Graduate Students

Sowing seeds of discovery: �鶹��Ƶ postdoc makes waves in plant metabolism research

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:29:58 +0000

Sowing seeds of discovery: �鶹��Ƶ postdoc makes waves in plant metabolism research

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 12/23/2024 - 10:29

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Sonia Evans completed her PhD at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga and will continue her research as a Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Kristy Strauss

Topic

Our Community

Department of Biological Sciences

Department of Biology

Graduate Students

Research & Innovation

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga

�鶹��Ƶ Scarborough

Subheadline

Sonia Evans's research is opening the door to novel strategies for engineering crops that are more productive and resilient

Sonia Evans has published in high-profile scientific journals, won several awards and completed a PhD from the University of Toronto, but she traces her achievements to someone who had no formal education whatsoever: her grandmother.

A believer in the healing power of plants, Evans’s grandmother hailed from a southern Nigerian village, and regularly crafted plant-based traditional medicines for ailments ranging from infertility to skin conditions.

“She knew the type of plants to go to, and made different concoctions for us,” says Evans, who defended her PhD in �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga's department of cell and systems biology in November and is poised to continue her research as a postdoctoral fellow at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough. “She never knew the names of the plants, but she knew the types of plants to put together to get the result she was expecting.”

Evans, who was born and raised in Nigeria, completed undergraduate studies in plant science in her home country before earning a master's degree in plant biology in Israel. With a growing interest in plant metabolism, she decided to pursue a PhD at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga under the supervision of Michael Phillips, an associate professor in the department of biology.

“[Phillips] was really involved in plant metabolism… and really trying to understand how plants make chemicals that are important not just for their growth, development and for photosynthesis, but also for us,” Evans says. “These are chemicals that we use as drugs, flavours, fragrances, cosmetics and biofuels. I was really interested in that part of the research.”

Since joining the Phillips lab, Evans has focused on how plants control carbon supply towards the production of isoprenoids – high-value compounds that are critical to plant growth, defense and crop productivity and also have a range of industrial and pharmaceutical applications.

Her research has had a huge impact on the field. In 2024 alone, Evans published two papers in the prestigious Nature journals, as first author.

The most recent paper, published in Nature Plants in October, sheds light on a decades-old mystery: the origins of pyruvate, a vital precursor for production of isoprenoids, amino acids and fatty acids in chloroplasts, which are responsible for plant photosynthesis. The research revealed that Rubisco, a critical enzyme that’s responsible for fixing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, also plays a secondary role in supplying pyruvate.

This discovery not only redefines how scientists understand plant metabolism, but also solves a long-standing paradox of the origin of pyruvate, with Evans’s findings providing a critical link between photosynthesis and the production of isoprenoids. By uncovering how plants channel carbon toward these valuable compounds, her research opens the door to innovative biotechnological strategies for engineering crops with enhanced productivity and resilience.

The previous paper, published in Nature Communications in February, laid the groundwork for how a key metabolic pathway could be engineered in plants for synthetic biology applications.

All the more impressive: Evans managed these accomplishments while carrying out her responsibilities as mother to a young child – which she credits to a strong support system of family, her spouse, friends and peers. “It’s been a learning curve… but I have tried to take everything one step at a time, and check myself every day,” she says.

Evans’s scholarly excellence resulted in her earning the Roberta Bondar Graduate Student Excellence Award last fall. She was also named a Provost's Postdoctoral Fellow, and will carry out her postdoctoral research in the lab of Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, assistant professor in �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough's department of biological sciences.

Reflecting on her decision to come to �鶹��Ƶ, Evans reveals she doubted her chances of being granted admission to Canada’s top-ranked university. “I was like, ‘Oh my God – who am I to be at the University of Toronto?’” she says. “But I wanted to be at a very good university, and I had to keep trying to aim higher and higher for myself.”

�鶹��Ƶ marks National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women with tri-campus event

davidlee — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 20:49:21 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ marks National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women with tri-campus event

davidlee Fri, 12/06/2024 - 15:49

Cutline

Students read the names of the 14 women killed during the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre during a Dec. 6 event held at Hart House (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Graduate Students

Hart House

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

"Seeing our students here today and recognizing the impact they are having on research and action is important to acknowledge and celebrate”

Members of the University of Toronto community came together to commemorate the 14 women who lost their lives in the violent attack at École Polytechnique 35 years ago – and to honour all those impacted by gender-based violence.

Students, faculty, staff, librarians and alumni from across �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses marked the Dec. 6 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women with an event held at Hart House on Friday, while others attended virtually by livestream.

A tri-campus ceremony at Hart House commemorates the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (photo by Johnny Guatto)

A group of students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering also unveiled an interactive sculpture on the front steps of the Galbraith building on the St. George campus. The design featured 14 candles surrounding a central flame with each candle representing a victim of the 1989 tragedy.

“Each candle has a button; when you press the button, it makes the central flame brighter,” Rebecca Ing, a fourth-year student in materials science and engineering and a member of the design team, told �鶹��Ƶ Engineering News.

“This represents our individual role in taking action against gender-based violence”

The student group also organized a memorial ceremony on Friday that took place in front of Galbraith.

Students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering created an interactive sculpture (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Inside Hart House’s Great Hall, students walked across a stage to read aloud the names and ages of the 14 women killed in the attack (which also left another 10 women and four men were injured): Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault and Annie Turcotte.

The reading of the names was followed by a moment of silence.

The event also featured roundtable discussions, a musical performance by artist Jenny Blackbird, a resource centre and programs co-ordinator at First Nations House Indigenous Student Services and performances by the Skule String Quartet Orchestra.

