Allyson Rowley / en Students give high marks to new kind of science lab /news/students-give-high-marks-new-kind-science-lab <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Students give high marks to new kind of science lab</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2012-09-13T05:16:01-04:00" title="Thursday, September 13, 2012 - 05:16" class="datetime">Thu, 09/13/2012 - 05:16</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">The atmosphere in a Physics Practicals session often resembles that of a lively coffee shop, as students work together to solve problems, says lecturer Jason Harlow (Photo by Amanda Keenan) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/allyson-rowley" hreflang="en">Allyson Rowley</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Allyson Rowley</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/teaching" hreflang="en">Teaching</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/physics" hreflang="en">Physics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Making Physics Practicals fun </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Intro to Physics might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but a new style of teaching in 山ǿ’s department of physics is giving students a collegial, hands-on way of understanding the basics of the physical universe.</p> <p>Prompted by student feedback over the years and developed from leading-edge pedagogical research, the Physics Practicals are the interactive component to 山ǿ’s introductory courses for non-physics science majors. Based on the timeless truth that you learn more by doing than by listening, the Practicals engage some 800 to 1,200 undergraduates per year in a new kind of lab experience.</p> <p>“The first step is always play,” says senior lecturer <strong>Jason Harlow</strong>, who has taught the Practicals since their inception in 2008. “That’s our model – just mess around and see what you can discover.”</p> <p>As an example, Harlow describes the Practicals’ lesson on circuits: “Here’s a battery, here are a couple of wires, and here’s a light bulb. Now, how do you make the light bulb work?” Together, the students figure it out. “Then, we talk about current and voltage.”</p> <p>In the past, students attended both labs and tutorials – mini-lectures in which the teaching assistant would stand at the front and talk, says Harlow, who graduated from 山ǿ with a BSc in physics in 1993. Chairs were often bolted to the ground and they all faced forward. Frequently, lab activities were not aligned with the formal lectures.</p> <p>The Physics Practicals’ three rooms have been designed to include nine work stations, each with four students, who can either sit or stand around a table as they experiment, discuss and learn. Two teaching assistants circulate through the room, and all students work at the same time on the same activity, which is related to a recent lecture.</p> <p>Harlow notes that the Practicals often resemble a coffee shop full of lively conversations.</p> <p>“Except they’re all talking about physics,” he says. “It’s working fantastically.” Student satisfaction has risen 22 per cent over the past three years.</p> <p>The Ontario Association of Physics Teachers has been following this new pedagogy; some of 山ǿ’s course materials are now being used by the province’s high schools. And earlier this year, senior lecturer emeritus <strong>David Harrison </strong>(PhD 1972), one of the originators of the Practicals, was honoured by the Canadian Association of Physicists for his longstanding dedication to transforming physics education. (You can read more about Harrison's teaching innovation <a href="http://www.news.utoronto.ca/physics-teacher-caps-career-national-teaching-award">here</a>.)</p> <p>Funding is now being sought for two more rooms to accommodate advanced Practicals for the physics majors.</p> <p>“We want to improve the experience for these students as well,” says Harlow.</p> <p>Take a peek at the practical rooms<a href="http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/Practicals/Rooms/Rooms.html"> here</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/UT-Physics-Jason-Harlow_12_09_13.jpg</div> </div> Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:16:01 +0000 sgupta 4471 at 山ǿ Mississauga unveils $60 million Boundless campaign /news/u-t-mississauga-unveils-60-million-boundless-campaign <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">山ǿ Mississauga unveils $60 million Boundless campaign</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2012-05-28T08:03:16-04:00" title="Monday, May 28, 2012 - 08:03" class="datetime">Mon, 05/28/2012 - 08:03</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"> Steve Frost)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/allyson-rowley" hreflang="en">Allyson Rowley</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Allyson Rowley</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/top-stories" hreflang="en">Top Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utm" hreflang="en">UTM</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/campaign" hreflang="en">Campaign</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/boundless" hreflang="en">Boundless</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Students were front and centre as more than 325 members of the 山ǿ Mississauga community gathered on May 23, 2012 in the Instructional Centre to celebrate the public launch of the campus’ $60-million fundraising campaign.</p> <p>On stage, chalkboards were covered in original artwork—illustrating the theme of “boundless”—created by <strong>Laura Biggs</strong> and <strong>Daniel Deus</strong>, two award-winning 山ǿ Mississauga art and art history students. All music for the program was performed by students from 山ǿ’s Faculty of Music, and among the opening speakers were two 山ǿ Mississauga student leaders: undergraduate <strong>Marijana Josifovska</strong>, the founder of Investors Beyond Borders, and PhD student and youth advocate, <strong>Eugenia Duodu</strong>.</p> <p>“I am one person, but my impact can be global,” said Duodu, echoing the theme of the evening’s celebration.</p> <p>Community leaders, campaign volunteers, donors, students, faculty, staff and alumni attended the ceremony, which paid tribute to 山ǿ Mississauga’s remarkable 45-year history, its deep roots within the community and its bold plan to take the next leap forward as a global innovation leader.</p> <p>Hazel McCallion, Mayor of Mississauga, kicked off the program, remarking that she has worked with every 山ǿ Mississauga principal since the campus’ founding.</p> <p>“We are very fortunate to have such a community-focused, innovative university in our midst, helping to power our economic engine and educate our young people,” Mayor McCallion said.</p> <p><strong>Deep Sa<img alt="photo of Professor Deep Saini" src="/sites/default/files/UTMBoundless_Saini_12_05-28.jpg" style="width: 300px; float: right; height: 200px">ini</strong>, 山ǿ Vice-President and Principal of 山ǿ Mississauga, took the podium to highlight the campaign’s priorities: to seek visionary private-sector funding to increase scholarships, student mentoring programs, unique learning environments, faculty chairs and professorships—and to launch two bold initiatives, the <a href="http://boundless.utoronto.ca/initiatives/the-centre-for-south-asian-engagement/">Centre for South Asian Engagement </a>, which will broaden the study of traditional subjects by engaging the community’s South Asian diaspora, and the<a href="http://boundless.utoronto.ca/initiatives/the-institute-for-management-and-innovation/"> Institute for Management and Innovation</a> , the cornerstone of the campaign, which will provide the leadership needed “to foster the intellectual strength to create an innovation culture for our nation.”</p> <p>“山ǿ Mississauga is at a turning point in its evolution,” Professor Saini continued. “We are entering an era defined by transformative growth, social impact, community engagement and boundless potential.” He was quick to point out, though, that 山ǿ Mississauga would retain its special “people vibe,” fostered by a collegial, close-knit environment in which “students can grow, flourish and spread their wings.”</p> <p>山ǿ’s Vice-President of Advancement, <strong>David Palmer</strong>, announced that 山ǿ Mississauga has already raised more than half its $60-million goal. He applauded honorary campaign co-chairs <strong>William G. Davis </strong>and <strong>Ignat Kaneff</strong> for their extraordinary leadership, and he recognized philanthropists <strong>Terrence Donnelly</strong> and <strong>Carlo Fidani</strong> for their visionary generosity, which has fueled the Mississauga Academy of Medicine and the <a href="http://boundless.utoronto.ca/initiatives/the-terrence-donnelly-health-sciences-complex/">Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex</a>. Palmer noted that the Donnelly Complex has just been honoured with a <a href="http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/governor-general-s-gold-medal-terrence-donnelly-health-sciences-complex">2012 Governor General’s Gold Medal for Architecture</a>.</p> <p>Palmer also recognized entrepreneur <strong>Vasu Chanchlani </strong>for his catalytic gift of $2 million to the new <a href="http://boundless.utoronto.ca/initiatives/the-centre-for-south-asian-engagement/">Centre for South Asian Engagement</a> , as well as Amgen Canada for their generous $425,000 donation to create a fellowship in biotechnology and a professorship in health system strategy.</p> <p>山ǿ Chancellor <strong>David Peterson</strong> concluded the program, remarking that 山ǿ Mississauga’s phenomenal growth has been “a joy to behold.”</p> <p>The campaign for 山ǿ Mississauga is an integral part of 山ǿ’s $2-billion <a href="http://boundless.utoronto.ca/">Boundless campaign</a>, which was publicly launched in November 2011 and which surpassed the $1-billion mark in January 2012. Through the Boundless campaign, 山ǿ seeks to address the pressing global challenges that affect us all, by preparing global leaders who have the skills to work across borders, boundaries and disciplines.