Over the past year, Western has woven a tale of groundbreaking research and collective achievements.
From propelling a minisatellite into space to appointing Canada’s first university Chief AI Officer, to launching new sustainability initiatives and welcoming a Canada Excellence Research Chair as well as a new Chancellor, the pivotal moments of 2023 will help chart the trajectory for Western’s future.
Here’s a look back at 23 standout highlights from 2023.
Leaf from one of the first printed books finds home at Western
Deborah Meert-Williston holds a leaf from the first edition of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. (Keri Ferguson/Western Communications)
Deborah Meert-Wilson, special collections librarian, acquired a leaf, originally from the first edition of The Canterbury Tales, one of the first books printed in England by William Caxton in 1476. “The beginning of print, and it changed the world,” she said.
Weldon renovation creates a warm, welcoming space
The new two-storey learning commons in the D.B. Weldon Library (Chris Kindratsky/Western Communications)
The D. B. Weldon Library reopened with a new look, the first phase of revitalizing one of Western’s most iconic public spaces. Changes include new lighting on the main floor’s ceiling, art from McIntosh Gallery on the walls and colourful, modern furniture.
Wildlife census finds thousands of species on campus
An Eastern carpenter bee on a dandelion was spotted on Western’s campus in April 2023. (Photo credit: Jackson Kusack/iNaturalist)
More than 2,257 species at last count, some endangered or at risk, were found on campus in a project to create Western’s biodiversity inventory. Hundreds of volunteers contributed to the undertaking over a year.
First study of Canada’s ‘SuperAgers’
‘SuperAgers’ are individuals who, in their 80s, 90s and beyond, have experienced exceptional cognitive aging. (Pexels photo)
Professor Angela Roberts is heading the research team to study the first Canadian cohort of senior citizens with exceptional cognitive facilities. These ‘SuperAgers’, said Roberts, could help improve our understanding of cognition, aging and diseases.
A historic gift funds new Ivey campus
Renowned Canadian business leader Donald K. Johnson graduated in the MBA class of 1963. (Nation Wong photo)
A $30-million gift from renowned Canadian business leader and Ivey Business School graduate Donald K. Johnson to support a new Ivey campus in downtown Toronto is the largest single donation by an individual in Western’s history.
Leading the fight against brain diseases
The new project, called TRanslational Initiative to DE-risk NeuroTherapeutics (TRIDENT), is led by Ravi Menon and Lisa Saksida. (Mac Lai/Schulich Medicine & Dentistry)
With the support of $24 million from the federal New Frontiers in Research Fund, a Schulich Medicine & Dentistry team has developed a groundbreaking approach to identify promising therapies for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Western welcomes new leaders
(From left) Penny Pexman, Lily Cho and Marisa Modeski (Melinda Josie illustration)
Three new senior leaders joined Western this year: Marisa Modeski as university registrar on May 1 ; Lily Cho as vice-provost and associate vice-president (international) on July 1; and Penny Pexman as vice-president (research) on Sept. 1.
74 new EV charging stations coming soon
EV chargers already operating on campus include these two in the Alumni/Thompson parking lot. (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Western announced 74 new electric vehicle charging stations will be installed across campus over the next two years as part of a $1.45-million upgrade jointly funded by Western and Natural Resources Canada.
Launching the first miniature satellite
Western students Wen Bo, Alexis Pascal and Stephen Amey prepare Ukpik-1 for integration with Western Engineering professor and principal investigator Jayshri Sabarinathan. (Western Space photo)
The first-ever miniature satellite built by a Western team was launched into space in June. The cubical satellite, known as a CubeSat, weighed about one kilogram and was built by a Western Engineering team in collaboration with Nunavut Arctic College.
Western hosts national reconciliation forum
Geography professor and Indigenous advocate Vanessa Ambtman-Smith was one of the speakers at the Building Reconciliation Forum. (Red Works Photography photo)
Western hosted the eighth annual Building Reconciliation Forum in June. Created by Universities Canada in response to the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the forum is hosted by a new institution each year.
New international strategy to drive worldwide impact
The plan will guide the university’s global strategy until 2030. (Western Communications photo)
Western launched a new global engagement strategy, called Western in the World, to increase its international reach and research through reciprocal partnerships around the world.
