David Goldberg

Reimagining the curb: U of T alum helps cities design smarter streets

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 15:26:17 +0000

Reimagining the curb: U of T alum helps cities design smarter streets

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 12/20/2024 - 10:26

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Marian Mendoza, who earned an honours bachelor of arts in geography and international relations at U of T, is among a new generation of city-builders using data and emerging technologies to build more inclusive and sustainable cities (supplied image)

David Goldberg

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Cities

Faculty of Arts & Science

Geography and Planning

Victoria College

Subheadline

Marian Mendoza is a product operations specialist at CurbIQ, a Toronto company that's helping cities wield data to better manage curbsides

For Marian Mendoza, curbsides aren’t simply where road and sidewalk happen to meet – they’re dynamic urban spaces with the potential to boost sustainability, inclusion and mobility.

An alum of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science, Mendoza is a product operations specialist at CurbIQ, a Toronto-based company that offers a digital platform to help urban centres gather information about curbsides and optimize their use.

“Cities are finally starting to see the value of this real estate and taking steps to make the most of it,” says Mendoza, who earned her honours bachelor of arts in geography and international relations in 2019 as a Victoria College member.

Curbside management has become increasingly important as curb use expands beyond vehicle parking to include bike lanes, patios and designated pickup areas for rideshares. Toronto, for example, has about 5,600 kilometres of curbside – a distance roughly equal to that between U of T’s St. George campus and Whitehorse, Yukon.

By providing cities with the tools to analyze real-time and historical data, CurbIQ helps municipalities and large urban institutions that manage roadways – such as universities and airports – make strategic, data-informed decisions to better optimize curbside space.

“A city can use CurbIQ to see that certain on-street parking spaces are underutilized,” says Mendoza. “And this could help decision-makers to consider converting those spaces into alternative curbside uses, such as a dedicated lane for transit or active transportation – improving accessibility and mobility in general for the city.”

CurbIQ digitizes curb regulations, integrates usage data from multiple sources and centralizes the information into a single platform (Image courtesy of Arcadis)

Since its founding in 2019, CurbIQ has had an impact in cities across Canada and around the world.

In Toronto, the platform facilitated the expansion of bike lane infrastructure on Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue, and helped identify potential patio sites for the city’s CaféTO program, which created curb lane patios for restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Edmonton, Alta. and Arlington County, Va., CurbIQ was used to optimize management of parking spaces.

And in Dublin, Ireland, CurbIQ mapped more than 30 kilometres of curbside, helping city staff and third-party vendors, such as delivery services, better understand curb usage patterns – reducing congestion, lowering carbon emissions and improving traffic flow.

“I’ve already noticed a shift in support from the public and private sectors for building our cities smarter, in ways that use technology to improve urban planning processes,” says Mendoza, noting digital tools like CurbIQ are essential to helping manage rising demand for housing, transit and curb space as cities and populations grow.

“But I’m a firm believer that technology doesn't replace human expertise; it just gives us the data and confidence to make better decisions.”

CurbIQ's platform has been used in cities across Canada and around the world (image courtesy of Arcadis)

Mendoza says the skills she developed at U of T have stood her in good stead as she establishes herself among a new generation of city-builders using data and advanced technology.

“U of T taught me to be curious, ask questions and develop strong research skills,” says Mendoza. “You’re free to ask any questions you want, and you have guidance from professors to explore and nurture your research interests.”

Mendoza’s work at U of T included an independent research project on multimodal transportation in Portland, Oregon, conducted under the mentorship of Michael Widener, chair and professor in the department of geography and planning. “As a student, Marian had a special talent for thinking through complex urban problems, their connections to both social and technical systems, and then charting a way forward,” says Widener.

“She always brought to class a wonderful mix of intellectual curiosity and positivity,” adds Don Boyes, a professor, teaching stream and associate dean, teaching and learning, who taught Mendoza in several courses. “It’s great to see her doing so well in her chosen field.”

In addition to the support of professors and peers, Mendoza is grateful for the numerous scholarships she received at U of T, which included the William G. Dean Scholarship in Geography Field Research.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had,” says Mendoza. “Scholarships gave me the freedom to explore a career path that wasn’t a straight line.”

Researcher, entrepreneur ... and DJ to the stars? U of T alum perfects the mix

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 14:22:20 +0000

Researcher, entrepreneur ... and DJ to the stars? U of T alum perfects the mix

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 12/16/2024 - 09:22

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Amir Alam says U of T provided the foundation he needed to succeed as a DJ, a cancer researcher and an entrepreneur (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

David Goldberg

Topic

City & Culture

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

Woodsworth College

Subheadline

As a first-year student, Amir Alam toured with Justin Bieber and The Weeknd. Next, he refocused on his studies, published brain tumour research and launched a shoe-cleaning brand

Amir Alam’s arrival at the University of Toronto began with a friendly bet.

After watching a DJ spin records for a raucous crowd one evening as a teenager, he struck a deal with his mother: she would buy him a set of turntables if he was accepted to every major Canadian university to which he applied.

