MaRS / en Which 勛圖惇蹋 campus is best for you? A quick look at what makes each one unique /news/which-u-t-campus-best-you-quick-look-what-makes-each-one-unique <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Which 勛圖惇蹋 campus is best for you? A quick look at what makes each one unique</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-05/3-campuses.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=2j2WP-pX 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-05/3-campuses.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ipGaOi8t 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-05/3-campuses.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=XFYR1K3K 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-05/3-campuses.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=2j2WP-pX" alt="Which campus is best for you: 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga (deer), St. George, 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough (Pan Am Centre)"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-08-13T14:16:50-04:00" title="Friday, August 13, 2021 - 14:16" class="datetime">Fri, 08/13/2021 - 14:16</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"><p>勛圖惇蹋's three campuses boast many unique attributes from 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga's natural setting to St. George's historic architecture and 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough's world-class facilities (photos by Nick Iwanyshyn, 勛圖惇蹋 Staff and Ken Jones)</p> </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/yanan-wang" hreflang="en">Yanan Wang</a></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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-campus" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/soldiers-tower-0" hreflang="en">Soldiers' Tower</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-kinesiology-physical-education" hreflang="en">Faculty of Kinesiology &amp; Physical Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/toronto-pan-am-sports-centre" hreflang="en">Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p style="margin-bottom:11px">When students apply to the University of Toronto, it can often be difficult to choose between the three campuses: St. George, 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga and 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough all of which boast the universitys <a href="/news/u-t-first-canada-second-among-north-american-public-universities-latest-qs-world-university">globally-recognized academic excellence</a> and <a href="/news/u-t-grads-among-most-employable-world-times-higher-education">exceptional employment outcomes</a>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Yet, when it comes to factors such as location, program offerings and campus culture even the likelihood of a deer sighting there is much that sets one campus apart from another.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Here is a quick rundown of some of the attributes that make each 勛圖惇蹋 campus unique, and how some students made their decision.</p> <hr> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 11px;">St. George</h3> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b><img alt src="/sites/default/files/st-george-campus_0.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by University of Toronto)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Situated in the heart of downtown Toronto, the St. George campus is steeped in 勛圖惇蹋s nearly 200-year-old-history.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Harry Potter fans will feel right at home amid the Gothic Revival-style architecture, characterized by tall, sloping arches, relief sculptures and steep-gabled roofs of many of the buildings that dot the campus, particularly near Kings College Circle. While theres no magical sorting hat, undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science belong to one of seven colleges, each housing a unique community with its own slate of academic and extracurricular offerings.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Students at St. George can walk along Hoskin Avenue, which features <a href="https://harthouse.ca/">Hart House</a>, a hub of student activity, and Soldiers Tower, a bell and clock tower that pays tribute to university community members who perished in the First World War. <a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-02-23/the-most-beautiful-places-in-canada"><i>Cond矇 Nast Traveler</i></a> <span class="MsoHyperlink" style="text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="text-decoration-line:none">has named the avenue one of the most beautiful places in Canada.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">For <b>Norah Rahman</b>, 勛圖惇蹋s distinct buildings were a fixture in her life long before she decided to enrol a life sciences program this coming fall. Since she was 10 years old, she says she has attended lecture series hosted by local Muslim organizations in 勛圖惇蹋 classrooms.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="text-decoration-line:none">&nbsp;</span></span></p> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-05/UofT85255_0408Stock014-crop.jpg?itok=y4U9hY7O" width="750" height="500" alt="St. george" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">I was actually able to experience the campus as if I were taking classes there, and I loved the environment, Rahman says.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Hailing from North York, Rahman says she was also drawn to the vibrancy of neighbourhoods downtown.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Ever since I was in the ninth or tenth grade and I was allowed to go places by myself, I always gravitated towards going downtown, Rahman says. Theres something about the hustle and bustle and the opportunity to try different things, to eat different things. Im kind of a foodie.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The downtown campus is within walking distance of a wide range of city attractions, including Queens Park, the Royal Ontario Museum and the Art Gallery of Ontario not to mention shopping, restaurants, Kensington Market and professional sports venues. Aspiring thespians can also take advantage of the neighbouring Theatre District.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The St. George campus, not surprisingly, also boasts state-of-the-art research facilities, close connections to local research hospitals, several entrepreneurship hubs and will soon be home to the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, which will be directly across the street from the MaRS Discovery District.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>Isaiah Gardner</b>, who is about to begin his first year as a student in the Faculty of Kinesiology &amp; Physical Education, says he chose St. George because it is the only campus that offers a bachelors of kinesiology degree. While at 勛圖惇蹋, he will also run for the Varsity Blues in track and field.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Gardner says he fell in love with the team during a track meet in 2019, when he ran along the blue track at the Varsity Centre with the CN Tower in the background.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">I wanted to live downtown in the energy and life that radiated from Toronto, he says.</p> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 11px;">勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga</h3> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-05/UofT14871_DSC_8527-crop.jpg?itok=fnHuZias" width="750" height="500" alt="Missauga campus" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by&nbsp;Randy Landicho)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">For nature lovers, 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga is hard to beat.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The bucolic campus is set on 225 acres of protected greenbelt along the Credit River, which is home to a variety of wildlife from the great blue heron to the Jefferson salamander. And, since 2017, <a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/hospitality/utm-bees">tens of thousands of honeybees</a> have lived on the roof of 勛圖惇蹋 Mississaugas Instructional Centre, producing honey for campus kitchens and other initiatives.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Deer are particularly beloved members of the 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga community.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The antics of the deer on campus are closely monitored by students and faculty alike, as evidenced by a <a href="https://twitter.com/utmdeer?lang=en">Twitter account</a> dedicated to the animals. One deer by the name of Hartley Fawn even got its <a href="https://twitter.com/UTM/status/773171276483399685">own ID card</a>.