From 3 to 4 a.m. on April 8, physics and astronomy students used the observatory鈥檚 one-metre telescope to image Orion as it travelled back toward Earth after looping around the moon. The capsule carried Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

The observation was led by graduate student Sunna Withers and supported by Naul Sethuram Ramjee, an undergraduate student. Ramjee also completed the data reduction, animating the images to produce a short movie showing the spacecraft moving against background stars.

"I worked on processing the Artemis II data using Siril (an astronomical image processing software)," says Ramjee. "I uploaded the sequence of images and applied auto stretch to enhance the brightness and contrast, and then converted the sequence into a video to visually capture it's movement over time."

Because Orion appeared low on the horizon, the imaging capture pushed the limits of the telescope. The team used a Mallincam camera mounted on the one-metre telescope at York鈥檚 Keele Campus to capture the historic mission.

Elaina Hyde, director of AICO and associate professor in the Faculty of Science, says this kind of telescope access and training is rarely available to undergraduate students. Having the largest telescope on any Canadian post-secondary campus, she notes, "is quite a boon to any space fan at York."

She adds that certification to use the telescope is open to all undergraduate students.

Withers describes the event as "very exciting." Because the capsule was barely visible against the stars, it took careful comparison of multiple images to identify its motion. "It was a great feeling once I spotted it," says Withers. "Artemis II is a historic mission, especially with a Canadian on board, and its amazing that we were able to get a glimpse of it through the one-metre telescope."

A video of the spacecraft imaging, along with a technical discussion of the observations, is available for public viewing on .

鈥淭his work highlights how York students participate directly in space-related observation, data analysis and telescope operations using on-campus infrastructure,鈥� says Hyde. 鈥淢onitoring mission activity gives students experience with real-time space missions.鈥�

Alongside astronomical research, the observatory tracks satellites and space missions connected to human exploration programs.

Artemis II is part of NASA鈥檚 broader Artemis program that is preparing for a return of astronauts to the moon in 2028.

AICO supports both research and public engagement and offers free weekly public tours on Wednesday evenings, featuring its 60-centimetre and one-metre telescopes. This summer will also host the 2026 AstroFair 鈥� a community fundraiser to support AICO鈥檚 programming. More details will be released ahead of the Aug. 29 event.

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Throughout his more than 15 years as an investment analyst and strategist, Adjunct Professor Nadeem Kassam, at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, says he interviewed hundreds of new graduates eager to start their careers in capital markets.

Over time, he noticed a recurring pattern: students often arrived with strong theoretical knowledge, but struggled to present that knowledge in ways that clearly demonstrated their abilities to potential employers.

鈥淭hey would have all this knowledge, but it wouldn鈥檛 be packaged yet in a way that showcased their abilities and skills to a potential employer,鈥� says Kassam.

Earlier this year, Kassam 鈥� who teaches advanced portfolio management at York 鈥� partnered with York鈥檚 Finance Student Association to give a group of undergraduate students the chance to produce an industry grade report modelled on the kind of research produced by investment firms, as part of a new .

Under Kassam鈥檚 supervision, the project challenged students to analyze real world market data and synthesize and present their findings clearly and concisely under guidelines similar to those used in the industry. The goal, Kassam says, was to give students hands-on exposure applying classroom theory in ways that mirror real capital-markets work while helping them build tangible evidence of their competencies.

Those interested in participating were required to apply as they would for a job. Kassam reviewed applications from an employer鈥檚 perspective and provided individualized feedback 鈥� whether students were selected or not 鈥� to help them better understand how they might strengthen future applications. By the end of the process, he selected 14 students.

Among them was Abishek Daryanani, a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student specializing in finance. 鈥淚 wanted to step outside of standard textbook coursework and gain practical, hands-on experience in macroeconomic analysis,鈥� says Daryanani.

The same motivation drew Sidonia Sin Ying Wu, also a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student. 鈥淎s someone pursuing a career in finance, I believe it鈥檚 not enough to simply know how to analyze data 鈥� you also need to know how to present that information clearly and explain the reasoning behind your interpretation to others,鈥� Wu says. 鈥淭he project鈥檚 combination of technical work and commentary writing was what really attracted me to this opportunity.鈥�

Students began by learning to work with industry-standard tools such as the Bloomberg Terminal and Capital IQ, using real-world market data. With the S&P Capital IQ plug-in, they built live Excel dashboards that automatically updated as markets changed 鈥� a foundation they would rely on throughout the project.

