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a, Out on the Town, Student Life

Life beyond the McGill bubble

by Audrey Carleton on

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Attending university in the heart of downtown Montreal is a luxury McGill students commonly take for granted. Often it becomes far too easy to become chained to campus and trapped in the “McGill bubble.” In an effort to combat this pitfall, the Tribune compiled a list of some of the best things to do in four of the most eclectic neighbourhoods surrounding downtown.

Plateau Mont-Royal

 

East of campus, past the McGill Ghetto, emerges the Plateau Mont-Royal, more commonly known as “the Plateau.” The homey brownstone flats that are characteristic of this calm neighborhood give it a suburban feel that attracts a lot of McGill students. In keeping with the calmer vibe of the Plateau, the area is spotted with little parks, the most notable of which is Parc La Fontaine, which stretches from Rue Sherbrooke to Rue Rachel, and contains an ideal combination of walking paths, grassy spots for picnicking, and a pond. An eastbound bike ride along the two-way bike lanes of Rue Rachel will land you at the park, but not without passing other Plateau hot spots such as La Banquise. This is one of the most famous poutine restaurants in Montréal, where, 24 hours a day, restaurant-goers can custom order poutine with a vast selection of vegetable and meat toppings, and even vegan sauce and vegan cheese curds. Schwartz’s Deli, on Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Napoléon, is one of the oldest delis in Canada, and thus attracts tourists from across the country for its famous smoked meat. For non-food related activities, simply walking around the Plateau can provide entertainment and peruse the wide variety of street art that covers its walls, alleyways and shops.

The Mile End

 

Offering a similar calm, artsy vibe to that of the Plateau, the Mile End is most notably a hub for young hipsters. Though its borders are somewhat debatable, in general terms the Mile End is located just north of the Plateau.

In keeping with the hipster vibe of the Mile End, this neighborhood is home to a lot of cafés and coffee shops. Among them is Chez Boris, a café that specializes in handmade Russian doughnuts, made-to-order on the spot. Le Depanneur, located on Avenue de l’Esplanade and Rue Bernard Ouest is another well-known café in the Mile End, known for its grilled cheeses and for hosting live music from local artists at all hours of the day to accompany patrons’ meals. For students familiar with the McGill Ghetto and seeking a home away from home, the other Lola Rosa is on Avenue du Parc, featuring not only more space for sitting, but a more expansive menu. Among other vegetarian-friendly restaurants in the Mile End is Aux Vivres, a vegan restaurant located on rue Saint-Laurent and Rue Villenueve Ouest with an extensive menu of vegan dishes that use meat and dairy substitutes in popular dishes that vegans would not otherwise be able to eat. The Mile End is also the perfect place to find a wood-fired Montréal bagel, as it is home to both St. Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel—arguably the two best bagel shops in Montreal.

St-Henri

 

Due to Solin Hall, the St. Henri neighbourhood garners a fair amount of attention from McGill students. Originally a largely working class centre of industry, St. Henri has undergone recent development and is often described as an ‘up-and-coming’ neighbourhood as more trendy restaurants, shops and living complexes migrate to the area.

St. Henri is home to Atwater Market, one of the city’s largest and most popular outdoor markets. Located along Avenue Atwater, the market provides local vendors with space to sell plants, fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses, and other fresh foods on a daily basis, year-round. The market is also located conveniently near the Lachine Canal, an offshoot of the Saint-Laurent river that stretches 14.5 kilometers from the Old Port of Montréal to Lac Saint-Louis.

The most notable street for social life in St. Henri is Rue Notre-Dame, along which one can find restaurants like Tuck Shop, a popular bistro with a combination of French and Italian food that sits on almost every internet list of top Montreal restaurants. Another stand-out restaurant is Green Spot, a ‘greasy spoon’ diner located on Rue Notre Dame and Avenue Greene. It has been open in St. Henri for a long time, and is thus another local favourite, serving a wide array of breakfast dishes, fried foods, and poutine. 

The Gay Village

 

Located east of downtown, the Gay Village—commonly shortened to “The Village”—is a hub for Montreal’s LGBT community. The Gay Village is not only where Montreal’s Pride Festival takes place every year, but it is also home to the pedestrian-only section of Rue Sainte-Catherine that is strung with hanging pink ball ornaments for the duration of June to September.