“The first choice was always U of T – even before my family immigrated from Iran to Toronto, I remember hearing U of T was the ‘Ivy League School of Canada,’” says Alam, who earned his honours bachelor of science degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science in 2015 as a member of Woodsworth College.

A first-year student, Alam moved into residence with his new turntables and collection of vinyl records in tow. He also began to frequent a local record shop near campus where he persistently approached the manager about a job, opening the door to regular gigs at downtown clubs and, soon after, touring opportunities with high-profile artists including Justin Bieber and The Weeknd.

Yet, despite the excitement that came with touring the world, Alam – aka DJ Crunch – says he missed belonging to the community that many students experience during their first year at university.

“When you're touring, you're always in a different city. You're in, you do the show, and you're out. It's a very scheduled and disconnected lifestyle. I really missed being around like-minded individuals and having meaningful conversations.”

So, music took a back seat as Alam focused on his studies and fulfilling a promise he had made to his father about completing a double-major in human biology and cell and systems biology.

Amir Alam looks through albums at Play De Record on Spadina Avenue, a store he worked at part-time during his U of T studies (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

Alam also took on mentorship roles and immersed himself in campus life. Beginning in third year, he worked as a lab assistant at SickKids’ Brain Tumour Research Centre alongside Gelareh Zadeh, a neurosurgeon-scientist at University Health Network (UHN) and a professor in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

Alam then secured a full-time research position with UHN at the MaRS Discovery District, where he worked in neuro-oncology and published several papers on brain tumour research.

But new opportunities and challenges were about to change Alam’s trajectory once more.

He drew on his chemistry experience – and interest in street fashion – to develop a 100 per cent plant-based shoe-cleaning product called Shoe Laundry. Working with a lab in Edmonton, he refined the formula and Shoe Laundry soon became a full-time job.

“My scientific background in the labs at U of T, SickKids and UHN definitely helped me when I was developing the concept,” says Alam. “I knew what I wanted and I had the vocabulary to communicate with the lab.”

The company continues to grow. He’s developing a new, sustainable product that repels stains before they happen.

Alam has also dabbled in filmmaking, running a music festival, making his own music and working in artist relations.

He says he enjoys having multiple projects on the go – and is open to whatever comes next.

The most valuable skill Alam developed at U of T? Perseverance, he says, and making use of all the university has to offer.

“The reputation of the school speaks for itself internationally, but what really matters is learning how to use the tools around you to succeed.”

Now a mentor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Venture Mentoring Service, Alam says he is eager to give back. His advice to current students is simple: unless you are certain about your career path, explore as many options as possible.

“You'll fail at some things, and you’ll succeed at others, but it's the only way to truly discover what you're passionate about.”

Avoid comparisons, focus on your own journey: A new grad’s advice to first-year students

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:53:05 +0000

Avoid comparisons, focus on your own journey: A new grad’s advice to first-year students

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 10/31/2024 - 11:53

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Abidur Rahman visiting Pragser Wildsee Lake in Italy where, as an undergraduate, he completed an internship at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (supplied image)

David Goldberg

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2024

Faculty of Arts & Science

Molecular Genetics

Trinity College

Subheadline

Abidur Rahman, who earned an honours bachelor of science in molecular genetics, says it's important to stay focused on your own journey

Abidur Rahman, a recent honours graduate in molecular genetics at the University of Toronto, has already made impressive strides.

He earned a prestigious fellowship at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Germany, interned at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Italy, collaborated with biotech startups and mentored several students – all while volunteering as a community advisor at Trinity College.

Rahman credits his success to the boundless opportunities offered by U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science. “The amount of research opportunities, internships and collaborations you have access to is unparalleled,” says Rahman, who also found time to volunteer as a community advisor at Trinity College.

“You don’t get the same magnitude of possibilities at other universities.”

Now pursuing a master of science in genetic counselling at U of T, Rahman reflected on his U of T journey thus far and shared some of his insights and tips for current and future students:

What drew you to molecular genetics?

When I came to U of T, I was planning to major in neuroscience and psychology. It wasn’t until my second year when I took a course with Naomi Levy-Strumpf, an assistant professor, teaching stream in the human biology program, that I became fascinated with the complexity of genetics and how it can be used to tell the stories of entire generations.

What motivated you to volunteer with Trinity College?

My family moved from Bangladesh when I was a teenager, and being a first-generation immigrant, I felt lost when I started university. That’s why I wanted to give back. As a community advisor, I connected students with resources and clubs, like the Trinity College Multicultural Society, and created social programming that addressed mental health.

U of T has so many opportunities; it can also be like a maze. My goal was to help students find their way, just like my mentors helped me.

Can you tell us about your research fellowship at the Max Planck Institute?

