Media Releases
Below is a selection of recent press releases. For all the latest news please visit www.utoronto.ca/news
General Inquires +1 (416) 978-0100 Email media.relations@utoronto.ca
Invading species can extinguish native plants despite recent reports
TORONTO, ON – Ecologists at the University of Toronto and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) have found that, given time, invading exotic plants will likely eliminate native plants growing in the wild despite recent reports to the contrary. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) reports that recent statements that invasive plants are not problematic are often based on incomplete information, with insufficient time having passed to observe the full effect…
U of T Researchers uncover major source of evolutionary differences among species
TORONTO, ON – University of Toronto Temerty Temerty Faculty of Medicine researchers have uncovered a genetic basis for fundamental differences between humans and other vertebrates that could also help explain why humans are susceptible to diseases not found in other species. Scientists have wondered why vertebrate species, which look and behave very differently from one another, nevertheless share very similar repertoires of genes. For example, despite obvious physical differences, humans and chimpanzees share a nearly identical set of genes. The…
Parents’ addiction, unemployment and divorce are risk factors for childhood abuse
TORONTO, ON – Adults who had parents who struggled with addiction, unemployment and divorce are 10 times more likely to have been victims of childhood physical abuse, according to a new study prepared by the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. The study, which was published online this week in the journal Child: Care, Health & Development, found that more than one-third of adults who grew up in homes where all three risk factors were present reported they…
University of Toronto and the University of São Paulo issue joint call for proposals for neuroscience & global cities research initiatives
TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto (U of T) and the University of São Paulo (USP) issued a joint Call for Proposals today, inviting interested researchers from U of T and USP to submit proposals for joint research projects in the areas of neuroscience and global cities – areas of research strength for the two institutions. The Call, an integral part of a long-term partnership strategy between the two institutions, came during a two-day joint Conference on Neuroscience at…
U of T’s science and health sciences library hosts therapy dog for exam stress relief
TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto’s Gerstein Science Information Centre will host Bella, a St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog, to provide stressed out students with a little relief around exam time. Bella will be at Gerstein from 1:30-3:00 pm on December 5, 6, 12 and 13. Similar programs have been implemented at Harvard, Yale, McGill and Dalhousie, among others. Dogs (and other animals) have been shown to reduce blood pressure, cortisol production, and stress and anxiety in general. As…
University of Toronto President David Naylor visits São Paulo Brazil for joint conference on neuroscience
TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto is partnering with the University of São Paulo on a two-day joint Conference on Neuroscience on December 7-8 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Representatives of the University, including President David Naylor, will attend the conference, as well as other events and activities in São Paulo, from December 5 – 8, 2012. The visit and conference are an opportunity to promote the University of Toronto’s activities in Brazil and nurture this growing partnership between two…
Three students from the University of Toronto named 2013 Rhodes Scholars
TORONTO, ON – Three students from the University of Toronto will pursue post-graduate studies at Oxford University next year after being named Rhodes Scholars for 2013. The Rhodes Scholarships are among the world’s most prestigious postgraduate awards supporting outstanding all-round students at Oxford. Only 83 students from universities around the world – and 11 from Canada - are chosen each year. The University of Toronto is the only university in Canada with more than one Rhodes Scholar this year. The…
University of Toronto awarded funding to deliver massive open online courses
TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop two online learning courses that will be delivered by award-winning U of T professors. The two courses – the latest in U of T’s involvement in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) programs – are intended to “engage a broad range of students in successfully advancing their general and developmental education,” said the Foundation in announcing the award earlier…
“The Higgs and Beyond: Brave New Physics” public event
TORONTO, ON — After a massive search involving thousands of researchers from around the world and the biggest particle accelerator ever built, physicists announced the historic discovery of the Higgs boson recently. What exactly is this elusive particle and how does its discovery change our view of the universe? These questions and more will be explored by some of the most innovative physicists in North America at a University of Toronto event this Friday. Hosted by CBC Radio’s Bob McDonald,…
U of T experts, Toronto city planner to discuss active school travel
TORONTO, ON – Research consistently shows that Canada’s children are becoming more and more sedentary and yet with the health of our next generation in jeopardy, one of the easiest and most accessible forms of physical activity – the walk to school – is still being passed over by most parents. On December 5, hear from experts are studying this challenge from a variety of angles at the free public symposium, “What Happened to Walking? Encouraging Active School Travel in…