Scott Anderson | U of T Magazine

Bird's eye view of a model consisting of wooden pieces in diagonal blocks forming a partial Y shape. The right side has a step-like structure.

What on Earth Is This?

These intriguing objects from across U of T’s three campuses reveal stories of discovery, creativity and Canadian firsts. Can you tell what they are? Read More

Graphite drawing of a tea bag falling in the air and a hand with the index finger and thumb curved close together

How to Avoid Ingesting Plastic

Some of us may have a small spoon’s worth of plastic in our bodies. But you can minimize your exposure to this health risk Read More

Models of tiny people around a giant beige toque, with evergreen trees and mountains in the background

Big Country, Big Ideas

Unapologetically bold solutions for a better Canada Read More

Indigenous singers seated around a drum, singing and drumming

Advance Justice for Indigenous Peoples

A decade after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, U of T experts weigh the gains, the gaps and the next steps Read More

A two-storey building with light-coloured panelled walls, black-framed windows and a recessed entrance painted in yellow

Designing for the Arctic

In Canada’s northern communities, U of T architect Mason White works with Indigenous partners to create buildings that are resilient, sustainable – and distinctly local Read More

Two students taking measurements from a plant within a black, rectangular container, one of many on a rooftop. One student is standing and holding a laptop and the other is bent over, taking measurements

Seven Ways U of T Has Evolved During Meric Gertler’s Presidency

The university has grown in impact, innovation and inclusion Read More

U of T President Meric Gertler in a navy blue suite and tie, walking down a hallway

A Legacy to Remember

Looking back at the presidency of Meric Gertler – and ahead to the future he helped shape Read More

Legacy, Leadership and Lessons Learned

A farewell conversation with U of T President Meric Gertler Read More

Coloured graphite illustration of two people sitting around a table having a discussion, with one person taking notes

The Art of the Ask

Think requesting what you want will ruin the deal? Think again. Read More

Four students in a lab practicing dentistry on replica heads with open mouths

A Brush with the Future

A state-of-the-art dentistry facility will help students master essential skills such as root canals and implants Read More

Four different coloured squares with a black and white icon inside each: a world globe, briefcase, trophy and books

What the Numbers Say About the Past 12 Years

A record of U of T’s growth and successes during Meric Gertler’s presidency Read More

Professor Ian Williams standing still outside of a building with large columns, while people walking around him are motion blurred

The Lost Art of Conversation

Ian Williams makes the case for talking to each other more meaningfully Read More

Digital illustration of a speech bubble with red maple leaves and question marks inside. Three people are looking at the speech bubble, with two thinking of answers and one appearing to have the answers.

From ‘Rink Rats’ to ‘Bunny Hugs’

How well do you know Canadian words? Read More

Mathew Okwoli in a blue, pin-striped suit, sitting on a wooden block on the left. Mahlodi Letsie in a green strapless gown standing on the right.

Where the World Meets

As much of the globe turns inward, U of T is doubling down on the value of international education Read More

Outdoor photo of Professor Joe Wong in blue framed glasses and V-neck sweater, with his arms crossed

U of T Is Deepening Its Commitment to Global Education

International students enliven classroom conversations and add to a diverse learning experience for all, says vice-president Joseph Wong Read More

Students acting in a scene from The Trials. Two students appear to be in confrontation across a wooden table, with other students in the background, watching the pair.

Acting for Earth

Fourth-year drama students put their skills to the test with a theatrical warning of climate change run amok Read More

Artist rendering of a building constructed with mass timber and columns of well-spaced out windows.

For Greener Buildings, We Need to Rethink How We Construct Them

To meet its pledge to be carbon neutral by 2050, Canada needs to cut emissions from the construction industry. Here’s how Read More

In the foreground, a man with tattooed arms and red and white striped swim trunks and a boy with long hair are splashing water as they walk into the surf. In the middle ground and background, people are standing or walking in the water. In the distance are the white foam of incoming waves.

Are Cold Plunges Good for You?

