Althea Blackburn-Evans / en 重口味SM first in Canada, fourth in world in latest rankings /news/university-toronto-first-canada-fourth-world-latest-rankings <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">重口味SM first in Canada, fourth in world in latest rankings </span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-10-14T07:19:47-04:00" title="Tuesday, October 14, 2014 - 07:19" class="datetime">Tue, 10/14/2014 - 07:19</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Diana Tyszko)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rankings" hreflang="en">Rankings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> The 重口味SM jumped to fourth place in the world 鈥 and first in Canada 鈥 in the latest international rankings on scientific performance.</p> <p> The rankings, released October 9 by the <a href="http://nturanking.lis.ntu.edu.tw/">National Taiwan University (NTU)</a>, are based on indicators representing three different criteria of scientific performance: research productivity, research impact and research excellence.</p> <p> The 重口味SM and University of Oxford were the only non-American institutions to place in the top 10 (with Oxford tied for eighth spot with University of California 鈥 Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). It鈥檚 the first time U of T has placed in the top five; last year鈥檚 NTU rankings placed U of T eighth in the world.</p> <p> The University also took top spot in Canada in five of the six fields:&nbsp;clinical medicine, engineering, life sciences, natural sciences and social sciences.</p> <p> 鈥淭his is an extraordinary achievement on the part of our faculty, staff and students,鈥 said Professor <strong>Meric Gertler</strong>, president of the 重口味SM. 鈥淩anking fourth in the world on the strength of our research excellence is an impressive accomplishment. But on top of this, we are the world鈥檚 top ranked public university, with 83,000 students on our three campuses, and with a strong commitment to student financial aid. We are arguably the world鈥檚 most accessible research powerhouse.鈥</p> <p> Since 2007, U of T has consistently ranked between fourth and 14th in the world and first in Canada in the NTU rankings. Two other Canadian universities ranked among NTU鈥檚 top 50 this year: UBC (27th) and McGill (33rd).</p> <p> 鈥淎ll rankings must be understood in their methodological context,<span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">鈥</span> President Gertler emphasized. 鈥淏ut the 重口味SM鈥檚 consistency across major rankings tells a compelling story.鈥</p> <p> This is the fourth consecutive major global rankings survey in 2014 to name U of T first in Canada and among the world鈥檚 best. Earlier this fall U of T <a href="http://news.utoronto.ca/u-t-ranks-highest-canada-20th-globally-times-higher-education">ranked 20th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings</a>, <a href="http://www.news.utoronto.ca/u-t-named-best-canada-top-20-world-qs-world-rankings">20th in the QS World Rankings</a> and, in August, was <a href="http://news.utoronto.ca/university-toronto-ranked-first-canada-24th-world">the highest-ranked Canadian university </a>in the Shanghai Jiao Tong鈥檚 Academic Ranking of World Universities.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-10-14-rankings.jpg</div> </div> Tue, 14 Oct 2014 11:19:47 +0000 sgupta 6566 at Fostering a public passion for STEM /news/fostering-public-passion-stem <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Fostering a public passion for STEM</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-09-18T06:16:49-04:00" title="Thursday, September 18, 2014 - 06:16" class="datetime">Thu, 09/18/2014 - 06:16</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/liz-do" hreflang="en">Liz Do</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans-files-liz-do" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans with files from Liz Do</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans with files from Liz Do</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/science-engagement" hreflang="en">Science Engagement</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/science" hreflang="en">Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/community" hreflang="en">Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item"> Molly Shoichet to lead U of T鈥檚 science and engineering engagement activities</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> <strong>Molly Shoichet</strong>,&nbsp;the world-renowned expert in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, is&nbsp;the 重口味SM President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong>鈥檚 new senior advisor on science and engineering engagement.&nbsp;</p> <p> Shoichet, who says she has been fascinated by science since she was six years old, hopes to motivate the next generation to pursue science, technology, engineering and math.&nbsp;</p> <p> 鈥淚t is the 鈥榞eeks鈥 who change the world,鈥 said Shoichet, about the message she wants to tell young people. 