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Canada Research Chair unpacks ethnocentric narrative relevant to Syrian refugee crisis

York is a progressive, research-intensive university that’s historically strong in sociology, equity, immigration and social justice. Professors here provide much-needed thought leadership on pressing global issues. A perfect example of this is Professor Christopher Kyriakides, Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Socially Engaged Research in Race and Racialization.

This sociologist recently wrote a ground-breaking article in Current Sociology about the Middle East’s leading news source Al Jazeera’s attempt to reframe the idea of refugees in the context of a European culture of mistrust. The article is a contribution to Kyriakides’ CRC five-country program on the reception of Syrian refugees. His scholarship could inform policy in many Western countries, including Canada.

In offering vital insights into the Syrian refugee crisis Kyriakides unpacks a complex, ethnocentric narrative that’s deeply rooted in Western imperialism. “Mainstream European thought on immigration and asylum views non-Western people as victims or pariah to be either saved or suspected,” Kyriakides explains. “The onus is squarely on refugees to justify their claim as non-threatening victim if they are to gain recognition in a culture that deeply mistrusts newcomers,” he adds.

Christopher Kyriakides
Christopher Kyriakides

This is Kyriakides’ area of specialization: His research program at York focuses on types of racialization in relation to the meaning of East/West, South/North, and the articulations of racism and nationalism in the reception of refugees in Europe, North America and the Middle East. His timely work examines the extent to which policy instruments and media portrayals (related to the global refugee crisis) negatively impacts racialized communities.

Kyriakides’ article, published in Current Sociology (2017), explains this complex situation and provides a detailed analysis of the media and political representation of the migrant–refugee issue as a social problem.

Kyriakides’ work, directly relating to the Syrian refugee crisis, could guide policy in many Western countries, including Canada
Kyriakides’ work, directly relating to the Syrian refugee crisis, could guide policy in many Western countries, including Canada

Media’s negative portrayal of racialized minorities spurred Al Jazeera’s reframing of refugees

Media representations of immigration and racialized minorities have been historically negative. This portrayal was intensified after 9/11. Today, 16 years after 9/11, the media’s off-putting and demonizing portrayals of “the Arab” and “the Muslim” are still used to illustrate migrants, refugees and minority ethnic citizens.

In response to this, in 2015 Al Jazeera made a high-profile editorial decision to replace the word “migrant,” which has negative connotations, with what it saw as the more factually correct label “refugee” in its coverage of what is often referred to as the “Mediterranean Migrant Crisis.” This was a clear and conscious effort to:

  • Reframe the representation of refugees in the media;
  • Strengthen the representation of refugees as vulnerable human beings without choice;
  • Distance these newcomers from the politically loaded and historically negative term “economic migrant;” and
  • Possibly affect European public policy, when both media and policy reflected a mistrust of refugees and reluctance to welcome these newcomers.

The Al Jazeera decision was well received internationally, but there was dissent both inside and outside of the Middle Eastern world, according to Kyriakides.

Al Jazeera replaced “migrant” with “refugee” in an attempt to reframe the representation of refugees in the media.
Al Jazeera replaced “migrant” with “refugee” in an attempt to reframe the representation of refugees in the media

Kyriakides argues that Al Jazeera failed to situate refugees in culture of mistrust

He believes this editorial move backfired; he argues that Al Jazeera’s intent to strengthen the view of refugees was sabotaged by the failure to adequately consider a European culture that does not trust newcomers.

“Strengthening the view of refugees as victims without choice, not economic migrants fails to break the policy-determined migrant-refugee duality that informs the European culture of mistrust towards migration,” he explains.

Kyriakides emphasizes that refugees face their biggest challenges in a European culture of mistrust. They are often seen as an existential threat to the host society  ̶  so much so that genuine refugees must prove that they are not economic or security risks.

Mistrust deeply rooted in Western imperialism, racialized history where West “saves” East

Kyriakides elaborates and explains that the refugee category is part of an ongoing ideological viewpoint that presents migration to Europe as a problem. In this view, highly skilled migrants of specific regions and cultures are more trusted than other, non-skilled ones from other regions and cultures. “Since 1998 the EU has operated a ‘black/negative’ high risk list of 135 countries and a ‘white/positive’ low risk list of 60 countries, where the populations of the former are subject to tighter visa restrictions,” he explains.

