The newly announced U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE for short (also known as Musk’s most recent mega venture) is drawing both praise and ire before taking any concrete action. So far, we only have a vague understanding of how this new department plans to reach its stated goal – to streamline the administrative […]
This blog will likely not resemble my original design for it. In my first blog of this year, I wrote about the varied experiences of American mobility and how the US’s doctrine of free movement has never been evenly applied across all demographics. My aim this year has been to highlight some of these demographics […]
Life can be compared to a game of Jenga. Each wooden block is like a part of our well-being—our physical health, mental strength, relationships, work-life balance, and even the little joys that make us happy. Together, these blocks form a tower, strong and steady, helping us deal with life’s ups and downs. But just like […]
Does passing Bill C-49 (#4) in the Parliament mean a green pass? Absolutely not! A fundamental legal commitment to ecological integrity (#1, #3, and #5) is required. The law refers to ecological integrity (e.g. the Oceans Act #5) in some cases. However, these references have limited applications. In these references, maintaining or restoring ecological integrity […]
Finally, one question that has consistently guided my work is: How can we build systems that promote social sustainability? Over the past year, in my blogs, I have delved deeply into this question. This question is not merely theoretical; it is a pressing challenge as we navigate a world increasingly shaped by technology. How can […]
In the world of empirical research, projects are often complex and unpredictable. Traditional project management methods can feel inflexible, making it challenging to navigate the evolving demands of research work. However, Scrum—a framework originally designed for software development—can bring adaptability, team collaboration, and structured progress to research. Based on my personal experience leading a multidisciplinary […]
The colonial state emerged through brutal conquest and was consolidated through Indigenous land alienation, brutal labor and tax regimes, and racially motivated segregationist policies. It ended as a fragile authoritarian state, leaving deeply divided ethnic units and emerging modern states with new economic prospects but uncertain political futures. The colonial state was also a patriarchal […]
Last time, I explained how, given any sort of mathematical structure that can be defined using operations (with finitely many inputs) and rules about what terms are equal, we can define a Lawvere theory that encodes that data in the form of a category. But not all mathematical structures can be defined in this way, […]
When I joined the Open Thinkers program, I didn’t expect it to fundamentally reshape how I approach my research and communication. As a PhD student focused on neurovascular function and traumatic brain injury, I was used to diving into the minutiae of experiments and data. But Open Thinkers pushed me to step back and think […]
Throughout our OpenThinker blog series, we have embarked on a fascinating journey through the world of artificial intelligence. We have delved into hidden challenges like AI bugs and explored complex ethical dilemmas surrounding fairness in AI decision-making. Now, as we look to the future, a crucial question emerges: Where do we go from here? AI […]
We have long thought about our feelings as personal reactions that ebb and flow with what happens in our lives. Sure enough, emotions not only draw our attention to what is going on around us, but prepare us for action. By telling us that no, that bear in the woods does not look friendly and […]
Increased car use in cities leads to major traffic and environmental problems, such as traffic congestion, air and noise pollution. High auto-dependency is also associated with increased transport expenditure, deterioration of health, and social isolation. Reducing car use has remained a perennial problem for most cities across the world. Among the many strategies used to […]
Water is a common thread throughout my previous OpenThink articles, from fining big polluters to preserving riparian areas. One topic that has not been discussed yet is the source of drinking water for one third of Canada’s population, and 80% of residents living outside of urban areas. Water that comes from underground. Groundwater is under-appreciated […]
This article contains details about sexual exploitation involving youth and may not be appropriate for everyone. 2SLGBTQIA+ youth are more likely to experience bullying, abuse, and peer victimization whether at home, school, or in their local community. For example, 2SLGBTQIA+ peer victimization reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic due to attending school virtually. Socializing virtually […]
As with many therapists, I start sessions by asking my clients how they’re doing that day. Sometimes they’re in a great mood and other times things are going so horribly that they debated cancelling last-minute. Whether they were feeling great or not-so-great, my clients almost always attributed their current mood to external events, like feeling […]
In 2022, actor Will Ferrell and former SNL head writer Harper Steele undertook a seventeen-day road trip across America that included a variety of natural and cultural landmarks. If the specific stops – a basketball game, a stock car race, a dive bar, an open field to set off fireworks – strongly suggest blue-collar masculinity, […]