鈥淓mbrace the geek in you, make a difference, and tell people about it.鈥</p> <p> In her new role, Shoichet will be collaborating with U of T colleagues to communicate the excitement of their discoveries with the public. U of T鈥檚 science engagement initiatives include building partnerships for delivering science outreach programs; highlighting ongoing U of T lectures and public events; and coordinating a wide range of professional development and leadership opportunities, including an annual Science Leadership program for faculty members offered in April 2015, and a science journalism course for graduate students taught by Globe and Mail science writer Ivan Semeniuk. &nbsp;</p> <p> 鈥淭he goal is to bring people who are curious and engaged in the community into our world, and raise their awareness of the fantastic work being done at the 重口味SM 鈥 and across Canada,鈥 said Shoichet.</p> <p> Through her new role, Shoichet will support the upcoming Science Literacy Week at U of T, which takes place September 22-28. Spearheaded by alumnus <strong>Jesse Hildebrand</strong> and U of T Libraries 鈥 and in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library and York University 鈥 Science Literacy Week is a city-wide event that offers public access to documentary screenings, book displays and lectures, among other offerings, to showcase the field of science in its many forms.&nbsp;</p> <p> 鈥淪cience Literacy Week is a wonderful way to engage the Toronto public and U of T community in the wonders of science,鈥 said Shoichet.&nbsp;</p> <p> For more details on Science Literacy Week, visit: <a href="http://guides.library.utoronto.ca/scienceliteracy">http://guides.library.utoronto.ca/scienceliteracy</a>.</p> <p> Internationally regarded for her lab鈥檚 ground-breaking research, Shoichet is a member of the Order of Ontario and holds the distinction as the only person to be a Fellow of Canada鈥檚 three national academies: the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.&nbsp;</p> <p> A University Professor 鈥 <a href="http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards/uprofessors.htm">U of T鈥檚 most distinguished rank</a> 鈥 Shoichet holds a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Tissue Engineering and is a professor of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, chemistry and biomaterials and biomedical engineering. Her work focuses on polymers for drug delivery and regeneration 鈥 materials that promote healing in the body.&nbsp;</p> <p> Shoichet currently leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers working on a range of projects, from approaches to brain and spinal cord regeneration to new drug delivery methods for treating cancer. She has published more than&nbsp;400 papers, patents and abstracts and founded two spin-off companies from her research. &nbsp;</p> <p> 鈥淚 am delighted and grateful that Professor Shoichet has taken on this new responsibility,鈥 said President Gertler. 鈥淪he brings to the position immense talent and accomplishment, not only as a world-renowned scientist and innovator, but also as a teacher, mentor, and communicator. She is also a leading public-policy advisor on science, technology, and innovation.&nbsp;</p> <p> "Science literacy is one of the core competencies we need, to advance our shared prosperity and to help build a happier, better world. Molly Shoichet is a powerful advocate of this crucial cause.鈥</p> <p> For more information about U of T鈥檚 science engagement initiatives, visit: <a href="http://www.scienceengagement.utoronto.ca">www.scienceengagement.utoronto.ca</a></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-09-18-shoichet.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 18 Sep 2014 10:16:49 +0000 sgupta 6497 at International Lego robot competition at U of T /news/international-lego-robot-competition-u-t <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">International Lego robot competition at U of T</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2014-06-11T06:54:13-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 11, 2014 - 06:54" class="datetime">Wed, 06/11/2014 - 06:54</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photos by Jim Ellis)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/robotics" hreflang="en">Robotics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/international" hreflang="en">International</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/community" hreflang="en">Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">More than 500 competitors from around the world</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Sarah Casson</strong> wasn鈥檛 yet in middle school when she discovered a love of robots. Her interest was sparked in 2010 when her mother and other parents in Long Island, New York started up a Saturday morning robotics class at the 10-year-old鈥檚 public school.