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Science & Technology

Tribune Tries: Visiting Montreal’s Biodome

by Kennedy McKee-Braide on

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Montreal’s Biodome is part of the Space for Life complex, a network that includes four other museums––the Biosphere, the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, and the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium. The network aims to provide educational and research opportunities that prioritize sustainability and biodiversity protection. 

Researchers at the Biodome have access to a living laboratory, which acts as a hub for projects related to ecology, habitat protection, urban wildlife, and animal ethics. With five ecosystems under one roof, the centre boasts a collection of over 130 different animal and plant species. After paying a visit to the centre on a rainy day, The McGill Tribune has compiled a list of our favourite animals found in each ecosystem. 

Tropical rainforest – Capybara

Often found hanging around the rainforest’s bodies of water, the capybara spends its days munching on leaves, rolling in the dirt, or cooling off in the water. Capybaras can grow as large as 1.3 metres long and can weigh up to 68 kilograms, making them the largest rodents alive today. To communicate, these overgrown guinea pigs bark, whistle, and click, and can typically be found in groups of 20 with a large male at their helm. 

Fun fact: In the wild, capybara’s backs are prime real estate for birds hoping to hitch a ride or catch some rays. 

Laurentian maple forest – Canada lynx

One of Canada’s largest felines, the Canada lynx can be identified by its disproportionately large paws and black tufts of hair on its ears. As excellent climbers and jumpers, the lynx is often on the hunt for hares, of which they consume as many as 200 per year. Mostly found in Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States, they tend to spend most of their time alone, roaming four to 20 kilometres a day. 

Fun fact: The Canada lynx can jump as far as seven metres. 

Gulf of St. Lawrence – Moon jellyfish 

Made up of 98 per cent water, moon jellyfish are basically the celery of the sea. Much like anemone and coral, moon jellyfish use their tentacles (all 1,200 of them) to capture their prey. The nematocysts covering each tentacle release a stinger that injects a paralyzing agent into the plankton and larvae that make up their diet. 

Fun fact: Contrary to popular belief, peeing on a jellyfish sting will not actually make it feel better. 

Subantarctic Islands – Macaroni penguin 

These medium-sized, flightless arctic birds are recognizable by their yellow head tufts, similar to those of the rockhopper penguin, which you can also find at the Biodome. The most ecologically vulnerable species on this list, macaroni penguins have experienced a population decline ranging between 30 to 65 per cent over the past 30 years, depending on the study conducted. They only come onto land to moult and reproduce, spending most of their time in the sea, where they find their diet of krill, fish, and cephalopods. 

Fun fact: When colonizers first saw these penguins, they called them “macaronis” after the 18th century fashion trend referenced in the song “Yankee Doodle.” 

Labrador coast – Atlantic puffin

Atlantic puffins are easily identified by their matching orange beaks and feet. The small birds tend to nest around cliff sides when they aren’t looking for fish to eat. While they may have the macaroni penguin beat when it comes to their flying abilities, Atlantic puffins are hardly experts––to keep themselves in the air, they must flap their wings 300 to 400 times per minute. 
Fun fact: The Atlantic puffin can catch up to 60 fish in one dive.

Arts & Entertainment

Soundtracks, Chinese queer culture, and Swedish news algorithms: McGill graduate students present their research

by Anna Berglas on

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The Spring Student Speaker Series wrapped up with its recent March Session on March 17. Three graduate students in the Department of Art History & Communication Studies (AHCS) presented brief summaries of their research in Arts 260 as well as on Zoom. The hybrid event included a half-hour talk from each researcher, followed by a quick question and answer period after each presentation. 

Allyson Rogers, a doctoral candidate in communication studies, kicked off the event with a critical examination of the National Film Board (NFB) soundscapes in the post-WWII period. The NFB’s primary focus is slice-of-life Canadian documentaries, the soundtracks of which have a homogeneous nature that Rogers characterizes as a distinct “NFB Sound.” Rogers presented clips exemplifying this sonic trend, pointing to several key elements like small ensembles of woodwind instruments, multiple independent melodies, and an overarching tone of optimism. Such distinct sounds also correspond to Canadian political motivations, such as promoting Canadian pride and patriotism. The later half of the postwar period, specifically the 1950s and 1960s, saw a rise in stylistic changes and more adventurous musical interpretations. The different examples of the NFB sound teem with nostalgia for those who watched these documentaries during Canadian history education. 

