The Hard Labour of Finding Good Work
Migrants are determined to find jobs, but face systemic barriers
Research & Ideas
In Search of Safe Refuge
Toronto calls itself a sanctuary city. What does this mean in practice?
The Power of Good Intentions
Canada’s program of private refugee sponsorship has been held up as a model for the world. Could it be even better?
In Sickness and in Health
What happens when someone with precarious immigration status needs emergency care?
Home Truths
Toronto’s housing crunch affects many residents, but newcomers with few resources are especially vulnerable
Immigration Detention
When it comes to who can be detained, and for how long, there is much discretion
The Freedom to Learn
Toronto schools aim to provide a safe space for children, regardless of citizenship status. But there are flaws that need to be addressed
The Madam Who Shot the Mountie
How a brothel-keeper in 1880s Edmonton crossed the law – and won
Can We Eliminate Bias in AI?
Canada’s commitment to multiculturalism could help it lead the world in creating more ethical machines
A Lost Literature
Prof. Karina Vernon shares the untold stories of Black people on the Canadian Prairies
When Cancer Strikes, and You Live in Nunavut
A U of T study examines ways to improve care and reduce the sense of isolation for Inuit patients in Canada’s Far North
The Great Canadian Word Hunt
Canadian meanings of “soaker” and “bush party” don’t exist in the Oxford English Dictionary. A U of T linguistics prof is aiming to change that
In Machines We Trust
Blockchain has the potential to transform financial transactions. This could spell trouble for banks and other institutional go-betweens
A U of T Startup Is Launching Tiny Satellites into Space
Kepler Communications plans to build a global communications network using devices so small they fit in a gym bag
Fixing Cambodia’s Landmine Problem
Landscape architect Shaine Wong proposes a way to turn craters into something useful
The Ads That Kids Shouldn’t See
Prof. Mary L’Abbé wants to restrict the marketing of unhealthy food to kids – and their parents
Sea of Troubles
Prof. Chelsea Rochman explores how plastic is breaking down – and where it’s ending up
The Limits of AI
As artificial intelligence advances, humans need to pay closer attention to what it can and can’t do
Delivering Help to Indigenous Parents
A unique project provides support to women during pregnancy and after, with the aim of creating healthier families
Preventing Disease through AI
Laura Rosella is using machine learning to suggest ways to reduce diabetes rates – and save millions in potential health-care costs
Better Protections for Investors
Law professor Anita Anand is calling for improved safeguards for the 50 per cent of Canadians who own stocks
The Labatt Family Network Will Examine the Biology of Depression
Scientists will focus on how the illness affects the brain
New Hope for Heart Patients
Prof. Paul Santerre is working on a cardiac patch that would enable an injured heart to heal itself
Mental Health in the Workplace
Depression and anxiety affect about one in five. How do we help the person who could be affected in the cubicle next to us?
In the Event of an Opioid Overdose…
Three engineering students found a government-issued naloxone kit complicated to use. So they designed a new one
Flip the Script
How the medical system is trying to wean patients off opioids
Hyperloop Explained
A new transportation technology could zip you from Toronto to Montreal in 45 minutes. We took a peek under the hood
To Make Cities Sustainable, We Need to Rethink Almost Everything
For years, we’ve been told to lower the thermostat and drive less. It hasn’t worked
Green Ideas Are Sprouting at All Three Campuses
U of T has set aggressive targets for becoming more sustainable, and is enlisting faculty and students for help
Toward a City Without Barriers
Prof. Ron Buliung describes how his daughter Asha’s life with a wheelchair profoundly changed him – and his research
How to Stay Fulfilled in Retirement When Work Has Defined Your Life
A book by Prof. Michelle Pannor Silver offers some ideas
What Data Can Teach Us about Cities
Four examples of how researchers are harnessing technology to improve urban life and make cities smarter
The High Price of Pills
More than two million Canadians don’t take their full dose of medications because of the cost. How can they be helped?
Priced Out of the Housing Market
Owning a home is becoming a fantasy for all but the wealthiest families. Better urban planning is part of the solution. Adjusting our expectations may be another
AI and the MD
Doctors will soon use artificial intelligence to help diagnose and treat patients, opening up new possibilities for better health
Six Questions We Need to Ask about Using Artificial Intelligence in Health Care
A U of T research team is examining ethical issues raised by the new technology
Alexa, Compose Me a Song
So far, machines are not very good at creating original art, such as pop tunes and short stories. Could it be they’re missing something uniquely human?
A Robot That Cheers Up Kids
Meet MEDi the robot, who sings, dances and helps young cancer patients feel less afraid
Artificial Intelligence Is Here. Is It Time to Rethink Your Business Strategy?
To answer this question, consider this thought experiment
A New Generation of Spacecraft, Powered by Light
Solar sails could propel ships to other planets – and even stars – with much less fuel
Tiny Robots, and the Future of Drug Delivery
Microscopic machines may soon swim through our bodies, delivering cancer drugs to tumours and assisting with difficult surgeries
Scientists Can’t Read Your Mind. But They’re Working on It
Prof. Tom Chau’s lab can already tell what word you’re thinking of, or if you’re singing a song to yourself
Surfing the Net Is Old School. Soon, We May Inhabit It
A computer science alum has created a technology that turns the web into a virtual world
Suppressing Our Most Fearful Memories
Research on mice reveals that specific memories can be weakened. Could this one day help treat the effects of trauma in humans?
With Damaged Organs, a Chance for “Regrowth”
Prof. Michael Sefton imagines being able to treat diabetes with a single injection
A Way to Make Things Disappear
Prof. George Eleftheriades is developing a radar-evading technology that he thinks could be used one day to make anything invisible
Many Medicines Are Considered Essential. Not All Are Effective
A U of T doctor is leading efforts to review the medical evidence for more than 2,200 commonly prescribed drugs
One of Canada’s Mightiest Computers Tackles a Very Complex Question
A U of T professor is using serious processing power to understand what role the world’s oceans play in climate change
Predicting Where Infectious Diseases Will Strike Next
Climate change adds a new wrinkle in the quest to get out in front of epidemics
Dark Data
The usefulness of “steps per day” and other information our devices help us track
Could This Palm-Sized Cube Replace an Entire Lab?
Spartan Bioscience, founded by three alumni, aims to make DNA testing more accessible
Ready Student One
English class gets an update with a new kind of “text”
All In on Gutenberg
Students in Prof. Paolo Granata’s book and media studies class learn print culture terms while playing poker
Greener Pastures
Can a simple high-tech tool for farmers boost crop yields in developing countries?
A Professional “Safe Space” in the #MeToo Era
U of T alumni created #GoSponsorHer to advance women’s careers
“Everything in Life Requires Confidence”
How a U of T prof taught Alison Wiley the art of negotiation
After the Shooting, a Search for Salvation
I spent two years with people who had been shot, and recorded how their lives had changed. For many, the church offered a powerful source of hope
What Does an Ethnographer Do?
The goal is to get “an intimate and authentic representation of the person’s life,” says U of T prof Jooyoung Lee
Make No Mistake
Can a group of Toronto hospitals eliminate medical errors?
Business Threats Can Arise at Any Time. Are You Ready?
It’s easy to say “be prepared.” Scouts learn it. Even Scar in The Lion King sang it. So why do executives so often avoid it?