</p> <p>Four years and a regional FIRST Lego League (FLL) prize later, Casson and her team traveled to the 重口味SM to test their skills and ingenuity at Canada鈥檚 first-ever FLL International Open from June 4 to 7.</p> <p>The competition 鈥 hosted by U of T and FIRST Robotics Canada 鈥 brought together 1,200 competitors, coaches and family members from around the world. It was the exciting finale of FLL鈥檚 2013-14 season, themed Nature鈥檚 Fury, with 72 teams of participants ranging in age from 9 to 16 working to master natural disasters with their Lego robots.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2014-06-11-lego-two.jpg" style="width: 375px; height: 250px; margin: 10px; float: right;">Participants from as far away as India, Singapore and Brazil were tasked with three challenges. First, they shared innovative research projects for predicting, preventing or protecting people from disastrous storms, quakes and tidal waves. Then competitors tested their robots' mettle as they completed missions, such as crossing a flooded waterway to deliver emergency supplies. The third component, called 鈥渃ore values鈥, had participants completing a teamwork challenge in just five minutes, testing their ability to work collaboratively on the fly.</p> <p>FIRST, which stands for 鈥渋nspiration and recognition of science and technology鈥, is a non-profit organization that aims to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM: science, technology, engineering and math. That mission made the international open a perfect fit for the 重口味SM.</p> <p>鈥淲e were excited to welcome students from all over the world to engage with the 重口味SM and the city itself, and to expose them to the amazing things our own students are doing,鈥 said <strong>Micah Stickel</strong>, chair of first year in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering.</p> <p>Engineering students from the Faculty鈥檚 outreach office wowed FLL participants with a spin in a solar car and hands-on activities that had them investigating polymers, exploring the power of hydraulics and creating a 鈥渟py鈥 circuit with batteries, wires and switches.</p> <p>The event took place in several locations on campus, with competition at Varsity Arena and in a purpose-built tent on Trinity Field, judging at OISE, and the closing ceremonies, fittingly, at Convocation Hall.</p> <p>鈥<img alt src="/sites/default/files/2014-06-11-lego-workshop.jpg" style="width: 375px; height: 250px; margin: 10px; float: right;">We were absolutely delighted to welcome these brilliant, budding engineers from around the world to the 重口味SM 鈥 and we would be very happy to welcome them back in the near future, as U of T students!鈥 said President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong>. 鈥淓ver since we were selected to host the FLL International Open, the university has invested considerable time and resources to help ensure the event was a big success, and it鈥檚 been wonderful to hear so many stories bearing that out. Congratulations to all the winners, participants and organizers!鈥</p> <p>Dave Ellis, director of FIRST LEGO League in Ontario and one of the key organizers of the event, said the multiculturalism in Toronto and at U of T made venue selection easy.</p> <p>鈥淭oronto was the clear winner for this first-in-Canada international event.&nbsp; And capping it off at Convocation Hall, where thousands of U of T graduates marked the culmination of their experience here, was so fitting. The energy in the room was amazing; everyone came together to cheer on the winners and celebrate their successes.鈥</p> <p>Casson鈥檚 team took second place in the research project category.&nbsp; While she didn鈥檛 take home the top prize, she stands to be part of a future wave of engineering undergrads passionate about making an impact. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really know much about robotics until I got involved with the Lego team. It鈥檚 really cool.鈥</p> <p>Stickel said while he expected to see some impressive robots at the event, he was astounded by the creativity and collaboration of the competitors.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭hat they came together to solve the same problem in such different ways was really incredible. These young people took their knowledge of math and science and worked as a team to find some outstanding solutions to the challenge they were given. They are exactly the kind of people we need in engineering.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/2014-06-11-lego-one.jpg</div> </div> Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:54:13 +0000 sgupta 6262 at The importance of the walk to school: experts /news/importance-walk-school-experts <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">The importance of the walk to school: experts</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2012-12-10T05:36:51-05:00" title="Monday, December 10, 2012 - 05:36" class="datetime">Mon, 12/10/2012 - 05:36</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Children who live within two kilometres of school are still likely to walk, says Professor Guy Faulkner (Thinkstock photo) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/walking" hreflang="en">Walking</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utm" hreflang="en">UTM</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/kinesiology" hreflang="en">Kinesiology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>鈥淲alking to school is not dead,鈥 proclaimed Professor <strong>Guy Faulkner</strong>, as he led a multidisciplinary panel of experts through a public symposium, What Happened to Walking? Encouraging Active School Travel in Toronto.