New Frugal Biomedical Innovations program bridges resource gap
Engineering professor Emily Lalone (right), graduate student Max Campbell (left) and their collaborators are developing a tool to improve wrist position during X-rays. (Antwayne Stewart/Western Engineering)
Western’s new Frugal Biomedical Innovations program supports projects seeking to create innovative medical technologies that improve health-care access for patients in remote and low-resource communities for a fraction of the cost of existing methods without compromising quality.
More on-campus student housing announced
A new residence will be built beside Elgin Hall on University Drive, near the Richmond gates. (Western Communications photo)
Western unveiled plans for two new buildings to house an additional 1,000 students on campus: an undergraduate residence on University Drive and an apartment complex on Platt’s Lane.
Awards fund research on Black youth in region
Geography professor Godwin Arku received new funding for projects to empower Black youth. (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Geography and environment professor Godwin Arku received a national award and a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant to support his research on the experience of young people, including Western students and Black youth in Southwestern Ontario.
Largest-ever class of medical students
First-year students at the 2023 White Coat ceremony, marking the start of their professional journey. (Mac Lai/Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry)
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry welcomed 190 first-year medical students, the largest class in its 142-year history. The class included 16 additional seats made possible by funding from the provincial government.
Leading the world in sustainability
Faculty, staff and students are prioritizing and promoting sustainability in meaningful ways. (Western Communications photo)
This year, Western was the only Canadian institution to place in the top 10 for sustainability in both the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 and Times Higher Education 2023 Impact Rankings.
Free climate change action course opens to adult learners
“We Paddle Together” by Hawlii Pichette, a Mushkego Cree (Treaty 9) artist/illustrator. Pichette’s artwork is a key component in the course. (Hawlii Pichette art and photo)
The award-winning course, Connecting for Climate Change Action, can now be accessed for free from anywhere in the world. The course uses a storytelling approach to educate and motivate action on climate change.
Mark Daley appointed first chief AI officer
Professor Mark Daley (Geoff Robins photo)
Artificial intelligence researcher and globally respected authority in neural computation, Mark Daley, was appointed Western’s first chief AI officer. Western became the first Canadian university to have such a senior executive role.
New study shows wildlife fear us more than lions
Biology professor Liana Zanette’s study showed the impact of humans on wildlife. (Michael Clinchy photo)
A new study by biology professor Liana Zanette showing animals fear human voices more than other predators made headlines around the world including BBC, The New York Times, The Atlantic and all three major U.K. daily newspapers.
Kelly Meighen installed as new chancellor
President Alan Shepard welcomes Kelly Meighen as the university’s 24th Chancellor during a special installment ceremony on Oct. 11. (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Esteemed philanthropist and volunteer Kelly Meighen, BA’71, LLD’13, was installed as Western’s new chancellor this fall. “We have much to learn from each other if we listen. And I assure you, as your Chancellor, I will be listening,” she said.
Postcard project connects communities to First World War history
More than 400 replicas of postcards sent during the First World War were mailed to their original addresses. (Steve Anderson/Western Communications)
History professor Jonathan Vance led a team of student researchers to send replicas of hundreds of First World War postcards to the addresses where the originals had been sent. A goal of the project is to remind people that those engaged in the war lived in our communities and neighbourhoods.
Dr. Robyn Klein recruited as new Canada Excellence Research Chair
Dr. Robyn Klein will set up Canada’s first-ever research program studying the impact of infectious diseases on the brain. (Mac Lai/Schulich Medicine & Dentistry)
Renowned worldwide for her groundbreaking work on the effects of viral infections and neuroinflammation on memory, Dr. Robyn Klein will join Western as the new Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neurovirology and Neuroimmunology.
Canada’s most powerful MRI system installed on campus
(From left) Robert Walters, field service engineer at Bruker BioSpin; Joe Gati, managing director of the Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, and Ravi Menon, scientific director of the Centre, with the MRI system at Robarts Research Institute. (Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
The Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry is now home to Canada’s first 15.2 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. This makes it the country’s most powerful MRI system and one of the most powerful in the world.
