Undergraduate Education

Alumni

Co-op

Moon

Space

Erin Richardson was in Grade 9 when she decided she wanted to be an astronaut.

“We had a science unit on outer space, and I remember being completely fascinated by the vast scale of it all,” says the third-year engineering science student in the �ؿ�ζSM’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “Thinking about how big the universe is, and how we’re just a tiny speck on a tiny planet, I knew I wanted to be part of exploring it.”

Richardson started following Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield on social media and watching videos of his daily life on the International Space Station. She also started reading about aerospace and doing everything she could to break into the industry, including getting her student pilot permit.

It was in a Forbes magazine article about women in STEM that she first heard about Kristen Facciol, a U of T Engineering alumna who had worked as a systems engineer at Canadian space engineering firm MDA before moving on to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). At the time, Facciol was an Engineering Support Lead that provided real-time flight support during on-orbit operations and teaching courses to introduce astronauts and flight controllers to the ISS robotic systems.

Today, Facciol is a flight controller for CSA/NASA.

“I found her contact information and reached out to her,” says Richardson. “She’s been an amazing mentor to me over the last five years. We’re still close friends, and she’s really helped influence my career path.”

With Facciol’s encouragement, Richardson applied to U of T’s engineering science program, eventually choosing the aerospace major. After her first year, she landed a summer research position in the lab of Jonathan Kelly, an assistant professor at the U of T Institute of Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) who works on simulation tools for a robotic mobile manipulator platform.

“Working in Kelly’s lab piqued my interest in robotics as they could be applied in space,” Richardson says. “Researching collaborative manipulation in dynamic environments will push the boundaries of human spaceflight – during spacewalks, astronauts work right alongside robots all the time.”

After her second year, Richardson travelled to Tasmania for a research placement facilitated by EngSci’s ESROP Global program. Working with researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia’s national science agency, Richardson created tools to analyze data collected during scientific mooring deployments, which help researchers learn more about oceans over long periods of time. This work informs the design of next-generation mooring systems which, like space systems, must survive harsh and constrained environments.

Richardson was sitting in a second-year lecture when she heard the news that Canada had joined NASA’s Lunar Gateway project, a new international space station set to be constructed between 2023 and 2026. Unlike the ISS, which currently orbits Earth, the Lunar Gateway will orbit the moon and will serve both as a waypoint for future crewed missions to the lunar surface and as preparation for missions to even more distant worlds, such as Mars.

Energized, Richardson searched for a way to get involved. Her opportunity came in the fall of 2019 when she saw a posting on MDA’s job board. She immediately applied through U of T Engineering’s Professional Experience Year Co-op program, which enables undergraduate students to spend up to 16 months working for leading firms worldwide before returning to finish their degree programs.

Richardson started her placement in May 2020, well into the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her employer quickly adapted.

“I was working from home through the summer, but for my latest project I was able to go on site to operate this robotic arm,” she says.

The robotic arm in question is a model of Dextre, a versatile robot that maintains the International Space Station. Richardson used it as a prototype part for the Canadarm3, which will be installed on Lunar Gateway.

Because the Lunar Gateway will be so far from Earth, Canadarm3 will be designed to execute certain tasks without supervision from a remote control station. Part of Richardson’s job is to create the dataset that will eventually be used to train the artificial intelligence algorithms that will make this possible.

In MDA’s DREAMR lab, Richardson guided the robotic arm through a series of movements and scenarios, with a suite of video cameras tracking its every move. She then tagged each series of images with metadata that will teach the robot whether the movements it saw were desirable ones to emulate, or dangerous ones to avoid.

“We had to capture different lighting conditions and obstacles of various sizes and colours,” she says. “My colleagues pointed out to me that because it’s me deciding which scenarios count as collisions and which ones don’t, the AI that we eventually create will be a reflection of my own brain.”

Apart from the opportunity to contribute to the next generation of space robots, Richardson says she’s enjoyed the chance to apply what she’s learned in her U of T classes, as well as the professional connections she’s made.

“It’s my dream job,” she says. “I use what I learned in engineering design courses every day. I’m treated as a full engineer and a member of the team. The people I work with are extremely supportive and they talk to me about my dreams and goals. I love being surrounded by a team of talented and motivated people – all so passionate about what they do and about advancing space exploration.

