快播视频鈥檚 2025 Spring Convocation will honour two faculty members with Distinguished Research Professor and University Professor recognitions.

The Distinguished Research Professor title is awarded to a faculty member whose research has had a significant and lasting impact, both at 快播视频 and beyond. It is a recognition of scholarly excellence and leadership that has shaped fields of study and contributed meaningfully to the academic reputation of the University.

The University Professor honour is reserved for those who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to teaching and research, alongside exemplary service to the University community. Recipients are recognized for their broad and sustained influence across all areas of academic life.

University Professorship

Paula Wilson, Faculty of Science

Wilson, a long-serving faculty member in the Department of Biology, has been recognized for her significant contributions to 快播视频鈥檚 academic mission, governance and community life.

Since joining York in 1998, she has held a range of senior administrative roles, including associate dean of student affairs, acting dean of the Faculty of Science, acting associate vice-president international, interim Chair of biology and, most recently, head of Bethune College.

She played a central role in developing undergraduate programs such as the biomedical science stream and the international bachelor of science, both of which have broadened access to science education. As a member of the Markham Campus Planning Group, she also supported the development of new professional graduate programs.

As head of Bethune College, she revitalized its role as an academic and social hub, launched new communications platforms, strengthened ties with the  and reimagined Academic Orientation Day to build student belonging.

A passionate educator and mentor, Wilson is a staunch advocate for removing barriers to learning. Her current scholarship, supported by a York Academic Innovation Fund grant, focuses on improving accessibility in undergraduate labs. Her pedagogical expertise and deep commitment to student success have had a lasting impact on the student experience at York.

While Wilson has received other teaching awards 鈥� including the Faculty of Science Excellence in Teaching Award and the President鈥檚 University-Wide Teaching Award 鈥� the University Professorship, she says, stands out.

"Receiving the University Professor recognition is the highest honour I could receive from York, so it means a lot to me and I鈥檓 deeply grateful for it. It has special meaning for me too, as a member of the teaching stream, as this honour rarely goes to teaching stream faculty," says Wilson. "I鈥檓 especially thankful for my colleagues who prepared the nomination and support letters, as these things take a substantial amount of time and energy 鈥� I feel like I am sharing this honour with them.

"Having the privilege to work with so many outstanding colleagues, students and staff members at York has made it both fun and a pleasure to come to work each day and to be honest, anything I have accomplished has been in collaboration with and because of them."

Courtesy of Yfile

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In the Faculty of Science, we continuously strive to deliver high-quality education and experiential learning opportunities that our students need to become future global leaders. In this issue of Innovatus, I am excited to share some of the ways in which we are prioritizing excellence in teaching and learning in the Faculty of Science. 

Our Faculty has been working hard to expand co-op opportunities for our students so they graduate with real-world experience. For instance, we have launched an innovative work-integrated learning program open to all science students that has doubled its intake each year. 

Our instructors are enhancing student learning and experience by introducing new technologies and methods of teaching, such as using virtual reality to augment students鈥� understanding of concepts and creating podcasts to increase the accessibility of course content. They are also creating new programming to support our students in becoming future scientists, such as a new transformative course for undergraduates to learn about the structure of a research career and how to conduct responsible research. 

We have an incredible community of instructors and staff in the Faculty of Science who are committed to providing our students with the knowledge, skills and credentials they need and desire to successfully transition into rewarding and impactful careers.鈥疧ur faculty members and staff are the drivers of teaching and learning innovation in our Faculty, and I am immensely proud of and grateful for their efforts. 

Thank you,  

Rui Wang
Dean, Faculty of Science 

In this issue:

York professor pioneers podcast-based learning in biology 
Professor Elizabeth Clare swaps traditional textbooks for dynamic podcasts, offering students a fresh, interactive and accessible way to learn complex biology concepts.

Using VR in chemistry to 鈥榝uture-proof鈥� students
A new fourth-year chemistry course at 快播视频 is changing the way students learn, moving beyond traditional methods to embrace modern technology and deeper learning.

New biology course prepares 快播视频 students for ethical research
Learn how a new fourth-year biology course is addressing scientific misconduct and teaching students the importance of integrity in research.