From there, the focus shifted from working with data to turning analysis into insight that could be clearly communicated to others. Kassam asked students to apply the theories they had learned in class to the information in front of them, using those frameworks to understand what was happening in global markets, and why.

In practical terms, that meant answering questions investors ask every day: Why were stock markets moving the way they were? Why were bonds or commodities behaving differently? Which assets were acting as safe havens during periods of uncertainty, and how could those trends be explained using economic and financial theory?

鈥淭hat foundational understanding of financial markets, reinforced with real-world application, was the main core,鈥� Kassam says.

Students were then tasked with consolidating their assessment into a single report. Kassam imposed professional style constraints, requiring teams to work within fixed templates, page limits and formatting rules 鈥� boundaries designed to force prioritization and clarity.

鈥淭hat process was much harder than I initially expected,鈥� says Wu. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 just about gathering data 鈥� it was about deciding what actually mattered and making it easy for readers to interpret.鈥�

That process was exactly what Kassam had hoped students would experience. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 essentially the job that I鈥檝e had to do for many years,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e given a lot of information. You have to take it away, figure it out, and then come back with a clear and concise report 鈥� often with just one slide and five bullet points.鈥�

Collaboration was also central to the project. While students worked in small groups covering different areas of the markets, they were collectively responsible for contributing to a single, unified report 鈥� one Kassam expected to read as though it had been produced by a single analyst.

To achieve that cohesion, he took a hands-on role throughout the process, holding regular meetings where students presented findings, discussed market developments and received feedback to ensure consistency in analysis, tone and presentation.

The work culminated in the group鈥檚 inaugural report, released publicly in February. A second edition followed in March, with additional reports planned as part of the eight-month program. Students in future cohorts, he adds, will continue the series.

For students, seeing the work move from interpretation to a finished, public-facing report was a significant payoff. 鈥淚t felt like all of our effort had turned into something tangible and professional that others could actually read and benefit from,鈥� says Wu.

Daryanani agrees. 鈥淪eeing the final product come together and knowing that it mirrors the analytical rigor and formatting you would expect from a real strategy team is incredibly rewarding,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something you just can鈥檛 get from a lecture hall.鈥�

The project is also proving beneficial in other ways. Kassam says some students have used the reports in job applications as concrete examples of their skills.

鈥淚f you put this type of product in front of an interviewer, it shows the polish of a very clean, professional quality piece of work,鈥� Kassam says. 鈥淚t speaks volumes. It says, 鈥業 have experience. I work well in a team. I鈥檓 detail鈥憃riented 鈥� and here鈥檚 the proof.鈥欌��

Having hired hundreds of graduates over his career, Kassam says that kind of clarity helps remove uncertainty for employers evaluating early鈥慶areer candidates. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about removing the guesswork for a potential employer,鈥� he says.

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In collaboration with Internet Archive Canada, a non-profit digital library, the MHSO is making its collection of multicultural newspapers 鈥� one of the most comprehensive in the country, with titles dating back to the 19th century 鈥� freely accessible online to scholars, educators and the public.

Housed within the offices of 快播视频鈥檚 Institute for Social Research (ISR), the MHSO鈥檚 archive was previously hosted by Simon Fraser University Library but is now migrating to a centralized, open-access platform designed to ensure long-term preservation and improve discoverability.

The initiative has launched with 鈥� The New Canadian, The Canadian Jewish Review, The Canadian Jewish News and L鈥橝mi du Peuple 鈥� which document the experiences of Japanese Canadian, Jewish Canadian and Franco Ontarian communities.

Additional titles, including Chinese Canadian Community News and The Chinese Times, are being added, with more publications from the MHSO鈥檚 extensive collection to follow.

鈥淓thnic and francophone newspapers were vital instruments for community members to engage with and express their views on contemporary events,鈥� says Julia Rady, Chair and president of MHSO. 鈥淭hrough our collaboration with Internet Archive Canada, there is now a single platform for people to discover and research these important resources, helping to preserve their legacy for generations to come.鈥�

鈥淭his partnership significantly expands access to rare and historically important primary sources,鈥� says Lorne Foster, director of ISR. 鈥淔or York researchers 鈥� and scholars at other institutions 鈥� it supports new and existing work in areas such as migration and diaspora studies, history, sociology and equity-focused research.鈥�

Beyond preservation and access, the collaboration also creates opportunities for student engagement. Under its agreement with York, the MHSO provides orientation and training for students working with its archives, supports work-study and co-op placements, and connects students with community historians and organizations. York is also represented on the MHSO鈥檚 board of directors.