I spent this past summer in Göttingen, Germany, working on bio-engineered heart muscle cells. My project focused on observing them in low-oxygen conditions, simulating what happens during a stroke. This research has the potential for real-world applications, like developing treatments for heart disease. The work makes you feel as though you’re on the cusp of something that could help thousands of patients, and that’s what excited me the most.

What are your plans after graduation?

I’m currently pursuing my master of science in genetic counselling, which is a clinical and professional program focusing on patient counselling and calculating genetic risks. My research project will examine how racialized families perceive the clinical utility of genetic testing. Most studies are based on individuals of European ancestry and that affects how well genetic testing works for people from other backgrounds.

I’m still exploring my future career path, but I can envision myself working in healthcare. During my undergraduate studies, I also had the opportunity to collaborate with several biotech startups, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Additionally, Toronto offers a wealth of opportunities in both fields, making it an exciting place to build a career.

What advice would you give to your first-year self?

Don’t be in a rush to figure everything out. In my first semester, I was so focused on the future, but university isn’t just an academic endeavor, it’s also about personal growth and professional development. Take the time to enjoy your courses and build relationships with your professors.

My other critical piece of advice is to never compare yourself to others because, as the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy. I remember feeling behind because I was still relatively new to Canada, and I didn’t have the same high school experience as some of my peers. Stay focused on your journey and don’t stress about what other people are doing.

Reel impact: How a U of T alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:54:03 +0000

Reel impact: How a U of T alum brought free films to Toronto parks each summer

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 08/16/2024 - 10:54

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U of T alumna and TOPS founder Emily Reid, right, poses with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a TOPS screening this summer (photo by Rebecca Tisdelle-Macias)

Topic

St. Michael's College

Subheadline

'There are times when I get caught up in the planning and the numbers of it all – but that goes away at showtime. When I look out and see such an impressive crowd, it's very touching and I feel enormously proud of it'

For more than a decade, the Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (TOPS) has been a staple of the city's summer scene. Whether it’s a cultural touchstone film or something more obscure, the screenings bring thousands of people together.

And it’s all thanks to University of Toronto alumna Emily Reid.

“TOPS exists at the intersection of community, culture, cinema, public spaces, accessibility and affordability, providing programming that is available to everyone regardless of financial means,” says Reid, who is the artistic and executive director of TOPS.

The venture began humbly in 2011, just a few months after Reid earned her master of arts degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science’s Cinema Studies Institute.

The first screening billed as, “Movies in Christie Pits”, was a small, potentially one-off event, but Reid was determined to tap into something the city craved.

“I think there is such a strong desire for gathering and fostering cultural experiences together,” she says.

Within a few years, however, the park was packed every Sunday night – so Reid added more shows at more locations. After rebranding as Toronto Outdoor Picture Show and registering as a not-for-profit, Reid started running TOPS on a full-time basis.

“I didn't expect it to pay much, and I was right about that. It took quite a long time to take a salary,” says Reid. “And there are times when I get caught up in the planning and the numbers of it all – but that goes away at showtime. When I look out and see such an impressive crowd, it's very touching and I feel enormously proud of it.”

TOPS registered as a charity in 2020, which helped secure new government grants and sponsorship opportunities. This growth made it possible for Reid to hire more full-time staff and purchase better AV equipment to make the organization nimbler and more autonomous.

Thousands of people flock to Toronto parks every summer to catch Toronto Outdoor Picture Show (photo courtesy of TOPS)

Lights, camera, education

Growing up in the 1990s in small-town Quebec, the only movies Reid could watch were the ones she rented from the local video store. Her favourites included A League of Their Own and Strictly Ballroom.

Reid was infatuated with film but realized she wasn’t a born filmmaker. Her true calling was in film curation and supporting other people’s artistic goals. She knew U of T could open the right doors and give her the experience she needed to make an impact.

“Toronto always sounded like a mythical place to be,” says Reid. “I knew its reputation as a city of cinephiles and a city of festivals; I’d never been to the Toronto International Film Festival.”

For the practicum requirement of Reid’s master’s degree, she worked at Toronto’s historic Revue Cinema, where she pitched and curated her first film series. She also learned the ins and outs of film sourcing, marketing and event production – all essential skills for her future startup.

U of T played a pivotal role in expanding Reid’s industry network. She formed close bonds with the 13 people in her cinema studies cohort, some of whom later became her collaborators at TOPS.

Felan Parker, associate professor, teaching stream, in the Book & Media Studies program at St. Michael's College, is a TOPS co-founder who has served several terms on the board of directors and regularly contributes to festival programming.

“Emily is the driving force behind TOPS, having taken it from humble beginnings to what is easily the biggest and best outdoor movie event in the city,” says Parker. “She is probably the most fastidious person I know, and community-oriented public arts is her passion and vocation.”

There’s a strong connection between U of T and TOPS, which draws more than 30,000 movie-goers each year (photo courtesy of TOPS)

Parker and Reid have teamed up to build strong ties between U of T and TOPS. The organization has hosted numerous for-credit undergrad interns.

