Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre / en AI fuels boom in innovation, investment and jobs in Canada: 老司机直播 report /news/ai-fuels-boom-innovation-investment-and-jobs-canada-report-says <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">AI fuels boom in innovation, investment and jobs in Canada: 老司机直播 report</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/UofT14365_20170706_GeoffreyHinton_002.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K23fIT4E 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT14365_20170706_GeoffreyHinton_002.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=nB2kHxKE 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT14365_20170706_GeoffreyHinton_002.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=zPBXHlWI 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/UofT14365_20170706_GeoffreyHinton_002.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K23fIT4E" alt="Geoffrey hinton stands in a server room"> </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="2020-06-23T12:14:44-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 23, 2020 - 12:14" class="datetime">Tue, 06/23/2020 - 12:14</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>Thanks to the pioneering work of researchers like 老司机直播鈥檚 Geoffrey Hinton, Toronto has emerged as a hub of AI innovation in a range of fields, including the global fight against COVID-19 (photo by Johnny Guatto)</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/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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/chemistry" hreflang="en">Chemistry</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/creative-destruction-lab" hreflang="en">Creative Destruction Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship-hatchery" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship Hatchery</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/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/geoffrey-hinton" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Hinton</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innovation-entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-and-innovation" hreflang="en">Research and 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/utest" hreflang="en">UTEST</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</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>Canada鈥檚 artificial intelligence sector is fuelling innovation, job creation and private sector investment 鈥 and University of Toronto researchers and entrepreneurs are playing a central role in that success, according to <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/uot/pages/301/attachments/original/1594219597/GRO_AI_Report_FINAL_2.pdf?1594219597">a report based on data compiled&nbsp;by Ottawa鈥檚 Global Advantage Consulting Group</a>.</p> <p>The report, prepared by 老司机直播, found that Canada鈥檚 unique combination of public investment, private capital, research capacity and talent has generated over 50,000 jobs and attracted nearly $3 billion in investment since 2010, with the number of active AI firms in Canada doubling to more than 670 since 2015.</p> <p>老司机直播 alone has produced 81 active AI startups, according to Global Advantage, a research and analytics firm that provides ecosystem mapping and analysis services to private and public sector clients. In total, AI-powered startups connected to 老司机直播 have raised $183 million in funding and created over 600 jobs in the last five years, the report says.</p> <p><strong>Vivek Goel</strong>, 老司机直播鈥檚 vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, says the report offers further evidence of the success of the federal government鈥檚 Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, launched in 2017 with a $125-million commitment over five years.</p> <p>鈥淐anada, and Toronto in particular, have long been recognized as global hubs of AI research thanks to the pioneering work of people like [老司机直播 <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a> Emeritus]&nbsp;<strong>Geoffrey Hinton</strong>, but in the past many people trained in 老司机直播鈥檚 machine learning group ended up going abroad to work for big tech companies,鈥 says Goel.</p> <p>鈥淭his report shows that the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy has helped create the conditions necessary to retain that talent in Canada 鈥 presenting opportunities to be involved in further research and training 鈥 so we can have the talent supply needed to fuel Canadian research, innovation and application in business sectors.鈥</p> <p>As an example, Goel cites the impact of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence, <a href="/news/toronto-s-vector-institute-officially-launched">launched three years ago</a> with $50 million in support from the government of Ontario and another $80 million from industry partners, in 鈥渢aking what was happening in the university, connecting it with the business community and getting it out into the marketplace before people in other countries could do it.鈥</p> <p>The investment in Canada鈥檚 AI research foundation is now yielding important applications and advances in the fight to contain and treat the COVID-19 virus. A few of the research projects detailed in the report 鈥 titled <em>Canada鈥檚 AI Ecosystem: Government Investment Propels Private Sector Growth 鈥</em> include:</p> <ul> <li>At the Vector Institute, researchers are working on tools to treat the virus and help governments manage the public health impacts. <strong>Al谩n Aspuru-Guzik</strong>, a professor in 老司机直播鈥檚 departments of chemistry and computer science, is using AI to identify molecules that can be used therapeutically to target SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.</li> <li>老司机直播 startup DNAstack <a href="/news/software-tool-built-u-t-startup-shares-genetic-data-covid-19-researchers-around-world">adopted its biomedical research software</a> to create COVID Cloud, a tool for scientists to share and track the genetic development of the virus.&nbsp;</li> <li>BenchSci, <a href="/news/google-s-backing-u-t-startup-benchsci-using-ai-create-super-scientists">co-founded by 老司机直播 PhD students and developed at 老司机直播 through the Entrepreneurship Hatchery, H2i (Health Innovation Hub) and the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL)</a> uses machine learning to help scientists find and purchase antibodies for their experiments, saving time and money. &nbsp;BenchSci is now using their technology to identify novel reagents to study the COVID-19 virus.</li> </ul> <p>Health-related AI applications have drawn particular interest from private sector investors, with over 15 per cent of AI-related private investment between 2015 and 2019 going to companies operating in health care and related areas like cloud computing and cybersecurity.</p> <p>Deep Genomics, an AI-powered drug discovery startup co-founded by 老司机直播 Professor&nbsp;<strong>Brendan Frey</strong>&nbsp;of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering, is one of many AI startups in the health-care space. The company has so far raised $61 million, <a href="/news/u-t-s-deep-genomics-secures-40-million-financing-ai-drug-development-platform-betakit">including a recent $40-million Series B financing</a>, as it works to develop a drug candidate for Wilson disease, a rare and potentially fatal genetic disorder, based on calculations performed by its systems.</p> <p><img alt class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT17108_2017-03-16-A.I%20%2815%29_0.jpg"></p> <p><em>Brendan Frey&nbsp;of the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering co-founded Deep Genomics, which has&nbsp;so far raised $61 million&nbsp;as it works to develop a drug candidate for a rare and potentially fatal genetic disorder&nbsp;(photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> <p>老司机直播 startups are also applying AI to a variety of other problems, from medical imaging to quantum computing and consumer research. The report underlines that Canada is an innovation leader in the AI sector, producing the most AI patents per million people among the G7 countries and China, while Toronto 鈥渉as attracted the densest cluster of AI startups in the world.鈥</p> <p>Blue J Legal, a Toronto startup co-founded by three members of 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Law, uses AI to predict the outcomes of tax and employment law cases. The company launched its Canadian tax law product in 2017 and employment law offering in 2018. In 2019, it expanded into the U.S. tax law market, where it has already secured more than a dozen law firms as clients.</p> <p>Both Blue J Legal and Deep Genomics emerged from 老司机直播鈥檚 expansive entrepreneurship ecosystem, having received early support from CDL and UTEST 鈥 two of 老司机直播鈥檚 many startup accelerators.</p> <p>Several of 老司机直播鈥檚 AI startups will be in focus this week during Collision at Home, the online edition of one of the world鈥檚 <a href="/news/tiff-tech-collision-conference-shines-spotlight-city-s-booming-innovation-scene-0">fastest-growing tech conferences,</a> which draws speakers, entrepreneurs, inventors, investors and business leaders from around the world.&nbsp;The event is being held virtually this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But 老司机直播 entrepreneurs, researchers and students will still have a major presence, with more than two dozen 老司机直播 startups scheduled to participate.</p> <p><img alt class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/2019-11-12-schwartz-reisman-interior-resized_0.jpg"></p> <p><em>A rendering of the&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre on College Street&nbsp;(rendering by Weis/Manfredi)</em></p> <p>In all, 老司机直播鈥檚 AI programs attracted $244 million in research funding between 2015 and 2019 鈥 a period that saw substantial increases in funding for AI research from the federal government. This, in turn, has allowed Canada to outperform many countries in two key metrics: field-weighted citation impact of AI research publications and academic-corporate collaborations, the report says.</p> <p>The report also notes that the expanding AI ecosystem around 老司机直播 is attracting philanthropists in addition to investors. That includes <a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">a $100-million gift to 老司机直播 from business leaders Heather Reisman and Gerald Schwartz</a>. The money is being used to construct the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, a 750,000 square foot complex that will anchor 老司机直播鈥檚 cluster of AI and biomedical researchers, as well as entrepreneurs and their startups. It will also be home to the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, which will explore the social implications of AI and other emerging technologies.</p> <p>鈥淚f you look at the most successful innovation ecosystems, they always have an anchor academic institution 鈥 a leading global university; they always have anchor multinational corporations and they have a thriving startup ecosystem,鈥 Goel says.</p> <p>鈥淲e have all those pieces coming together around the AI and tech sector here.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 23 Jun 2020 16:14:44 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 162780 at Vivek Goel to step down as 老司机直播鈥檚 vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives /news/vivek-goel-step-down-u-t-s-vice-president-research-and-innovation-and-strategic-initiatives <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Vivek Goel to step down as 老司机直播鈥檚 vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives</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/UofT18894_0625Vivek004.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=BQIc51QT 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT18894_0625Vivek004.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=JZAS5b9F 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT18894_0625Vivek004.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=b0YODAGw 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/UofT18894_0625Vivek004.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=BQIc51QT" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </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="2020-06-16T09:53:26-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 16, 2020 - 09:53" class="datetime">Tue, 06/16/2020 - 09:53</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"> Vivek Goel, who led 老司机直播's extensive research operation for the last six years, will take on a new role as a special adviser to 老司机直播鈥檚 president and provost, helping to guide the university鈥檚 COVID-19 planning efforts (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</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/coronavirus" hreflang="en">Coronavirus</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/resarch-innovation" hreflang="en">Resarch &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institute-health-policy-management-and-evaluation" hreflang="en">Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-cities" hreflang="en">School of Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</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/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ted-rogers-centre-heart-research" hreflang="en">Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</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>After leading the University of Toronto鈥檚 extensive research operation for the last six years, <strong>Vivek Goel</strong> is stepping down as vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives so he can devote more time to guiding the university鈥檚 pandemic response, as well as that of the wider community.