Some of Montreal’s best nightlife thrives in the Gay Village. Olympia nightclub, a three-floor venue that is home to many of McGill’s Frosh events, is located in the Village along Rue Sainte-Catherine. Sky and Unity are two other popular gay clubs in the Village, both with multiple floors and outdoor patios, offering not just extra space but a multitude of ambiances for varied clubbing needs and desires.

While there is a vast selection of activities to do at night in the Gay Village, it’s equally difficult to get bored during the day. It is home to some of Montréal’s best coffee shops, like Porquois Pas Espresso Bar, known for their house blend almond milk used in most of their drinks. Also located in The Village is Le Milieu, a smaller café and art co-op run entirely by volunteers. Here, the art supplies for sale are all donated upcycled materials, and are sold on a name-your-price basis. The co-op also holds craft, art, and cooking workshops run by co-op volunteers, and offers comfortable space for locals to sit and enjoy knitting and craft in addition to a light coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Sala Rossa
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Hidden venues of Montreal

by Amber Hord on

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Le Cagibi 

Located in the Mile End, Le Cagibi is a coffeehouse and vegetarian restaurant by day and a bar and concert venue by night. Shows are held in the back room where listeners can settle into a cozy armchair with a drink and, depending on the night, enjoy a multitude of genres from folk and acoustic to experimental acts. The events are usually free or by donation, and when the show is over, guests can head around the corner for some late night munchies at St-Viateur bagel; the perfect end to a perfect night!

La Sala Rossa 

La Sala Rossa is much more than amazing sangria. Above the delicious Spanish restaurant is a classic concert venue featuring velvet curtains, chandeliers, and a bar in the rear for those in the mood to chill out and have a drink. La Sala Rossa hosts anything from jazz to indie rock, but the shows can range all the way to a burlesque performance or a breakdance competition. This venue caters to all interests, so no matter who attends, La Sala Rossa will have the perfect event. Cover varies from free to $30 depending on the artist, but the Thursday night flamenco show is always free.

Casa Del Popolo 

Venture into Casa Del Popolo, through a small, dark hallway, and suddenly a room full of concert posters, live music, and good vibes emerge. After checking out the band, one can head to the terrace to relax and have a drink. Casa Del Popolo hosts a variety of artists from electronic to indie. Mondays and Tuesdays are always free, and cover for the rest of the week is either pay-what-you-can or between $5 to $25.  Monthly events including a spoken word night and a Comix Jam—where artists come together to create impromptu graphic art—allowing patrons to both experience or create art on any given night.

W()MB 

W()MB is a new space run by a collective of seven Montreal musicians and artists. The entertainment ranges from experimental music acts and movie projection nights, to drone installations and art shows. The appearance of the space changes based on the act, so there is always a fresh feel. Cover varies depending on the artist and type of event, and events range from the standard two-hour show to all night long.

Le P’tit Bar 

Le P’tit Bar is one of the smallest and most charming venues in Montreal. Those searching for the authentic Quebecois experience need look no further. Most of the bands are local and so is the crowd. The venue only holds about 30 people, making it a great place for a date or a night out with a few friends. There are shows every day of the week and they are typically pay-what-you-can. 

a, Recipes, Student Life

Recipes: Stuffed roast acorn squash

by Liz Willcock on

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Fall has finally reached Montreal, and while this means Instagram feeds will be filled to the brim with pictures of leaves and pumpkin spice lattes, it also means this is the best time of year to reap Mother Nature’s produce. Fruits and vegetables that have been growing all summer are being pulled from the ground, and the markets are now filled with local kale, pumpkin, cauliflower, zucchini and apples, to name a few. In fact, local produce is so easily accessible near McGill campus, that there’s really no reason to not be filling a basket with seasonal goods. From the McGill Farmers Market every Thursday, to one of Montreal’s food box schemes such as Lufa Farms, Saintropol Roulant, or the Good Food Box, getting fruits and vegetables that are in season is easy as ever.

