TEDxRyersonU 2015 Magazine by TEDxRyersonU

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Connecting to change at Ryerson

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CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2015

REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST //

9:00AM

WELCOME //

10:00AM

TEDx TALKS: SESSION 1 //

10:15AM

LUNCH //

11:50AM

TEDx TALKS: SESSION 2 //

1:20PM

BREAK //

2:35PM

TEDx TALKS: SESSION 3 //

3:15PM

CLOSING REMARKS //

4:15PM

AFTER EVENT 6:30-9:00PM SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE! @TEDxRyersonU /TEDxRyersonU @TEDxRyersonU www.TEDxRyersonU.ca

RyersonU

LETTER FROM THE CURATOR

THE STEERING TEAM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

THE COMMITTEE

THE SPEAKERS SECTION I: A CONVERSATION WITH OUR FUTURE

THE MEDIA MELTING POT

HUMAN PLANNING FOR THE URBAN MIND

JANELLE TYME

KATII CAPERN

MY ROBOT HATES ME

EDDY CARMICHAEL

THE POLITICS OF PROFESSIONAL AUTHENTICITY JESSICA MYSHRALL

SECTION II: PERFORMING IN TODAY’S CULTURE

THE YOGIC WAVE

LAKSHMI MENON

THE POWER OF ONLINE LEARNING DR. MARIE BOUNTROGIANNI

SECTION III: PLAN, PICTURE, PROJECT

MY 15 YEAR DEGREE

BEYOND HAPPENSTANCE

AMANDA DE SOUZA

EMILY BETTERIDGE

INDIGO

VALERIA SHARIVKER

OUR SPONSORS

a letter from the

curator It

is my greatest pleasure to welcome you to TEDxRyersonU 2015! In fitting with our theme, the mission of this year’s conference is to eliminate norms and break the status quo – especially the status quo we’ve created for ourselves as an organization. The TEDxRyersonU team has worked tirelessly to provide a distinct and inspiring experience. By the end of this conference, we aim to have you, our delegates, leaving with a sense of questioning, a desire to push boundaries, and a drive to throw tradition aside. TED was established to share ideas worth spreading on a global scale. This may seem like a daunting task, but TED took on this challenge to ensure the voices in this world are heard. Today, it is a truly global brand, and impacts the lives of not just the TED speakers, but the audiences it reaches. I see TED as a way to change the world, one mind at a time. TEDxRyersonU is an extension of this global vision. It is an organization that provides a platform for the unheard voices – the ideas that are worth spreading, yet do not have the means to spread. Over the course of five years, TEDxRyersonU has risen to become an extremely prestigious organization. Now in our sixth year, my ambitious goal as curator is to make this year stand out from the rest, both in excellence and in innovation. Today, you will hear some of the most iconoclastic ideas Ryerson University has to offer. They will inspire you; they will change your future behaviour; they will change your minds. However, don’t be convinced that today’s speakers are the only iconoclasts within Ryerson’s walls. Ryerson University is brimming with ideas that will continue to disrupt and defy. It is the home of the change makers of today and tomorrow. It is the place that has allowed TEDxRyersonU to become what it is today – an organization that empowers a diverse and large amount of students to collaborate in order to showcase the best thinkers, dreamers, and doers in this community. I am truly proud to call myself a Ryerson student and truly blessed to attend a university that allows me to push boundaries rather than limiting me. Along with my hopes that you’ll be nothing but glad that you decided to attend this conference today, I hope that you also take the time to read through this magazine. It is the product of some of Ryerson’s most talented individuals, and a piece of art that I believe compliments this day perfectly. I hope you read or see something that puzzles, intrigues, and challenges you. Now please, take your seats, and of course pull out your device in order to join the conversation online. A team of 35 remarkable Ryerson students, the strongest TEDxRyersonU has ever seen, would like you to experience the results of their collaboration. We hope that in showing you the iconoclasts of today, it will help you become an iconoclast of tomorrow. Enjoy the show!

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ERIKA PEDERSENLORENZEN

Erika is entering her fifth year of business management with a major in human resources and a minor in sociology. She joined TEDxRyersonU in 2013 as an event manager with the hopes of helping spread the ideas of Ryerson to the world. Her beliefs in the power of TED and the incredible experience of being a part of Ryersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most diverse student group led her to take on the productions steering lead position in 2014. Alongside the rest of the 2014 team, Erika helped create one of the most memorable TEDxRyersonU conferences and pushed the boundaries of what TEDxRyersonU could achieve. This year, Erika is excited to lead the impressively talented TEDxRyersonU team. Her goal is to continue pushing the boundaries and produce the highest quality conference and events to showcase the very best ideas at Ryerson University.

RICHA SYAL

Richa is a third year journalism student with minors in both law and economics. Her ambition to join TEDxRyersonU this year as editor-inchief was to inspire creative content that emphasizes the student voices of Ryerson University. TED talks have always pushed her to become a more mindful and thoughtful person through advocating powerful storytelling. This year, Richa is excited to lead a team of writers who will invoke ideas that inspire deeper thinking and stray from conventional ideals. She believes that this goal has been achieved. The TEDxRyersonU 2015 team has motivated Richa to continue to arouse enthusiasm and to inspire positive change at Ryerson University.

a letter from the

editor Within

these pages are our voices. It is with great pleasure that I present to you a finished piece of true artistry and originality. A memento of hard work, to say the least. Please take the time to indulge in these great stories, for the narratives have never been more relevant. As editor-in-chief of this year’s magazine, I’ve had the opportunity to explore leadership and develop confidence for which I am grateful to my marvelous team of writers. Together we’ve constructed a selection of pieces that aim to provoke a new understanding of old ideas. We’ve nudged past traditional views and dug through existing parameters to find what we feel are thoughts that will interest the emerging iconoclast. The outcome of such action is the quality and creativity of content you will read in our pages. Our three sections encompass the pillars in which the TED brand stands tall on: Technology, Entertainment, and Design. Deeper in this magazine, we open a conversation with our future that asks questions of the technological direction we as a society are headed. Stepping outside of our routine lifestyles, we witness what performing in today’s culture means through societal trends that surround and entertain us. And just like the birth of any valuable design, one must plan, picture, and project themselves into their work. For this reason, the last section of this magazine hosts a collection of personal stories that developed from a single idea. Our student writers have worked relentlessly to target readers in the mind and the heart with their positive and impactful words. You may notice that we have emphasized one monumental element – the student voice. Each student-written article asks Ryerson University students to state their knowledge and opinions on issues that trigger reflection. This was a change I was eager to make as editor-in-chief, and through the support of the TEDxRyersonU team, we were able to express the significance of raising the student voice. Our awe-inspiring speakers this year will reflect the change that is taking place at Ryerson University; each of whom have thought of questions that their talk will answer. Through their ideas, I felt the importance of echoing an institution. One that a parallels a tree, in which the branches are the students of Ryerson University. These students are the product of growth from our professors who, like the rings on a tree trunk, amount to years of knowledge. The core of this message is that young voices need to be brought forward in order to foster change. And it is precisely this sentiment that is an idea worth spreading. Enjoy!

