’s public healthcare system and provide the next generation of physicians with an innovative new model for medical education.
YFile spoke with York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton about the vision for York’s School of Medicine and how it could drive positive change in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) by creating healthier and more equitable communities.
York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton
Q: Why are new medical schools needed in the GTA?
A: We need new medical schools in the region to build healthcare capacity, address existing health inequities, and prepare the next generation of physicians to meet the evolving demands of Ontario’s public healthcare system. As the population of the GTA continues to grow and demographics continue to shift — with seniors making up an increasing proportion of the population — the capacity of the healthcare system will continue to be strained, and more medical professionals will be required to meet this demand. Additionally, more supports will be needed to address the inequities in our healthcare system, which have been both exposed and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As public health demands continue to change, the methods we use to educate physicians will also need to evolve. Medical school curricula will need to be adapted to continue to provide students with modern education that is responsive to community needs, including by incorporating greater use of technology, emphasizing preventive medicine, and offering community-based and inter-professional learning opportunities, among other priorities. New medical schools such as the one we are proposing could help take the lead in addressing the structural changes that are necessary in the system.
Q: What makes York the ideal institution for a new School of Medicine?
A: York’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning, wide breadth of academic programming, and longstanding reputation for research excellence provide a strong foundation for a new medical school. York’s Faculty of Health already enhances health equity, healthcare, and well-being by engaging in innovative teaching and cutting-edge research and establishing international partnerships that help improve health outcomes both locally and globally. In addition to housing one of Canada’s largest Nursing and Nurse Practitioner programs, the Faculty offers bachelor and graduate programs in psychology, neuroscience, kinesiology and health sciences, global health, health studies, health policy and management, health informatics, and critical disability studies. This range of programs informs an integrated understanding of healthcare and well-being that extends beyond the traditional acute medical care education delivered by many other traditional university programs.
Beyond the Faculty of Health, York has relevant program strengths in data science, social work, engineering for health technologies, and disaster and emergency management. In addition, the Schulich School of Business offers master’s level programming in health industries management, business analytics, and management of AI.
As a leading research institution, York is also home to centres of research excellence in global health, healthy aging, disease modelling, muscle health, antimicrobial resistance, data visualization, and advanced robotics, among others. Our Centre for Vision Research is world renowned, with a focus on both human and computer vision, and a large network of global health partners. And our IP Osgoode program provides thought leadership on the ownership, use and governance of data, including personal health data. These strengths in basic and applied health research are fuelling successful innovation and commercialization partnerships with industry and government.
Q: What is the vision for York’s School of Medicine?
A: York’s vision for the new School of Medicine is based on a unique model that would both improve access to healthcare for Ontarians and provide a high-quality, modern medical education for students. York’s School of Medicine would focus on training family and community doctors in an integrated setting with other healthcare practitioners and offer a unique curriculum that specifically addresses the social and environmental factors affecting health.
Specifically, York’s vision for the school is organized around three pillars: improving the health and well-being of individuals, communities and populations by focusing on the social determinants of health; improving the healthcare system — its performance, efficiency, effectiveness and integration — through an interdisciplinary and inter-professional model; and enhancing illness prevention, assessment, diagnostics, treatment care, and rehabilitation.
Q: How would York’s new School of Medicine promote healthy communities in the GTA and improve the health and well-being of Ontarians?
A: With its focus on training family and community doctors, York’s School of Medicine will both increase healthcare capacity in Ontario and improve access to high-quality healthcare for Ontarians, particularly those in underserved communities and the more than one million residents who are currently without primary care.
And its model of promoting care beyond the walls of hospital facilities will result in cost savings and efficiencies in service delivery. This will allow Ontarians to access a greater number of medical services outside of a hospital setting, which will be particularly beneficial for seniors, as it will enable them to live longer, healthier lives at home. Additionally, the school’s commitment to interdisciplinary practice and curricular focus on the social determinants of health will result in greater health equity for diverse communities like York Region, as it will directly address the social and environmental factors affecting health in under-resourced and underserved communities.
Q: How is York University already working with local partners to advance healthcare in the GTA?
A: York University already has strong partnerships with healthcare providers in the region. Recently, we launched an innovative collaboration with Mackenzie Health that aims to enhance health services, research and innovation, and health outcomes for York Region residents through a new Memorandum of Understanding.
In addition, in 2019, we strengthened ties with the City of Vaughan to collaborate on a new Healthcare Centre Precinct, which allows for a York campus focused on training the future health workforce in York Region. This first-of-its-kind initiative in Canada will identify transformational opportunities to maximize the best use of lands surrounding the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital, providing York with an opportunity to facilitate our expansion plans in health and healthcare.
