U of G News

Hopper Lecture 2024 - Restless Earth
2024-10-09 16:00 - 18:00 (America/Toronto) | OVC Enhanced Clinical Learning, 415 Gordon St., Guelph, Ontario, Canada
In this talk Nanjala Nyabola​ gives insight and stimulates thought around the language and metrics that will define our digital future. As our world becomes increasingly digital, digital-rights advocates often struggle to convey rapid technological changes to those who need to understand them quickly to protect themselves. The Internet now dominates our public lives, and governments worldwide are adopting a “digital first” approach. After years of widespread belief in the Internet’s benefits, activists are now questioning how commercial and political interests are shaping it, often at the expense of community values like inclusion and trust.

Open Scholarship and RDM Brown Bag Series: Depositing Your Research Data in a Repository
2024-10-10 12:00 - 12:45 | ONLINE, Ontario, Canada
Sharing your data improves your visibility as a researcher, increases citations for your publications, gives you recognition for your work, attracts new collaborations, and most importantly allows for reproducibility and verification of results.
This brown bag will cover:

Benefits around depositing your research data into a repository.
Impact of the Tri-Agency Policy influences how data is deposited and shared.
How to select a repository for your research data.
How to prepare your research data for deposit.
License considerations for your data.
Overview on how to use and deposit data into the University of Guelph Research Data Repositories in Borealis, A Canadian Dataverse Repository.
Questions from audience members.

Call for Participants: "Open Sessions" with Jimmy Weinstein and Lilly Santon (Padua, Italy) - IICSI's Improvisers-in-Residence Fall 2024 (ImprovLab)
2024-10-10 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-15 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-17 14:00 - 17:00, 2024-10-22 14:00 - 17:00 | ImprovLab, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
IICSI’s Improvisers-in-Residence “Open Sessions”

When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, Oct. 3 to Oct. 22 (Six Workshops)
Where: ImprovLab (108 MacKinnon Building)
Time: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Who: Ages 16 and up—all skill levels and experience welcome!
Cost: Free!

Jimmy Weinstein and Lilly Santon (Padua, Italy), IICSI’s Improvisers-in-Residence for the Fall 2024 season, invite you to a series of Open Sessions designed to explore the limitless possibilities of interdisciplinary improvisation. With over 25 years of experience fostering safe creativity environments, our improvisers-in-residence are eager to collaborate with you!
What to Expect:

Interdisciplinary Exploration: Whether your passion is music, dance, painting, poetry, or any other art form, this space is open to all creative expressions.
Flexible Participation: Who shows up is who shows up! Feel free to drop in or out at any time—no commitment required.
Hands-On Creativity: Bring your own instruments or materials, use what we have available, or simply come to observe and be inspired.
Spontaneous Programming: Each session is a fresh environment. Activities are decided in the moment, ensuring a unique and engaging experience every time.

Why Join Us?

Collaborate Across Disciplines: Break down artistic barriers and create something entirely new.
Learn and Grow: Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just starting out, there’s something here for everyone.
Community Building: Connect with like-minded individuals in a supportive and inspiring environment.

No registration required—just bring your creativity and an open mind!
The series of open workshops will build towards a culminating public performance on October 24 at 7 p.m. (ET) at ImprovLab.
Come play, create, and explore with us. We hope to see you there!

Reasoning and Artificial Intelligence: A Talk by Dr. Mariam Thalos
2024-10-11 12:00 - 13:00 | McLaughlin Library, 480 Gordon Street, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Join us in The Humanities Interdisciplinary Collaboration (THINC) Lab for the first Digital Humanities at Guelph, DH@Guelph, talk of the 2024/2025 academic year. We welcome Dr. Mariam Thalos, visiting as the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities, to the University of Guelph. All are welcome! Refreshments will be provided.
Abstract: The concept of intelligence is difficult to get one’s arms around. Does it consist in the capacity for strategy? Thought? Planning? Reasoning? Surprisingly, there is no standout philosophical account even of the notion of reasoning. This talk aims at shedding some light on certain aspects of human reasoning – reasoning for practical life. This will put us in a better position to make some comparisons between (some aspects of) human reasoning and what Large Language Models (LLMs) are doing – they look to be doing quite different things.
Bio: Dr. Mariam Thalos is the Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities at the University of Guelph. A Distinguished Professor at the University of Tennessee since 2018, she is a philosopher of science with a broad spectrum of interests in the physical, decisional, and human sciences. Her forthcoming book with Routledge is entitled “Reasoning in the Wild”.
Image Description: Digital Humanities at Guelph presents…Mariam Thalos. Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Digital Humanities. Reasoning and Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Mariam Thalos smiling. Thursday, October 11 at 12 noon. The Humanities Interdisciplinary Collaboration (THINC) Lab, 2nd Floor, McLaughlin Library.
Register to attend.

