Department of Biological Sciences

U of T Scarborough

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Rudy Boonstra (photo by Ken Jones)

Rudy Boonstra, professor emeritus in the department of biological sciences at the �ؿ�ζSM Scarborough, has been awarded the 2024 Fry Medal by the Canadian Society of Zoologists.

The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to knowledge and understanding of an area in zoology. It was established in 1974 in honour of aquatic ecologist and former U of T professor Frederick E.J. Fry.

Boonstra’s research examines factors that affect animal populations and how animals cope with stressors such as social interactions, predation, lack of food and a changing climate – and has included a special focus on the effects of maternal stress on offspring. His work has spanned the Canadian boreal forest, prairies, mountains and the Yukon and Arctic regions.

“Being awarded the Fry Medal is a great honour,” says Boonstra, who recently retired after 40 years at U of T Scarborough but remains active in his research.

Long-time colleague Stephen Reid, an associate professor in the department of biological sciences, hailed Boonstra for his relentless advocacy for climate change mitigation and prevention strategies. “Rudy was sounding the alarm at a time when many of us were really just coming to understand that climate change was real and that its effects would be planet-altering and devastating to humans and other animals,” says Reid.

Read the U of T Scarborough story

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Cosima Porteus receives President’s Medal from Society for Experimental Biology

siddiq22 — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 21:15:50 +0000

Cosima Porteus receives President’s Medal from Society for Experimental Biology

Research & Innovation

siddiq22 Mon, 01/23/2023 - 16:15

President’s Medal from the Society of Experimental Biology

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Cosima Porteus, assistant professor in U of T Scarborough's department of biological sciences (supplied photo)

Cosima Porteus, assistant professor in U of T Scarborough’s department of biological sciences, has received the 2023 President’s Medal from the Society of Experimental Biology (SEB).

The SEB President’s Medals are awarded annually to early-career scientists in recognition of outstanding merit in one of three biology sections – animal, cell and plant. Porteus received her award for the animal biology section.

“I am deeply honoured to be acknowledged in this way, especially as I hold previous winners of this medal in such high regard,” says Porteus, who completed her post-doctoral research at the University of Exeter in the U.K. “The SEB became a scientific home-away-from-home as it welcomed me during my time in the U.K. as a post-doc and helped me develop many scientific connections.”

Porteus’s lab at U of T Scarborough studies the effects of human-caused pollution and environmental change on aquatic animals. Her research group recently discovered that ocean acidification negatively affects Dungeness crabs in similar ways as other fish. The findings have implications for global food security, marine conservation and commercial fisheries. Her post-doctoral research also looked at how ocean acidification affects the sense of smell in European sea bass.

“We found that ocean acidification has a direct effect on the olfactory system of marine fish by reducing their sensitivity to various odorants,” she says. “These responses were consistent with changes I observed in the behaviour of these fish. It was a tremendous amount of work and my most significant contribution to this field to date.”

U of T Scarborough

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Five U of T faculty members join Royal Society’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists

lanthierj — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 15:18:25 +0000

Five U of T faculty members join Royal Society’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists

Research & Innovation

lanthierj Tue, 09/08/2020 - 11:18

St. George

Faculty of Arts & Science

Royal Society of Canada

U of T Scarborough

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Medicine

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Department of Political Science

Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Department of Physical Therapy

Women in STEM

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College of New Scholars members from left: Marc Cadotte, Aimy Bazylak, Diana Fu, Chelsea Rochman and Kelly O'Brien

Five faculty members at the �ؿ�ζSM – experts in a wide range of disciplines, from ecology to engineering – have been appointed to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

“This is an important recognition of researchers who are leaders in their fields, whose dedication and talent are transforming a wide range of disciplines,” says University Professor Ted Sargent, U of T’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“The �ؿ�ζSM congratulates them on their admission to the college and we look forward to seeing their research continue to make an impact in Canada and beyond.”

The new college members are:

Aimy Bazylak of the department of mechanical and industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Marc Cadotte of the department of biological sciences at U of T Scarborough
Diana Fu of the department of political science at U of T Scarborough
Kelly O’Brien of the department of physical therapy in the Faculty of Medicine
Chelsea Rochman of the department of ecology and evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts & Science

Established in 2014, the college honours excellence and seeks to recognize and foster academic leadership and collaboration among those who have received their PhDs within the last 15 years.

“I really enjoy being able to teach people of all ages about the natural world,” says Marc Cadotte, who runs pollinator gardens and monarch butterfly programs with local elementary schools in addition to his teaching and research at U of T. “Most of my education and my funding has been supported by the public, so I feel a responsibility to pass on to others what I’ve learned as a way of giving back.”

The incoming class of college members will be granted a seven-year membership. They will be inducted at the 2020 Celebration of Excellence hosted by U of T on Nov. 27.

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President's Teaching Award recognizes three exceptional faculty members

lanthierj — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 23:01:05 +0000

President's Teaching Award recognizes three exceptional faculty members

Teaching

lanthierj Thu, 06/04/2020 - 19:01

St. George

President's Teaching Award

Faculty of Arts & Science

Department of English

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

U of T Scarborough