Jenny Blackbird performs at the Hart House event (photo by Johnny Guatto)

During the ceremony, two �鶹��Ƶ students were recognized for their dedication to addressing violence against women, girls, transgender and non-binary individuals with �鶹��Ƶ’s Award for Scholarly Achievement in the Area of Gender-Based Violence.

The undergraduate recipient of the annual award was Yunchi "Hex" Li, who is pursuing a double major in sociology and women and gender studies with a minor in sexual diversity studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science. Li’s academic pursuits focus on dismantling patriarchal and heterosexist systems.

Sandy Welsh and Yunchi "Hex" Li pose for a photo (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Roberta Silveira Pamplona, a PhD candidate in the department of sociology with a collaborative degree in women and gender studies, was the graduate recipient. Pamplona is analyzing the criminalization of feminicides in Brazil in her PhD dissertation.

“As Hex and Roberta’s work illustrates, there is such an impressively broad range of work happening at �鶹��Ƶ, and we also saw this diversity of topics in our award applications overall,” said Sandy Welsh, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-provost, students, who presented the award to this year’s winners.

Sandy Welsh and Roberta Silveira Pamplona have their picture taken (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Often this work happens quietly and behind the scenes – we know this is difficult work, and the conversations surrounding the work can be challenging to share – but seeing our students here today and recognizing the impact they are having on research and action, is important to acknowledge and celebrate.”

Marisa Sterling, assistant dean and director, diversity, inclusion and professionalism in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, reflected on how the tragedy spurred a personal exploration of feminism.

The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering’s Marisa Sterling reflected on how the tragedy spurred a personal exploration of feminism (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“What would change after Dec. 6 is the open acknowledgement that engineering has been an unsafe profession for women for years,” she said, highlighting the importance of efforts such as the inclusion of harassment in the definition of professional misconduct under the Professional Engineers Act, the establishment of programs like Go Code Girl, and the 30 by 30 campaign to increase the representation of women in the field.

She then called for continued remembrance and action to combat gender-based violence and discrimination.

After the award presentation and remarks, attendees were invited for a campus walk to visit the fire at Ziibiing Indigenous garden and to lay a white rose in commemoration of the lives lost.

This year’s hybrid event was co-hosted by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, Hart House and the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre.

PhD student's radiopharmaceutical to play key role in clinical trial for lung cancer treatment

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:59:25 +0000

PhD student's radiopharmaceutical to play key role in clinical trial for lung cancer treatment

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 11/26/2024 - 15:59

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Stephanie Borlase developed a radiopharmaceutical, which will be used during a clinical trial at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, to track delivery of immunotherapy drugs across the blood-brain barrier (photo by Dana Thompson)

Eileen Hoftyzer

Topic

Breaking Research

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Graduate Students

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Subheadline

The compound developed by �鶹��Ƶ's Stephanie Borlase will be used to track delivery of immunotherapy drugs to metastases in the brain

A radiopharmaceutical developed by University of Toronto PhD student Stephanie Borlase is poised to play a key role in a clinical trial that could inform improvements to lung cancer treatment.

The trial at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, planned for 2025, will test whether ultrasound can disrupt the blood-brain barrier and increase uptake of immunotherapy into brain metastases – tumours caused by cancer cells spreading to the brain from elsewhere in the body.

Although immunotherapy has shown potential as a treatment for lung cancer, it is not able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Borlase’s radiopharmaceutical, which she developed as part of her doctoral research at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, will be used to track delivery of immunotherapy drugs to brain metastases with a PET (positron emission tomography) scan.

“This project provides me with the opportunity to learn different aspects of research and be on the forefront of patient treatments,” says Borlase. “It is such an amazing opportunity to be able to see what is happening in the hospital with current patients and clinical trials and know that my research is actually getting to patients.”

Borlase completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Manitoba, before seeking out a PhD program where she could conduct research that could potentially be translated into therapies for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.

In 2022, she began her PhD with Professor Raymond Reilly, director of the Centre for Pharmaceutical Oncology (CPO), whose research focuses on developing radiopharmaceuticals to image and treat cancer.

By attaching radioactive isotopes to highly targeted agents, radiopharmaceuticals allow clinicians to image tumours through scans and deliver therapeutic doses of radiation directly to the tumour.

Borlase has been working towards pairing the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (also known by the brand name Keytruda) with a radioactive isotope that can be imaged by PET – resulting in a radiopharmaceutical that could allow physicians to determine whether the therapy enters the brain and concentrates better in tumours after the application of focused ultrasound.

For the first two years of her PhD, Borlase worked in the CPO’s Good Manufacturing Practices facility to prepare the new radiopharmaceutical for clinical trials, optimizing and formulating the drug in a quality suitable for use in humans, and testing it in pre-clinical models.

Reilly says that this is an exceptional experience for a graduate student. “One of the greatest impacts and rewards of pharmaceutical sciences research is to see your work advanced to a clinical trial to make a difference in patient outcomes, which Stephanie has this wonderful opportunity to do,” he says.

“Not only is she developing the radiopharmaceutical, but she will be working closely with the oncologists and imaging specialists to design and conduct the trial and will get first-hand experience in seeing the results of her PhD research in the PET images of the patients in the trial.”

The trial follows on the heels of another study in which clinicians and scientists at Sunnybrook used a radiopharmaceutical provided by Reilly’s team to track the delivery of a breast cancer drug to brain metastases, resulting in the first evidence that the technique improved uptake of the drug.

For her part, Borlase says she hopes the trial will lead to better therapies for a form of cancer that is notoriously difficult to treat.

“I always hope that researchers can develop new treatments for cancer because it is such a terrible disease that is never going to disappear. Even if we cannot completely cure the brain metastases, we can work to prolong survival to give these individuals more time with their families and friends,” says Borlase, who recently received a Research Training Award from the Canadian Cancer Society and Brain Canada Foundation.