Next up was Reina Yuan, a first-year master’s student in AHCS. Yuan’s research is centred on the queer counterpublic and the rise of alternative nightclubs in her hometown of Chengdu, China. Yuan aims to create a theoretical city map of queer spaces, focussing on several key locations and their connections through a framework inspired by Di Wang’s The Teahouse, which examines cultural changes throughout the city in 1900-1950 through the lens of teahouses. Yuan’s research seeks to use physical spaces in order to explore the political and youth culture of the city. In her presentation, Yuan discussed the Poly Center, a skyscraper with different nightclubs at almost every level. Yuan elaborated that she has seen the Poly Center in person in her visits to Chengdu every summer. 

“The thesis is a very personal project to me,” said Yuan during the discussion section following her presentation. “It’s part of the microhistory of my hometown.”

Torbjörn Rolandsson closed the event with a dive into the “News Value Project” in Sweden. He completed his PhD at Stockholm University and is now a graduate research trainee in ACHS. Rolandsson’s presentation explored the impacts of the Svergies Radio News Value System, a recent technological addition to the Swedish public service radio that helps categorize different news stories for output. The project rates stories through a three-tiered algorithm of importance, lifespan, and accordance with journalistic values, which strive for authentic and personal programming that includes unique voices. To make narration authentic and personal, an effect that can sometimes be aided by incorporating natural soundscapes, radio journalists often go beyond the studio into real environments to capture the unique ambience of the world. Although elements of theatricality still remain—Rolandsson shares an example of reporters hitting nearby water to record a splash—the radio soundscape attempts to foster a more connected engagement with the real world.

The speakers’ admirable ability to condense months or years of research into a half-hour presentation displayed their serious dedication to their studies. While each presentation was enlightening, the slideshows they had prepared only scratched the surface of the depths of their knowledge.

Out on the Town, Student Life

Having fun in Montreal without spending a penny

by Abby McCormick on

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With spring fast approaching, many McGill students are braving the outdoors for the first time in months, finally getting the chance to explore the city. However, it can sometimes feel impossible to experience all that Montreal has to offer, with the costs of popular student activities like going to restaurants, cafes, and bars adding up before you know it. Luckily, The McGill Tribune’s suggestions will help you forge long-lasting spring memories in Montreal, without taking a hit to your bank account.

1. Check out a local museum

Montreal boasts 40 different museums, making it an ideal city for a museum tour. With attractions ranging from historical artifacts to modern art exhibits to scientific demos, there is a venue for all interests. Among these museums is the Musée des beaux-arts, located a mere 10-minute walk from McGill’s downtown campus in the Golden Square Mile. This renowned gallery features Quebec and Canadian art, international contemporary art, and even a sculpture garden. Students wanting to check out this attraction are in luck—the Musée des beaux-arts offers free admission to those 20 and under. If you are 21 or over, don’t worry—you can enjoy free admission on the first Sunday of every month at this artist’s paradise. Alternatively, Musée McCord, conveniently located across the street from McGill’s Royal Victoria College, includes exhibitions in Canada-based fashion, photography, and more. This student-friendly locale offers free admission on Wednesday evenings and on the first Sunday of every month.

2. Host a potluck picnic

For the foodie, planning a picnic is an ideal way to socialize with friends and indulge your taste buds in some new dishes this spring. And luckily, Montreal is the perfect city for a homemade picnic—just invite some friends and choose one of the city’s numerous parks as a destination! Perhaps the most popular picnicking spot in the city is Parc La Fontaine. This sprawling green space offers prime picnic real estate, with glowing lawns and tall trees that will shade you from the sun. If you’re looking to host your picnic closer to campus, try Parc Jeanne-Mance, or even Parc du Mont-Royal if you’re willing to brave the hike up the hill. To avoid depleting your budget, make your picnic a potluck. With each of your friends bringing a dish, you can each prevent additional trips to the grocery store and still enjoy a hearty meal. It’ll also be a great opportunity to try out a new recipe and impress your friends. 

3. Go on a walking tour of the city

Though often regarded as mere tourist attractions, walking tours of Montreal can be a great way to explore new parts of the city without spending a cent. Free Montreal Tours offers a walking tour of Old Montreal for people of all ages at absolutely no cost. Beginning at Metro Place d’Armes, this trek takes just over two hours to show participants attractions such as Place Jacques-Cartier, Notre-Dame de Bonsecours Chapel, and the Rue Saint-Jacques West, with stories and anecdotes from knowledgeable guides. Alternatively, you can try a free walking tour of Montreal’s Chinatown, starting at the Champ-de-Mars metro station. If you are looking for a more self-guided experience, try picking a new area of the city from a map and simply go explore it. Taking a walk in other neighbourhoods can help you get out of the student bubble while learning more about Montreal’s rich and diverse history. 