There’s a long and deeply rooted history here, upon which Kyriakides expands. The history of Western imperialism and ethnocentrism has presented a narrative in which Western humanitarianism effectively ‘saves’ Middle Eastern and North African peoples, who are objectified in this narrative and presented as perpetual victims.

The history of Western imperialism presents a narrative in which Western humanitarianism effectively ‘saves’ Middle Eastern and North African peoples
The history of Western imperialism presents a narrative in which Western humanitarianism effectively ‘saves’ Middle Eastern and North African peoples

“This is a racialized history that is reflected in the policy and media reception of non-Western refugees in the European metropolis,” Kyriakides explains.

He concludes that the problem with Al Jazeera’s editorial decision is that it was still embedded in this racialized history. This issue is not abstract; it becomes very real when refugees are tasked with justifying their claim as non-threatening victims in an effort to gain recognition in a culture that deeply mistrusts newcomers.

Kyriakides’ ongoing scholarship in this vital and timely area will help to explain or unpack and frame the narrative around newcomers and possibly shape policy. More directly, his work could help to inform policy around the Syrian refugees.With the rising number of refugees – Canada has welcomed 40,000 Syrian refugees since November 2015 – Kyriakides’ work is ever more relevant.

The article, “Words Don’t Come Easy: Al Jazeera‘s Migrant-Refugee Distinction and the European Culture of (Mis)trust,”was published in Current Sociology (2017), the Journal of International Sociological Association. To read more about Kyriakides’ work, visit his faculty profile.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at York, watch the York Research Impact Story, see the infographic poster or visit the YouTube playlist.

By Megan Mueller, manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, York University, muellerm@yorku.ca

Twelve-week dance class helps those with Parkinson’s disease

Senior couple with man in wheelchair
Joseph DeSouza
Joseph DeSouza

Highly collaborative research led by York University’s Centre for Vision Research, alongside the National Ballet of Canada and Ryerson University, offers new hope to those with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The project, funded by the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Parkinson’s Society Canada and donation from the Irpinia Club of Toronto, looked at the benefits of a 12-week dance intervention for patients with Parkinson’s.

This ground-breaking research, led by Professor Joseph DeSouza (with PhD student Karolina Bearss and honours student Katherine McDonald) wove together the insights of many departments, including Biology, Psychology, the Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program and Interdisciplinary Studies, as the York team worked with Rachel Bar of Canada’s National Ballet School and Ryerson University.

“This research shows, for the very first time, long-term changes related to participation in a 12-week dance program,” DeSouza explains. “The results indicate motor improvements for both balance and gait in short-term – one day – and long-term – 12 weeks,” he adds.

Roughly 70,000 Canadians living with Parkinson’s

The second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s is a progressive degenerative disease that affects mainly those over 60 years of age (Statistics Canada). Diagnosed by symptoms alone, common signs are tremor, slowness of movement and stiffness, impaired balance and coordination, and rigidity of the muscles (Parkinson Canada).

Just under 70,000 Canadians are living with Parkinson’s today (55,000 adults in addition to 12,500 residents of long-term care facilities), according to Statistics Canada.

The rate of progression of this disease varies greatly among patients. As there is no cure, several therapies have proven beneficial to help manage the symptoms. Interestingly, research in this field has shifted its attention away from drug therapies – in part, due to negative side effects – to forms of interventions, such as dance, intended to improve daily functioning and quality of life, DeSouza notes.

A senior African American couple taking a walk. The man is sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by his wife. They are talking and smiling.
There are just under 70,000 Canadians are living with Parkinson’s today, according to Statistics Canada.

Successful forms of interventions or therapies include:

  • Physical therapy for aiding mobility, flexibility and balance;
  • Occupational therapy with daily activities;
  • Speech therapy to assist with voice control; and
  • Exercises that help joints and muscles, and improve the overall health and well-being of patients (Parkinson Canada).

Existing research already proved that exercising and dancing benefits those with Parkinson’s – hence, the suggested therapies, noted above – but DeSouza’s team wanted to delve deeper into the longer-term benefits of dance.

Research in this field has shifted its attention away from drug therapies to forms of interventions, such as dance, intended to improve daily functioning and quality of life.

Researchers wanted to know minimal amount of time needed to see improvements

The team decided upon a pilot study, a small-scale preliminary study executed to figure out the feasibility, time, costs etc. of doing a larger and more comprehensive study. A pilot study is intended to improve upon the design of the study before actually undertaking a full-scale research project.

