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October

Emergency notification

Campus traffic alert: Section of Founders Drive closed on October 24

October 22, 2019

To accommodate the installation of a tower crane for construction of the university’s new building at the north Oshawa location, Founders Drive between the crosswalk north of the UL Building and the crosswalk at Founders Gate will be closed on Thursday, October 24. No traffic will be permitted through this section of Founders Drive between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The IMS workshop was made possible thanks to FEAS volunteers and faculty members. Back row, from left: Pedram Karimipour Fard; Muarij Khalil; Zahra Khodabakhshi; Aida Farsi; Dr. Sayyed Ali Hosseini, Assistant Professor, FEAS and head of the executive team; Dr. Ahmad Barari, Conference Chair; Connor Hopkins; and Davin Jankovics. Front row, from left: Hossein Gohari, Amr Salem; Waleed Ahmed; Dylan Bender; Cody Berry; and Mohamd Imad.

Ontario Tech University explores the future of intelligent manufacturing

October 18, 2019

Ontario Tech University recently became the first Canadian university to host the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) workshop: an influential international engineering forum exploring key questions related to intelligent manufacturing.

Women for STEM Summit keynote speaker Beth Wilson, Canada CEO, Dentons, shared her experience and insights with students, individuals and organizational leaders.

Mentors and role models critical for gender parity in ‘STEM’ fields

October 18, 2019

Ontario Tech University's inaugural Women for STEM Summit on October 17 brought together 190 industry leaders and partners, faculty and students from across the Greater Toronto Area who discussed how women and men each have an important role to play in equalizing gender parity.

Image of a virtual reality medical environment where health-care trainees test their skills and knowledge in handling patient anesthesia crisis scenarios in a simulated operating room.

Ontario Tech University research pioneering virtual reality health-care training

October 15, 2019

An Ontario Tech University research team is exploring the practical potential of VR, where the user is completely immersed within a 3D computer generated world; as well as ‘augmented reality’ (AR), where digital and graphic elements are added to the real physical space to augment objects comprising it.

The Vector Institute recently added Ontario Tech University's Master of Information Technology Security – Artificial Intelligence in Security specialization to its list of recognized master’s programs in AI.

Ontario Tech University’s leadership in AI education preparing students for cybersecurity careers

October 10, 2019

The Vector Institute, a collaborative research centre on AI in Canada, recently added Ontario Tech University's Master of Information Technology Security – Artificial Intelligence in Security (MITS-AIS) specialization to its list of recognized master’s programs in AI. This recognition not only gives MITS-AIS students access to the Vector Institute’s publications, contacts, research and programming, but also allows them to compete in an exclusive pool for the Vector Scholarship in AI (VSAI), established in collaboration with the Province of Ontario in 2017.

Ontario Tech University conference exploring how to reduce human trafficking

Ontario Tech University conference exploring how to reduce human trafficking

October 08, 2019

On Thursday, October 10 and Friday, October 11, Ontario Tech University’s Faculty of Social Science and Humanities will stage a series of vital discussions on labour trafficking. The university’s second-annual collaborative Labour Trafficking Conference will examine the impacts and current efforts to combat labour trafficking and the global initiatives focused on reducing trafficking.

3D modelling in Ontario Tech University's Laboratory for Advanced User Interfaces and Virtual Reality.

Ontario Tech a university on the rise: 2020 Maclean’s magazine rankings

October 08, 2019

The 2020 Maclean’s magazine rankings of Canada’s universities affirms Ontario Tech University’s place in the top 10 of primarily undergraduate institutions. The new survey marks the first time the university appears in the Maclean’s rankings with its new Ontario Tech University brand.

September

Conceptual design of Ontario Tech University's new booth at the 2019 Ontario Universities' Fair at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Why accounting is about far more than crunching numbers in isolation

September 20, 2019

Many outsiders assume accountants are 24/7 math nerds with no interest in anything beyond numbers and balance sheets, locked into a boring and tedious career. But Ontario Tech researcher John Friedlan, PhD, says these myths could not be further from the truth.

Conceptual design of Ontario Tech University's new booth at the 2019 Ontario Universities' Fair at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Faculty of Science researchers get real on artificial intelligence

September 17, 2019

At Ontario Tech University, Faculty of Science researchers Dr. Hendrick de Haan and Dr. Faisal Qureshi, along with Modelling and Computational Science PhD candidate Martin Magill, dissect these artificial brains in what they call their ‘mathematical laboratory’.