“It’s an awesome opportunity for any student.”

President Gertler to begin term as vice-chair of Universities Canada

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:08:03 +0000

President Gertler to begin term as vice-chair of Universities Canada

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 10/28/2020 - 12:08

Cutline

(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

Universities

Meric Gertler, president of the �ؿ�ζSM, has been named vice-chair of the board of Universities Canada, a national advocacy organization that represents Canadian universities.

An internationally renowned scholar and one of Canada’s most highly cited geographers, President Gertler’s research focuses on how urban economies have become leading sites of innovation around the world.

He begins his term this week and will serve with chair Sophie D’Amours, rector of the Université Laval in Quebec City.

“I am delighted to have this opportunity to collaborate with Professor D’Amours and all of our colleagues across the country in pursuit of our shared goals,” President Gertler said in a statement.

“Universities Canada plays a vital role in the advancement of higher education and research, and in helping to shape a prosperous, sustainable and inclusive future for all Canadians.”

President Gertler has long experience in working collaboratively with partners in post-secondary education to strengthen Canada’s universities and enhance their broader social and economic contributions.

He recently completed a two-year term as chair of the U15 group of Canadian research universities and continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the Council of Ontario Universities. As a board member and former co-chair of the Business/Higher Education Roundtable, he has championed the expansion of experiential learning opportunities for students and promoted more extensive research collaboration with Canadian businesses.

He also initiated the ongoing collaboration among the presidents of Toronto’s four universities, which has led to projects such as StudentMoveTO, the first-ever study of students’ daily commuting experiences in the GTA, and StudentDwellTO, a study of the affordable housing challenges facing students in the Toronto region.

Under President Gertler’s leadership, U of T has played a greater role in city-building, expanded global opportunities for students and scholars and focused on reimagining undergraduate education during a time of unprecedented change in the economy. The university’s many achievements during his tenure include: the launch of the School of Cities, an interdisciplinary hub for the university’s many urban experts; the establishment of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society; and the creation of the Lester B. Pearson Scholarships, which bring some of the world’s brightest young minds to Toronto from around the world.

Following his one-year term as vice-chair, President Gertler will begin a two-year term as chair of Universities Canada.

Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada, said in a statement that President Gertler’s expertise will be invaluable.

“Meric’s expertise, leadership and commitment are great assets for the university sector,” he said. “I look forward to working even more closely with him as Canada’s universities support the country’s COVID-19 recovery.”

U of T Engineering Academy supports students whose final year of high school was disrupted by COVID-19

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 22 May 2020 14:01:00 +0000

U of T Engineering Academy supports students whose final year of high school was disrupted by COVID-19

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 05/22/2020 - 10:01

Cutline

The U of T Engineering Academy is an optional and not-for-credit program that is free to all incoming students for in the fall 2020 semester, offering a suite of learning modules in math, physics and chemistry (photo by Mia Baker via Unsplash)

Marit Mitchell

Topic

Coronavirus

The �ؿ�ζSM’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering is launching a new program designed to give incoming students all the material they need to shine in their first-year courses – particularly those who faced pandemic-related disruptions to their high school education.

The U of T Engineering Academy is an optional and not-for-credit program that is free to all incoming students in the fall 2020 semester. Participating students gain access to a suite of established learning modules in math, physics and chemistry that they can move through at their own pace.

They will have regular opportunities to check in with mentors – upper-year U of T Engineering students who can help them navigate the material and coach them on how it will be applied in first-year courses. If a student wants extra instruction on a particular topic, they can also request to participate in a session with a celebrated high-school teacher.

Designed in close consultation with high school teachers and curriculum leads in the U of T Engineering First-Year Office, as well as the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering (Troost ILead), the program was launched to support students who may have had their final year of high school disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“U of T Engineering Academy gives students what they need to fill in any gaps in their Grade 12 year, as well as a friendly introduction to our faculty with the support of our incredible students and professors,” says Micah Stickel, vice-dean, first year engineering. “And because it’s optional and not-for-credit, it’s a great way to gain some experience with online learning and explore what kinds of approaches work for you.”

When a student accepts their offer of admission, they’ll also have a chance to register for the U of T Engineering Academy through the same Engineering Applicant Portal. They will then receive an email with access details and any tech requirements. Access to the learning materials will be available in early June, and students can move through at their own pace through July.

