Exploring AI as a Learning Tool Workshop Series:
- Planning & Productivity (Tuesday, January 28th at 4:00pm, in person)
- Critical Thinking & Conceptualization (Thursday, February 27th at 10:00am, in person)
- Studying for Exams (Wednesday, March 19th at 1:00pm-2:30pm, in person)
These interactive workshops are designed with a focus on undergraduate studies, but all students are welcome. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Rahul Bhat (rahul.bhat@utoronto.ca).
Student-facing language for St. George students is below and promotional material is attached.
Practice Using AI to Support Your Learning
Curious about using AI tools like Copilot for your learning? Join our interactive in-person workshops to explore the benefits, limitations, and risks of using AI to support your learning at U of T.
- Experiment with strategies to maximize the effectiveness of AI tools, like Copilot.
- Discuss the pros and cons of using AI for your planning, learning, and coursework.
- Share your strategies, questions, and concerns about using AI as a learning tool.
Exploring AI as a Learning Tool Winter Workshops:
- Planning & Productivity (Tuesday, January 28th at 4:00pm, in person)
- Critical Thinking & Conceptualization (Thursday, February 27th at 10:00am, in person)
- Studying for Exams (Wednesday, March 19th at 1:00pm-2:30pm, in person)
The Exploring AI as a Learning Tool workshops are held in person at 800 Bay Street, 5th Floor. Visit folio.utoronto.ca to discover all of our learning strategy support programs.
These workshops will not provide a how-to guide for using AI but instead provide an opportunity to discuss innovative and ethical practices to support effective learning. All students are encouraged to use AI tools consistent with the guidelines established by their instructors and the University of Toronto, in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters.
Hosted by the Centre for Learning Strategy Support.
Visualize your science The University of Toronto’s Biomedical Communications Program invites you to collaborate with our master’s students as a content supervisor for their Master’s Research Projects (MRPs). The Master of Science in Biomedical Communications (MScBMC) program, offered through the Institute of Medical Science, trains a select group of science-savvy visual communicators to create stunning and effective animations, illustrations, and interactive experiences. Each year, our students partner with researchers and clinicians to bring compelling health and science information to life for a variety of audiences.
See examples of previous work: For other examples of student MRPs, please visit here or copy and paste the following link into your browser: https://vimeo.com/mscbmc
Submit Your Master’s Research Project Idea We are seeking content supervisors to propose topics for our students’ second-year Master’s Research Projects. If you have intriguing science or health messaging that you’d like to see visualized, please complete the form at the following link (it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes): https://forms.office.com/r/PxigyLPf9h
Deadline: February 12, 2025 (11:59 PM) What’s Involved?Your Role: As a content supervisor, you’ll guide students on the target audience, communication goals, and scientific content. You’ll attend three committee meetings and provide periodic feedback throughout the project.
Timeline: Students select their topics by April 2025. Projects are completed by July 2026.
Funding: While not required, offering funding can make your project more appealing to students.
Frequently asked questions What are the timelines for these projects?The MScBMC program is two years long. Students pick MRP topics at the end of their first year of study and complete the project at the end of their second year of study. If your project is selected, it would be complete by July 2026.
Is funding required to propose an MRP?As a professional program, student stipend funding for these projects is not a requirement. However, if you have funding available, it will make projects more attractive to the students.
What if my project is not selected by a student?Unfortunately, not all projects are selected by students. With only 16-18 students per year, some projects inevitably go unmatched. If your project idea is not chosen, it will remain in our database for future consideration. We encourage you to resubmit updated ideas in subsequent years.
Are there specific deliverables I can expect from the project?Deliverables vary based on the project but often include animations, illustrations, interactive modules, or other visual communication tools. You can discuss specific deliverables with the student once the project begins.
Who is involved in a Master’s Research Project (MRP) committee?Each MRP committee consists of the MScBMC student, who is responsible for developing and completing the project; a Biomedical Communications faculty member from the University of Toronto, who provides academic oversight and ensures the project meets program standards; and the content supervisor, who offers subject matter expertise, defines communication goals, and ensures the scientific accuracy of the work. Occasionally, other individuals, such as external collaborators or co-supervisors, may join the team, depending on the project’s nature and scope. For general information about the MScBMC program, please see our web site at:http://www.bmc.med.utoronto.ca/ We look forward to collaborating with you to bring your science to life. For any questions or further information, feel free to contact us directly at s.saharan@utoronto.ca. Interested in submitting an MRP topic?
