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a, Features

Evolving the mental health e-world

by Laura Hanrahan on

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Every year, one in 10 McGill students will visit McGill’s Mental Health Service (MMHS). While this means the majority of students may never set foot in the quiet offices of the Brown Building’s fifth floor, MMHS actually ends up playing a role more crucial than ever for many individuals. 

Mental Illness Awareness Week kicked off at McGill on Oct. 4 with the annual Students in Mind conference. During the conference, MMHS presented its new website and online resource for students: McGill Mental Health Hub, also previously known as the McGill Wellness Portal. Emily Yung, McGill’s Mental Health Education coordinator, is one of the brains behind this new tool.

Originally from Markham, Ontario, Yung completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Western University. She proceeded to pursue a two-year masters in Psychiatry from McGill, graduating in 2014. Yung was inspired to venture into the field of mental health in her first year of undergraduate studies while volunteering with a family doctor who also practiced psychotherapy. Yung would sit in on his psychotherapy sessions and observe how the doctor induced change in patients on a daily basis.  

Through this, Yung saw how various sessions would help foster transformations even within a one-hour period. While changes within an hour may be minimal, there was enough positive impact for the individual to carry out their week through learning how to cope with what was going on, until the next session. This inspired her to pursue a career in the mental health field, and led her to her current position at McGill.

a, Opinion

Campus Conversation: Canadian federal election

by Malaya Powers & Jacob Schweda, Greta Hoaken, and Daniel Braz on

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Liberal McGill

It is rare and valuable when a party, a leader, and a platform seek to engage realistically in youth and student issues—not merely pay lip service to them, or tokenize their advocates. Youth issues are represented very clearly in Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada’s platform.

Youth employment is a fundamental component of the Liberal platform. The youth unemployment rate is currently 13.1 per cent—almost double the national average. This has led to about 170,000 less young people in the workforce than prior to the 2008 recession. As students ourselves, we are constantly looking ahead to our life after McGill, and want to see a job market that is open to embrace us when we graduate and seek employment.

Trudeau’s plan for youth employment promises 120,000 new opportunities in the first three years—three times more jobs than those promised by the NDP. This plan’s quantitative measurement, unlike initiatives introduced by other parties in this election, does not end with a number of jobs promised or specific budget funding allotted. Trudeau has committed to invest $300 million annually in a renewed youth employment strategy that will ensure this promise is met.

If elected, Trudeau has alsopledged to increase the number of jobs funded by the Canada Summer Jobs program, and invest $40 million annually to create more co-op placements for students. A cumulative $1.5 billion will be invested in youth employment through this strategy.

The Liberals understand the importance of investing in our country as a whole and fostering economic partnerships across provinces. This is why the party’s platform has designated $25 million annually for a youth services program that would send young people across the country to gain work experience. The platform will increase the number of federally funded jobs under the Canada Summer Jobs program to 35,000.

Trudeau and his team also understand that economic and environmental prosperity go hand in hand. This is why he has promised to create an additional 5000 jobs for young people as guides and interpreters at Parks Canada.

Although not specifically targeted at youth, the Liberal tax plan is important for students to consider, as we in the coming years, will begin working, paying taxes, and potentially having families of our own. The plan, in essence, will cut taxes for the middle class, and instead shift the burden to the wealthiest individuals in our society.

Unlike the Conservative Party of Canada, Liberals also understand that while the economy is of extreme importance, it is not the only issue Canadians care about. Democratic reform—for which Team Trudeau has a 32-point “Real Change” plan—is an issue that students are particularly interested in. “We need to know that when we cast a ballot, it counts, that when we vote, it matters,” Trudeau said at the unveiling of this platform policy.

By Greta Hoaken, Liberal McGill.

Learn more about the Liberal campaign at liberal.ca.

 

Conservative McGill

There’s a popular misconception that Conservatives do not care about student issues, but this could not be further from the truth. The Conservative Party of Canada’s approach to dealing with student issues is much different than that of the other parties, because it sees students as individual, unique people with their own hopes and aspirations for the future instead of a monolithic voting bloc that can be satiated with lip service and handouts. The goal for tackling student issues, if the Conservatives remain in power this October, is to ensure that when future students graduate, they will be able to enter the working world quickly and have a prosperous future to look forward to.