For students who feel they might benefit from a little extra support after completing U of T Engineering Academy, the First Year Foundations program provides that boost. The program is a suite of optional sessions, workshops and courses to help incoming students prepare for several aspects of university life – from developing effective study and learning skills, to getting ahead with introductions to concepts like computer programming, the engineering design process and communications.

“The year so far hasn’t gone the way any of us expected,” says Chris Yip, dean of U of T Engineering. “We’re here to make sure that no matter what happened in the final year of high school, we’re giving our students the tools and supports they need to be comfortable, prepared and ready to have a terrific experience when they start this fall at Skule.”

U of T President Emeritus and honorary degree recipient David Naylor tells grads 'life is a team sport'

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 31 May 2019 14:15:13 +0000

U of T President Emeritus and honorary degree recipient David Naylor tells grads 'life is a team sport'

geoff.vendeville Fri, 05/31/2019 - 10:15

Cutline

David Naylor, U of T President Emeritus and former dean of medicine, receives an honorary degree from U of T for “his outstanding service for the public good, excellence in the academy, and service to the University” (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Startups

When he got the call offering him the job of president of the �ؿ�ζSM, Dr. David Naylor suddenly felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

“It was one of the more acute attacks of imposter syndrome that I’ve had,” he told the Globe and Mail in 2005 after he was tapped to be the university’s 15th president.

He needn’t have worried. Few can claim to have made as great an impact on the university or – indeed – beyond it. Not only did Naylor take steps to boost U of T’s research, innovation and student experience, he has been a driving force for increased public funding of post-secondary research and improved organization of health care right across Canada.

For “his outstanding service for the public good, excellence in the academy, and service to the University,” Naylor receives a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the Faculty of Medicine’s convocation ceremony on June 3.

Watch David Naylor deliver his remarks:

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Naylor, who earned his medical degree at U of T in 1978. He later went on to study sociology and social history at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. It was there that he met his future wife and fellow Rhodes Scholar, Ilse Treurnicht, the former CEO of the MaRS Discovery District who received an honorary degree from U of T last year. Naylor even taught himself to speak Afrikaans, the language spoken in Treurnicht’s native South Africa, according to the Toronto Star.

Naylor eventually returned to U of T to become dean of medicine, a post he held until 2005. It was during his tenure as dean that he rose to national prominence. He was asked to lead an inquiry into Canada's response to the SARS crisis involving all levels of government. The committee's report recommended an overhaul of Canada's public health system and spurred the creation of the Public Health Agency of Canada. His many accolades include being named an Officer of the Order of Canada and an induction into the Medical Hall of Fame.

(photo by Tim Fraser)

As U of T’s president, Naylor sought to leverage the university's strength in research to enhance the student experience. The university introduced the One series of small-class learning opportunities, a co-curricular record and the President's Teaching Award for outstanding faculty. The Towards 2030 strategic planning exercise that took place under his watch laid out a long-term vision for a regional “�ؿ�ζSM system” characterized by three campuses with strong individual identities.

Naylor’s focus extended well beyond U of T. He lent his expertise to a panel looking into the ways the federal government could foster innovation in health care, improve accessibility and reduce costs. More recently, he led a blue-ribbon group of experts reviewing how basic science is funded in Canada. The panel’s final report led to significant federal investments in fundamental research.

“More needs to be done to improve administration and governance of federal supports for research, and more investment is definitely needed,” Naylor said in an interview with U of T News last spring.

“But extramural science and scholarship in Canada are in a much better place than was the case a year ago.”

David Naylor's message to the Class of 2019:

The mass media continues to mythologize individuals and individual accomplishment, and it’s easy to be seduced by social media into worrying more about your “digital brand” than your personal relationships. That’s a dangerous snare and delusion. Life is a team sport. The lion’s share of credit for accomplishments will sometimes still go to individuals. And yes, leadership matters. But solo geniuses are few and far between. Most of the things that will matter to the future of this complex world can only be accomplished through major collaborative efforts. In short, you will not only be judged by the company you keep. Your prospects for success, your resilience in the face of setbacks, your career trajectory, your happiness and your life’s legacy also depend on who you choose as travelling companions in the decades ahead – and how well you work with those companions you did not choose or would not have chosen.