Regional government and healthcare sector leaders have already been voicing strong support for our vision for a new School of Medicine, and we look forward to continuing to work together with these partners and others to create a new model for health care that will better serve the current and future public health needs of the GTA and the country.
A closer look at return-to-campus planning
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As vaccines continue to be rolled out at an increasing pace over the coming months, the University is looking to bring more in-person courses and activities back onto campuses in the fall term and preparing for a full return in winter.
As Special Advisor to the President for Academic Continuity Planning and COVID-19 Response, Faculty of Health Professor Parissa Safai has been working with a team of experts and leaders across York University on return to campus planning that ensures the health and safety of students, faculty, instructors and staff is a number one priority.
Q: Who is involved in the return to campus planning process?
A: In the first year of the University’s pandemic response, staff and faculty from across the University participated as part of an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) team to ensure that York’s campuses, programs and people were safeguarded.
In January 2021, a new COVID-19 planning and response model was developed given the sustained nature of the pandemic. The COVID Planning and Response (CPR) and Central Operations Resource (COR) groups meet very regularly and draw together expertise from across the University, from ancillary services, facilities (cleaning, storage and ventilation), academic planning, campus and community safety and property management. They draw on the expertise developed during the first year of the University’s pandemic response and continue to serve the university community in a cross-functional, consultative, and coordinated manner.
Q: What information is guiding the University’s planning for the return to campus?
A: Planning for the return to York’s campuses always begins with careful attention to the data. This ranges from information on the current state of the pandemic and the possible trajectory of the COVID-19 virus over the coming months.
We routinely scan the local and global infection rates, including those associated with the variants of concern, as well as the pace of the vaccine rollout and uptake across the region, the province, the country and the world. We’re also considering how the roll out of vaccines and case rates may impact our community members where they live.
We closely watch municipal, provincial and federal government directives as well, as guidance from international groups including the World Health Organization (WHO) evolve. Internationally, we are closely watching the emergence of safe travel corridors in some regions of the world; how risk of importation shifts; and the development and consideration of vaccine verification tools (often referred to as vaccine passports).
Q: What key developments have led to a more positive outlook on the fall and winter terms?
A: In Ontario, the provincial government’s decision to commit to a vaccination sprint strategy for hotspot areas in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, to accelerate the first-dose vaccination schedule for all Ontarians, and to lower the age eligibility have all contributed to a more optimistic scenario for the fall and winter terms. These decisions have required us to pivot in our return to campus planning.
Ontario just passed the threshold where 50 per cent of eligible adults have received their first-dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and there is a growing sense that the interval between doses will be shortened. Canada is also currently outpacing other jurisdictions around the world in vaccinations and modellers have suggested that with this current pace, we may be on track to meet targets where some measures could begin to lift by fall.
We are also encouraged by Health Canada’s recent approval of vaccines for those between 12 to 15 years of age, and news that vaccines may be approved for those younger than 12 years by the end of the summer. What this all means is that there is growing likelihood that more of our community will be fully immunized by the end of the summer and the latest roadmap out of the pandemic from the Public Health Agency of Canada supports our thinking.
Q: Given how closely the University is following vaccine rollout and uptake, does this mean that students, staff, instructors, and faculty will be required to get a vaccine in order to come on campus?
A: York is closely watching how universities around the world are or are not considering required vaccinations for those who want to participate in activities on campus, with specific exemptions where needed.
We strongly encourage all members of our community who are able, to get vaccinated as soon possible to protect themselves, as well as the health and safety of their families, friends and colleagues. At this point in time, York is not requiring students, staff, instructors and faculty to be vaccinated in order to participate in in-person activities on our campuses.
We appreciate, however, that there has been a great deal of confusion and misinformation out there about vaccines, and we recognize that everyone must be able to make informed choices for themselves. That is why we have put together a curated list of resources with credible information about vaccines, which is available on our newly refreshed Better Together website.
We also appreciate that there may be members of our community who are unable to get vaccinated. This is why our return to campus planning strategies are not singularly dependent on just vaccine uptake and requires a comprehensive approach to supporting health and safety.
Q: Will changes be made to the required physical distancing over the coming months?
A: Currently, the guidance is two metres of physical distance in Canada and existing activities at the University follow this closely. We do have reason to believe that physical distancing requirements may be reduced by the fall, given the changes in guidance being issued by different organizations and governments.
If the two-metre bylaw is not lifted by September, then we will continue observing all public health regulations appropriately and our plans will support this. At minimum, we will have a plan in place should the physical distancing requirement shift from two metres to one metre.