From left: Dr. Les Jacobs, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, Ontario Tech University; Lorne Coe, Whitby MPP; Lindsey Park, Durham MPP; Dr. JoAnne Arcand, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University; Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University; Dr. Lori Livingston, Provost and Vice-President Academic, Ontario Tech University.

Ontario investing in research in Durham Region at Ontario Tech University

September 11, 2019

The grant to Ontario Tech University (for dietary sodium research by Dr. JoAnne Arcand, Faculty of Health Sciences) is part of the Early Researcher Awards program, designed to help newly appointed researchers working at Ontario’s research institutions build their teams.

August

From left: Professor Michael Blumenstein, Associate Dean, Research Strategy & Management, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney with Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University.

Ontario Tech University strengthens international ties with Australian agreement

August 27, 2019

With long-established research relationships throughout the eastern Greater Toronto Area and across the province, Ontario Tech University boasts an expanding international research portfolio. Adding to dozens of global partnerships, it’s exploring stronger ties Down Under with counterparts at University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Fireside reading room at the North Oshawa Library.

Campus Library space enhancements coming soon

August 07, 2019

A number of key projects are underway to create enhanced spaces and additional seating on the second and third floors of the university’s North Oshawa Library.

July

New Ontario Tech University banner on street light along Athol Street in downtown Oshawa.

Sign wave discovered at Ontario Tech University

July 26, 2019

Signs of change or a change of signs. Whatever you want to call it, signs of Ontario Tech University’s new brand and logo are quickly becoming noticeable on campus this summer.

Cannabis Plant

Waste watchers: Sewage and cannabis

July 09, 2019

As the cannabis market becomes more firmly entrenched across the country, an Ontario Tech University researcher says Statistics Canada (StatsCan) is going to great depths to study national cannabis consumption rates.

Ontario Tech and Ontario Shores began charting plans for their new partnership during a brainstorming session at the university's Brilliant Catalyst in April 2019.

Can technology help uncover new answers on dementia research?

July 08, 2019

The Ontario Tech-Ontario Shores collaboration allows for cutting-edge research to move more quickly into frontline practice and provides frontline careworkers and patients’ family members with an opportunity to present the problems needing solutions.

Honey bee hive in the Pollinator Garden at the university's Windfields Farm Lands.

Campus buzz: Ontario Tech University receives ‘Bee City Campus’ designation

July 05, 2019

In recognition of the university’s pollinator sustainability efforts, Bee City Canada has designated Ontario Tech a ‘Bee City Campus’. Bee City Canada partners with cities, schools and businesses across Canada to protect pollinators and increase awareness about the vital role pollinators play in a healthy ecosystem. Only seven other Canadian post-secondary institutions hold the Bee City Campus designation.

Ontario Tech University Kinesiology students and Dr. Shilpa Dogra lead a fitness program for older adults as part of their research practicum at the Oshawa Senior Community Centres in 2014.

Ontario Tech University creating a great learning environment for older adults

July 02, 2019

Ontario Tech University recently became one of a handful of Canadian universities to receive the Age-Friendly University (AFU) designation from the AFU Global Network. The AFU network includes higher-education institutions around the world endorsing the 10 AFU principles and committing themselves to becoming more age-friendly in their programs and policies. AFU-designated universities like Ontario Tech enrich the student experience and improve the quality of life of older adults in the community.

June

From left: Noreen Taylor, Chancellor; Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor; Dawn Haw, Faculty of Business and Information Technology (FBIT) medal winner (tie); Dr. Michael Bliemel, Dean, FBIT; Dr. Lori Livingston, Provost and Vice-President Academic.

Ontario Tech University salutes 2019 Convocation medal winners

June 14, 2019

As Ontario Tech University reflects on the conclusion of the 2018-2019 academic year, the Board of Governors and the Office of the Provost salute the outstanding achievements of this year’s faculty medal winners and special award winners.

Ontario Tech students help with lakefront cleanup.

Ontario Tech students help drive lakeshore cleanup initiative

June 13, 2019

Ontario Tech University students from the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSH), along with the FSSH Practicum team and partner organization A Greener Future, spent three hours on May 29 collecting more than 3,000 pieces of litter from the lakefront as part of the Love Your Lake initiative.

Sustainable development advocate Peter Stoett, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, will co-chair a three-year international study that will fully assess existing knowledge about invasive alien species.

Ontario Tech University Dean to play leading role in global invasive species study

June 13, 2019

The United Nations has tapped the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to lead a three-year global study that will fully assess existing knowledge about invasive alien species and current efforts to control their threats, the first global report of its kind. Ontario Tech University’s Peter Stoett, PhD, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, will co-chair the study.