U of T faculty and staff to highlight teaching and learning projects at annual symposium

perry.king — Mon, 27 May 2019 20:38:23 +0000

U of T faculty and staff to highlight teaching and learning projects at annual symposium

perry.king Mon, 05/27/2019 - 16:38

Cutline

Melody Neumann developed a U of T-supported educational app called Team Up! that's used by U of T Teaching Academy colleague Michelle French (photo by Perry King)

Perry King

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Cell and Systems Biology

Biology

Physiology

President's Teaching Award

STEM

Teaching

U of T Mississauga

Faculty of Arts & Science

One initiative uses an app that encourages active learning. Another wants to help students reframe how they think about failure. Yet another enhances knowledge of science by developing materials for high school students.

As �ؿ�ζSM faculty gather for tomorrow’s Teaching and Learning Symposium at the Rotman School of Management's Desautels Hall, the U of T Teaching Academy and colleagues from across the university will highlight how these and other projects are contributing to enhancing the student experience.

The academy, composed of past President’s Teaching Award winners, is an advisory group that offers expertise and advice to U of T’s Office of the Vice-President & Provost and the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation, or CTSI.

“All three ideas represent innovation and experimentation of how to enhance our student experience and how to focus on things that we know make a difference for our students and the meaningfulness of their time at the �ؿ�ζSM and the kind of skills and knowledge that they’re developing that are going to serve them well in life,” says Carol Rolheiser, CTSI’s director and an academy co-chair.

“Part of what CTSI and the Teaching Academy are all about is we’re trying to influence the great teaching culture we have here, knowing we can always continue to improve.”

The CTSI is U of T's hub for teaching and learning development. The centre serves instructors, graduate students and teaching assistants on all three campuses with leadership and support on all teaching related and student engagement issues – including through the teaching academy.

Professor Carol Rolheiser (photo by Perry King)

The highlighted projects will open opportunities for further collaboration and encourage innovation, adds Rolheiser, a professor in the department of curriculum, teaching and learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).

One of the initiatives is a learning app called Team Up!, which has already been used by thousands of students. Invented by Melody Neumann, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of cell and systems biology, the game-like app was initially created to enhance a second-year, webinar-style course.

“I wanted the students to work in groups, in their virtual breakout rooms, together on some kind of problem set,” says Neumann, who thought of the app as a “low-stakes” approach to developing teamwork skills and a connection to the course material. “I wanted [the students] to get immediate feedback while they were working on a problem set, and I wanted them to work together to build consensus before they would choose an answer.”

Funded through internal grants, Team Up! was recently showcased to U of T President Meric Gertler and Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr by Michelle French, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of physiology. Now available on mobile, tablet and desktop devices, the app is supported by the university’s online teaching and learning environment Quercus and fosters collaboration among students. It was used in 10 undergraduate courses by about 6,000 students this past school year.

“We don’t know of any other app that allows this dynamic grouping function plus the immediate feedback,” says French, who won a President’s Teaching Award in 2017.

In addition to building connections and workplace skills, French and Neumann emphasize that Team Up! also delivers cost savings since it’s an alternative to educational services like Top Hat and devices like clickers. “As someone who has used it in a few courses now, the financial savings [are] huge,” says French, who noted students collectively saved about $250,000 over the last school year alone.

“As an instructor at the university, we all want to include more active learning in our classes and there are many different ways you can do it. This is one way where the barriers are really low,” added Neumann.

Neumann and French want to build the app’s bandwidth capacity, expanding question types and opening the platform to more social sciences and humanities courses.

It’s an app that Fiona Rawle says could come in handy as her own teaching project takes its next steps.

Rawle (pictured right), an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of biology at U of T Mississauga, has been developing an undergraduate course about failure. Her course, titled “Productive Failure: Teaching Students the Value of Failure in Science,” seeks to inform students about embracing failure, learn and bounce back from failure and recognize the value of failure in science and everyday life.

“Failure is such a crucial component of science. To be a good scientist, you need to be good at failing, and that hasn’t been taught before in the concept of science,” says Rawle, who won a teaching award from the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations and a President’s Teaching Award in 2018.

“Sometimes when we teach science, we teach how science was done, we teach about past experiments. I want to teach students how to think like a scientist and that means you have to be open to failure.”