</p> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-05/UofT14828_Baby%20deer%20148-crop.jpg?itok=4vbifHgN" width="750" height="500" alt="Deer" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by University of Toronto Mississauga)&nbsp;</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga has a very relaxed atmosphere because its a bit secluded, says <b>Fatima Azahraa Al Saadie</b>, a recent graduate who was recognized as <a href="/news/connecting-her-community-u-t-grad-fatima-azahraa-al-saadie-finds-academic-success">the top undergraduate student</a> across 勛圖惇蹋s three campuses.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Any time I felt overwhelmed or stressed, Id just go outside, take a deep breath and appreciate the natural environment. Seeing a deer or two on campus is a bonus!&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Al Saadie added that she appreciated the smaller classes at 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga, where the largest max out around 500 students. The relatively small campus helped ease the transition from high school to university, Al Saadi says.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span id="cke_bm_1455S" style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span></p> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-05/UofT19612_UTM-Maanjiwe-nendamowinan-13-crop.jpg?itok=Se0NxeNn" width="750" height="500" alt="Campus" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by&nbsp;Drew Lesiuczok)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Sustainability is a key theme at 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga. Among the campuss landmarks is <a href="/news/maanjiwe-nendamowinan-u-t-mississauga-s-newest-building-honours-past-looks-future">Maanjiwe nendamowinan</a>, a recently built six-storey building that boasts rainwater recycling, green roof space and a name that was chosen in collaboration with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, on whose traditional territory the campus now stands.&nbsp;勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga also has the distinction of being <a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/hospitality/where-find-fair-trade-utm">Canadas first Silver Fair Trade Campus</a>, with fair trade coffees, teas and chocolate bars sold throughout.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The diverse food choices dont stop there: 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga was also the first university campus in Canada to host a certified gluten-free food station.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga is renowned for its forensic science program, which is the oldest in the country. The programs faculty include a forensic anthropologist, a lawyer and a police officer who have worked on some of Canadas most high-profile criminal cases. There is even a <a href="/news/crime-scene-house-introduces-u-t-students-forensic-science-blood-and-bullet-holes">crime scene house</a> where students can perfect techniques for blood splatter analysis and fingerprinting. The campus is also the principal home of 勛圖惇蹋s biomedical communications program&nbsp; the only one of its kind in Canada and one of the largest in North America as well as <strong>Jessica Burgner-Kahrs</strong>s&nbsp;Continuum Robotics Lab, where researchers are building <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/news-events/news-events/breaking-research/babies-prefer-listen-familiar-tune-even-when-its-sung-stranger">slender, snake-like next-generation machines for surgical and other applications</a>.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The campus benefits from its strategic location in the city of Mississauga, which is the home base for more than 60 of Canadas Fortune 500 companies and is a short drive to the Toronto regions main international airport.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Theres <a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/shuttle/services-schedules/utm-st-george-service">even a free shuttle bus</a> that whisks students to and from the St. George campus, although service was temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 11px;">勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough</h3> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-05/UofT816_20070921_UTScarborough_2109-crop.jpg?itok=kkFG0SpX" width="750" height="500" alt="Scarbrough" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by<b>&nbsp;</b>Randy Landicho)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Located in Torontos vibrant east end, 勛圖惇蹋 Scarboroughs Brutalist architecture has the honour of being the backdrop of a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/theweeknd-utsc-1.3968973">The Weeknd music video</a> as <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/archived/filmmakers-find-utsc-perfect-production">well as numerous movies and television shows</a> &nbsp;and <a href="/news/u-t-drizzy-elusive-artist-opens-about-contact-festival-champagnepapi-and-more">a parody Instagram account @UofTDrizzy</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;is followed by Drake himself.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The superstar rapper is also a fan of Scarboroughs culinary offerings. As one of the most multicultural communities in the Greater Toronto Area, the neighbourhoods eclectic food options are in abundance. From halal restaurants to East Asian comfort food to <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/it-means-a-lot-scarborough-patty-shop-owner-on-the-value-of-a-drake-endorsement-1.5017471">stuffed patties recommended by Drake</a>, culinary adventures are always around the corner in Scarborough.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Not to be outdone on the nature front, the 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough campus sits on 300 acres of lush green parkland, with a system of trails showcasing the splendor of the Highland Creek Valley.</p> <div class="align-center"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2023-05/UofT86664_1021UTSCTrail017-crop.jpg?itok=cHGvK9zZ" width="750" height="500" alt="Scarbrough" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">I saw that there was this beautiful trail in the campus, and since Im an outdoor person Ill probably be there every day, says <b>Emeka Okolo</b>, an incoming life sciences student from Oshawa who will be living in residence.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">An avid football player, Okolo is also looking forward to finding a gym buddy. 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough boasts the <a href="https://www.tpasc.ca/">Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre</a>, a sprawling athletics facility that hosted diving, fencing and swimming and other competitions during the 2015 Pan American Games. In 2017, former U.S. President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden joined Prince Harry <a href="/news/obama-biden-prince-harry-invictus-games-u-t-scarborough">at the centre for the Invictus Games</a>, an international sporting event for wounded military servicepeople.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The campus is one that aims to reflect the diversity of the Toronto region in which it operates, as evidenced by its strategic vision: <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/principal/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.principal/files/docs/UTSC%20Strategic%20Plan%202020.pdf">Inspiring Inclusive Excellence</a>. It is also playing an important role in promoting equity, diversity and inclusion well beyond 勛圖惇蹋. To take one recent example: <b>Wisdom Tettey</b>, vice-president and principal of 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough, played a key role in helping to co-ordinate <a href="/news/turning-talk-action-what-s-next-national-dialogues-anti-black-racism-black-inclusion">the National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities</a>, which brought together colleges and universities across the country to address anti-Black racism.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/UofT27356__DSC6421-lpr.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 499px;"></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>(Photo by Ken Jones)</em></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">When it comes to academic programs, 勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough has the distinction of being the universitys co-op campus, with <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/admissions/about-co-op">co-op programs</a> offered in over 80 programs across the arts, science and management disciplines. The curricula combine 勛圖惇蹋s hallmark academic excellence with eight to 12 months of paid full-time work or research experience during your degree giving graduates a precious leg up in the job market.