</p> <p>While Toronto has seen about a 10 per cent decline in the past 20 years, kids who live within one or two kilometres of school are still quite likely to walk, Faulkner told the audience at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.</p> <p>But sprawling city neighbourhoods and perceptions of safety are among the factors that make the trip by foot more difficult, he said.</p> <p>Faulkner (pictured below left) and colleagues <strong>Ron Buliung </strong>and <strong>Caroline Fusco</strong>, who presented highlights of their multi-year study on active school travel, were joined by chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat and Toronto Star architecture critic and urban affairs columnist Christopher Hume for a discussion about walking to school and how to create an environment more conducive to active travel.</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/Faulkner-walking_12_12_10.jpg" style="margin: 3px; width: 400px; float: left; height: 267px">Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Heart &amp; Stroke Foundation of Canada, the study comes at a time when children are heavier, weaker and less physically-active than they were just five years ago. And results show girls make the trip by foot less often than boys.</p> <p>Buliung, a professor of geography at 重口味SM Mississauga, shared adults鈥 and children鈥檚 perspective on safety, which uncovered gender differences and disparities&nbsp;between kids' and parents' fears.</p> <p>In terms of personal safety, strangers are the biggest fear for parents while their kids seem more concerned about bullies and dogs. But girls consider strangers a threat far more than boys do. And when it comes to traffic safety, both parents and children agree that street crossings are the biggest worry, while parents also factor in cars around the school and the maturity level of their kids.</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/walking-home-fusco_12_12_07.jpg" style="margin: 3px; width: 400px; float: right; height: 267px">Professor&nbsp;Fusco (pictured right)&nbsp;shared the stories of the children themselves, who in addition to being interviewed were asked to take photos of their commute to school. These 鈥減hoto-voice interviews鈥 highlighted the pros and cons of walking to school, but the most compelling stories were the ones kids told about the benefits beyond physical activity.&nbsp;</p> <p>One 10-year-old child marvelled at the opportunity to enjoy some small wonders along the way:</p> <p>鈥淭here鈥檚 this pathway I go by, and it鈥檚 actually in this puny, puny forest. So it has big tall trees around it. Yeah, it鈥檚 just spectacular.鈥</p> <p>Just months into her role at Toronto鈥檚 new chief planner,&nbsp;Keesmaat admitted that in recent years 鈥渨e鈥檝e designed children out of public space鈥 and says we need to make walking a fundamental part of transportation planning. A passionate advocate for 鈥渨alking habitats,鈥 Keesmaat identified some great examples in downtown Toronto 鈥 where sidewalks include treed boulevards, street-side caf茅 culture abounds, and cyclists and transit vehicles share a safe transportation infrastructure. All of these things make walking safer and more enjoyable.&nbsp;</p> <p>Keesmaat said that under her leadership this model is becoming the gold standard for infrastructure renewal and new neighbourhood planning, adding: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pursuing this pretty aggressively in the city.鈥</p> <p>Hume made an impassioned case for the importance of walking in Toronto, insisting that, 鈥淲alking is a reflection of how we feel about the environment in which we live.鈥 He marvelled at the need to make a case for the importance of what he called 鈥渢he most basic human activity鈥 and didn鈥檛 pull any punches when it came to Mayor Ford and his infamous statement that, 鈥淭he war on the car is over.鈥</p> <p>Before leading the question-and-answer period, Hume summed up the car travel conundrum: 鈥淲e live according to the need for convenience. But convenience isn鈥檛 really that convenient; we can鈥檛 afford it anymore.鈥</p> <p>Attended by more than 200 people, the symposium was the fourth in a series of free lectures hosted by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education to share its diverse areas of research with the broader public. To learn more about the research presented at this symposium, visit the <a href="http://physical.utoronto.ca/Beat.aspx">BEAT Project website</a>.