Although the typical McGill undergraduate has no problem writing a five-page paper at the last minute, when confronted with an acorn squash they succumb to complete and utter confusion. Thankfully, the Tribune has deconstructed the mystery behind one of fall’s greatest gourds. Although some may think that an acorn squash is just a shrivelled up pumpkin, they are actually filled with immune system boosting vitamins, and are incredibly easy to bake. What’s more, this recipe is easily adaptable, and can be made with whatever kitchen staple one has on hand—just slip it into the oven and wait for the house to be filled with the smell of real pumpkin spice.

This recipe does not have traditional measurements, so feel free to give and take according to whatever looks interesting at the market, or perhaps more realistically whatever needs to be cleared out of the back of the fridge.

[URIS id=36602]

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 winter squash

3 cups of filling (see below)

(1 squash serves 2)

Filling

1/2 cup—sausage, chicken, or tempeh and

baked tofu for any vegetarians.

2 cups vegetables —onions, mushrooms, zucchini, greens, or

anything that can be found at the market

1/2 cup cooked grains and/or nuts—examples include barley, quinoa, millet, farro, rice, walnuts, almonds, or pecans

1 to 3 teaspoons herbs or spices such as paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne

Topping

1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese such as goat cheese or Parmesan

 

 

 

Instructions

 

Preheat the oven to 400 °F/205 °C. Slice the squash in half from stem to root and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash face up on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt.

Roast for about 35 to 50 minutes or until your squash is tender in the middle and browned around the edges. Flip face down before removing to slightly char the outside.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the filling. This is a great place to combine leftovers from other meals (like cooked chicken, quinoa or roasted vegetables). Sauté onions for three minutes with spices, add vegetables and protein, and cook until tender. Taste and adjust the spices, salt, and pepper based on personal preference.

Pull the squash out of the oven and flip the cooked squash halves so they form bowls. Divide the filling between the halves, and cover with a sprinkling of cheese.

Place these back in the oven until they are hot and the cheese has melted. Serve and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from the kitchn)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a, McGill, Montreal, News

MCLIU ratifies first collective agreement

by Nick Milum on

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On Friday, Sept. 18, the Special General Assembly of the McGill Course Lecturers and Instructors Union (MCLIU) met to vote on the proposed version of the union’s first collective agreement. The agreement outlines a number of important points between the employer, McGill, and the MCLIU, including seniority, hiring processes, salary and paid sick leave. The agreement  passed with 96 per cent of the vote. 

MCLIU President Raad Jassim played a major role in the formation of the agreement and explained the process behind crafting the articles.

“We went to the Minister of Labour and requested a conciliator, and we worked with them for about a year […]” Jassim said.  “Then, we requested an arbitrator and the arbitrator helped with a few more articles. And finally it looked like we were able to do it on our own […] and we were able to actually come up with our collective agreement together.”

The collective agreement outlined a number of administrative points between McGill, and the MCLIU, including seniority, hiring processes, salary, and paid sick leave. It also outlined the number of courses a course lecturer is allowed to teach per year.

“We can teach up to seven courses a year […] so that’s a great achievement for our course lecturers,” Jassim said. “Other universities, such as Concordia, use just two courses per semester as their max. You can go beyond seven at McGill but you will not accrue seniority from those courses.”

The Sept. 18 vote allowed the MCLIU to pass the collective agreement in principle. Now, McGill and the MCLIU must formalize the agreement so that it can be officially signed. Robert Comeau, the director of labour and employee relations in McGill’s human resources department, has been involved in the ongoing negotiation process.

“What we’re having to do now is to write the official collective agreement, because when we negotiate, a lot of times either the employer or the union will just drop some of the proposals, so the numbering is wrong,” he said. “Second […] we have to come up with a French and English version [….] So we have to finalize those things to be able to officially sign, and then what we have to do is file it with the labour board to become official.”

The English version of the collective agreement is slated to be finished before the end of this week, which will allow for the official collective agreement to be signed within the coming  weeks.

MCLIU Grievance Officer Richard Cooper has been involved in the negotiations process for eight years, and helped to form the union in 2011.  

“Through the process of seniority and how seniority will affect the allocation of courses, [the collective agreement provides] a measure of job security that we didn’t have before,” Cooper said. 

