快播视频鈥檚 Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Faculty of Science and Facilities Services, hosted a successful Bioblitz event during Campus Sustainability Month in October, inviting the York community to explore and document the diverse species of plants, animals, and other organisms found on the Keele and Glendon campuses. Participants used the iNaturalist app to record their findings, contributing to a valuable inventory of local biodiversity. The event saw a fantastic turnout, with 37 participants making 790 observations across 326 species on York鈥檚 campuses.   

A standout contributor was Alice Kostin, a neuroscience student from the Faculty of Science, who made an impressive 164 observations of 79 different species, earning her recognition for her dedication to documenting campus biodiversity. Kostin鈥檚 efforts earned her first place and a $50 reward on her YU Card. 

鈥淧articipating in York鈥檚 Bioblitz was a chance for me to explore Canada鈥檚 diverse beauty right here on our campus,鈥� she said. 

The event showcased a wide range of wildlife, from familiar species like gray squirrels and Canada geese to rarer sightings, including a white-throated sparrow, red-tailed hawk and even a coyote. The data collected will play an important role in advancing York鈥檚 sustainability goals, particularly through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet @ Campus program, which encourages students to actively participate in biodiversity conservation and environmental stewardship. The event also included walks on campus, which were led by professors Gordon Fitch, Alex Mills and Laura McKinnon, as well as Valerio Larivera, supervisor of grounds management.  

The Bioblitz event aligns with York鈥檚 Sustainability Strategy, supporting the University鈥檚 efforts to regenerate local ecosystems and foster biodiversity on campus, creating a healthier and more inviting environment for all. It also provides students with valuable opportunities to engage in environmental initiatives and contribute to York鈥檚 pursuit of a WWF Living Planet Leader certification. 

鈥淭he Bioblitz is about more than just species identification 鈥� it鈥檚 about fostering a deeper connection to the natural world,鈥� said Mike Layton, chief sustainability officer. 

Community members are encouraged to contribute to  year-round and to keep an eye out for another Bioblitz event this spring. For information about how to get involved in sustainability on campus or how to join the WWF Living Planet Leader certification, visit the Sustainability at York website. 

Courtesy of YFile

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Thursday July 11, 2024

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

306 Lumbers Building

(or online via Zoom - register below to access link)

Light refreshments will be served to in-person attendees

Hosted by:

Faculty of Science (FSc) Research Services

Lassonde School of Engineering (LE) Research Support Office

Join us on Thursday July 11^th for a hybrid (both in-person and online attendance options available), interactive session on funding opportunities with the , and . In this session, you will:

• learn about the latest grants available to support industry-academic research partnerships,
• explore opportunities to leverage OCI, NSERC and Mitacs contributions toward specific research projects
• ask questions directly to representatives of these agencies, and;
• network with your peers and agency personnel.

Please note that this is the first of two interactive sessions dealing with promotion of Academic-Industry partnerships to obtain funding. The second interactive session is expected to be held in early-mid September 2024. We plan to invite 4 people from Ontario Natural Science and Engineering (NSE) companies who have expressed interest in partnering with York Faculty members on NSE research endeavours which can be funded in part through OCI, NSERC and/or Mitacs.

Featured speakers at this first session are:

Fernanda Navarro

Business Development & Commercialization Manager, OCI

Fernanda is a Business Development & Commercialization Manager with the Ontario Centre of Innovation based in downtown Toronto. She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Ivey Business School and a Bachelor鈥檚 Degree in Marketing from the Tecnol贸gico de Monterrey (M茅xico). Prior to joining OCI, Fernanda was actively involved in the startup ecosystem supporting angel investments in early-stage companies.

Louisa Ho

Research & Innovation Development Officer, NSERC

Louisa Ho is a Research and Innovation Development Officer at NSERC鈥檚 Research Partnerships Division, where she manages program delivery, outreach, promotion, and policy development for the Alliance Grants 鈥� NSERC鈥檚 flagship university research partnerships program. Drawing upon her extensive academic research and technology transfer background, Louisa has played various roles in advancing the innovation landscape, including guiding initiatives spanning translational research, intellectual property development and protection, research commercialization, and start-up ventures. She holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Lazaridis School of Business.

Leslie Bone

Senior Advisor, Business Development, Mitacs

Leslie听completed her PhD at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) in Molecular Science and has been with the Business Development team at Mitacs as a Senior Advisor for almost 7 years. Leslie connects professors, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with industry partners to tackle mutually interesting research and innovation challenges.

Mitacs is a national not-for-profit research organization offering innovative training & research programs that will develop the next generation of researchers and innovators for Canada鈥檚 new, knowledge-based economy.  Through a unique suite of programs, Mitacs partners academic institutions and industry to solve shared research questions.

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It might be April Fool鈥檚 Day, but the sun鈥檚 brightness is no joke, insists Elaina Hyde, an assistant professor in 快播视频鈥檚 Faculty of Science and director of York鈥檚 Allan I. Carswell Observatory. Looking directly at the sun is never safe, she says, but that is especially true during a solar eclipse, like the one expected in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico on April 8.

A total solar eclipse is a rare celestial event that occurs as the moon aligns perfectly between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun鈥檚 face and casting its shadow onto Earth, resulting in brief moments of temporary darkness. In Ontario, the eclipse鈥檚 path of totality 鈥� the locations where the moon鈥檚 shadow covers the sun in its entirety 鈥� includes Niagara Falls, Hamilton and St. Catharines.

Although Toronto will only experience a partial eclipse, with the moon covering 99.6 per cent of the sun, the sun鈥檚 brightness will still be strong enough to cause eye damage 鈥� and potential blindness 鈥� to anyone who looks directly at it. This can occur even if direct exposure only lasts a few seconds.

鈥淧eople, especially young children, may be tempted to look up during the eclipse, but it鈥檚 not safe to do so without proper protection,鈥� says Hyde. 鈥淪unglasses are definitely not protective and shouldn鈥檛 be used when viewing the eclipse, but there are safe ways to do it.鈥�

Those safe ways of viewing the eclipse 鈥� either total or partial 鈥� include using 鈥媠olar viewing glasses that have been certified by the International Organization for Standardization (labelled 鈥嬧�婭SO 12312-2 certified), a pinhole camera (a type of projector), or solar filters specifically designed to be used with telescopes or binoculars. For more safety tips, see the Observatory鈥檚 Eclipse Safety flyer.

In the days leading up to the big event, York鈥檚 Observatory will be hosting a pre-eclipse solar viewing on the first clear day between April 2 and 6. Join York astronomers as they take solar-appropriate telescopes outside to view the sun, demonstrate pinhole cameras and pass out free solar viewing glasses. Experts will answer frequently-asked questions about the eclipse and discuss how to enjoy the partial eclipse from Toronto. Good solar views require clear weather, which makes this event especially challenging to plan. Those interested in participating should check the Observatory鈥檚 Solar Eclipse 2024 web page daily at 10 a.m. between April 2 and 6 to find out if the event is on or off that day. For more information about the event, and to register for free tickets and daily updates, visit the .

On April 8, eclipse timing will vary depending on location. At 快播视频, the partial eclipse will begin at 2:04 p.m. and end at 4:31 p.m., reaching its maximum expression at 3:19 p.m., which will be the best time to view it. Wherever you are during those times, Hyde stresses the importance that you do not 鈥� under any circumstances 鈥� look directly at the sun without the proper eye protection listed above.

Since York鈥檚 campuses are not located on the path of totality, the University won鈥檛 be hosting any public viewing events that day; however, York staff, faculty and students at the Keele Campus are invited to safely observe the partial eclipse atop the Arboretum Lane Parking Garage, near the Allan I. Carswell Observatory atrium.

Solar viewing glasses will be available, while supplies last, at multiple distribution sites on campus 鈥� during the , in the Department of Physics & Astronomy office on the first floor of the Petrie Science & Engineering Building; and on April 8, at the observing station on the fifth floor of the Arboretum Lane Parking Garage and at a smaller viewing area near 快播视频 Station in Harry W. Arthurs Common.

To learn more about the upcoming solar eclipse, visit the Allan I. Carswell Observatory鈥檚 Solar Eclipse 2024 web page for more information and resources, including blog updates from professors Robin Metcalfe and Bruce Waters, sharing their solar eclipse experiences.

