Research & Ideas
Work Has Changed. So Have the Qualities of Good Leadership
Rapid shifts in everything from technology to employee expectations are pressuring leaders to constantly adapt
The Science of Second Chances
A U of T Scarborough professor’s educational outreach program is giving people in prison new hope
Why Can’t We Put Down Our Phones?
A U of T Mississauga study finds that problematic smartphone use is increasing worldwide – especially among younger women
Could AI Help You Quit an Addiction?
U of T researchers are developing a chatbot to help people stop smoking. One day, it might offer therapy, too
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
New Paths to Recovery
Every year, thousands of Canadians seek help for addiction. Which treatments work best?
Can Electric Vehicles Save the Planet?
Eliminating gas-powered cars and trucks may help avert a climate catastrophe. But they are only part of the solution
The Theatre of Tomorrow
A U of T lab is working with actors, writers and directors on how they could harness AI and other emerging technologies to generate new ideas and – just maybe – reinvent theatre
Missing or Murdered – and Dismissed
U of T Mississauga researchers examine the barriers family and friends face – often from police – when searching for Indigenous women and girls
Improving Your Shuteye
Anthropologist and sleep expert David Samson offers five useful ideas for getting a better night’s rest
Rogers Foundation Gives $90 Million to Usher in New Era in Cardiac Care
Gift will enable the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research to expand its research into heart failure – and save lives
Solving a Climate Puzzle, One Tree Ring at a Time
A natural archive reveals how Canada’s arctic climate has changed over the past 1,000 years
Tremors of the Heart
How AI could help doctors predict cardiac problems in critically ill children
Hunger Pains
Food bank use in Toronto is soaring. Can a U of T Scarborough lab help?
Cities Are Driving Evolution
Globally crowdsourced study shows that white clovers are biologically adapting to city life, demonstrating the profound impact of urbanization
From Strength to Strength
U of T’s new Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport will help athletes at all levels perform better
What Is the Future of Urban Farming?
Researchers at U of T Scarborough are testing which crops fare best on city roofs
How to Eat Sustainably on a Budget
Four tips for being kind to the planet – and your wallet – when you buy groceries
Can an AI Design a Magazine Cover?
The short answer is “yes,” but it’s not easy – at least it wasn’t for us
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
A Prescription for Equality
A new medical academy at U of T Scarborough will try to close Canada’s racial health gap
A Lifeline for an Endangered Language
U of T linguists have partnered with an Indigenous community member to bring the Munsee dialect back from the brink of extinction
Doing Improv Can Boost Your Confidence
Social work research suggests three ways the activity boosts self-esteem
Expanding the Pool of Entrepreneurs
A U of T initiative aims to support the creation of Black-owned businesses in the university community
Picking Up the Pace of Scientific Discovery
Prof. Alán Aspuru-Guzik is using AI and robotics to help create new, more sustainable materials in a fraction of the usual time
Hidden Tales of Ancient Books
U of T researchers are using advanced technologies to reveal new insights about texts that are hundreds of years old
A New Way to Monitor Heart Patients
“Lab on a chip” technology will reduce travel expenses and improve care for those living in remote communities
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
The Power of Information
The world produces mountains of data every day. A new U of T institute will help us make better sense of it all
What Are Kids Learning about Climate Change?
Fikile Nxumalo thinks schools may be missing an important point
The Pharmacy of the Future
A new U of T facility will train pharmacists to take on a larger role in Canadian health care
The Robots Are Coming
They’re already common in manufacturing. Soon, they’ll be almost everywhere
Preventing the Next Pandemic
Understanding how viruses and bacteria rely on human cells to survive could reveal new ways to defeat them
From Anxiety to Action
U of T students are collaborating with faculty on research that could improve the mental health of youth worldwide
A Nudge in the Right Direction
Insights from psychology and business can steer people toward better decisions – for themselves and society
Canada’s Path to Clean Energy
Electricity from renewable sources is getting cheaper, but how do we make it available to all Canadians?
Which Bees Are the Best Pollinators?
A U of T Scarborough biologist is using high-resolution cameras to find out
Ontario’s Growing Goldfish Problem
Pets that were released into ponds are becoming ‘super-invaders’ that could wreak havoc with the ecosystem
Hunger in the North
Too many people in Nunavut don’t get enough to eat. Anthropologist Tracey Galloway believes Inuit communities, not southern governments, have the solution
Blurring the Blue Line
Student Rachel Bromberg and alum Asante Haughton are helping to create a response service for mental health crisis calls in Toronto that relies less on police
The Miracle of Insulin
A century after U of T scientists discovered the life-saving extract, researchers are finding new ways to improve the lives of people with diabetes
Clearing the Air
U of T wants to drastically cut carbon emissions by 2050. It’s enlisting on-campus ingenuity for help
The Extremism Machine
Online disinformation poses a danger to society. Researchers at U of T’s Citizen Lab are tracking it – and trying to figure out how to stop it
The Surprising Resilience of Restaurants
A U of T Mississauga study aims to identify the “secret sauce” that is helping many dining establishments stay open during the pandemic
Attracting Top Talent to Canada
Canada could invest in a “moonshot” to recruit the world’s outstanding scientists engineers, artists and scholars
Robots Are Taking on New Shapes
How a slender, snake-like device could give doctors new ways to save lives
What the Zebrafish Can Tell Us
How this tiny animal is helping scientists investigate disorders of the human brain
Eliminating Excessive Force
U of T Mississauga professor Judith Andersen’s training techniques improve police performance in tense situations. The challenge: getting police to use them
The Search for a Vaccine
U of T scientists are pursuing a made-in-Canada solution to end the pandemic
Whose Stories Do We Tell?
The Dictionary of Canadian Biography aims to record noteworthy lives from “all points of view.” Six decades into its mission, what that means is still up for debate
How Will We Fix Fake News?
Technology gave rise to the current problems, but technology alone won’t solve them
Learning Math Does More Than Boost Your Numeracy
It could help us build a more equitable society, says alum John Mighton
Sensing Our Way to Better Buildings
Smart thermostats and other building sensors could help reduce energy use by 10 per cent, a U of T study finds. Full retrofits could go much further
The Technologies That Are Transforming Theatre
A new BMO-supported lab at U of T investigates the creative potential for AI in the arts
Who Cares for the Caregivers?
There is a steep personal cost to caregiving, from chronic stress to physical injury. How can we help those who minister to family and friends?