After an initial pilot was embedded within an introductory biology course at U of T Mississauga, Rawle has reframed the course for this coming fall semester to include material on failure. Instead of an initial lecture on biology content, students get a lecture on the science of learning, including how we learn from failure and why embracing failure is important. Rawle will be weaving in new case studies for students, unveiling a podcast – which will explore historical examples – and bringing in personal narratives of failure.

Rawle hopes her students take away valuable practical skills. “When students graduate, we don’t want them to regurgitate a list of facts,” she says.

“We want to ask good questions, seek out answers, to be critical thinkers and resilient learners.”

Professor Judith Poë (photo by Drew Lesiuczok)

Judith Poë, professor, teaching stream, in the department of chemical and physical sciences at U of T Mississauga, hopes her Science Pedagogy Research Opportunity Program (ROP) participants – second- to fourth-year students – also learn key skills and teaching knowledge.

In her initiative, Poë’s ROP students are challenged to pay attention to detail as they develop learning materials for Grade 11 and Grade 12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses and facilitate in-class lessons.

“Their attitude toward this work is quite different because it’s their creation and it’s going out there for the world, on the web, and it’s going to be used in real schools by real students,” says Poë, who won a President’s Teaching Award in 2007.

Within the ROP, after her students learn about problem-based learning pedagogy, they select a topic, define their learning objectives and create a real-world scenario for their students to solve, which may include an accompanying experiment. They then work with a teacher, either in the high school or at the U of T Mississauga labs, to facilitate the high school students’ work on the problem.

The high school students also prepare their problem for publishing on Poë’s pedagogy website.

The program has built a stronger relationship between U of T Mississauga and local high schools, Poë says, and the feedback from her students and high school teachers has been positive. “A measure of the success is the fact that the [high school] teachers keep coming back for more,” says Poë.

“They’re seeing increased interest in the subject and increased critical thinking in the classroom.”

Poë is considering expanding the program’s scope to include environmental science, and possibly transform the program into a full course.

In the short term, because the ROP program is labour intensive, with much more “one-on-one” interaction compared to a standard lecture course, Poë wants to increase teaching help to accommodate the growing demand.

“With appropriate personnel,” she says. “We could accommodate a great many more students.”

New collaboration between U of T and Toronto District School Board to bring more under-represented students to campus

geoff.vendeville — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:51:27 +0000

New collaboration between U of T and Toronto District School Board to bring more under-represented students to campus

geoff.vendeville Wed, 05/08/2019 - 16:51

Cutline

The program, called SEE U of T, is designed to bring students from two TDSB schools to the university for a semester-long course and experiential learning activities (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

City & Culture

Ontario Impact

Diversity and Inclusion

Cheryl Regehr

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Woodsworth College

Alexander Olowookeri, a Grade 11 student at Downsview Secondary School, initially found the �ؿ�ζSM daunting when he visited the downtown Toronto campus Tuesday – until he learned about a new partnership between U of T and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).

The program, called Support, Engage, Experience U of T, or SEE U of T, is designed to bring students from two schools in Canada’s largest school board – Downsview Secondary School and Runnymede Collegiate Institute – to the university for a semester-long course, co-op placements on campus and other experiential learning activities. The program is an effort to provide a pathway for students who are under-represented on campus, allowing them to see U of T as a place where they belong and can thrive.

The first group of 30 students, expected to arrive in the fall, will have the choice of signing up for one of two interdisciplinary courses offered through Woodsworth College. They will earn a high school (4U) credit, co-op credits and a U of T half-credit to put toward a university degree.

“It reduces barriers in the sense that once you see people that look like you in a certain place, you start to have hope you can be just like them,” says Olowookeri, who hopes to study biomedical engineering.

“It really boosts your morale to know, ‘OK, I can actually go to the best school in Canada.’”

Olowookeri was one of a few dozen students from both schools who attended the program announcement at Woodsworth College.

Alexander Olowookeri, a Grade 11 student at Downsview Secondary School, plans to take a sociology course at U of T as part of a new collaboration between U of T and the TDSB (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

While U of T is consistently ranked among the best universities in the world, Cheryl Regehr, the university’s vice-president and provost, noted in her remarks that “excellence and access” are inextricably linked.