</p> <p>Goel, who is among the experts serving on the federal COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, <a href="https://research.utoronto.ca/announcement06162020">will leave his current position on July 1 and take on a new role as a special adviser to 老司机直播鈥檚 president and provost</a>, helping to guide the university鈥檚 COVID-19 planning efforts.</p> <p>He will continue to serve as co-chair of the university鈥檚 COVID-19 Incident Leadership Team and lead its recovery and restart activities.</p> <p>鈥淚鈥檓 just trying to do what I think is best for the university and the country, and spend my time where I can focus on big public health issues,鈥 said Goel, a professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.</p> <p>鈥淚f I were a trained forest-fire fighter and there were forest fires burning, and I鈥檓 working away at something else, I think I鈥檇 probably say at some point: 鈥業f things are raging out of control, maybe I should go back and do what I was originally trained to do.鈥欌</p> <p>He added that he hopes to be able to return to his research, including <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/06/04/ontarios-covid-19-lockdown-is-now-harming-health-more-than-its-helping-some-experts-say.html">an in-progress study</a> of the impact of a prolonged pandemic shutdown on overall health.</p> <p>In his time managing a key university portfolio, Goel paved the way for greater multi-disciplinary collaboration, forged closer ties between 老司机直播 and industry leaders and oversaw major investments in the university鈥檚 research, innovation and entrepreneurship efforts, among other achievements.</p> <p>More recently, Goel helped spearhead 老司机直播鈥檚 response to COVID-19 and shared his public health expertise with a broad audience beyond the 老司机直播 community by <a href="/news/tags/covid-19-podcast">hosting a regular podcast on the pandemic</a> that explained everything from contact tracing to the process for developing a vaccine 鈥 even whether it was safe to go for a run.</p> <p>老司机直播 President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong> said Goel鈥檚 expert perspective has been sought out by both the public and private sectors.</p> <p>鈥淎s a public health physician, founding President and CEO of Public Health Ontario and faculty member in our Institute of Health Policy, Management &amp; Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Vivek is uniquely well-qualified to contribute to public health policy and practice at this critically important juncture,鈥 President Gertler said.</p> <p>鈥淚n relinquishing his role as Vice-President, he will have more time and latitude to apply his remarkable expertise and experience to these important discussions, locally, provincially and nationally.鈥</p> <p>As vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, Goel oversaw implementation of several major 老司机直播 projects that cemented the university鈥檚 reputation as one of the world鈥檚 leading research institutions. They included <a href="/news/historic-130-million-gift-establish-ted-rogers-centre-heart-research">the creation of the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research</a>, which was established thanks to a $130-million gift from the Rogers family in 2014 鈥 then the largest monetary donation ever made to a Canadian health-care initiative 鈥 and Medicine by Design, an initiative supported by <a href="/news/u-t-transform-regenerative-medicine-thanks-historic-114-million-federal-grant">a $114 million investment from the federal government</a> to undertake transformative research in regenerative medicine.</p> <p>In the spring of 2019, 老司机直播 announced <a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">a $100-million gift</a> from philanthropists and business leaders <strong>Gerald Schwartz</strong> and <strong>Heather Reisman </strong>to establish a new innovation centre and an institute dedicated to the study of the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. <a href="/news/university-breaks-ground-schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre">The university broke ground</a> on the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre last fall.</p> <p>鈥淟ooking back over the past five years, we've had three of these $100-million-dollar-plus types of initiatives,鈥 Goel told <em>老司机直播 News</em> last summer. 鈥淭hey're really where the exciting scholarship is at, and it鈥檚 where faculty and students want to be working.鈥</p> <p>Other major initiatives Goel helped create were 老司机直播鈥檚 <a href="/news/u-t-s-new-school-cities-bring-wide-ranging-experts-together-address-urban-challenges">School of Cities</a> and, externally, the <a href="/news/toronto-s-vector-institute-officially-launched">Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence</a>.</p> <p>Goel said another one of his priorities as vice-president was to promote equity, diversity and inclusion in research.</p> <p>鈥淚 think we know there鈥檚 still lots of work to be done in society, and the last few weeks have really emphasized that for us,鈥 he said.</p> <p>Entrepreneurship also blossomed on Goel鈥檚 watch. In recent years, 老司机直播 has become a North American leader in the creation of &nbsp;research-based companies 鈥 a feat Goel has attributed to students and faculty becoming increasingly engaged with the university鈥檚 innovation network. That includes signature events such as 老司机直播鈥檚 Entrepreneurship Week and programming by the various incubators and accelerators on all three campuses.</p> <p>鈥淚 think it&nbsp;becomes a self-perpetuating type of process as more and more people get excited about the opportunities,鈥 Goel told <em>老司机直播 News</em> last year.&nbsp;鈥淚 think we have been very fortunate that there's been interest from our faculty and students in doing this, and that we have been able to support them with the resources we've created.鈥</p> <p>The renowned public health leader obtained his medical degree from McGill University before continuing his studies in public health at 老司机直播 and Harvard University.</p> <p>鈥淥ne of the things I realized as I went through my training and worked as a primary care physician was that you're often getting to people at a very late stage,鈥 he previously told <em>老司机直播 News</em>. 鈥淭hat's what led me to go into public health, which is about preventing disease and working with entire populations.鈥</p> <p>He joined 老司机直播 in 1991 and stepped into progressively more senior roles, including a four-year stint as vice-president and provost. In 2008, he became the founding president and CEO of Public Health Ontario, which was formed in response to the SARS crisis years earlier. Before returning to his current role he served as chief academic strategist for Coursera.&nbsp;</p> <p>Beyond the pandemic, President Gertler said Goel will continue to contribute to a number of specific institutional strategic initiatives where he has a particular expertise and interest.</p> <p>He thanked Goel for his continued service.</p> <p>鈥淥n behalf of the entire University of Toronto, let me thank Vivek for his extraordinary service as Vice-President, and express my sincere appreciation for his willingness to fulfill this important advisory role.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 16 Jun 2020 13:53:26 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 165000 at 老司机直播 faculty, alumni and other members of university community named to Order of Canada /news/u-t-faculty-alumni-and-other-members-university-community-named-order-canada <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">老司机直播 faculty, alumni and other members of university community named to Order of Canada</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/GG05-2019-0110-016.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gpWmhh2B 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GG05-2019-0110-016.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=8c9xccoX 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GG05-2019-0110-016.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=yQNSCrYJ 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/GG05-2019-0110-016.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gpWmhh2B" alt="Order of Canada insignia on a black background"> </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="2019-12-28T11:13:26-05:00" title="Saturday, December 28, 2019 - 11:13" class="datetime">Sat, 12/28/2019 - 11:13</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 Sgt Johanie Maheu, Rideau Hall, OSGG-BSGG)</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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">老司机直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/economics" hreflang="en">Economics</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-medicine" hreflang="en">Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hospital-sick-children" hreflang="en">Hospital for Sick Children</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innis-college" hreflang="en">Innis College</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/mount-sinai-hospital" hreflang="en">Mount Sinai Hospital</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ontario-institute-studies-education" hreflang="en">Ontario Institute for Studies in Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/order-canada" hreflang="en">Order of Canada</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/political-science" hreflang="en">Political Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-college" hreflang="en">Victoria College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A pioneering zoologist who championed gender equality. A church minister and politician who was part of Canada鈥檚 early LGBTQ movement and performed one of the country's first same-sex marriages.&nbsp;And a professor in the Faculty of Medicine who's known around the world for his expertise on diabetes.&nbsp;</p> <p>These are just a few of the University of Toronto community members 鈥 faculty, alumni and supporters&nbsp;鈥 who recently joined or were promoted within the Order of Canada, one of the country's&nbsp;highest civilian honours.</p> <p>The latest appointees to the Order, and promotions within it, were announced today by Governor General <strong>Julie Payette</strong> 鈥&nbsp;herself a 老司机直播 alumna. The long list of honourees with ties to 老司机直播 include alumnae such as&nbsp;<strong>Anne Innis Dagg</strong>, a zoologist and feminist, and&nbsp;<strong>Cheri DiNovo</strong>, a&nbsp;reverend and former MPP. It also includes faculty such as <strong>Bernard Zinman</strong>, a professor<strong>&nbsp;</strong>in the department of medicine and a clinician-scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute who was promoted to Officer of the Order 鈥渇or his contributions to diabetes research and for his development of advanced preventative therapies.鈥</p> <p>Prominent supporters of the university and its partners were recognized, too.</p> <p><strong>Heather Reisman</strong>, the founder, chair and CEO of Indigo, was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada 鈥渇or her contributions to Canadian book publishing and children's literacy, and for her transformational philanthropy.鈥 Reisman and her husband&nbsp;<strong>Gerald Schwartz</strong>&nbsp;earlier this year donated $100 million to 老司机直播&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;<a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">the largest gift ever in the university鈥檚 history</a>&nbsp;鈥 to establish the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre and the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/GettyImages-534152840.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Heather Reisman, the founder and CEO of Indigo, was promoted to Officer. She and her husband Gerry Schwartz earlier this year donated $100 million to 老司机直播 to establish the&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre and the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society<strong>&nbsp;</strong>(Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</em></p> <h3>Current and former faculty</h3> <p>In addition to&nbsp;Zinman,&nbsp;the&nbsp;list of current or former 老司机直播 faculty who were named or promoted within the Order is&nbsp;lengthy. It includes:</p> <p><strong>Donald Dingwell</strong>, a world-renowned volcanologist, was named an Officer of the Order for his contributions to the field of volcanology and for promoting scientific involvement in public policy.&nbsp;Now teaching in Germany, Dingwell began his academic career at 老司机直播.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Mark Henkelman</strong>, a professor emeritus in the department of medical biophysics in the Faculty of Medicine,&nbsp; was named an Officer of the Order&nbsp;for his pioneering contributions to the field of medical imaging. He's a senior scientist emeritus at the Hospital for Sick Children, director of the Mouse Imaging Centre and a past winner of the Killam Prize for his substantial contributions to the health sciences.