</p> <p>Student leader Josifovska exemplified this boundless aspiration in her opening remarks at the May 23 event: “At 山ǿ Mississauga, I’ve learned there is no dream too big and no vision that’s unreachable.”</p> <p>To read more: <a href="http://boundless.utoronto.ca/division/u-of-t-mississauga/">the campaign for 山ǿ Mississauga</a>.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/UTMBoundless_four_12_05_28.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 28 May 2012 12:03:16 +0000 sgupta 4145 at A computer screen you can fold /news/computer-screen-you-can-fold <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">A computer screen you can fold</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>sgupta</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2012-03-26T09:55:20-04:00" title="Monday, March 26, 2012 - 09:55" class="datetime">Mon, 03/26/2012 - 09:55</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"> Zhibin Wang, Professor Zheng-Hong Lu and Michael Helander (Photo by Mark Neil Balson)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/allyson-rowley" hreflang="en">Allyson Rowley</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Allyson Rowley</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/breaking-research" hreflang="en">Breaking Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/features" hreflang="en">Features</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research" hreflang="en">Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Thinner, more flexible displays could radically affect how we use computers</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>山ǿ researchers have discovered a better way to make flat-panel displays that could one day lead to computer screens you roll up like a newspaper and wallpaper that lights your living room.</p> <p><strong>Michael Helander </strong>and <strong>Zhibin Wang</strong>, PhD candidates in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, are members of a research team that has developed the world’s most efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) on flexible plastic. Good news for manufacturers and consumers alike, the discovery means a less costly, more efficient and environmentally friendly way to build brighter flat-panel displays on a thinner, more durable and flexible surface.</p> <p>“It was a happy accident after years of work,” said Helander.&nbsp;He and Wang have collaborated for four years in 山ǿ’s department of materials science and engineering under the supervision of <strong>Professor Zheng-Hong Lu</strong>.</p> <p>The students had been cleaning sheets of indium tin oxide – a material used in all flat-panel displays – when they noticed that devices built using their cleaned sheets had become much more efficient than expected, using less energy to achieve much higher brightness. After some investigation, they determined that this greater efficiency was the result of molecules of chlorine picked up from their cleaning solvent. With this surprising discovery, the two students engineered a prototype for a new kind of OLED device, which is both simpler in construction and more efficient.</p> <p>Invented about 25 years ago, OLED technology uses organic compounds – molecules made of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen – to create colours. The organic dyes are then electrically stimulated to emit light of different colours. OLED displays are simpler and less toxic to make and require less energy than other kinds of displays. Over time, though, OLED devices became more complex – the original two layers of molecules became many layers, which raised manufacturing costs and failure rates.</p> <p>“Basically, we went back to the original idea – and started again,” said Wang. The team’s findings were published, and in December, Helander and Wang, together with Lu and another 山ǿ grad student, launched OTI Lumionics, a startup that will take the next steps toward commercializing the technology.</p> <p>“The industry recognizes that devices are much too complicated now,” said Helander, who added the only way to make the manufacturing process cost-effective on a mass scale is to keep the design “simple, simple, simple.”</p> <p>While the roll-up screen and light-emitting wallpaper are still distant applications, Helander and Wang expect the discovery could soon lead to a sturdier smartphone that doesn’t need to be recharged so often. Now there’s something to light up your day.</p> <p>Watch the Video:&nbsp;<a href="http://vimeo.com/32678094">http://vimeo.com/32678094</a></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-picpath field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">picpath</div> <div class="field__item">sites/default/files/Folding-OLED_12_03_27.jpg</div> </div> Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:55:20 +0000 sgupta 3812 at