快播视频 enhances science co-op through national grant 
快播视频鈥檚 Faculty of Science will expand work-integrated learning opportunities and enhance experiential learning to prepare students for diverse careers in the field.

Courtesy of聽YFile

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Professor Elizabeth Clare had long eschewed textbooks for her biology students before she discovered the magic of podcasting. Now, she鈥檚 made a mark as a pioneer in the science podcast space, offering students and other learners accessible, easy-to-digest lessons in biology. 

For the last two years, the associate professor in 快播视频鈥檚 Department of Biology in the Faculty of Science has been busy supplementing classroom learning with her podcast, 鈥�.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

Her 33 episodes 鈥� hosted on BuzzSprout and available free on Apple and Spotify 鈥� cover topics from her biology classes and feature interviews with an expert or former student. The podcasts have been downloaded more than 18,000 times in 71 countries, with York students making up roughly 80 per cent of the listeners. 

Her podcasting started almost by accident, Clare says. She was teaching in England and one of her classes became fascinated by transposable elements, also known as jumping genes. It鈥檚 an obscure topic, Clare says, and not her area of specialization, but she happened to have a friend who earned his PhD studying the topic. She asked him to speak to the class over Skype.  

鈥淲e spent an hour peppering him with questions,鈥� Clare says. 鈥淭he students loved it.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

Next, Clare invited another friend 鈥� a scientific author 鈥� to talk to students about their work. The students then started asking for experts on various topics, and Clare began taping these talks. When she joined York in 2021, some of her students requested podcasts; Clare found that appealing because it showed students were driving a shift in learning and deciding how they wanted to access information. 

鈥淚鈥檝e always been a bit frustrated by textbooks. I don't really like teaching from a textbook. It鈥檚 there if we need it, but students are looking for novel sources of information,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 like science the way I teach it. I like it as a story you can tell, and this just fits with the podcast format.鈥�

In Clare鈥檚 first-year classes, students use both a textbook and the podcast; however, in upper-year classes, she鈥檚 stopped relying on textbooks and no longer assigns traditional text readings.  

鈥淪cience, particularly at an advanced level, changes fast. Textbooks can鈥檛 always keep up when you are teaching new research stories.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

Teaching by podcast is a great leveller: students don鈥檛 have to buy a $200 textbook; podcasts are free; and it turns out, podcasts are helpful for students with specific learning disabilities, Clare says.  

One student told Clare, 鈥淚 simply can鈥檛 sit down and read a chapter of a text. But I can put this on a loop and ride my bike.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

鈥淭he funny thing is the students really love it. I thought they would find it fun. It's fun for me to make,鈥� Clare says. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛 think they would come to rely on it the way they do. What I had not anticipated was the number of students, in that first year where I really got going with it, who came up and said, 鈥榊ou don't understand, this is an equity issue.鈥欌�� 

Other student feedback has been extremely positive, Clare says, and they continue to request more content. Some have even offered to help make more episodes.  

Christian Nakla is one of those students. He鈥檚 a fourth-year biology student who was in Clare鈥檚 third-year biology class on evolution where, says Clare, he became known as the 鈥淨uestion Guy鈥� for asking so many questions. He helped create a podcast episode on reproductive barriers and isolation for Clare鈥檚 first-year biology class. The  explains how reproductive barriers prevent interbreeding between populations.  

Nakla says making the podcast was rewarding. He is particularly pleased that BioAudio is accessible for non-students and says because it simplifies complex scientific concepts the information is easy for beginners to understand.  

鈥淚 think this is a very noble effort to bring this sort of knowledge to students but also to people who are not necessarily enrolled at 快播视频 in science,鈥� he says.  

Encouraging students to be enthusiastic about science is part of what drives this effort for Clare. And it鈥檚 working.  

鈥淎pparently, last year, in my third-year class, there were groups of students getting together on Friday nights and having podcast parties.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

She鈥檚 witnessed first-hand how podcasting, as a resource, is growing. Recently, Clare received an email from a professor in another country who said she鈥檇 discovered BioAudio and asked to use the podcast as a teaching aid.  