The Conservative Party’s priorities will be to encourage economic growth by keeping taxes low. This will encourage job creators to remain in Canada and to open up new job opportunities for students who are fresh out of university, and also preserve Canadian jobs that already exist for the next generation. The Conservative Party would also allow students who are working to put more money in their Tax Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs)—something the other parties promise to undo. This is essential in order to allow students to save more money and provide them with the beginnings of a financially secure future going ahead in their lives.

The Conservative Party of Canada is also thinking farther ahead than just the immediate future by having Prime Minister Stephen Harper announce a plan to encourage home ownership for an additional 700,000 Canadians by the year 2020. Although this may seem far off to some, recent graduates will be able to benefit from this plan. Many young people concerned about their ability to become financially independent in the years following graduation should see this as a great opportunity—including McGillians.

The Conservative Party believes that it is the only party that has a concrete plan to assist students in meaningful, positive ways. The Conservative Party have a proven track record of steady economic management, low taxes, and investment in the individual.

The Conservative plan will get college graduates out of their parents’ homes and into the workforce faster and in larger numbers than the other parties. It will ensure that graduates don’t become stuck waiting for their chance to gain independence by investing in students’ futures. The potential result if Canadians choose not to re-elect a Conservative government is one of job-killing taxes, lower take-home pay, deficit spending sprees, and increasing debt levels.

This is a watershed election and students have an important role to play in deciding their own future. They can support short-term investment at the cost of increased debt and interest payments in the future, or they can support a party with a long-term plan for the future.

By Daniel Braz, Principal Secretary of the Conservative Association of McGill University

Learn more about the conservative campaign at conservative.ca.

 

NDP McGill

The New Democratic Party (NDP)—the most gender-balanced party running in this election and with the youngest group of MPs in Parliament—has youth issues at its core.

If elected, an NDP government will eliminate interest on student loans and create 74,000 new non-repayable grants for students in need. The NDP also promises to combine this with a crackdown on unpaid internships to prevent the exploitation of youth workers. Work deserves to be paid with a salary. Experience and a reference letter are great, but they don’t pay the rent. McGill students might remember a similar initiative championed by NDP McGill last year, focusing on stricter rules for unpaid internships at McGill, as well as at the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU).

Four McGill students were elected to Parliament for the NDP in the last election, and they have helped keep students’ priorities front and centre. The NDP, if elected, will phase in a $15 federal minimum wage, bringing those working in federally regulated industries closer to a living salary since the elimination of the federal minimum wage by the Liberals in 1996. A similar $15 minimum wage is being implemented now by Alberta’s new NDP government, and will be fully in place by 2018.

In addition, an NDP government will invest $100 million to improve youth mental health in Canada, an issue that is reaching crisis levels.

The NDP would create 40,000 paid internships and jobs for young people by requiring large federal infrastructure projects to take on paid apprentices. The NDP would also work directly with the private sector and municipalities to make sure a diverse set of jobs are available for students and recent graduates.

To complement jobs, Tom Mulcair’s NDP have promised to help cities build 10,000 new affordable housing units. The NDP recognizes that safe and affordable housing is a right, not a privilege, and will work to undo the damage to our social housing that has happened since the previous Liberal government eliminated the Canadian National Housing Strategy.

Two NDP initiatives aim to assist student health. The first is more affordable prescription drugs through bulk buying, a program that is much needed to complete our universal healthcare system. The second is improved access to Employment Insurance (EI). If students work, they pay into EI, but chances are that they, like 60 per cent of Canadian workers, can’t access it if they lose their job. The NDP will expand access to EI so that it continues to be a safety net for all workers who are temporarily unemployed.

Finally, students play a key role in tackling climate change as it remains one of the greatest threats to the youth generation. Students on this campus and from around the world are demanding immediate action. An NDP government will fight catastrophic climate change that endangers all of our futures by setting specific greenhouse gas reduction targets and meeting them through a Canada-wide cap and trade system, a plan praised by environmental groups. Neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives have set concrete targets.

The NDP made history in Canada by electing the youngest caucus with the most female MPs in history. With McGill’s help, the NDP will break that record again and bring youth voices and youth issues to Ottawa.

By Malaya Powers and Jacob Schweda, Co-Presidents, NDP McGill

Learn more about the NDP campaign at NDP.ca.