“It's such a rare opportunity for PhD students to be able to work with clinician-scientists or oncologists and actually see their research translate into a clinical setting, so the fact that I am able to do this is incredible.”

Light in a bottle: �鶹��Ƶ researchers use AI to capture photons in motion

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:07:26 +0000

Light in a bottle: �鶹��Ƶ researchers use AI to capture photons in motion

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 11/19/2024 - 10:07

Cutline

A scene rendered using videos from an ultra-high-speed camera shows a pulse of light travelling through a pop bottle, scattering off liquid, hitting the ground, focusing on the cap and reflecting back (supplied image)

Krystle Hewitt

Topic

Breaking Research

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

Graduate Students

Research & Innovation

Subheadline

A novel AI algorithm simulates what an ultra-fast scene – such as a pulse of light speeding through a pop bottle – would look like from any vantage point

Close your eyes and picture the iconic “bullet time” scene from The Matrix – the one where Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, dodges bullets in slow motion. Now imagine being able to witness the same effect, but instead of speeding bullets, you’re watching something that moves one million times faster: light itself.

Computer scientists from the University of Toronto have built an advanced camera setup that can visualize light in motion from any perspective, opening avenues for further inquiry into new types of 3D sensing techniques.

The researchers developed a sophisticated AI algorithm that can simulate what an ultra-fast scene – a pulse of light speeding through a pop bottle or bouncing off a mirror – would look like from any vantage point.

David Lindell (supplied image)

David Lindell, an assistant professor in the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, says the feat requires the ability to generate videos where the camera appears to “fly” alongside the very photons of light as they travel.

“Our technology can capture and visualize the actual propagation of light with the same dramatic, slowed-down detail,” says Lindell. “We get a glimpse of the world at speed-of-light timescales that are normally invisible.”

The researchers believe the approach, which was recently presented at the 2024 European Conference on Computer Vision, can unlock new capabilities in several important research areas, including: advanced sensing capabilities such as non-line-of-sight imaging, a method that allows viewers to “see” around corners or behind obstacles using multiple bounces of light; imaging through scattering media, such as fog, smoke, biological tissues or turbid water; and 3D reconstruction, where understanding the behaviour of light that scatters multiple times is critical.

In addition to Lindell, the research team included �鶹��Ƶ computer science PhD student Anagh Malik, fourth-year engineering science undergraduate Noah Juravsky, Professor Kyros Kutulakos and Stanford University Associate Professor Gordon Wetzstein and PhD student Ryan Po.

The researchers’ key innovation lies in the AI algorithm they developed to visualize ultrafast videos from any viewpoint – a challenge known in computer vision as “novel view synthesis.”

Traditionally, novel view synthesis methods are designed for images or videos captured with regular cameras. However, the researchers extended this concept to handle data captured by an ultra-fast camera operating at speeds comparable to light, which posed unique challenges – including the need for their algorithm to account for the speed of light and model how it propagates through a scene.

Through their work, researchers observed a moving-camera visualization of light in motion, including refracting through water, bouncing off a mirror or scattering off a surface. They also demonstrated how to visualize phenomena that only occur at a significant portion of the speed of light, as predicted by Albert Einstein. For example, they visualize the “searchlight effect” that makes objects brighter when moving toward an observer, and “length contraction,” where fast-moving objects look shorter in the direction they are travelling. The researchers were also able to create a way to see how objects would appear to contract in length when moving at such high speeds.

Anagh Malik (supplied image)

While current algorithms for processing ultra-fast videos typically focus on analyzing a single video from a single viewpoint, the researchers say their work is the first to extend this analysis to multi-view light-in-flight videos, allowing for the study of how light propagates from multiple perspectives.

“Our multi-view light-in-flight videos serve as a powerful educational tool, offering a unique way to teach the physics of light transport,” says Malik. “By visually capturing how light behaves in real-time – whether refracting through a material or reflecting off a surface – we can get a more intuitive understanding of the motion of light through a scene.

“Additionally, our technology could inspire creative applications in the arts, such as filmmaking or interactive installations, where the beauty of light transport can be used to create new types of visual effects or immersive experiences.”

The research also holds significant potential for improving LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor technology used in autonomous vehicles. Typically, these sensors process data to immediately create 3D images right away. But the researchers’ work suggests the potential to store the raw data, including detailed light patterns, to help create systems that perform better than conventional LIDAR to see more details, look through obstacles and understand materials better.

While the researchers’ project focused on visualizing how light moves through a scene from any direction, they note that carries “hidden information” about the shape and appearance of everything it touches. As the researchers look to their next steps, they want to unlock this information by developing a method that uses multi-view light-in-flight videos to reconstruct the 3D geometry and appearance of the entire scene.

“This means we could potentially create incredibly detailed, three-dimensional models of objects and environments – just by watching how light travels through them,” Lindell says.

�鶹��Ƶ to increase base funding for PhD students to $40,000 per year

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 13:00:55 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ to increase base funding for PhD students to $40,000 per year

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 11/12/2024 - 08:00

Cutline

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Subheadline

One of the highest base funding packages in Canada comes into effect next fall

The University of Toronto is increasing funding for PhD and SJD (doctor of juridical science) students across its three campuses in an effort to alleviate students’ financial stress, advance equity, increase access to doctoral research opportunities and boost research outcomes.

Beginning next fall, all current and incoming students in the funded cohort (the first four or five years) of PhD and SJD programs will be guaranteed an annual base funding package of $40,000 including tuition – one of the highest base funding packages in Canada.

The move is designed to place PhD students on a stronger financial footing so they can better focus on their research endeavors, boosting �鶹��Ƶ’s competitiveness in attracting top talent and, ultimately, strengthening the university’s research enterprise and contributions to knowledge creation and economic growth in Canada.