Earlier research had shown motor and quality of life improvements after dance therapy at eight- and 17-months. DeSouza’s team aimed to replicate previous findings, but in a shorter time frame; his study looked at the effects of a dance program that was on average 34 per cent shorter in dance intervention duration than previous studies.

Simply put: The York researchers wanted to determine the minimal amount of time/intervention, the shortest dance session, needed to see improvements. “This research adds an extension to the existing literature on the required length of time necessary to see these beneficial impacts,” DeSouza explains.

DeSouza’s team wanted to determine the minimal amount of time/intervention, the shortest dance session, needed to see improvements in patients with Parkinson’s.

Nine participants from new “Dancing with Parkinson’s” Program at National Ballet

Over 12 weeks, the researchers studied nine participants with Parkinson’s who volunteered from a new Dancing with Parkinson’s Program at Canada’s National Ballet School. The participants used the “Dance for PD” model, which targets Parkinson’s -specific symptoms related to balance, cognition, motor skill, depression and physical confidence. (See table with select sample exercises.)

Table: Sample exercises featured in the dance class at National Ballet School
Exercise Description Purpose
Danced name introduction Stating your name with a corresponding dance movement. The rest of the class first watches before repeating the participants name and movement. Standing or seated. Feeling welcomed and welcoming everyone in the class. Practicing skills of choreographing on the spot.
Magic dance Dancing with an imaginary ball and scarf, while exploring a range of motion. Seated. An opportunity for vivid imagery and creative interpretation.
Winning the poker game Rising slowing from a chair while moving in a celebratory manner. Practicing rising from a seated position in a safe manner.
Shy to confident shuffle dance A standing variation of the seated shuffle dance, where the movements are done first in a demur and small manner, but gradually increase in confidence until they are gregariously expressed. A fun way of practicing moving with confidence and with clear intention.

The researchers gained information about the potential beneficial impacts of the dance therapy via questionnaires: Study participants completed two motor and quality of life questionnaires before and after the second and twelfth “Dance for PD” class.

To measure motor performance, the research team used the Berg Balance Scale and the Timed Up and Go test. The former is comprised of 14 tasks, measuring different everyday functions of balance and posture. Each task is rated on a scale of 0 to 4, and evaluated in terms of how long it took to complete or the quality of execution.  The latter is a timed measurement of movement sequencing, gait and balance control. Here, a participant rises from a seated position, walks three meters, turns around, returns to the seat and sits back down.

Two quality of life questionnaires were administered, also at weeks two and 12: the Quality of Life Scale from Oregon Health and Sciences University and a post-dance class questionnaire of wellbeing developed by European researchers in this field, Olie Westheimer and Lisa Heiberger.

Results showed motor improvements in balance and gait, set stage for future research

Although no improvements were seen in terms of the study participants’ quality of life, results indicated, for the first time, motor improvements for both balance and gait in short-term (1-day) and long-term (12-weeks).

This pilot study clearly sets the stage for future research. “What remains unknown in the literature on this topic, is the specific length of dance intervention that is needed, measured in weeks and hours, until initial improvements are seen in both motor and quality of life in Parkinson’s,” says DeSouza.

He also suggests that quality of life may have already increased after just two weeks of dance class. “What is more important for future studies is to uncover the mechanisms that underlie these behavioural changes,” says DeSouza.

The article, “Improvements in balance and gait speed after a 12 week dance intervention for Parkinson’s disease,” was published in Advances in Integrative Medicine (February, 2017).  To learn more about York’s Centre for Vision Research, visit the website. To learn more about DeSouza’s research, visit his faculty profile.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at York, watch the York Research Impact Story, see the infographic poster or visit the YouTube playlist.

By Megan Mueller, manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, York University, muellerm@yorku.ca

Scientific Director of VISTA explains discovery that may help patients with brain damage

retina biometric scan
Doug Crawford
Doug Crawford

Doug Crawford, scientific director of VISTA (Vision: Science to Applications), Distinguished Research Professor and the current Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Visual-Motor Neuroscience, has devoted his career to understanding how the brain uses vision to plan movement. His work at the York Centre for Vision Research (CVR)  ̶  a global leader in this rapidly evolving field  ̶  has focused on the control of visual gaze in 3D space, eye-hand coordination and spatial memory during eye movements. This kind of cutting-edge research could lead to the development of devices capable of restoring vision or mobility.

VISTA is developing technologies that will keep Canadian industry on the cutting edge while also helping people with vision-related problems. It’s the economic and health benefits of those applications that people will feel in their everyday lives.