 

a, McGill, News, SSMU

SSMU Council discusses resignations of VP Internal, General Manager

by Calvin Trottier-Chi on

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The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council met on Oct. 1 to discuss motions regarding improvments to student life, the resignation of vice-president (VP) Internal Affairs Lola Baraldi, and a SSMU climate change policy.

 

Resignations of executive positions

 

The loss of general manager Jennifer Varkonyi in August is now coupled with Baraldi’s resignation, which came hours before the SSMU Council meeting.

According to SSMU President Kareem Ibrahim, Baraldi intends to finish a full report on Frosh, ending on a relatively high note as this year’s Frosh received the highest satisfaction rate from the student body in recent years at 4.1 out of 5. The other responsibilities of the VP Internal Affairs are being delegated throughout the executive. SSMU VP External Affairs, Emily Boytinck expressed concern about these additional responsibilities.

“I think we all are very aware of what this will entail for the rest of this semester,” Boytinck said. “I think we all know this semester will be particularly time intensive and perhaps stressful, but that is the life of a student executive.”

Council also passed a motion to condemn the undemocratic appointment of a new Interim Senior Director of Student Services by Ollivier Dyens. The motion came in the wake of accusations of failure to consult students, faculty, staff, and the advisory committee for the selection of the senior director of student services.

Library renovation and access

In her report to Council, Rourke introduced the McLennan-Redpath Library’s $180 million renovation plan, which will begin with student consultation.

“[The] goal is to make [the McLennan-Redpath Library complex] more of a student center, to drastically increase study spaces on campus,” Rourke said.  “It would be extremely exciting to see this happen it would address a lot of the needs that students have.”

The source of funding for the renovation is uncertain as of now, as the project is still in the early planning stages.

“The money will have to come from somewhere, and libraries are looking at every option in terms of how they could possibly find the money to fund it,” Rourke said.

With regards to the restrictive library access imposed by law students during exams last April, the Law Students’ Association (LSA) proposed a two-week restriction instead of three. This restriction would only occur for regular service hours. Interim Arts Representative Kat Svikhnushin raised concerns over the continued restriction of access, which resulted in the decision to delay the straw poll until after councillors could speak with their constituents.

“It is a very dangerous precedent to start setting, that certain faculties have say over their own library,” Svikhnushin said. “Everyone at McGill’s tight on space; everyone at McGill’s writing  […] exams.”

 

Motion to adopt a climate change policy

 

Boytinck presented the new climate change policy, amended from last year, which was drafted with the help of the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) over this past summer.  The policy is clearer in its execution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and parterning with sustainability-oriented groups.

“[We’ve] talked a lot over different rules in regards to climate change and combating climate change through our roles of executives at McGill,” Boytinck said.

The policy will guide SSMU in reducing its carbon footprint,  participating in ethical business partnerships, and working to educate the McGill community on issues of climate justice.

“Climate change affects the three major dimensions of sustainability: social, economic and environmental,” stated the notice of motion to adopt the policy. “As a champion of sustainability, the SSMU has a responsibility to combat [it].”

a, Science & Technology

Learn to Code: An evening hosted by HackMcGill

by Andy Wang on

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On Sept. 30, HackMcGill hosted its second Learn to Code event at the Lorne Trottier Building. Created for McGill students unfamiliar with the programming world, Learn to Code offers newcomers help from those with experience. 

Following a brief introduction about the types of programming languages and a list of the web tutorials that the participants could use during the event, the students began to work on their computers. During the event, the 30 or so students in attendance were able to learn the ins and outs of programming with HackMcGill executives readily available to answer questions. Tutorials featured help on Python, Ruby, HTML/CSS, Java, Haskell, and OCaml.

“A lot of people want to learn how to program, but the sheer volume of information out there can be overwhelming for a beginner,” explained Clare Lyle, Director at HackMcGill. “Learn to Code is a way [to make] the abundance of information accessible. Having someone on hand to ask for help when you get stuck can help beginners gain momentum and get past the initial ‘I have no idea what any of this means’ phase.”

This sentiment was the driving force behind the creation of HackMcGill. Created by two McGill computer science students who wanted to make programming fun and less intimidating to the average person, HackMcGill is a unique outlet at McGill for all students.

