Concordia University recently announced the scheduled launching of a Minor in Black and African Diaspora Studies in the Canadian Context—the first Black Studies program in Quebec. This program, planned to start in Fall 2025, will contextualize Blackness through its local and global histories, cultures, and experiences. It aims to offer[Read More…]
Tag: academia
McGill students need a greater role in their own learning
As a graduating student, reading break was an opportunity for me to reflect on my time at McGill. After a few moments of thought, I realized that I could not recall a significant amount of what I had learned in the last four years. This is emblematic not just of[Read More…]
Accounting for oneself and others
In my first year at McGill, my academic naiveté made me anxious and self-centred. I was convinced that good writing was a product of genius forged in solitude. When tasked with an essay, a tinge of shame came in reiterating the ideas of other scholars and writers. Citation in those[Read More…]
Don’t publish—and flourish
When I looked down the barrel of the microscope, I could see everything. I saw exploding galaxies of green fluorescence, and a network of nebulas dotting a dark, surrounding infinity. I saw the edge of a coastline studded with city lights, and islands surrounded by swirling oceans, like I was[Read More…]
Facebook’s blackout should inspire us to reevaluate our relationship with the internet
On Monday, Oct. 4, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the entirety of Facebook shut down due to an internal malfunction. Its 3.5 billion users were denied access for approximately six hours, resulting in global panic and complaints. With WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and all the other Facebook-owned platforms also down, many of[Read More…]
Finding fulfillment beyond the podium
The show makeup plastered on the faces of figure skaters often hides more than just cosmetic imperfections. While figure skating is frequently associated with elegance and agility, the world of competitive skating can be just as harmful as movies like I, Tonya make it out to be. Over the course of[Read More…]
Graduate student workers must not be taken for granted
The COVID-19 pandemic has toppled the higher-education house of cards, scattering vulnerable academic support staff into uncertain workplace predicaments. McGill forced these employees into dire straits well before the pandemic: Overburdened by faculties and underappreciated by students, the university treats teaching assistants (TAs) and other academic support staff like raw[Read More…]
Finding the right place to read
A university lecture or a book club: By way of discussion, both bring the personal act of reading into an academic or social realm. However, these cultural spaces don’t necessarily motivate the same types of discussion. Barring other factors, like contextual formality or accessibility, an individual moves through these spaces[Read More…]
Reason and the art of neuroscience
One of the major attractions of academia is the ability to make a career out of learning, where one can pursue a life reminiscent of ancient Greek philosophers or Renaissance polymaths. Of course, following one’s research passions depends on funding. Grant applications and email correspondence shape the everyday life of[Read More…]
Academia Week highlights 2015
The curious, the questions, and the answers From Jan. 26 to 30, the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) hosted its annual Academia Week. The event sparked students' curiosity about science and life in academia, bringing in world-renowned scientists to present interesting questions related to their field of work. SUS Academia[Read More…]