“We can only be great if we ensure that every single excellent student here in the city of Toronto believes the �ؿ�ζSM is a place for them, a place where they belong,” Regehr said.

SEE U of T is the latest addition to over 60 access programs the university has designed to lessen barriers for students from under-represented groups, including Indigenous and racialized students.

The two participating high schools were chosen based on their rank on the TDSB’s Learning Opportunity Index, a measure of relative need and “external challenges affecting student success.” That includes measures like median income and the share of single-parent families in a school’s neighbourhood.

At U of T, the high school students will experience the life of an undergraduate in Woodsworth’s One program, an array of first-year foundational courses featuring small class sizes and hands-on learning opportunities. They are eligible to sign up for two Faculty of Arts & Science courses, “Order and Disorder” and “Popular Culture Today.” The first course draws on literature in sociology, political science and other disciplines to explore the balance between individual freedoms and society’s need for order. The second course focuses on the impact of pop culture as an art movement, agent of social change and universal language of the digital age.

The students from the TDSB will be given supports, including access to academic and writing advisors (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

SEE U of T was carefully designed to ensure students have all the necessary supports to succeed while they are here, said Ann Lopez, the provostial advisor on access programs at U of T and an associate professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

U of T will provide administrative support, library access, academic advising and cover the cost of textbooks, while the TDSB will assign a monitoring staff member, two co-op teachers, provide transportation and other services that students might need.

“This isn’t just about recruiting students,” said Lopez. “It's also about giving them support and ensuring that they have a good experience.”

The program increases diversity not just among students, she added. It also creates more opportunities for members of under-represented groups to obtain degrees and come work at universities as faculty or staff.

Paul Edwards, the principal of Runnymede Collegiate and a U of T alumnus, said he was happy to “come back home” for the program’s launch.

“This is the beginning of a heck of a journey,” he told the students. “I know you'll do us proud, but more importantly you’ll do yourselves proud.”

At the end of their introduction to U of T, the high school students will be asked to provide feedback that will be used to improve the program.

Armita Ebrahimnejad, a student at Runnymede Collegiate who hopes to study law, says the U of T-TDSB collaboration makes her feel more at home on campus.

“This makes the university more part of the community and it prepares us more, and it takes some of the stress out of transitioning to university,” she said.

Association of American Universities funds project to transform U of T's first-year math curriculum

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 16:55:21 +0000

Association of American Universities funds project to transform U of T's first-year math curriculum

noreen.rasbach Wed, 02/20/2019 - 11:55

Cutline

The project plans to transform math education by incorporating engineering applications across first-year courses and redesigning course instructor and teaching assistant training (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Mathematics

Subheadline

The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering and the Faculty of Arts & Science are teaming up to revitalize the university’s first-year mathematics curriculum.

The collaborative project recently received a STEM Network mini-grant of $20,000 from the Association of American Universities (AAU).

The AAU awards mini-grants to advance existing efforts in improving undergraduate education. Other recipients include Cornell University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology.

At the �ؿ�ζSM, first-year engineering students must complete math courses that are taught collaboratively with the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science. This interdivisional teaching partnership leverages world-class expertise in the field, but “there’s a terrific opportunity here to strengthen connections between the mathematics, and the concepts and skills that are foundational to engineering,” says Professor Micah Stickel, vice-dean of first year in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

The project brings together the academic leaders in U of T Engineering, including Stickel and Chirag Variawa, assistant professor, teaching stream, and director of the first-year curriculum, with Professor Jeremy Quastel and Bernardo Galvao-Sousa, assistant professor, teaching stream, from the department of mathematics and Alana Boland, associate profesor and associate dean of teaching and learning in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

The group aims to transform math education by focusing on two areas: incorporating engineering applications across first-year math courses, and enhancing course instructor and teaching assistant (TA) training for the delivery of first-year math courses, including training in active-learning techniques.

The AAU grant will support the team’s efforts in creating a new teaching post-doctoral research position and lead TA positions. They will work with the project team leaders to examine best practices in engineering mathematics education – including identifying approaches to incorporating engineering applications within math courses.

“This AAU grant empowers us to rethink how we’re delivering the most immersive learning experience for our engineering students, starting right from first year,” says Stickel.