“Our PhD students are at the heart of the University of Toronto’s success in driving cutting-edge research and innovation across disciplines. Their creativity, intellectual prowess and dedication are vital to the university’s mission of generating solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Trevor Young, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president and provost.

“At the same time, financial pressures can have a detrimental impact on students’ well-being and ability to advance their research. By increasing our financial support, we hope to alleviate some of that pressure and improve the graduate student experience, ensuring that our programs can continue to recruit and retain the next generation of exceptional scholars.”

An estimated 2,800 domestic and international PhD students – more than half of the funded cohort – will see their funding increase under the new measure.

The new funding commitment comes as governments around the world increasingly recognize research as an engine of economic innovation. In its 2024 budget, Canada’s federal government made a significant reinvestment in the country’s research and talent. This included $1.8 billion over five years to the federal granting councils and $825 million to federally funded graduate scholarships, raising the value of doctoral scholarships to $40,000.

The federally supported scholarships, however, are competitive – most students do not receive them. The new funding commitment from �鶹��Ƶ raises the minimum level that all PhD and SJD students receive.

“I have always loved �鶹��Ƶ, and it has allowed me to excel to places that I could only dream of. However, many times I deeply struggled to balance my academic aspirations with the intense demands of living and studying,” said Tina Keshavarzian, a PhD candidate in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine's department of medical biophysics whose research focuses on using single-cell sequencing, data science and machine learning to understand how cancers become more aggressive. The increased funding, she said, “can provide the stability students need to engage in their research and research community, leading to better academic outcomes and shorter times to completion. 

“When students feel supported and fulfilled, it creates a positive ripple effect in their academic teams and the entire university ecosystem.”

The updated base funding package will be primarily supported by funds from divisional sources – such as research grants, fellowships and other funding streams administered by individual faculties and graduate units – with additional support from the university’s central budget to soften the financial impacts on some academic divisions.

“I want to acknowledge, the tremendous leadership from deans across the university” said Joshua Barker, vice-provost, graduate research and education & dean of the School of Graduate Studies. “Increasing graduate funding for our PhD and SJD students is truly a collaborative effort, one that requires commitment from all our partners – graduate units, faculty members, the university advancement teams and the university’s senior leadership. Together, we can meet this challenge and provide the support our graduate students deserve.”

�鶹��Ƶ has also launched a PhD scholarship matching program that seeks to create 250 new PhD awards as part of the Defy Gravity fundraising campaign. A donor’s $100,000 gift, combined with �鶹��Ƶ matching funds, will create a $250,000 endowed award, which will generate an annual income of approximately $10,000. This will combine with other sources of funding to increase the pool of funds available for PhD students.

“PhDs are our most research-intensive degrees and the students who pursue them spend a lot of time at the university,” Barker said. “Their work has helped make �鶹��Ƶ the highest ranked university in Canada and one of the world’s top research institutions – and a large number of our PhDs go on to work across Canada in both academia and the private sector, strengthening the country’s economy and innovation landscape.

“Investing in our PhDs means investing in Canada’s future.”

Barker noted the new funding initiative comes on the heels of extensive research and consultations. He pointed to �鶹��Ƶ’s annual Graduate Student Experience in the Research University (gradSERU) surveys, in which a substantial number of respondents cited financial pressure as an obstacle to their academic progress.

In fall 2022, �鶹��Ƶ convened a Graduate Funding Working Group – chaired by Barker and comprising faculty members, divisional leaders and students – to examine the graduate funding landscape and make recommendations. The working group issued its report the following year, outlining its considerations and recommendations.

“We've heard the feedback, and the institution is now stepping up to do what's necessary to invest in our PhD students' well-being and success,” Barker said.

Keshavarzian, a member of the tri-campus working group who previously directed Temerty Medicine's graduate representation committee, said the working group was key to understanding and addressing the concerns of graduate students across �鶹��Ƶ's three campuses.

“This structure has allowed us to bring together diverse perspectives and create solutions at a university-wide level, rather than fragmenting the responsibility among various departments,” said Keshavarzian, who earned her honours bachelor of science degree at �鶹��Ƶ before returning for graduate studies. “I’m incredibly proud to be part of an institution willing to take on such hard work, aligning resources and leadership to address challenges systematically.

“This collaborative approach has helped ensure that our university remains responsive to the needs of graduate students and committed to creating an environment where they can thrive both academically and personally.”

How did she do it? Three questions with �鶹��Ƶ grad who speaks 11 languages

mattimar — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 20:31:59 +0000

How did she do it? Three questions with �鶹��Ƶ grad who speaks 11 languages

mattimar Wed, 10/30/2024 - 16:31

Cutline

Originally from Malaysia, Xin Yi Lim is graduating from �鶹��Ƶ with a master’s in Hispanic linguistics with a collaborative specialization in diaspora and transnational studies from the department of Spanish and Portuguese (photo by Nicole In)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Graduate Students

Subheadline

“My brain works in different channels … I’ve developed resources, tools and mechanism to prevent cross-linguistic contamination”

Xin Yi Lim arrived at the University of Toronto in 2019 with plans to become a cardiac surgeon, but she has since achieved a feat many would consider equally daunting: learning to speak 11 languages.

After shifting her focus during her undergrad, Lim is set to graduate from �鶹��Ƶ this week with a master’s in Hispanic linguistics with a collaborative specialization in diaspora and transnational studies from the department of Spanish and Portuguese in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Originally from Malaysia, Lim says she fell in love with Toronto’s diverse community and hopes to continue living in the city. Following fall convocation, she hopes to pursue a career that combines her passions for graphic design and languages.