The development builds on York鈥檚 and the MHSO鈥檚 shared leadership in digital research and cultural preservation. The ISR helped bring the MHSO to York鈥檚 Keele Campus in 2023, contributing to a growing digital ecosystem that includes searchable archives of oral histories, newspapers, photographs and textual records documenting the experiences of ethnocultural and Indigenous communities across Ontario.

鈥淏y supporting open, digital access to these materials,鈥� says Foster, 鈥渢he initiative helps preserve and amplify the histories of underrepresented communities in Canada, while highlighting the University鈥檚 role in fostering inclusive research infrastructure through its hosting of the MHSO and its connections with community-based knowledge.鈥�

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In the course, students are asked present industry鈥憆eady marketing campaigns directly to industry representatives. When Rachel Saarony's turn was up, she noticed her hands trembling as she walked into the offices of Penguin Random House Canada (PRHC).

The fourth-year professional writing student was about to present a full-scale marketing plan to the country鈥檚 largest book publisher, completing the final assignment for PRWR 3004/4004 鈥� an upper-year course designed to bring real-world publishing exposure into the classroom.

For Saarony, the moment felt significant. 鈥淚 felt a lot of pressure to leave a strong impression in front of industry professionals,鈥� she says. It was her first encounter with the publishing industry, and the stakes felt real.

That opportunity was exactly what Matthew Bucemi, director of 快播视频鈥檚 Book Publishing Specialization in the Writing Department, had in mind when he helped reshape the program in 2022. Among his efforts was the desire to create meaningful connections between academic learning and the industry realities students would face after graduation.

鈥淢y goal was for students to get a level of hands-on experience that a classroom can鈥檛 provide,鈥� Bucemi says.

As part of that push, Bucemi drew on industry connections at Penguin Random House Canada and approached Polly Beel, director of marketing and publicity, to explore collaborations. The result was PRWR 3004/4004, a course grounded in a shared idea that students learn best when they are asked to meet professional standards and should have the opportunity to present their work beyond the classroom. 鈥淲hat does it feel like to really present something to senior staff at a publishing house?鈥� says Bucemi.

First, however, it was Beel鈥檚 who would present. In January, she and members of PHRC's marketing team visited Bucemi鈥檚 class to introduce a project where students would develop original, comprehensive marketing plans for Spoiled Milk, a debut supernatural gothic horror novel scheduled for release.

While students were given broad creative freedom, Beel outlined the same expectations a marketing team like theirs would face, including deliverables, timelines and creative standards. 鈥淚t reframed the project from a classroom exercise into something that felt professionally real,鈥� says Saarony.

The class was divided into five teams, each responsible for a different piece: a preorder push, influencer outreach, paid digital advertising, organic social media content and an in-person reader event. Over the course of three months, students worked collaboratively to build a unified, multichannel strategy that blended digital marketing with immersive, experiential ideas.

The final campaign leaned heavily into the gothic atmosphere of Spoiled Milk. Elements were timed around culturally resonant moments, such as Friday the13th and Halloween, with the aim of extending the novel鈥檚 eerie tone beyond the page. One proposed initiative 鈥� dubbed a 鈥淪ummer-ween鈥� reader event 鈥� imagined bringing the book鈥檚 haunted boarding school setting into the real world.

Saarony served as one of two team leads on the influencer mailer project, which focused on creating a tactile, interactive experience for book-focused creators on TikTok and Instagram. She and her team designed a themed mailer inspired by the novel鈥檚 setting.

The package took the form of a vintage steamer trunk and included story-linked objects such as tarot cards, a custom bookmark and a painted compact mirror featuring a rotting apple. Interactive elements encouraged recipients to explore the contents over time, including hidden messages revealed with a UV Ouija planchette (also known as a spirit board pointer).

鈥淥ur goal was to give influencers something they could return to,鈥� Saarony says, 鈥渙bjects they could explore, decode and interact with.鈥�

Another student, Lauren Russell, co-led the digital ads team, which developed a cross-platform advertising strategy tailored to online book audiences. The team identified platforms such as Goodreads and Book Riot, and created a range of static and animated banner ads, alongside short-form video content for social media.

For Instagram, Russell took on an acting role, posing as a fictional student from the novel鈥檚 boarding school in a character-driven mock interview. The team also produced a TikTok-style video showcasing gothic horror recommendations, positioning Spoiled Milk within a broader reading community.

At the end of March, students visited Penguin Random House鈥檚 Toronto offices to deliver their pitch.