Please complete the form at the following link (it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes): https://forms.office.com/r/PxigyLPf9h
U of T’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is back! Every year, the 3MT showcases graduate students from across the University of Toronto presenting their thesis work to a generalist audience in three minutes using one static PowerPoint slide. The 2025 3MT will take place in person.
Who is it for? All graduate students registered in a doctoral or master’s program with a thesis component.
Why participate? Participating in 3MT is an opportunity to improve your research communication and presentation skills, as well as to learn about the exciting scholarship that other graduate researchers are working on. There are also prizes: $1250 for first place, $750 for second place, $500 for third place, and $200 for the people’s choice.
Key dates: Heats begin on February 6, and the final takes place on March 26.Please see thefull schedule with dates, times, and locations. Everyone is welcome to attend the final to cheer on friends and colleagues.
Sign me up! Please complete the registration form by January 30. We’ll contact you with details about your heat by January 31.
Questions about rules, eligibility, and judging criteria? All the details are on our website or you can email us at cgpd@utoronto.ca.
The MBPCDA is excited to host our Internship Panel! We invite graduate students to join us for an interactive discussion panel to explore internship opportunities during their graduate studies. The panel will be held on Thursday, January 23rd from 4:00-5:00PM over Zoom. We kindly ask those interested in attending to register here or by using the following link: https://forms.gle/DJu8vcU3Rfvn4Eww6 to receive the Zoom link.
On behalf of the Multicellular Engineered Living Systems (M-CELS) Symposium 2025 organizing committee, we are pleased to invite you to participate in the “M-CELS: Advances in Basic Research and Translational Opportunities” symposium, which will be held on March 26-28, 2025, at the OMNI Hilton Head Resort in South Carolina, USA.
Recent breakthroughs in stem cell biology, organ-on-chip assays, 3-D bioprinting, synthetic biology, and cell mechanobiology have revolutionized our ability to design and assemble multicellular living systems, from organoids to embryos. M-CELS symposium brings together key experts from a variety of domains, including developmental biology, organoids, microphysiological systems, synthetic biology, tissue engineering, biobots, and computational modeling, as well as bioethics, to share research, perspectives, and inspirations and allows great opportunities for interactions and collaborations.
We have an amazing lineup of speakers from academia, industry, and government organizations, including Alysson Muotri (UCSD), Kimberly Homan (Genentech), Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic (Columbia University), Jennifer Lewis (Harvard), Mark Skyler-Scott (Stanford), Thomas Hartung (Johns Hopkins), and Linda Griffith (MIT) – for a complete list, please see our website. This symposium will serve as an excellent opportunity to learn about new research, to share your most recent findings, and to develop and strengthen connections in the community.
We have openings for additional contributed talks and posters that will be selected from the submitted abstracts. The deadline for abstract submission is January 20th.
We plan to offer a limited number of M-CELS Fellows Awards that include conference fee waivers and/or travel support. Awards will only be available to those speaking or presenting a poster at the conference.
Registration is already open. We do expect a large turnout, so please register early to ensure you get a spot.
Title: “Designing nanomedicine for genetic and chronic diseases”
Speaker: Eun Ji Chung, PhD
Dr. Karl Jacob Jr and Karl Jacob III Early Career Chair
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Surgery, and Medicine
University of Southern California
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2025
Time: 4:00 – 5:00 pm
Location: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, 610 University Ave, 6th floor, Bob Bell Auditorium
Host: Dr. Gang Zheng
Get back on track with the Centre for Learning Strategy Support. We offer three programs to help you get off to a good start in second semester:
Course Correction Workshops (January 10th and January 16th)
Attend an interactive workshop and get a fresh start after an academic setback, unexpected grade, or failed course. Open to all students, with a focus on undergraduate students.
Find out more and sign up for workshops at https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/program/course-correction/
Learning Well in Second Year(starts January 20th)
Join Learning Well in Second Year, a four-week, in-person learning program to help you get back on track in your second year.
This program will help you:
- Create space in your busy schedule to pause for reflection, growth, and support.
- Connect with other second-year students looking to build their academic resilience.
- Discover and practice sustainable strategies to learn well, do well, and be well.
Find out more and sign up for Learning Well in Second Year at https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/program/learning-well-in-second-year/
Learning Well in First Year (January 21st and February 4th)
Attend two interactive in-person workshops (dinner included) to develop effectively as a learner in your first year of study.
This program will help you:
- Reflect on your experience so far as a first-year student.
- Discover successful strategies to manage the new challenges of university learning.