Isabella Brown, for example, is a U of T graduate who joined TOPS as an intern and is now the organization's program administrator.

Despite TOPS’ success, Reid is tasked with overcoming existential threats year in and year out, citing underfunding of the arts. She says government grants are shrinking while inflation is rising.

“We lost all our sponsorship funding in the first week of the pandemic. And most of that has never returned, even though our festival is so much bigger, so much more successful than it was in 2019,” says Reid.

But Reid is hopeful that TOPS will continue hosting outdoor film screenings for many years to come. She knows the value it brings to the city she now calls home.

“When we hear that some arts entity is calling it quits, that doesn't mean something else won't come in its place. But it takes at least a decade to create something impactful. And we don’t live in a time where there are many resources available to create new things,” she says, adding that TOPS is grateful to the patrons who keep the festival running summer after summer.

“We need to preserve what we love and what we value as the cultural fabric of this city.”

U of T grads aim to electrify - and simplify - the package delivery business

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 17:33:25 +0000

U of T grads aim to electrify - and simplify - the package delivery business

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 03/20/2024 - 13:33

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GoBolt co-founder Mark Ang, who graduated from Rotman Commerce in 2017, says he and co-founder Heindrik Bernabe, an alum of U of T Engineering, “wanted to be change-makers in an antiquated industry” (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

GoBolt got its start as a storage solution for students living in residence, but co-founders Mark Ang and Heindrik Bernabe switched gears after deciding they wanted to have a positive impact on the planet

What started as a side hustle for University of Toronto graduate Mark Ang has since evolved into a multi-million-dollar third-party logistics company – one that aims to have a positive impact on the planet by using electric vehicles for package deliveries.

Ang’s startup GoBolt has raised more than US$160 million from investors to support expansion of its fulfillment, last-mile delivery and returns management services to major urban areas across Canada and the United States.

It’s also using the funding to increase the percentage of electric vehicles (EVs) it has on the road.

“I always tell the team, ‘We need to be fiercely competitive to win enough volume to have an environmental impact,’” says Ang, who earned his bachelor of commerce degree from U of T in 2017 as a member of Trinity College.

GoBolt estimates that its approach currently prevents 20 tonnes of CO2 emissions each month, a number that increases as it adds more EVs to its fleet. The company also invests in tree planting and other restorative projects to sequester the emissions GoBolt does produce, with the goal of being carbon neutral by the end of 2023.

“What we do today is a great start, and it is a beacon for people, but it's not nearly enough to make a difference globally,” says Ang. “We're fiercely competitive in making this business a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise – and then we can start to effect real change.”

GoBolt Co-Founders Mark Ang and Heindrik Bernabe with one of their electric delivery vehicles (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

The story of GoBolt began when Ang was a U of T undergraduate student in Rotman Commerce. He founded Second Closet, a storage service aimed at international students who needed to clear out their dorm rooms for the summer. Ang’s team rented trucks and scurried around campus to collect hundreds of boxes and random items. It was a lot of driving, a lot of parking tickets and a lot of stairs.

By offering a convenient service for a fraction of its competitors’ prices and an effective, flyer-based direct marketing campaign, the venture soon experienced rapid growth. Within two weeks, Second Closet was making $20,000 a month – pushing its resources to the limit.

“Every year got progressively crazier,” says Ang. “We had a dozen five-tonne trucks around U of T every day in April and September. We would do thousands of pickups. It was just bananas.”

They needed help and they needed it fast.

Enter Michael Hyatt of the Creative Destruction Lab, a seed-stage accelerator that was founded at the Rotman School of Management.

The angel investor raised US$500,000 for Second Closet in a single day.

“In the realm of exceptional founders, Mark stands out as an evangelist who possesses the acumen to drive the business forward,” says Hyatt, entrepreneur and CDL founding partner who sits on GoBolt’s board of directors.

“Mark's intelligence and adeptness at building relationships were readily apparent. His ability to hustle and propel the business forward was instrumental in leveraging the connections within CDL.”

Hyatt also connected Ang with U of T engineering student Heindrik Bernabe, who went on to become a GoBolt programmer, co-founder and CTO.

The business thrived but Ang and Bernabe still weren't satisfied.

“I didn't want our legacy to be that we help people hoard their stuff more efficiently,” says Ang.

Ang and Bernabe wanted to make a difference in the world, and so, with their fleet of trucks from Second Closet, they pivoted to logistics and shipping with GoBolt. At the time, using EVs commercially was a novel idea, but the newly formed GoBolt already had relationships with EV makers in Ontario and Quebec, as well as goods producers who cared about the fate of freight and addressing climate change.

“We wanted to be a 21st-century business for 21st-century brands, shoppers and merchants,” says Ang, whose clients include Endy mattresses and Frank And Oak apparel.

“We wanted to be change-makers in an antiquated industry.”

GoBolt’s made-in-Canada electric delivery vehicles can travel up to 400 kilometres on a single charge, depending on the payload and the EV battery’s natural enemy – freezing weather. But range is just a minor speed bump as technology improves and GoBolt adds service hubs and charging stations on its busiest routes.