“It’s a community of computer programming enthusiasts who get together and just have fun with coding,” Amiel Kollek, co-president of HackMcGill, said.

Ensuring students can both learn and have fun often means bypassing a lot of the intimidating information that many professors teach in their beginner courses.

“If you just want to make your own website or app, comp classes won’t always help,” explained Kollek. 

Down the road, concepts like algorithms and data structures are important for understanding certain processes, but not necessary from the beginning

“It’s really hard to learn to code in class,” Berke Yanilmaz, a U0 Science who attended the event, explained. “You can get the theory in class but it is really hard to put in practice once you are all alone.”

With events like Learn to Code, HackMcGill is aiming towards changing the way coding is perceived by the general public. 

“People who come to our events come from all kinds of backgrounds,” said Michael Noseworthy, another Director at HackMcGill. “There are people who have never coded before to people who are computer science majors.”

Already, more and more web and app development is done by teams, but most novice coding is done alone, meaning it’s hard to get answers and find like-minded people to help out.

“We also wanted to add a more social aspect to coding, which is usually considered to be pretty solitary,” said Lyle. “We wanted to get people coding with their friends, asking each other questions, and building a community geared towards learning.”

Fostering a relaxed learning environment at these events not only helps build a community, but attracts people to the field.

“I got into computer science because I went to an event like this when I was in U0,” said Kollek.

This attitude continues to attract students to HackMcGill events today.

Since its inception, HackMcGill has garnered a lot of popularity and is now responsible for hosting a number of different coding-related events. For those with experience in the programming world, HackMcGill hosts events such as Hack101 and McHacks. Whatever level a student may be, HackMcGill aims to help. 

Full disclosure: Clare Lyle is a contributor for the McGill Tribune.

a, Research Briefs, Science & Technology

This week in space

by Wanlin Song on

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Throughout history, blood moons have been associated with bad omens. In Chinese tradition, a blood moon foreshadowed famine or disease. Mesopotamians believed that a lunar eclipse resulted from attacks by demons. But on Sept. 27, from 10:11 p.m. to 10:37 p.m., when the moon turned red, there were no famines or attacks. Beautiful and eerie, this colouration is caused by a total lunar eclipse. Unlike solar eclipses, which are rare and only visible from specific places on Earth, lunar eclipses occur at least twice a year. They’re visible to almost any part of the world, as long as it’s night when the eclipse is happening. 

What made this particular lunar eclipse so special was that this occurred during a supermoon—when the moon is at its closest point to Earth during its orbit, and looks bigger than normal. This was the first time in over 30 years that a supermoon and a lunar eclipse coincided.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned with Earth in the middle. As the moon creeps into the Earth’s shadow, it gradually disappears from the view of people on Earth. Once the moon enters the umbra—the central part of Earth’s shadow where all direct sunlight is blocked—a total lunar eclipse occurs. At this point, the sunlight that passes through the periphery of Earth’s atmosphere is scattered, giving the moon a red hue.

In the same week, NASA scientists released their latest discovery—evidence of water on Mars. Published in Nature Geoscience, the article detailed their use of Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) to obtain data that supported their hypothesis that flowing water exists on Mars. CRISM is a specially designed spectrometer which studies the absorption of light of different wavelengths. In this way, it maps the presence of minerals and chemicals on Mars that may indicate past interactions with water.

Lujendra Ojha, PhD candidate in planetary science at Georgia Institute College, lead the project. The idea first came to him when he discovered that high-resolution images of Mars showed narrow streaks of low reflectance compared to the surrounding terrain. These dark streaks are generally a few meters wide and 1.2 kilometers long. Ojha and his colleagues named these gully-like structures Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL), because the RSL would disappear and reappear seasonally. To be clear—RSL’s are not bodies of water. Rather, they’re geological structures whose formation may involve flowing water.

To prove that RSL’s were indeed created by flowing water, Ojha obtained spectra samples with CRISM from several areas where RSL were present. By comparing the spectra of RSL to spectra of a known substance, he was able to determine their compositions. In all the sample sites his team studied, they observed “water-related [spectrum] absorption features,” as well as minerals such as chlorate and perchlorate salts. From this, Ojha concluded that the RSL must be formed by highly-salted solutions, and not pure water. This is consistent with the fact that in order to have water flowing on Mars, it must be high in salt to have a low freezing point. 