Help shape the future of undergraduate studies at U of T

geoff.vendeville — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

Help shape the future of undergraduate studies at U of T

geoff.vendeville Thu, 01/31/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

See here for hours and schedule

Resilience, adaptability, empathy. These are some of the attributes that the �ؿ�ζSM aims to foster in its current and future students. And as it looks to build on the strengths of its undergraduate programs, U of T wants to hear from you.

The university is asking students, staff, faculty and alumni for feedback on how to best prepare undergraduates for a lifetime of success and fulfilment, whether they want to continue their studies or enter the workforce directly after graduation.

Last semester, the university formed a panel to articulate a vision of the undergraduate student experience. To capture a wide range of perspectives, the panel includes faculty, administrators and students from each of U of T's three campuses.

The university is holding consultations on the panel's draft document, which outlines the values that distinguish a U of T undergraduate education, both in and out of the classroom. On Feb. 1, 7 and 14, students, staff and faculty across the three campuses can have their say on the future of undergraduate studies at the university during in-person consultations. Until March 15, they can also give their input by completing an online survey.

consultations

Downtown Toronto campus: Feb. 1, Simcoe Hall, Room 214
U of T Scarborough: Feb. 7, Environmental Science and Chemistry Building, Room 140
U of T Mississauga: Feb. 14, Davis Building, Room 3130

“Studying at a world-class, research-intensive institution such as U of T brings many benefits,” says Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr. “We are consulting with the U of T community about the future of undergraduate education to highlight best practices and set out a vision for undergraduate students to be equipped for success with the skills they need to make a difference over a lifetime.”

As it stands, the draft vision for the future of the undergraduate experience at U of T says the university's programs should prepare graduates to become passionate, resilient and adaptable learners, as well as creative intellectuals, empathetic leaders, knowledge entrepreneurs and engaged global citizens.

The draft says the university will foster these traits in students by providing curricular and co-curricular experiences that are intellectually and personally challenging, help them to value and integrate knowledge, and instil an appreciation for disciplinary differences, among other things.

Greg Evans, the chair of the panel and a professor in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, says the draft vision is meant to put into words the unique qualities of students who complete a U of T undergraduate degree. At the same time, the document emphasizes that students have room to chart their own path and personalize their experience.

He says undergraduate studies at U of T provide a foundation for lifelong learning, which is becoming more important as society and the world of work continue to change rapidly.

“The key to success is no longer just about how much you know, but how quickly you can learn and hence how much you learn about the process of learning itself,” he says.

Ashley Beckles, in her last year of studies in digital enterprise management, brought a U of T Mississauga student's perspective to the panel. It's not something she took lightly. “This is a big opportunity and a privilege,” she says.

Beckles says she connects with many of the traits in the draft vision, including being an empathetic leader. “Everyone is told to go out there and change the world, but if you're not empathetic you can run over people and be negative instead of creating positivity,” she says.

Beckles supplemented everything she learned in class with a number of other experiences. She held a work-study position in U of T Mississauga’s athletics department. She played forward in different basketball leagues, working her way up to the varsity team. And she was involved in Caribbean Connections, helping people connect with Caribbean culture on campus. After convocation in June, she aspires to work in marketing and digital communications.

But she's not done learning: She is considering returning to university someday for an MBA.

'Be ahead of the game': How two accomplished athletes balance sport and studying at U of T

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 17:12:15 +0000

'Be ahead of the game': How two accomplished athletes balance sport and studying at U of T

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 10/10/2018 - 13:12

Cutline

Kirti Saxena (left), who is in her first year of mechanical engineering at U of T, has represented Canada at several world championships (photo courtesy of Kirti Saxena)

Marit Mitchell

Topic

Sport

For many students starting university, a question lurks in the back of their minds: how will they conquer this new challenge? For Kirti Saxena and Mehdi Essoussi, thriving under pressure is just part of their training.

The two first-year students are elite athletes who compete on the world stage — Saxena is a seasoned wrestler who has represented Team Canada at several world championships, and Essoussi is a midfielder with the Toronto Football Club feeder team TFC III.

Now, they’re ready to apply the work ethic, determination and perseverance they’ve each developed over years of practice and training to their next challenge: first year in U of T's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

Essoussi and Saxena sat down with U of T's Marit Mitchell to share their plans for the year ahead — both in and out of the gym.