After months of preparation, Russell says the key was stepping into the room with confidence. 鈥淲e kept reminding ourselves that we knew our work was strong,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur job was to show it clearly and enthusiastically.鈥�

For Saarony, the nerves subsided quickly. 鈥淥nce we started, I went into autopilot,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 trusted the preparation, and it went better than I could have hoped.鈥�

Following the pitch, PRHC staff provided detailed, industry-aligned feedback to each group. Students were encouraged to think critically about their creative choices, audience targeting and feasibility. One piece of feedback resonated strongly across the class. 鈥淲e were told that the presentation we had put together was corporate level,鈥� says Russell. 鈥淚 felt like all our hard work culminated in that moment.鈥�

With the project complete, students reflected on what they gained. For Saarony, the opportunity helped build confidence in her ability to contribute to large projects, and to lead them 鈥� which sparked a new interest. During a post-pitch conversation with PRHC鈥檚 managing editor, Saarony mentioned her curiosity about the legal side of publishing 鈥� an exchange that led to an offer for her to connect with the company鈥檚 legal team to learn more.

Russell similarly described the experience as a turning point, noting how it sharpened her leadership, communication and research skills while demystifying how much planning and coordination goes into launching a book.

For Bucemi, those outcomes reflect the program鈥檚 broader purpose. Giving students the chance to apply their skills in a real-world context helps them see how theory translates into practice, and how their interests might evolve once they engage directly with the industry. 鈥淯nderstanding what professional life looks like before you graduate makes a real difference,鈥� he says.

At the same time, he was pleased when Beel noted that the students demonstrated a level of ambition and creativity that would get them a job at any company in the industry.

鈥淭he biggest thing for me is helping students get practical opportunities that will support them as they enter the job market,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y hope is that putting something like this on their resume will be a real X-factor when they're looking for a publishing job."

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An associate professor of math education at 快播视频鈥檚 Faculty of Education, Osibodu focuses her research on how Black students experience math and how education systems can better support equity.

鈥淚 want Black learners who enter a mathematics classroom to be fully, completely themselves instead of feeling like they don鈥檛 belong,鈥� says Osibodu, who is keenly aware of the persistent and unfounded stereotypes about Black learners鈥� abilities in math 鈥� and how those beliefs intersect with Canada鈥檚 colonial legacy and history of immigration.

Osibodu鈥檚 teaching experience across three continents has fuelled her interest in and passion for addressing challenges faced by Black students in Canada. Before joining York, she taught secondary school mathematics in South Africa and later taught mathematics and mathematics education courses in the U.S. and Canada. Her research has since documented a range of obstacles faced by Black students in Canadian classrooms.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to look at course syllabi without realizing that it鈥檚 important for equity to be at the core of the teaching practice,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y ultimate goal is to create math education where Black learners are thriving.鈥�

A key aspect of her work is understanding how Black students experience math, which, in Canada, requires knowledge of the population鈥檚 demography. As her colleague Carl James, the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora at 快播视频, has long emphasized, the Canadian Black community is diverse 鈥� including descendants who arrived via the Underground Railroad, families who immigrated from the Caribbean decades ago and more recent immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa 鈥� leading to a variety of educational experiences.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something I hope to explore,鈥� Osibodu says. 鈥淚n the United States, many scholars in mathematics education have studied the racialized experiences of Black learners and can trace these experiences through generations. In Canada, that isn鈥檛 the experience of most Africans, who are largely first-generation immigrants with a fairly young population.

African-born parents tend to be trusting of education systems, she notes. 鈥淚 want to understand how these parents navigate the mathematics education of their children in the Canadian system. I want to collaborate with and support these parents with more tools to advocate for their children better.鈥�

Osibodu is also examining how math education can address broader social and economic realities. Together with Alexandre Cavalcante at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, she has findings from their Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada Insight Development Grant exploring critical financial literacy among Black youth. The work highlights the importance of teaching financial literacy in response to Ontario鈥檚 2020 mathematics curriculum, which introduced financial literacy expectations.

The research emphasizes that financial literacy should be taught through a systemic lens (e.g. discussing barriers to financial systems) rather than focusing exclusively on personal responsibility (e.g. budgeting).

Osibodu鈥檚 scholarship often draws on decoloniality as a theoretical and analytical lens, particularly for work directly connected to sub-Saharan Africa. One of her examined the impact of coloniality through the widespread use of the British-developed Cambridge Assessment International Education curriculum throughout anglophone Africa.

Across her work, Osibodu returns to the same principle for math education worldwide.