“Although the [amount of] water in [the] perchlorate solution may be too low to support known terrestrial life […] this enhanced evidence of water flow also provides new clues as to the nature of the current Martian hydrologic cycle,” Ojha wrote in his article.

While the quest for life goes on, much can be derived from the understanding of the climate, the soil, and the atmospheres of places like Mars. 

Yours Truly, Montreal
a, Art, Arts & Entertainment

Yours Truly, Montreal provides a ride through the city’s cultural history

by Marina Sulmona on

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A permanent feature at the Pointe-A-Cailliere Museum in Old Port, Yours Truly, Montreal is an immersive exhibit that takes its audience on a journey through Montreal’s history to see how the city has evolved to become the diverse cultural and political hub it is today. The multimedia exhibit is a testament to Montreal’s roots. 

Above the archaeological maze dug into the ground is a 270º screen that maps out Montreal’s unique history. Throughout the show, four numbers projected on the rocks that serve as the base of the exhibit rapidly increase, notifying viewers of the years in question, as the narration speeds through Montreal’s upbringing. 

The number -11 000, representing 11,000 BCE, is illuminated on the structure of rocks, and the show begins. Projections of light replicating a sheet of ice are followed by water rushing in shine over the expanse of stone—movement that ignites an anticipatory excitement. Soon enough, the numbers have scrolled to 1642 and a voice-over representing Montreal introduces itself, “Bonjour Montréal! You are here.”

Swirling through a breadth of history, the eye is prone to wander, and the mind must keep up with the vast array of information that spans from the politics of the fur trade, to the stories of the city’s founders Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance, to the fervor of the migration to the suburbs experienced in the 1960s. 

Though the quantity of information provided is extensive, the show’s graphics wholeheartedly fulfill their purpose of illustrating the city’s atmosphere throughout various points in history. A curated mix of animation, video content, and photography propels the show and preserves a harmony between the respective mediums of representation. 

Minimal, colourful illustrations of stained glass cathedrals, and crisscrossing expressways envelop the screen. A stream of watercolours paints over black and white sketches of the Plateau. The vividness of the illustrations brings an air of youthfulness and clarity to the exhibit. By keeping the visuals eye-catching, intricate, yet simple enough not to get lost in, the exhibit is able to keep its viewers hooked. 

The task of providing an all-encompassing historical summary of the development of a city is daunting. Covering centuries of evolution in landscape, culture, and economic setting in under 20 minutes is a remarkable task. Though it often feels as though the narrator of Yours Truly, Montreal is rushing to squeeze the extensive amount of content in on time, she maintains a certain eloquence while doing so. The exhibit is able to embrace its ambitious challenge, and more importantly, the voice of Montreal does not hesitate in defining its past.

Whether a tourist or a Montreal native,Yours Truly, Montreal inspires a sense of pride for the city. From the lights of Place Ville Marie, to the greenery of Parc la Fontaine, the expanse of diverse neighbourhoods are all given appropriate recognition. The real magic of the exhibit is its ability to highlight the features that make each neighbourhood unique while showing how they work together to define the city as a whole.  

Overall, the message of the exhibit is that Montreal is a cohesive, striving entity whose past has seen hiccups, but has remained undeterred. It’s a place composed of multiple ethnic backgrounds, varying geographic landscapes, and a wealth of artistic expression—able to accommodate a population as diverse as its history. 

The stopwatch alerts us that it’s 2015 as the film pans to a landscape of today’s metropolis. In a nostalgic tone, our narrator signs off with the reminder; “I am, you are, we are all Montreal.” 

Yours Truly, Montreal is a permanent exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History (350 Place Royale, Corner of de la Commune). Admission for students 18-30 is $12.

a, Recipes, Student Life

Recipes: Spiced apple oatmeal

by Liz Willcock on

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Fall is in the air—which unfortunately is a lot colder and a lot less romantic than it sounds. ‘Tis the season for midterms, sweaters, and cheesy autumn-themed 8tracks playlists. More importantly, however, ‘tis the season for comfort food. Gone are the days where you might wake up and, in a bout of health-filled inspiration, make a green juice or opt for a salad for lunch. Although the Tribune can’t help out with midterm preparations, students’ comfort food needs covered with this warming spiced apple oatmeal recipe.