</p> <p><strong>Mel Watkins</strong>, a professor emeritus in the department of economics, was named a a Member of the Order for&nbsp;鈥渉is contributions as a political economist and for his advocacy of social justice.鈥 He was the chief author of the 1968 federal report, known as the Watkins Report,&nbsp;on the costs and benefits of foreign ownership of the Canadian economy.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/heritageutm2_180-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Josef Svoboda with crew taking measurements, circa 1980s-90s (photo courtesy of Steve Jaunzems/University of Toronto Mississauga)</em></p> <p><strong>Josef Svoboda</strong>, a professor emeritus of biology at 老司机直播 Mississauga and an expert on Arctic ecology, was named an Officer of the Order for 鈥渉is pioneering research on tundra ecosystems and for his lifelong mentorship of scientists studying the Arctic.鈥</p> <p><b>Ken Greenberg</b>,<b>&nbsp;</b>an urban designer, teacher, writer and former adjunct professor in the master of urban design program in the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design, was named a Member of the Order.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Anthony Miller</strong>, a professor emeritus in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health who has also donated to funds supporting research at 老司机直播, was named a Member of the Order for his contributions in cancer epidemiology, as well as&nbsp;cancer control policies and practices.</p> <p><strong>Robin McLeod</strong>, a professor of general surgery in the Faculty of Medicine, was named an Officer of the Order for her contributions to surgical oncology and innovations in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Shoo Lee</strong>, a professor in obstetrics and gynaecology who is cross-appointed to pediatrics in 老司机直播's Faculty of Medicine, was also appointed an Officer of the Order for his contributions in neonatal medicine.&nbsp;</p> <h3>老司机直播</h3> <p>A number of prominent 老司机直播 alumni were also named to the Order, or promoted within its ranks, in the latest round 鈥 but perhaps one of the more familiar names to the 老司机直播 community is Innis Dagg, who was named a Member of the Order.</p> <p>The daughter of&nbsp;<strong>Harold Innis</strong>, a political economist, communications studies pioneer and namesake of 老司机直播's Innis College, Innis Dagg obtained a master's in genetics at 老司机直播 in 1956. Soon after, at 23, she arranged to stay at a farm in South Africa 鈥 using only her initials in correspondence to avoid discrimination 鈥 in order to study giraffes in the wild. She's credited with being the first to conduct system observations of a large mammal in the wild, even before Jane Goodall and Dian&nbsp;Fossey studied primates.&nbsp;</p> <p>After returning to Canada and facing sexism in her field,&nbsp;she promoted gender equality on top of continuing her ground-breaking scientific work. In addition to being named a Member of the Order of Canada,&nbsp;<a href="/news/woman-who-loves-giraffes-pioneering-researcher-comes-u-t-screening-documentary-about-her-life">she's the subject of a recent documentary,&nbsp;<em>The Woman Who Loved Giraffes</em>.</a></p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Anne-main-photo_0.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Anne Innis Dagg, seen here at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago feeding a giraffe (photo by Elaisa Vargas)</em></p> <p>DiNovo, another alumna, <a href="https://www.dailyxtra.com/cheri-dinovo-women-early-lgbtq2-movement-163540">became involved in queer activism in the early 1970s</a>. She served as an MPP for Parkdale&nbsp;鈥 High Park for 11 years until leaving politics to return to the church. The first LGBTQ critic in the history of the Ontario legislature, she was named a Member of the Order 鈥渇or her contributions to provincial politics and her lifelong advocacy of social justice.鈥</p> <p>Other 老司机直播 alumni were recognized for contributions to everything from health care to the arts and gymnastics.</p> <p>Alumnus <strong>Larry Rosen</strong>, chairman and CEO of the menswear chain Harry Rosen, was appointed a Member of the Order 鈥渇or establishing one of Canada's most valuable retail brands.鈥</p> <p><strong>Duncan Sinclair</strong>, who received his master of science degree at 老司机直播 and went on to assume senior academic positions at Queen's University, was appointed a Member of the Order for his contributions to health care.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/GettyImages-850743482.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>老司机直播 alumna&nbsp;<strong>Cheri DiNovo&nbsp;</strong>was the first LGBTQ critic in the history of the Ontario legislature (Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</em></p> <p>Sister <strong>Sue Mosteller&nbsp;</strong>who received her bachelor's from St. Michael's College in 1968, was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for her work helping people with intellectual disabilities.</p> <p>Rev. <strong>James Scott</strong>, who graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 degree&nbsp;from Victoria College in religious studies, was named an Officer of the Order for his work in advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and his advocacy of restorative justice.&nbsp;</p> <p>Alumna <strong>Joyce Hisey</strong> was named a Member of the Order as a member for her contributions to figure skating&nbsp;as a judge, referee and mentor.&nbsp;</p> <p>Alumnus <strong>Stuart McGill</strong> was named a Member of the Order for his contributions to understanding the biomechanics of the spinal column and the development of rehabilitation programs.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/GettyImages-524606380.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Slava Corn, who graduated from 老司机直播 in 1967, was recognized for her contributions to gymnastics as a judge, administrator and volunteer (photo by Paul Cunningham/Corbis via Getty Images)</em></p> <p><strong>Wayne Fairhead</strong>, a graduate of the master in education program who has taught at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, was named a Member of the Order&nbsp;for his leadership of the Sears Drama Festival and for inspiring youth to take up the theatre arts.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Daniel Hays</strong>, an alumnus and lawyer who was named to the Senate by Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in 1984, was made an Officer of the Order for his contributions to the province of Alberta and distinguished public service, including in the Senate.&nbsp;</p> <p>Alumna&nbsp;<strong>Slava Corn&nbsp;</strong>was named an Officer of the Order for her contributions to gymnastics as a judge, administrator and volunteer.</p> <p><em>Did we miss anybody? If you know of an Order of Canada honouree with ties to 老司机直播 who was announced in this latest round but isn't mentioned above, please let us know at <a href="mailto:uoftnews@utoronto.ca">uoftnews@utoronto.ca</a>.</em></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> Sat, 28 Dec 2019 16:13:26 +0000 geoff.vendeville 161424 at Seven transformational things that happened at 老司机直播 over the past decade /news/seven-transformational-things-happened-u-t-over-past-decade <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Seven transformational things that happened at 老司机直播 over the past decade</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-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VuBJYASQ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K_Pzf3X9 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=jywI7TA2 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-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VuBJYASQ" alt="Aerial view of 老司机直播 downtown campus bathed in a rosy glow from the sun rising"> </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="2019-12-20T16:19:44-05:00" title="Friday, December 20, 2019 - 16:19" class="datetime">Fri, 12/20/2019 - 16:19</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Wei Fang 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/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/indigenous-initiatives" hreflang="en">Indigenous Initiatives</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/myhal-centre-engineering-innovation-entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-cities" hreflang="en">School of Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/boundless" hreflang="en">Boundless</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/creative-destruction-lab" hreflang="en">Creative Destruction Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/department-computer-science-innovation-lab" hreflang="en">Department of Computer Science Innovation Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship-hatchery" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship Hatchery</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/factor-inwentash-faculty-social-work" hreflang="en">Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work</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/health-innovation-hub" hreflang="en">Health Innovation Hub</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/impact-centre" hreflang="en">Impact Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/landmark" hreflang="en">Landmark</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lester-b-pearson-international-scholarship" hreflang="en">Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/onramp" hreflang="en">ONRamp</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/research-and-innovation" hreflang="en">Research and Innovation</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/sustainability" hreflang="en">Sustainability</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/truth-and-reconciliation" hreflang="en">Truth and Reconciliation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utest" hreflang="en">UTEST</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As we prepare to usher in a new decade, <em>老司机直播 News</em> is looking back at some of the defining and impactful things that happened at the University of Toronto over the past 10 years.</p> <p>The 老司机直播 community has left an indelible mark on the 2010s by making groundbreaking achievements in artificial intelligence, taking strides toward Indigenous reconciliation and promoting sustainability throughout its operations 鈥 to name just a few. Many of these initiatives have set in motion ideas and actions that will pave the way for the university鈥檚 success for decades to come.</p> <p>Here鈥檚 a list&nbsp;鈥 admittedly a non-exhaustive one&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;of transformational things that happened at 老司机直播 over the past 10 years:</p> <hr> <h3>Campus Transformation</h3> <p><strong>鈥<img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/2018-04-27-CIE_0_0.jpg" alt></strong></p> <p><em>The Myhal Centre for Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship on the St. George campus&nbsp;(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></p> <p>The past decade has seen 老司机直播 complete numerous construction and renovation projects as it continues to grow its campuses, expand the facilities available to students, faculty and staff,&nbsp;and lay the groundwork for more ambitious campus-building projects to come.</p> <p>To take one, high profile example: The Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering last year opened the <a href="/news/u-t-engineering-opens-myhal-centre-engineering-innovation-entrepreneurship">Myhal Centre for Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a>, a building designed to foster multi-disciplinary partnerships, experiential learning and entrepreneurship opportunities. Named after alumnus&nbsp;<strong>George Myhal&nbsp;</strong>and his wife Rayla, the building features technology-enhanced active learning rooms, dedicated space for student clubs and state-of-the-art fabrication facilities for design projects.</p> <p>老司机直播 also laid the groundwork for the Landmark Project, <a href="/news/u-t-landmark-project-make-st-george-campus-s-historic-core-greener-more-walkable-and-accessible">a major initiative to revitalize the historic core of the St. George campus</a> and enhance sustainability and accessibility.&nbsp;The project will feature the expansion of pedestrian-friendly areas around King鈥檚 College Circle, Hart House Circle and Tower Road, and will replace parking spots for cars with green spaces, granite paths&nbsp;and an underground parking garage.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT11508_20160412_Landmark_MedSciPlaza_001.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>The Landmark Project will make the historic centre of St. George campus more pedestrian-friendly and add new green space (rendering courtesy of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc.)