Kirti Saxena

Why did you choose to join mechanical engineering at U of T?

I always preferred understanding how a problem was solved, rather than memorizing the the solution. I specifically chose mechanical engineering because in addition to being more science- and math-oriented, I am big on art and design. I’ve always wanted to be able to create and learn not only a design, but the mechanics and underlying factors that are crucial to the functioning of any structure or system.

What has been your most memorable moment in your sporting career to date?

I represented Canada internationally throughout most of my high school years [at Erindale Secondary School in Mississauga, Ont.], and trained and competed in many tournaments around the world. My most memorable moment would have been when I competed in the Cadet World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. I was still a year younger than the qualifying age for a cadet, so there were no expectations on me — it was more for the experience. I ended up performing the best out of everyone on Team Canada that year and qualified for the bronze medal match. I finished the tournament with the official placement of fifth in the world. Because of this, I also received the award for "Best Cadet Wrestler" in all of Canada.

What are you most looking forward to about athletics at U of T?

I’m looking forward to the experience of being on a university team and being able to bring in some school pride by competing.

Will you continue wrestling for the national team during school?

If I qualify, I hope to be on one or two Team Canada teams for two different age groups: under 19 and senior-all. I train two to three times a day, and my ultimate goal is to compete and place at the Olympics. I intend to wrestle at the trials for 2020, but since I will still be fairly young and am currently recovering from knee surgery, the more realistic goal would be 2024 and various world championship medals throughout the years.

Can you share your approach to balancing school with competitive sport?

Time management, dedication and perseverance. Being able to strictly follow a pre-determined schedule is a must. There are certain times to eat, go to lectures, do homework and attend practice, and it’s vital to follow the schedule, even when you would rather stay at home wrapped in a blanket, sleeping all day.

Being able to follow such a busy and intense schedule calls for dedication, especially in a high-demand program such as engineering. Spending so much time working towards something so physically and mentally draining; it’s not an easy thing. Sometimes it takes away from being completely 100 per cent during other aspects of your life, but the important thing is learning how to find the balance — or for all the engineers out there, the equilibrium. That’s when perseverance plays its part. You always have to be ahead of the game, especially academically. Procrastination is never an option, and preparing when you can is crucial, because you never know when you may miss a whole week of class due to a training camp abroad.

Mehdi Essoussi

Why did you choose to join electrical and computer engineering at U of T?

The engineering program at U of T is one of the best and renowned. I choose electrical and computer engineering because I like the combination of science and technology with creativity and innovation, and the applications of ECE are endless in many sectors. Also, the fact that I play soccer with Toronto FC made it easier for me to make the decision to stay in the city.

What has been your most memorable moment in your sporting career to date?

There are several memorable moments in my soccer life, like playing with Team Ontario, being called to a Canadian national team identification camp and being recruited by Toronto FC Academy.

But signing a United Soccer League professional contract this year is my most recent memorable moment and one of the most exciting.

Will you continue playing with TFC during school — how often, and what are your goals with that group?

Yes, I will continue playing during school. I have practice on a daily basis and games on weekends (mainly in Canada or in the U.S). I am now participating with the TFC III team in the USSDA U18/19 league. My goal is to constantly work hard in every single training and game to continue evolving as a player, perform well with my team, and reach the maximum of my potential.

Do you have any unique approaches or tricks for balancing school with competitive sport?

It is challenging to do both, so I manage it like a project. This allows me to plan my days and study in advance as much as possible, organizing and managing my time efficiently. Putting maximum effort and concentration in everything I do helps me not lose precious time and keep the balance between studies and soccer.

Study and exam times, practices, games, days away – they have to all fit in a tight schedule. Self-discipline and perseverance is what helps me continue my journey. Since expectations are high for both soccer and studies, it takes commitment and dedication, and it’s all driven by self-discipline and passion.

U of T program brings together future physicians and cancer patients

noreen.rasbach — Wed, 08 Aug 2018 15:54:40 +0000

U of T program brings together future physicians and cancer patients

noreen.rasbach Wed, 08/08/2018 - 11:54

Cutline

Patient teachers Demetra Turnbull and Jennifer Schultz, with Jory Simpson, an assistant professor in U of T's department of surgery (photo by Marcello Silles)

Jim Oldfield

Topic

City & Culture

Faculty of Medicine