If you’ve ventured anywhere near a farmer’s market this week, you’ve surely noted the abundance of local apples. Although it is still a challenge to figure out how to distinguish Gala from McIntosh and Spartan, this season has them all, and they’re equally delicious. For this recipe, the vendors behind the Macdonald Campus stall at the McGill Farmers Market recommended Gala apples for their sweetness, but any variety of local apples will do! At 25 cents per apple, there are no good reasons to say no.

This week’s recipe takes advantage of the proximity of the market to campus, but there’s still time for an apple-picking excursion in the coming weeks. In fact, the Tribune has compiled a list of Montreal’s best apple picking farms to make a weekend trip out of. 

This recipe is wholesome, sweet, and will give you the energy to ward off the cold until lunchtime.

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup of almond milk or whole milk

1/2 cup of water

A pinch of salt

A pinch of cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon of vanilla

1/8 teaspoon of ginger

1 teaspoon of hemp seeds

1 teaspoon of raisins

Maple syrup to sweeten 

1 peeled apple

Coconut yogurt or Greek yogurt

 

Directions: 

Mix the oats, milk, water and salt in a saucepan and warm over medium heat for one minute. Add in cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger.

Keep stirring the porridge for 3 to 5 minutes, or until desired consistency is reached.  Pour into a bowl and sprinkle with raisins, apple, and hemp seeds. Drizzle with maple syrup and then add the yogurt on top.

a, Science & Technology

Bioinformatics is changing the experimental process

by Clare Lyle on

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Every iPhone has a processor that is roughly 10 times faster than the Apollo Guidance Computer, used during the first moon landing. The IBM 7090, considered the fastest supercomputer in the 60s, would fail to keep up with today’s smartest watches. Computational power has grown exponentially over the years, but it is only recently that scientists have begun to apply these techniques to studying the microscopic world.

Mohamed Smaoui, a post-doctoral fellow at McGill, is doing exactly this. His research explores novel approaches to modeling how proteins behave in cells. Proteins are long chains of molecules called amino acids, and the spatial arrangement of these amino acids has major implications on how they behave in the body. By understanding how proteins can misfold, diseases that can be caused by improper protein folding, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes, are better understood.

A 2015 paper from the lab, published in the journal BMC Structural Biology, detailed the process by which Smaoui was able to find a method of treatment for diabetic patients whose symptoms were caused by a misshaped protein called an amyloid.

Simulating amyloid behaviour requires a lot of computational horsepower. 

“Some of [the molecules we were modeling] had a few million atoms,” said Smaoui.

By finding clever ways of reducing the number of calculations that a computer has to make in its simulation, computer scientists can reduce the amount of time it takes to model proteins.

The discovery occurred largely due to a new algorithm that Smaoui developed to model protein behaviour, which allowed scientists to make use of supercomputers to simulate the interactions of larger molecules. By developing an algorithm powerful enough to simulate molecular interactions between amyloids and potential treatments, Smaoui could find a compound that reduces the toxicity of the misfolded proteins found in the diabetic patients. 

“The novel thing about the algorithm was that it was creating these long fibril structures, that no one has modeled before computationally,” Smaoui explained. “The best we had [before] was modeling one single protein.”

Even with cutting edge algorithms, however, the complexity of the protein structures means that simulating a nanosecond of interactions requires a lot of time.

“For [the nanosecond] timescale, that takes up to a week of supercomputer time,” said Jérôme Waldispühl, a professor at McGill who leads the Computer Science and Biology Group in the School of Computer Science.

Despite their limitations, computers can still provide a faster alternative to the tedious process of recreating experimental conditions, and this is helping the field of bioinformatics gain traction in the biochemistry community.

Computational tools like the algorithm Smaoui developed are becoming increasingly available to researchers in genetics and microbiology who lack the mathematical background necessary to do modeling or data analysis themselves. For example, Smaoui developed a program called Fibrilizer to help other scientists model proteins.

David Bujold, a master’s student at McGill, is also working on developing computational tools that let geneticists and biochemists take advantage of developments in computer science. He described the field as a melding of two distinct but complementary disciplines.