&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">勛圖惇蹋 Scarborough also has plentiful resources for budding entrepreneurs (<a href="https://entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca/entrepreneurship-programs/">as do all three 勛圖惇蹋 campuses</a>). The campuss startup incubator, <a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/thehub/welcome">The Hub</a>, has helped students and recent alumni launch more than 150 businesses. Meanwhile, the next generation of corporate innovators can hone their skills at <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/our-community/new-business-research-and-innovation-centre-train-future-corporate-innovators">The BRIDGE</a>, a business research space complete with an advanced trading lab and state-of-the art boardroom.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">At the height of the pandemic, when few employers were hiring, <b>Melody Bagaa</b>, who graduated in 2020, <a href="/news/i-love-my-work-international-u-t-grad-how-she-landed-job-during-covid-19">told <i>勛圖惇蹋</i> she harnessed the practical experience she gained through 勛圖惇蹋 Scarboroughs co-op program</a> and other employment-focused resources to land a finance job that she loved.</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> Fri, 13 Aug 2021 18:16:50 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 169996 at Biotech company founded by 勛圖惇蹋 researchers secures US$85 million in financing /news/biotech-company-founded-u-t-researchers-secures-us85-million-financing <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Biotech company founded by 勛圖惇蹋 researchers secures US$85 million in financing</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Zuniga-Pflucker_zandstra.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=aK-fzXjA 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Zuniga-Pflucker_zandstra.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=hRwqgw80 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Zuniga-Pflucker_zandstra.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wyqKMG5y 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Zuniga-Pflucker_zandstra.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=aK-fzXjA" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-02-10T14:46:53-05:00" title="Wednesday, February 10, 2021 - 14:46" class="datetime">Wed, 02/10/2021 - 14:46</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">Juan Carlos&nbsp;Z繳簽iga-Pfl羹cker (left), of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Peter Zandstra, who is now at UBC, founded Notch Therapeutics at 勛圖惇蹋 in 2018.</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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></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/institute-biomedical-engineering" hreflang="en">Institute of Biomedical Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cancer" hreflang="en">Cancer</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine-design" hreflang="en">Medicine by Design</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sunnybrook-hospital" hreflang="en">Sunnybrook Hospital</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Notch Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing renewable, stem-cell derived immunotherapies for cancer, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/notch-therapeutics-closes-85-million-series-a-financing-to-develop-pipeline-of-renewable-stem-cell-derived-cancer-immunotherapies-301225645.html">said on Wednesday it had raised US$85 million in venture funding</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Notch was founded in 2018 by two pioneers of cell therapy research, <strong>Juan Carlos&nbsp;Z繳簽iga-Pfl羹cker</strong>, chair of the&nbsp;department of immunology at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine and a senior scientist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and <strong>Peter Zandstra</strong>, who was then at 勛圖惇蹋 and is now a professor at the University of British Columbia, but continues to collaborate with 勛圖惇蹋s Institute for Biomedical Engineering. The company was supported by MaRS Innovation (now Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners) and the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine.</p> <p>The funding will enable Notch&nbsp;to triple its staff and expand to Seattle from its current operations in Toronto and Vancouver, the company said.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Christine Allen</strong>, 勛圖惇蹋s associate vice-president and vice-provost, strategic initiatives, described Notch and Vancouvers AbCellera, which&nbsp;set the record for the biggest initial public offering for a Canadian biotech firm by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-abcellera-closes-record-biotech-ipo-as-underwriters-exercise-option-to/">raising US$555 million in December</a> as recent Canadian success stories.&nbsp;</p> <p>We need to ensure that these companies and the therapeutics they are developing remain in Canada, Allen said. This will only be possible if they are in an ecosystem that provides them with the money and talent they need.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>Notch's proprietary platform mimics the human thymus to generate a large quantity of T cells and other immune cells for therapeutic use. The company is using its platform to develop a pipeline of immune cell therapies, with cancer as its initial target.&nbsp;</p> <p>This is a platform that could spawn many products, Notch president and CEO David Main <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-vancouver-biotech-notch-therapeutics-raises-us85-million-in-venture/">told the <em>Globe and Mail</em></a>. The holy grail for cell therapy is to make it more drug-like ready to go as soon as its prescribed, applicable for anybody, and being able to make it in big enough quantities that you can treat thousands of patients.</p> <p>Over the last decade, 勛圖惇蹋 has been the launching pad for more than 500 research-based startups, generating more than $1.5 billion in investment.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-vancouver-biotech-notch-therapeutics-raises-us85-million-in-venture/">Read more about Notch in the <em>Globe and Mail</em></a></h3> </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> Wed, 10 Feb 2021 19:46:53 +0000 geoff.vendeville 168352 at 勛圖惇蹋 entrepreneurs to discuss 'surviving and thriving' amid COVID-19 at virtual event /news/u-t-entrepreneurs-discuss-surviving-and-thriving-amid-covid-19-virtual-event <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">勛圖惇蹋 entrepreneurs to discuss 'surviving and thriving' amid COVID-19 at virtual event </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-460325034.jpg?h=76977ca8&amp;itok=4lFMtyyT 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-460325034.jpg?h=76977ca8&amp;itok=tYlsSJUK 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-460325034.jpg?h=76977ca8&amp;itok=Z9C31HC_ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/GettyImages-460325034.jpg?h=76977ca8&amp;itok=4lFMtyyT" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-10-05T11:53:00-04:00" title="Monday, October 5, 2020 - 11:53" class="datetime">Mon, 10/05/2020 - 11:53</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">At a virtual event hosted by MaRS, a panel of 勛圖惇蹋 entrepreneurs will share their thoughts on the disruption and innovation spawned by COVID-19 (photo by Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</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/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></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/coronavirus" hreflang="en">Coronavirus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">勛圖惇蹋 Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ted-sargent" hreflang="en">Ted Sargent</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Seray i癟ek </strong>and her colleagues at LSK Technologies, a University of Toronto startup, were about to wrap up studies of a portable diagnostic device that carries out rapid testing for Zika virus when a new threat emerged late last year.</p> <p>We started pivoting towards COVID-19 before it became a big pandemic, says 勛圖惇蹋 alumna Cicek, who is CEO and co-founder of LSK Technologies.</p> <p>In the months that followed, <strong>i癟eks </strong>team worked to tweak their device so it could accurately detect COVID-19 either by measuring viral nucleic acids or antibodies generated by the immune response against the novel coronavirus. The company was spun out of research carried out in the lab of <strong>Keith Pardee</strong>, an assistant professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy.</p> <p><strong>i癟ek </strong>is one of several 勛圖惇蹋 entrepreneurs who will take part in <a href="https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/toronto-discovery-district-townhall-surviving-and-thriving-beyond-2020-tickets-122736886331">a virtual town hall on Monday hosted by the MaRS Discovery District</a>. She will be joined by&nbsp;<strong>Christian Weedbrook</strong>, founder and CEO of quantum computing startup Xanadu,&nbsp;and <strong>Xue Wu</strong>, CEO of precision medicine startup Geneseeq.</p> <p>Titled Surviving and Thriving Beyond 2020, the panel will reflect on how COVID-19 affected their startups and share their thoughts on the disruption and innovation spawned by the pandemic.</p> <p>The event will be hosted by <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a> <strong>Ted Sargent</strong>, 勛圖惇蹋s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, and <strong>Yung Wu</strong>, CEO of MaRS.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Picture%20of%20three%20founders%204%20boundless-crop_2.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>From left to right: Livia Guo, Assistant Professor Keith Pardee&nbsp;and Seray i癟ek of LSK Technologies, which is developing a&nbsp;portable, lab-in-a-box technology to diagnose COVID-19 and other diseases&nbsp;(photo courtesy of LSK Technologies)</em></p> <p>Many of the pandemic-related challenges faced by LSK Technologies involved the logistics of working, according to <strong>i癟ek. </strong><strong>They included </strong>regaining access to the lab, carrying out work in a physically distanced and safe manner, communicating with one another and coping with delays in shipments.</p> <p>But the startup persevered and is now only a few months away from seeing its device deployed for COVID-19 research and testing with research partners in Colombia and Ecuador, as well as in Toronto and Waterloo, Ont.</p> <p>At the town hall event,<strong> i癟ek</strong> says she intends to emphasize that the pandemic brings both challenges and opportunities.</p> <p>Difficult times bring innovation, she says. Were all going through tough times, but it should make us more innovative and change things that are not working, and realize that and focus on solving those problems rather than avoiding them.</p> <p>Going forward, I think well see more innovations that will change how we do things. So, we just need to be more flexible and adaptive to transition to new ways of living and working.</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> Mon, 05 Oct 2020 15:53:00 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 165922 at Medicine by Design draws hundreds to annual research event, praise from federal innovation minister /news/u-t-s-medicine-design-draws-hundreds-annual-research-event-praise-federal-innovation-minister <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Medicine by Design draws hundreds to annual research event, praise from federal innovation minister</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Symposium%202019%20-%20Sefton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=lkbTsIYx 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Symposium%202019%20-%20Sefton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=P4J-g1dd 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Symposium%202019%20-%20Sefton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=H8m1wq9j 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Symposium%202019%20-%20Sefton.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=lkbTsIYx" alt="Michael Sefton speaks with two attendees at the Medicine By Design symposium at the Mars Discovery District"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-12-09T09:51:21-05:00" title="Monday, December 9, 2019 - 09:51" class="datetime">Mon, 12/09/2019 - 09:51</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">Michael Sefton (centre), the executive director of Medicine by Design, says the regenerative medicine initiative wouldn't have been possible without the support of the federal government, which provided a $114-million grant (photo by Neil Ta)</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/ann-perry" hreflang="en">Ann Perry</a></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/centre-commercialization-regenerative-medicine" hreflang="en">Centre for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/chemistry" hreflang="en">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine-0" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institute-biomaterials-and-biomedical-engineering-0" hreflang="en">Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/medicine-design" hreflang="en">Medicine by Design</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mount-sinai-hospital" hreflang="en">Mount Sinai Hospital</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/regenerative-medicine" hreflang="en">Regenerative Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vivek-goel" hreflang="en">Vivek Goel</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Federal innovation, science and industry minister Navdeep Bains congratulated the University of Torontos Medicine by Design community on its successes and affirmed the governments commitment to science as the foundation of innovation at the regenerative medicine initiatives annual research symposium.&nbsp;</p> <p>Your research will have a transformational impact on how we treat many common diseases, such as stroke, diabetes and liver failure, creating better health outcomes for all Canadians, Bains said in a video message to the audience of 350 researchers, students, and industry and government representatives who gathered at the MaRS Discovery District last week.</p> <p>As the minister responsible for science and innovation, I look forward to working with the medical science sector to help Canadians live healthier lives and push the boundaries of innovation.</p> <p>Bains highlighted the federal governments support of Medicine by Design through a $114-million grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, and pointed to the 2018 budget as the biggest reinvestment in fundamental research in Canadian history.</p> <p>The symposium, which marked the mid-point of Medicine by Designs seven-year federal grant, focused on the role of technology in advancing biological insights and driving innovation, and noted&nbsp;<a href="/news/medicine-design-accelerate-regenerative-medicine-discovery-and-translation-new-20-million">the new portfolio of cross-disciplinary, cross-institutional projects the initiative announced in October</a>. Speakers included high-profile international experts in regenerative medicine and cell therapy, including: Nancy Allbritton, a professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington; Joseph Gold, senior director of manufacturing at the Center for Biomedicine &amp; Genetics at City of Hope in California; and Dr. Markus Grompe, a professor at Oregon Health &amp; Science University.</p> <p>Medicine by Design perfectly reflects our belief that it is at the convergence of cross-disciplinary excellence that the next truly game-changing discoveries in research and innovation will take place, said <strong>Vivek Goel</strong>, 勛圖惇蹋s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. And it is a flagship example of the types of strategic, cross-divisional initiatives the University of Toronto will continue to build.</p> <p>In addition to Medicine by Design, examples of such initiatives at 勛圖惇蹋 include PRiME, <a href="/news/u-t-launches-prime-precision-medicine-initiative">a precision medicine initiative</a>, and <a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a>.</p> <p>There are very few universities in the world where these kinds of initiatives can take flight, and 勛圖惇蹋 is one of them, Goel added.</p> <p>Medicine by Design brings together more than 130 principal investigators at 勛圖惇蹋 and its affiliated hospitals who are collaborating at the convergence of life and physical sciences, engineering, medicine and computer science to catalyze transformative discoveries in regenerative medicine and accelerate them toward the clinic. It builds on decades of made-in-Canada excellence in regenerative medicine dating back to the discovery of stem cells in the early 1960s by Toronto researchers&nbsp;<strong>James Till</strong> and <strong>Ernest McCulloch</strong>.</p> <p>The success we have achieved at Medicine by Design has been made possible in large part to the tremendous efforts of the federal government and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, said <strong>Michael Sefton</strong>, executive director of Medicine by Design, a <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a> at the Institute of Biomaterials &amp; Biomedical Engineering (IBBME), and the Michael E. Charles Professor in the department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry.</p> <p>As we advance our research agenda, we are positioning these breakthrough discoveries to have the greatest impact on patients.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Symposium%202019%20-%20Panel.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Michael May, CEO of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine,&nbsp;hosts a panel discussion at Medicine by Designs&nbsp;(photo by Neil Ta)</em></p> <p>Translating research discoveries into new therapies, products and companies was a prominent theme at the event and will be a key focus for Medicine by Design over the next three years.&nbsp; A panel discussion moderated by <strong>Michael May</strong>, CEO of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine, and featuring speakers from GE Healthcare, Novartis Canada, AllosteRx Capital, Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners and St. Michaels Hospital, explored the challenges and opportunities inherent in this process. The discussion highlighted the unique strengths of Torontos regenerative medicine ecosystem, including: a world-leading public research university with broad strengths in medicine, life and physical sciences, as well as engineering; an expansive network of affiliated academic and community hospitals; expertise in translation, scale-up and manufacturing; and strong relationships with government.</p> <p><strong>Shana Kelley</strong>, a University Professor in the departments of chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences and biochemistry, and at IBBME, spoke about the new team project she is leading, which aims to identify and modulate cell differentiation bottlenecks.</p> <p>Medicine by Design has been career-changing for me, Kelley said. It has given me opportunities to connect with outstanding collaborators with whom I would not otherwise have had the chance to work.</p> <p>The symposium also offered an opportunity for 40 trainees to present their research during a poster session.<strong> Louise Moyle</strong>, a post-doctoral researcher in the laboratory of <strong>Penney Gilbert</strong>, an associate professor at IBBME, won first place.<strong> David Philpott</strong>, a PhD candidate in Kelleys lab, placed second, while <strong>Alba Marin</strong>, a post-doctoral researcher in the lab of Professor <strong>Cristina Amon</strong> in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering, came third. The prizes were sponsored by StemCell Technologies Inc.</p> <p><strong>Jeffrey Harding</strong>, a post-doctoral researcher in the lab of <strong>Andras Nagy</strong>, a senior investigator at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Health System, won the BlueRock Therapeutics prize for the poster with the greatest translational potential.</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> Mon, 09 Dec 2019 14:51:21 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 161176 at Three teams awarded 勛圖惇蹋's first-ever sustainability innovation prize /news/three-teams-awarded-u-t-s-first-ever-sustainability-innovation-prize <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Three teams awarded 勛圖惇蹋's first-ever sustainability innovation prize</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0W7A0671.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RegkhlQa 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/0W7A0671.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=UuNMg9xW 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/0W7A0671.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=qjjS263L 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0W7A0671.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=RegkhlQa" alt="Photo of 2019 Sustainability Innovation Prize winners"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>perry.king</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-06-18T18:26:58-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - 18:26" class="datetime">Tue, 06/18/2019 - 18:26</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 winners of 勛圖惇蹋's sustainability innovation prize, part of a larger effort to make sustainability innovation a key component of the universitys identity, pose for a photo following a pitch competition on June 12 at ONRamp (photo by Perry King)</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/perry-king" hreflang="en">Perry King</a></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/munk-school-global-affairs-public-policy-0" hreflang="en">Munk School of Global Affairs &amp; Public Policy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/geography-and-planning" hreflang="en">Geography and Planning</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/john-h-daniels-faculty-architecture" hreflang="en">John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lawrence-s-bloomberg-faculty-nursing" hreflang="en">Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/onramp" hreflang="en">ONRamp</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-environment" hreflang="en">School of the Environment</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sustainability" hreflang="en">Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In front of a packed room of their peers, 10 groups of students recently had three minutes each to pitch a new sustainability-focused&nbsp;product or startup&nbsp;with the potential to make a signficant impact.&nbsp;</p> <p>In the end, three were named winners of the first-ever University of Toronto Sustainability Innovation Prize, a $5,000 award&nbsp;created to recognize, reward and accelerate&nbsp;勛圖惇蹋s most innovative sustainability ideas. The winners included: SoluSave, a startup that seeks to recycle solvents used in undergraduate laboratories; STP Sports, which aims to reduce the environmental footprint of professional sporting events; and Circular Toys, a company that asks families, schools&nbsp;and individuals to subscribe to eco-friendly toy packages.</p> <p>The competition, held on June 12 at 勛圖惇蹋s ONRamp co-working space for startups,&nbsp;is an initiative of the Presidents Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability, which laid out a plan last year&nbsp;to incorporate&nbsp;sustainable ideas and practices into 勛圖惇蹋s operations.</p> <p>"The committee was tasked with finding ways to advance 勛圖惇蹋s contribution to meet the challenges of climate change and sustainability with a particular focus on research and innovation, on teaching and on operations, said&nbsp;<strong>John Robinson</strong>, the committees chair and the presidents adviser on environment, climate change and sustainability, in remarks before the competition began.</p> <p>Robinson, who is also a professor in the department of geography and planning with cross appointments at the Munk School of Global Affairs, the School of the Environment and the John H.&nbsp;Daniels Faculty of Landscape, Architecture, and Design, added that the committee wants to make sustainability innovation a key component of the universitys identity, to achieve international leadership in this field and promote more sustainability activities on campus.</p> <p>This prize competition is an important part of that overall strategy, he said. Its aimed at supporting, engaging and rewarding 勛圖惇蹋 students&nbsp; you&nbsp; who have&nbsp;sustainability ideas&nbsp;and are interested in finding a way of bringing them to the world.</p> <p>The&nbsp;finalists were judged by&nbsp;<strong>Kenneth Corts</strong>, the vice-dean of&nbsp;faculty and research at the Rotman School of Management,&nbsp;<strong>Tyler Hamilton, </strong>a<strong>&nbsp;</strong>senior manager of partnerships at MaRS Cleantech,&nbsp;<strong>Ron Saporta</strong>, 勛圖惇蹋s chief operations officer of facilities and services&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Joerg Wittenbrinck</strong>, a senior policy advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Energy.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/48055269723_97893d5c60_o.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>John Robinson is chair of the&nbsp;Presidents Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability (photo courtesy of 勛圖惇蹋 Entrepreneurship)</em></p> <p>Laboratory recyling startup SoluSave, led by third-year undergraduates&nbsp;<strong>John Russell</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Leanna Smid</strong>, took part in their first-ever pitch competition and were nervous throughout their presentation.</p> <p>They were even more surprised to hear that they won.</p> <p>We saw the competition&nbsp; a lot of graduate and PhD students&nbsp;&nbsp;so it was very intense but it was really rewarding to get this, said Russell. After developing the idea several months ago, the duo wanted to get a feel for how pitch competitions work, Russell said.