While the collective agreement will be in place for three years, the union is already thinking ahead to prepare for when negotiations come around again.  

“The major issue that we’re going to have to deal with now is that McGill course lecturers are still at the [lower] end of the salary scale in relation to other universities in the province,” Cooper said. “There are always complaints about budget constraints so we’re going to have to work on that.” 

a, McGill, Montreal, News

Senate raises concerns over the future of research funding

by Ziko Smith on

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Senate held its first meeting of the year and received reports on the medical program’s probationary status, biomedical research funding, and cases of sexual assault and harassment at McGill. 

Undergraduate medical program probation

Dean of Medicine and Vice-Principal of Health Affairs, Dr. David Eidelman, praised the Faculty of Medicine’s response to the undergraduate program’s probation this past June, which came as a result of its failure to meet 24 standards of accreditation, including violations to student workload policies and failures to monitor curriculums.

“Senate will know that the faculty has been quite transparent […] and we have published online all of the documents […] from the accreditation bodies,” Eidelman said. “We quickly established a working chair that meets every two weeks to make sure that we have a response to every one of the components cited.”

McGill’s undergraduate medical program will submit its plan to address the issues cited by the accreditation bodies by December 2015, and submit new documents of accreditation in November 2016. The accreditation bodies will visit McGill in February 2017 to judge whether McGill has corrected the issues. Eidelman expressed confidence that McGill’s Faculty of Medicine would maintain their international reputation. 

Annual report on the Policy on Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination Prohibited by Law

Associate Provost (Policies, Procedures and Equity) Angela Campbell stated there were 23 reported cases of harassment in the last academic year, down from the yearly average of 36. 

Arts Senator Erin Sobat asked if the decrease in reported cases of harassment resulted from a general lack of knowledge of McGill’s harassment policy. He cited a recent survey that suggested a rise in sexual assault complaints among McGill students, and expressed concern that students do not understand the reporting procedures.

“I am wondering if the decrease is sufficient to this whole process,” Sobat said, “[or] if [there is] a lack of knowledge of this process [and accessibility] to members of [the McGill] community”.

Campbell, however, warned against speculation. She noted that the decrease in reported cases of harassment could be a result of the policy’s proactive approach towards sexual assault awareness.

“It is not necessarily the case that there is less harassment – the policy [also] is pre-emptive so it aims to prevent harassment,” Campbell said. “There is an increased sensitivity to issues with respect to harassment. I don’t think it is fair to say that a rise in sexual assault complaints would trigger […] a rise in complaints in harassment [in general]; someone who is sexually assaulted would not want a discrimination and harassment [complaint].”

The future of biomedical research in Canada

Faculty of Medicine Senators Terrence Hebert and Dan Bernard voiced concerns over the new Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Foundation funding scheme for biomedical research, piloted in mid-July. 

“Though CIHR committed to […] 450-600 [transitional open operating grants programs] proposals, only 383 grants were ultimately awarded, and each endured a budget cut of almost 30 per cent,” Hebert and Bernard wrote in their question to the Senate. “Unfortunately, these numbers cannot be construed as anomalies.” 

McGill Principal Suzanne Fortier disagreed with Herbert and Bernard, arguing that funding had flatlined. 

“I, with all due respect, do not agree,” Fortier said. “From all I have seen from the data I don’t believe they have had a steep decline, [rather] they have not had an increase.”

Fortier stated that the Canadian medical sector at large does not have enough funding.

“There is not enough money to support all of the excellence […] in the health sector,” she said. “We continue to [meet] with various members of government […] so that our message is heard.”

Hebert advocated a proactive response to what he sees as a funding crisis in Canada.

“We have to go at the real problem which is […] a steep decline [in funding] in the last couple of years,” Hebert said. “How do we transmit that message to a broader audience, […] what is McGill going to do if we cannot improve that?”

Herbert also expressed concern about the impact on faculty members.

“Young faculty are expected to develop an independent research program, but all the funding seems to be tailored towards […] industry driven and government priority type research,” Herbert stated. “The funding situation should be taken into consideration when evaluating our young faculty.”