Lyndsay Woolridge, a PhD candidate in the university’s Forensic Psychology program, is investigating the influence of linguistic factors on deception detection judgments in legal settings. The opportunity to work with ELC students has fit perfectly with her research.

Ontario Tech’s English Language Centre embraces campus integration

June 04, 2019

Ontario Tech's English Language Centre (ELC) program places students in relevant language-learning contexts and real-life situations, providing them with opportunities to develop the skills needed to succeed in post-secondary education and in a multicultural world.

Open textbooks image

Workshop: Finding and Using Open Textbooks – June 11

June 03, 2019

Have you ever considered replacing your course textbook with something more affordable and flexible? In this hands-on workshop, explore open textbooks (free online textbooks released under an open copyright license) and open educational resource collections, including supplementary materials such as quizzes and slides for specific courses.

May

From left: Ontario Tech University Engineering students Patrick Poplawski and Mankin Ho at the MakeHarvard hackathon, together with their Harvard University student teammates Jessica DeVilla and Joseph Sanchez.

Ontario Tech Engineering students win big at Harvard competition

May 31, 2019

Ontario Tech University Manufacturing Engineering student Patrick Poplawski, along with Mechatronics Engineering student Mankin Ho, have developed a unique solution to help fast-track recovery for returning astronauts or injured workers: Vibrace, a smart, wearable arm brace that emits low-frequency vibrations near the elbow joint.

Garbage piling up on a shoreline

Future of human health and prosperity at risk, warns Ontario Tech researcher

May 28, 2019

The abundance and variety of life on our planet is under threat, according to a recent comprehensive study by the United Nations (UN). The sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6), delivered in Nairobi, Kenya this past March, includes contributions from Ontario Tech University researcher Peter Stoett, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities.

Kids playing with slime at Science Rendezvous

Science breaks out of the lab and into the spotlight at Ontario Tech

May 24, 2019

On May 11, hundreds of children and their families immersed themselves in the world of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) at Science Rendezvous, an annual free, full-day science festival co-hosted by Ontario Tech University and Durham College. Using science and their imaginations, the young and young-at-heart participated in experiments, make-and-take-projects and demonstrations, while meeting face-to-face with real scientists and asking them questions about their research.

In recognition of IDAHOTB 2019, Ontario Tech University faculty, staff and students joined community partner representatives from PFLAG Canada Durham Region for a Pride flag ceremony.

Ontario Tech recognizes International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

May 17, 2019

Each year on May 17, millions around the world come together to recognize the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). Created in 2004, IDAHOTB draws attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.

Behringer Podcastudio recording kit

Want to start a podcast? The Campus Library can help

May 17, 2019

Discover how easy it is to produce a podcast with the Behringer Podcastudio recording kit! You can borrow this kit from the Campus Library for two weeks at a time. The kit includes everything you need for a simple podcast setup.

Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, Ontario Tech University, signs the Dimensions charter.

Ontario Tech President signs new equity, diversity and inclusion charter

May 09, 2019

Ontario Tech University proudly joins universities across Canada to advance institutional equity, diversity and inclusion, with the signing of the Dimensions charter. The charter was announced today by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan. The goal is to have Canadian institutions endorse the charter and commit to helping drive deeper cultural change within the research ecosystem.

Ontario Tech University's Visualization for Information Analysis Lab (vialab).

Ontario Tech University experts sharing high-tech discoveries on the international stage

May 06, 2019

From Saturday, May 4 to Thursday, May 9, Ontario Tech researchers will share their latest findings at the Association for Computing Machinery’s (ACM) 2019 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. The ACM CHI Conference in Glasgow, Scotland is the premier annual international conference on research into latest interactive technologies.

Bill Buxton, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research, speaking at Ontario Tech University's 2019 Futures Forum on the Future of Tech with a Conscience (May 2, 2019).

Ontario Tech University sharpens its focus on ‘technology with a conscience’

May 03, 2019

What does it mean to develop technology with a conscience? What are our obligations to using technology responsibly? How can we improve the designs of new technological innovations while carefully considering their societal impact? On May 2, leading experts explored these questions and more during Ontario Tech University’s 2019 Futures Forum: ‘The Future of Tech with a Conscience’.

April

From left: Fourth-year Criminology student Tristan Williams and Dan Walters, Practicum Co-ordinator, FSSH, spoke at the faculty's first-ever Celebration of Community Partnerships event.