</em></p> <p>The St. George campus is also the proposed site of <a href="/news/u-t-build-academic-wood-tower-downtown-toronto-campus">a 14-storey building&nbsp;constructed from engineered wood</a>, which is prized as an innovative building material due its low carbon footprint, structural integrity, fire-resistant properties and aesthetic appeal. <a href="/news/new-u-t-building-create-cultural-and-intellectual-gateway-between-university-and-city">Another landmark building is proposed for 90 Queen's Park Crescent</a>, providing a home to 老司机直播's School of Cities as well as numerous departments from the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p>At 老司机直播 Mississauga, it鈥檚 been a similarly eventful decade for campus-building.&nbsp;In 2011, the campus unveiled the&nbsp;<a href="/news/new-health-sciences-complex-opens-u-t-mississauga">Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex</a>.&nbsp;In August, 老司机直播 Mississauga&nbsp;acknowledged the Indigenous history of the land, the future of the campus and the university鈥檚 commitment to reconciliation by&nbsp;<a href="/news/maanjiwe-nendamowinan-u-t-mississauga-s-newest-building-honours-past-looks-future">revealing&nbsp;the name of its newest building</a>: Maanjiwe nendamowinan. Sitting on the site the former North Building, Maanjiwe nendamowinan&nbsp;is home to humanities and social sciences&nbsp;and features a six-storey atrium and event space, as well as 40,000 square feet of new classroom space that鈥檚 outfitted with cutting-edge technology and hundreds of new study spaces.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT19612_UTM-Maanjiwe-nendamowinan-13.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Maanjiwe nendamowinan&nbsp;at 老司机直播 Mississauga boasts&nbsp;40,000 square feet of new classroom space that鈥檚 outfitted with cutting-edge technology&nbsp;(photo by&nbsp;Drew Lesiuczok)</em></p> <p>At 老司机直播 Scarborough, national-level athletes, Varsity competitors and intramural sports participants alike can all take advantage of the state-of-the-art facilities on offer at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.&nbsp;<a href="/news/welcome-toronto-pan-am-sports-centre">After opening to the public in 2014</a>, the facility hosted several competitions during the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. It is now home to numerous national sport organizations and high-performance centres, while also offering&nbsp;老司机直播 Scarborough students top-notch fitness and wellness facilities.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/GettyImages-454961636.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Wheelchair basketball players practise inside the Toronto PanAm Sports Centre (photo by Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</em></p> <p>老司机直播 Scarborough <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/our-community/five-things-you-need-know-about-utscs-newest-building">also opened the new Highland Hall building</a>, creating a striking new gateway to the campus in addition to doubling the amount of space dedicated to students and adding faculty and administration space. And it&nbsp;<a href="/news/wisdom-tettey-walks-ctv-news-through-valley-land-trail-u-t-scarborough">unveiled the 500-metre Valley Land Trail</a>, which was designed to offer accessibility and year-long enjoyment of the ravine abutting the campus.</p> <p>Finally, the university recently&nbsp;completed comprehensive&nbsp;<a href="/news/wow-factor-nearly-half-u-t-research-space-revitalized-sweeping-project">renovations of research labs</a>&nbsp;across its three campuses. Driven by nearly $190 million in funding from the university, province and federal government, the upgrades&nbsp;increased the amount of space available for research activities, improved electrical and internet connectivity and will create utility savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <hr> <h3>Sustainability and climate action</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT15285_1026_UTSC009_0.jpg" alt><span style="color: rgb(72, 86, 103); font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(72, 86, 103); font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">The rooftop garden at 老司机直播 Scarborough (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</span></p> <p>Sustainability has been a central theme of 老司机直播鈥檚 efforts to revitalize and expand its three campuses.</p> <p>One of the most ambitious initiatives is the&nbsp;planned installation of a massive geo-exchange field beneath Front Campus. The&nbsp;project, <a href="/news/u-t-accelerates-emissions-reduction-efforts-new-low-carbon-action-plan">part of&nbsp;老司机直播鈥檚 Low Carbon Action Plan</a>, will see boreholes drilled deep into the ground to allow for storage of surplus heat. It is projected to yield annual greenhouse gas reductions of 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2024.</p> <p>Sustainable design is also a hallmark of 老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 Maanjiwe nendamowinan, which has a&nbsp;20,000-gallon rainwater re-use system, energy-efficient mechanical systems, green roof spaces and a green-cleaning initiative, and&nbsp;老司机直播 Scarborough鈥檚 Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, which boasts&nbsp;eco-friendly features including 1,854 rooftop solar panels and underground cisterns to collect rainwater.</p> <p>Physical projects aside, the university has also taken steps to <a href="/news/agent-change-u-t-moves-forward-plan-be-sustainability-leader">incorporate sustainability into all levels of academia</a> including working on developing curriculum&nbsp;pathways&nbsp;for sustainability-minded undergraduate students across the university.</p> <p>At an institutional level, 老司机直播 has played a leadership role by engaging with the challenges posed by climate change on the world stage. In 2018, 老司机直播 joined 12 other leading research universities in North America to form the University Climate Change Coalition, which aims to mobilize resources, expand research partnerships and leverage expertise to help businesses, cities and regions implement research-driven climate solutions.</p> <p>This year,&nbsp;President&nbsp;<strong>Meric Gertler </strong>attended the inaugural U7+ Alliance in Paris, <a href="/news/obligation-fill-vacuum-u-t-president-meric-gertler-leads-climate-change-discussion-paris-summit">where he briefed French President Emmanuel Macron on the alliance's commitment to sustainability</a>. 老司机直播 has also hosted numerous speeches, conferences and symposia to further dialogue on climate change.</p> <hr> <h3>Artificial intelligence</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT14364_20170706_GeoffreyHinton_001-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>老司机直播 University Professor Emeritus Geoffrey Hinton has been described as the 鈥済odfather of deep learning鈥&nbsp;(photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> <p>Many predict that artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize everything from transportation to medicine&nbsp;鈥 and some of the most exciting work is taking place at&nbsp;老司机直播 thanks to pioneers like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a>&nbsp;Emeritus&nbsp;<strong>Geoffrey Hinton</strong>, a Turing Award-winner&nbsp;who is known as the&nbsp;鈥済odfather of deep learning.鈥</p> <p>In bid to build upon its early lead in the field, 老司机直播 partnered with government and industry to&nbsp;launch the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in 2017 and is now attracting several&nbsp;of the most promising AI researchers from around&nbsp;world.&nbsp;Toronto, in turn, is benefiting from the arrival of global tech companies keen to establish an AI footprint in the city. For example,&nbsp;Google, Uber, Samsung and NVIDIA have all established or expanded&nbsp;AI labs in Toronto that are headed by 老司机直播 researchers.</p> <p>老司机直播 is also addressing AI through a multi-disciplinary lens following the launch of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. Set to be housed in the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, the institute&nbsp;<a href="/news/gillian-hadfield-appointed-inaugural-director-u-t-s-schwartz-reisman-institute-technology">leverages 老司机直播's unique strengths across a wide range of fields</a>&nbsp;to explore&nbsp;the role of humanities, social sciences, public policy and law in a rapidly changing technology landscape.&nbsp;</p> <hr> <hr> <h3>A global, inclusive student experience</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT13319_20170622_UofTFirstBlackGraduation_002-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Students at 老司机直播 were the first in Canada to organize a Black Grad event in 2017 (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>By embracing diversity and expanding its international presence, 老司机直播 over the past decade has continued to further its reputation as an inclusive institution with a truly global outlook.</p> <p>老司机直播鈥檚 student body has played a proactive role in this regard. For example, in 2017, 老司机直播 students organized Black Grad, <a href="/news/uoftgrad17-u-t-s-black-graduation-first-its-kind-canada">Canada鈥檚 first ever graduation celebration for Black students</a>. Black Grad has since gone on to become one of the most highly anticipated convocation-related events on the calendar. After two years of being held at Hart House on the St. George campus, Black Grad 2019 was hosted at 老司机直播 Mississauga in June and&nbsp;organizers say the first Black Grad of the new decade could be held at 老司机直播 Scarborough.</p> <p>The year 2017 also saw the launch of the Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship, which brings some of the most talented and driven students from around the world to 老司机直播. The <a href="/news/world-comes-u-t-meet-year-s-pearson-scholars">2019 cohort</a> comprised 36 students drawn from 27 countries.</p> <p>老司机直播 has also continued to expand its international footprint by way of research agreements with academic and industry partners around the world. Meanwhile, the university鈥檚&nbsp;commitment to equity and diversity has also been formalized in the&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-releases-new-strategic-research-plan">Institutional Strategic Research Plan</a>, which aims to ensure an inclusive environment and increase the presence of marginalized groups such as Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, LGBTQ individuals and persons with disabilities.</p> <hr> <h3>Truth and Reconciliation</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT70411_087A4788.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Skahendowaneh Swamp, a chair of Indigenous knowledge at the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University, is flanked by 老司机直播 President Meric Gertler (right) and Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of human resources and equity&nbsp;(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)</em></p> <p>In early 2016, 老司机直播 President&nbsp;<strong>Gertler</strong>&nbsp;and Vice-President and Provost&nbsp;<strong>Cheryl Regehr</strong>&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-take-action-truth-and-reconciliation-commission">established 老司机直播鈥檚 Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee</a>&nbsp;in response to the federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada鈥檚 call to Canadians to engage in ongoing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.</p> <p>The report produced 34 calls to action focusing on the following areas: Indigenous spaces; curriculum; students and co-curricular education; faculty and staff; research ethics and community relationships; and institutional leadership and implementation.</p> <p>Since then, 老司机直播 has moved forward with a range of initiatives including the creation of the Master in Social Work, Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency program at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work; organizing an Indigenous Mentoring Day to match Indigenous job-seekers with employers at the university; and the appointment of academic advisers for Indigenous research and Indigenous curriculum and education.</p> <p>The university is also launching an Indigenous Landscape project, to be installed on 4,500 square metres of Hart House Green, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee's call for a&nbsp;鈥減rominent, visible space at the very centre of the St. George campus&nbsp;be dedicated as an Indigenous space.鈥</p> <p>鈥淚ndigenous students will be able to walk through campus and see an outdoor space and know it was created for them, with them and with their needs in mind,鈥 said&nbsp;<strong>Shannon Simpson</strong>, 老司机直播鈥檚 new director of Indigenous initiatives and&nbsp;co-chair of the Indigenous Landscape project.</p> <p>The project is being planned on the basis of in-depth consultations with Indigenous groups at 老司机直播 and First Nations communities with historic ties to the area.</p> <hr> <h3>Innovation and&nbsp;entrepreneurship</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT16178_20170920-0W7A4518-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>老司机直播鈥檚 ONRamp co-working and collaboration space opened to entrepreneurs in 2017 (photo by Kenneth Cheung)</em></p> <p>Over the past decade, 老司机直播 entrepreneurs have created more than 500 startup companies that have secured over $1.5 billion in investment and helped establish the university as an engine of Toronto鈥檚 thriving innovation scene.