Crawford’s latest research with former York graduate student Ying Chen, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience (2017), suggests that targeting gaze relative to a visual landmark is different from simply gazing from memory. He sits down with Brainstorm to explain the significance and impact of this research.

Q: What were the objectives of this research, just published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience?

A: We were trying to determine what brain areas are active when you remember the location of an object relative to some other visual landmark, and then look that way with your eyes, as opposed to simply looking where you remember the object to be, relative to your own person. In scientific terms, this is called allocentric versus egocentric coding.

Crawford’s new research suggests that targeting gaze relative to a visual landmark is different from simply gazing from memory
Crawford’s new research suggests that targeting gaze relative to a visual landmark is different from simply gazing from memory

Q: How did you go about conducting this research?

A: We put people inside of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet, showed them visual stimuli in the dark and measured their eye movements. In the allocentric task, we asked people either to remember the location of a visual stimulus relative to another landmark, which we shifted before asking them to move their eyes; whereas in the egocentric task we asked them to remember where they saw it independent of the landmark.

Later, we analyzed the data to see which brain areas were activated, and which were sensitive to object location relative to the landmark.

In this research, Crawford’s team put people inside of an MRI magnet, showed them visual stimuli and measured their eye movements
In this research, Crawford’s team put people inside of an MRI magnet, showed them visual stimuli and measured their eye movements

Q: What did you find, and did anything surprise you about the key findings?

A: As we expected, both tasks activated areas of the brain involved in eye movements, but the allocentric task, where people used the landmark, produced more memory activation in the ventral stream of vision  ̶  areas running along the back and bottom of the brain. The egocentric task, where people just remembered where they saw the target, produced more dorsal stream activation at the back top of brain.

One thing we didn’t expect was that the ventral stream areas continued to be involved in coding direction during the eye movement in the allocentric task. This is something that one doesn’t ordinarily see in standard eye movement tasks.

Q: What are the implications and/or practical applications of this research?

A: One motivation for this line of research is to understand how the brain has different ways of doing things, but that this may rely on different brain areas. This is relevant for people with brain damage because it means that when one function is lost, some other brain area might replace that function.

So in this example, if brain damage affects the way people perceive or remember things using egocentric mechanisms, then these patients might train their brain to rely more on allocentric mechanisms. Knowing how these different functions relate to different brain areas can help to understand patient’s deficits and how to address them.

Brain damage affects where people perceive or remember things
Brain damage affects where people perceive or remember things

Q: How would you characterize the impact of this work?

A: The immediate impact is for understanding how the brain works through fundamental, discovery science. Even though various studies have shown that fundamental science has more long-term impact than applied research, it’s often hard to predict what that impact will be.

In this case, I plan to work with some of my clinical collaborators to make sure that this work gets applied for the benefit of patients with brain damage in the coming years. But my work also gets cited by people working on biologically inspired robots. We have a lot of strength in computer vision and robotics right here at York, so this is something I would like to pursue as well.

“I plan to work with some of my clinical collaborators to make sure that this work gets applied for the benefit of patients with brain damage.” – Doug Crawford

Q: What does this research say about York’s leadership in this area?

A: York’s CVR has often been evaluated as one of the top vision research centres in the world. Our recent success at winning a highly competitive Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) Grant for our VISTA program signals York’s intend to reach the top of this list, and the Canadian government’s confidence that we can reach that goal.

The current research demonstrates our continued expansion into new areas of interdisciplinary research. We started with visual psychophysics  ̶  behavioral tests of vision, then added in computer vision and biological recordings of brain activity. And with the purchase of a research-dedicated MRI, we’ve made our mark in functional brain imaging.

“York’s CVR has been evaluated as one of the top vision research centres in the world. Our recent success at winning a major CFREF Grant for our VISTA program signals York’s intend to reach the top of this list… and the Canadian government’s confidence that we can reach that goal.” – Doug Crawford

With the new VISTA program, you can expect to see much more leadership in terms of engaging our partners in industry, hospitals and government in this research.

York University’s Centre for Vision Research is one of the top vision research centres in the world

Q: What can you say about the importance of funding this kind of research?

A: It’s important that we explain the benefits of our research to Canadians, for Canada’s wealth and well-being, because we can’t do this vital work without funding, and some of this funding will always have to come from public sources.