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meet the

steering team ABDULLAH SNOBAR PROJECT LEAD Abdullah Snobar is the project lead for TEDxRyersonU. Through his work, he oversees the success of the team and the conference. He guides the group, and provides his vision for excellence within the organization. Abdullah has been an staff advisor for TEDxRyersonU since its inception in 2010 and has been the project lead since 2013. Since then, he has attended TEDActive 2014: A New Chapter, and has guided two successful TEDxRyersonU conferences. Abdullah firmly believes in the TED slogan of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ideas worth spreadingâ&#x20AC;? and is passionate about sharing ideas from the Ryerson community.

HUNTER MACINNES MARKETING STEERING LEAD Vancouver born and raised, Hunter moved to Toronto to enroll in the graphic communications management program at Ryerson University, and is currently entering her third year. She first became involved in TEDxRyersonU in the 2014-2015 year as a digital content manager; writing blog posts, as well as opening keynotes for both the annual conference and salon event. As a creative mind, a hard worker, and a passionate leader, she was well suited to take on the role of marketing steering lead for the 2015-2016 term. She is excited for TEDxRyersonU to lead by example this year through innovative marketing strategies and campaigns dedicated to spreading ideas and challenging the Ryerson community to look at the world through a different lens.

JEFF JANG PRODUCTIONS LEAD Entering his third year of studies in architectural science, Jeff Jang is intrigued by the power of spatial design on human behaviour and comfort. Having the role of productions steering lead this year, he wants to apply this knowledge into producing TEDxRyersonU events. He believes there are many similarities in the design process of architecture and a conference; they both aim to leave a lasting impression on the users, encourage positive dialogue, and to spark a social momentum. His approach is not to plan an event, but rather to design one; where all parts of the event, regardless of scale, resonate back to the overarching theme. One would circulate through carefully curated activities, saturating their minds with new perspectives and unprecedented ideas.

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CYNTHIA LIU FINANCE & CORPORATE RELATIONS LEAD Studying entrepreneurship & strategy, Cynthia Liu has been part of the TEDxRyersonU team since 2013. Although having event planning and managing background in TEDxRyersonU, she has took it upon herself to explore the role of finance & corporate relations lead in hopes of developing into a well-rounded individual with flexible skills and expertise. Always seeking worthwhile challenges, she capitalizes on her opportunities with her problem solving skills in tandem with her keen attention to detail. Her goal this year is to enable the visions of the other committees by providing the resources to set an unprecedented standard in TEDxRyersonU endeavours.

AKHIL SHIV KUMAR SPEAKERS STEERING LEAD Akhil is entering his third year of arts and contemporary studies and aspires to pursue a career in marketing. Being a member of TEDxRyersonU for the first time, Akhil hopes to curate a lineup of speakers that will challenge delegates to embrace change. He also aims to diversify TEDxRyersonU by drawing students, speakers and volunteers from all of Ryerson’s eight faculties. This year, Shayan and Akhil will share the speakers steering position to ensure the speakers’ lineup will represent Ryerson’s distinct demographic. To continue the tradition of connecting speakers with delegates, Akhil will work closely with speakers to ensure students understand ideas completely, and aims to use TEDxRyersonU as a vehicle to present students with Ryerson’s best thinkers and doers.

SHAYAN YAZDANPANAH SPEAKERS STEERING LEAD Shayan is one of the speaker co-steering leads for TEDxRyersonU this year. He strives to bring a new atmosphere for the group this year, connecting students from all over Ryerson together. He aims to also bring forth a wide variety of talks that do justice to the amazing diversity present in Ryerson. Outside of TEDxRyersonU, Shayan is in his second year of aerospace engineering. He strives to create an innovative ecosystem for Ryerson students across all faculties.

meet the

commit tee

TA I M O O R A H M A D OUTREACH MANAGER

VA R U N E N S R E E K A N T H A OUTREACH MANAGER

I S H R AT FAT I M A SPEAKERS LIAISON

FAT I M A J I WA N EVENT MANAGER

MELISSA LUONGO SPEAKERS LIAISON

LORIE LEUNG EVENT MANAGER

L A KS H M I M E N O N EVENT MANAGER

H A R RY S O N TECH MANAGER

VA N E S S A C A B R E R A TECH MANAGER

C L A I R E TA M SET DESIGN MANAGER

K AT I I C A P E R N SPEAKERS LIAISON

JASMIN KIM SET DESIGN MANAGER

D AV I D L U O N G SET DESIGN MANAGER

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DAPHNE CHAN GRAPHIC DESIGNER

CARRIE CAI MAGAZINE ART DIRECTOR

JULIANNE FONG SPONSORSHIP MANAGER

MICHAEL HUA GRAPHIC DESIGNER

VINH TRAN ACCOUNT MANAGER

AV N I S H PAT E L SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

E M I LY Q U E R I P E L VIDEOGRAPHER

ORIENA VUONG D I G I TA L C O N T E N T M A N A G E R

YVONNE SUNG VIDEOGRAPHER

RANA ABDALLA PHOTOGRAPHER

JESSICA MYSHRALL D I G I TA L C O N T E N T M A N A G E R

D AV I D C H A U PHOTOGRAPHY LEAD

RACHEL SWINDEN PHOTOGRAPHER

OLIVIA TOWNSEND PHOTOGRAPHER 11

meet the

speakers W R I T T E N BY SHAIAN MARTIN DEPUTY EDITOR A N D R I C H A S YA L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ALEX GILL

HOW DO WE CHANGE OUR WORLD FOR THE BETTER? Teacher, consultant, and social entrepreneur, Alex Gill has been working in social change for almost 20 years. In 2015, Gill was named one of Canada’s Social Justice All-Stars, and what drives him today is getting people enthusiastic about coming up with new ways to change their world for the better. In his mission to do the same, Alex has founded the Mendicant Group, an agency that helps organizations improve their community impact. Alex has also moderated the G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance since 2010. It is his belief that if people can find ways to make cellphones faster, better and smarter, they can harness their energies into producing innovative solutions to the serious problems that face the world today.