- Connect with resources that can support your academic resilience.
Find out more and sign up for in-person workshops at https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/program/learning-well-in-first-year/
The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (SRI) is pleased to announce its 2025 call for graduate fellowships, open to University of Toronto graduate students whose work explores the social impacts of new technologies.
We encourage applications from scholars investigating issues at the intersection of advanced technologies and society through interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches, as well as those with an emerging interest in these areas. Graduate fellowships provide $7,500 in support over one year, with an opportunity to renew as an affiliate.
For more information and to apply, please visit SRI’s website.
Application deadline: February 9, 2025, 23:59 ET.
Please circulate this information with your colleagues by forwarding this email to your U of T department. We’d also appreciate it if you can reshare our announcements to spread the word on LinkedIn, Bluesky, or X.
About the Schwartz Reisman Institute
The Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society (SRI) supports and integrates world-class research across sectors and disciplines to deepen our understanding of advanced technologies, law, institutions, regulatory structures, and social values. The integrative research we support rethinks technology’s role in society, the contemporary needs of human communities, and the systems that govern them. We are investigating how best to align technology with human values, and deploy it responsibly. In doing so we seek to support existing fields of inquiry as well as to identify and nurture new research agendas by introducing researchers to the concepts and framing used by different disciplines to analyze problems.
Questions?
Contact us directly at sri.research@utoronto.ca.
As a U of T student, you can chat as often as you like one-on-one with a Health & Wellness Peer Supporter, who are available every week throughout the academic year! These UofT students are equipped to:
· Provide immediate emotional support if you’re struggling with your mental health
· Guide you through difficult questions like “Am I in the right academic program?” or “How can I bring up this issue with my roommate?”
· Help you write a tough email
· Role-play potentially awkward conversations
· Chat about anything you feel like talking about
No appointment necessary! You can drop in at Robarts Library, Room 1152 (Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11 AM to 4 PM), at the Engineering and Computer Science Library, Room 2402C (only on Wednesdays from 11 AM to 4 PM), or at the Student Commons, Room 246 (only on Thursdays from 11 AM to 4 PM). Prefer online? Not a problem! Visit www.uoft.me/peer-support and click the link under “Virtual Peer Support” to connect via Zoom!
| We’re excited to announce that the Vector Scholarship in AI nomination period is now open! This $17,500 merit-based entrance scholarship could help fund your AI journey at Ontario’s leading master’s programs. If you’re pursuing a full-time AI-related master’s program for the 2025-2026 academic year, start preparing now. Connect with your program administrator early to learn about their internal deadlines, which come before Vector’s nomination deadline of March 20, 2025 at 4:00 PM ET. |
| Have Questions About the Scholarship? Join Our Virtual Webinar! Mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET. In this one-hour virtual webinar, you’ll get a comprehensive overview of the Vector Scholarship in AI, including: ✅ Scholarship benefits ✅ Eligibility requirements ✅ How to build a strong nomination package ✅ Live Q&A session Plus, don’t miss our special fireside chat with past scholarship recipients who will share their AI journeys and experiences firsthand! > Register now |
What You Need to Know:The scholarship is available to students enrolled in Vector-recognized AI master’s programs or those pursuing a demonstrably AI-focused individualized study path. To be eligible for the Vector Scholarship in AI, you must meet these requirements:Be entering a full-time AI-related master’s program at an Ontario university for the 2025-2026 academic year (Spring 2025, Fall 2025, or Winter 2026 start dates)Be enrolled in a Vector-recognized program or pursuing an individualized study plan with a clear AI focusHave achieved first-class standing (minimum A- or equivalent) in your last two years of university studyNote: Candidates with a B+ average and relevant work experience may be considered with additional supporting documentation. |
| Understanding the Nomination Process As this is a nomination-based scholarship, you cannot apply directly to Vector – instead, your master’s program will need to nominate you. Your program will have its own internal deadlines for collecting and reviewing nomination materials ahead of Vector’s March deadline. We encourage you to connect with your program administrator early to understand their specific timeline and requirements. What to include in the package for your program:Academic Records • All up-to-date transcripts (undergraduate and graduate, if applicable) • Note: Official transcripts will be required if selectedReferences • Two completed Referee Forms (at least one academic) • References must be sent directly to your program officeYour Background • One to two-page CV • 250-word statement about your AI journey and career goals • Self-Identification FormAdditional Requirements (if applicable): • For non-Vector-recognized programs: Approved study plan with course list and project description • For GPAs below A-: Written rationale explaining circumstances |