VISTA is involved in both fundamental and applied research, and is developing technologies that will keep Canadian industry on the cutting edge while also helping people with vision-related problems. It’s the economic and health benefits of those applications that people will feel in their everyday lives. But it’s the publicly funded fundamental research that feeds this process.

The article, “Cortical activation during landmark-centered vs. gaze-centered memory of saccade targets in the human: An FMRI study,” was published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience (2017). To learn more about Crawford’s work, visit his faculty profile, his Visuomotor Neuroscience Lab, the VISTA website or the CVR website.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at York, watch the York Research Impact Story, see the infographic poster or visit the YouTube playlist.

By Megan Mueller, manager, research communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, York University, muellerm@yorku.ca

Presidential statement: Mourning the loss of a York University student

Vari pond

Rhonda L. Lenton, president and vice-chancellor of York University, sends the following message to the University community:

It is with great sadness that I inform you that a member of the York University community, a student, died in hospital after being struck by a vehicle near the Keele Campus, late Tuesday. Out of respect for the family we are not able to share the student’s name, at this time.

On behalf of the entire York community, we extend heartfelt condolences to the family and friends.

Dealing with sudden and unexpected loss is not easy, and York University has services and supports in place for our community members who are impacted and need help in dealing with this tragedy. Our team is reaching out to community members who are most directly affected.

The University will continue to work with the Toronto Police Service as needed, and we will also provide updates to the community as information becomes available.

If you are a student in need of support, I urge you to reach out to our Student Community Relations team at 416-736-5231 or the Personal Counselling team at 416-736-5297. For after-hours support, please call the 24/7 Good2Talk line at 1-866-925-5454.

For faculty and staff in need of support, please call the Employee and Family Assistance Program toll-free 24 hours a day, seven days a week for immediate, confidential help at 1-844-880-9142 (English), 1-844-880-9143 (French), or 1- 877-338-0275 (TTY).

We mourn this tragic loss of life together.

Glendon undergrad Emily Leahy receives Killam Fellowship

Emily Leahy Glendon York U Killam Fellowship

A fourth-year English studies student at York University’s Glendon College has been granted a prestigious Killam Fellowship, an award from Fulbright Canada that will fund a semester-long exchange to Arizona State University.

Emily Leahy Killam Fellowship Fulbright York U Glendon
Emily Leahy was awarded a Killam Fellowship

Emily Leahy, a student and research assistant at Glendon, is pursuing a bilingual specialized honours BA in English. She will spend January to May of 2018 at Arizona State University to gain first-hand experience studying in the United States, as her academic interests lie in how American migration movements are represented in literature. She has presented at the Willa Cather International Seminar in Pittsburgh and has previously guest lectured at Glendon.

Emily Leahy Glendon Killam Fellowship York U
Emily Leahy

As part of her interest in migration, Leahy has served as the co-chair of the World University Service of Canada organization at Glendon, assisting with education and advocacy of refugee issues, and fundraising to support refugee students. She also serves as an editorial assistant for Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees.

Leahy is one of 21 Killam Fellowship recipients for 2017-18.

She is also the recipient of several awards, including the Friends of Glendon Scholarship in English, and the Janet Warner-Eric Rump Travel Award.

The Killam Fellowships Program is a competitive program providing an opportunity for exceptional undergraduate students from universities in Canada and the United States to spend either one semester or a full academic year as an exchange student in the United States or Canada respectively. The program provides a cash reward of US$5,000 per semester, a three-day orientation in Ottawa and a three-day spring seminar in Washington.

Fulbright Canada is sponsored by the United States Department of State and the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade & Development. It is a binational, treaty-based, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization governed by an independent board of directors, charged with identifying and supporting the very best and brightest in Canada and the United States.

During her exchange, Leahy will be documenting her experience on her Glendon eAmbassador blog at emilyleahygl.wordpress.com/2017/10/02/killam-fellowship-ottawa-orientation-highlights/#more-423.

York U professors and students organize Hurricane Relief Drive

York University Professors Andrea Davis and Honor Ford-Smith are organizing a relief drive of non-perishable items that will be shipped to the island of Dominica and other areas of the Caribbean devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Debris and furniture from devastated homes are strewn about following Hurricane Maria’s path through Dominica. Image courtesy of Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica

They are asking the York University community to consider donating non-perishable food items, paper products and school supplies to the effort. The Hurricane Relief Donation Drive will run from Oct. 5 to 20.