鈥淥K?鈥� says Clare. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great. I鈥檇 love for others to find it valuable. When I got the idea for this, I figured there was already something available. I went looking, but there was just nothing in the podcast world on this topic. So, I had to make it myself. But if I鈥檝e now filled the gap for someone else, that鈥檚 really cool.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; 

This week鈥檚 episode is 鈥淔ossils, Rocks and Radioactive Clocks.鈥� It explores how scientists date ancient events through a discussion with mammal paleontologist Mathew Jones and can be found  or free on other podcast platforms.鈥� 

With files from Julie Carl

Courtesy of聽YFile

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Students at 快播视频鈥檚 Markham Campus are taking their math skills beyond the classroom, thanks to a real-world teaching and learning initiative led by Assistant Professor Jessie Yang.

Under Yang鈥檚 guidance, seven first-year students host a bi-weekly math club at the Markham Public Library, offering tutoring sessions for children in grades 1 through 4. The students, who come from different disciplines of study, develop lesson plans, conduct math lessons and facilitate tutoring sessions. 

Their goal is to inspire young minds to enjoy and excel in math while making the learning process fun and engaging, says Yang, a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science. 

鈥淒espite being in their first year, these student leaders are already making a significant impact in their local community,鈥� says Yang. 鈥淏y applying their academic training in a real-world setting, they are gaining valuable experiential education that enhances their understanding of mathematical concepts and their ability to communicate effectively.鈥� 

The bi-weekly math club aligns with Markham Campus鈥� goal to foster community engagement and experiential learning.  

"The activities helped me connect with students, allowing me to learn how to nurture curiosity and showed the importance of enjoying what you鈥檙e learning,鈥� says Tharuk Ranasinghe, a computer science for software development student. 

Maria-Aim茅e Tat, a first-year science student, says the experience has given her an opportunity to see first-hand how teaching can spark insterest in learners 鈥� and reinforce learning in teachers.

"Seeing their excitement when a concept finally clicks has been incredibly rewarding,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to be part of these young learners鈥� journeys and can鈥檛 wait to keep making math exciting.鈥� 

The  began Feb. 22 at the Markham Village Branch and will run until March 22, with two sessions per day that offer four classes for grades 1 to 4. 

Courtesy of聽YFile

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The Excellence in Educational Leadership Awards, Excellence in Teaching Awards, and Excellence in Research Awards were announced at the event, which was emceed by Gerald Audette, associate dean, Faculty Affairs, and included welcome remarks by Rui Wang, dean of the Faculty of Science and a keynote speech by Scott Tanner, winner of a 2024 快播视频 Alumni Award.

More than 300 students were also invited and honoured at the event for the awards and scholarships they received in 2023-2024.

The recipients of this year鈥檚 Faculty of Science Excellence Awards are:

Excellence in Educational Leadership Award (Faculty category)

• Professor Tamara Kelly, Department of Biology

Excellence in Educational Leadership Award (Graduate category)

• MSc student Milong Wang, Faculty of Health

Excellence in Teaching Award (Junior Tenure Stream Faculty category)

• Assistant Professor Jade Atallah, Department of Biology
• Associate Professor Robin Marushia, Department of Science, Technology and Society

Excellence in Teaching Award (Senior Tenure Stream Faculty category)

• Associate Professor Hovig Kouyoumdjian, Department of Chemistry
• Associate Professor Nicole Nivillac, Department of Biology

Excellence in Teaching Award (Contract Faculty category)

• Contract Faculty Angela Cope, Department of Science, Technology and Society

Richard Jarrell Award of Excellence for Teaching Assistants

• PhD student Britney Picinic, Department of Biology
• PhD student Emily Anacleto, Department of Chemistry

Early Career Research Award

• Associate Professor Trevor VandenBoer, Department of Chemistry

Established Research Award

• Distinguished Research Professor Sergey Krylov, Department of Chemistry
• Professor Wendy Taylor, Department of Physics & Astronomy

Read the full story in YFile.

For more details about the awards and a full list of recipients honoured at the event, view the ceremony program booklet.