Fortier, however, said that she wanted to compile and analyze more data that will inform the discussion on research grants. 

a, Opinion

Commentary: Taking stock of Quebec’s new sexual education curriculum

by Amin Guidara on

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Sex education classes are making a partial comeback in Quebec this year. The pilot program is an improvement, as it fills a void that has existed since 2005 (the last year that Quebec had dedicated sexual education classes).However, the Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sports (MERS) does not go far enough with this policy. The program, as it is currently planned, does not follow a strict curriculum and is not precisely designed to be taught by professionals.

The provincial government has designed a two year pilot project which will affect 15 schools and 8,200 students starting this year. Sex education is a matter of public and personal health. If taught properly, it can promote civic competences by teaching students about important issues such as rape, slut-shaming, and LGBT discrimination. Sex education also teaches students about protecting themselves from STIs, avoiding unwanted teen pregnancy, and seeking help for psychological troubles linked to sex.

In Ontario, concerns that the curriculum contains inappropriate content has led some parents to keep their children home. Masturbation, for example, goes against some religious beliefs. As a result of the backlash, Ontario is allowing parents to request exemptions on a case-by-case basis. It is probably only a matter of time until similar backlash occurs in Quebec, but MERS must not permit any leniency.

Under the pilot program being instituted in Quebec, parents cannot seek to exempt their children from this program simply because their views conflict with an unbiased and professional perspective. Parents in Ontario who have been pulling their children from sexual education classes for religious or personal reasons are fighting against a tide that has already changed. Children without sexual education are a risk to public health. If parents try to pull their kids out of sex education classes, the school should have meetings with these parents to discuss the matter and persuade them of the importance of universal, mandatory sex-ed. Whatever their belief system, there is no compromise for the safety and the health of future generations.

It is a waste of resources and energy to develop a program with so little attention devoted to teacher training.

The intention of the new curriculum is grounded in social reality and will prepare students for safe, healthy sexual relationships. But more must be done to ensure this progress is productive.

As teenagers will undoubtedly learn about sex with or without a dedicated curriculum, it is better for them to learn it at school than from a friend who might have an immature and corrupted view of sex and sexuality. Teachers in Quebec do not know exactly what to cover because, according to the Federation of Teachers Unions, there are no “clear pedagogical guidelines,” unlike in Ontario. It is necessary to impose a precise provincial curriculum to make sure that every school teaches the same way and covers the same material to avoid a disparity of education, especially for religious schools, who could be less inclined to follow the curriculum.

Children ought to learn about sex and sexuality in a classroom setting. A way to make sure that disparity does not happen is to have a yearly ministerial exam for all students that does not count towards their report card, a measure that is not being studied by the government. This would ensure that all students go through a standardized and rigorous sexual education program.

Since it is not a separate class, it could be taught by any teacher with a who has only gone through a few hours of training. Therefore, the students who do receive the curriculum in its current form will likely only receive mediocre sex education at the expense of valuable regular subject time. To ensure that the program is worthwhile, more must be done to standardize a high calibre of teaching practices.

As a result of limited teacher training, students can get teachers who are uncomfortable, indelicate, or close-minded. It is a waste of resources and energy to develop a program with so little attention devoted to teacher training. It would be infinitely better to hire specialized sex educators to teach these classes as they are professionals in the subject to minimize training and adjustment. Furthermore, a curriculum made by and taught by specialists would make sure that subjects are being taught correctly and at the right age.

 

 

 

 

 

a, Out on the Town, Student Life

Exploring Montreal’s International Cuisine

by Alizeh Ejaz on

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Damas

Located in the corner of Avenue Van Horne and Avenue Bloomfield sits this authentic Syrian eatery. The beautiful lantern-lit restaurant features charming Middle-Eastern décor and a delectable choice of food. Damas’ distinctive interior, including an open kitchen and dim lighting, contributes to its relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. The sophisticated and unusual blend of spices in Damas’ food adds to the unique appeal of the restaurant. It is most famously known for its “Five service tasting menu to share,” which consists of a blend of different meats and spices. Furthermore, Damas’ simple dishes, such as hummus and falafel, ooze with flavour. The restaurant is on the costly side, with prices ranging from $7 to $23 for appetizers, and $26 to $65 for main courses. However, the quality of food and service make it worth every penny. Considered as one of the top Middle-Eastern restaurants in Montreal, Damas knows how to make sure its customers leave with their appetites satisfied.