“I wish to work in a capacity where I can converse and capitalize on all these skills I have amassed over the years,” says Lim, who also earned her bachelor’s degree from �鶹��Ƶ and is considered a hyperpolyglot – the term generally used to describe someone who can speak more than five languages.

“I’d love to continue making meaningful connections with people and touching the hearts of others by learning their culture and language.”

In the near term, Lim is eager to find opportunities in entertainment – perhaps with Disney on Ice or Royal Caribbean Cruises – to showcase her figure skating skills. She competed with the Malaysian junior national figure skating team and was a member of �鶹��Ƶ’s Varsity training squad.

As she prepares to embark on a new chapter, Lim spoke with �鶹��Ƶ News about how she learned so many languages, her university experience and, of course, what language she plans to tackle next.

How did you learn all these languages?

I will give a lot of credit to my home country of Malaysia. Growing up with five languages in my household built my brain to absorb different languages.

My brain works in different channels and compartments. With a photographic memory, learning languages is like translating these photographs in my head into these mental compartments.

Due to my perfectionism in linguistics and eagerness to not make mistakes, I’ve developed resources, tools and mechanism to prevent cross-linguistic contamination. For languages that are in similar linguistic families – like Portuguese, French, Italian and Spanish – I created mechanisms for active recall to help me avoid mixing them up while speaking.

How has studying at �鶹��Ƶ shaped your path?

I came to �鶹��Ƶ wanting to become a cardiac surgeon and now I have 11 languages under my belt. After my third semester of doing life sciences, I quickly found my love for linguistics and political activism.

I had to take political science and social science – and if I had never taken these courses, I wouldn’t have known I was so passionate about diaspora studies, transnational studies, anthropology or sociology.

That’s one thing about �鶹��Ƶ that I really appreciate. Some may complain about its academic rigour, but I think it worked out in my favour. The well-rounded education I received here is hard to find in other institutions in Canada.

Being at �鶹��Ƶ has enriched and amplified my experience in language and my love for different cultures. I took Italian in my second year and Turkish in my third year. In my final year, I had some wiggle room for more electives. So, I decided to take Portuguese for Spanish speakers, which was so super, super helpful. Then I took French and Swahili.

I believe the selection of different languages at �鶹��Ƶ offers a great plethora of knowledge and I want to keep that going.

If you could instantly become fluent in one language, which one would it be?

Arabic is incredibly difficult to learn. I would really like to master this language – hopefully soon.

I also want to learn Greek, Albanian and Armenian, seeing as there is a huge population of these three ethnic groups in Toronto and I want to be able to connect with those cultures.

�鶹��Ƶ researcher tracks 1,000 years of sea ice

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 17:18:44 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ researcher tracks 1,000 years of sea ice

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 10/15/2024 - 13:18

Cutline

Minoli Dias, a PhD student at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga, examines coralline algae, which live for approximately 1,500 years and grow in annual layers, to construct a record of changes in sea ice cover over time (photo by Natasha Leclerc)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Sustainability

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga

Subheadline

Minoli Dias says the baseline data she and her fellow researchers are constructing could "inform model projections that predict what future conditions will look like”

Minoli Dias’s interest in sea ice began in an unlikely place: polar bear poop.

She was studying microplastics in polar bear feces and intestinal tracts as part of a research project during her undergraduate years at Queen’s University.

“It was a smelly job, but it was really interesting,” says Dias, who is now a PhD student in the department of Earth sciences at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga.

Her early work revealed some troubling trends: for instance, declining sea ice levels meant that certain species of polar bears were being driven inland – with garbage and landfills increasingly serving as their food sources. At the same time, members of northern communities, particularly the Inuit, had noted in their own experiences, observations and research that declining sea ice levels had impacted access to essential needs – such as transportation, food security through hunting, and other culturally important activities.

It wasn't long before Dias decided she wanted to pursue sea ice research – and ultimately chose to study at �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga after speaking with Jochen Halfar, a paleoclimate and paleontology professor and researcher in �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s Climate Geology Research Group. “UTM gave him a wonderful lab, and we have incredible facilities. But his research and his passion for the work was what really drew me,” she says.

Now part of Halfar’s research group studying changes in sea ice cover in northern Labrador, Dias and her co-researchers are developing sea-ice cover records for the past 1,000 years off the coast of Nunatsiavut and are examining coralline algae as part of their research.

Minoli Dias's view from the research vessel off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador (photo by Minoli Dias)

Dias says that coralline algae live for approximately 1,500 years and they grow in annual layers (like tree rings). The growth, she explains, is dependent on light. When the algae have more light, meaning there’s less sea ice in the water, they grow a lot thicker. When they have less light, meaning there’s more sea ice cover, the layers grow thinner. By examining these variations and growth over time along with chemical tracers, the research team can essentially watch the sea ice cover change.

Dias conducted field work in the community of Agvituk (Hopedale), N.L. this past summer. The lab also explored multiple sites in Greenland, Norway, Nunavut and the Labrador coast.

“If we can create a network of these types of ocean reconstructions, we’ll be able to have this baseline data going back several centuries that can then hopefully inform model projections that predict what future conditions will look like,” she says.

Since joining the lab, Dias says she has had some incredible experiences – including a recent opportunity to work with members of the Hopedale community.

“We’re not the experts. We don’t live there. It’s the people who live along the coast – and actually live the change and see the change – who are the experts,” she says. “When you speak to community members, they have a clear understanding of how changes occurred over time, and what is the importance of sea ice to these ecosystems.”

Once she completes her PhD, Dias hopes to continue pursuing climate research by either working directly with impacted communities or working to address the effects of pollution or climate change.

Dias says she feels inspired by the many women scientists who came before her, including her female professors who have served as role models in what traditionally has been a male-dominated field.