“We're excited about what we're doing,” says Ang. “We don't feel super altruistic about it – we just know it's the right thing to do.”

Finding ChatGPT: U of T grad's startup helps detect AI's fingerprints

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 19:59:50 +0000

Finding ChatGPT: U of T grad's startup helps detect AI's fingerprints

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 10/18/2023 - 15:59

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Alex Cui co-founded GPTZero just a few months before finishing his master’s degree in U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science (photo by Kemeisha McDonald)

David Goldberg

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Artificial Intelligence

Computer Science

Creative Destruction Lab

Faculty of Arts & Science

Vector Institute

Subheadline

Co-founded by Alex Cui last year, GPTZero has already raised US$3.5 million

With the ink barely dry on his master’s degree from the University of Toronto, Alex Cui is tackling a towering issue spawned by the recent revolution in artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT: How to tell if written content is generated by person or machine?

Enter Cui’s startup GPTZero. It analyzes patterns in writing, using sentence length and syntax to identify the likelihood text was generated by AI.

“GPTZero has a lot of imagination and potential in a future where AI is everywhere and it’s rampant,” says Cui, who studied computer science as a master’s student in the Faculty of Arts & Science and graduated in June.

"We haven't even really cracked the surface of what we could do.”

Cui co-founded GPTZero with Edward Tian last January – just a few weeks after ChatGPT went public and triggered a torrent of questions about academic integrity and authenticity – and has already drawn the attention of Silicon Valley investors, raising more than US$3.5-million to date.

As institutions around the world grapple with the impact of generative AI, U of T has advised faculty to be clear with students about whether AI is permitted in their classrooms and actively discourages the use of all AI detectors, many of which are still in development, in favour of traditional methods of assessing students’ work.

Read a Q-and-A with Susan McCahan on U of T’s approach to AI in the classroom

Alex Cui launched GPTZero with Princeton University grad Edward Tian in January 2023 (supplied image)

Cui’s fascination with AI began at University of Toronto Schools – an independent secondary school affiliated with U of T that Tian also attended before going to Princeton University – and at U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering’s renowned DEEP Summer Academy. His early affiliation with the university gave him regular access to lectures by U of T faculty, who, even a decade ago, urged Cui and his classmates to learn AI skills as soon as possible.

After high school, Cui earned his bachelor’s degree from the California Institute of Technology, but kept his Toronto connections. As an undergrad, he interned with one of the world’s leading experts on self-driving cars, U of T’s Raquel Urtasun, professor in the department of computer science and co-founder of the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

When Cui returned to U of T, Urtasun supervised his master’s thesis, which included writing code for the Waabi self-driving truck.

“U of T is one of the world leaders in machine learning,” says Cui. “There's no other ecosystem in the industry that combines AI innovation, commercialization and research partnerships.”

As GPTZero’s chief technology officer, Cui is overseeing fresh innovations, including plugins for Microsoft and Google products that help users detect AI text in any document or on any website.

Cui sees GPTZero offering immense value for several sectors, including publishing. He says the volume of author submissions is growing exponentially, especially with AI-driven content. Software like his could help editors determine what’s been written authentically, and how to take the writing to the next level.

Cui continues to be supported by U of T and its partners. GPTZero recently started consulting with the Creative Destruction Lab at the Rotman School of Management and is also a member of the Vector Institute’s FastLane program, which advances AI adoption for Canadian startups and scaleups.

"Alex is an exceptional and experienced researcher and builder. His accomplishments speak for themselves. He is humble, knowledgeable and great to work with,” says Vector’s Junid Ebadi, the FastLane program’s business analyst.

"GPTZero is a fast-growing, well-resourced and driven company. They have been great partners for us, and we are happy to support them in their journey.”

Cui hopes his story will ease the stress of aspiring startup founders.

“It's not as scary as you think,” he says. “Especially in AI right now, a lot of people want to make bets on promising ideas, and I think if you are a talented individual solving a pressing issue, there's a good chance you can get some investors to fund your ideas.”

Despite the attention from media and investors, Cui is staying humble and focused on remaining a leader in AI detection.

“We have people who are betting on us, but I wouldn't say we're proven yet. To build a sustainable business, you can't just be a flash in the pan. We're still very much in the mindset that we are priming ourselves to go up against some stiff competition. We’re not going to take any liberties.”

'I love blowing people’s minds': Alum helps communicate space discoveries to the world

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 16:38:28 +0000

'I love blowing people’s minds': Alum helps communicate space discoveries to the world

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 08/17/2023 - 12:38

Cutline

Kelly Lepo stands in front of a radio dish at the Very Large Array (VLA) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico (photo courtesy of Kelly Lepo)

David Goldberg

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics

Faculty of Arts & Science

Subheadline

Kelly Lepo is an education and outreach scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore

Kelly Lepo likes to joke that she’s a real-life Lisa Simpson. Like the famous cartoon character known for her intellect and activism, the alumna of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science is a self-proclaimed “nerd” who will share her love of science with anyone who will listen.