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With efforts led by Biology Professor Gary Sweeney from the Faculty of Science, the new laboratory will focus on integrating clinical research with biomedical laboratory studies to improve human health, particularly in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, as well as conditions related to aging.

Read the full story in聽YFile.

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快播视频鈥檚 Asian Business & Management Program (ABMP) and the Faculty of Science were honoured with the ninth Canada China Business Excellence Academic Collaboration Bronze Award at the Canada China Business Council's 46th Annual General Meeting and Business Forum in Beijing.

The award celebrates visionary Canadian organizations advancing educational ties with China. It acknowledges the efforts of organizations that demonstrate leadership in cross-border collaboration and academic innovation. The award is a testament to the success of York's ABMP and Faculty of Science in fostering resilient academic partnerships with Chinese institutions. Despite complex geopolitical dynamics, ABMP and the Faculty of Science have strategically built sustainable collaborations that not only enrich students and faculty but also provide unique educational opportunities across borders in the post-pandemic era. Key collaborations that contributed to the award include the Global Perspectives program and the Career Bootcamp, both of which exemplify ABMP and Faculty of Science's adaptability in the face of challenges.

The Global Perspectives program, launched in 2022, is a virtual engagement initiative that has connected over 350 Chinese students with Canadian educators, focusing on global challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. A strategic partnership with the Jiangsu-Canada University Consortium, encompassing 29 academic institutions in China's Jiangsu province, has been instrumental in equipping students with cross-cultural skills and preparing them to tackle global challenges. These efforts have not only strengthened academic ties between 快播视频 and Jiangsu universities but also fostered bilateral co-operation in education and research.

ABMP and the Faculty of Science were among the first educational organizations to resume in-person engagement with Chinese students following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Career Bootcamp, tailored for Chinese undergraduates, combines theoretical learning with real-world application, helping students bridge the gap between classroom education and industry demands, while giving them an edge in an increasingly competitive job market. Beyond fostering career readiness, the program promotes intercultural interactions, shaping participants into cultural ambassadors and strengthening ties between Canada and China.

Hugo Chen, director of international collaborations and partnerships in the Faculty of Science, emphasized the broader impact of these partnerships: 鈥淚n fostering these collaborations, both countries are not only advancing academic excellence but also promoting international co-operation, cultural exchange and sustainable development.鈥�

As geopolitical dynamics continue to evolve, ABMP and the Faculty of Science's proactive approach 鈥� blending virtual and in-person initiatives 鈥� sets a powerful example of how academic collaboration can transcend borders and foster mutual understanding, said Elena Caprioni, ABMP director. 鈥淭hrough these efforts, we are shaping a future where Canada and China remain interconnected through shared values, knowledge exchange and a commitment to tackling the world鈥檚 biggest challenges.鈥�

This Bronze Award serves not only as recognition of past achievements but also as an inspiration to further strengthen academic and cultural ties that benefit both nations and contribute to global progress.

Courtesy of YFile

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快播视频 is taking a leadership role in addressing one of the world鈥檚 most pressing issues 鈥� water sustainability. The University is serving as the academic lead for a pioneering virtual course titled 鈥淚ntroduction to Big Data for Water Sustainability,鈥� run by the United Nations Institute for Training & Research (UNITAR) Global Water Academy.

The seven-week course, which began recently and runs until Dec. 3, aims to tackle the complex challenge of global water insecurity. With more than two billion people lacking safe access to clean water, the need for innovative solutions in water sustainability management has never been more critical.

Professor Sapna Sharma in 快播视频鈥檚 Faculty of Science, who designed the curriculum, emphasizes the urgency of the situation. 鈥淲e are in need of practical and effective solutions to water sustainability management that are relevant at both local and global scales, and based on a data-driven strategy,鈥� she says.

The course content focuses on harnessing the power of open-access data, novel technologies, inclusive international collaborations and Indigenous knowledge integration. By combining these elements, the project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of water sustainability on a global scale.