鈥淚t is imperative for equity to be at the core of a mathematics education practice and to constantly challenge deficit narratives about who belongs and who doesn鈥檛,鈥� Osibodu says. 鈥淲e need to be very intentional in pushing against those narratives.鈥�

With files from Elaine Smith

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York鈥檚 entrepreneurship and innovation hub YSpace and the IP Innovation Clinic, Canada鈥檚 largest intellectual property (IP) clinic, are introducing the Inventor to Founder Fellowship, a 13-week program that supports students, researchers, faculty and recent graduates as they navigate commercialization and entrepreneurship.

Building on YSpace鈥檚 award-winning entrepreneurial programs and the IP Innovation Clinic鈥檚 15 years of experience supporting IP and commercialization needs, the fellowship is supported by (IPON) Innovation Fellowship program. The initiative reflects the University鈥檚 growing emphasis on collaboration across its entrepreneurship and commercialization network to drive social and economic impact.

"York has always been home to exceptional research and innovative work," says Pina D'Agostino, associate vice-president research and founder and director of the IP Innovation Clinic. "Through IPON鈥檚 support, the Inventor to Founder Fellowship gives our students, researchers and faculty real runway to take their inventions and innovations forward with funding, guidance and ecosystem connections that help translate discovery into real-world benefits."

Founded in 2010 by D鈥橝gostino, the IP Innovation Clinic is a first-of-its-kind IP law clinic based at . Through partnerships with private practice lawyers and firms, the clinic assists York community members with strategy and planning.

As part of the fellowship, the clinic will embed strategic IP considerations throughout the program, aligning with the University鈥檚 broader efforts to advance research-driven opportunities. Since 2023-24, the clinic has assisted more than 125 York community members, including faculty, researchers, students, alumni and venture teams.

Participants in the Inventor to Founder Fellowship will receive a $10,000 stipend and progress through a structured journey that includes invention and venture idea validation, minimum viable product development, go-to-market strategy and pitching to investors. The fellowship concludes with a public showcase where selected founders present to mentors, angel investors and ecosystem partners.

For many participants, the fellowship will serve as a bridge between academic research and the entrepreneurial ecosystem needed to bring their inventions and innovations forward.

"We built this program for people who have an innovative solution and are ready to move forward to determine its market viability and build a business," says David Kwok, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. "The stipend helps remove the early financial barriers and creates startup capital, but what we're most excited about is giving York's student and research community a home to build on their innovations with mentorship and accountability that moves their research and businesses forward."

To be eligible, applicants must be undergraduate, master鈥檚 or PhD students, recent graduates within the past two years, researchers or faculty members based in Ontario and demonstrate a serious interest in advancing an invention or innovation for social or commercial impact. Participants are also required to complete IPON's virtual IP education modules as part of the program.

Applications are due May 4. Visit the program website for more information.

With files from Jiho Bak

The post New fellowship helps launch research into action appeared first on YFile.

鈥淣ew grads are not staying in nursing,鈥� says Robbio, who teaches in the School of Nursing at 快播视频. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of sacrifices they鈥檙e making, a lot of money they are spending, to not stay in nursing.鈥�

High turnover and ongoing staffing pressures affect not only individual nurses but also the broader health care system, Robbio says. Her work focuses on addressing burnout and retention challenges that emerge early in nurses鈥� careers.

Many new graduates face a difficult shift as they enter professional practice where support can be limited and workplace pressures high. These challenges were further intensified during the COVID鈥�19 pandemic, which disrupted clinical placements and contributed to work fatigue among practising nurses.

That transition period prompted Robbio to focus on mentorship and social connection as ways to help students build confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging as they move into the workforce. However, through her doctoral work in 2018 鈥� titled "E-Mentoring as a Socialization Strategy for New Graduate Nurse Role Transitions and Workplace Adjustment" 鈥� Robbio confirmed that traditional in鈥憄erson mentoring models can be difficult to sustain due to competing priorities, scheduling conflicts and heavy workloads.

In 2023, supported by a York Academic Innovation Fund grant, Robbio expanded her research by launching a pilot e鈥憁entoring initiative to explore a more flexible approach. The project examined whether virtual mentoring could offer an accessible, cost鈥慹ffective way to overcome common barriers to mentorship. It did so through an interdisciplinary research team consisting of co-principal investigator Mavoy Bertram, an associate professor from the School of Nursing; former Teaching Commons educational developer Lisa Endersby; statistician Hugh McCague from the Institute for Social Research; Helen Brennagh from Learning Technology Services; Stephanie Quail, director of the Open Scholarship Department at 快播视频 Libraries; and research assistant Doina Nugent.