</p> <p>老司机直播 alone is home to more than 10 campus-linked accelerators that cater to startups at various stages of development. They include the Creative Destruction Lab, which was founded at the Rotman School of Management and has since expanded to seven other locations in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.; the Entrepreneurship Hatchery, which serves entrepreneurs in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering; ICUBE, based in the Institute for Management and Innovation at 老司机直播 Mississauga; and 老司机直播 Scarborough鈥檚 The Hub. Others include: UTEST, DCSIL (Department of Computer Science Innovation Lab), H2i (Health Innovation Hub), Impact Centre and&nbsp;InnovED.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many entrepreneurs from 老司机直播 and partner universities work out of 老司机直播鈥檚 ONRamp,&nbsp;<a href="/news/space-startups-u-t-s-onramp-connect-ontario-entrepreneurs">a 15,000-square-foot space that opened in 2017&nbsp;</a>and offers co-working and collaboration spaces 鈥 not to mention ready access to downtown Toronto鈥檚 vibrant business community.</p> <hr> <h3>Unprecedented community support</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT17626_c03.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>The soon-to-be-built Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre will accelerate innovation in Toronto and Canada by creating the country鈥檚 largest university-based innovation node (rendering by WEISS/MANFREDI)</em></p> <p>In March, 老司机直播 received $100 million from&nbsp;<strong>Gerald Schwartz</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Heather Reisman&nbsp;</strong>鈥<a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">&nbsp;the largest single donation in its history</a>.&nbsp;The funds are being used to support construction of the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre that&nbsp;will anchor 老司机直播's growing cluster of AI scientists, biomedical experts and entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</p> <p>But that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to supporting the university over the past decade.</p> <p>Spanning a period of seven years, 老司机直播鈥檚 Boundless campaign raised $2.6-billion from more than 104,000 donors in nearly 100 countries. The generous contributions from individuals, families, corporations and charitable organizations will go towards an array of initiatives aimed at accelerating research and educational opportunities, enriching the student experience and transforming the university鈥檚 three campuses to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.</p> <p>What's more, the campaign saw endowments for student aid and student support cross the $1-billion mark for the first time in the university's history.</p> <p>In an&nbsp;<a href="/news/david-palmer-vice-president-advancement-how-u-t-harnessed-generosity-donors-raise-26-billion">interview with&nbsp;<em>老司机直播 News</em></a>&nbsp;this past summer,&nbsp;<strong>David Palmer</strong>, 老司机直播's vice-president, advancement, said the Boundless campaign鈥檚 success suggests the best is yet to come.</p> <p>"People ask me all the time: 'Have we exhausted the capacity of our donors and the time and efforts of our volunteers?' And I have to say we all feel we鈥檝e barely begun to scratch the surface of what we are capable of together, and what our donors and volunteers are so generously willing to do for us," Palmer said.</p> <p>"We think there鈥檚 a very, very exciting future ahead of us right now."</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, 20 Dec 2019 21:19:44 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 161271 at 老司机直播 donor Heather Reisman walks BNN Bloomberg through her vision to make Toronto an innovation leader /news/u-t-donor-heather-reisman-walks-bnn-bloomberg-through-her-vision-make-toronto-innovation-leader <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">老司机直播 donor Heather Reisman walks BNN Bloomberg through her vision to make Toronto an innovation leader</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/UofT84057_D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=_IYjrBbQ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT84057_D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=iFjeqbqT 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT84057_D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=bVKvegsi 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/UofT84057_D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=_IYjrBbQ" alt="Heather Reisman operating a back hoe during the groundbreaking of the reisman schwartz innovation centre"> </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="2019-11-29T11:47:15-05:00" title="Friday, November 29, 2019 - 11:47" class="datetime">Fri, 11/29/2019 - 11:47</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">Heather Reisman operates a backhoe during the groundbreaking ceremony for 老司机直播's Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, made possible through a $100-million donation by Reisman and her husband Gerry Schwartz (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</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-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/cities" hreflang="en">Cities</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/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The donors behind the <a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">University of Toronto鈥檚 Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a> saw the project as a 鈥渙nce in a lifetime chance鈥 to be involved in something that could be a force for good in the 21<sup>st</sup> century.</p> <p>That鈥檚 according to business leader and philanthropist <strong>Heather Reisman</strong>, who told BNN Bloomberg the $100-million donation given to 老司机直播 by her and husband <strong>Gerry Schwartz </strong>was prompted by the ambitious vision articulated by President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong> and other 老司机直播 leaders.</p> <p>鈥淭hey laid out the dream of what they had in mind, and it was so compelling," Reisman said.&nbsp;"It resonated with everything Gerry and I believe in."</p> <p>Reisman said she鈥檚 especially proud of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, which will be devoted to exploring what she described as 鈥渢he intersection between galloping technology and who we are as human beings.鈥</p> <p>The overarching mission of the new buildings and the institute, Reisman said, will be 鈥渢o cross over philosophers, legal people, economic people, sociologists, who will mix it up with the AI scientists and the advanced technology scientists 鈥 to really lead with humanity.鈥</p> <h3><a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/the-21st-century-truly-could-be-canadian-indigo-ceo-on-innovation~1842543">Watch the interview on BNN Bloomberg</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> Fri, 29 Nov 2019 16:47:15 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 161027 at Canada's AI boom must be leveraged for social good, writes Schwartz Reisman Institute director in legal magazine /news/canada-s-ai-boom-must-be-leveraged-social-good-writes-schwartz-reisman-institute-director-legal <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Canada's AI boom must be leveraged for social good, writes Schwartz Reisman Institute director in legal magazine</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/UofT19445_GillianHadfield.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=arLpsjXj 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT19445_GillianHadfield.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WdBxXH7L 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT19445_GillianHadfield.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=9GBhT2Vj 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/UofT19445_GillianHadfield.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=arLpsjXj" alt="Portrait of Gillian Hadfield"> </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="2019-11-28T12:01:11-05:00" title="Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 12:01" class="datetime">Thu, 11/28/2019 - 12:01</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 Gillian Hadfield)</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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/creative-destruction-lab" hreflang="en">Creative Destruction Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/innovation-entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As technologies like AI, robotics and social media transform our societies and economies, it鈥檚 crucial that social and legal structures keep pace 鈥 an understanding that鈥檚 at the heart of the University of Toronto鈥檚 new Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society.</p> <p>That鈥檚 the message of an op-ed in&nbsp;<em><a href="https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/business/articles/16988/how-toronto-and-canada-can-lead-global-ai-revolution-for-good-gillian-hadfield">The Lawyer鈥檚 Daily</a>&nbsp; </em>by&nbsp;<strong>Gillian Hadfield</strong>, a professor in the University of Toronto鈥檚 Faculty of Law and the inaugural director of&nbsp;<a href="/news/gillian-hadfield-appointed-inaugural-director-u-t-s-schwartz-reisman-institute-technology">the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a>.&nbsp;She writes that Toronto鈥檚 status as a technology hub and an inclusive, dynamic city behooves researchers and innovators to work toward&nbsp;ensuring the social sciences and humanities aren鈥檛 left behind as technology races forward.</p> <p>鈥淲e are a place where nobody thinks that technology owns the future, and where people have not given up on the idea of smart policy or smart governance to ensure no one is left behind in this revolution,鈥 writes Hadfield, who is also the inaugural Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society.</p> <p>Multi-disciplinary institutes like the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Creative Destruction Lab have played a vital role in building Toronto鈥檚 vibrant technology ecosystem, Hadfield notes, and now the Schwartz Reisman Institute is poised to be a research and thought leader on how social norms, culture and regulations can be better incorporated into technological progress.</p> <p>鈥淭he mission of the institute is to help guide responsible and responsive technology, not just for Toronto and Canada but for the planet,鈥 Hadfield writes.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thelawyersdaily.ca/business/articles/16988/how-toronto-and-canada-can-lead-global-ai-revolution-for-good-gillian-hadfield">Read the op-ed in <em>The Lawyer鈥檚 Daily</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> Thu, 28 Nov 2019 17:01:11 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 160979 at University breaks ground on the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus /news/university-breaks-ground-schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">University breaks ground on the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus</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/D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=BBmzvqID 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=jFzloHFD 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cfZls-et 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/D75_6663.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=BBmzvqID" alt="Heather Reisman operates a backhoe"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>noreen.rasbach</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-11-12T10:21:44-05:00" title="Tuesday, November 12, 2019 - 10:21" class="datetime">Tue, 11/12/2019 - 10:21</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>Philanthropist and business leader Heather Reisman operates a backhoe during this week's groundbreaking of the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus on College Street (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</p> </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-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</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/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</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/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">The campus will anchor 老司机直播鈥檚 cluster of world-leading artificial intelligence scientists and biomedical experts, create an unprecedented concentration of research-based startups and advance 老司机直播鈥檚 standing as a global innovation powerhouse </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Philanthropists and business leaders <strong>Gerald Schwartz</strong> and <strong>Heather Reisman</strong> joined University of Toronto President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong>, Chancellor <strong>Rose Patten</strong>, Vector Institute President and CEO <strong>Garth Gibson</strong>&nbsp;and other university and community leaders to break ground on the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus on College Street on Tuesday.</p> <p>Designed by WEISS/MANFREDI, one of North America鈥檚 leading architectural firms, the iconic campus will create a new gateway for the university, steps from Queen's Park and at the centre of Ontario鈥檚 innovation ecosystem.