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    

April 5, 2010

Engineering students tackle real city problems

Toronto, ON – Ever get lost in the underground PATH tunnels in downtown Toronto? Fear for your safety when walking near the intersection of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street? Get blown away by huge wind gusts in the city’s urban wind tunnels? Next Monday, April 12, 2010, first-year Engineering students at UofT will present their unique and innovative solutions to these and other pressing transit, water and safety issues in the City of Toronto. Media are invited to the Bahen…

March 26, 2010

University of Toronto applauds Ontario Government for investing in higher education

TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto applauds the Ontario government’s investment in post-secondary funding during these times of fiscal constraint, the University announced today following the tabling of the 2010 Ontario budget.  “In identifying education as a top priority for the government, Finance Minister Dwight Duncan is laying the foundation for the future prosperity of Ontario and Canada,” said UofT President David Naylor. “We commend the Ontario government for its decision to invest in talented students who will drive…

March 25, 2010

Chancellor Student Art Exhibit to showcase student visual artists

TORONTO, ON - The third annual Chancellor Student Art Exhibit presents a unique collection of artwork by U of T visual art students. The exhibit happens on Monday, March 30, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. at the Office of the Chancellor, 27 King's College Circle, Simcoe Hall. Conceived by U of T Chancellor David Peterson, the exhibit encompasses a diverse range of artwork in media such as photography, paint, printmaking, silkscreen, video art, sculpture, etchings and drawings. The exhibit is open…

March 23, 2010

University of Toronto earns third consecutive best diversity employer award

TORONTO, ON – For the third consecutive year, the University of Toronto has been named one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. Launched in 2008 by Mediacorp, Canada’s Best Diversity Employer’s competition recognizes employers that have developed exceptional workplace diversity and inclusiveness programs.  “It is gratifying to be recognized for work that is so central to our identity as a university,” said Angela Hildyard, Vice-president of Human Resources and Equity, U of T. “We are always seeking new ways to make…

March 19, 2010

U of T scholars are first Canadians to win Mellon Foundation’s prestigious new directions fellowships

TORONTO, ON - University of Toronto medieval historian Nicholas Everett and Walid Saleh, a scholar of religion and Near and Middle Eastern civilizations, have each been selected to receive a highly competitive New Directions Fellowship from the Mellon Foundation to pursue cross-disciplinary research. It is the first time the fellowships, created in 2002, have been awarded outside of the United States. The New Directions Fellowships are unique in that they enable young humanists to explore new lines of research by…

March 16, 2010

UofT historian wins prestigious international prize

TORONTO, ON – Natalie Zemon Davis, professor emerita from Princeton University and now a University of Toronto history scholar whose books have reached a wide audience, has won one of the world’s top academic prizes. The Holberg Prize - established by the Norwegian parliament in 2003 and worth $700,500 US - is awarded for outstanding scholarly work in the arts and humanities, social sciences, law or theology.  Philosopher Ian Hacking, also of the University of Toronto, won the prize last…

March 8, 2010

Divine intervention? New research looks at beliefs about god’s influence in everyday life.

TORONTO, ON – Most Americans believe God is concerned with their personal well-being and is directly involved in their personal affairs, according to new research out of the University of Toronto.  Using data from two recent national surveys of Americans, UofT Sociology Professor Scott Schieman examined peoples’ beliefs about God’s involvement and influence in everyday life. His research discovers new patterns about these beliefs and the ways they differ across education and income levels.  Schieman’s study, published in the March…

February 12, 2010

U of T students to participate in “alternative reading week”

TORONTO, ON – On top of hitting the books this reading week, hundreds of UofT students will be hitting the streets in one of Toronto’s poorest neighbourhoods to help with key community-building projects. More than 200 student volunteers will team up with agencies in the Weston-Mount Dennis area February 16 to 18, pitching in on a wide range of projects designed to enhance community services in this vibrant, multicultural neighbourhood. The students will help with dozens of critical projects, ranging…

February 9, 2010

An evening of multi-faith music at U of T

TORONTO, ON – Canada’s most multicultural campus will host a musical celebration featuring performances from various faith-based groups on Wednesday, February 24 at 7:15 p.m.  Musical talent from the University of Toronto’s highly diverse student body – including ensembles from the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, First Nations and Hindu faiths – will perform with the goal of raising money to eradicate malaria. “These students are a model of how religious communities can work together for a common good,” says Richard Chambers,…

January 26, 2010

Number of students choosing UofT as their first choice rises dramatically

TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto is seeing a dramatic rise in the number of Ontario high-school students choosing UofT as their first choice for post-secondary education, even while other large universities are experiencing declines.  Almost 1,000 more applicants listed the University of Toronto as their first choice for the 2010-11 academic year, an increase of eight per cent over last year’s figures and the largest increase since 2003.  UofT Vice President and Provost Cheryl Misak credits the increase…