FSSH Practicum office celebrates community partnerships

April 12, 2019

Practicum placements would not be possible without the partnerships FSSH has forged over the years with a wide variety of organizations. To honour these collaborations, the faculty recently hosted its first-ever Celebration of Community Partnerships event.

From left: FSSH students Carly Mcdonell (Forensic Psychology), Stacey Snow (Political Science), Heidi Graf (Criminology and Justice), Lesley Parris (Communication and Digital Media Studies), Tailor Campbell (Forensic Psychology), and Azkah Waseem (Criminology and Justice) participated in the two-week educational tour of Panama and Costa Rica.

Students explore international development initiatives in Central America

April 11, 2019

Heidi Graf, along with five other students from Ontario Tech University’s Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSH), recently spent two weeks on an educational tour of Panama and Costa Rica, to engage in international development initiatives while completing the requirements of their FSSH Practicum course.

Judith Reavell, retired elementary teacher and volunteer with Let’s Talk Science, shares her passion for discovery with youngsters at Science Rendezvous, a free community event hosted on campus each May.

Ontario Tech University thanks its volunteers

April 08, 2019

During National Volunteer Week (Sunday, April 7 to Saturday, April 13), Ontario Tech University celebrates and thanks its many volunteers, students, faculty, staff, board members and community members for giving their time, skills, experience and passion to help others.

March

Ontario Tech University's new logo.

Dawn of a new era: Say hello to Ontario Tech University

March 27, 2019

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology will begin writing a new chapter in the coming months as it transitions to a distinct new brand. Between now and the start of the next academic year in September, the campus will transform into Ontario Tech University. The university will sport a new look and feel with an exciting new visual identity and market positioning.

Dr. Barbara Perry, Professor, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (left) with Dr. Ryan Scrivens, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University (image taken during break at 2016 criminology conference in Stockholm, Sweden). Dr. Scrivens earned his undergraduate and master's degrees in Criminology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology and was mentored by Dr. Perry.

Grad spotlight: You never know where your academic journey might take you

March 21, 2019

If anyone knows about the value of college-to university ‘bridge’ degree programs, it’s Markham, Ontario-born Ryan Scrivens. The two-time University of Ontario Institute of Technology graduate (Bachelor of Arts in Criminology (2011) and Master of Arts in Criminology (2014)) has an intriguing story to tell about the trajectory of his post-secondary education.

Illustration of the software features in a car with the newest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)

QA Consultants and ACE putting new automotive software to the ultimate tests

March 13, 2019

Companies like award-winning software testing and quality assurance provider QA Consultants (QAC) of Toronto, Ontario are turning to ACE, the internationally renowned research and development (R and D) centre at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, to marry their software testing leadership with ACE’s world-leading integrated testing capabilities for both physical and digital systems in vehicles.

Spin Through the Seasons participants will progress through four separate one-hour spin classes, each featuring one of four seasons: winter, fall, spring or summer.

Spin bike riders bracing for all extreme weather conditions during spectacular indoor charity event

March 11, 2019

On Sunday, March 24, the university’s Athletics department invites faculty, staff, students and community members to participate in Spin Through the Seasons inside the university’s powerful ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel. The event supports the Ridgeback Leadership Council’s goals to increase athlete engagement, get more involved in the community and develop leadership among the university’s student-athletes.

From left: Dr. Steven Murphy, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Ontario Institute of Technology; Karen McCrimmon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; Dr. Barbara Perry, Professor, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities (FSSH); Dr. Peter Stoett, Dean, FSSH (March 6, 2019).

Funding to strengthen understanding of right-wing extremism in Canada

March 06, 2019

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology will receive $366,985 over three years from the Government of Canada to examine the right-wing extremism movement through interviews with law enforcement, community anti-hate activists, and former and current extremists.

Campers show off their math and art skills at the 2017 March Break Maker Camp.

March Break camps aim to inspire children through science and technology

March 05, 2019

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology offers a series of science and technology-focused children’s March Break camps. The camps focus on scientific experimentation as well as fundamentals of design and emerging technologies. The goal is for children to develop skills that can help them adapt to ever-evolving technologies, while learning more about themselves in an engaging environment.

February

From left: In Future History, speaker/activist Sarain Fox and artist/archeologist Kris Nahrgang meet innovators who share their Indigenous knowledge to rewrite history and transform the future.

Watch the Future History docuseries

February 26, 2019

Looking for more ways to participate in the #Next150 challenge? The Campus Libraries have acquired streaming license for Future History, a docuseries about shifting the colonial narrative and celebrating the reclamation of Indigenous knowledge and identity.

This month the university’s Blue Team is hosting educational booths focused on the theme of recycling.

University promotes recycling awareness on campus in February

February 13, 2019

Reducing, reusing and recycling take the spotlight on campus in February as the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s Office of Campus Infrastructure and Sustainability (OCIS) hosts a number of educational activities on campus designed to raise awareness about sustainable living practices.

Dr. Pierre Côté (centre, standing) is the university’s Canada Research Chair in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation.

University researcher’s study proposes faster and less expensive recovery from whiplash injuries

February 12, 2019

Many believe Ontario’s hefty premiums relate to the higher risk assumed by insurance companies in areas like the Greater Toronto Area, where population density is highest. Theoretically there are more accidents and more claims in urban centres because there are more cars on the road. But a University of Ontario Institute of Technology researcher says don’t blame your high premiums simply on collision repair costs.

Dr. Shilpa Dogra, Associate Professor and Director of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences speaks at International Day of Women and Girls in Science announcement at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (February 11, 2019). Also at podium (from left): Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Whitby MP; The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport; and The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality.

Government of Canada ensures Canada’s research community is as diverse as our country

February 10, 2019

On February 11, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, unveiled the draft Made-in Canada Athena SWAN Charter, and announced the creation of a new fund to foster equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research. The federal announcement was made at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

UOIT Motorsports will participate in the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (Formula SAE) international student engineering design competition in Lincoln, Nebraska in June 2019.

UOIT Motorsports defines accelerated learning outside the classroom

February 04, 2019

Hands-on opportunities to apply knowledge in a real-world environment aptly describes the student-learning atmosphere at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Among many examples of students venturing beyond the boundaries of labs, lecture theatres and curriculum is an enterprising group known as UOIT Motorsports.

January

First Contact takes six average Canadians, all with strong opinions about Indigenous people, on a unique 28-day journey into Indigenous Canada.

Watch First Contact: an Indigenous education television series

January 28, 2019

The Campus Library has obtained streaming licenses to First Contact, a television series that follows six average Canadians with strong opinions about Indigenous people on a month-long journey, where they learn about Indigenous culture, history and present-day communities.

Representatives from the Oshawa Hungarian Culture Club and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology gathered on December 6, 2018 to celebrate the launch of the new Oshawa Hungarian Culture Club Study in Canada Award.

Expanding international exchange opportunities

January 24, 2019

University of Ontario Institute of Technology students will benefit from new studying abroad opportunities, thanks to a $75,000 donation from the Oshawa Hungarian Culture Club.

Book cover of A Handbook of Food Crime: Immoral and illegal practices in the food industry and what to do about them (co-edited by University of Ontario Institute of Technology graduate Allison Gray (Master of Arts in Criminology, class of 2014) and Professor Emeritus Ronald Hinch, PhD (Founding Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities).

The relationship between food, climate change and environmental crime

January 22, 2019

University of Ontario Institute of Technology graduate Allison Gray (Master of Arts in Criminology, class of 2014) and Professor Emeritus Ronald Hinch, PhD (Founding Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities) argue the food systems we have in place are not quite as simple or straightforward as one might assume or hope.

University of Ontario Institute of Technology's north Oshawa campus location.

Tuition reductions will help students with education affordability

January 18, 2019

The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) announced a 10 per cent tuition reduction on January 17. The university recognizes this change as a positive step in improving education accessibility for Ontario’s university students while balancing the provincial government’s fiscal challenges.

ACE officials joined the university’s Office of Research Services to attend AutoMobili-D (January 14 to 17) during the media and industry days at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan.

ACE wheels-up for influential automotive event in Detroit

January 14, 2019

Alongside such universities and research organizations as MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Clemson University and the University of Michigan, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology will showcase its groundbreaking innovations and automotive research and development capacity in Detroit, Michigan.

From left: Ritu Banerjee, Senior Director, Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (moderator), with panelists Barbara Perry, PhD, Professor of Criminology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology; Kara Brisson-Boivin, PhD, Director of Research, MediaSmarts; Maya Roy, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Canada; and Sharif Mahdy, Executive Director, Students Commission of Canada.

University discussion challenges online hate

January 07, 2019

On November 22, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology participated in a panel discussion on how to challenge hate online. Public Safety Canada’s Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence, together with Facebook Canada, co-hosted the event, which was livestreamed on the university’s Facebook page.