Donations can be dropped off at these locations: The Office of the Department of Humanities, 262 Vanier College; The Harriet Tubman Institute, 353 York Lanes, The Faculty of Environmental Studies at 137 Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building; The Office of Student Community & Leadership Development (SCLD), S172 Ross Building; and, The Community Safety Centre, 228 William Small Centre.

Many of the tiny islands in the Caribbean have been devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The islands of Barbuda and Dominica have been virtually destroyed with infrastructure, trees, vegetation and homes completely ruined.

Andrea Davis

“People are in desperate need, they have lost everything,” said Davis. “There is nothing left. I have one student who has been unable to contact his family in Dominica since Hurricane Maria.”

York University community members who want to help the effort should donate the following items.

  • New tarpaulins 16 x 24 feet or larger (urgent and required for shelter)
  • Toiletries
  • Toothpaste/toothbrushes
  • Flashlights/Batteries
  • Diapers: From infant to adult
  • Sanitary pads
  • New bath towels and washcloths
  • New baby clothes/baby bottles
  • Dried and canned milk
  • School supplies and paper products
  • Canned food
  • New underwear
  • New sheets, blankets and pillow cases

The two professors will be aided by 100 student volunteers and are hoping to raise enough donations to fill the York University Shuttle Bus. Working with York University’s Transportation Services, Campus Services & Business Operations and the Office of the Vice-President Finance & Administration, they will transport the donations to students and teachers at nearby C.W. Jefferies High School. The high school students and their principal are organizing transportation of the donations to Dominica and other areas of the Caribbean that are in need.

The group has developed a supporting statement for their drive. It reads: “York students, faculty and staff stand with the people of Dominica and other islands of the Caribbean as they work together to rebuild their homes and their lives. In an address to the UN, after the hurricane, Prime Minister of Dominica pointed out that small nation states like Dominica are on the front lines of climate change. Even though they have contributed very little to the environmental changes that result in storms like Maria, they disproportionately suffer its effects. We urge members of the York community to support the people of the Caribbean in their efforts to overcome the devastation caused by these hurricanes.”

Honor Ford-Smith

“When I spoke about starting this drive to my students, they asked how could they help and within 15 minutes, I had 100 volunteers on a sign-up sheet,” she said, “it leaves me without words and with so much gratitude.”

Davis, who is chair of the Department of Humanities in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and Ford-Smith, who is an associate professor in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, are from the island of Jamaica. They watched in horror as the two hurricanes brought havoc to Dominica, Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos, the Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts & Nevis, parts of Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Faculty, staff and students interested in assisting with the relief effort are asked to email either Andrea Davis or Honor Ford-Smith. “We will need many hands to help pack the donations,” said Davis, “all are welcome to help.”

Las Nubes Semester Abroad course offerings expand beyond FES

Las Nubes York U EcoCampus

Building on the success of its decade-long summer field courses in Costa Rica, the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) launched a full Semester Abroad program open to all York University students in May.

Las Nubes York U EcoCampus
The goal of the Semester Abroad is to immerse students in the cloud forest of Costa Rica and surrounding local and indigenous communities

The first Las Nubes Semester Abroad attracted 53 students from six York Faculties (FES, Glendon, Health, LA&PS, Science and Education) to York’s EcoCampus, situated in the heart of the Las Nubes Forest Reserve in the Alexander Skutch Corridor. The program offered students six environmental studies courses that touched upon a wide range of topics, including food sovereignty, indigenous issues, conservation, sustainable development, environmental health and tropical ecology.

For the 2018 Semester Abroad program, FES continues to foster the integration of all parts of the University into the Las Nubes EcoCampus. This year’s programming will once again include six courses, four of which are offered by environmental studies. New this year, course offerings will expand to include one course offered by the Faculty of Education and one course offered by Glendon.

Student information sessions for on the Semester Abroad will be held on Oct. 10 and Nov. 16.

All York University students are encouraged to attend this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The goal of the Semester Abroad is to immerse students in the cloud forest of Costa Rica and surrounding local and indigenous communities. The courses provide students with experiential learning opportunities to explore the historical and contemporary, environmental and social dynamics of this extraordinary environment. In addition, students contribute to lasting community engagement activities (such as the annual Alexander Skutch Festival), explore neotropical conservation methods, learn about agriculture and sustainable business practices, contribute to citizen science projects, apply citizen science to their species identification walks and learn to consider the influence of global perspectives that influence health, politics and economic life in Costa Rica.