</p> <p>The $100-million investment from Mr. Schwartz and Ms. Reisman, announced in March 2019, is the largest donation in U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T鈥檚 history and the largest gift ever to the Canadian innovation sector. In addition to the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, the gift has also enabled U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T to create the&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, which launched in June.</p> <p>鈥淯&nbsp;of&nbsp;T is home to leading thinkers in AI and biomedicine who are advancing innovation in these fields and addressing their role in society,鈥 said Ms. Reisman and Mr. Schwartz in a statement. 鈥淐reating the campus and the institute will supercharge the university鈥檚 ability to recruit and inspire the best talent in the world in these and related fields.鈥</p> <p>The striking, glass-clad, 750,000-square-foot complex will anchor U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T鈥檚 unique cluster of world-leading artificial intelligence scientists and biomedical experts, its world-class entrepreneurship network and the country鈥檚 largest concentration of student- and faculty-led startups.</p> <p>The campus will be constructed in two phases over the next few years. The first phase will erect the 12-storey west tower, creating 250,000 square feet that will focus on AI and innovation, and provide a new home for the&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society&nbsp;and the Vector Institute, as well as other leaders of innovation. The second phase will build the larger, 20-storey west tower, which will provide 500,000 square feet of space for life-saving biomedical innovation.</p> <p><img alt="\" class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/D75_6906-Edit.jpg"></p> <p><em>Taking part in the groundbreaking were (from left)&nbsp;Scott Mabury, vice-president, operations and real estate partnerships;&nbsp;Jane Pepino, vice-chair of the Governing Council; Rose Patten, chancellor; business leaders and philanthropists&nbsp;Heather Reisman and Gerald Schwartz; 老司机直播 President&nbsp;Meric Gertler; David Palmer, vice-president, advancement; Vivek Goel, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives;&nbsp;Garth Gibson, Vector Institute president and CEO;&nbsp;and Gillian Hadfield,&nbsp;inaugural Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></p> <p>Once complete, the campus will feature vertical gardens, soaring atria and collaborative spaces that promote intellectual exchange and invite the public to take part in events and interact with scholars and innovators. The building鈥檚 engaging spaces will host thousands of researchers, investors, industry partners and international visitors each year.</p> <p>鈥淭he Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus will be a magnificent architectural landmark and a new focal point for Canada鈥檚 leading innovation ecosystem,鈥 said President Gertler. 鈥淚t will gather in one place U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T鈥檚 world-leading artificial intelligence scientists and biomedical experts, and integrate them into our dynamic entrepreneurship network. Thanks to Gerry and Heather鈥檚 outstanding generosity and vision, this new campus will confirm to the world that Toronto and U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T are global leaders in AI and biomedical innovation.鈥</p> <p>The&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society&nbsp;draws on U&nbsp;of&nbsp;T鈥檚 signature strengths in the sciences, humanities and social sciences to ensure that technologies and social structures work together to improve all aspects of life. The university appointed Professor <strong>Gillian Hadfield</strong> as the inaugural director of the institute, as well as the inaugural Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society in July. Professor Hadfield is already engaging researchers in the institute鈥檚 work and drawing on her broad background 鈥 in economics and law, humanities, business&nbsp;and technology 鈥 to shape the institute鈥檚 direction for the next few years.</p> <p>鈥淭he Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus will be a stunning new building in the heart of Toronto, housing the new institute alongside the city鈥檚 most dynamic innovators and researchers. I am excited to be a part of this new vanguard in effective, cross-disciplinary research and concrete solutions to some of our biggest challenges,鈥 said Professor Hadfield.</p> <p><img alt class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/2019-11-12-schwartz-reisman-interior-resized.jpg"></p> <p><em>A rendering of the&nbsp;Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus on College Street</em></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, 12 Nov 2019 15:21:44 +0000 noreen.rasbach 160537 at Universities play a crucial role in Canada鈥檚 competitiveness: 老司机直播's Ted Sargent in the Hill Times /news/universities-play-crucial-role-canada-s-competitiveness-u-t-s-ted-sargent-hill-times <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden"> Universities play a crucial role in Canada鈥檚 competitiveness: 老司机直播's Ted Sargent in the Hill Times</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/UofT12282_20160927_TedSargent_001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=HlAlxPag 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT12282_20160927_TedSargent_001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ABL2zEtH 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT12282_20160927_TedSargent_001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wuWiJJh4 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/UofT12282_20160927_TedSargent_001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=HlAlxPag" alt="portrait of Ted Sargent"> </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="2019-09-10T16:17:43-04:00" title="Tuesday, September 10, 2019 - 16:17" class="datetime">Tue, 09/10/2019 - 16:17</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">Ted Sargent, 老司机直播's vice-president, international, outlines how research efforts, industry partnerships and international collaborations fostered at institutions like 老司机直播 have helped create jobs and spur innovation (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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</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/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>Canada鈥檚 competitiveness on the world stage can be linked increasingly to the research breakthroughs, innovations and talent&nbsp;in its universities, and it's more important than ever for researchers to adopt a global mindset to expand the reach of Canadian scholarship.</p> <p>That is the thrust of a <a href="https://www.hilltimes.com/2019/09/09/213876/213876"><em>Hill Times</em></a> op-ed by Vice-President, International <strong>Ted Sargent</strong> that outlines how research efforts, industry partnerships and international collaborations fostered at institutions like the University of Toronto have helped create jobs, spur innovation and generate&nbsp;a pipeline of world-class talent to strengthen the Canadian&nbsp;economy.</p> <p>The op-ed cites as an example Canada鈥檚 reputation as a global artificial intelligence&nbsp;hub, thanks in part ot <a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a>&nbsp;Emeritus&nbsp;<strong>Geoffrey Hinton</strong>鈥檚 pioneering work on deep learning and neural networks. It also notes 老司机直播鈥檚 strength in attracting private sector support such<a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power"> as the $100-million donation to build the Schwartz-Reisman Innovation Centre</a>, which is poised to attract to Toronto&nbsp;top experts from fields ranging from computer sciences to the humanities.</p> <p>Sargent also hails the impact of government initiatives such as the Canada Research Chairs and Tri-Council research fund, and noted that continued support and investment will go a long way toward ensuring that Canada remains at the forefront of building connections with scholars around the world.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.hilltimes.com/2019/09/09/213876/213876">Read Sargent鈥檚 op-ed in the </a><em><a href="https://www.hilltimes.com/2019/09/09/213876/213876">Hill Times</a></em></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, 10 Sep 2019 20:17:43 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 158184 at Gillian Hadfield appointed inaugural director of 老司机直播鈥檚 Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society /news/gillian-hadfield-appointed-inaugural-director-u-t-s-schwartz-reisman-institute-technology <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Gillian Hadfield appointed inaugural director of 老司机直播鈥檚 Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society </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/Gillian-Hadfield---weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=hqB_5acE 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Gillian-Hadfield---weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=FchUao2B 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Gillian-Hadfield---weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=7SwLh2Xu 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/Gillian-Hadfield---weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=hqB_5acE" alt="Photo of Gillian Hadfield"> </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="2019-07-26T12:23:00-04:00" title="Friday, July 26, 2019 - 12:23" class="datetime">Fri, 07/26/2019 - 12:23</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">In her new role, Gillian Hadfield will draw on her varied background 鈥 in economics and law, humanities, business and high tech 鈥 to help ensure technological innovation is implemented fairly and equitably in society (photo courtesy of Gillian Hadfield)</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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/biotechnology" hreflang="en">Biotechnology</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/creative-destruction-lab" hreflang="en">Creative Destruction Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/economics" hreflang="en">Economics</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-information" hreflang="en">Faculty of Information</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/global" hreflang="en">Global</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/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/philosophy" hreflang="en">Philosophy</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/robotics" hreflang="en">Robotics</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-sciences" hreflang="en">Social Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Facial recognition technology. Algorithms that decide who is a good candidate for a loan or medical procedure. Interactive robots in workplaces and seniors鈥 homes.</p> <p>These are just a few examples of the many new and emerging technologies that promise to reshape society in profound and, perhaps, unexpected ways 鈥 often raising thorny ethical questions in the process.</p> <p>As the inaugural director of the University of Toronto鈥檚 new Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and the inaugural Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society,<strong> Gillian Hadfield</strong> will draw on her varied background 鈥 in economics and law, humanities, business&nbsp;and high tech 鈥 to help ensure technological innovation is implemented fairly and equitably in societies around the world.</p> <p>鈥淭echnologies are a means to an end,鈥 says Hadfield, who is a 老司机直播 professor in the Faculty of Law and the Rotman School of Management.</p> <p>鈥淎nd the end must be a world that is better, safer, kinder, fairer for us all.鈥</p> <p>The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society draws on 老司机直播鈥檚 across-the-board strengths in sciences, social sciences and humanities to help foster cross-disciplinary solutions to the profound challenges spawned by rapid technological shifts. The institute <a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">was established thanks to a landmark $100-million donation</a> 鈥 the largest in 老司机直播鈥檚 history 鈥 by business leaders and philanthropists <strong>Gerald Schwartz</strong> and <strong>Heather Reisman</strong>. The gift will also be used to help break ground on the Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre at the northeast corner of College Street and University Avenue, a new space for students and faculty innovators working in business, computer science and biotechnology, among other fields.</p> <h3><a href="https://sr-institute.utoronto.ca">Learn more about the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></h3> <p>鈥溊纤净辈 researchers are leaders in fields as diverse as machine learning, regenerative medicine, philosophy, and culture and communications,鈥 says 老司机直播 President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong>.</p> <p>鈥淭he Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society will leverage these strengths to help us understand the impact of technology on society 鈥 and, indeed, on humanity itself. The work of the institute will also explore the ways in which public policy, politics, and culture can shape the development and application of technology to serve societal ends.