Research suggests they are, in three ways Read More

Collage of small-sized people of diverse ethnic backgrounds sitting on, lying on, hanging from or holding up giant fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish and other foods

You’ve Decided You Want to Eat Better. Now What?

There are countless diets to choose from, but one rises above the rest, say U of T experts Read More

Black and white graphite drawing of Robarts Library, with surrounding trees coloured in green.

How Robarts Library Got Its Distinctive Look

A huge, concrete triangle wasn’t an obvious design, but there were reasons for it Read More

A bald man in a lab coat with black glasses and a beard looks at a machine with many wires emerging from it.

The Lab That (Almost) Runs Itself

Robots and AI are changing how we do science, making it faster, cheaper and more productive Read More

Fourteen brass spherical resonators of increasing size from top to bottom, attached to the right side of a steel frame, which is attached to a rotating mirror on the left side. Rubber hoses are connected to several of the spheres.

Ode to Ingenuity

U of T’s collection of scientific artifacts shows how researchers pursued discovery – and sometimes made history Read More

Two women stand at a desk. One is using a glass muller to blend green ink on the desktop as the other watches. In the foreground is a tray with type for letterpress printing

We’re Going to Print Like It’s 1899

Having grown up with all things digital, these students are learning how to make books the old, old-fashioned way Read More

A researcher observes data on a laptop, while an athlete wearing an oxygen mask pedals a machine with a hand-operated wheel.

From Strength to Strength

U of T’s new Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport will help athletes at all levels perform better Read More

A magnifying glass with a ruler in the centre is placed on top of dark thumbprints on white paper, while a blue-gloved hand holds a paper tag next to it, handwritten with a date, GE number and location

Investigating Crime, One Fake Body at a Time

U of T Mississauga’s forensic science program gives students a unique training experience Read More

Friendly looking robot drawing a picture at a drafting table

Can an AI Design a Magazine Cover?

The short answer is “yes,” but it’s not easy – at least it wasn’t for us Read More

Friendly robot sitting at a desk and typing on a laptop

We Tested an AI While Creating This Issue

We used an artificial intelligence to write headlines, add text to a story and summarize a longer article. It was often eerily good Read More

Concrete Magic

U of T Scarborough’s Andrews Building has become a Canadian landmark Read More

Illustration of the Lawson Centre for Sustainability and various sustainable and accessible characteristics of the building in callout bubble illustrations and text, with lines pointing to different parts of the building

Green All Over

These four new U of T buildings will reach the highest levels of sustainability Read More

Close up of Prof. Gillian Hadfield in a black turtleneck sweater, smiling against a solid dark-brown background

Will AI Be a Force for Good?

New technologies are difficult to regulate. With artificial intelligence, it may be time to rethink our approach, says Gillian Hadfield Read More

Karlie Nordstrom standing in front of an Indigenous painting of animals and trees in the foreground and the outline of a city and concentric circles of different colours in the background

See You in Court

Raising the number of Indigenous lawyers and judges will require more financial support for Indigenous law students Read More

A Nudge in the Right Direction

Insights from psychology and business can steer people toward better decisions – for themselves and society Read More

Kamola Khaitova in shorts, T-shirt and a mask, carrying a container of wheatgrass, rows of potted plants on either side

Three Moments from Spring 2022

Architecture students get ready to build, snowshoeing in Scarborough and growing plants for science Read More

Jialiang Zhu standing next to a sunflower patch

Come From Away

These seven international students and alumni are among the thousands who contribute to scholarly and cultural life at U of T Read More

Rows of empty chairs at the vaccination site and three staff members wearing masks near the top of the photo, one holding a tape measure

Three Moments from Spring 2021

Learning to live with the pandemic Read More

Composite image of 12 alumni featured as

Taking a Stand

As these alumni have discovered, it takes courage to speak up for what you believe in Read More

Writer and U of T grad Aaron Hagey-Mackay sits at a desk in his home. On the wall behind him hang many framed comic book covers.

Satire vs. Fake News

One plays with its audience, the other preys on it, says writer Aaron Hagey-Mackay Read More

Two workers standing in front of a tank-like machine drilling a hole into the ground of the front campus field

U of T’s Path to a Low-Carbon Future Begins Deep Below King’s College Circle

Black and white photo of Eliot Britton sitting in a music studio behind glass that is reflecting rod-like shapes

What Is Music When Almost Everything Can Be Music?