The initiative explored how an e鈥憁entoring model within York's School of Nursing could provide psychosocial guidance, networking opportunities and career support for fourth鈥憏ear undergraduate collaborative BScN students.

Following positive responses from both mentors and mentees, Robbio received support through a 快播视频 Faculty Association Teaching Fellowship and 快播视频 Minor Research Grant to integrate the system directly into the curriculum of an undergraduate nursing leadership course she teaches.

The three鈥憁onth program 鈥� built on the 2023 research work and started in January 2025 鈥� paired third鈥憏ear undergraduates (e鈥憁entees) with graduate nursing students who are also experienced registered nurses (e鈥憁entors). The mentors came from within the York community.

鈥淲e already have nurses at York who are working on their graduate degrees,鈥� says Robbio. 鈥淲e have a pool of people who want to give back to the profession while continuing their education.鈥�

Mentors created detailed profiles that included clinical experience, years in practice and personal interests to help foster strong matches. Students were then able to indicate preferred mentors, with efforts made to accommodate those choices where possible.

Once matched, mentors and mentees connected by email, text or Zoom every two weeks. They discussed topics such as goal setting, conflict management, career pathways and work-life balance, supported by a series of online learning modules. Robbio emphasizes the tone of the relationship was central to the initiative鈥檚 success.

鈥淚t was not so much about preaching to your mentee, but really listening,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t felt more like a peer鈥憇upport relationship.鈥�

At the end of the program, e鈥憁entees completed a reflective learning assignment to assess their development and experiences. Mentors and mentees were also invited to complete a post鈥憄rogram satisfaction survey.

The findings were positive. A large majority (86 per cent) of e鈥憁entors said they would participate again, citing the experience as rewarding and meaningful. Many e鈥憁entees reported they valued the additional guidance and planned to stay in contact with their mentors. While designed to support undergraduate nursing students, mentors also gained from the experience.

鈥淓鈥憁entoring was really a reciprocal relationship,鈥� Robbio says, noting that mentors had opportunities to reflect on their own practice, strengthen leadership skills and reconnect with their professional purpose.

Ultimately, the initiative aims to support long鈥憈erm retention in the profession. By helping students build resilience, navigate challenges and develop coping strategies early in their careers, Robbio hopes it will make a lasting impact.

鈥淥ur goal is that whatever skills they鈥檝e learned 鈥� whether it鈥檚 resilience, conflict resolution or managing work-life balance 鈥� this program will help them stay in nursing,鈥� she says.

Robbio and her team plan to continue work on the initiative. In the fall, she hopes to expand the program to support internationally educated nurses, who may face additional pressures as they transition to working in Canada. She is also exploring ways to involve alumni as e-mentors and believes the model could eventually be adapted for use in other programs and disciplines.

With files from Ruth Robbio

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In 2023, a Canadian-wide review of undergraduate nursing programs found that of all 2SLGBTQIA+ topics, gender-affirming care was the least included in the curriculum. Haghiri-Vijehan, assistant professor in the Faculty of Health, was not surprised given her own experience as an educator.

鈥淭he literature shows that 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are not feeling safe and health care spaces are not affirming of their needs,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e need to include this as part of our education.鈥�

As she considered how to incorporate more affirming care practices into her Community Health Nursing course, Haghiri鈥慥ijeh turned to an asynchronous learning tool called the Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Virtual Simulation (SOGI VS). The open鈥慳ccess platform offers five鈥� to eight鈥慼our modules featuring common patient scenarios, using interactive simulations to help learners identify appropriate, affirming approaches to care.

Haghiri-Vijeh integrated the tool into her course, but went a step further when she learned about York鈥檚 GNL initiative. The opportunity sparked a new idea: what if this simulation could become the foundation of a shared international assignment? It seemed like a powerful way to bring students in two countries into conversation, help them build intercultural competence and test whether a reflective, virtual global partnership could support that growth. Just as importantly, she hoped the project might serve as a practical model for other nursing programs.

To bring the collaboration to life, the GNL team at York connected Haghiri鈥慥ijeh with Alice Wong, a nursing lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU).

The process behind that has now been published in a paper in . Wong is a co-author along with York colleague Karen A. Campbell and York master鈥檚 student Camille Alcalde.

In the paper, the team outlines how they shaped the shared assignment. Early on, Haghiri鈥慥ijeh and Wong came together to learn about each other鈥檚 institutions, consult with their universities鈥� GNL offices, test the simulation tool and work together to design their co鈥憈eaching approach.