Thanjai Restaurant

Thanjai Restaurant, located on Avenue Van Horne and Avenue Victoria, is an informal eatery that wins the race when it comes to authentic South Indian food. The rich cuisine and informal atmosphere of the restaurant make it a relaxed and tasty place to eat. Thanjai is most well known for its incredible dosas—crepes made from fermented rice and lentils. It specializes in over 50 different types of dosas, with masala dosa topping the list as the most popular choice. Furthermore, with prices ranging from $11 to $30, Thanjai offers generous portions for a relatively low cost. Thanjai is the spot to fulfill your masala and spice cravings with exceptional quality food.

Khyber Pass

Located on Avenue Duluth East and Rue Berri, Khyber Pass is a well-known Afghan restaurant in Montreal. Its wooden exterior, as well as indoor standing heaters, makes it a unique and cozy place to eat. The restaurant is dimly lit and the decor authentic; there is a map of Afghanistan as well as traditional clothing hung on the brick walls. The food is extremely rich in flavour, and comes with large portion sizes. Khyber Pass is most famous for their mouth-watering and delicious meats, such as its Mourg Kabab and Chopan Kabab. Additionally, the restaurant’s BYO-bottle option is a fun way for customers to save money and enjoy their preferred drinks.

Ceviches

Nestled among the quieter streets of the Plateau Mont-Royal is a quaint little Caribbean and Latin American restaurant called Ceviches. This family-run restaurant hosts a very hospitable ambience—its staff are known to be extremely welcoming and attentive, and the owner of the restaurant, Luis, is always present and conversing with his customers. The restaurant has some of the best ceviche in town, with the option to build it yourself by picking your own choice of seafood and sauces. Additionally, Ceviches has a wide variety of dishes to choose from, fish, chicken or cheese empanadas, to cassava fries and chorizo sandwiches. Their items have large portion servings and are priced from $11 to $30, making it an affordable place to eat with family and friends.

Nil Bleu

Nil Bleu restaurant, on Avenue des Pins East and Saint-Denis, is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant. The restaurant provides a vegetarian-friendly menu, and includes gluten-free options as well. Nil Bleu has a modern décor, full of East African inspired paintings and music. A staple at Nil Bleu is injera—a flatbread made from a grain called teff—which is high in protein, amino acids and fiber, and makes up two thirds of the diet in Ethiopia. The restaurant’s highlight is its tasting menu for two, which provides several delicious appetizers and a variety of delectable main dishes to try, such as appetizers of caramelized vegetables with Ethiopian spices, and main course like Yebeg Key Watt, which is lamb in berbere sauce. Nil Bleu also serves other African dishes apart from Ethiopian, on their table d’hôte menu. This menu serves up dishes such as Senegalese yassa-grilled chicken with lemon, mustard and African herbs sauce, and tilapia with red peppers, ginger and coconut-based sauce, hailing from Ivory Coast. Nil Bleu is the perfect restaurant to go to if you’re in the mood to explore new, unique and diverse cuisine.

a, Science & Technology

Notman House hosts Masters of Code hackathon

by Clare Lyle on

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“Develop the greatest digitally connected application [or] solution that will profoundly alter your connected life.” This was the problem presented at the MasterCard Masters of Code hackathon this weekend. Stretching from Saturday to Sunday afternoon, the challenge attracted roughly 100 developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts to Notman House, Montreal’s hub for techonlogy, where the 24-hour event took place.

Montreal’s own hackathon brought together the members of its tech scene, many of whom were affiliated with McGill, although some participants came from from Ottawa. All attendees, however, shared a passion for using technology in creative and innovative ways. 

“It’s like building LEGO with your friends,” said McGill Civil Engineering alumnus Jean Amiouny.

An all-expenses paid trip to Silicon Valley was on the line for first place. Despite this, the atmosphere remained relaxed and collaborative. 

“This is actually a [pretty] mellow place,” explained Matt Wright, a representative of AngelHack, an organization that also runs hackathons. “Last week, we were in Latin America and it was a very excited atmosphere. Here it’s more ