Gene Editors Altering DNA to cure disease / Tree Tents Camping redesigned / Rap Dreams An alternative to gangs Followings U of T’s social media stars / Flappers in the Quad Convocation 1930 / Children’s Crusader Keeping kids safe summer 2016 Generation LGBTQ “It’s important to share our experiences” HOW DOES By purchasing U of T affinity products, ROOFTOP FARMING you’re nurturing surprising possibilities. What exactly are affinity products? Value-added services provided by our financial and insurance partners. The revenue generated supports GROW BETTER initiatives like Sky Garden — an organic vegetable farm atop a U of T engineering building. Local food banks benefit from the produce and engineering students take their learning outside, where they can develop ENGINEERS? creative new tools. Sky Garden is one of many extracurricular opportunities supported by the U of T affinity program. More than 120,000 alumni and friends now purchase affinity products, helping U of T students take their education to new heights. www.affinity.utoronto.ca HOW DOES By purchasing U of T affinity products, ROOFTOP FARMING you’re nurturing surprising possibilities. What exactly are affinity products? Value-added services provided by our financial and insurance partners. The revenue generated supports GROW BETTER initiatives like Sky Garden — an organic vegetable farm atop a U of T engineering building. Local food banks benefit from the produce and engineering students take their learning outside, where they can develop ENGINEERS? creative new tools. Sky Garden is one of many extracurricular opportunities supported by the U of T affinity program. More than 120,000 alumni and friends now purchase affinity products, helping U of T students take their education to new heights. www.affinity.utoronto.ca Chart the best course for your life in the years ahead. Start with preferred insurance rates. Supporting you... Take advantage of and the University of Toronto. your group privileges: Your needs will change as your life and career evolve. * As a University of Toronto graduate, you have You could save $415 access to the TD Insurance Meloche Monnex or more when you program, which offers preferred insurance rates, combine your home and other discounts and great protection, that is easily auto insurance with us. adapted to your changing needs. Plus, every year our program contributes to supporting your alma mater, so it’s a great way to save and show you care at the same time. Get a quote today! Our extended business hours make it easy. Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET) Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (ET) HOME | AUTO Ask for your quote today at 1-888-589-5656 or visit melochemonnex.com/utoronto The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. 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Savings are not guaranteed and may vary based on the client’s profile. ® The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. Summer 2016 Volume 43, No. 4 34 The Gene Editors 54 Generation LGBTQ 40 Followings U of T scientists For trans students at are using a powerful U of T, the fight for Want to get your creative work in front new technology to rights and equality alter DNA and possibly is about much more of a large audience? Learn from these cure disease than just washrooms six U of T social media stars BY MARCIA KAYE BY MARGARET WEBB BY SCOTT ANDERSON AND STACEY GIBSON COVER: WYNNE NEILLY; ABOVE: KATIE CAREY summer 2016 1 Departments summer 2016 Volume 43 No. 4 Editor and Manager Scott Anderson I just loved the absurdity of Deputy Editor Stacey Gibson Drake being a UTSC student Art Direction and Design The Office of Gilbert Li – The anonymous artist and UTSC student who created the Instagram account “U of T Drizzy,” p. 44 Editorial and Advertising Assistant Sally Choi Co-Publishers Barbara Dick, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations Erin Lemon, Executive Director, News & Media Editorial Office T (416) 978-0838, F (416) 978-3958 [email protected] Advertising Inquiries T (416) 978-0838, F (416) 978-3958 [email protected] All correspondence and undeliverable copies: U of T Magazine, 21 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON m5s 3j3 U of T Magazine, with a circulation of 320,000, is published quarterly by University Advancement. 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If you do not wish to receive the magazine, please contact us at (416) 978-2139 or 1-800- 463-6048 or [email protected]. 20 Scenes from Spring Convocation: A “U of” gets added to the Toronto sign at City Hall; Clive Davies, 79, is the season’s oldest graduating student; new alumni celebrate with their families on front campus 3 Letters From Gown to Town 23 Leading Edge Are We Robot Ready? 5 President’s Message Keep Learning 67 All About Alumni Kids’ Crusader 7 Calendar Toronto Photography 80 Time Capsule This Side of Paradise 11 Life on Campus Antarctica Bound 2 MAGAZINE.UTORONTO.CA Letters While a purely academic career may be the I don’t expect very much from a currency of the day, what we need for university magazine, but shame on you for belittling our intellectual work the future is more fluid movement between and suggesting Band-Aid solutions “town and gown.” to a devastating employment scenario. The systemic problem of exploited MIKE TREMBLAY PhD graduates is not going away with PhD 1986, SMARDEN, ENGLAND “career- building workshops” so please consider writing an article that addresses From Gown to Town in both departments who take the the real problem: corporate greed ruling I agree with Suzanne Akbari’s comments course receive individual consulta- universities. at the end of “Life after Grad School” tions, followup sessions and guidance DR. AIDA JORDÃO (Spring 2016). She says that the trans- throughout their graduate training. PhD 2014, TORONTO ferable skills one learns in grad school The goal is a job or post-doc offer are the ability to read the research (depending on their career interests) Locke Rowe, dean of the School of literature; assess findings and translate before they graduate or defend their Graduate Studies, responds: U of T is them for application to real-world thesis. I am happy to bring my years committed to helping its graduate problems; and develop conceptual of biotech experience and my scientific students succeed – in whatever career models that organize and explain com- network to help prepare trainees to they choose. We’re working with plex realities in ways that promote be market-ready! faculties and individual departments new thinking and understanding. to create professional development NANA LEE While a purely academic career may PhD 2000, TORONTO courses and other opportunities that be the currency of the day, what we will help students discover, explore need for the future is more fluid move- Band-Aid Solution and prepare for a range of career ment between “town and gown.” Recently, I attended a conference options. Far from belittling the intel- I sense that Canadian universities are roundtable entitled “Pursuing Alterna- lectual work that our PhD students disinclined toward this. What we need tive Career Paths” where we were undertake, the article shows that there’s is more commercialization of research, advised to drop the PhD qualification a wider scope of application for their better industrial innovation and and “Dr.” title from our curriculum skills and expertise than has tradition- a deep and abiding engagement with vitae if we expected to be employed ally been understood. problem- owners. outside of academia. In this time of deep crisis in higher MIKE TREMBLAY Doubtful Models PhD 1986, SMARDEN, ENGLAND education, the cheerful picture painted The Q&A with law professor Jutta in “Life after Grad School” is naive and Brunnée (“Cooling Off,” Spring 2016) Making Grads Market-Ready offensive to those of us who laboured begins with the question, “Will the To clarify some points in “Life after intensely to obtain a PhD degree Paris climate accord succeed where Grad School,” the biochemistry gradu- and find ourselves in a precarious job Kyoto didn’t?” To be meaningful, this ate professional development course situation because universities are question must be preceded by another is a quarter-credit with official marks.