BETTY CHEN

HOW CAN WE ENGAGE AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO CARE ABOUT ART?

Betty Chen knows art. As an interior design graduate from Ryerson University in 2012, gallery tour guide at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and content curator and presenter of an informational art show called Articulations on YouTube, Betty’s career is dedicated to getting people to care about art. During her time at Ryerson, she always kept herself busy, whether she was volunteering abroad, working, or planning the Ryerson School of Interior Design year-end show. Today, Betty focuses her efforts on making art accessible and understandable to everyone. She believes in removing the barriers that make the art world appear elite and alienating. This year at TEDxRyersonU, Betty will demystify the language of art to help people discover and understand the value artists and their work have in communities.

HAMZA KHAN

WHAT DOES THE NEXT GENERATION NEED FROM THE WORKPLACE TO SUPPORT THEIR CREATIVITY AND EXCELLENCE? If you ask Hamza Khan about his role as a manager, he’ll tell you his approach to managing is to avoid it altogether. He applies his unconventional style of leadership to Splash Effect – the marketing agency he co-founded in 2012 to support his life mission to help “bring ideas to life”– and Year One, a series of mini biographies attributed to the lives of successful people. Before his success as an award-winning digital strategist and entrepreneur, Hamza was a student struggling to find a practical outlet for his creativity while pursuing a degree in business and political science at the University of Toronto Scarborough. In his third-year of university, Hamza switched his major and received a Bachelor of Arts to facilitate a future career in art and design. Since graduating, he has worked as a graphic designer and marketer, and today is a teacher in social media strategy at Seneca College. He is also credited with making Ryerson University Canada’s leading university in online student engagement.

IMOGEN COE

HOW DO WE BRING EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY INTO SCIENCE? Imogen Coe has worked extensively as an academic scientist and administrator, shattering stereotypes and breaking barriers for girls and women in her field. Her TEDx talk makes the case for why equity, diversity, and inclusivity is essentially a global issue. Imogen sees the presence of this problem in Ryerson University through her work as professor and dean of the faculty of science, in terms of the low numbers of young women in some disciplines and the underrepresentation of certain groups. She believes that there needs to be a voice to challenge these unfair practices. As someone who was raised to believe in fair and equal treatment of all, Imogen has taken these values into the field of biology, and works to apply them wherever she sees myths that need to be faced. Through her advocacy, she firmly believes that this is not just a woman’s rights issue, but a human rights issue.

JOSHNA MAHARAJ

WHY IS THERE SUCH RESISTANCE TO CHANGE? As a chef for 10 years with deep involvement in community food work, Joshna Maharaj is a strong advocate for a just and equitable food system. Her current chapter as assistant director of food services and executive chef at Ryerson University led her to explore understanding change and where the resistance lies for her TEDx talk. Her talk aims to shed light on how our fear of change leads us to become numb and complacent to broken systems. If there is a system that doesn’t work, Joshna is compelled to change it, because she believes that we have the freedom and responsibility to make change. Joshna supports the idea that access to quality food should be a basic human right, and that the distance we have from our relationship to food is a real problem. This is a problem she aims to address, and will always continue to work on.

KAITLYN TAYLOR-ASQUINI

HOW ARE YOU LEADING IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE? You don’t need to be a leader on stage to make an impact in your community. This is an ideal that Kait Asquini has implemented in her work as leadership development facilitator for Ryerson University. At TEDxRyersonU 2015, Kait touches on what it means to lead in a community on a micro level. In a local sense, she believes leadership is accessible to everyone. There has been a shift in the definition and the concept of ‘one size fits all’ leadership is no longer accurate. She advocates the idea that leadership is something we all have inside us, but we must learn to foster it to become good leaders. As the assistant coach for the women’s basketball team, Kait feels that leadership in sports has helped her push others forward by providing them with the resources they need. She recalls the many coaches she’s had that have supported her path to understanding leadership. In this, she has developed her own definition of the word: creating opportunities for the people around us to be better, to get better, and to be the best person they can be.

PASCAL MURPHY

HOW DO YOU CREATE WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF IN THE WORLD? In 2013 Pascal Murphy unwittingly started a movement for change. An idea that started as a backyard barbeque, grew to an event that unified not only his west-end community, but people from across Canada. The Neighbours United for Inclusion Community BBQ sent a message of inclusivity, and is one example of how Pascal spends his life promoting change. In his everyday life as an instructor on homelessness, disasters, and social and environmental justice at Ryerson University, Pascal tries to inspire those around him by encouraging others to do what they want to see more of. In response, Pascal has facilitated a number of initiatives and cross-cultural exchanges to raise awareness for the plight of people in the Toronto community and abroad.

STÉPHANIE WALSH MATTHEWS

WHAT IS TRUE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH? Nobody’s an expert in everything; and even though Stéphanie Walsh Matthews lauds a number of academic titles, including a PhD in French Studies from the University of Toronto, she believes anyone’s best work comes from collaboration. Stéphanie has always been interested in social-cultural reading and literature, and for years has worked in semiotics to understand how people interpret meaning from their environments. According to her, breaking disciplinary barriers can inspire, and give rise to new ideas worth spreading. In her talk for TEDxRyersonU 2015, she will touch on how we can create environments that encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and how different areas of study like linguistics, robotics, and autism have the potential to help us better understand the world we live in today.

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OUR 2015 STUDENT SPEAKERS! ADRIAN BICA

WHAT HAPPENED TO EMOTION AND INTIMACY IN ARCHITECTURE? Think back to the last time you were completely immersed in an experience. Whatever the moment was, it managed to capture you. Buildings can operate in the same way, according to Adrian Bica. His TEDx talk will build on the idea of how we can use architecture to immerse people to that same level of experience. Over the course of his architectural education, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s noticed that buildings have lost the emotional attraction that was once there. Now, in the last year of his Masters of Architecture, Adrian believes the relationship with people and architecture has diminished, and that the loss of intimacy have fueled a wave of stale and technological buildings. Buildings like the Colosseum are an example of structures that Adrian says invoke an emotional attachment. Instead of becoming technological tools in modern society, Adrian advocates the idea of how our overall attitude towards buildings can change our emotional experience with them. This change, says Adrian, is more obvious than we think.

JEREMY JOO

HAVE YOU LOST YOUR IDENTITY? Some people use social media to craft an identity for themselves, but Jeremy Joo has always known who he is, intellectually and creatively. According to the first-year fashion design student at Ryerson University, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always had an eye for aesthetics. He values the time it takes to develop ideas, character, and creative work. Jeremy admires artists who push convention, like Kanye West for his out-of-the-box thinking, along with Japanese fashion designers whose works are unconventional, yet functional. In his TEDx talk, Jeremy hopes to plant seeds in the minds of the audience members to get them thinking about what they need to grow.