4. Visit a public library

While McLennan may have us all clasped firmly in its grip, challenge your friends to venture outside of their routines this spring by going to one of Montreal’s public libraries. The city is home to 45 library branches and holds upwards of four million books. Not only do these branches provide study materials, but they also offer great options for a light spring read, perfect to enjoy on a sunny day. In particular, La Grande Bibliothèque located between Quartier des Spectacles and Gay Village is embellished with glass walls and spiral staircases, making it a stunning backdrop for a quiet spring study session.

Campus Spotlight, Student Life

The show goes on: The McGill Savoy Society returns to live theatre after a two-year hiatus

by Isabelle Lahiri on

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As Montreal loosens its restrictions, live theatre has regained its place as an integral part of campus life. In going to see the McGill Savoy Society’s wildly entertaining show, The Pirates of Penzance, I was reminded of what makes going to the theatre such a distinctive experience: The connection between performers and their audience, and the simple sense of camaraderie born from this shared experience. 

The McGill Savoy Society was able to cultivate exactly this energy. A Gilbert and Sullivan-focussed theatre troupe, Savoy performs operettas that fall somewhere on the spectrum between operas and musicals. This year’s annual mainstrage operetta, The Pirates of Penzance or, The Slave of Duty, is a comedy about a pirate apprentice, Frederic, who upon being released from indentureship, must navigate his exaggerated sense of duty to the pirate ship and his desire for love. 

During a particularly comedic set of hijinks, I took a look around the Vanier College auditorium, where The Pirates of Penzance was staged, and thought about how different theatre looks today. Half the cast, as well as all of the audience, were masked, and the audience was spread out across the auditorium. Facing a crowd again was an especially striking experience for the performers. 

“There was a two year hiatus for me, and being back on stage was quite surreal,” Alice Wu, U3 Arts and vice-president of Savoy, explained. “I had to remind myself to think of how poor your visibility of the audience is, or how it feels to be standing all hushed backstage, waiting for the curtain to part [….] Being back on stage was a gift.”

Even the venue, a CEGEP in the Saint-Laurent borough, was a world away from the troupe’s usual Moyse Hall Theatre on campus. 

“We had a week in the venue […] so that includes all the dress rehearsals and the shows,” Wu said. “We had to figure out spacing on the stage. It was just quite the time crunch, and it made everything more hectic than it probably needed to be most years.”

The important aspects, however, remained—people gathering together to laugh and enjoy the arts together. Lee Federle, U1 Arts, was happy that the venue was outside of her usual sphere. 

“It was nice to explore a new part of the city,” Federle said. “Sometimes first-year students, myself included, find it hard to leave the McGill bubble, and this was a fun way to do just that. I never would have thought to come to this neighbourhood, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless.” 

With many of McGill’s traditions and activities either cancelled or shifted to an unsatisfying Zoom format, it can be hard to feel connected to the university as a place for more than just academics.

“I didn’t really have a baseline to compare it to,” Federle said. “A lot of club meetings and events are online so it was just fun to experience an in-person show hosted by the school. I really try to look for things I can go to that aren’t virtual, and a hidden benefit to that is finding things that push me out of my comfort zone.” 

With the pandemic taking a hit to in-person gatherings, performing arts groups have become more invisible to students. Jacqueline Olechowski, U1 Arts and lover of performing arts, lamented the difficulties of finding shows like The Pirates of Penzance to go see.

“I find it hard to find out about events like these,” Olechowski said. “Now that I know about the McGill Savoy Society I will definitely try to see more of their shows and try to find other theatre groups to go watch. It was a fun way to spend a night!” 

The electricity of the performance was palpable not only for the audience, but also for the cast and crew themselves.

“As for the highlight of the production, I think it’s always got to be the camaraderie,” Wu said. “I love the people, and I love making the production possible and creating a space for us to make magic and memories together and to create something we’re really proud of.”

As the university tiptoes toward normalcy, supporting the performing arts is a great way to feel connected to the McGill community. 

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment

‘Mother Rock!’ shakes the anthropocentric boat

by Ella Gomes on

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Montreal art gallery Art Mûr has been home to Québécois artist Patrick Bérubé’s solo immersive installation, Mother Rock!, since March 5. As the clock ticks on our ability to prevent climate change’s most catastrophic consequences, Bérubé invites visitors on a tour of the relationship between humans and the natural world throughout history. In mediums ranging from prints to sculptures to historical and contemporary artifacts, he enlists contrast and nostalgia to convey that, as Trevor Kiernander writes in the exhibit description, “We are past, present, and future in our own timeless trilogy.”

Upon entry to the exhibit, visitors are immediately greeted with a reminder of how alienated Westerners are from their natural resources. A faux rabbit pelt rests on the ground, accompanied by a scattering of coffee beans in a nearby corner of the exhibition space, emulating its droppings. Many of us consume animal products in our daily lives, but are typically disconnected from the labour that goes into obtaining these products. Witnessing a rabbit’s remnants and an imitation of its waste inside a building is a jarring sight—the bright white walls and hardwood flooring form a space for humankind that feels invaded by the marked presence of an animal. A walk-through of the exhibit reveals more rabbit hides, corners sprinkled with coffee-bean “droppings,” and a stray feather—all objects that many might consider “dirty.” By placing animal remains in these off-putting locations, Bérubé points out that, for many of us, the natural environment exists in a separate space, delimited and contained. When nature enters our quotidian experience unexpectedly, it often becomes rubbish, trash, and filth. 

Patrick Bérubé continues to draw attention to these anthropocentric values in what is perhaps the most eye-catching part of the exhibit: A partially enclosed room with golden yellow walls and a matching yellow bookcase. As one enters the room, they are greeted by an eclectic display of objects and a Georges Bataille quote tucked away on the bookshelf: “le soleil rayonne et notre soleil est froid” [the sun shines and our sun is cold]. Perhaps the glowing room represents the sun. Just as the sun is the centre of our solar system, Bérubé’s display represents the self-centeredness of Westerners living in the Anthropocene. A branch of cotton evokes the racism and environmental exploitation that characterizes historical and contemporary forms of monocrop agriculture, a business modeled upon profit through exploitation. An image of the Trinity Test alludes to U.S. nuclear tests, many of which occurred near Indigenous reservations, to emphasize the intertwined fields of Western science, military violence, and environmental racism. Meanwhile, an array of pornographic calendars and magazines imbricates patriarchy, the male gaze, and the Western commodification of pleasure within these problematic treatments of both marginalized peoples and the natural environment. Together, these artifacts form an aesthetic timeline, as Bérubé presents a genealogy of our current environmental predicament and emphasizes the need for alternative approaches.

Bérubé’s print and sculptural pieces deplore contemporary environmental practices. A sculpture containing a fog machine powered by the water from plastic NAYA bottles demonstrates how man-made attempts to replicate nature ultimately harm it instead. Although we can create fog on-demand, single-use plastics pollute our waterways. Similarly, Bérubé juxtaposes a close-up image of elephant skin next to a black-and-white, likely machine-made pattern of jagged shapes layered atop one another. The contrast between the pattern’s formulaic consistency and the organic originality of the skin emphasizes the irreplicable beauty of natural life, beauty that will be lost if textile commodities such as elephant leather continue to promote poaching of elephants. 

Throughout Mother Rock!, Patrick Bérubé presents the Anthropocene’s past and present, inviting viewers to look toward the future. Through his aesthetically eclectic yet thematically consistent presentation of the human-nature divide, Bérubé invites us to question how we perceive, and subsequently treat, the world around us.


Mother Rock! continues at Gallery Art Mûr until April 23, with free access from Tuesday to Saturday. Gallery Art Mûr can be found at 5826 Rue St-Hubert.

Science & Technology

The gendered accessibility problem with HPV vaccines

by Raymond Tu on

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While COVID-19 vaccination continues to dominate public consciousness, the rate of vaccination for other diseases has decreased. In Canada, recent estimates show that up-to-date routine vaccine coverage was five per cent lower in children compared to the pre-pandemic rate. 

The fear of contracting COVID-19 at the doctor’s office is one likely cause for the decline of routine vaccination rates in Canada. Citizens in high-income countries, and those with universal health care such as Canada, enjoy the privilege of a government that has the means to vaccinate its people. But what happens when countries cannot afford to purchase enough vaccines for everyone? 

This is a question commonly asked in the context of human papillomavirus (HPV), the world’s most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Eduardo Franco, chair of the Department of Oncology and professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill, explained that not all types of HPV are equally worrisome. 

“Some HPV types are commensal and don’t cause any disease or clinical manifestation,” Franco said. But: “There is a sub-genus that includes types that cause cancer.” 

He noted that one type, HPV 16, is responsible for almost half of all cervical cancers, while HPV 16 and HPV 18 cause nearly all anal cancers and also contribute to penile, vaginal, and oropharyngeal cancers. Although all HPV vaccines provide immunity against HPV 16 and HPV 18, some such as Gardasil 9 can help protect against nine types of HPV. However, the vaccine is only effective if the patient has not already contracted HPV.

“Once HPV is in the body, it wreaks havoc in the process of cell growth, and in turn causes cancer,” Franco said. “The vaccine will not eliminate [an] existing infection.”

In an effort to reduce the rates of cervical cancer, the World Health Organization called for a halt to gender-neutral vaccination in favour of female-only vaccination in 2019. The idea was that if low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) cannot afford to vaccinate all of their citizens against an STI, vaccinating only women should suffice. But this assumes heterosexual activity. Additionally, women in LMICs have a heavier HPV-associated disease burden compared to men, making them the more persuasive candidates for vaccination. 

To better understand the implications of gender-neutral vaccination versus female-only vaccination, Franco worked with lead authors Margaret Logel and Cassandra Laurie, as well as other collaborators, to conduct a literature review on the legal and ethical aspects of this debate.

“In general, women in low- and middle-income countries would benefit most from HPV vaccinations,” Laurie, an epidemiologist and alumna of McGill’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology, said. “In these countries, cervical cancer is one of the two most likely causes of death for women, the other being breast cancer.”

Unfortunately, female-only vaccination inherently excludes identities that are still vulnerable to HPV infection, as noted in the review. Men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as some transgender women, do not share any of the benefits of a female-only HPV vaccination policy, yet are still at risk for anal, penile, and oropharyngeal cancers.

This problem is not exclusive to LMICs either. While data is scarce, some estimates say only 13 per cent of MSM in the United States have received any doses of the HPV vaccine. 

Other benefits of gender-neutral vaccination include the shared social responsibility of HPV prevention among all genders, as well as increased awareness of HPV for everyone at risk. Laurie explains that a lack of awareness could contribute to MSM and transgender women being at higher risk of contracting HPV and developing HPV-associated cancers and lesions. 

“I think it’s important to note that whether governments implement female-only or gender-neutral vaccination, both have meritorious arguments,” Logel, a master’s student in McGill’s epidemiology program, said in an interview with the Tribune.

“I want to underscore that we wanted to capture the essence of the debate without capturing our own views on this,” Franco added. “We wanted to be as unbiased as we possibly could.” 

One glimmer of hope that could change the conversation entirely is emerging evidence that one dose of Cervarix, a vaccine already on the market, could be as effective as two or three doses, the standard for HPV vaccination. A one-dose schedule would relieve the pressure on LMICs to procure vaccines, as well as relieve policymakers from having to choose between female-only or gender-neutral vaccines. 


To get your HPV vaccine, visit your local CLSC, contact your family physician, or book an appointment with McGill’s Student Wellness Hub. Eligibility requirements for free-of-charge HPV vaccinations can be found here.

A previous version of this article incorrectly wrote the “Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.” In fact, the full name of the Department is the “Department of the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health.” The Tribune regrets the error.

Student Life

The process is the protest

by El Bush on

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Between March 7 and March 18, organizers from Divest McGill occupied the McCall MacBain Arts Building to protest McGill’s multi-million dollar investments in the fossil fuel industry, calling on McGill to confront their complicity in settler-colonialism, white supremacy, and capitalism. 

Over the past two weeks, Divest not only called attention to its cause but also welcomed in students and passersby, regardless of their knowledge of the movement. The doors were open for anyone who was open to learning, wanted a bite to eat, or even needed a place to sleep. Through a variety of events such as communal meals, film screenings, reading circles, and conversations, Divest succeeded in transforming the first floor of Arts into a site of learning, protest, and care. In addition to the various events, members and organizers created a collaborative study zone for students, organized meals with food sourced from the community, and supplied a plethora of books and materials related to decolonization, racial justice, anarchist theory, and climate justice for individuals to browse.

The structure of the occupation itself was of great importance to the movement—creating a lasting community within the exploitative, institutional space is integral to Divest’s mission, explained U2 Divest McGill Member Dakota.* 

“[The movement is] not just trying to fight for democracy, but enact it,” Dakota said in an interview with The McGill Tribune.

With an emphasis on their non-hierarchical structure, members and organizers hoped to show those who passed by the occupation that the only way forward is together. 

For many, the first floor of the MacBain Arts Building during the occupation became a safe haven away from the often isolating feelings that often come with being a student at McGill. 

Due to the individualistic nature of academia where each student is responsible for their own learning and competition amongst peers is implicitly encouraged, the importance of community and forming meaningful connections is often overlooked. Members of Divest promote the idea that this structure is not sustainable, nor is it conducive to dismantling the oppressive systems that exist within academia. 

In contrast to the individualistic culture academia often fosters, Divest wanted to create a welcoming space for students, a goal that a U0 student, Jordan*, feels they achieved.

“I felt like regardless of my previous knowledge of the movement I was welcome here,” they said. 

Another U1 student agreed, describing the positive and constructive atmosphere in Arts.

“People were always so welcoming and passionate,” they explained. “The organizers and occupants were always inviting and encouraged me to learn more about their cause.”

This attention to community building was palpable among the members of Divest themselves.

“Divest has been a very important part of my time at McGill, and has offered me a sense of community even when I couldn’t find it anywhere else,” River,* a Divest organizer, said in an interview with the Tribune.

Emerson,* another Divest organizer, noted that the movement is meant to encourage a new way of living that values community care, inclusion, and equity. 

“The success of the occupation can be found in the relationships we’ve fostered and the connections we’ve formed,” Emerson told the Tribune. “Divest aims, through this occupation, to not only educate individuals on anti-colonialism, climate justice, and equity but also to encourage identification with one another.”

Organizers and members illustrate that community care itself is a protest. According to Emerson, this emphasis on non-transactional relations with each other is key in dismantling deep-rooted capitalist ideals that encourage hyperindividualism––and ultimately in working toward creating equitable spaces for all people.

The occupation came to an end on March 18 due to a positive case of COVID-19. However, Divest asserts that this is nowhere near the end of their work toward a better and more equitable world. In their Instagram post announcing the news, they expressed that although there “may not be tents in the arts building lobby tonight, nothing has ended. The community, energy, and power created in the last twelve days goes on.” 

*All names have been changed to preserve the organizers’ anonymity.

Science & Technology

AI will train the new generation of expert surgeons

by Sara Chiarotto O’Brien on

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How do we quantify the skill of a surgeon? Dr. Rolando Del Maestro, McGill’s William Feindel professor emeritus in neuro-oncology and director of the Neurosurgical Simulation Research Centre at The Neuro, has been asking himself this question for much of his career. 

After nearly two decades of research into surgical instruction, Maestro found a way to quantify a surgeon’s competence. With funding and support from the Franco di Giovanni Foundation, Del Maestro’s team has developed a brain surgery simulator powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that allows surgical students to practice removing tumours without any risk to real patients. 

The simulator’s Virtual Operative Assistant (VOA) offers real-time feedback to students, relieving the need for an expert to be present. In a recent study conducted by Del Maestro and his team, students taught and guided by the simulator performed surgeries 2.6 times faster and 36 per cent more accurately than students taught and guided by experts over Zoom.

Training a surgeon is a lengthy process that has traditionally required constant supervision from experienced surgeons while students operate on real patients—and sometimes even intervention when the task becomes too technically challenging. Del Maestro’s surgical simulator is the first of its kind in brain surgery training, and is one of the most complex medical simulators ever built.

Marking a surgeon as “competent” is subjective, as standards vary across countries and institutions. For example, schools may lack the tools to measure critical performance markers, such as a surgeon’s hand pressure when manipulating tools, or quantity of blood loss in a patient. Del Maestro started recognizing these discrepancies when he visited medical schools in China, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait to teach neurosurgery techniques. 

According to Del Maestro, even more problematic than the non-standardized training was the lack of objectivity in expert assessments and a focus on “competency training.” Medical schools operating on strict schedules with limited resources aim to train students to be competent at surgeries, but do not require them to meet the same standards as their expert teachers, instead expecting these skills to develop on the job.

“I’ve always had a problem with that, because what is competence?” Del Maestro said in an interview with the Tribune. “Would you like the airplane pilot to be competent, or would you like the airplane pilot to be expert?”

Del Maestro’s simulator also solves the problem of how to measure student performance. It analyzes more than 6,000 metrics and distills that information into four key indicators so that students learn to perform surgeries first safely, then efficiently. The skills measured include hand pressure and acceleration on instruments, movement accuracy, and the ability to control blood loss. Using deep learning, a subtype of machine learning related to predictive analysis, users are classified into categories ranging from novice to expert on a scale of -1 to 1, with 0 being competent.

As for the future of this technology, Del Maestro explained that this type of simulator can be adapted to any procedure that requires the surgeon to use both hands. He predicts that over the next 20 years, AI will be increasingly integrated into the field of surgery. Indeed, he anticipates a rise in human-machine cooperation, where AI analyzes student performance and instructors use that information to better guide students. 

“The effect will be to elevate the standards of surgical skill to something similar to the Olympics,” Del Maestro said, referencing the lengths coaches go to to improve their athlete’s performance. “I think patient safety will be substantially improved.” 

For now, Del Maestro is focussed on the next step of this project. He wants to test the performance of the simulator against in-person teaching, which has been largely put on pause due to COVID-19 restrictions. In the long run, he hopes to make virtual reality and artificial intelligence a globally accessible tool for all kinds of medical training. The ultimate goal, says Maestro, is for new doctors to not just be competent, but be the best that they can possibly be.

McGill, News

Two years after the administration falsely reported her deceased to her family, Fanta Ly speaks about systemic racism at McGill

by Shani Laskin on

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On July 30, 2020, the sister of Fanta Ly received a call from McGill falsely reporting that Fanta had passed away. In the two years since, there has been little explanation from the administration regarding how this mistake occurred. 

A Student Affairs case manager had mistakenly called Ly’s sister instead of the family of a student who had indeed passed away. In a statement to The McGill Tribune, McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle wrote that changes have been made to ensure this does not happen again.

“The situation […] is the result of a most unfortunate human error, by which an employee of the University contacted Ms. Fanta Ly’s sibling, thinking she was reaching out to the family of another student, who had passed away,” Mazerolle wrote. “The employee noticed the mistake early in the call and immediately apologized profusely. The Principal of the University also sent a written apology to Ms. Ly. We have since carefully reviewed our internal processes to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.” 

According to Ly, the case manager did not realize their mistake or apologize during the initial call. Principal and Vice-chancellor Suzanne Fortier sent an apology letter to Ly, now a fourth year law student, more than six months after the incident.

Ly, a national director at the Black Law Students’ Association (BLSA) of Canada and a Black Wealth Club fellow, believes her story is more than just a one-off mistake by a confused employee.

“Some people are trying to dismiss this as a mistake from McGill, but this incident really needs to be situated within the long-standing harassment and discrimination of Black students at McGill,” Ly said in an interview with the Tribune. ”

Ly went on to describe other incidents of hostility and differential treatment from the administration, particularly regarding academic accommodations. Prior to the phone call, Ly sought medical accommodations and was met with resistance from multiple McGill employees. 

“[An Associate Dean] told me I can’t get an accommodation for the same medical reason more than once,” Ly said. “Furthermore, for white students, these issues always get resolved because at some point administrators feel the need to respond and ensure equal treatment. I wish it were the same for Black students. When it comes to Black students, there’s never any response. And it’s just so much time and energy wasted, just trying to fight with an administration that doesn’t value us and treats us like absolute garbage.”

Ly also described receiving a failing grade after speaking out against discrimination, as well as having to contest seemingly targeted changes to the requirements for her minor, such as the removal of certain credits that used to count towards her program. After addressing these issues with the Student Affairs Office (SAO) and being redirected to multiple sources, Ly felt unsatisfied with the explanations given. Feeling ignored by the administration while handling complications with her academic standing, having difficulty getting accommodations, and grappling with the phone call, all amid the COVID-19 pandemic, took a toll on her.

“And even after the call to my family, no one ever reached out to me,” Ly said. “They only sent me that apology letter after I sent an email regarding the faulty investigation and stated that I would inform the media if they didn’t respond. This is all just too much anxiety and too much stress. I couldn’t keep up with my coursework. How am I supposed to do my classes in this type of environment?”

Hülya Miclisse-Polat, 3L and co-president of McGill’s BLSA chapter, believes that while aspects of Ly’s experience have been unique, it nevertheless reflects a larger range of systemic issues. Miclisse-Polat also believes that placing the onus on students not only to report incidents of racism, but to seek justice can create a taxing environment for Black students.

“The fact that the burden falls on the students creates a hostile environment—it a lot of times makes students feel unsafe, and it just sort of perpetuates a system of exclusion at the faculty,” Miclisse-Polat said in an interview with the Tribune. “This is what we mean when we talk about systemic discrimination. A lot of times it’s done in very insidious ways, but it continues to foster a sense of exclusion.”

Currently, Ly is seeking justice in a variety of ways, including filing a complaint to the Quebec Human Rights Commission, writing to the Minister of Higher Education, and sending documentation of students’ experiences to faculty alumni as well as her local member of Parliament.

If you are in need of resources or support relating to anti-Black racism, contact the Black Students’ Network, the Black Law Student Association at McGill, or visit this website for more.

A previous version of this article stated that Ly received multiple failing grades for speaking out against discrimination. In fact, this was a one-time incident. The Tribune regrets the error.

McGill, News

McGill floor fellows go on strike, demand new Collective Agreement

by Noa Crebassa on

More in McGill:

On March 17, by way of a town crier, the Association of McGill University Support Employees (AMUSE) announced that floor fellows—upper-year students living and working in residences to provide support to first-year students—will be on strike as of March 18 at noon. The floor fellows’ last Collective Agreement (CA) with McGill expired in July 2020 and is still undergoing negotiations. Though AMUSE chose to go on strike after McGill reduced their wage offer from $13.64 to $13.50, there are other core tenets that they are pushing for, including updating the meal plan amount and implementing retroactive pay. For now, no end to the strike has been announced, with the main goals of the action being getting the McGill Administration to acknowledge AMUSE’s demands, such as $18.00 for the floor fellows’ wage, and ultimately arrive at an agreement on the terms of the new CA.

The strike began with a march from Jeanne Mance park to the Roddick Gates on March 18. AMUSE also hosted a cookout on March 19, where, according to Joanna,* a floor fellow in an upper residence, floor fellows gave out free samosas to students outside of the McLennan Library. Since July 2020, floor fellows and AMUSE have pushed for the inclusion of harm reduction and anti-oppression policies, and have also demanded that their wage and meal plans be adjusted to the rising costs of living in Canada. Floor fellows currently follow the terms of the expired CA, which means that their wages have been stagnant at the 2020 rate for 18 months now.

“De facto, we have been operating on the same collective agreement pending the signing of a new one. One consequence of this is that meal plan rates and wages have been frozen since then,” said James Newman, MA ‘20 and president of AMUSE, in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “If we sign a collective agreement that includes the retro[active] pay we insist upon, wage increases will be paid out to employees in a lump sum retroactive to the last collective agreement.” 

Newman told the Tribune that the strike’s primary action was to have floor fellows not enter residences, and perhaps stay in a hotel, from March 18 at noon until March 21—a measure funded by the Public Service Alliance of Canada, AMUSE’s parent union. In doing so, floor fellows did not cross the picket line nor did they perform their regular duties during the strike.

Because floor fellows are bound by an expired CA, they are currently receiving minimum wage for no more than 13 hours a week. According to Newman, floor fellows often work overtime, sometimes up to 30 hours a week, but will still only be paid for 13 hours. Floor fellows are often expected to respond to student crises, build a community within residences, and serve as role models to younger students. It was the lack of compensation for work, according to Newman, that primarily led to the 84 per cent vote in favour of a strike authorization on March 7. 

“[The McGill administration] have been quite clear about their disdain for the idea that floor fellows deserve anything beyond the upcoming provincial minimum wage,” Newman said. “What they have thus far failed to communicate clearly is why so many floor fellows have received net-zero pay stubs, when we can expect them to come to us with a fair deal.” 

According to Joanna, having an expired CA means that floor fellows face situations that fall beyond the scope of their mandate—like having to mitigate drug use despite receiving no training in harm reduction practices. Hazard pay, too, is a major demand AMUSE is pushing for. 

“We really hope that McGill will meet some of our demands,” Joanna said. “We believe what we are asking for is fair. We would like enough meal plan money to cover three meals per day at dining halls [….] We would also like to get hazard pay for 2020-2021 because we were working at the height of COVID.”

In an email to the Tribune, McGill media relations officer Frédérique Mazerolle stated that McGill is working alongside AMUSE and floor fellows in order to find a solution, and that some agreement has already been reached.

“McGill has been in discussion with the union for several months. Both parties have come to [an] agreement on all non-monetary elements within the collective agreement,” Mazerolle wrote. “Further meetings are planned with the union in the coming days. It is our hope we will reach a fruitful agreement rapidly.”

*Joanna’s name has been changed to preserve their anonymity.

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