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
People prefer products that help them ‘save face’ in embarrassing moments
TORONTO, ON - People who are feeling embarrassed are more likely to choose items that hide or 'repair' the face, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research indicates that feelings of embarrassment can be alleviated by using so-called 'restorative' products -- effectively helping people to "save face." "Previous research on embarrassment mainly documents that embarrassed individuals are motivated to avoid public exposure," explains Ping Dong, a doctoral student at…
Women who were physically abused during childhood more likely to be obese
TORONTO, ON – Women with a history of childhood physical abuse are more likely to become obese adults, according to a new study by University of Toronto researchers. Results indicate that women who were physically abused in childhood were more likely to be obese than women from non-abusive homes. “After adjusting for age and race, childhood physical abuse was associated with 47% higher odds of obesity for women” says lead author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Professor and Sandra Rotman Endowed Chair in…
New study redefines how plaques grow in heart disease
TORONTO, ON — The growth of deadly plaque inside the walls of arteries may not happen as scientists believed, research from the University of Toronto and Massachusetts General Hospital has found. The research also suggests a new potential target in the treatment of atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and death globally. The research team found that macrophages, white blood cells that drive atherosclerosis, replicate inside plaques. Moreover, this growth is not reliant on cells outside the plaques called…
Bio-inspired design may lead to more energy efficient windows
TORONTO, ON – University of Toronto Engineering professor Ben Hatton is turning to nature to find a way to cut down on the energy leaks from windows. In a recent article in Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, Hatton and his colleagues at Harvard University describe a novel process to cut down on heat loss during the winter and keep buildings cool during the summer. Their “bio-inspired approach to thermal control for cooling (or heating) building window surfaces” calls for attaching optically clear, flexible elastomer sheets, bonded to regular glass…
Childbirth: U of T professor’s grant could curb maternal death — with tea
Childbirth is supposed to be a miracle, but in some parts of the developing world it’s a tragedy. Read more here...
U of T library system again ranked in top three in North America
TORONTO, ON – The University of Toronto has once again been ranked as one of the top three library systems in North America – after Harvard and Yale – according to the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) rankings. U of T was the only Canadian university in the top 10. “We are very proud to again be ranked in the prestigious company of Harvard and Yale,” said Chief Librarian Larry P. Alford. “I believe this is a recognition of the work of…
U of T awards prestigious quantum mechanics prize to pioneering physicists
TORONTO, ON — The University of Toronto’s Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control has announced Michel Devoret and Robert Schoelkopf, both of Yale University, as winners of the prestigious John Stewart Bell Prize for their enormous contributions to the field of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is the theory physicists believe describes everything in nature. Yet, with predictions such as the fact that any small particle, an atom for example, can be in two places at the same time, the story it…
Young Toronto community housing residents race to success at annual track and field meet
TORONTO, ON - Toronto Community Housing, together with the University of Toronto track and field program, is inviting 300 aspiring young track and field athletes to compete at the world-class Varsity Centre on July 31. At the ninth annual Search for the Stars event, Olympic Team Trialist Tania Archer will make a special address before participants launch into a day of track and field competition. Promising athletes, who are also Toronto Community Housing residents, have the chance to be awarded…
Childhood physical abuse linked to thyroid disorders in women
TORONTO, ON – Women who were victims of childhood physical abuse are more likely to develop thyroid conditions than women who were not maltreated during childhood, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of Hawaii. The study appears online in this week's Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma. "We found a significant association with thyroid disorders for women, who were abused during childhood," says lead author Esme Fuller Thomson, Professor and Sandra Rotman Chair at University…
University of Toronto report says 3.9 million Canadians struggle to afford food
TORONTO, ON – A new report by researchers at the University of Toronto shows that almost four million Canadians are struggling to put the food they need on the table because of food insecurity. The report, which examined the state of food insecurity in Canada, states that 3.9 million Canadians struggled to afford enough food in 2011, an increase of close to half a million compared with 2008. Of those that went hungry in 2011, 1.1 million were children. Food insecurity…