A defining feature of this offering is its 鈥渢wo-eyed seeing鈥� approach, which integrates Indigenous knowledge with western scientific practices. This comprehensive strategy aims to expand understanding of global freshwater availability, particularly in unexplored regions or areas with insufficient resource access. As Sharma points out, incorporating Indigenous knowledge is essential for developing effective water management solutions. 鈥淚t allows us to tap into centuries of local expertise and understanding of water systems.鈥�

Each module features an experienced practitioner guiding participants through the process of accessing, using and applying open-access global freshwater datasets. Topics covered include remote sensing technologies, community networks, traditional knowledge and increased accessibility of open-access data.

The project鈥檚 global reach is already apparent. 鈥淭his free, open-access curriculum has approximately 750 registrants from about 120 countries,鈥� Sharma says. 鈥淲e have invited leaders from academia, [United Nations] agencies, governments, [non-governmental organizations] and Inuit communities 鈥� to present guest lectures.鈥� This diverse participation not only showcases York鈥檚 international influence but also demonstrates its commitment to democratizing higher education. Furthermore, by providing high-calibre knowledge and training in water sustainability to a global audience, the University is helping to increase access to expertise, particularly for those in regions where such resources may be limited.

Building on this global collaboration, the course tackles several key challenges in water sustainability management. These include data accessibility, quantifying water insecurity and developing innovative solutions.

Despite significant annual investments in acquiring, compiling and analyzing data on various water bodies around the world, many researchers and practitioners struggle to locate and effectively utilize these datasets. This gap between data availability and practical application highlights the need for improved data management and sharing practices in the field of water sustainability.

To address these challenges, the course aims to foster creative, data-driven solutions that safeguard freshwater resources and promote equitable access to clean water worldwide. By equipping participants with the skills to navigate and leverage existing datasets, the initiative seeks to connect data collection with real-world application in water management strategies.

Looking ahead, Sharma envisions the curriculum as a catalyst for positive change: 鈥淲e hope that this offering will provide the tools to inspire new approaches to safeguard our freshwater resources and work towards a future of equitable access to clean water across the globe.鈥�

For more information and to register for the remaining sessions, visit the Introduction to Big Data for Water Sustainability course web page.

Courtesy of YFile

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With 快播视频鈥檚 new Markham Campus now open, the campus is prioritizing opportunities that demonstrate York鈥檚 leadership experiential education (EE), which is increasingly a focus in Canada鈥檚 halls of higher learning. It is doing so with innovative new programs, including two rooted in biotechnology.

鈥淭he vision for the Markham Campus from the onset was to provide our students with access to high-level experiential education opportunities,鈥� said Dan Palermo, interim deputy provost, Markham. 鈥淭his vision aligns with the broader vision of 快播视频 to expand experiential education opportunities for students across the institution.

鈥淭his is also in response to what students want as part of their academic journey, even what parents want for their children as they go to post-secondary school. And it does prepare students better for the workforce,鈥� Palermo said.

The Markham Campus offers degree programs and micro-credentials focused on EE, digital technologies and entrepreneurship. Among the courses benefiting from the campus鈥檚 focus on EE are the brand-new Communication, Social Media & Public Relations course, the Digital Technologies course and the Computer Science for Software Development course, which will all include work terms in Markham-based industries or non-profits.

The Markham Campus鈥檚 new Master of Biotechnology Management (MBM) program and Graduate Diploma in Biotechnology will also advance the University鈥檚 EE leadership, closely aligning classroom education with what the industry has said workers need.

In the case of the biotechnology programs, the course experiences were 鈥� in fact 鈥� specifically designed that way.

Jade Atallah, graduate program director of biotechnology at Markham and an assistant professor in the teaching stream in the Department of Biology; and Luz Puentes J谩come, an assistant professor in the teaching stream in the Department of Biology, developed the curricula and pedagogical approaches of the biotechnology programs after listening to the industry. 

鈥淧edagogically, we knew that experiential education must be at the centre of curricular delivery,鈥� Atallah said. 鈥淏ecause we were working with new programs, it was a relief that no retrofitting was needed. We were able to start from the ground up, where experiential education was at the centre and everything else came around it.鈥�

Indeed, the graduate biotechnology programs incorporate immersive and multimodal experiential learning such as industry workshops, industry fireside chats, participation in biotechnology conferences, industry challenge questions, interdisciplinary capstone projects and industry internships.