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At the Faculty of Science鈥檚 annual undergraduate summer research conference, students received awards in recognition of oral and poster presentations they gave on summer projects they worked on.

More than 60 students from the Faculties of Science, Health, and Environmental & Urban Change attended the Faculty of Science Summer 2023 Undergraduate Research Conference to present their projects, reflecting work ranging from bee conservation and biochemical innovations to quantum computing and more.

The conference was an opportunity for recipients of other summer undergraduate research awards (including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Undergraduate Summer Research Awards, the Dean鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Awards, the Earle Nestmann Undergraduate Research Awards and the York Science Scholars Awards) to share projects they have worked on. Students鈥� presentations were judged by faculty members as well as postdoctoral and graduate students, and the winners for best presentations were announced at the end of the event. Health students were announced in a separate category.

The following science students received awards for their oral presentations:

• Hannah Le, a third-year chemistry student, won first place for the project 鈥淰alue-Added Vat Orange 3 Dyes for Functional Materials Development,鈥� supervised by Thomas Baumgartner, professor of chemistry;
• Chiara Di Scipio, a third-year biology student, won second place for the project 鈥淚nvestigating the signaling cascade of a CAPA neuropeptide in the Malpighian tubules of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster,鈥� supervised by Jean-Paul Paluzzi, professor of biology; and
• Isaac Kogan, a first-year biology student, won third place for the project 鈥淯sing Machine Learning to Interpret LFIA Results,鈥� supervised by Sergey Krylov, professor of chemistry.

The following science students received awards for their poster presentations:

• Jessica Latimer, a fourth-year chemistry student, won first place for the project 鈥淧ractical Accuracy Assessment of Equilibrium Dissociation Constants,鈥� supervised by Sergey Krylov, professor of chemistry;
• Sarah Powell, a fourth-year physics student, won second place for the project 鈥淭heoretical particle physics on quantum computers,鈥� supervised by Randy Lewis, professor of physics and astronomy; and
• Yash Shrestha, a second-year biology student, won third place for the project 鈥淓xploration of altered synaptic pruning in an autism model mouse,鈥� supervised by Steven Connor, professor of biology.

Within the Faculty of Health, the following students received awards:

• Patrick Hewan, a psychology student, won best oral presentation for the project 鈥淢icrostructural integrity of the Locus Coeruleus is related to decision-making in older adults,鈥� supervised by Professor Gary Turner; and
• Mira Bhattacharya, a second-year cognitive science student, won best poster presentation for the project 鈥淣euronal Correlates of Flexible Decision Making,鈥� supervised by Professor Liya Ma.

Read more about the students and their projects in the conference program booklet.

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During academic year 2022-23, Bethune College launched a successful new speaker series called "Coffee with Profs," which wrapped up in March. Professors and instructors from the Faculty of Science and Lassonde School of Engineering were invited to share their insights and experiences on a range of academic and professional topics with students.

In the fall term, Bethune College Head Paula Wilson kicked off the series by hosting first-year Professors Stephanie Gora (Civil Engineering), Chris Jang (Biology) and Andrew Skelton (Mathematics & Statistics) to talk with students about preparing for midterms and exams. Students had the opportunity to connect with instructors, learn about their own study strategies, and share tips for navigating the pressure that accompanies the first round of midterms. A second session was held later in the term for students who felt the need to reflect and regroup as they headed into exams, with Professors Stephanie Domenikos (Chemistry / Science, Technology & Society/ Natural Science), Nicole Nivillac (Biology) and Pam Sargent (Mathematics & Statistics).

As part of the "Writing Edition" sessions, Kathryn Allyn, director of the Bethune Writing Centre discussed with Professor Tanya Da Sylva (Biology) about paraphrasing and engaging with sources, and with Professor Mark Bayfield (Biology) about strategies for crafting effective narratives and presenting scientific content convincingly.