</p> <p>At this time of year, with the snow threatening to fly, the researchers stressed their results also showed that winter does not present a problem for walking to school.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭here鈥檚 no such thing as bad weather,鈥&nbsp;said Faulkner. 鈥淛ust bad clothing choices.鈥<br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/running_school_12_12_10.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:36:51 +0000 sgupta 4905 at Taking the marathon to the classroom /news/taking-marathon-classroom <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Taking the marathon to the classroom</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2012-02-23T09:27:10-05:00" title="Thursday, February 23, 2012 - 09:27" class="datetime">Thu, 02/23/2012 - 09:27</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">U of T physiologist Greg Wells (right) has teamed up with ultra-marathoner Ray Zahab to offer students a real-time lesson in the physiological effects of performance. (Physical Education photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/teaching" hreflang="en">Teaching</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/physical-education" hreflang="en">Physical Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/health" hreflang="en">Health</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Teaming up to teach through experience </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Few people will ever run a marathon in their lives, let alone twice a day, every day, for nearly a month. Using this experience as a teaching tool is uncommon, too. But ultra-marathoner Ray Zahab and <strong>重口味SM </strong>professor <strong>Greg Wells </strong>have teamed up to bring Zahab鈥檚 experiences directly into the classroom.<br> <br> Zahab, the visionary founder of Impossible2Possible, challenged himself to run two marathons daily -- in extreme conditions no less.&nbsp; Zahab鈥檚 journey involves a three-week, 1,700-kilometre trek across South America that will see him run the distance between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, crossing the Andes Mountains in the process. Wells, a physiologist, is using Zahab鈥檚 expeditions 鈥 of which there have now been three in the past year 鈥 to stretch the boundaries of his own research and teaching by tapping into the evolving world of experiential learning.<br> &nbsp;<br> 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e still figuring out how to do experiential learning,鈥 said Wells, who will perform a variety of physiological tests on Zahab and fellow athletes during the Andes portion of the trek and film&nbsp; it all for U of T鈥檚 fourth-year environmental physiology students to see back home.&nbsp; The goal is to give students a real-time window into the physical demands that altitude places on extreme athletes, and the 7,000-metre summit 鈥 the largest peak in the Americas 鈥 is the ideal teaching environment.&nbsp; While the original goal was to stream Wells鈥 research live to the classroom, the overlapping Reading Week break required a change in plans.<br> <br> 鈥淲e are going to record videos relevant to the material we鈥檙e covering in class, upload them to the web, email the students the video links, and then send them real-time data from the athlete testing,鈥 said Wells. 鈥淭he students will be able to see what we鈥檙e doing as we do it.鈥&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Instead of delivering a standard lecture when he returns to the classroom, Wells plans to facilitate a more collaborative discussion about what took place and what the students learned from what they witnessed.&nbsp; That discussion will include a question-and-answer period with Zahab, who will still be in South America completing the run, plus a video chat with Calgary-based Jim Elzinga, one of North America鈥檚 leading high-altitude climbers and the only Canadian to have led a successful expedition that established a new route from Tibet to the summit of Mount Everest.<br> &nbsp;<br> Wells hopes that this approach to teaching will make the students more engaged in and excited about the material.<br> <br> &nbsp;鈥淚 really want to try to rethink the way we teach,鈥 he said.&nbsp; 鈥淜ids want information on their iPods, on their iPhones; they want to be able to access information anywhere, anytime.&nbsp; They learn in short bursts via many different technologies.&nbsp; They want to listen to it, watch it, read about it, tweet about it.&nbsp; They want to engage with it.鈥<br> &nbsp;<br> But the most critical goal for Wells is merging research and teaching.&nbsp;<br> <br> 鈥淲e鈥檝e established a new research program around ultra-endurance physiology and extreme human physiology,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he potential for collecting data around how the human body responds to extreme training and extreme environments is tremendous 鈥 not much data is available in that area right now.