“They paved the way for us to be able to do the work that we do, and to do it in relative comfort,” she says. “Having these women to look up to is what makes it possible for me to do the type of work that I do, and I hope I can make a similar contribution and pay it forward to the women that are coming after me.”

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

mattimar — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:43:16 +0000

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

mattimar Tue, 10/08/2024 - 15:43

Cutline

(Photo by Johnny Guatto/University of Toronto)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

�鶹��Ƶ

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Faculty of Arts & Science

University Health Network

Vector Institute

Subheadline

“You always knew when Geoff had a new idea. The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility"

Reactions to Geoffrey Hinton’s Nobel Prize win began almost immediately after it was announced Tuesday morning.

Known as the “godfather of AI,” the University Professor Emeritus of computer science at the University of Toronto shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with John J. Hopfield of Princeton University for groundbreaking work that laid the foundation for machine learning using artificial neural networks.

�鶹��Ƶ’s Geoffrey Hinton and Princeton’s John J. Hopfield are pictured during the announcement for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics (photo by Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)

At �鶹��Ƶ, students, faculty and staff gathered at an event hosted by the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science, which Hinton joined as a professor in 1987.

Those in attendance described a revered and beloved figure, citing Hinton’s determination, playful approach to research and excitement for new ideas.

"I really don’t think there’s anyone more deserving of this recognition," said Chris Maddison, assistant professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences, and one of Hinton’s former students.

"Geoff was a fantastic adviser. He worked really, really hard to remove the barriers for his students and he was laser focused on ideas and building his own understanding."

Hinton also received congratulations from universities and other research organizations around the world, including the Royal Society, the Alan Turing Institute and Cambridge University, Hinton’s alma mater.

Meanwhile, friends, colleagues and leaders in politics and business took to social media to express their congratulations for Hinton’s remarkable achievement.

Here’s a snapshot of what some of them said:

From left: Melanie Woodin, Chris Maddison, Nick Frosst, Kevin Swersky and Eyal de Lara (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Congratulations to Geoffrey Hinton on this fantastic recognition which is a testament to the importance of supporting basic research and the long journey that can lead to profound discoveries like deep learning that forever change our world. Hinton's phenomenal work has seeded new and innovative research by his former students and many around the world who are using AI to solve global challenges in areas like medicine and climate change.“

– Leah Cowen, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives at �鶹��Ƶ

“I would say his approach to science has stuck with me. Everything I know about how to do science, I mostly learned from him. It's his curiosity and playfulness ... that has been most impactful. I would also say his thoughtfulness, thinking about the consequence of the technology and how it affects society is something that we have taken seriously at Cohere as well.”

– Nick Frosst, �鶹��Ƶ alumnus and co-founder of Cohere

“You always knew when Geoff had a new idea. The excitement, the joy radiated out of his office down the hall. The air was buzzing with possibility. He was famous for bursting into a room and pronouncing that, he now finally, after all these years, understood how the brain worked. Above all, he understood that research was a human endeavor. Research is really hard. It becomes personal. It's intertwined with tragedies and compromises. I saw him go through some of his own when I was a student in the group, and I went through my own. I remember when I was going through some health challenges, I went to him and I said, 'Geoff, sometimes it's really hard to go on.’ And he looked at me and he said, ’But we're not going to let that slow us down, will we?’"

– Chris Maddison, assistant professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s departments of computer science and statistical sciences, Faculty of Arts & Science

�鶹��Ƶ is the only computer science department with a Nobel Prize winner, says Professor Michael Brudno (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate an award for somebody who has made huge contributions – obviously in AI broadly, [and] to this department. No other computer science department can say that they have a Nobel Laureate. But I think beyond that, it really goes back to show how the birthplace of modern AI is Toronto, how this is the place where it all started and how it's upon us as the AI faculty in this department to continue this legacy.”

– Michael Brudno, professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s department of computer science, acting vice-dean, graduate education in Faculty of Arts & Science, a chief data scientist at University Health Network and a faculty member at the Vector Institute

Geoffrey Hinton shares a laugh with fellow AI researcher Raquel Urtasun, left, at the Vector Institute’s opening in 2017 (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

"Geoff is the most influential person in AI, and our field would certainly not be the same without his immense contributions. He is also a tremendous educator, and has mentored many students and postdocs who have gone on to become very influential in the field of AI. Geoff cares deeply about the Toronto and Canadian ecosystem and was the driving force in the formation of the Vector Institute, which we co-founded together. Through our time as colleagues at the University of Toronto, I've deeply admired his commitment to the advancement of AI for good. This recognition is well-deserved and acknowledges his decades of work leading AI innovation and building the foundation for the AI revolution that is happening today.”

– Raquel Urtasun, professor in �鶹��Ƶ’s department of computer science, faculty member and co-founder at the Vector Institute, founder and CEO of Waabi

“I was the first to call Geoff Hinton “Godfather of Deep Learning,” which later became “Godfather of AI.” Thrilled to see him win the Nobel prize together with John Hopfield for AI. Congrats @geoffreyhinton.”

– Andrew Ng, co-founder of Coursera, founder GoogleBrain, former chief scientist at Baidu

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Geoffrey Hinton at a 2019 event (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

“Dr. Hinton is a stalwart in his field. Celebrated as one of the ‘Godfathers of AI’, he brings decades of leading expertise in AI research as a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto’s Department of Computer Science, and the current Chief Scientific Advisor at the Vector Institute in Toronto – one of our three national AI institutes. Dr. Hinton is also an outspoken advocate for the responsible development and adoption of AI, educating the world about the benefits and challenges this technology poses.

“Canada is at the forefront of AI technology thanks to trailblazers like Dr. Hinton. His curiosity for discovery and contributions to innovation will inspire generations to come. On behalf of all Canadians, I congratulate him on his remarkable achievement.”

– Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

A.M. Turing Award winners Yann LeCun, left, Yoshua Bengio, middle, and Geoffrey Hinton at an AI summit in Montreal (photo courtesy of RE•WORK)

"@HopfieldJohn and @geoffreyhinton, along with collaborators, have created a beautiful and insightful bridge between physics and AI. They invented neural networks that were not only inspired by the brain, but also by central notions in physics such as energy, temperature, system dynamics, energy barriers, the role of randomness and noise, connecting the local properties, e.g., of atoms or neurons, to global ones like entropy and attractors. And they went beyond the physics to show how these ideas could give rise to memory, learning and generative models; concepts which are still at the forefront of modern AI research. Their ideas inspired me so profoundly that I decided to choose learning in neural networks for my own research as a graduate student. They motivated me to look for abstract principles that could be as simple as the laws of physics, but could explain biological as well as artificial intelligence. I'm truly delighted for them and for our field."

– Yoshua Bengio, professor at Université de Montréal and co-winner of the A.M Turing Award with Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun

“It was the first thing I saw in the morning. I opened my phone, and it was the headline of The New York Times and I was like, ‘Yes!’ I was very excited. I saw his perseverance – he always goes with what he believes, not what the flow is – and it's quite inspirational for me. That’s what I look for, especially in the health care area. I want to do something meaningful, something big.”

–Tina Behrouzi, second year PhD student in �鶹��Ƶ’s department of computer science

Geoffrey Hinton poses with graduate students Ilya Sutskever, left, and Alex Krizhevsky, right, in 2013 (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Congratulations to @geoffreyhinton for winning the Nobel Prize in physics!!”

– Ilya Sutskever, �鶹��Ƶ alumnus, co-founder of OpenAI and co-founder and chief scientist at Safe Superintelligence

“Going to Geoff’s office was always fun. Normally when you go to a supervisor's office, you give them a progress update. You go through what your latest results are, you talk about a couple of your ideas and you get some feedback. Going to Geoff’s office was a completely different story. He would be telling you what his latest idea was. He would show you his latest results. And his whole thing was just that he was really excited about it, and his hope was to inspire you enough to start running with it.”

– Kevin Swersky, �鶹��Ƶ alumnus and research scientist at Google DeepMind

“[Hinton's] pioneering research at the University of Toronto not only revolutionized the field of AI but has also been instrumental in establishing Canada as a global powerhouse in AI research and innovation."

– Tony Gaffney, president and CEO of the Vector Institute

Fei-Fei Li and Geoffrey Hinton speak at a 2023 event in Toronto (photo by Polina Teif)

“This is beyond exciting! #AI’s far reaching impact is just beginning.”

– Fei-Fei Li, professor of computer science at Stanford University and co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute

“Congratulations to @geoffreyhinton, University Professor Emeritus at@UofT, on winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics! Widely regarded as the “godfather of AI,” Hinton’s pioneering work in artificial neural networks has transformed the global AI landscape. Dr. Hinton’s achievement highlights the best of #Ontario’s world-class talent and thriving AI ecosystem, driving innovation and shaping the future of critical #technology!

– Victor Fedeli, Ontario’s minister of economic development, job creation and trade

"On behalf of the Department and the University, we are very proud to acknowledge Geoff's global achievements and this international recognition. His contributions to machine learning and artificial intelligence have benefited virtually every discipline in science, engineering, social sciences and medicine. As we celebrate the department’s 60th anniversary, this award embodies six decades of impact and innovation in computer science and technology.”

– Eyal de Lara, professor and chair of �鶹��Ƶ’s department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

“Heartfelt congratulations to Geoff Hinton @geoffreyhinton on winning the Nobel Prize! What an incredible honor! I feel deeply privileged to have had the opportunity to be your PhD student, work with you, and learn from you.”

– Russ Salakhutdinov, professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University

Hinton approached his research with an “almost childlike playfulness,” says Graduate student Ujan Sen (photo by Johnny Guatto)

“Waking up today, seeing that news, just motivates me even more and reaffirms the decision that coming to �鶹��Ƶ was the absolutely the best decision I could have taken. I think one of the people who had previously worked with him mentioned something along the lines of: Geoff didn't really care too much about pedigree. He cared about ideas, regardless if you have a master's or PhD. And the way he approached his research and the almost childlike playfulness and innocence he had with sort of getting to the answer is something that I really resonate with.”

– Ujan Sen, master’s student in �鶹��Ƶ’s department of computer science, Faculty of Arts & Science

"I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Geoffrey Hinton on winning the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. His groundbreaking work in machine learning has made Canada world-renowned in the field of AI. He is a true inspiration for the next generation of Canadian researchers!"

– François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry

“I’m originally a chemist. It was a surprising thing for me that a Nobel Prize is being awarded to a computer scientist. This is a big moment for computer science. I think it will bring recognition to physics-based approaches and core thinking.

“I think it’s great that some universities like �鶹��Ƶ are willing to believe in crazy ideas. People need to encourage outside-the-box thinking.”

– Ella Rajaonson, PhD student in the Matter Lab with �鶹��Ƶ professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik

“Congratulations!”

– Olivia Chow, mayor of Toronto

First 48 Hours: Documentary spotlights the journey of international students

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:53:06 +0000

First 48 Hours: Documentary spotlights the journey of international students

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 10/01/2024 - 15:53

Cutline

(supplied image)

Adam Elliott Segal

Topic

Global Lens

Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

Centre for International Experience

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Global

Graduate Students

Student Life

Subheadline

International Students: First 48 Hours will be screened across �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses this fall

The first few days of a new school year can be as frantic as they are exciting – but for several international students at the University of Toronto, there was an extra wrinkle: a new country.