</p> <p>SoluSave seeks to build a waste disposal device that could be marketed to undergraduate labs as a cost-effective alternative to conventional waste disposal. The recycler device&nbsp;would be optimized for easy use and scaled for use for different kinds of washing solvents.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0W7A0674.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>John Russell&nbsp;and&nbsp;Leanna Smid&nbsp;of SoluSave took part in their first-ever pitch competition&nbsp;(photo by Perry King)</em></p> <p>With the prize money, the team plans to develop a prototype using acetone&nbsp;this summer. We want to run our test trials in the labs at 勛圖惇蹋 and broaden our range from here to see what universities are interested in sustainable chemistry, Russell said.</p> <p>Chemistry is being done all over the place," he added, "and one thing that some universities dont take note of is the sustainable aspect of the work.</p> <p>Thats something that definitely we should move towards.</p> <p>STP Sports, led by 勛圖惇蹋 Mississauga graduate students&nbsp;<strong>Tom Chen</strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Samantha DiIorio</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>P</strong><strong>aulina S</strong><strong>zlachta</strong>, is primarily focused on helping sports teams and leagues create easy waste management processes, procurement policies including assessing stadium vendors and suppliers and undertaking employee training and education.</p> <p>The idea for this startup came primarily from Chen, who wanted to blend his interests with his graduate work in sustainability management. I said You know what? Am I going to spend that much time on something I dont really enjoy? said Chen, who grew up in sports crazy Boston. How can I combine those two aspects sports and sustainability?</p> <p>Working on their sustainability capstone project, the team found that the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA produced about 165 million pounds of waste, but only a 25 per cent waste diversion rate.</p> <p>They reached out to all the leagues and teams on creating better waste diversion solutions and&nbsp;developed a working relationship with the NFLs&nbsp;Atlanta Falcons. In their first case study, they found that Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta had a 45 per cent waste diversion rate, solar power installation and a stormwater management strategy. They built STP Sports around that case study.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0W7A0677.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Paulina Szlachta and&nbsp;Tom Chen of&nbsp;STP Sports, which is focused on making sports teams and leagues more environmentally sustainable (photo by Perry King)</em></p> <p>Chen sees STP as being at ground zero of an environmental movement in pro sports. Their prize win will give&nbsp;them more resources to help major sports franchises become more environmentally sustainable something that they are interested in pursuing, according to Chen.</p> <p>Szlachta is excited about the potential benefits of the project. Theres just so much we can do and so much waste we can optimize in these kinds of facilities&nbsp;&nbsp;and not just stadiums, but&nbsp;concert halls, and&nbsp;all kinds of venues. Theres so much to be done there and so little being done right now.</p> <p>Circular Toys, led by&nbsp;<strong>Daniel McKee&nbsp;</strong>and<strong>&nbsp;Lisa Pooley</strong>, provides subscribers with eco-friendly toy packages&nbsp;every three months. But, they will also have a chance to send used toys back, reducing&nbsp;waste and the amount of plastic products in the environment.</p> <p>Theres such a short lifespan of toys that arent environmentally friendly and recyclable, and it isnt reasonable to refurbish them, said McKee, a nursing student who says the toys will be targeted to children aged one to seven.</p> <p>The average family has 71 toys per household and&nbsp;about 90 per cent of them are plastic nearly 10 per cent of which cant be recycled, according to McKee. Circular Toys, by contrast, proposes to&nbsp;create&nbsp;an avenue for families looking to reduce waste and provide safer toy options for their children.</p> <p>Its better for the parents because there&nbsp;isnt clutter, its better for the students because its safer for them and its better for the planet, says McKee, who added the toys themselves are meant to stimulate the childs mind and encourage&nbsp;teamwork.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0W7A0679.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Daniel McKee of Circular Toys, provides subscribers with eco-friendly toy packages&nbsp;every three months, but also allows them to be returned (photo by Perry King)</em></p> <div>Circular Toys plans to boost its marketing resources as the startup launches in August. The goal is to amass 100 subscribers in the near term the equivalent to 3.5 tons of plastic that would otherwise reach oceans and landfills.</div> <p>It was a nervous pitch competition for McKee, but the win is the next step in an ongoing journey. In the three minutes, youve said all the necessary pieces, but I would have liked to answer more questions and explained a little bit more in detail, he said.&nbsp;</p> <p>Hopefully there will be other pitches for that.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&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> Tue, 18 Jun 2019 22:26:58 +0000 perry.king 156874 at 勛圖惇蹋 President Emeritus and honorary degree recipient David Naylor tells grads 'life is a team sport' /news/u-t-president-emeritus-and-honorary-degree-recipient-david-naylor-tells-grads-life-team-sport <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">勛圖惇蹋 President Emeritus and honorary degree recipient David Naylor tells grads 'life is a team sport'</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/06-04-2019--David-Naylor-Con-Hall-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=OQUqZ1bP 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/06-04-2019--David-Naylor-Con-Hall-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=b-_14GaK 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/06-04-2019--David-Naylor-Con-Hall-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=nXJBoryG 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/06-04-2019--David-Naylor-Con-Hall-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=OQUqZ1bP" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-05-31T10:15:13-04:00" title="Friday, May 31, 2019 - 10:15" class="datetime">Fri, 05/31/2019 - 10:15</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">David Naylor, 勛圖惇蹋 President Emeritus and former dean of medicine, receives an honorary degree from 勛圖惇蹋 for his outstanding service for the public good, excellence in the academy, and service to the University (photo by Lisa Sakulensky) </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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></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/convocation-2019" hreflang="en">Convocation 2019</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/david-naylor" hreflang="en">David Naylor</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/naylor-report" hreflang="en">Naylor Report</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/public-health" hreflang="en">Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-education" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Education</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When he got the call offering him the job of president of the University of Toronto, Dr.&nbsp;<strong>David Naylor</strong>&nbsp;suddenly felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders.</p> <p>It was one of the more acute attacks of imposter syndrome that Ive had, he told the&nbsp;<em>Globe and Mail</em>&nbsp;in 2005 after he was tapped to be the universitys 15th president.</p> <p>He neednt have worried. Few can claim&nbsp;to have made as great an impact on the university or&nbsp;&nbsp;indeed&nbsp;&nbsp;beyond it. Not only did Naylor take steps to&nbsp;boost 勛圖惇蹋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.</p> <p>For his outstanding service for the public good, excellence in the academy, and service to the University,&nbsp;Naylor&nbsp;receives a Doctor of Laws,&nbsp;<em>honoris causa</em>, at the Faculty of Medicines convocation ceremony&nbsp;on June 3.</p> <h4>Watch David Naylor deliver his remarks:</h4> <p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xo7vV-7XKh4" width="750"></iframe></p> <p>It will be a homecoming of sorts for Naylor, who earned his medical degree at 勛圖惇蹋 in 1978. He later went on to study sociology and social history at Oxford University&nbsp;as a Rhodes Scholar. It was there that he met his future wife and fellow Rhodes Scholar,&nbsp;<strong>Ilse Treurnicht</strong>, the former CEO of the MaRS Discovery District&nbsp;<a href="/news/zero-35-billion-u-t-honorary-degree-recipient-ilse-treurnicht-built-mars-innovation-powerhouse">who received an honorary degree from 勛圖惇蹋 last year</a>. Naylor even taught himself to speak Afrikaans, the&nbsp;language spoken in Treurnichts&nbsp;native South Africa, according to the&nbsp;<em>Toronto Star.