“UNDER THE MASK” RANA ABDALLA F L I C K R . C O M / R A N A_A

S EC T I O N I : T EC H N O L OGY

A CONVERSATION WITH OUR

FUTURE EXPLORATION IS THE ENGINE THAT DRIVES INNOVATION. INNOVATION DRIVES ECONOMIC GROWTH. SO LET’S ALL GO EXPLORING.

- EDITH WIDDER

HUMAN PLANNING FOR THE URBAN MIND K AT I I C A P E R N T H I R D Y E A R , C R E AT I V E I N D U S T R I E S

We rely on our surroundings more than we think. Perhaps we crave a bench to rest our feet or eat lunch. Maybe we seek bicycle lanes for safe twowheel travel to work or school. Think of those spring days, bearing the first hints of summer, spent searching for green patches to stretch out in the sun. Our surroundings don’t always meet our emotional, practical, or aesthetic needs. But sometimes we feel like a corner of the city was designed expressly for us. The difference is this: cities come alive for us when they are built for the lives we lead, and for improving them. Every day in every city, people experience how we are affected by the design of our urban spaces. When it comes to cities, we often think about how we shape and build them – but what if we design communities based on how they shape us as humans? Doesn’t it make sense that a positive, engaging environment might reflect those feelings in our own lives? In his book The Origins & Futures of the Creative City, Charles Landry calls for an end to a “’business as usual’ approach” when addressing urban issues. Creativity, he says, is essential as we strive to strengthen communities and improve social, political, and economic challenges. Creative cities allow citizens to thrive – and cities transform when they are built to sustain creative thinkers. These are people who can crosspollinate disciplines and ideas and make unique contributions. As an economics student at Ryerson University, Linh Nguyen founded her creative firm, The Bodhi Collective based on the principle that “people and place are infinitely related.” She believes in connecting them throughout the

design process: “When our existing environments are designed using a human-centred approach, it becomes more than just aesthetics. It’s developing solutions starting and ending with people.” By drawing this connection, we can leverage urban design to invent spaces for people to work, play, create, and solve big problems. Amanda Burden, former director of the New York City Department of City Planning, spoke about how this same principle informs her work during her 2014 TED talk How Public Spaces Make Cities Work: As an urban planner, she says, “You don’t tap into your design expertise. You tap into your humanity. I mean, would you want to go there? Would you want to stay there?” With a diverse student body and downtown location in one of the world’s most multicultural cities, Ryerson University has become a champion for urban placemaking. Under the leadership of President Sheldon Levy, the university has developed a master plan for city-building and invested in a number of urban development projects. Ryerson’s largest and most recent project is the Student Learning Centre, filled with dynamic areas to study, collaborate, and learn. It offers students space – the most limited commodity for a primarily commuter campus. Third year creative industries student Thomas Skrlj wondered where the community went before the centre opened: “It shows how much Ryerson students really needed the space when already it is constantly full of students looking to study, meet up or just relax. It’s great that Ryerson realized this and made a space just for us.” With a stunning and sustainable design, the Student Learning Centre puts the university right on Yonge Street, whose downtown district is in its own process of

revitalization and community engagement. The centre – intended to be students’ new home for innovative learning – proves why creativity is so important in the urban environment, and why spaces should be designed for the humans that use them. In a world full of people trying to make it a better place, there is potential for great impact when we look to our densely populated areas. Cities have the ability to make us feel like we’re alone in an urban jungle or that we’re collectively working towards a common cause. “Cities are fundamentally about people, and where people go and where people meet are at the core of what makes a city work,” says TED speaker Amanda Burden. Our motivation, sense of belonging, even our moods can be changed altogether by our surroundings. Infrastructure, buildings, and public spaces should incite us to positive action, to live our best lives and allow our neighbours to, as well. Well-designed cities take care of the humans inhabiting them, and inspire the same care in return. They set us up for tackling our biggest challenges and achieving goals. They can bring us together.

Creative cities allow citizens to thrive – and cities transform when they are built to sustain creative thinkers

THE MEDIA MELTING POT JANELLE TYME T H I R D Y E A R , C R E AT I V E I N D U S T R I E S

Journalism is dying and convergence is the reason.

and accessibility of news for the greater population. It also fosters a new participatory culture in which the audience can now help The trend of convergence is one in which various media sources to shape the media they are receiving, whether through sharing merge into one multipurpose machine or service. It’s a trend that opinions on social media, or by producing their own creative has been evident throughout the timeline and history of journalism. content. Rosenstiel believes that what has disrupted us will now News produced by monks and scribes was overthrown by the begin to save us: “Today, news is on-demand, we get the news we Gutenberg printing press, which was then surmounted by the want, when we want it. We’re [now] in control of our own learning. telegraph. Next, by the advents of radio, television, computers, That means that we, to a greater degree than was ever true before, and finally, the Internet. Today, media corporations are creating will determine what we know and think.” platforms that make a meld of each modern medium. In looking at other ways the industry has been reshaped, New platforms such as tablets and smartphones have merged companies have used convergence to change the traditional image, sound, and print to enable the slow and smoldering demise methods of monetization and distribution. BuzzFeed is a prominent of traditional media and their ability to generate revenues. Brianne example of a convergence-based media company. Their business James, a third year creative industries student convergence has model has moved beyond vertical integration and in the journalism module says, “Convergence expanded into a convergence of networks, in which given us much of each component is produced by BuzzFeed, including has the potential to break boundaries and reach new audiences, but it will without a doubt be the the media-accessing their advertising. In an article by Josh Halliday for downfall of the traditional structure and functions platforms we use The Guardian, he states that, “While traditional of legacy news organizations.” Furthermore, in has largely turned its nose up at advertorial regularly that media his talk at TEDxAtlanta 2013 titled The Future of content, BuzzFeed has made it the cornerstone of its have increased business model.” The website has taken the Internet Journalism, Tom Rosenstiel, journalist and executive director of the American Press Institute, stated that, the availability by storm, changing the traditional media relationship “Newspapers have 40% less revenue than they had and accessibility between advertising and content as well as serving in 2000. Most of that has happened since 2008… as a new model for the way media is monetized in the of news for the convergence age. Jonah Peretti, CEO of BuzzFeed, the audience for network news is half what it was in the 1980s.” This shift has been one followed by greater population. stated in his speech at the SXSW Interactive 2015 many university journalism programs, leading to future journalists Conference that, “It increasingly doesn’t matter where content taking on extra workloads in order to gain new skills for today’s lives.” We have seen this through convergence with multiple digitized workforce. Cormac McGee, a fifth year journalism mediums available across all platforms. student, says, “[Convergence] means that media outlets and Simply put, convergence is upsetting the traditional paradigm journalists themselves have to be good at a lot more. Not only do of journalism. However, it is making way for new systems, ideas, they need to write an article with a unique angle that will stand markets, and opportunities for journalism and its cohorts to evolve out above all the other outlets, but shoot a comprehensive and and grow. The instantaneous flow of information globally and the engaging video, then be on social media responding to questions ability that convergence gives us to shape our media has made it and comments.” clear that the world is truly ever-moving away from the old system However, this isn’t to say that convergence is solely a bad trend. of gatekeepers and agenda-setters, and evolving into a world In fact, this type of convergence has given us many of the mediamade smaller by the availability of media – or what Canadian accessing platforms we use regularly (smartphones, tablets, and author and thinker, Marshall McLuhan, termed the “global village.” the Apple Watch for example) that have increased the availability

MY ROBOT HATES ME

E D DY C A R M I C H A E L THIRD YEAR, ECONOMICS & MANAGEMENT SCIENCE

If you were somehow magically transported 25 years in the future, the city you now call home would be unrecognizable. The change we will experience extends far beyond superficialities. We stand at the precipice of a revolution far greater than anything humanity has ever experienced before. In just 25 years, goods and services will not be exchanged human to human, but human to machine. Machines will prepare your food and serve you at your favourite restaurant. Advanced robotics will be wholly responsible for your appendectomy. Need to run out to grab a gallon of milk? No problem. Just go to the superstore, swipe your card, pick up the bags, and watch as a machine moves to automatically restock. No human interaction required. The fact is, we don’t have to go into the future for these technologies to be invented. At one restaurant in China, a particularly pleasant robot will prepare and serve your food, sing to you, and complete your experience

by stopping to take a selfie with you. Another innovation comes in the form of the Da Vinci robot, a machine so sophisticated that it can perform finessed sutures on a ruptured grape. Or how about the Hadrian robot that can lay 1000 bricks per hour and build the framework of a house in only two days. The list is endless. From new discoveries in 3D printing technologies, to the expansion of automatic checkouts in retail environments, technology is expanding much faster than the layperson can comprehend. It is not a question of if, but when. The incendiary futurist Ray Kurzweil has documented this phenomenon in his work and famous 2005 TED talk, The Accelerating Power of Technology. Kurzweil rightly notes that not only is technological innovation occurring at an exponential rate, but that rate itself is increasing exponentially as well. This is the reason why the age in which we currently live stands unique and in stark contrast to past ages. We are not creating Ford’s Model T or semi-tractor trailers. We are not creating machines that will help

us. We are creating machines that will replace us. “It’s already happening,” says Siva Mootchi, a 3rd year engineering student at Ryerson University, “most of us are not going to get a job.” If young people today face uncertain job prospects instigated by the rapid pace of technology replacing human labour, what does that notion entail for our economy and our future? Surely we can agree that machines engaging in trivial and mundane tasks on behalf of us is a good thing. Technological innovation has undoubtedly improved our lives. It has given us dishwashers, clothes dryers, and other machines making it easy to complete tasks for which I am otherwise fully inept. Julianne Fong, a 3rd year economics student at Ryerson University, has her own concerns. As an employee at the Rogers Centre, she has witnessed this sort of technological displacement first-hand. Rather than have staff manually take people’s tickets for sporting events, the Rogers Centre now employs an automatic ticket taking device. But Julianne also recognizes the powerful

Technological innovation is not a contract that we ever entered into with volition.

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role technology can play as a force for good in our lives. She offers a word of prudence, “We should take advantage of technology. But we have to be cautious of it as well.” And that is exactly the crux of the issue. Technological innovation is not a contract that we ever entered into with volition. The need to innovate seems to be as much a part of our biological imperative as the need to survive and reproduce. So the question then becomes, how do we control this inevitable and difficult transition? You may be thinking that these new technologies will create new business sectors for which people can train and study and in which they can eventually find full time occupations. And while that may be true, constantly striving to create new jobs for people only to have them replaced by technology soon thereafter is simply not sustainable as a long term approach. We need realize that humanity is charting a course where the vast majority of what we now call work will no longer be necessary. And what a boon for humanity this will be. We will finally ascend old

Maslow’s hierarchy and self-actualize in ways we previously could only dream. To what will we devote ourselves when we have virtually infinite free time? Maybe you will take that poetry class you’ve been dying to take but won’t because you don’t see the job prospects in it. Or perhaps you will pursue a career in acting without worrying about whether or not you’ll have to endure years of starving artistry? We have the opportunity to meet this new age with an attitude of excitement, possibility, and ambition. The future has never been brighter, but history tells us that progress is seldom born from ease. It is a result of the hard-fought struggle that human beings are forced into by the necessity of the times.

We are not creating machines that will help us. We are creating machines that will replace us. 23

“ PA N T O M I M E ” R I C H A S YA L @ S YA L R I C H A

S EC T I O N I I : E N T E R TA I N M E N T

PERFORMING IN TODAY’S

CULTURE DIVERSITY MAY BE THE HARDEST THING FOR A SOCIETY TO LIVE WITH, AND PERHAPS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING FOR A SOCIETY TO BE WITHOUT. - WILLIAM SLOANE COFFIN JR.

THE POLITICS OF PROFESSIONAL AUTHENTICITY JESSICA MYSHRALL FOURTH YEAR, PSYCHOLOGY

“No one has been fired for being too real,” said Mike Robbins during his 2013 TED Talk, The Power of Authenticity. While this may be true, a Google search that pulls up one’s Instagram and Twitter accounts along with their LinkedIn profile can be still be disconcerting for Millennials entering the workforce. Indeed, Generation Y is kick-starting their careers immediately following generations that kept their personal space separate from their professional space. The recent grey area between the two can be credited to social media, an entity that has created a generation comfortable with publicly disclosing everything from their sexuality to their opinions on controversial topics. It demands to be considered due to the ease with which potential employers can access this information. While this trend can harbour certain benefits, the “right way” to integrate one’s personal and professional lives on social media remains open to interpretation. Although Robbins focused on the ways in which promoting authenticity in the form of honest discussions can help to enhance cohesion between employees and their employers, this information can be applied beyond the workplace and used as a guiding factor for how Millennials can navigate their own online brands. Networking is an important factor in advancing up the professional ladder, and