</p> <p>鈥淚t is an ambitious and important mandate, and we are thrilled to welcome Professor Hadfield to her new role as the institute鈥檚 inaugural director and chair.鈥</p> <p>Hadfield re-joined 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Law last year after teaching for 17 years at the University of Southern California. She was originally on faculty at 老司机直播 between 1995 and 2001.</p> <p>The native of Oakville, Ont. has a bachelor鈥檚 degree in economics from Queen鈥檚 University and a law degree and a PhD in economics from Stanford University. She clerked for Chief Judge Patricia Wald on the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, and has held visiting professorships or fellowships at Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Chicago, and Stanford.</p> <p>Hadfield was a fellow at Stanford鈥檚 Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, an experience she says has influenced her vision for 老司机直播鈥檚 new institute. As an example of the serendipity that can happen when scholars of a wide variety of fields come together, she recalls hearing a talk by an art historian on the complex geometry of Gothic architecture during her fellowship that meshed with her own ideas on economies and how they pass down knowledge. The lecture focused on how much of the know-how needed to reproduce intricate Gothic buildings was bound up in practice rather than in plans and sketches.</p> <p>鈥淭he complexity was rooted in simplicity and it was knowing what steps to take 鈥 rather than the math of the whole 鈥 that generated the result,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hen masters stopped building the buildings, the knowledge was lost. I remember this point converging with my own thinking about how economies find and transmit knowledge, and how that can also be rooted in practices and not just theory.鈥</p> <p>She hopes researchers at the Schwartz Reisman Institute will similarly find inspiration and points of connection in each other鈥檚 work, sparking new ideas and maybe even whole new branches of knowledge.</p> <p>老司机直播 is a particularly suitable home for such collaboration because it boasts world-leading scholars in a wide spectrum of disciplines, she adds.</p> <p>鈥淭he University of Toronto is a top-flight research university in so many different fields,鈥 she says. 鈥淥ur ambition for the institute is to knit together research across the sciences, social sciences, the humanities and other fields to find new, concrete solutions to make sure our emerging and powerful technologies go in the direction we want them to go.鈥</p> <p><strong>Vivek Goel</strong>, vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, points out that 老司机直播 is one of the few universities in the world that ranks among the top schools in a wide range of subjects.</p> <p>鈥溊纤净辈モ檚 broad strength across disciplines makes it the ideal place to encourage a cross-pollination of ideas,鈥 says Goel.</p> <p>鈥淚t鈥檚 our job to find innovative ways to break down silos between disciplines so these different ideas and perspectives have the opportunity to collide and, hopefully, yield new avenues for research and scholarship, including for graduate students.鈥</p> <p>The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society is just one example of how 老司机直播 is seeking to encourage interdisciplinary approaches, <a href="/news/christine-allen-appointed-u-t-s-first-associate-vice-president-and-vice-provost-strategic">having recently created a new senior administrative position tasked with seeding and scaling such initiatives</a>.</p> <p>Hadfield鈥檚 research spans different disciplines and addresses questions ranging from the philosophical to the mathematical. She has called for reforms to the legal system to reduce fees and other barriers faced by the roughly 80 per cent of people who go to court without a lawyer. She expanded on those ideas and the twin challenges of globalization and digitization in her 2017 book, <em>Rules for a Flat World: Why Humans Invented Law and How to Reinvent it for a Complex Global Economy</em> (a reference to Thomas Friedman鈥檚 bestseller <em>The World Is Flat</em>.) She has taught a course based on her book at 老司机直播 and co-led the Legal Design Lab (with her husband <strong>Dan Ryan</strong>, a professor at 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Information), an incubator-workshop bringing together students in law, engineering, business, design and information studies to come up with innovative solutions to problems involving access to justice. At Rotman, she teaches about AI and how to ensure its responsible development with the Creative Destruction Lab and the new Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence-affiliated Master in Management Analytics.</p> <p>In addition to research and teaching, Hadfield brings experience as a member of the World Economic Forum鈥檚 Global Future Council on Agile Governance, which focuses on 鈥渁daptive, human-centered, inclusive and sustainable鈥 policy-making in the face of technological advancement. She is also deeply engaged in questions about rules and governance surrounding artificial intelligence as a policy adviser for Open AI in San Francisco, an adviser to courts and tech companies, and as a faculty affiliate at the Vector Institute.</p> <p>One of her early goals as director of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society will be to build a 鈥渢ruly integrated, team-based approach to problem solving鈥 by connecting researchers in different disciplines.</p> <p>鈥淥ne of the first things we will be doing is looking for people who are really interested in engaging with, and respectful of, approaches in other disciplines,鈥 she says. 鈥淭he first thing we can do is find those people and start to build that community of collaboration. That鈥檚 something that takes thoughtfulness and care.鈥</p> <p>In the future, she wants the institute to be known around the world as the go-to place to learn about the technological challenges facing society and to convene to work on their possible solutions.</p> <p>鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a great ambition that in 10 years, we鈥檒l have generated new fields of research,鈥 Hadfield says. 鈥淚鈥檒l be asking, 鈥楬ave we really created something where we have broken down the silos between disciplines and created truly cross-disciplinary approaches?鈥</p> <p>鈥淚鈥檇 like to see us being part of inventing a new way to do intellectual work. And with that, to have invented new ways to make sure that our powerful technologies develop in ways that serve humanity well.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 26 Jul 2019 16:23:00 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 157346 at Vivek Goel re-appointed 老司机直播's vice-president of research and innovation, takes on expanded role /news/vivek-goel-re-appointed-u-t-s-vice-president-research-and-innovation-takes-expanded-role <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Vivek Goel re-appointed 老司机直播's vice-president of research and innovation, takes on expanded role</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/0625Vivek001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=E3qtI3sN 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/0625Vivek001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=n16d-6n1 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/0625Vivek001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=9RmcEed9 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/0625Vivek001.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=E3qtI3sN" alt="Photo of Vivek Goel"> </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="2019-06-27T08:47:39-04:00" title="Thursday, June 27, 2019 - 08:47" class="datetime">Thu, 06/27/2019 - 08:47</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">鈥淭he really big challenges that we face as a society 鈥 in climate change, international migration, you name it 鈥 require people working across disciplines,鈥 Goel says of 老司机直播's growing number of interdisciplinary projects (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</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/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/diversity-and-inclusion" hreflang="en">Diversity and Inclusion</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/myhal-centre-engineering-innovation-entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/institute-health-policy-management-and-evaluation" hreflang="en">Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-cities" hreflang="en">School of Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hospital-sick-children" hreflang="en">Hospital for Sick Children</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/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ted-rogers-centre-heart-research" hreflang="en">Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-health-network" hreflang="en">University Health Network</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The University of Toronto ranks among the world鈥檚 top universities when it comes to research output and impact 鈥 and, increasingly, it鈥檚 seeking to harness the sheer size and scope of its research footprint to solve some of the world鈥檚 toughest problems.</p> <p><strong>Vivek Goel</strong>, who has overseen 老司机直播鈥檚 vast research apparatus since 2015 as vice-president of research and innovation, says the growing number of interdisciplinary research initiatives on campus, which bring together faculty, students and other partners across dozens of different fields, is rapidly emerging as one of the university鈥檚 key strengths.</p> <p>Examples include the recently announced Schwartz Reisman Centre for Technology and Society, the School of Cities and Medicine by Design, a regenerative medicine and cell therapy program supported by a $114-million Canada First Research Excellence Fund award.</p> <p>鈥淭he really big challenges that we face as a society 鈥 in climate change, international migration, you name it&nbsp;鈥 require people working across disciplines,鈥 Goel says.</p> <p>To reflect the shift toward interdisciplinary work, Goel鈥檚 re-appointment came with an expanded portfolio and title: vice-president of research, innovation, and strategic initiatives.</p> <p>Goel, who is also a professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, has a medical degree from McGill University and obtained a Master of Science in Community Health from 老司机直播 and a Master of Science in Biostatistics from Harvard University School of Public Health. He first joined 老司机直播 in 1991 as an assistant professor in the department of preventative medicine and biostatistics. He stepped into progressively more senior roles and served as 老司机直播鈥檚 vice-president and provost from 2004 until 2008. He then became the founding president and CEO of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the SARS crisis, before moving to Coursera in California as chief academic strategist.&nbsp; He returned to 老司机直播 in his current role in 2015.</p> <p>Goel recently spoke to&nbsp;<em>老司机直播 News&nbsp;</em>about the some of the highlights of his first term as vice-president of research and innovation, 老司机直播's unique research strengths and his priorities in the years ahead.</p> <div align="center"> <hr align="center" noshade="noshade" size="0" width="100%"></div> <p><strong>What were some of the highlights of your first term?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>I'll start&nbsp;by mentioning some of the really interesting projects that we worked on such as&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-transform-regenerative-medicine-thanks-historic-114-million-federal-grant">Medicine by Design and the Canada First Research Excellence Fund</a><u>.</u> That's the largest grant in the university's history. It's one of the highlights for not only seeing the university get it, but&nbsp;also being able to work with the team on implementing it. <a href="/news/historic-130-million-gift-establish-ted-rogers-centre-heart-research">Another highlight is the Ted&nbsp;Rogers Centre for Heart Research</a>. That was multi-institutional with SickKids and the University Health Network, focusing on heart failure. It was a big achievement getting that facility and program of research off the ground. More recently there was the creation of the&nbsp;<a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society and the announcement of the new innovation centre.</a></p> <p>Looking back over the past five years, we've had three of these $100-million-dollar-plus types of initiatives. They're really where the exciting scholarship is at, and it鈥檚 where faculty and students want to be working.&nbsp;</p> <p>That's why creating this new strategic initiatives portfolio is so important. It's an opportunity for the university to work across faculties and disciplines, and across the campuses and with the hospitals, on some of these big problems.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>How is 老司机直播 different from other universities when it comes to supporting interdisciplinary collaboration?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>First of all, when you look at the rankings of global universities by subject area, we're really among&nbsp;a handful of universities that are among&nbsp;the top 25 or top 50 in so many different subjects. So, while we often express a concern about our size, this is actually one of the strengths of the university. Because we are a large institution and we have strengths in so many disciplines, when you want to bring together a community around a specific topic like, say, cities, it's not hard to find 200 or 300 faculty working on that topic. And you can find them in a broad range of disciplines, from political science through to engineering. When you look at it, there's only a few universities globally that are like us in having that strength across so many subjects.</p> <p>The second thing is, when you look at other similarly situated universities, there's an even smaller number that are public universities. As a public university, we have a mandate to be engaged with our community. We're very accessible in terms of the number of students we admit as well as the demographic profile of our students. If you think of some of the other institutions, particularly private U.S. universities, they're very selective in their admissions. And so they're usually not as directly engaged with their communities.</p> <p>To me, what makes 老司机直播 unique&nbsp;is these broad interdisciplinary strengths that we can build on, the connection with our communities locally, nationally and globally, and the fact that we're open and accessible, which means that we get students from around the world who want to work on these really big problems.</p> <p><strong>What are the challenges when it comes to doing interdisciplinary research?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>We already have many areas of the university that are interdisciplinary by nature. Think of the Rotman School of Management or the Dalla Lana School of Public Health 鈥 they are very interdisciplinary. But what happens is we wind up with structural barriers to collaborating across divisional boundaries. Helping people bridge disciplines and divisional boundaries is really important.</p> <p>Second, it can be challenging simply to do the work because people use different concepts and terminology. If you have a scientist working with a philosopher, they can have different definitions of a fundamental term. <a href="/news/technology-and-equality-ruha-benjamin-u-t-experts-tackle-thorny-issues-first-schwartz-reisman">At the Schwartz Reisman symposium</a>&nbsp;a few weeks ago, which focused on fairness and equity, we had different scholars from different disciplines presenting what those terms mean in their disciplines. You can bring people together and they start to say, 鈥淲e're all working on 鈥榚quity,鈥欌 and it's only six months later that they realize they actually had a different definition of what equity means.</p> <p>There are other challenges. If you're a graduate student who wants to work across disciplines, you've got to meet the requirements for a particular discipline and it can be difficult to also meet the requirements for a second or third discipline. The final difficulty is our funding is often structured. You apply to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for engineering funding and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for social sciences and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for health. Trying to do research that spans boundaries means that, sometimes, it can be difficult to find the necessary funding. I am excited that the <a href="http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/nfrf-fnfr/index-eng.aspx">New Frontiers in Research Fund</a> is being launched which will support exactly this type of boundary-spanning research.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What is something you learned in your first term about 老司机直播's research apparatus that you didn't know going into the job?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>We have a huge set of responsibilities around research integrity and accountability. We have to do research accounting to make sure public funds are spent in an appropriate way. And we get audited on all these things that we do. I knew that we did these things, but I didn't realize how much work it was, and how much work our staff in various research offices did alongside faculty and business officers and others in the academic divisions to ensure that our research is done in compliance with all the requirements that are out there.&nbsp;</p> <p>That's something a lot of people probably don't realize: How much goes on in the background to make a research institution of this scale function.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>老司机直播 created 59 new research-based companies in the last three years 鈥 more than any other institution in North America. What contributes to the climate of innovation and entrepreneurship here?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>One, simply, is our size. We have a lot of activity going on. In recent years, because those numbers have been accelerating, I think our faculty and our students have become much more engaged with the processes required to follow the commercialization pathway 鈥 &nbsp;invention disclosures, creating startups, licensing to other companies.</p> <p>We have enhanced the range of programs. Going back to the highlights reel for the last few years, another really important area has been the growth of 老司机直播 Entrepreneurship that has been taking the great work that was happening across all three campuses and highlighting and supporting it. Now we have events like <a href="/news/u-t-startups-true-blue-expo-take-home-cash-prizes-receive-advice-wealthsimple-co-founder">Entrepreneurship Week</a> and, recently, we had the <a href="/news/three-teams-awarded-u-t-s-first-ever-sustainability-innovation-prize">Sustainability Innovation Prize competition</a>.</p> <p>These are relatively new things that have helped elevate the activity and profile of innovation and entrepreneurship. I think it&nbsp;becomes a self-perpetuating type of process as more and more people get excited about the opportunities.&nbsp;I think we have been very fortunate that there's been interest from our faculty and students in doing this, and that we have been able to support them with the resources we've created.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>You&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-governments-must-invest-in-economic-industries-and-training-for-the/"><strong>recently wrote an op-ed for the&nbsp;<em>Globe and Mail</em></strong></a><strong>&nbsp;about how technology is creating new jobs and changing the face of work. How does the university prepare its students for the jobs of the future?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>One thing is understanding we don't have a clue what the jobs of the future will be. Nobody can really predict how technologies are going to evolve. In terms of preparing our graduates, we really have to prepare them for a world that is changing. It can sound trite, but learning how to learn is probably the most important thing we can prepare people for so that, regardless of what comes at them, they've learned how to adapt.</p> <p>The Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship, for example, is so important because it was created to enable this kind of interdisciplinary engagement and collaboration among&nbsp;teams of students.&nbsp;</p> <p>Although we can't predict what the jobs of the future will be, I think with more and more automation and robotics, jobs for humans will involve more critical thinking and reasoning skills. Where I think this ties into our mandate in research is, as a research-intensive university, what's happening in our research environments 鈥 whether it's in labs or field studies or people working in the library 鈥&nbsp; they're on the cutting edge of where things are going.&nbsp;</p> <p>From my perspective, it's not just about giving students research exposure, it's also the research methods and approaches to research that will prepare them with the kinds of skills that they need to be adaptable to a changing work environment, regardless of whether or not they are working in a research setting.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The principles of equity, diversity and inclusion are important to 老司机直播 and they seem to be baked into the mission of the research and innovation office. Can you tell me about that?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>The university has a statement on excellence and equity. The underlying principle is you can't do the very best work possible 鈥 whether it's in teaching or in research 鈥 if you don't start with the entire talent pool of the world. If you're not being equitable and you're leaving certain groups out, you're missing out on some of the very top talent. Being equitable and inclusive is about ensuring that we meet our ambition to be excellent. Second, as many of the big questions require interdisciplinary work, addressing those questions also requires a diversity of thought.&nbsp;</p> <p>Go back to the Schwartz Reisman symposium a couple of weeks ago. It looked at issues like data and data access, as well as the development of algorithms and ensuring there's no bias. You need people looking at these issues from different experiences and backgrounds. Having a diverse set of scholars and students working on a particular topic helps ensure that you don't miss out on the solutions to critical questions.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>What are your priorities for your second term?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>Our priorities are to continue to support the institution and its ambition of being among the leading research institutions in the world. A couple of the really big priorities are strategic initiatives 鈥 &nbsp;we're going to enhance the supports that we have across the institution to drive more of these large-scale cross-disciplinary initiatives.</p> <p>The second thing for which we have recently received funding to create&nbsp;is a new Centre for Research Innovation and Support.&nbsp;That's going to be launched in the fall. It鈥檚 going to co-ordinate and better support faculty and staff engaged in research and keep them up to date on the latest tools and approaches 鈥 for example, data science methods being used by researchers right across the university, not just in math and the computational sciences. How do we support people in different disciplines using these sorts of tools?&nbsp;</p> <p>We also have a lot of activity in the data science space, including&nbsp;the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence. We're looking at how to better support faculty in collaborating and working with all these great resources that we have. We're looking to launch a new data science hub for these initiatives as well.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Your background is in medicine. What inspired you to pursue medicine as a career?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>I went into medicine because I was interested 鈥 like many people are 鈥 in helping people who have disease get better. It's probably more interesting to talk about why I got out of clinical practice.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>And why was that?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>One of the things I realized as I went through my training and worked as a primary care physician was that you're often getting to people at a very late stage. That's what led me to go into public health, which is about preventing disease and working with entire populations. To me, it's like teaching. You work with large numbers of students to make sure they're successful. In public health, you work with the entire population to keep them from getting disease to begin with, rather than trying to treat them after the fact.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>You were the founding president and CEO of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the SARS crisis. Did you learn any lessons there that are applicable here?&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>Outside of Asia, Ontario had the worst SARS outbreak globally. There were a number of reasons that happened. One reason was because the province didn't have a lot of scientific and technical capacity for surveillance, epidemiology and public health lab services, and it had been cut by the government at the time. People didn't see prevention as something worth investing in, particularly research around prevention.&nbsp;</p> <p>In building Public Health Ontario, we worked to create an academic organization 鈥 one that had a research focus as well as delivering public health services. It's similar to what we try to balance at the university between excellence in teaching and excellence in research, and looking for synergies between the two.&nbsp;</p> <p>The people of Ontario, and the people of Canada, deserve having these world-class research institutions, whether they're research hospitals or agencies like Public Health Ontario or the University of Toronto. That ensures that the services we get are also world class.&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, 27 Jun 2019 12:47:39 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 157120 at