Outside of the province, we know that in British Columbia, the government issued a Return to Campus primer that removes the requirement for physical distancing in controlled classroom environments in the fall.
The WHO has also updated all of its infographics and guidance on physical distancing to reiterate that at least one metre of physical distancing is needed to ensure safety and that, in certain indoor settings enhanced measures must be put into place to mitigate risk or individuals are advised to be further apart than one metre.
Q: Given that COVID is an airborne disease why is there discussion about reducing physical distancing?
A: From an institutional perspective, our return to campus planning for the fall and beyond requires us to consider the interplay between numerous factors, in addition to physical distancing requirements. Our approach to planning considers the increasing pace of vaccination; the quality of the ventilation systems in our campus spaces; frequent cleaning of high touchpoint surfaces; the maintenance of up-to-date campus safety plans specific to COVID-19; where possible, the management of pedestrian traffic and discouraging crowding.
From an individual perspective, a healthy and safe return to campus will require each member of our University community to observe the public health measures we currently have and will continue to have in place. This includes completing a daily COVID-19 self-assessment through the soon-to-be released automated tool; not attending campus while ill; following handwashing and hygiene protocols; and continuing to wear a mask/face covering while on our campuses.
Q: Is the University paying attention to things like ventilation, cleaning and plexiglass barriers?
A: These issues have been at the forefront of the University’s efforts to keep the community healthy and safe since the beginning of the pandemic. While many of us have not had a chance to come to campus over the past 14 months, it is critical to remember that the University has not been closed.
In-person courses and research have been delivered and conducted safely on our campuses. We have had hundreds of students living in our residences, and our Libraries have provided access to essential study space for students in need. Much has been done on our campuses to improve ventilation, refresh spaces, install plexiglass barriers in high-traffic areas, upgrade facilities, and enable more technology-enhanced classrooms. Thousands of people are studying and working on our campuses daily and safely.
This recent Q-and-A with York’s Director of Property Management, Stewart Dankner, highlights a lot of the work that has been done to improve ventilation, including the heightened protocols that have been initiated since the beginning of the pandemic. Our remarkable team in Facilities Services track thousands of data points daily on air circulation, air exchanges and levels of filtration in campus spaces based on leading-edge research and industry standards.
More significantly, the Facilities Services team approaches their analysis of air quality in campus spaces with a special sensitivity to the type of activity conducted there and associated transmission risks. Some spaces will be outfitted with additional HEPA ventilation units because the activities being undertaken there involve more active or forced air expiration (e.g. singing, dancing). In other spaces, additional health and safety measures like plexiglass barriers are required to keep people safe and these have and will continue to be installed. Simply put though, if a space doesn’t meet the necessary health and safety requirements, it will be restricted from use.
York University celebrates its researchers
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Research Leaders FEATURED image 2021
One of the most anticipated events of the academic year, the York Research Awards Celebration, took place May 11. While the event was held virtually due to ongoing pandemic restrictions, the format still offered a wonderful opportunity for researchers to pay tribute to their colleagues and applaud the recipients of the 2021 President’s Research Awards.
This annual celebration was cancelled in 2020 due to the emerging crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. One year later, mass vaccinations are hinting that there will be an end of the pandemic. Organizers decided to proceed with the celebration, which was offered over Zoom and co-hosted by the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation.
Welcome remarks were delivered by President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Vice-President Research and Innovation Amir Asif. Lenton presented each of the 2020 President’s Research Awards. The 2021 award recipients were announced by Asif. The celebration also included a series of videos, which featured all of the 140 recipients from 2019 and 2020. Faculty of Health Professor Rebecca Pillai-Riddell, associate vice-president research, MCed the celebration.
The recipients of the 2020 President’s Research Awards are:
Christopher Perry
Christopher Perry, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, was selected for the President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA) in Cluster 1: Engineering, Science, Technology, Health and Biomedicine, as a reflection of his outstanding leadership in and contribution to the fields of exercise physiology, metabolism and skeletal muscle health.
Since 2012, when he came to York University, Perry has contributed significantly to the success of the University, both internally and externally. He established the only human muscle biopsy lab at York, where he investigates the basic cellular mechanisms of muscle fitness and applies these discoveries toward developing novel therapies to treat muscle weakness disorders.
In 2016, he was elected to serve as a director, academic, for the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Canada’s major authority in exercise science and prescription. This society focuses on integrating state-of-the-art research into best practice. It comprises professionals interested and involved in the scientific study of exercise physiology, exercise biochemistry, fitness and health.