</em></p> <p>Naylor eventually returned to 勛圖惇蹋 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.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/naylor-embed.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Tim Fraser)</em></p> <p>As 勛圖惇蹋s president,&nbsp;<a href="https://magazine.utoronto.ca/campus/a-better-university-u-of-t-president-david-naylor/">Naylor sought to leverage the university's strength in research to enhance the student experience.</a>&nbsp;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 University of Toronto system characterized by three campuses with strong individual identities.</p> <p>Naylors focus extended well beyond 勛圖惇蹋. He&nbsp;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&nbsp;<a href="/news/bolstering-canadian-research-u-t-welcomes-federal-science-review">panels final report</a>&nbsp;led to significant federal investments in fundamental research.&nbsp;</p> <p>More needs to be done to improve administration and governance of federal supports for research, and more investment is definitely needed, Naylor&nbsp;<a href="/news/david-naylor-upbeat-about-research-funding-canada-gives-kudos-students-and-researchers">said in an interview with&nbsp;<em>勛圖惇蹋</em>&nbsp;last spring</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>But extramural science and scholarship in Canada are in a much better place than was the case a year ago.&nbsp;</p> <div align="center"> <hr align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="100%"></div> <h4>David Naylor's message to the Class of 2019:</h4> <h4><strong><em>The mass media continues to mythologize individuals and individual accomplishment, and its easy to be seduced by social media into worrying more about your digital brand&nbsp;than your personal relationships. Thats a dangerous snare and delusion.&nbsp; Life is a team sport.&nbsp;The lions share of credit for accomplishments will sometimes still go to individuals. And yes, leadership matters. But solo geniuses are few and far between.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;Your prospects for success, your resilience in the face of setbacks, your career trajectory, your happiness&nbsp;and your lifes 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.</em></strong></h4> </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> Fri, 31 May 2019 14:15:13 +0000 geoff.vendeville 156739 at 勛圖惇蹋s Raquel Urtasun, Ubers self-driving guru, profiled in Toronto Life /news/u-t-s-raquel-urtasun-uber-s-self-driving-guru-profiled-toronto-life <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">勛圖惇蹋s Raquel Urtasun, Ubers self-driving guru, profiled in Toronto Life</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT17109-Raquel-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=XSYfzWvI 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT17109-Raquel-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=FNEK4iQj 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT17109-Raquel-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=xo4DTaHU 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/UofT17109-Raquel-weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=XSYfzWvI" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>perry.king</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-05-14T11:52:57-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - 11:52" class="datetime">Tue, 05/14/2019 - 11:52</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 Johnny Guatto)</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/perry-king" hreflang="en">Perry King</a></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/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</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/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/self-driving-cars" hreflang="en">Self-Driving Cars</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Raquel Urtasun</strong>, an associate professor in the University of Torontos department of computer science, says the age of self-driving cars at scale&nbsp; when the tech is affordable and safe for everyone to use could be just a decade away.</p> <p>Thats one of several insights Urtasun recently provided to&nbsp;<em>Toronto Life, </em>which&nbsp;drew back the curtain on Ubers only self-driving lab outside the U.S.</p> <p>As chief scientist at Uber Advanced Technologies Group, Urtasuns modern, bright and busy research and development lab sports a number of her 勛圖惇蹋 PhD students working as staff. The MaRS-based lab also features an all-female leadership team&nbsp; including alumna <strong>Inmar Givoni</strong>, a former PhD student.</p> <p>Uber and Urtasun were a match made in heaven. Uber wanted to develop a self-driving fleet and needed the expertise of Urtasun, considered an AI superstar by <em>Wired</em> magazine. Uber hired her in 2017 and gave her access to vast resources and data. This is the best AI research lab for self-driving in the world, Urtasun told <em>Toronto Life</em>.</p> <h3><a href="http://torontolife.com/tech/inside-ubers-self-driving-car-lab/">Read more about Raquel Urtasun&nbsp;in <em>Toronto Life</em></a></h3> </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> Tue, 14 May 2019 15:52:57 +0000 perry.king 156682 at Governments should focus on jobs of the future, 勛圖惇蹋's Vivek Goel writes in the Globe and Mail /news/governments-should-focus-jobs-future-u-t-s-vivek-goel-writes-globe-and-mail <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Governments should focus on jobs of the future, 勛圖惇蹋's Vivek Goel writes in the Globe and Mail </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/vivek-lead.jpg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=aZMfygz8 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/vivek-lead.jpg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=Pw-WAePt 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/vivek-lead.jpg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=Sx-yahC7 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/vivek-lead.jpg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=aZMfygz8" alt="photo of Vivek Goel"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-01-07T10:15:19-05:00" title="Monday, January 7, 2019 - 10:15" class="datetime">Mon, 01/07/2019 - 10:15</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">Vivek Goel, 勛圖惇蹋's vice-president of research and innovation, notes that government support for MaRS is paying off while the multi-billion bailout of the auto sector proved short-sighted (photo by Johnny Guatto)</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/economy" hreflang="en">Economy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/jobs" hreflang="en">Jobs</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-continuing-studies" hreflang="en">School of Continuing Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vivek-goel" hreflang="en">Vivek Goel</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Instead of trying to rescue existing jobs threatened by technological change, the government should support training for the jobs of the future, <strong>Vivek Goel</strong>,&nbsp;the University of Toronto's&nbsp;vice-president of research and innovation,<b>&nbsp;</b><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-governments-must-invest-in-economic-industries-and-training-for-the/">writes&nbsp;in the <em>Globe and Mail</em>.</a></p> <p>Goel&nbsp;says the contrasting fates of MaRS and General Motors underscore the importance of&nbsp;government investment in emerging sectors and retraining workers to fill new market demands.</p> <p>Though it ultimately received&nbsp;a $224-million construction loan from the Ontario government, Goel notes that MaRS was initially turned down when it sought help in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Around the same time, GM asked for assistance and the provincial and federal governments made a multibillion-dollar bet on the auto sector to ensure its survival.</p> <p>Yet, despite the government's support, GM&nbsp;recently shuttered its Oshawa plant and four facilities in the United States. MaRS, by contrast, not only repaid most of its interest-bearing loans three years earlier than scheduled, but has gone on to become one of the world's largest innovation hubs specializing in clean technology, fintech, enterprise and health.</p> <p>Postsecondary and training institutions, employers and governments must promote emerging sectors and retraining to ensure new skills meet new market needs, Goel writes, adding that&nbsp;continuing education programs, such as those offered by 勛圖惇蹋, are&nbsp;a good model for improving workers' skills.</p> <p>Trying to turn the tide by saving jobs that are being overtaken by technology is not a winning strategy.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-governments-must-invest-in-economic-industries-and-training-for-the/">Read Vivek Goel's <em>Globe and Mail </em>op-ed</a></h3> </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> Mon, 07 Jan 2019 15:15:19 +0000 geoff.vendeville 150534 at The Agency fosters social innovation at 勛圖惇蹋 /news/agency-fosters-social-innovation-u-t <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">The Agency fosters social innovation at 勛圖惇蹋 </span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Keita.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Pb-gj0lm 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Keita.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=p9W7uuY9 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Keita.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=UvIViEEK 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Keita.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Pb-gj0lm" alt="Keita Demming"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Romi Levine</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-11-18T16:23:35-05:00" title="Friday, November 18, 2016 - 16:23" class="datetime">Fri, 11/18/2016 - 16:23</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">Keita Demming, executive director of The Agency, a 勛圖惇蹋 social innovation lab (photo by Romi Levine)</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/romi-levine" hreflang="en">Romi Levine</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">Romi Levine</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/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</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/innovation" hreflang="en">Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/oise" hreflang="en">OISE</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/toronto" hreflang="en">Toronto</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cities" hreflang="en">Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/social-innovation" hreflang="en">Social Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>University of Toronto graduate student <strong>Tricia Jose </strong>is helping Canadians learn to save money so they can reduce financial vulnerability.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://vicislabs.com/">Vicis</a>, the financial technology company she founded with&nbsp;勛圖惇蹋 students <strong>David St. Bernard </strong>and<strong> Christopher Villegas-Cho</strong>, has its roots in the social innovation movement. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Social innovation means youre making an impact beyond the bottom line, says Jose, who is studying biomedical engineering.</p> <p>The really exciting thing is that our generation is really focused on impact and brands with purpose. More and more people want to give back. They want to do things that serve a greater purpose.</p> <h3><a href="/news/u-ts-team-vicis-heads-hult-prize-regionals-e-commerce-street-vendors">Read more about Vicis</a></h3> <p><a href="http://theagencyuoft.ca/">The Agency</a>&nbsp; one of 勛圖惇蹋s social innovation labs wants to help students like Jose, faculty and staff look at ways to solve some of the worlds most pressing problems.</p> <p>The Agency will be hosting a&nbsp;<a href="http://theagencyuoft.ca/conference/">free conference&nbsp;</a>on Nov.&nbsp;21 at 勛圖惇蹋's Hart House for anyone interested in getting involved in social innovation initiatives. Speakers include&nbsp;Ilse Treurnicht, CEO MaRS Discovery District, and <strong><a href="/news/four-u-t-students-earn-2014-top-20-under-20-award">Kouroush Houshmand</a></strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Lets make University of Toronto the place where the world comes to for social innovation thats a dream people can get on board with, says&nbsp;<strong>Keita Demming</strong>, The Agencys executive director.&nbsp;</p> <p>Demming says the key to creating programs that promote change is to bring together people from different backgrounds and disciplines.&nbsp;</p> <p>Its called the Agency because its meant to be a travel agency you come, and you decide your journey, says Demming, who just completed his PhD at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.</p> <p>As we meet new students, students can pick up travellers that speak different languages so geography versus computer science, arts and science with literature.</p> <h3><a href="http://theagencyuoft.ca/about/">Read more about The Agency</a></h3> <p>Universities are well-suited to foster social innovation, says <strong>Ann Armstrong</strong>, social enterprise initiative director at 勛圖惇蹋's Rotman School of Management.</p> <p>We can use our research findings to imagine new ways of living better lives and then engaging the community to experiment&nbsp;based on evidence, new models of social impact, she says.</p> <p>And 勛圖惇蹋 can lead the charge, says Demming.&nbsp;</p> <p>What 勛圖惇蹋 offers is a wealth of experience, a wealth of capacity around going deep on problems and saying, how can we bring that to the world? We have some skills around commercializing ideas already, he says.</p> <p>What strengths can 勛圖惇蹋 leverage when we address things like climate change, equity, unequal distribution of wealth and poverty?</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> Fri, 18 Nov 2016 21:23:35 +0000 Romi Levine 102438 at Blue Sky Solar Racing celebrates 20th anniversary /news/blue-sky-solar-racing-celebrates-20th-anniversary <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Blue Sky Solar Racing celebrates 20th anniversary</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-11-17-blue-sky-solar.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gNt_avC8 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-11-17-blue-sky-solar.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=6P5wLvtv 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-11-17-blue-sky-solar.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=vEuMaoa- 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-11-17-blue-sky-solar.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gNt_avC8" alt="Photo of Blue Sky Solar Racing Team's car"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ullahnor</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-11-17T15:57:54-05:00" title="Thursday, November 17, 2016 - 15:57" class="datetime">Thu, 11/17/2016 - 15:57</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 courtesy of Blue Sky Solar Racing)</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/alicia-sgromo" hreflang="en">Alicia Sgromo</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">Alicia Sgromo</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/solar-cars" hreflang="en">Solar Cars</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mars" hreflang="en">MaRS</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/blue-sky-solar-racing" hreflang="en">Blue Sky Solar Racing</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Over its two-decade history, the University of Torontos <a href="http://www.blueskysolar.utoronto.ca/">Blue Sky Solar Racing Team</a> has faced its share of challenges and triumphs, but one thing has remained constant &nbsp;the team keeps moving forward, always chasing the sun.</p> <p>Established in 1996 as the Blue Sky Project,&nbsp;a group of intrepid 勛圖惇蹋 Engineering students designs, builds and races a&nbsp;car thousands of kilometres, powered only by the suns rays.</p> <p>On Nov.&nbsp;18, current Blue Sky members, team alumni, sponsors, friends and family gather together to reflect on some key moments in the teams evolution&nbsp;and toast its future.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2558 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="400" src="/sites/default/files/Horizon-Test-Run-2016_600x400_0.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="600" loading="lazy"><br> <em>The Blue Sky Solar Racing team's latest vehicle, Horizon, makes a test run in 2016. The team is currently working on its ninth vehicle, to race at the 2017 World Solar Challenge in Australia. (photo courtesy of&nbsp;Blue Sky Solar Racing)</em></p> <p>This timeline chronicles key moments in the history of Blue Sky Solar Racing:</p> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="650" src="https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1qutpDSDDvNYiGN0LimBCXKZoKaL-xuzEIESwSdJLDPk&amp;font=Default&amp;lang=en&amp;initial_zoom=2&amp;height=650" width="100%"></iframe></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> Thu, 17 Nov 2016 20:57:54 +0000 ullahnor 102440 at