鈥<br> <br> The biggest challenge is building a mobile laboratory that can collect research-quality data and broadcast it from anywhere in the world. 鈥淚 am trying to fit my entire lab into my backpack!鈥<br> &nbsp;<br> To learn more about Professor Wells and his work, follow him on <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/drgregwells">Twitter</a> or visit his <a href="http://www.drgregwells.com/">personal</a> or <a href="http://www.physical.utoronto.ca/Human_Physiology_Research_Unit.aspx">faculty</a> website.<br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/Greg-Wells_12_2_23.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:27:10 +0000 sgupta 3696 at U of T breaks ground for high-performance sport centre /news/u-t-breaks-ground-high-performance-sport-centre <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T breaks ground for high-performance sport centre</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2012-02-02T05:04:21-05:00" title="Thursday, February 2, 2012 - 05:04" class="datetime">Thu, 02/02/2012 - 05:04</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The groundbreaking ceremony for the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport took place Jan. 31. (Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/student-life" hreflang="en">Student Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/physical-education" hreflang="en">Physical Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Goldring Centre will house research labs, competition venues, fitness centre</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Nearly 300 guests turned out at the Varsity Centre dome on Jan. 31 to celebrate the latest milestone for the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education and the <strong>重口味SM</strong>: the groundbreaking ceremony for the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.</p> <p>鈥淭his centre represents a new paradigm for Toronto and Ontario 鈥 a true 鈥榮ports institute,鈥 where researchers, graduate students and sport medicine experts will connect with athletes, coaches and sport organizations to create a rich environment for studying, teaching, fostering and engaging in sport at the highest levels,鈥 said <strong>Dean Ira Jacobs</strong>.<br> <br> The state-of-the-art facility will house international-level basketball and volleyball courts, a relocated and expanded David L. MacIntosh Sport Medicine Clinic, a range of sport and exercise research labs, and a strength and fitness centre accessible to all U of T students.&nbsp; It will also create a place where U of T鈥檚 growing list of key partners 鈥 including the Canadian Sport Centre Ontario, Swim Canada and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport 鈥 can converge in support of the region鈥檚 top athletes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> 鈥淭he Goldring Centre will build upon a proud tradition at the 重口味SM 鈥 a culture of fostering and nurturing innovation, and of creating and sharing knowledge,鈥 said President <strong>David Naylor</strong>.&nbsp; 鈥淭he result, as always, will be dramatic breakthroughs in many disciplines, a pool of remarkably talented graduates, a growing number of new products and services...and, not least, we hope, many proud spots for Canadian athletes on podiums around the world.鈥<br> <br> The Goldring family, the lead donor for the centre, was well-represented at the event.&nbsp; <strong>Blake and Judy Goldring </strong>were joined by their mother <strong>Barbara Goldring </strong>鈥 wife of the late <strong>Warren Goldring</strong>, who championed the plan to support the project 鈥 as well as Blake's wife <strong>Belinda Goldring</strong>, sister <strong>Jane McCabe</strong>, her husband <strong>Paul</strong> and their daughter <strong>Caitlin McCabe</strong>, and brother<strong> Bryce Goldring </strong>and daughter <strong>Sabrina</strong>. <strong>Tori, Lindsay </strong>and <strong>Cailey Stollery </strong>came to honour their late father, <strong>Gord Stollery</strong>, a passionate advocate of athletics, chair of the Golding Centre campaign, and one of the centre鈥檚 key donors.&nbsp; <strong>Ron Kimel</strong>, whose generous gift will result in the Kimel Family Field House within the complex, was out of the country.&nbsp; The Honourable Michael Chan, minister of tourism, culture and sport, represented the Province of Ontario, which last year contributed $22.5 million to the Goldring Centre.</p> <p>A feather in the cap of the $98 million Varsity Centre complex, the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport is slated for completion in January 2015.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/lead-12-02-02.