“In bioinformatics you have a mix of both [computer scientists and biologists],” said Bujold. “You have a whole bunch of people who are studying biochemistry, microbiology, et cetera, who are coming to the field and then learn computer science to be able to do what they want to do. And then you have on the other side people with a computer science background apply what they know about computer science to solve the problems that geneticists and biochemists have.”

Beyond simply promoting collaboration between biologists and computer scientists, new academic programs are encouraging students to consider entering the field of bioinformatics proper, rather than through a strictly computer science—or biology-related path.

“Nowadays, the field of bioinformatics is developing as well, so you have undergrad and graduate programs about bioinformatics in its own right,” Bujold said.

a, Student Life

The Yellow Door is open to everyone

by Amber Hord on

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In a city as diverse and fast-paced as Montreal, isolation is something that many people experience, and is especially prevalent among youth. The Yellow Door, a non-profit organization, realizes it is not as easy to make connections in Montreal as one may think, and seeks to create a space focused on building relationships and breaking down isolation.  

“There are a lack of contexts in which we have to interact with one another and build real relationships,” Matthew Bouchard, executive director of the Yellow Door, said. 

Located in the Milton-Parc community at 3625 Rue Aylmer, the organization looks to bring young people together within its walls through weekly events. It also fosters the participation of youth in the community by empowering them to create and engage in projects that promote social inclusion and holistic well-being.

The Yellow Door has grown and evolved since its beginning in the early 1900s. Its founder, Baron Strathcona, noticed what he perceived to be a lack in the promotion of Christian values in the Montreal community.  In response, he started an organization whose aims were to promote these principles, and consequently founded the Yellow Door. Since then, the Yellow Door has moved away from its original mission through a constant adaptation to society’s ever-changing needs. It was after the Quiet Revolution and the Vietnam War that the Yellow Door became secular, and turned its emphasis towards services that targeted inclusivity and community building.

In the past, according to Bouchard, the number of events and projects was small, and the organization was nearly shut down due to lack of participation.  The only program that was having any success was the Generations project—a service that battled inter-generational isolation by partnering up a young volunteer with an elderly person in the community. Recently, however, the Yellow Door has undergone a resurgence in its programming and involvement in the Montreal community. 

After assembling a new team of driven individuals, Bouchard described how they attempted to revive the organization and reinstill its importance in the Montreal community.

“We sat down and said, what was it that made the Yellow Door so successful in the ‘60s and ‘70s? There were so many avenues to get in," Bouchard said.

Many of the programs that are in place now were born from a community member coming in with an issue they saw, with an idea of how to address it—something that has been a practice since the Yellow Door’s formation. For example, between 1970 and 1972, volunteers noticed how the counterculture drug scene within Montreal was affecting the community. In response, they set up a drop-in psychiatric clinic that counselled young addicts.  The Coffee House—which still runs today and features open mic and comedy nights—began in this era as a place for people to connect over music, poetry, and philosophy, as well as other art forms. 

“The Yellow Door is a launchpad,” said Bouchard. “[It’s] a place where people can come, exchange ideas, find a social issue that motivates them, and do something about it […] the young adults and the members of the organization that determine our opinion.”

The Yellow Door’s mandate—to constantly evolve based on the needs of the people involved and the community it serves without aligning itself with a particular political ideology—is what makes the organization unique. In an effort to open up the organization to more people with a wider variety of interests, Yellow Door kickstarted a multitude of new projects and workshops. Recent projects include the Rabbit Hole Café, which serves vegan lunch every Friday and a food bank for students, and BranchOut, which offers workshops focused on social inclusion, and provides support for volunteers who want to start their own projects in the community.

“We now have activities like meditation, a tea ceremony, poetry readings, and a songwriter workshop,” explained Bouchard. 

Bouchard also attributed the resurgence in Yellow Door’s participation to an increase in their online and social media presence.  The website is more user friendly, and a community events calendar is in the works.  This helps community members easily find where and when events are held, and ultimately make the Yellow Door more accessible. Information about events and getting involved can be found on Twitter and Facebook.

“Looking forward, the Yellow Door is hoping to grow organically,” said Bouchard.