Sharing Insights: Computer Science is more than you believe!
2024-10-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Waasamowin – Summerlee Science Complex Atrium, 474-570 Gordon St, Guelph, ON, N1G 1Y2, Canada
Hear from the renowned Dr. Joanna McGrenere, Professor and Co-Head of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia. She shares stories from her professional journey as a specialist in Human-Computer Interaction and prepares aspiring computer scientists for what the field really entails.
This event is open to members of the community and is especially geared towards aspiring computer scientists or high school students with an interest in computer science.

Diverse Voices Shaping the Digital Future
2024-10-17 14:00 - 15:30 | University Centre, 150 Research Ln, Guelph, Ontario, N1G2W1, Canada
Join the conversation about the impact of computer science and technology on academia, enhancing diversity, mentorship, human centered approaches and other engaging areas. Hear from Drs. Dan Gillis, Stacey Scott, Graham Taylor and Joanna McGrenere as they share their valuable expertise and perspectives on these important issues.
This event is open to members of the University of Guelph community.

U of G Campus Ghost Walking Tour
2024-10-17 19:00 - 2024-10-29 20:30, 2024-10-24 19:00 - 2024-11-05 20:30, 2024-10-29 19:00 - 2024-11-10 20:30 | Alumni Walk, Ontario, Canada
Ever get the feeling like the U of G campus is haunted? Join Ghost Walk of Guelph and find out!
Physical Resources presents U of G Campus Walking Tours for 3 nights only. Tours will begin at Alumni Plaza outside War Memorial Hall at 7:00-8:15pm. Dates available:
Thursday, October 17
Thursday, October 24
Tuesday, October 29
Buy your tickets.
50% of ticket revenue will go towards the United Way!

Documentary: Butterflies on the Brink: The Story of the Mottled Duskywing
2024-10-19 16:45 - 18:30, 2024-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Princess Twin Cinemas, 46 King St N, Waterloo, ON, N2J3W8, Canada
A University of Guelph project to reintroduce an endangered butterfly is the feature of a new documentary, Butterflies on the Brink: The Story of the Mottled Duskywing, which will have its first public premiere at the Princess Twin Cinemas in Waterloo in October.
The documentary follows the research and recovery team, led Dr. Ryan Norris from the Department of Integrative Biology and biologist Jessica Linton, with support from the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory team, as they work to reintroduce the mottled duskywing butterfly to Pinery Provincial Park. The project represents the first time a butterfly has ever been successfully reintroduced into Ontario, and, since their reintroduction in 2021, the butterflies are showing signs of recovery.
Once widespread across many parts of central Canada, mottled duskywings have nearly disappeared from Ontario. Like many other species, the butterfly’s number have plummeted in recent decades due to human development that has stolen their habitat. In 2012, the butterflies were declared endangered in Canada.
The cast and crew will be in attendance at both the Oct. 19 and 23 screenings!

EDI Workshop Wednesday
2024-10-23 12:00 - 13:30 | ONLINE, Ontario, Canada
The Office of Diversity and Human Rights is back with their weekly EDI Workshop Wednesday training series! Grab your lunch and join us as we explore such topics as equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-oppression, microaggressions, anti-bias, and more.
Equity Essentials: Intersectional Allyship – In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore how tangible and successful allyship happens on the ground. First, participants will reconnect with baseline knowledge about power, privilege, identity, and intersectionality. Then, participants will explore what allyship means on the ground and how they can become more effective allies. What does it mean to be an ally? When should an ally step in, and when should an ally defer to someone else? We will discuss all these strategies and more. UC room 430.