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:04:21 +0000 sgupta 3594 at Tracking athletes with a GPS /news/tracking-athletes-gps <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Tracking athletes with a GPS</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2011-11-01T04:45:27-04:00" title="Tuesday, November 1, 2011 - 04:45" class="datetime">Tue, 11/01/2011 - 04:45</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Varsity Blues field hockey players test a GPS unit during practice. (Varsity Blues photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/student-life" hreflang="en">Student Life</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/varsity-blues" hreflang="en">Varsity Blues</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/physical-education" hreflang="en">Physical Education</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Researcher studies movements of U of T field hockey players to improve training regimes</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Opponents know that <strong>Kaelen Watson</strong>, U of T鈥檚 most recent female athlete of the year, is a force to be reckoned with on the field hockey turf.&nbsp; What few would know is that Watson and her 2010 CIS championship-winning team are playing with an unprecedented, hidden edge: a tiny GPS tracking system tucked between their shoulder blades that鈥檚 tracking their game to enhance the team鈥檚 training strategy.</p> <p>Jason Vescovi, a former post-doctoral fellow in the Faculty of Phyiscal Education and Health&nbsp;and one-time research associate with Dean<strong> Ira Jacobs</strong>, recently chose the <strong>重口味SM&nbsp;</strong>team to broaden his research using GPS technology.&nbsp; Currently an applied sport scientist at the Canadian Sport Centre Ontario (CSCO) and the physiologist for the women鈥檚 national field hockey team, Vescovi is one of the only experts in North America to use a GPS system for studying female athletes.</p> <p><strong>Monitoring Demands of the Game</strong></p> <p>Much like the systems in many cars today, Vescovi鈥檚 GPS units track where athletes go, how far they travel and at what speed. 鈥淛ust as endurance athletes train in certain heart rate zones, we鈥檙e able to track distances covered in different speed zones,鈥 said Vescovi.&nbsp; 鈥淪o instead of monitoring heart rate ranges, we鈥檙e looking at speed zones from zero to six kilometres an hour, being walking, all the way up to above 18 kilometres an hour, which is considered sprinting, and then everywhere in between.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>The technology sheds new light on the demands of the game, giving Vescovi more detailed information to make targeted recommendations for training and developing players from one level to the next.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚f one of these players is identified as a contender for the national team, I would be able to use this information to determine whether she鈥檇 be able to handle the demands in a game, or if not, what we need to do to get her physiologically prepared to play at the next level.鈥</p> <p><strong>Tool to Improve Player Preparedness</strong></p> <p>The U of T study is part of Vescovi鈥檚 continuing work as a research associate at York University, but it鈥檚 also an extension of his work with Field Hockey Canada.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淥ne of the assistant coaches on the women鈥檚 national team is [Blues head coach] <strong>John DeSouza</strong>,鈥 said Vescovi.&nbsp; 鈥淚 told John that we need to get a broader perspective of what the demands are at every level so [we need to look at the university level].&nbsp; John was so open and willing; he understands the benefits of this and saw it with the national team, so he welcomed the idea with open arms.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>The unit fits into the pocket of a vest and sits between the shoulder blades.&nbsp; It is specifically designed for team sports, when an armband or wristband would interfere with play.&nbsp; The Blues field hockey players have worn the systems in both practices and competition this season.</p> <p>Vescovi acquired the GPS system with funds from two grants: a young investigator award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association in the United States, and funding from the Research Program in Applied Sport Sciences 鈥 a joint program through the Ministry of Health Promotion, U of T and CSCO.&nbsp; His system debuted in both Canada and United States, with the single largest study dedicated to women鈥檚 soccer using GPS technology.&nbsp; Vescovi continues to explore all levels of the sport, including youth, college, pro and elite women soccer players on both sides of the border.</p> <p><strong>Differences Between Sports Come to Light</strong></p> <p>Vescovi originally assumed he would find a lot of similarities between field hockey and soccer in terms of the demands of the game, but he quickly discovered he was wrong.&nbsp; 鈥淔ield hockey players are typically covering less total distance but at a surprisingly higher intensity.&nbsp; The relative proportion of high intensity work they鈥檙e doing is 10 percentage points higher.&nbsp; They鈥檙e covering more ground, more quickly:&nbsp; shorter and harder, so to speak.