Perry was the recipient of the 2017 Faculty of Health Research Award (early career). He has also received multiple internal and external awards, including funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund, the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada, the James H. Cummings Foundation, the Rare Disease Foundation and industry funding.
Theodore J. Noseworthy
Theodore Noseworthy, Schulich School of Business, was chosen for the President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA) in Cluster 2: Social Science, Art & Design, Humanities, Business, Law and Education Cluster), for his extraordinary leadership and contribution to the fields of marketing and consumer studies. As the Canada Research Chair in Entrepreneurial Innovation and the Public Good, he develops insights that inform business and policy-makers about the benefits of effectively communicated innovation and the potential costs to susceptible consumers and society. He examines how marketers can better communicate product and service innovations to maximize adoption and awareness. This work focuses on new product design and innovation, as well as product categorization, category ambiguity and visual processing.
In 2012, Noseworthy was appointed scientific director of the NOESIS Innovation, Design & Consumption Laboratory, a world-class behavioural lab at Schulich, to extend his primary research programs. The NOESIS lab is intended to foster innovative research into consumption, consumer behaviour and design. Noseworthy has developed this lab with the specific goal of conducting high-quality research, training skilled personnel and facilitating knowledge mobilization. Broadly speaking, Noseworthy’s research program is designed to help combat Canada’s innovation deficit by helping the private sector transfer knowledge into commercialized products and services to grow the economy.
Debra Pepler
Debra Pepler, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, was selected for the President’s Research Impact Award (PRIA) for her innovative contributions to psychology and mental health in the areas of bullying, aggression and violence, especially among marginalized children, youth and families.
In recognition of these contributions, Pepler was named an Officer of the Order of Canada by the Governor General. She is the only psychologist recognized by the Canadian Psychological Association for distinguished contributions to both psychology as a science and public or community service.
Pepler received a Network of Centres of Excellence grant to establish PREVNet – Promoting Relationships & Eliminating Violence Network, funded from 2006-19. She built this interdisciplinary network with her former PhD student Wendy Craig (Queen’s University), with over 120 researchers, 150 graduate students and 62 national organizations. PREVNet’s researchers and partners co-created over 150 resources for bullying prevention and healthy relationships. PREVNet was the culmination of Pepler’s decades of research linking science with practice and public policy for children’s healthy development and healthy relationships.
Pepler’s research embedded in clinical and community settings has real impact on the lives of children, youth and families. She has a strong publication record, having written or co-edited 10 books and more than 200 journal articles, chapters, and reports. In 2007, Pepler was recognized as a Distinguished Research Professor by York for her groundbreaking research.
Eric Hessels (image: Paola Scattolon)
Eric Hessels, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science, was chosen to receive the President’s Research Excellence Award (PREA) in the Engineering, Science, Technology, Health and Biomedicine Cluster, for his exceptional contribution to atomic, molecular and optical physics.
Hessels, York Research Chair in Atomic Physics and a York University Distinguished Research Professor, has led numerous research projects that have far-reaching consequences for the understanding of the laws of physics. He is leading a collaboration whose goal it is to use ultraprecise measurements of the electron to study one of the fundamental unresolved questions of physics.
In 2019, Hessels led a study published in the esteemed journal Science, which found a new measurement for the size of the proton at just under one trillionth of a millimetre. The study confirmed the 2010 finding that the proton is smaller than previously believed. The year before, Hessels led a team that achieved the most precise measurement of the fine structure of helium ever recorded. His researchers had been working on this for eight years.
Hessels is now leading a collaboration (EDMcubed) that is attempting to measure the shape of the electron – or, more specifically, whether its charge is evenly distributed. This measurement will try to shed light on one of the fundamental mysteries of physics: why the universe is made entirely of matter (electrons, protons etc.) and, unexpectedly, has no antimatter (anti-electrons, antiprotons etc.).
The recipients of the 2021 President’s Research Excellence Awards are:
Pouya Rezai
Pouya Rezai, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, was selected as the recipient of the President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA) in Cluster 1: Engineering, Science, Technology, Health and Biomedicine.
The award demonstrates the complexity and relevance of Rezai’s research in utilizing science and engineering concepts built on the fundamentals of fluid mechanics, material engineering, electronics and microbiology to tackle pressing global challenges in both the health and safety sector, and in the field of bioengineering. His impact on his discipline is demonstrated by his receipt of funding as a principal investigator that spans Tri-Council, industry and provincial sources.
His research has resulted in 47 journal papers, seven book chapters, two issued and two submitted United States patents and 50 conference papers. His achievements were recognized by the prestigious Early Researcher Award from the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation & Trade in 2019 as well as the I. W. Smith Award from the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering in 2021.
