During academic year 2022-23, Bethune College launched a successful new speaker series called "Coffee with Profs," which wrapped up in March. Professors and instructors from the Faculty of Science and Lassonde School of Engineering were invited to share their insights and experiences on a range of academic and professional topics with students.
In the fall term, Bethune College Head Paula Wilson kicked off the series by hosting first-year Professors Stephanie Gora (Civil Engineering), Chris Jang (Biology) and Andrew Skelton (Mathematics & Statistics) to talk with students about preparing for midterms and exams. Students had the opportunity to connect with instructors, learn about their own study strategies, and share tips for navigating the pressure that accompanies the first round of midterms. A second session was held later in the term for students who felt the need to reflect and regroup as they headed into exams, with Professors Stephanie Domenikos (Chemistry / Science, Technology & Society/ Natural Science), Nicole Nivillac (Biology) and Pam Sargent (Mathematics & Statistics).
As part of the "Writing Edition" sessions, Kathryn Allyn, director of the Bethune Writing Centre discussed with Professor Tanya Da Sylva (Biology) about paraphrasing and engaging with sources, and with Professor Mark Bayfield (Biology) about strategies for crafting effective narratives and presenting scientific content convincingly.
The start of the winter term featured sessions on research opportunities: Professors Ozzy Mermut (Physics & Astronomy) and Robert Tsushima (Biology) led a session for Science students, and Professors Regina Lee (Earth & Space Science & Engineering) and Suprakash Data (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science) led a session for Lassonde students. In March, Professor Jude Dzevela Kong (Mathematics & Statistics) spoke with students about what it’s like to be a professor and his own path to becoming one. Additionally, Professors Carol Bucking (Biology) and Gloria Orchard (Physics & Astronomy) held sessions to share important insights on lab report structure and writing process. Finally, PhD student Yohana Solomon (Mathematics & Statistics) and Kathryn Allyn discussed editing and the importance of building supportive peer editing networks for strong writing.
Bethune College would like to thank Kathryn Allyn for her lead in conceptualizing this series, Emily Fiorini for conceiving the name, and all of the speakers for generously taking the time to connect with the students.
The initiative will continue for the 2023-24 academic year. If you'd like to take part in a talk or have an idea for a session topic, please contact Paula Wilson (bchead@yorku.ca) or Kathryn Allyn (travis10@yorku.ca).