鈥</p> <p>The differences between the two sports also extend to peak speeds, where soccer wins out.&nbsp; 鈥淚n field hockey, we see the average player achieve about 20 to 22 km per hour, whereas in soccer we鈥檙e at 24 to 27; I鈥檝e even tracked some players at 29-30 km an hour in a game.&nbsp; The demands of the game are different, and we鈥檙e able to quantify what those precise differences are with this system.鈥 Vescovi says this makes a big difference for training field hockey players versus soccer players.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The Blues are the first intercollegiate field hockey team to be studied in this way.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淔rom a scientific perspective, there鈥檚 not much literature out there on field hockey in general, let alone women鈥檚 field hockey, let alone women鈥檚 field hockey at the intercollegiate level,鈥 said Vescovi.&nbsp; 鈥淭he knowledge and information we鈥檙e getting is brand new.鈥<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/Playertest_GPSunit_11_10_27.jpg</div> </div> Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:45:27 +0000 sgupta 3164 at Gender imbalance lingers in varsity sport /news/gender-imbalance-lingers-varsity-sport <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Gender imbalance lingers in varsity sport</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2011-10-27T07:11:03-04:00" title="Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 07:11" class="datetime">Thu, 10/27/2011 - 07:11</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Women in varsity sports are shortchanged in terms of funding and coaching opportunities. (Varsity Blues photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/althea-blackburn-evans" hreflang="en">Althea Blackburn-Evans</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Althea Blackburn-Evans</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/varsity-blues" hreflang="en">Varsity Blues</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/physical-education" hreflang="en">Physical Education</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">U of T experts call for stronger policies, more opportunities for women</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Researchers at the<strong> 重口味SM </strong>have found that the country has a long way to go in providing equal opportunities for female student-athletes and leaders.</p> <p>The researchers at U of T鈥檚 Centre for Sport Policy Studies conducted the most comprehensive analysis to date of gender equity in Canada鈥檚 interuniversity sport system, culminating in a report entitled Gender Equity in Canadian Sport. The report, which will become a biannual check-up, calls for national and regional interuniversity sport bodies to establish stronger equity policies and take the lead in improving opportunities for female athletes and coaches.</p> <p>Athlete participation data were analyzed based not only on the number of opportunities across all Canadian universities, but on the gender split in the student body.&nbsp; While men make up only 44 per cent of the university student body, they have 56 per cent of the varsity sport opportunities.&nbsp; The exact opposite is true for women, who make up 56 per cent of students and enjoy 44 per cent of the spots on varsity teams.</p> <p>The numbers get far worse at the top, where women make up only 19 per cent of head coaches and only 17 per cent of athletic directors.</p> <p>鈥淐ertainly there have been great strides in the last 30 years in terms of female participation in interuniversity sport, but there is still some distance to go in terms of interuniversity sport鈥檚 own aspirations for equity,鈥 said Professor <strong>Peter Donnelly</strong>, director of the centre and one of the lead authors of the report.&nbsp;</p> <p>Co-investigator Professor<strong> Bruce Kidd</strong>, a long-time international advocate for equity in sport, agreed. 鈥淕ender equity has hit a plateau and is stuck in a position that is still inadequate.&nbsp; Women deserve opportunities proportionate to their participation in university 鈥 and they also need to be better mentored and prepared to take on leadership roles down the road.鈥</p> <p>The study鈥檚 authors are tasking Canadian Interuniversity Sport and its four regional counterparts with three challenges:</p> <p>鈥&nbsp;to revamp their gender equity policies based on these results;<br> 鈥&nbsp;to create an immediate 50 per cent target towards proportional female participation; and<br> 鈥&nbsp;to develop a plan for improving leadership opportunities for women in coaching and senior administration.</p> <p>The full<a href="http://www.physical.utoronto.ca/Libraries/CSPS_PDFs/CIS_Gender_Equity_Report_2011.sflb.ashx"> report </a>can be found on the Centre for Sport Policy Studies website.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/Gendergap_sport_11_10_27.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:11:03 +0000 sgupta 3130 at