Rezai joined York University in 2013 and initiated a graduate program in Mechanical Engineering at Lassonde in 2015 while serving as the graduate program director since 2015. His work has earned four competitive best paper conference awards, the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada Visiting Fellowship in 2012, and multiple awards obtained by his students in the past five years. His work has also been recognized in 2017 and 2018 by the Early Researcher Lassonde Innovation Award and the Early Researcher Lassonde Innovation Fund. He provides leadership in his innovative research program and his mentorship and supervision. He has built international connections and his engagement has raised York University’s research profile.
Rebecca Bassett-Gunter
Rebecca Bassett-Gunter, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health, is the recipient of the President’s Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA) in Cluster 2: Social Sciences, Art & Design, Humanities, Business, Law and Education. The award illustrates her leadership in the field of research on the promotion of physical activity among children with disabilities.
Bassett-Gunter has developed an interdisciplinary program of research that has made contributions to the fields of behaviour change psychology, physical activity promotion, health communication and knowledge translation.
Since joining York in 2013, she has published 42 papers in leading journals, and she has shared her research at numerous conferences throughout Canada and internationally. In 2018, she earned the prestigious Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research & Innovation.
Bassett-Gunter has secured significant external research funding in competitive, peer-reviewed grants as both a principal investigator and co-investigator from major granting agencies, including the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Her mentorship impact is evidenced by the success of her students, many of whom have had their research published in leading journals and have secured Tri-Council and other funding. Bassett-Gunter provides leadership in her innovative research programs and in her mentorship and supervision. She has built international connections and her engagement has raised the research profile of York University.
Carl E. James
Carl E. James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, Faculty of Education, was selected as the recipient of the President’s Research Impact Award(PRIA). James is the senior advisor on equity and representation in the Office of the Vice-President of Equity, People & Culture.
James is a leading Canadian scholar and researcher in the areas of equity and inclusivity in education, community development, immigration policies and settlement, and critical ethnography. In relentlessly documenting and addressing inequities related to Black and other marginalized groups, James has become internationally renowned for tackling and naming issues of racial inequity, and forging evidence-based policies and actions through innovative participatory research.
His track record clearly speaks to his strong success in designing and carrying out funded programs of research, including ministry, Tri-Council, corporate, school board, foundation, and community-based grants and contracts. He successfully engages his graduate students, involving them in writing and presentations, as co-authors of scholarly work and as active partners in knowledge mobilization activities.
In 2008, he founded the York Centre for Education & Communities, which he directed until 2018. James’ impressive scholarly output includes over 20 authored and co-authored, edited and co-edited books; over 130 book chapters and articles in refereed journals; reports, reviews and educational resources; and hundreds of presentations and workshops. With research that reaches a wide range of audiences, from scholars to policy-makers to the public, and that has undoubtedly enhanced York’s research reputation, James is most deserving of the 2021 PRIA.
Jennifer Hyndman
Jennifer Hyndman, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change, was selected as the recipient of the President’s Research Excellence Award(PREA). The award is in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments and leadership as an internationally recognized scholar of human displacement, humanitarian response, feminist geopolitics and refugee subjectivity.
In January 2021, she was appointed associate vice-president research in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. Hyndman has been an exceptional leader in building research programs at York University and in training the next generation of scholars. From 2013 to 2019, she served as director of York’s Centre for Refugee Studies, expanding its mandate and strongly supporting faculty to compete successfully for funds to facilitate innovative research and publish in top peer-reviewed journals and books.
Hyndman is a prolific scholar whose list of publications – in peer-reviewed journals and with esteemed book publishers – is extensive. Most recently, she co-authored, with York Professor Emerita Wenona Giles, Refugees in Extended Exile: Living on the Edge (Routledge, 2017). She has two monographs, Managing Displacement: Refugees and the Politics of Humanitarianism (Minnesota University Press, 2000) and Dual Disasters: Humanitarian Aid after the 2004 Tsunami (Kumarian Press, 2011), plus a co-edited volume with Giles, Sites of Violence: Gender and Conflict Zones (University of California Press, 2004). She has conducted community-based research, applied work for the United Nations and governments, and is one of York’s most highly cited scholars in the social sciences and humanities.
To view the program for the 2020 Research Awards Celebration, click here. To view the program for the 2021 Research Awards Celebration, click here.
To learn more about Research & Innovation at York: follow us at @YUResearch; watch the new animated video, which profiles current research strengths and areas of opportunity, such as artificial intelligence and Indigenous futurities; and see the snapshot infographic, a glimpse of the year’s successes.