They aligned the assignment timelines across their courses while keeping the activities asynchronous to accommodate the 12鈥慼our time difference. Students were required to complete the SOGI VS modules on their own and write a three鈥憄age reflection connecting the experience to their specific placements or practicums. They also submitted an aesthetic piece of their choosing 鈥� a song, image, drawing or other creative representation 鈥� to capture how the coursework resonated with them.

From there, the students were paired across the two countries. York and HKBU partners exchanged reflections and offered constructive feedback. Guiding questions encouraged students to explore similarities and differences between their placements, and to reflect on at least one social determinant of health and one UN Sustainable Development Goal. Then students were asked to write a second reflection capturing what they had learned from the dialogue.

As the exchanges unfolded, both faculty and students began to see the impact of the work. Assignments and class discussions showed students learning about approaches to 2SLGBTQIA+ care in another country, but also about the social and institutional contexts shaping those approaches. Faculty gathered informal feedback through conversations and the student assignments, and identified increased awareness around issues such as cis-normativity, power dynamics in health care organizations and the importance of inclusive policies and representation in clinical settings.

When the project concluded, its success prompted Haghiri鈥慥ijeh to write about it with the hope of inspiring similar efforts across the field. A second paper is already under consideration with another major journal, this time exploring the data more closely to identify implications for nursing education. Three students are also developing autoethnographies based on their participation, and several alumni have presented their work at international conferences.

Haghiri鈥慥ijeh continues to advance her work through a recent to learn about migrant 2SLGBTQIA+ students鈥� sense of belonging and well-being.

For Haghiri鈥慥ijeh, student involvement has been among the most meaningful outcomes.

鈥淲here possible, we engage students in the writing and co鈥慶reation of knowledge,鈥� she says. 鈥淎sking them if they would like to be involved builds capacity for them, as well.鈥�

She is eager to continue the initiative, including with partners beyond nursing. Conversations are already underway with U.S.-based colleagues in psychology and social work.

鈥淚'm a big believer that if you're doing anything that might be innovative or helpful for others, you have to share it,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou have to mobilize your knowledge.鈥�

With files from Suzanne Bowness

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The guide builds on the team鈥檚 2025 study of programming and practices at children鈥檚 museums in Canada and the United States.

Farley says museum educators are navigating increasingly constrained environments when addressing equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion with young audiences. Often, the idea of 鈥渃hildhood innocence鈥� is cited as a reason to censor or downplay controversial and challenging ideas.

At the same time, Farley says, "children live within the social and political world, and are themselves subjects of and/or witnesses to injustices, violences and inequities."

She adds that the question then becomes "not how to protect them from difficult knowledge, but what it can mean to facilitate meaningful engagements.鈥�

Farley and her colleagues, including York鈥檚 Gillian Parekh, associate professor of education and doctoral candidate Suad Ahmed, conducted the original study in partnership with the Association of Children鈥檚 Museums (ACM). Their research found that while many children鈥檚 museums focus on exploration, play or self-expression, addressing social and historical issues with young audiences were secondary.

However, they also found that this trend is changing.

鈥淢useum programmers and educators are thinking carefully about how to better address topics that might conventionally be considered difficult for younger audiences,鈥� Farley says. 鈥淲e found a strong desire among educators for resources that can support their efforts to represent difficult knowledge in truthful ways, while also recognizing the unique considerations involved in working with children.鈥�

The new reflection guide is a collection of resources chosen for their currency, relevance and accessibility. Articles, videos, strategies and frameworks provide questions, issues and/or examples of programming and practices that represent controversial, diverse and/or difficult knowledge.

For example, the Canadian Museum of Human Rights offers frameworks and strategies for addressing such topics as 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, war and genocide, systemic racism and wrongful convictions, while the Museum of Toronto suggests resources to help museums become good allies in learning from Canada鈥檚 Indigenous communities.

There are also curricula developed to teach children about topics such as Black history and life, and articles offering guidance about how to broach painful experiences, such as grief and loss, with children in an age-appropriate manner.

Farley hopes the reflection guide will support museum decision-makers, exhibition creators and educators to engage difficult knowledge while also opening possibilities for children to become new people in relation to the legacies they inherit. The content of the guide has been informed by the team鈥檚 research along with the participating children鈥檚 museums.

Farley, who is also a member of the LaMarsh Centre for Child & Youth Resources at York, says childhood is a theme that runs through all of her research.

The project reflects her broader commitment to research that engages directly with communities, she says, and her drive to understand how scholarly work can support educators traversing complex issues.

