A&S scholars sharing their expertise in the media this week

From groundbreaking advancements in AI to the latest developments in the Hamas-Israel war, experts from a range of disciplines across the Faculty of Arts & Science are sharing their expertise on a variety of issues in the media.

Here’s some of what they had to say this week.

November 17, 2023

• Department of Computer Science University Professor Emeritus Geoffrey Hinton is named by Toronto Life as this year’s most influential Torontonian for his legacy in the field of AI, with comments from Computer Science Associate Professors Roger Grosse and David Duvenaud, Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies Professor Emerita Rosemary Gartner and Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) Director Juna Kollmeier.
• Computer Science Professor Raquel Urtasun alumnus Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI, are recognized by Toronto Life as among the 50 most influential Torontonians of the year.
• Alumni Alexandra Assouad of Rotman Commerce and Akanksha Shelat of Computer Science are named Toronto’s rising stars by Toronto Life for their innovative therapy app.
• Department of Earth Sciences and School of the Environment Professor Miriam L. Diamond comments for CityNews on the federal court overturning the government’s single-use plastics ban.
• Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy affiliated faculty member Aurel Braun writes in the National Post (paywall) about Justin Trudeau’s stance on the Hamas-Israel war.
• Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History Program Director and Trinity College fellow Jack Cunningham talks to CHML Radio about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s latest comments on the Hamas-Israel war (49:26 minute mark).

November 19, 2023

• Jack Cunningham discusses on CTV News the Hamas-Israel war and Ukraine.
• School of Cities researchers find that Toronto-area shift workers need better transit services, as reported by CityNews.
• The Globe and Mail (paywall) highlights how Department of Linguistics student Olanrewaju Samuel contributes to a start-up improving text-to-speech AI models for foreign languages.
• School of the Environment Director and Computer Science Professor Steve Easterbrook explains to Global News online how AI is improving weather forecasts.

November 20, 2023

• Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society Director Gillian Hadfield discusses with CBC News online responsible AI development and tensions among OpenAI board members.
• Miriam L. Diamond shares her insights with the Canadian Press on issues surrounding the United Nations global plastic treaty negotiations.
• The Logic (paywall) notes how Geoffrey Hinton and his former students helped lay the foundations for today’s AI boom.
• Department of Political Science and School of the Environment Associate Professor Jessica Green writes in Foreign Affairs (paywall) about carbon offsets and the climate crisis.
• Earth Sciences Professor Russell Pysklywec talks to the National Post (paywall) about volcano eruptions and the risk of an ash plume.

November 21, 2023

• Geoffrey Hinton and his former students are credited in The Logic (paywall) for setting the stage for AI innovation in Canada, with mention of Raquel Urtasun.
• Department of Political Science and Munk School University Professor Janice Stein discusses the release of Israeli hostages on CBC: The National (27:12 minute mark).
• Geoffrey Hinton is a key figure in The Globe and Mail’s (paywall) profile of Computer Science alumnus Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI, with comments from Computer Science Assistant Professor Chris Maddison and Gillian Hadfield.
• Citizen Lab senior researcher Jeffrey Knockel and post-doctoral fellow Emile Dirks share with Radio-Canada online their analysis of online criticism of the Chinese president.
• Munk School senior fellow Tyler Meredith talks to CBC: The Current about the government’s fall economic statement and inflation in Canada.
• Department of Geography & Planning Professor and Infrastructure Institute at the School of Cities Director Matti Siemiatycki comments for The Globe and Mail (paywall) on public-private infrastructure projects.

November 22, 2023

• Munk School senior fellow and former Canadian ambassador to Israel (2006-2010) Jon Allen discusses on CHCH TV a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas.
• Matti Siemiatycki comments for Global News online on the fall economic statement.

November 23, 2023

• Munk School Master of Public Policy candidate David Jones writes in the Financial Post (paywall) about pressure on the Bank of Canada to moderate rates.
• Director of the Institute on Municipal Finance & Governance at the School of Cities Enid Slack comments for CBC News online on property tax increases in Edmonton.
• Janice Stein and Munk School distinguished fellow Arif Lalani discuss on CBC: The National and CP24 a truce between Israel and Hamas.