while some may fear losing out by standing out, they could potentially find greater benefits in being authentic. As Minda Zetlin argues in her article, Why You Need to Be Your Real Self at Work, people can be put off when they sense that you are somehow being inauthentic. The same goes for people that you are attempting to connect with online. The use of pseudonyms and separate accounts can alienate your audience. Those not wasting their energy trying to please the anonymous masses have more space to be consistent with the content they put forth, ergo putting them in a better position to connect with like-minded individuals. “I’m a firm believer in the professional, authentic self,” said Linda Nguyen, a fourth year journalism student at Ryerson University. “Each individual, while conveying their creativity and spontaneous vibes, holds him or herself up to some kind of professional level of which they define for themselves. Being authentic while being a professional allows individuals to feel a realistic amount of authenticity while maintaining personal, professional goals.” Despite this growing trend, the corporate world is still slow to fully embrace it, making the progression towards an integrated online brand seem precarious for young professionals. “From my experience, the larger the institution

or company, the less likely you are to achieve this balance. At most of the jobs I’ve had, it has been mandatory to conform to the workplace ideology in order to receive money every two weeks,” said Jillian Crocker, a fourth year photography student at Ryerson University. “Blending your personal and professional life should be your decision, but not everyone has the luxury of working in a place that is fully reflective of their personal views. What are the ramifications of expressing your true self in a workplace that doesn’t sincerely support that mandate, even if they say they do?” As we begin to experiment with the potential benefits of the integrated online brand, it is important to remember that it doesn’t come without limitations. Ultimately, how much you choose to share and the nature of that information depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are able to express who you are in a way that isn’t (in the words of Mike Robbins) “obnoxious,” moving towards online authenticity can help to bring you closer to your end goals. Know what you want and where you want to be, and adjust your online personas accordingly. Use your authenticity as a tool to connect to the people you want to work with, not as an obstacle. Authenticity has the power to bring us all a little closer and that’s a good thing.

Being authentic while being a professional allows individuals to feel a realistic amount of authenticity while maintaining personal, professional goals. 26

THE YOGIC WAVE L A KS H M I M E N O N SECOND YEAR, BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE

Yoga is more than a callisthenic. What originally was an ancient Indian tradition, the timeless practice of Yoga is one that surpasses the realms or barriers of age, sex, fitness, and cultural strata. The word “Yoga” derives from the Sanskrit root “Yuj”, symbolising the union of the body and spirit. This harmonious and holistic philosophy has now morphed into the new trend for the physical and mental well-being of the practitioner. Recognizing its universal appeal, the United Nations has proclaimed the summer solstice on the 21st of July, to be the International Day of Yoga. This initiative found support from numerous global leaders, having a record-breaking total of 175 nations to co-sponsor the Yoga Day resolution. This year, which marked the first celebration of the International Day of Yoga, not only united the body and mind of individuals, but also united countries together on a mission to collectively re-establish and reintegrate health and wellness into society. Fundamentally, Yoga is a regime that incorporates stretching and postures to increase muscular strength, flexibility, breathing, and meditation to bring forth clarity in the mind. Travel writer Pico Iyer in his 2014 TED talk The Art of Stillness, identifies the need for stillness in today’s widely fast-paced, on-demand life, where, what is most in-demand is oneself. He notices that a greater number of people take conscious measures to retreat inwards from their lives in order to maintain a degree of tranquility within a life of constant movement and distraction. The uniqueness of Yoga lies in the fact that the core physical movements comprise of holding a series of postures, which eventually lead to an alluring stillness in both the body and in the mind. Yoga’s inherent compatibility with this modern day lifestyle is what Ryerson University student Sierra Baron appreciates most. Sierra, a second-year biology student, maintains that her weekly Yoga classes impart a feeling of calmness and centeredness – an intrinsic mindset for her academically rigorous program. RK, another student who is currently studying mechanical engineering in his third year, notes that Yoga, as well as the culture and people associated to it, have helped in introducing what would otherwise be absent – optimism about the world and society, and potential for happiness in life.

Interestingly, both students distinguished between the deep contentment that Yoga imbibes, and euphoric short term happiness. Emotions today, such as the superlatives of excitement, limit the mind to very superficial levels. The average person’s deliberations and discussions center on gizmos and gadgets, keeping abreast of trends, and living from one deadline to the next, among others. This inhibits one’s interest to probe the depths of science and knowledge. The mind, which tends to have a fixation on rights and demands, must convert to the fresh approach of contribution to the world. That is the new definition of success, and can be manifested through Yoga. There are indicators of an incisive journey to the mind: people who make spontaneous decisions which give progressive directions, those that are able to think critically in stressful situations, and more significantly, people that by their very presence, seem to embrace you with their heart. This warmth in heart is very natural, simple, and ordinary. This is Yoga. Through the practice of Yoga, you evolve from movement to stillness, sound to silence, impression to expression and lethargy to energy. Stretch your muscles and enhance its definition through Yoga. Improve focus, clear your mind, and touch your heart - join the Yogic Wave; the journey inwards from the Yoga mat.

The mind, which tends to have a fixation on rights and demands, must convert to the fresh approach of contribution to the world.

THE POWER OF

ONLINE LEARNING DR. MARIE BOUNTROGIANNI D E A N O F T H E G . R AY M O N D C H A N G S C H O O L O F C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N , RY E R S O N U N I V E R S I T Y

It’s no secret that I’m a strong advocate of lifelong learning. Continuing education builds skills, sharpens and shifts perspectives, and expands horizons. To a competitive job market, it keeps people current and both protects and enhances careers. Precisely because it’s so important, I also believe that lifelong learning must be accessible. That’s why The Chang School has placed such a strong emphasis on offering a wide variety of courses and programs of study online. Online learning lifts barriers to education, such as distance and time. It allows people to study in the comfort of their own homes, at a library, in a coffee shop, or wherever is most convenient to them. It also lets people fit learning into their busy schedules, studying before work, on lunch breaks, or after the kids are in bed at night. That said, when people who haven’t experienced online learning imagine what it’s like, they may picture students isolated at home, interacting with a computer screen rather than their instructor and peers. With a well-designed class, that’s not at all the case. In fact, online learning can spark rich collaborative relationships with people around the world. In a 2012 TED talk called The nerd’s guide to learning everything online, author John Green talks about how important it has been for him to be part of a “community of learners” – whether that is at school, at work, or in an online environment. Focusing specifically on exciting hubs of learning in the online world, he says, “I really believe that these

spaces, these communities have become, for a new generation of learners, the kind of communities … that I had when I was in high school and then again when I was in college. And, as an adult, refinding these communities has reintroduced me to a community of learners and has encouraged me to continue to be a learner even in my adulthood, so that I no longer feel like learning is something reserved for the young.” Another misconception about online learning is that it is static, with a fixed structure. In contrast, online learning can be highly flexible and engaging. It can be designed to take into consideration different learning styles. It can also be tailored to a learner’s knowledge needs – for example, providing the option of preparatory modules that get learners with less background on a subject up to speed, and enrichment modules that allow learners to pursue their interests and get more in-depth information. Educator Daphne Koller is a passionate advocate of online learning, encouraging top universities to provide high-quality courses online for free through Coursera, the organization she co-founded with Andrew Ng. “This format allows us to break away from the onesize-fits-all model of education and allows students to follow a much more personalized curriculum,” she points out in a 2012 TED talk called What we’re learning from online education. Echoing Green, she also emphasizes, “This is not just about students sitting alone in their living room, working through problems. Around each of our courses, a community of students has formed – a global community of people around a shared intellectual endeavour.”

Koller’s efforts to make online learning more accessible run parallel to the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) movement. In January 2016, The Chang School will launch its first MOOC, an intensive, three-week, free, open online course developed in partnership with the Government of Ontario’s EnAbling Change Program and offered through the Canvas Network. “Professional Web Accessibility Auditing Made Easy” is especially appropriate as our inaugural MOOC because its focus is on building and maintaining inclusive online platforms that welcome one and all. We’re also engaged in prep aring ChangSchoolTalks 2016, an event on February 17, 2016, which will bring together North American experts, educators, and entrepreneurs to share their success and insights on technology-supported teaching, learning and research, gamification, and workplace training. This professional development and networking event will build on The Chang School’s position as a visionary leader in digital and workplace learning, and a hub of innovation that informs and inspires lifelong learners. As technology continues to evolve, and educators like The Chang School continue to experiment with dynamic new ways to share knowledge, the future of online learning is bright. I’m thrilled to be in a position to both celebrate and participate in its advancement.

“re-finding these communities has reintroduced me to a community of learners and has encouraged me to continue to be a learner even in my adulthood, so that I no longer feel like learning is something reserved for the young.” BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS

- John Green

“ C O N C E A L” RANA ABDALLA F L I C K R . C O M / R A N A_A

S EC T I O N I I I : DE S I GN

PLAN, PICTURE,

PROJECT WHAT IS DESIGN? IT’S WHERE YOU STAND WITH A FOOT IN TWO WORLDS — THE WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY AND THE WORLD OF PEOPLE AND HUMAN PURPOSES — AND YOU TRY TO BRING THE TWO TOGETHER. - MITCHELL KAPOR

MY 15 YEAR DEGREE AMANDA DE SOUZA T H I R D Y E A R , A R T S & C O N T E M P O R A RY S T U D I E S

10 years ago, I dropped out of Ryerson University. I lived an entire lifetime in that decade and have returned a prodigal third year student to the arts and contemporary studies program. The friends I once had here have come and gone, graduated and also had successful careers. I worked in the advertising industry for seven years and had a notable art career living and working in New York City. I returned home to Canada, when I learned my mom had been diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. There is no course you can take for the challenging milestones in life no one talks about, such as losing a parent, something everyone will have to endure. As students, we have a one-track mind to graduate (with intermittent partying), to have a successful career and to make money. I know this, because I have been both a student and a professor by the age of 30. This “plan” I find, can be a great source of unnecessary pressure and anxiety. My mom was told she had one year to live and a counselor told her, “the doctors can give you a time frame based on your disease, but what they don’t know, is you.” In that regard, my mom lived for another three years, defying her team of medical professionals. She lived in every sense of the word, traveling the world, inspiring friends and family to enjoy every moment however ephemeral. Candy Chang’s 2012 TED talk, Before I Die I Want To… wherein she encouraged people to express their innermost desires before they died, some simple, some humorous, some profound, reminded me of my mom’s attitude towards life. Many of us get sidetracked by pressures of what we are made to believe is the ideal path in life – school, followed by career, marriage, home, dog, and babies. While education is an important foundation, it is equally important not to bind yourself to this set plan and being open to—not fearful of – the unexpected. The “real world” is fulfilling as much as it is heartbreaking, however, we all look back and wish we could tell our younger selves not to be afraid to learn and do more.

My friend and Ryerson University graduate, Laura Ricci, wanted to attend teacher’s college, but because of financial restraints and low employment for teachers, she decided to pursue a career based on her minor in human resources, ultimately becoming a successful HR manager. Many graduates I know, including Laura, approached opportunities after graduation and though their original plans were thwarted, found invaluable experiences. Your goal doesn’t have to be the same thing in ten years, most of the time, it won’t be, and that’s okay. Vanessa Blum, a fourth year student in the graphic communications management program started her education at the Trebas Institute and worked in several industries before returning to Ryerson University. “Sometimes it takes time to figure out what you excel...work every day,” says Vanessa, who has no regrets with the path she chose. Before my mother succumbed to her illness, she told me the life I was living in New York City was her dream and that had she not had children, she would have done the same thing when she was my age. But her plans changed and my siblings and I became her everything. Both of us ended up not only exactly where we were supposed to be but also, where we needed to be – in no defined order. We each have a path; marked with lessons, failures, heartaches and opportunities that each of us embark on. It is impossible to plan for it or compare ourselves to others. Embrace it. Fulfill that “bucket list” now; work hard not only in your career but also in your relationships and your path to your definition of success will reveal itself. My mom taught me that.

The “real world” is fulfilling as much as it is heartbreaking however, we all look back and wish we could tell our younger selves not to be afraid to learn and do more.

INDIGO VA L E R I A S H A R I V K E R T H I R D Y E A R , C R E AT I V E I N D U S T R I E S What if I told you colour is not real? Clear your mind and think about the colour Indigo, what do you see? Would you see a blue-ish purple? Or a purpleish blue? Or would you perhaps, see yellow? This question seems to be rarely asked, but I ask myself this all the time, as I sit in my room, looking at a vase on my desk. When I saw the vase on the shelf in Walmart, I had decided in my own brain that this vase is “indigo” and bought it immediately. Now I wonder what indigo even is. Besides sitting in my room staring at vases, I also have a glamorous part time job of being a waitress. This job gives me a chance to perform social experiments on my customers. So, yesterday at work I wore an indigo coloured eyeliner, and observed. One lady went on a long rant about how unbelievably stunning my purple eyeliner was. At the end of the day, the score for what people thought my eyeliner was, was as follows; Purple – 3 Blue – 7 When a child is learning how to speak, a mother will show her baby an object, and point out that the colour of the object is; blue, pink, red, etc. She is teaching her baby what colours are called. Colours that she, the mother, sees. But what if, the baby sees the colour, as we know, yellow? The mother may teach the baby that this colour the baby is seeing is named red. Therefore, whenever the baby sees anything yellow in the future, it associates it with the name red.