New ideas and increase in participation hope to grow in tandem, resulting in the development of the organization as a force of positive social change within Montreal.

a, Student Life, Student of the Week

Student of the Week: Samlau Kutana

by Audrey Carleton on

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Samlau Kutana, U3 Arts, has a strong passion for helping others that has guided him into psychology. At first, however, he didn’t know that he wanted to pursue psychology as a major. Like a lot of university students, Kutana experienced a change of heart in his academic interests midway through his university career. 

“I started out as a biology student, and it was really hard, I will admit,” said Kutana. “But I also wasn’t really as interested in learning about [biology] […] so I made the switch to psychology.” 

Though biology wasn’t for him, Kutana’s time spent studying in the sciences did not set back his studies. On the contrary, it gave him an edge when he made the transition. Kutana was also able to utilize his knowledge of biology for his minor in computer science. Students with this combination often note that psychology and computer science have a lot in common because of the parallels between brain functioning and computer functioning. Kutana acknowledges this similarity, but still feels that there is a large gap between his two fields of study. Rather than being daunted by this dichotomy, Kutana finds it enjoyable. 

As a fourth-year student in psychology, Kutana has had time to identify his key interest in the field, and the ways in which it is changing. 

“I really like personality psychology,” said Kutana. “Right now, I’m just really interested in how we’re going to revamp our classification of mental disorders. [The researchers for the Diagnostic Statistics Manual are] trying to move away from rigid categorizations and more into a spectrum-based approach.”

What drew Kutana into the field in the first place was his underlying desire to help people, and he hopes to go into teaching or possiby counselling. He speculates that his desire to help people was passed down to him by his parents, who are both doctors. In particular, his dad, who is originally from Ghana, works on developing the medical community there.

“My dad has been really interested in giving back to the [Ghanaian] community,” Kutana said. “He’s been trying to build up their medical infrastructure. He’s been setting up internships with students at Boston Medical Centre to go to Ghana. I’ve been really inspired by that as a way to give back from what I have, and what I’ve gotten.”

Kutana’s passion for helping others also comes from his extensive time working as a lifeguard and swim instructor in his hometown of Sharon, Massachussetts. While other swim instructors struggled with staying patient when working with children, Kutana found himself able to remain calm quite easily. For this reason, his preference is to teach children who find swimming scary or challenging. 

“I never want to yell at kids—I’m never going to do that [….] It was kind of stressful for me watching other people do that,” Kutana explained. “So I would request the kids that were getting yelled at by the lifeguards, to get them in my class, because they’re not doing that well.”

One swimming student in particular stands out in Kutana’s mind when discussing his natural ability to teach. 

“The most challenging and the most rewarding thing is connecting with kids who really don’t have any self-confidence,” Kutana said. “I had one kid who had no self-confidence [because of] the fact that he couldn’t swim, and his parents couldn’t swim.” 

Teaching a student who does not believe they can learn what is being taught is a daunting task for any instructor, yet Kutana explained his strategy for dealing with this situation.

“We were able to just turn it into games and make it fun, and it was cool to watch him go from level two to level three and four and five in the span of like eight weeks,” he said. “It was really amazing.”

As someone with a propensity for helping people and a natural ability to interact well with others, Kutana is a strong example of leadership within the McGill community, and he hopes to apply his passion and patience when he graduates next May. 

 

Q&A

McGill Tribune (MT): Would you rather fight one horse-sized chicken, or a hundred chicken-sized horses?

Samlau Kutana (SK): One horse-sized chicken is a formidable opponent. It’s got a sharp beak and talons and is probably pecking really fast. Chickens are pretty smart, and it would have all the pent-up chicken rage because we’ve enslaved trillions of their fellow chickens. I don’t want to fight that. A hundred chicken-sized horses would also be hard, but I feel like it’s doable. You just have to find the high ground.

MT: Do you have a person in your life that you look up to the most?

SK: Not really, but I try to look at people in my friend group and in my life who have qualities that I admire and try to emulate that in myself [….] So it’s more just be your own person, but incorporate the best that you see out there and everything will fall into place.

MT: If you could meet any person, living or dead, who would it be?

SK: I’d like to have dinner with George Washington Carver. He was a crazy smart botanist and inventor, who first introduced peanut butter to the world. He had over 100 recipes involving peanuts; the dude was magical. I’d want to get his opinion on a Reese’s cup as well.

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