Prof. Eliot Britton tests the limits of what it means to be a composer in the 21st century Read More

Artist rendering of King's College Circle, with University College in the background and the grassy field in front with cherry blossom trees in bloom. Students are sitting on benches, and a soccer game is underway.

A Bright Future for Front Campus

U of T’s plans for new trees, gardens and green space around King’s College Circle bring the university a $100,000 gift Read More

Rows of school chairs with slang words written on the desk arms: Mans ting, nize it, ahlie, miskeen

Do You Know Toronto Slang?

Youth are drawing from several languages spoken by the city’s immigrants to create a novel form of English Read More

These 10 Things Are Very Canadian

And they all have a surprising connection to U of T Read More

The Oxford English Dictionary in Robarts Library at the University of Toronto, June 19, 2019. Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn

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 Read More

Proofs of University of Toronto Magazine's Contents page for the Autumn 2018 issue

The New University of Toronto Magazine

A fresh, expansive look, with a focus on ideas that move us Read More

A Robot That Cheers Up Kids

Meet MEDi the robot, who sings, dances and helps young cancer patients feel less afraid Read More

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 Read More

The Art of Design

Gord Dorrett is behind support for a “critique room” at U of T’s new Daniels Building Read More

Illustrations of astronaut Chris Hadfield and singer Celine Dion.

A Distinctive Look?

English-Canadians are pretty good at identifying French-Canadian faces but the reverse isn’t true Read More

Sunset shot of hands in the air, waving Canadian flags

What Canada Got Right

An acceptance of diversity may be the country’s defining strength Read More

Photo of Colin Arrowsmith biking along Huron Street, pulling a device.

How Much Methane?

A U of T study aims to create the most accurate estimate yet of Toronto’s greenhouse gas emissions Read More

Illustration of a cross section view of a three-storey building. First floor: receptionist and a coffee station. Second floor: three people brainstorming on a whiteboard. Third floor: a conference room and an outdoor garden.

So You Want to Build a Startup?

10 tips from some of Canada’s top entrepreneurs Read More

Photo of students collaborating at a table and working with laptops in the Hub.

The Value of a University

How much do U of T alumni contribute to Toronto, Canada and the world? Read More

Artistic rendering of a section of the Black Creek Channel, with murals along the left wall, a bike lane alongside the ravine, and a stairway on the right

Reimagining Toronto’s Ravines

Daniels students’ projects find new uses for the the city’s neglected river valleys Read More

Making the World Unsafe Again?

Donald Trump’s presidency is raising the risk of violent conflict among the world’s great powers Read More

Can Science Help You Find a Soulmate?

Two U of T entrepreneurs are offering DNA tests to help singles connect and couples stay together Read More

Students Stephanie Lewis and Zachary al-Khatib work together at the Bora Laskin Law Library in the new Jackman Law Building. “Collaboration is essential to every part of the law school process,” says al-Khatib. Photo by Caroline Ryan.

How Building Design Can Make Collaboration Easier

The design of the Jackman Law Building reflects the need for shared, creative spaces for both students and faculty Read More

As the founding director of U of T’s Centre for South Asian Civilizations, Shafique Virani wants to help people learn about a variety of cultures and religions

Overcoming Bias with Teaching

Professor Shafique Virani says the key to countering Islamophobia is education Read More

Photo of a group of protesters, one speaking through a loudspeaker and one holding a sign (

Black and Blue

How do we restore trust between minority communities and police? Read More

Photo of a child playing in front of a cooking fire

Of Hearth and Home – and Health

A simple U of T innovation could help prevent burns among millions of children in the Global South Read More

Does your name predestine who you will become? Alumna Mavis Himes offers an answer to this and many other name-related questions. Photo by Pierre Gautreau Photography.

What Does Your Name Say about You?

Alumna Mavis Himes delves into the hidden meanings and social weight of what we call ourselves Read More