Biology and science step in here. A healthy human eye, has a thin layer of cells called the retina. The retina has two different types of photoreceptors. One are “rods”, which are responsible for our vision in low light situations, but not colour. The other, called “cones” perceive light, and the wavelengths of light, and therefore colour. Colour is the relation to the frequency and reflection of the wavelengths of light that enters the eye. But as a 2012 TED talk speaker, Colm Kelleher said in his talk, What is Color? there are roughly three types of cones in our eyes. Ones that perceive red, blue, and yellow. But the number of the different colour perceiving cones, in different quantities and ratios, varies person to person. This is where the theory lays, that because of different types of combinations of cones, we may see colours in completely different hues and shades from one another. Imagine once again, that we all see things differently. Perhaps this won’t change much in our day to day living... but what does it mean in the context of our world? Could it possibly mean that nothing in this world is as categorized and concrete as we thought? And how does this complex theory affect the different minds of our generation? Erica Celluci, a third year medical physics student at Ryerson University, offers an interesting scientific perspective. “Above all else, one of the major things I have learned throughout my education is how little I actually know about the world. Colour perception becomes an area of research that

combines not only concrete scientific theory, but individual interpretation, and possibly still a great lack of scientific knowledge of how the brain really works. It becomes exceptionally difficult to place a universal definition on the nature of colour, and how its perception relates to emotion, experience, and of course scientific theory,” she said. This idea differed in tone when it was introduced to a third year creative industries student, Anat Morderer, who specializes in studying the fashion industry. “Yes they might be seeing the colour differently but at the same time I feel like we as society are yet to develop all forms of language to truly explain how we see colour. It could be referred back to the blue/black and white/gold dress controversy this past year. Hundreds of people had an opinion about a photograph of a dress. The way the image of the dress was captured has seemed to throw off many individual’s perception of the dress.” So, with so much prevailing new knowledge and opinion, we have to ask one concluding question. Does this all matter? Perhaps not. Maybe we can settle knowing, and loving, the fact that we are all slightly (or vastly) different, from our appearance to our perception. After all, we are all just animals who see and react to the things around us. We are also animals that can sit and ponder at vases. I’m really glad no one has ever said to me, “I like your indigo eyeliner!”

“It becomes exceptionally difficult to place a universal definition on the nature of colour, and how its perception relates to emotion, experience, and of course scientific theory.” 33

BEYOND

HAPPENSTANCE E M I LY B E T T E R I D G E T H I R D Y E A R , C R E AT I V E I N D U S T R I E S

There is no such thing as coincidence. Or is there? After 20 years of research and contemplation, Carl Jung, psychologist and early colleague of Sigmund Freud, introduced the term “synchronicity” and described it as the meaningful coincidences that aid a person’s individuality. In a sense, what Jung had discovered was a theory parallel to that of Einstein’s law of relativity, which also linked to metaphysics and the law of attraction, in which synchronistic patterns of connection occur and cannot be explained by causality. Jung was convinced of his discoveries when working with a particular patient who seemed completely trapped in her own mind and analysis. He explained, “I had to confine myself to the hope that something unexpected and irrational would turn up, something that would burst the intellectual retort in which she had sealed herself.” The patient began telling Jung of a dream she had the previous night where she was offered a striking piece of jewellery in the form of a golden scarab. At the same moment she told her story, a scarabaeid beetle of a goldgreen colour tapped on the window. Jung walked

over to the window to open it, and the beetle flew inside. He caught the bug in his palm and handed it to his patient, “Here is your scarab.” Shock consumed the patient as she realized the synchronistic moment and that her dream was enacted in her waking life. It was at this moment of synchronistic transmission that an essential change in perception took place within her and made her mind accessible in a new way. As this incident would indicate, synchronistic events can bring us clarity and allow us access to higher levels of consciousness. Third year creative industries student Katelyn Goodfellow recounts a time when she experienced a synchronistic event. She was twelve years old and had just recently had her dog Murphy pass away. In tears over the freshly cleaned carpets that no longer held the bundles of chocolate dog hairs her mother complained so often about, Katelyn felt empty without her furry companion. It was only moments later when grabbing something from her nightstand that something caught her eye – one single Murphy hair, stuck to her headboard. Though it wasn’t just stuck, but rather painted over with the pale white paint her mother had used when restoring the headboard.

...to most individuals these events typically appear as random occurrences no more important or coincidental than any other.

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if this is indeed the case, is it simply because we have been naturally selected to suppose only what we need to in order to survive? do we see only what we want to see?

“It sounds silly, but I knew it was a sign that [Murphy] would always be with me, and I took great comfort in that,” Katelyn admits. Similar to Katelyn, fifth year biology student Wesley Kosiba believes that though seemingly far-fetched to some, and not always evident at the time, synchronistic events do occur. Wesley explains that to most individuals these events typically appear as random occurrences no more important or coincidental than any other; “It’s only when you step back and see how the event affected your life and moulded it into something you had always envisioned for yourself, that you realize its significance.” This infers that the idea of synchronicities may be beyond our immediate comprehension. In his 2005 TED talk, Why the Universe Seems So Strange, Richard Dawkins asks whether there are things about the universe that will be forever beyond our grasp? He consistently proposes the idea that the universe is “queerer than we can suppose,” and if this is indeed the case, is it

simply because we have been naturally selected to suppose only what we need to in order to survive? Do we see only what we want to see? Or instead, he questions, “Are our brains so versatile and expandable, that we can train ourselves to break out of the box of our evolution?” In terms of synchronicity, Dawkins’ inquiry would suggest that we can train ourselves to identify synchronicities, and in doing so, we can potentially elevate ourselves to higher levels of consciousness where we can have greater ability to influence our own lives. As Dawkins’ reminds us, “nothing is totally impossible, miracles are just events that are extremely improbable.” So I ask you this: have you ever felt destined for something? Have you ever ended up somewhere and been certain you were intended to be there, to meet someone, to experience something? Perhaps these events did not occur at the hands of chance, but rather allude to something greater, something “queerer than we can suppose.” Perhaps there are no coincidences after all.

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