“I love blowing people’s minds,” says Lepo, who earned her PhD from the David A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics in 2015 and is now an education and outreach scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md.

Lepo supports the James Webb Space Telescope by communicating the observatory’s discoveries to the world. She works at the same institute that oversees the famous spacecraft’s systems, schedules telescope time for scientists and records data.

Lepo says U of T was the perfect place to hone her public outreach skills as a TA and receive media exposure as a trusted expert in Canada’s largest astronomy department. She also learned how to educate large audiences and communicate complex theories about the universe.

“It’s an extraordinary experience learning from some of the top astronomers in a prestigious, yet nurturing environment,” says Lepo. “I remember the first time I landed in Toronto and it all sunk in that I was at one of the top universities in the world.”

During her PhD research, Lepo investigated stars that will explode as one type of supernovae to determine whether they were caused by two white dwarf stars colliding, or one star transferring its mass to another. She directed telescope operators in Chile and Australia to gather data from thousands of stars in the Small Megellanic Cloud, a tiny galaxy orbiting the Milky Way. In the end, she couldn’t find proof of supernovae caused by mass transfer, but her work was an important contribution to research in the field.

“In other studies, astronomers have used these supernovae to figure out the expansion history of the universe. They discovered our universe is not only expanding, but also accelerating in this expansion,” Lepo says. “Eventually, all galaxies are going to be so far away from each other that we're all going to be living in island universes.”

Her PhD adviser, Professor Marten van Kerkwijk, says Lepo was an efficient and driven astronomer.

“She has ample reason to be proud of her research,” says van Kerkwijk. “And I always appreciated the work she did while completing her PhD.”

In 2013, Lepo was a key organizer of the first ever West African International Summer School for Young Astronomers, a program partly sponsored by the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA).

Lepo also cultivated her reputation as a trusted astronomy voice amid media coverage of the ancient Mayans' doomsday prophecy of 2012. Lepo debunked myths about killer solar flares and mysterious runaway planets on a collision course with Earth.

The experience complemented her TA duties in an Arts & Science class on the apocalypse, which took an interdisciplinary approach.

“We had someone from astronomy, someone from English and someone from sociology collaboratively teaching the course,” says Lepo. “That was really interesting to see how you could approach the same topic across several subjects.”

For her achievements inside and outside the classroom, Lepo won the Fieldus Award in 2014, given to one graduate student each year for excellence in leadership, teaching and research.

After graduation, Lepo taught physics at Gonzaga University before becoming the first co-ordinator of the McGill Space Institute at McGill University.

But she always ties her passion for public outreach back to U of T.

“One of my favourite memories is being in the middle of the St. George campus with a big inflatable sun and trying to get people to look at the sun safely through some solar telescopes; we must have come off as some kind of sun cult,” Lepo recalls.

“We explained to one person that the sun was much larger than the moon and they honestly had no idea, and this completely blew their mind. Those were the moments I really loved.”

U of T alum helps prepare Canadarm3 for lunar orbit

siddiq22 — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:59:08 +0000

U of T alum helps prepare Canadarm3 for lunar orbit

siddiq22 Mon, 08/14/2023 - 10:59

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An artist's rendering of Canadarm3 on the Lunar Gateway (photo by CSA, NASA)

David Goldberg

Topic

Our Community

Alumni

Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics

Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics

Faculty of Arts & Science

Space

STEM

Subheadline

Jamil Shariff, a PhD graduate in astrophysics, was inspired by science fiction to explore space and the future of humanity

Since watching Star Trek as a young boy in his parents’ living room, University of Toronto alumnus Jamil Shariff has dreamed of exploring strange new worlds – and boldly going where no one has gone before.

"Science fiction definitely sparked my interest in what the future of humanity would look like, the exploration of space and the development of amazing new technologies,” says Shariff, who earned his PhD in astrophysics in 2015.

Jamil Shariff (supplied image)

Formerly a postdoctoral fellow at U of T's Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, Shariff is now engineering technology for one of the most ambitious projects in the history of crewed space exploration.

A senior leader in systems design at MDA (the Canadian company famous for building the robotic Canadarm on NASA’s space shuttle and Canadarm2 aboard the International Space Station), Shariff has been working on Canadarm3, the latest iteration of the iconic space hardware.

The new robotic arm is for Lunar Gateway, a space station planned for lunar orbit by the end of the 2020s. It will serve as a research outpost and cosmic pit stop for future missions to the surfaces of the moon, Mars and beyond.

MDA recruited Shariff several years ago, impressed by his PhD research under Professor Barth Netterfield at the David A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics in the Faculty of Arts & Science. Netterfield is one of the world’s foremost experts in developing systems for high-altitude balloon-borne telescopes.

Watching Star Trek as a kid sparked Shariff's interest in space and astrophysics (supplied image)

“I wouldn't be where I am now if it weren't for professors like Netterfield,” Shariff says. “He’s a mentor, and it really matters to him if the people in his lab succeed.”

Part of an international team of researchers, Shariff and Netterfield designed, built, installed and operated two balloon-borne telescopes and analyzed their data. One of the projects, BLASTPol, examined the role played by magnetic fields in star formation. The other, Spider, was focused on understanding what happened in the very first moments after the Big Bang.

“The fact that I helped work on instrumentation that detected those microwave photons – which are like our baby picture of the universe, the oldest signal we can ever detect – that still amazes me,” Shariff says. “It's stayed with me all this time.”

During his PhD, Shariff spent several months working along other scientists at Antarctica’s McMurdo Station, maintaining and flying Spider in the skies over one of Earth’s most desolate locations. The experience – and learning how to explain his work to a wider audience – prepared Shariff for life after U of T.

“It's important to be able to tell your story – especially if you have a PhD in something like astrophysics – because a recruiter may not exactly understand what you do,” he says. “That really helped me.”

Nearly a decade after graduating, Shariff remains a champion of astrophysics research and U of T's team of experts.

“You’ve got some of the best theorists in the world coming to us," Shariff says. “You have theory, observation and experimentation all happening at U of T. I think that should be a compelling case for donors who are passionate about furthering our understanding of the universe."

Curator focuses on personal objects and stories to share Holocaust survivors' experiences

siddiq22 — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 20:00:35 +0000

Curator focuses on personal objects and stories to share Holocaust survivors' experiences

siddiq22 Mon, 07/10/2023 - 16:00

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Sara-Jane Vigneault graduated from the University of Toronto in 2021 with a master's degree in history (supplied image)

David Goldberg

Topic

Our Community

Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Alumni

Faculty of Arts & Science

History

Humanities

Subheadline

For U of T alumna Sara-Jane Vigneault, museums can play a crucial role in the battle against misinformation

A teddy bear belonging to Holocaust survivor Marianne Constantine is one of the many donated objects University of Toronto alum Sara-Jane Vigneault has handled as a curator at the Montreal Holocaust Museum since earning her master’s degree in history through the Centre for European, Russian & Eurasian Studies (CERES) at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the collaborative graduate program in Jewish studies.

“What I appreciate most about this job is meeting survivors and families and working with them to tell their stories,” says Vigneault, who graduated in 2021. “I’ll never take this for granted, because it’s a privilege to be there for them.”

Vigneault notes that museums can play a crucial role in the battle against misinformation, whitewashing and conspiracy theories. A recent survey found that nearly a third of North American teens think the Holocaust is an exaggerated or fabricated event.

“We need to continue creating spaces to analyze the personal experiences of communities targeted during the Holocaust. I also believe it is necessary to offer dialogue with other genocides and conflicts,” Vigneault says.

These are important times of growth for Holocaust museums in Canada, with expansion of the Montreal Holocaust Museum and recent opening of the new Toronto Holocaust Museum, whose chief curator, Rachel Libman, is also an alum of U of T's Faculty of Arts & Science and has collaborated closely with Vigneault.

Although not Jewish, Vigneault was particularly attentive to questions about the Holocaust and its legacies while pursuing her coursework in the faculty's Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies and CERES.

Her master’s project focused on Irène Némirovsky, author of Suite Française, and Némirovsky's daughters’ experiences of the war through their writings. Vigneault’s thesis, Filling and Bridging the Gaps: Two Daughters’ Paths to Retrieve, Uncover and Recollect their Mother from Beyond Obliteration considers Élisabeth Gille’s and Denise Epstein-Dauplé’s coping processes as they pieced together the memories of a mother that Vichy France seized from them.

Vigneault considers literature as a site of continuity between Némirovsky – who was arrested as a stateless Jew and killed in Auschwitz – and her daughters.

“I wanted to see how literature enabled them to reconnect and work through traumatic experiences,” says Vigneault, who contacted Némirovsky’s grandson as part of her research. She interviewed him and obtained permission to access crucial archives.

“Sara-Jane frames the narrative theoretically and analytically yet always keeps sight of Némirovsky and her daughters as people – individual women with personalities, feelings, fears and needs. It is not easy to write history in this way,” says Vigneault's thesis supervisor Doris Bergen, the Chancellor Rose and Ray Wolfe Professor of Holocaust Studies in U of T's department of history.

Vigneault's research took her to Hungary's Living Memorial, where she explored the politics of memory and interviewed Holocaust survivors, scholars and activists (supplied image)

“She tackled enormous questions about the nature of historical research, the limits and possibilities of the archives and the responsibility of a scholar to the people – living and dead – who are our sources and our subjects.”

Experiential learning also bolstered Vigneault’s U of T experience, including a research trip to Budapest, Hungary, where she worked on the politics of memory. There she interviewed scholars, survivors and activists about the Living Memorial, a counter-memorial created in response to the Hungarian government’s refusal to acknowledge the country’s role in the Holocaust.

Vigneault is currently pursuing her PhD in history at the University of Cambridge. She works on intimate contacts between French colonial soldiers and European women during the First and Second World Wars and investigates how French authorities tried to control racialized soldiers’ proximity to white women and maintain colonial borders.

For Vigneault, her work as a researcher and at the museum serves to bring forward the stories of marginalized groups and encourages people to reflect on their individual and collective roles and learn from history.

At the Montreal Holocaust Museum, Vigneault pursues that work alongside Jewish survivors like Marianne Constantine, who survived the Holocaust in Hungary with her mother and grandmother, only to be separated from them after the war. She reunited with her parents in Canada in 1952.

As a child, Constantine’s one constant was the teddy bear she kept throughout the ordeal – the same teddy bear she entrusted to Vigneault and the museum more than 75 years later.

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Centre for European, Russian & Eurasian Studies

From machine learning to mentorship, graduate Irene Fang showed leadership during her time at U of T

siddiq22 — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:43:55 +0000

From machine learning to mentorship, graduate Irene Fang showed leadership during her time at U of T

siddiq22 Thu, 06/22/2023 - 13:43

Cutline

Irene Fang graduated with an honours bachelor of science degree, working on research that could lead to new treatments and therapies for immunocompromised patients (supplied photo)

Topic

Artificial Intelligence

Faculty of Arts & Science

Immunology

machine learning

Medical Research

Subheadline

Even while undertaking complex research, the human biology and immunology student took the time to help her peers

While studying for her honours bachelor of science degree, new University of Toronto graduate Irene Fang capitalized on opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

Majoring in human biology and immunology in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Fang researched innovative methods in ultrasound detection driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. She’s also working on research into cells and proteins in humans that could lead to new treatments and therapies for immunocompromised patients.

Even amid that busy schedule, Fang was determined to help others succeed. As a senior academic peer advisor with Trinity College, she was admired for her dedication to learning and the U of T community.

“I want to keep giving back because I am so appreciative of the upper-year mentors I connected with, starting in first year,” Fang says. “They continue to serve as an inspiration, motivating me to further develop personal and professional skills.”

Fang spoke with Faculty of Arts & Science writer David Goldberg about what she learned during her undergraduate studies, the importance of peer support and her post-graduation plans.

Why was U of T the right place for you to earn your undergraduate degree?

U of T provided a plethora of academic, research and experiential learning opportunities alongside a world-class faculty to help cultivate my curiosity and consolidate my knowledge. In conjunction with an unparalleled classroom experience, I gained a real-world perspective with international considerations through the Research Opportunities Program.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention how extracurricular activities enhanced and enriched my university experience. The many clubs at U of T helped me focus on my passions and make meaningful connections with like-minded peers who became my support network, enabling me to reach my full potential.

How is your area of study going to improve the life of the average person?

It is absolutely fascinating that AI has already revolutionized the medical field. Specifically, AI possesses the potential to aid in the classification of ultrasound images, enhancing early detection and diagnosis of internal bleeding because of injuries or hemophilia. Overall, AI may lead to more efficient care for patients, thereby improving health outcomes.

In terms of my immunology research, since the memory B cells expressing the specific receptor are dysregulated in people suffering from some autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, a better understanding of how memory B cells are regulated could provide valuable insight into the underlying mechanisms of such diseases so we can enable scientists to develop new therapies that alleviate patients’ symptoms.

What are you hoping to do after graduation?

I aspire to pursue a career in the medical field, conduct more research and nurture my profound enthusiasm for science while interacting with a diverse group of people. I hope to devote my career to improving human health outcomes while engaging in knowledge translation to make science more accessible to everyone.

Why was working as a peer advisor at U of T important to you?

I remember feeling overwhelmed as a first-year student until I reached out to my academic peer advisors. Had I not chatted with them, I would not have known about – let alone applied for – my first research program. Looking back, it opened the door to many more new, incredible possibilities and opportunities.

This experience made me realize the significance and power of mentorship, inspiring me to become an academic peer advisor. Seeing my mentees thrive and achieve their goals has made this role so rewarding – so much so that I am determined to engage in mentorship throughout my career after graduation.

What advice do you have for current and incoming students to get the most out of their U of T experience?

Ask all questions – because there are no silly questions. Get involved, whether it be volunteering, partaking in work-study programs, sports or joining a club. Meeting new people and talking to strangers can be daunting, but the undergraduate career is a journey of exploration, learning and growth.

Be open-minded and don’t be afraid to try something new. Immersing yourself in distinct fields enables you to discover your interests and passions, which can lead you to an unexpected but meaningful path.

Also, be kind to yourself because failures are a normal part of the learning process – what’s important is that you take it as an opportunity to learn, grow and bolster your resilience.

And finally, although academia and work can keep you busy, remember to allocate time for self-care. Exercise, sleep and pursue hobbies because mental health is integral for success in life.