The start of the winter term featured sessions on research opportunities: Professors Ozzy Mermut (Physics & Astronomy) and Robert Tsushima (Biology) led a session for Science students, and Professors Regina Lee (Earth & Space Science & Engineering) and Suprakash Data (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science) led a session for Lassonde students. In March, Professor Jude Dzevela Kong (Mathematics & Statistics) spoke with students about what it鈥檚 like to be a professor and his own path to becoming one. Additionally, Professors Carol Bucking (Biology) and Gloria Orchard (Physics & Astronomy) held sessions to share important insights on lab report structure and writing process. Finally, PhD student Yohana Solomon (Mathematics & Statistics) and Kathryn Allyn discussed editing and the importance of building supportive peer editing networks for strong writing.

Bethune College would like to thank Kathryn Allyn for her lead in conceptualizing this series, Emily Fiorini for conceiving the name, and all of the speakers for generously taking the time to connect with the students.

The initiative will continue for the 2023-24 academic year. If you'd like to take part in a talk or have an idea for a session topic, please contact Paula Wilson (bchead@yorku.ca) or Kathryn Allyn (travis10@yorku.ca).

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Buzzing with undergraduate researchers, faculty members and staff, the conference was an opportunity for recipients of NSERC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards (USRA), Dean鈥檚 Undergraduate Research Awards (DURA), and York Science Scholars Awards (YSSA) to present their summer research projects and to meet other awardees.

Fifty-five students from the Faculties of Science, Health, Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and Environmental & Urban Change, and the School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design attended and shared their research projects and findings through talks and poster presentations.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from the Faculty of Science Associate Dean of Students Michael Scheid and the Faculty of Health Associate Dean of Research Chris Ardern.

鈥淚 hope that your research experiences have given you a deeper perspective of what frontline research is all about, helped you learn new skills and more about your interests, and led to new friendships and collaborations,鈥� said Scheid.

The first talk of the day was presented by Professor Jane Heffernan, who delivered a keynote address on modelling immunity, focusing particularly on COVID-19. Ten students then presented talks in a morning session, and the remaining students presented posters in an afternoon session. The student presentations were judged by faculty members, postdocs and graduate students and the winners for best presentations were announced at the end of the event.

The following students received awards for their poster presentations:

• Minoosh Fathi 鈥� First place (tied) for the presentation 鈥淧hylogenetic history and molecular evolution of vertebrate opsins,鈥� supervised by biology Professor Ryan Schott
• Mahya Rezaeifarimani 鈥� First place (tied) for the poster presentation 鈥淪ynthesis of Monodisperse Silica Nanoparticles and the Incorporation of Fluorophores,鈥� supervised by chemistry Professor Jennifer Chen
• Selin Tahir 鈥� Third place for the poster presentation 鈥淎 scoping review of the literature on malaria statistical models and development of a cross-country predictive model for malaria in the Global South,鈥� supervised by Professor Jude Kong in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics

The following students received awards for their oral presentations:

• Aleeza Qayyum 鈥� First place for the presentation 鈥淭he Hyperphosphorylation of Amyloidogenic Tau,鈥� supervised by chemistry Professor Derek Wilson
• Areeba Chaudhury 鈥� Second place for the presentation 鈥淕eneration of Xeno Nucleic Acid (XNA) Aptamers Against Human 伪-Thrombin using T3 Ligase-catalyzed OligOnucleotide PolymERizations (LOOPER),鈥� supervised by chemistry Professor Ryan Hili
• Claire Del Zotto 鈥� Third place for the presentation 鈥淎nalysing Plant-Pollinator Interactions Along an Urbanisation Gradient,鈥� supervised by biology Professor Sandra Rehan

The event closed with remarks from Faculty of Science Associate Dean of Research & Partnerships Vivian Saridakis and Associate Vice-President of Research Jennifer Hyndman.

鈥淪tudents, it has been an honour to listen to your presentations today,鈥� said Saridakis in her closing remarks. 鈥淚 know a lot of hard work went into your research projects and putting together your abstracts and presentations for today鈥檚 event. Bravo and thank you to everyone for participating.鈥�

Read more about the students and their projects in the conference program booklet. Event photos are available on the Faculty of Science .

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Details

Dates

Background

Researchers at German Universities of Applied Sciences will be meeting virtually with researchers from Canada and the USA to share project ideas and research priorities, develop joint project ideas and identify potential cooperation partners.

