Presented in partnership with our York Circle Chair, Jennifer Steeves (BA ’94, MA ’96, PhD ’01), Associate Vice-President Research (AVPR), we are excited to welcome you back to Keele campus for the York Circle Lecture series. Join us on Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Life Sciences Building. Hear from York’s leading faculty members on a wide range of interesting topics that speak to some of the key themes that define York University.
Bridging the Digital Divide: Empowering people through sustainable technology
Marginalised populations such as older adults, people with dementia and immigrant communities experience accessibility challenges in their everyday life. This affects their ability to live independently and with autonomy and their quality of life. Technology can facilitate independence in everyday activities, social connection and engagement in the community. However, the adoption rates for technology is low. As public and financial services are increasingly digitized, the lack of technology adoption and accessibility will more isolate these communities. Social and Technological Systems (SaTS) Lab are developing solutions that are sustainable, using people-centred and system-centred approaches. We focus on design features that bring quality positive experiences with products – using slow design and slow interactions. This talk will describe our approach through example projects in the lab.
Fleeing Facebook and Exiting X: How activists show the path away from corporate social media
The purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk in 2022, coupled with Meta’s blocking of Canadian news sites, has prompted people in Canada to consider their social media options. Social media has now fragmented, with a small but growing population of people turning to non-corporate, alternative social media, such as Mastodon and the fediverse. This talk will discuss how non-corporate, alternative social media provide Canadians not just with a path away from Facebook or X, but also provide a new way to engage in online democracy.
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering
Fair Generative AI in the Era of Foundation Models
This talk will explore recent advances in generative AI and foundation models in the context of AI in drug discovery and the application of AI in medical imaging. We explore these topics with AI fairness lens.
Á:re Shonathón:te Raonahronkhá:tshera Their Language is Heard Again: Exploring Indigenous language revitalization
Indigenous language revitalization is an emerging, multi-disciplinary field of study. In practice, Indigenous language revitalization is one essential component Indigenous nations, people, families and communities are using to re-establish self-determination and overcome the impacts of colonization reclaiming Indigenous identities and ways of living. Grounded in his research and life experiences, Tehota’kerá:ton Dr. Jeremy Green will share some of the major developments and achievements in Indigenous language revitalization from the 1970’s to the present day. Dr. Green will highlight the ways that each Indigenous language-in-culture-at-place holds the key to its own revitalization and ways that non-Indigenous persons can support Indigenous language revitalization.
Ideas for Life, Living and the World Around Us
Since 2009, York Circle has showcased the ideas and research being generated by York University’s community. Topics come from every faculty and have included discussions around gender issues, brain function, mental health, international aid, sports injuries, financial policy and many more evolving subjects.
Join The York Circle! Membership is free! Once you’ve joined, we’ll invite you to each event where you can learn about current research on key topics from York’s professors.
Please note: Current students and faculty of York are not eligible to join The York Circle but can attend as a guest of a registered member.
For more information on The York Circle, call us at (416) 650-8159 or email us at alumnievents@yorku.ca.