鈥淚 began my career doing individual research with child psychoanalysis to foreground a productive tension between emotional conflict and transformation. The psychoanalysis part hasn鈥檛 changed, but I have branched out to work in collaboration with childhood scholars in Canada and the United States, and in this particular project, expanded my scope to include a community partner,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 was excited to see where impact can happen in community, and specifically how the scholarly interests of our research team could serve museum educators in thinking about the significance of their work.鈥�

With files from Elaine Smith

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From 2021-24, Silver was principal investigator on a project that explored how global discourse around gendered risk during the COVID-19 pandemic did 鈥� or did not 鈥� relate to the lived experiences of young people in Malawi. At that time, the small African country was also contending with the 2020 decision by the U.K. 鈥� one of several countries providing educational aid to Malawi 鈥� to cut a significant portion of its support as part of austerity measures.

Silver, is also a faculty affiliate in the Faculty of Graduate Studies Development Studies program and examines power dynamics in international development and humanitarian aid structures. She had the opportunity to observe how funding reductions ripple through relationships in schools and programs, which inspired a larger project: investigating how Malawians working in the education sector navigate shifts in austerity.

Silver and her colleagues also wondered what new possibilities for funding, partnerships and education might exist in the wake of these changes.

In December 2024, Silver returned to Malawi to meet with colleagues and explore research focused on post-aid futures. They piloted the study through interviews and discussions with local educators and then, something unprecedented happened, she says.

In March 2025, President Donald Trump shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development, the world鈥檚 largest bilateral funder of education, removing support accounting for more than 13 per cent of Malawi鈥檚 2024-25 national budget.

These events prompted a paper 鈥� 鈥� funded in part by the 2025 Seed Grants in Critical Social Science Perspectives in Global Health Research.

The study examined the emerging impacts of aid cuts and found that while aid can improve lives, it often reinforces unequal power dynamics rooted in colonial histories. Conducted by a transnational team, the pilot explored whether such cuts could open space to rethink international development and support more locally driven approaches.

Silver, however, wanted to take the project further and has now received funding from the Spencer Foundation. The U.S.-based organization that supports education research will provide more than $500,000 for a three-year study entitled Reconfigurations and Refusals: Forging Futures Beyond Aid in Malawi鈥檚 Education Sector, allowing Silver to expand on the 2025 paper.

鈥淲e were pretty shocked and elated,鈥� Silver says, noting that only nine projects out of 380 submitted for consideration received funding. 鈥淚t feels very meaningful to be able to do this.鈥�

The research will include three longitudinal case studies involving Malawian educational organizations: a girls鈥� education NGO, a university and a basic education NGO. Silver and her partners will conduct an extensive interviews with individuals across government and the non-profit sector, capturing a broad range of perspectives from Malawi鈥檚 education landscape. The funding will also support local collaborators and enable the hiring of graduate students from 快播视频 and Malawi-based institutions, ensuring the research remains collaborative and grounded in the communities it studies.

The goal is to further understand how educational organizations and communities in Malawi respond to evolving pressures from international donors. 鈥淭he consequences of aid cuts are very harmful,鈥� says Silver, 鈥渂ut there is also much to be learned from how people respond, as it presents a chance to reimagine possibilities.鈥�

New opportunities may emerge if organizations are no longer required to align closely with donor priorities. The project will examine how these changes create space for local actors to set their own agendas, explore new approaches and potentially redefine education in Malawi. Early insights point to several pathways, including shifting decision-making and funding power to local organizations, developing alternative financing models such as regional partnerships, diaspora support, and private capital and diversifying funding sources to reduce reliance on U.S. aid.

Silver hopes the work will amplify how Malawian organizations are navigating this period of uncertainty and that insights will inform responses from remaining funders, including the Canadian government and international NGOs.

She also aims for the research to reach Canadian, North American and global audiences, offering new perspectives on how education systems can be designed and delivered in times of change. She notes that this is especially important in the current moment of global uncertainty. 鈥淭hinking about aid, responsibility and power 鈥� and how our world operates 鈥� is always important, but it is particularly crucial at this moment of rupture and change,鈥� she says, noting that austerity measures are affecting countries beyond the U.S., including the U.K. Germany.

Despite the potential global reach of the work, for Silver there is also a personal dimension. She has conducted research in Malawi since 2012 and the country holds significance for her. Initially drawn to Malawi as a space to reconsider international development because of the high concentration of international interventions relative to its size, she has come to appreciate how those in the country navigate an inequitable playing field 鈥� with lessons that may now serve as a model for the world.

鈥淪eeing how people are navigating this period and the creative ideas they鈥檙e developing is both interesting and meaningful to me,鈥� she says.

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