The following themed spaces will be offered:

• Transformation of the Energy Sector in the Wake of Climate Change
• Health Care and Social Medicine throughout the Life Course
• Secure Digitalisation of Industrial Engineering
• Smart Cities
• Innovative Materials 鈥� from Synthesis to Application

For more information, see the official booklet.

Required Materials

For those interesting in presenting at the matchmaking event, there are two ways to do so:

1. Present your project (idea)

If you would like to present your research project in a 5-minute slot followed by 10 minutes of discussion with other participants at the fair on October 18, or if you have a concrete project idea and are looking for potential cooperation partners, register by August 31 submitting:

• An abstract that briefly describes your project, and
• A poster that will be displayed during the fair.
  • The poster should not exceed one page and contain as little text as possible. Please use charts, infographics, diagrams etc. to illustrate your presentation.

2. Present your research focus

If you do not have a concrete project idea but are interested in expanding your network, meeting other researchers in your field, and looking for potential project partners for future cooperation, please submit a brief description of your work focus by August 31. In a dedicated networking room, you will have the opportunity to present yourself and your research focus and to connect with your peers.

Attachments

Registration

To join either event (the information session or matchmaking event), sign up by August 31, 2022.

For those interested in presenting at the matchmaking event, certain materials must be prepared by the deadline. It is also possible to participate in the meeting without presenting a project or work focus.

Contacts

For questions about this opportunity, please contact udif-haw@dfg.de.

For specific questions, please contact your FSc Research Officer:

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Upcoming Events

Science Co-op Information Session

• Virtual Session, Friday, March 6th, 2 - 3 p.m., click to register.
• In-Person Session, Tuesday, March 10th, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m., click to register.
• Virtual Session, Wednesday, March 11th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., click to register.
• In-Person Session, Tuesday, March 12th, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., click to register.

Resources

CAREER | FIT PROGRAMS

Career | Fit professional experience programs are convenient and flexible short programs for currently enrolled university undergrads and college students that supplement your academic courses.

YU EXPERIENCE HUB

The YU Experience Hub identifies, structures and implements Experiential Education opportunities across 快播视频.

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Explore Co-op

Co-op Program

The Co-op Program provides students in specific programs with an opportunity to integrate their classroom learning with hands-on work experiences. Students will typically alternate between periods of work and periods of study.

Employers: Why choose our students?

Learn about the benefits of hiring our students, the Co-op Program and the process to get started, and more.

Upcoming Events and Resources

Access resources for resume and cover letter support, help with interview prep, and learn about upcoming events, workshops, and our online community.

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Welcome home

York Science is home to more than 20,000 alumni who have gone on to become scientists, medical professionals, entrepreneurs and more.

Quick Links

• Annual Reviews

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Alumni Spotlights

• 

  快播视频's Top 30 Alumni Under 30

  Three Faculty of Science alumni 鈥�
  Anastasia Kalantarova听
  Claire Del Zotto and Oluwatimileyin Aina 鈥� were among the outstanding graduates named on 快播视频鈥檚 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 list for 2026.

  

  Bo Cheng (BSc '17, MMAI '20)

  It was curiosity that led Bo Cheng to enrol in the specialized honors degree in biophysics at York. Now, as a manager in data science, he leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to solve real world problems for Canadians.

• 

  Earle Nestmann and Pamela Ohashi Receive 快播视频 Alumni Awards

  The 快播视频 Alumni Awards celebrate alumni who exemplify the values of 快播视频, have made remarkable contributions to their fields, and have changed the world for the better.

  

  Naz Chaudary: Putting Her Heart into Cancer Research

  Now a researcher at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Naz Chaudary (Hon BSc 鈥�98, PhD 鈥�04) looks back fondly at her time at York as being the backbone for her career in academic science.

Stay connected with your alma mater

Learn more about how to get involved, alumni benefits, events and more through 快播视频鈥檚 Alumni & Friends website.

Visit the Alumni & Friends website

快播视频 Science Alumni Network

The purpose of the 快播视频 Science Alumni Network (YUSAN) is to bring 快播视频 graduates with degrees in science and science-related fields together to connect, network, remove the barriers of distance, and to enhance the profile of 快播视频鈥檚 Faculty of Science.

Learn more about YUSAN

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