Las Nubes York U EcoCampus
This year’s programming will include four courses offered by FES, one by the Faculty of Education and one by Glendon

The experience of the Semester Abroad is far more than just course-based learning; while attending the program, students are completely engaged in the local communities that are just outside the EcoCampus in their home stay accommodations.

In 2017, the Semester Abroad contributed nearly $50,000 to the local economy, out of which almost half went to 31 home stay families. The program also supports local knowledge and expertise, with all of the courses including invited guests or local guides.

Students returning from the EcoCampus recognize the home stay as one of the many invaluable experiences of the Semester Abroad program.

Students say they return to Toronto with new perspectives on global challenges to environmental well-being, global sustainability and social equity. Not only do they utilize their new knowledge when they return to their studies at York’s Keele or Glendon campuses, but it also proves useful in their future academic and career pursuits, having established a lifelong connection to the EcoCampus and the Las Nubes Project.

Interested faculty members and researchers are welcome to contact the Las Nubes Project (lasnubes@yorku.ca) to discuss potential future course offerings or projects at Las Nubes.

Celebrating the installation of Rhonda L. Lenton as president and vice-chancellor

Rhonda L. Lenton
Rhonda L. Lenton will be installed as York University’s eighth president and vice-chancellor on Oct. 18

The formal installation of Rhonda L. Lenton as York University’s eighth president and vice-chancellor will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 18 during fall convocation ceremonies.

In advance of the ceremony, a special community reception is planned for Tuesday, Oct. 17 in the CIBC Lobby in the Accolade East Building (ACE) on the Keele campus. The reception will provide current York University students, faculty and staff with an opportunity to extend their congratulations to the new president and it also coincides with the University’s annual Red & White Day celebration of community and spirit. Everyone is invited to wear red and white school colours to the reception. Click here to submit an RSVP for this event.

At the reception, Lenton will announce the winner of the #YorkUMyVision Contest. The winning vision will be chosen based on its originality, thoughtfulness and compelling quality.

Additional activities planned around the president’s installation include a York U Campus Alumni and Donor Breakfast on Oct. 17, the formal Installation Ceremony and Convocation on Oct. 18 and the York Circle Lecture and Lunch on Oct. 21.

For more information, or to send a personalized message of congratulations to York University’s new president, visit the President and Vice-Chancellor’s Installation website.

Call for Nominations for the 2017 President’s Staff Recognition Awards

FEATUREDStaffRecognitionAwards

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton has issued the following invitation to the York community:

I am very pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for the 2017 Staff Recognition Awards.

We have many outstanding staff members at York who are committed to the success of the University. These colleagues play an essential role in helping us to increase access to education, strengthen the connectedness of our community, strive for excellence in everything that we do, and enhance our local, national and global impact.

I encourage you to nominate a staff member you know who is making a difference. Nominations can be made for each of the following:

  • The Ronald Kent Medal
  • The President’s Leadership Award
  • The Voice of York Award
  • The Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award
  • The Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award
  • The Harriet Lewis Team Award for Service Excellence
  • The Gary Brewer Emerging Leader Award

To learn more about these awards, and to submit a nomination, please visit the Staff Recognition Awards website.

Questions about the Staff Recognition Awards and the nomination process can be sent to president@yorku.ca. The deadline for all nominations is Thursday, Dec. 14.

Show off your #YU Spirit at Red & White Day, Oct. 17

This year’s Red & White Day is planned for Tuesday, Oct. 17. Join others in celebrating York U’s dynamic community and spirit.

Red & White Day celebrates York University’s community and spirit

Here are just some of the many ways that you can show off your #YU Spirit at Red & White Day:

  • Wear your red and white or York gear.
  • Attend the community reception in honour of the installation of Rhonda L. Lenton as York U’s eighth president and vice chancellor.
  • Drop by the University Bookstore for a special Red & White Day sale between Oct. 16 and 20 and save up to 44 per cent on red and white clothing, giftware and more.
  • Visit the Tait Pride Shop in the Tait McKenzie Building on Oct. 17 and save 10 per cent on York Lions clothing.
  • Take advantage of lots of free giveaways and vendor discounts.
  • Check out the Food Trucks on Campus Walk.
  • Participate in Red & White Day special events including a breakfast for York grads and donors who work on campus, a photo booth, residence decorating and more!

For a full schedule of all events, visit redandwhite.info.yorku.ca/.