鈥淲e bring in industry partners to act as industry mentors, and our graduate program students work in groups as consultants and try to solve a problem posed by the industry mentor,鈥� said Puentes J谩come.

鈥淚n that way, they鈥檙e working directly in an industry context. They go through the process of figuring out a solution for this program, doing some literature search and writing a white paper. Then they鈥檒l have a final presentation in which we will bring all the industry mentors together to observe the presentations and to network with our students.鈥�

The programs are interdisciplinary. In the case of the MBM program, students integrate management training with the biotechnology portion of the course. 鈥淭his would prepare the students to, perhaps, run a biotech startup,鈥� Puentes J谩come said. For example, she said, 鈥渢hey might work toward creating a water bottle with biology, not fossil fuels.鈥�

Marisol John is a student in the Master of Biotechnology Management program and is among those who have seen the many possibilities for a biotech career available to them through the program.

 鈥淚 have learnt so much about this industry, and I鈥檓 excited to continue this process of directly engaging with real-world industry problems,鈥� she said.

John is already envisioning ways she can apply her in-class experiences.

鈥淚 have a very deep passion for agri-bio and environmental biology,鈥� John said. 鈥淐oming from a Caribbean island, Dominica 鈥� the greenest island in the Caribbean 鈥� I think this program will afford me a diverse skill set to effect positive and sustainable change in my country.鈥�

Her undergrad thesis was based on the therapeutic applications of ginger, something John hopes to expand upon. Her grandparents treated flu and upset stomachs with ginger tea, and John鈥檚 research showed it鈥檚 used for many therapeutic reasons, including pneumonia, tuberculosis and asthma. But, she said, there is limited information available on these topics.

鈥淚 am using this to drive the rest of my career,鈥� said John. 鈥淚 am learning how various biotech industries can be integrated to bridge the knowledge gap and innovatively solve problems related to crops, agricultural sustainability, food processing and diversification. The possibilities are endless.鈥�

Thanks to the experiential education opportunities provided by the new Markham Campus 鈥� like those in biotechnology 鈥� the possibilities will be endless for other students, too.

With files from Julie Carl

Courtesy of YFile

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快播视频鈥檚 Faculty of Science is welcoming five new full-time, permanent faculty members this year.

鈥淭he Faculty of Science has hired fantastic new faculty members that will contribute to enhancing our Faculty鈥檚 academic excellence, diversity, and research and teaching capacity,鈥� says Faculty of Science Dean Rui Wang. 鈥淚 look forward to working with our outstanding new colleagues, who bring diverse experiences and perspectives that will strengthen our Faculty as a destination of choice for students and aspiring scientists.鈥�

Divya Sharma

Sharma joins the Department of Mathematics & Statistics as an assistant professor in the data science stream. She holds a PhD in computer science with a specialization in machine learning (ML) from the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur.

Following her doctoral studies, Sharma completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Biostatistics Department at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, part of the University Health Network, in Toronto. During this time, she was awarded the Canadian Institutes of Health Research STAGE (Strategic Training for Advanced Genetic Epidemiology) Fellowship for 2020-22. Following that, she worked as a senior biostatistician and clinician investigator at the University Health Network, where she developed artificial intelligence models to address various health outcomes, including liver disease, cancer, sepsis and osteoarthritis. She did so through interdisciplinary collaborations at Toronto General Hospital, the Krembil Research Institute and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Sharma鈥檚 research program focuses on developing novel deep learning models for integrative, high-dimensional modelling of multi-modal big health-care data, comprising clinical, imaging and genomic domains. Her work places a strong emphasis on clinical interpretability and deployability, with innovative ML modelling approaches published in high-impact journals such as Lancet Digital Health and Bioinformatics.