One Health seminar with Faisal Moola: Indigenous food sovereignty and the stewardship of “berried” landscapes
2024-10-23 12:30 - 13:30 | OVC Pathobiology AHL, 419 Gordon Street, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Dr. Faisal Moola, Dept. of Geography, Environment & Geomatics, will discuss the importance of wild berries to the food sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and globally; the threats to their ecological and cultural integrity from climate change and extractivist capitalist resource development; and how Indigenous Peoples are advancing their own forms of conservation governance for the stewardship of this important cultural keystone food species.

Open Scholarship and RDM Brown Bag: Negotiating Publishing Contracts
2024-10-24 12:00 - 12:50 | ONLINE, Ontario, Canada
Negotiating Publishing Contracts expands on material covered in Navigating Academic Publishing…, but it is not a prerequisite. In this session, you will learn more about your rights as an author, and will develop skills you can use when negotiating your academic publishing contracts. We will look at sample contracts together as well as suggested language you can use to achieve your publishing goals.

Art and Aging: Inspiration Beyond Boundaries with Janice Mason Steeves
2024-10-24 14:00 | Art Gallery of Guelph, 358 Gordon Street, Guelph, Canada
Join the AGG Volunteer Association on Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Art Gallery of Guelph for a talk by Janice Mason Steeves, a Saskatchewan-born artist and former clinical psychologist whose career has spanned international artist residencies and gallery representation. Janice will discuss how a transformative dream during an artist residency in Sweden inspired her book, Bloom: On Becoming an Artist Later in Life.
Janice will share her journey of becoming an artist and explore how creativity can flourish as we age. Her book combines personal anecdotes with the stories of 138 artists, offering a fresh perspective on how art and aging can positively intersect. Discover how older artists can leverage their experiences and embrace creativity to renew their sense of purpose and joy.
No registration required; all are welcome. Attendees will also have the chance to purchase an autographed copy of Bloom.

The Literature and Libraries of L.M. Montgomery
2024-10-24 15:00 - 17:00 | McLaughlin Library, 480 Gordon Street, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942) published 20 novels and many short stories in her lifetime, most notably, the Anne of Green Gables series. To celebrate and to mark the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of L.M. Montgomery, the McLaughlin Library at the University of Guelph is contributing digital images from the author’s private library to The Lucy Maud Montgomery Bookshelf, a project based at the University of Prince Edward Island’s L.M. Montgomery Institute.
Please join us as Dr. Emily Woster from the College of St. Scholastica and curator of The L.M. Montgomery Bookshelf Project speaks about L.M. Montgomery as a lifelong reader, re-reader, bibliophile, and a self-professed “book drunkard.” Dr. Woster will discuss the wealth of evidence Montgomery left of her reading–in journals, scrapbooks, letters, and in her fiction–reflecting both her tastes as a reader and her place in literary history.
Ashley Shifflett McBrayne from the University of Guelph’s Archival & Special Collections will also speak about the state of the L.M. Montgomery Collection at Guelph, and about working with L.M. Montgomery’s private library, elaborating on what we know about the library, what we don’t know, and some of the interesting physical characteristics of these books including their annotations, inscriptions, and inserted materials.
This hybrid event is open to everyone and was made possible with a grant from the Bibliographical Society of America. Please register to let us know if you’ll be joining online, or in-person.
Registration is required. There are 52 in-person seats available. There are 919 online seats available.
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Archival & Special Collections at lib.asc@uoguelph.ca.

Paranormal Investigation at the AGG
2024-10-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Art Gallery of Guelph, 358 Gordon Street, Guelph, Canada
Join us for a night of spooky exploration at the Art Gallery of Guelph, the site of the historic Macdonald Stewart Consolidated School, established in 1904. This one-of-a-kind paranormal investigation invites you to uncover the secrets of a building steeped in history and haunted tales.
Participants will be guided through three levels of the gallery, including rare access to areas typically closed to the public. Gain hands-on experience with over 13 different paranormal investigative devices with full training from paranormal investigator Creepin’ J of Guelph Urbex, who will ensure all participants are fully equipped for this ghostly adventure.
Group size is limited to 20 people, so get your tickets before they vanish.
Image detail: Unknown, Macdonald Consolidated School: Classroom, undated, black and white photograph. Anonymous gift, 1988. Macdonald Stewart Art Centre Collection at the Art Gallery of Guelph

Halloween Fitness Class
2024-10-28 17:30 - 19:30 | Guelph Gryphons Athletic Centre, 50 E Ring Rd, Guelph, ON, N1G4Z8, Canada
Space is limited, so you’ll want to register early for this Haunted Halloween class that will feature our most popular formats with some of your favorite instructors, if you can recognize them in costume? Door prizes and a free program registration prize will be awarded for best dressed, so come in costume and celebrate in the spirit of Halloween. Proceeds will be donated to the United Way. Please note that regular NRG classes offered from 4 to 9 p.m. will not run to ensure everyone can join this event.
Mon. Oct. 28, 2024 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. | Studio 3212 | $5 | Register to attend.

Howls and Growls in The Arboretum Family Program (In-Person)
2024-10-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Arboretum Centre, 250 Arboretum Rd, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Canada
The Halloween season is here, and we at The Arboretum are excited to introduce a spooky new program! Ever wondered what might be behind those strange bumps in the night? Join us for an evening hike as we explore the mysterious sounds of the forest—from squeaks and screeches to howls and growls—that you might hear on a moonlit stroll. You never know what creatures we might encounter as dusk falls!
We’ll conclude our adventure with hot apple cider and cookies. Remember to dress warmly for the cool autumn weather!
*Maximum 25 people.
Fee: $12 (plus HST) per person.

Guelph Food Safety Seminars (GFSS) Annual Symposium
2024-10-30 08:00 - 12:30 | 1 Stone Rd.
Welcome to the 21st annual and 1st hybrid GFSS Symposium: EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN.
The Symposium is free but registration is required.
Find the agenda, links for registration and further details.
The GFSS is a partnership which includes the University of Guelph (Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety/Department of Food Science), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors – Ontario Branch, Health Canada, NSF International, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, Public Health Agency of Canada.

EDI Workshop Wednesday
2024-10-30 12:00 - 13:30 | ONLINE, Ontario, Canada
The Office of Diversity and Human Rights is back with their weekly EDI Workshop Wednesday training series! Grab your lunch and join us as we explore such topics as equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-oppression, microaggressions, anti-bias, and more.
Human Rights & You: Addressing Discrimination and Harassment on Campus – This interactive workshop invites participants to go beyond the text of Ontario’s human rights legislation, exploring how legal requirements impact our daily work. Together, we will tackle critical questions such as: How do we recognize harassment or discrimination? When does behaviour constitute a human rights violation? What constitutes a reasonable response to a complaint? How can we proactively prevent human rights violations from occurring? Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies to address these important issues effectively. Join us in fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace! This training is virtual.

Ontario Agricultural College One Health Lecture series Presents Gwynne Dyer
2024-10-30 19:00 - 21:00 | OVC Lifetime Learning Centre, 25 McGilvray Street
Intervention Earth: Life Saving Ideas from the Worlds Climate Engineers.
The global climate emergency is now an alarming fact of life. Much as we still need to get emissions under control, many are thinking that it’s all too little, too late. As scientists, politicians and concerned citizens scramble for solutions to the catastrophic effects of a warming world, is it time to explore the controversial topic of geoengineering? Intervention Earth is built around Dyer’s interviews with one hundred climate scientists from around the globe, including the leading figures in the geoengineering field. But Intervention Earth is about more than technological mega-projects. Dyer devotes ample space to the many innovative ideas on offer, but there is no get-out-of-jail-free card. In his talk, Dyer outlines a whole portfolio of techniques and technologies—and a lot of hard, thankless work— that will be needed to keep the planet hospitable for humanity.

Trick or Trivia
2024-10-31 11:30 - 13:00 | University Centre – Peter Clark Hall
Our Annual Halloween Event is back with a twist! Join us for Costume Contest and Trivia over Lunch.
Tickets are $15 with proceeds going to the United Way Campaign. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., Event starts at noon.
Prizes for Group Costume and Individual Costume, Prizes for Trivia Winners
Get your tickets.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair
2024-11-01 - 2024-11-10 | Exhibition Place, 100 Princes' Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, M6K3C3, Canada
Join us at the Royal and visit the University of Guelph exhibit the Future of Food.
We are pleased to offer discounted admission tickets and a daily complimentary shuttle.

November 1-10, 2024
8:30 a.m. prompt – Bus departs from the University Centre (space is limited)
5:30 p.m. prompt – Bus departs from the Royal
Exhibition Place: Enercare Centre, 100 Princes’ Blvd., Toronto

Discounted ticket price (per person): $19.24 / Regular Ticket price (per person): $32.50
Discounted ticket sales close on Thursday, October 24.
After this date, space permitting, you may still sign up for the shuttle, but Regular Tickets must be purchased directly from the Royal. Purchase tickets and reserve a space on the shuttle.
Enter “Royal” as your license plate number, click next, pick the number of tickets you will be purchasing, then click pay.
For discounted Royal Horse Show Tickets, purchase tickets on the Ticketmaster using Promo Code: WORK24
Note: There are no discounts on the Saturday nights, and the 2 p.m. rodeo.

BLAXPO
2024-11-01 08:00 - 2024-11-02 17:00 | Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON, M4W2G8, Canada
BLAXPO is a premier conference that celebrates and empowers Black talent across Canada. This event is designed to foster meaningful connections and opportunities among professionals, entrepreneurs, and students, as well as with progressive companies committed to diversity and equity.
BLAXPO 2024 will focus on fostering and nurturing justice and equality where all communities have access to opportunities, wealth and abundance. We are excited to partner with the Cultural Diversity office to offer an opportunity for up to 35 self-identifying Black and racialized students to attend this event.
Transportation, admission, and lunch will be provided for 35 people. Transportation will be provided for up to an additional 7 attendees with the purchase of their own ticket. Registration on ExperienceGuelph.ca.
The event takes place at the Toronto Reference Library and online.
Once Experience Guelph event registration is full, additional tickets can be purchased at blaxpo.ca.

Jack-O'-Lantern Parade
2024-11-01 20:00 - 21:00 | Art Gallery of Guelph, 358 Gordon Street, Guelph, Canada
Don’t let your creative Halloween masterpieces go to waste! Bring your jack-o’-lanterns to the Art Gallery of Guelph on November 1st for a spectacular evening of light and creativity. Drop off your carved creations at the gallery anytime between noon to 5 p.m. or 7 to 8 p.m. to contribute to an enchanting pathway that will illuminate the gallery grounds.
After 8 p.m., gather your family, friends, and neighbours to stroll through a magical trail of light in celebration of community artistry. We can’t wait to see your stunning jack-o’-lanterns shine!

In Person: Virtual Bird ID
2024-11-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Arboretum Centre, 250 Arboretum Rd, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Canada
Why not take your birding to the next level? Join Chris Earley, Arboretum Interpretive Biologist and author of 5 bird field guides, for a series of eight virtual noon-hour lectures on eight different bird groups. ID techniques, field marks, shapes, behaviour clues and more will all be covered.
Each course will finish with a 10 – 15 minute discussion period so you can ask all your bird-related questions. All eight programs cost $70 (plus tax) – that’s less than $10 per program! Bird groups covered include: Hawks, Ducks, Sparrows, Sandpipers, Gulls, Spring Warblers, Fall Warblers and Spring Migrants (presentation dates listed below). Recordings of each will be sent to all participants the next day. The recordings will be available for one month after the last program.
Mondays and Wednesdays, November 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, and 27, 2024
Noon to 1 p.m.