The students are featured in a 22-minute documentary called International Students: First 48 Hours in Canada, which is directed by Cal Campos and was shot at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year.

It uses a combination of the students’ own footage and sit-down interviews to provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the excitement of packing, traveling and finally setting foot on each of �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses.

Obinna Ezeani (supplied image)

Obinna Ezeani, who is featured in the film and spent 17 hours traveling from Lagos to Toronto, says he is thrilled to see the final product come to life.

“It’s an opportunity to relive those moments and memories from a year ago and remind myself why I embarked on this journey,” says Ezeani, who is working on a master’s degree in health informatics and recalls his first few days in Canada as “exciting.”

A joint partnership between �鶹��Ƶ’s Centre for International Experience and the Innovation Hub in the division of Student Life, the documentary is being screened across the three campuses in October and November – with the first screening scheduled at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough this week.

It will later be available for streaming on YouTube.

Julia Allworth, the Innovation Hub’s manager of innovation projects, says the goal of the project was to shine a light on the multitude of diverse global perspectives that make up nearly a third of the university’s student body.

“We wanted to zoom in on what it’s like for students when they first arrive in Canada. What challenges do they face as they step off the plane and into Canada? What decisions do they need to make along the way?” says Allworth.

“International students bring tremendous value to the university.”

The biggest challenge, according to Campos, was figuring out how to show the diversity and complexity of student life at �鶹��Ƶ in just 22 minutes.

Jo Antonia Sepulveda Guzman (supplied image)

“The beauty of documentary is you think it’s going to go in one direction, and then it goes a totally different way,” says Campos, who was selected to helm the project for their thoughtful approach to equity and diversity.

Jo Antonia Sepulveda Guzman, who is from Chile and is working on a bachelor’s degree in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, says she is looking forward to sharing the doc with her family.

“[They were] so excited when I told them I would be doing the 48 hours project,” she says. “My sister started giving me tips on how to record and took me to change my phone screen protector so that the camera was not blurry. My mom is expecting to cry.”

Sepulveda is nostalgic about the experience.

“The person I was then is completely different from the person I am today. I worked so hard to come here. Remembering the beginning will be emotional for me.”

Shraddha Prasad, associate director, international student experience and global fluency at the Centre for International Experience, says she couldn’t be prouder of the year-long project, which received support from �鶹��Ƶ’s International Student Experience Fund.

“International students have such impact in the �鶹��Ƶ community through the perspectives they bring to the university through their lived experiences and their cultural backgrounds,” she says, noting that funding is already underway for a second film project titled International Students: Life After Graduation.

“Being able to elevate these stories has been a huge highlight for us.”

Hip-Hop and the City: Shad and Kofi Hope bridge hip-hop and urban studies in �鶹��Ƶ course

mattimar — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:11:38 +0000

Hip-Hop and the City: Shad and Kofi Hope bridge hip-hop and urban studies in �鶹��Ƶ course

mattimar Thu, 09/19/2024 - 13:11

Cutline

Kofi Hope, left, and Shadrach Kabango, better known as Shad, are teaching Hip-Hop and the City at �鶹��Ƶ this fall (photo by Polina Teif)

Topic

Subheadline

The graduate course uses hip-hop music and culture as a lens to explore urban issues

Shadrach Kabango and Kofi Hope grew up immersed in hip-hop culture in the late 1990s, making music in basements, freestyling and participating in cyphers.

Today, Shad, as he is best known, is a Juno-award winning artist and rapper, while Hope is an academic and community advocate working with Black youth – and they’ve teamed up to share their knowledge via a new course at the University of Toronto called Hip-Hop and the City.

The graduate-level course is being offered by �鶹��Ƶ’s School of Cities – a multidisciplinary hub at �鶹��Ƶ for urban research, education and engagement – in collaboration with the Faculty of Music.

The course uses hip-hop music and culture as a lens to explore historical urban issues. It also examines how these issues shape cultural expression and how culture, in turn, shapes cities – all while providing a platform for students to develop innovative solutions to today’s urban challenges.

“We’re focused on giving folks the foundation,” says Hope about the course.

“So, what’s the origin of the culture? Where did it come from? How did it start to disseminate across the U.S.? And touching on how it went global. But there’s many parts of that story.”

Shad and Hope encourage students to bring their full selves to the class.

“The class will be a mix of music students and students from other disciplines – so this opportunity for mutual learning,” says Shad, who hosted Netflix's Peabody and Emmy Award-winning documentary series Hip-Hop Evolution. “If people participate fully, I think it’s going to be really rich and special.”

Hope says there’s always something new to learn about the global phenomenon that is hip-hop.

“I’m hoping to learn about sub-communities and sub-genres of the culture that I'm not familiar with,” says Hope, an urbanist-in-residence at the School of Cities. “We can really help to build a greater understanding of this thing that now is beyond just being South Bronx culture.”

Graduate Students

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�鶹��Ƶ marks National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women with tri-campus event

PhD student's radiopharmaceutical to play key role in clinical trial for lung cancer treatment

Light in a bottle: �鶹��Ƶ researchers use AI to capture photons in motion

�鶹��Ƶ to increase base funding for PhD students to $40,000 per year

Read more at the School of Graduate Studies

How did she do it? Three questions with �鶹��Ƶ grad who speaks 11 languages

�鶹��Ƶ researcher tracks 1,000 years of sea ice

Congratulations pour in for Geoffrey Hinton after Nobel win

First 48 Hours: Documentary spotlights the journey of international students

Hip-Hop and the City: Shad and Kofi Hope bridge hip-hop and urban studies in �鶹��Ƶ course