Sharma has recently received the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant and Launch supplement for 2024, as well as a Resource Allocation Grant 2024 from the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, which will help steer her research program at York and provide computational resources to develop deep learning models for guiding personalized medicine. In her teaching at York, she wants to provide students with a strong foundation in statistics, mathematics and computational principles behind complex concepts in machine learning and data science. Her goal is to equip students so they can become future leaders in the application and development of robust modelling approaches.

Yi Liu

Liu joins the Department of Mathematics & Statistics as an assistant professor. He received his PhD in statistical machine learning from the University of Alberta in 2023, following his postdoctoral fellowship and experience as an assistant lecturer at the same institution. Liu also holds a master鈥檚 degree in mathematics from Beijing Normal University.

Liu鈥檚 research focuses on developing robust algorithms for differential privacy, functional data analysis and reinforcement learning. His work seeks to balance data utility with privacy preservation, exploring innovative approaches to protect user information while maintaining the integrity of statistical analysis. His research has been presented at top-tier conferences and published in leading journals like Statistica Sinica and Bernoulli.

Liu鈥檚 contributions are advancing both theoretical and applied aspects of statistical machine learning, particularly in privacy-preserving technologies and optimization in dynamic environments.

Tianyu Guan

Guan joins the Department of Mathematics & Statistics as an assistant professor. Guan received her PhD in statistics and MSc in actuarial science at Simon Fraser University. Before joining York, she was an assistant professor at Brock University from 2020 to 2024. Guan鈥檚 research spans several cutting-edge areas, including sports analytics, functional data analysis, machine learning and data science. She specializes in developing novel statistical and data science methods to analyze data across various fields such as sports, public health and economics.

In recent years, Guan鈥檚 research interest in sports analytics has particularly grown. She analyzes sports data to craft better strategies, improve team and player performance, and influence betting odds. She has collaborated with various organizations to advance the use of statistical techniques in sports decision-making. Her goal is to use sports analytics to help teams and players gain a competitive edge.

Bruce Howard

Howard joins the Department of Physics & Astronomy having received his undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy from the University of Pittsburgh and his PhD in physics from Indiana University. Following this, Howard held a postdoctoral position as a research associate at Fermilab, near Chicago.

Howard鈥檚 research focuses on experimental particle physics, specifically neutrinos. His main interest is in furthering our understanding of the properties of neutrinos and antineutrinos, especially around the properties at work in the process known as neutrino oscillation. Neutrino oscillation is the phenomenon where a neutrino or antineutrino created as one type can later interact as another type.

Howard鈥檚 research efforts at York in the next years will primarily use liquid argon (LAr) time-projection chamber (TPC) detectors to study neutrinos. One focus is on realizing and performing studies with an upcoming, powerful neutrino experiment (DUNE) in which an international collaborative effort will deploy detectors near the beam at Fermilab and far away in South Dakota. The other focus will be on conducting studies with a smaller LAr TPC detector that is currently operating and enabling interesting neutrino studies as well as key opportunities to prepare for the next-generation experiment.

Stephanie Jones

Jones will join the Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor in February 2025. Her research is focused on atmospheric aerosols and environmentally relevant surface films. In particular, she is interested in understanding how atmospheric transformations impact the fundamental properties of aerosols and films. Jones uses single particle levitation methods, as well as neutron and X-ray scattering, to study transformations of aerosols and films in the laboratory to determine their fundamental physicochemical and optical properties.

Jones has an integrated master鈥檚 in chemistry from the University of Bristol and a PhD from Royal Holloway University of London. Following her PhD, she undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Victoria in Canada, before moving back to the U.K. where she worked in industry for a brief period as a product manager at Laser Quantum. She then transitioned back to academia and chemistry, completing a second postdoc in environmental chemistry at the University of Toronto where she expanded her research interests to include the indoor environment.

After successfully obtaining funding for her own position from the German Research Foundation, Jones then moved to the Institute of Meteorology & Climate Research鈥檚 Atmospheric Aerosol Research Department at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, where she is currently based. Her research at KIT involves the study of photochemically induced transformations of wood smoke aerosol using single droplet studies and large-scale cloud simulation chamber experiments.

Jones is excited to return to Canada and looks forward to contributing to the atmospheric chemistry community.

Courtesy of YFile

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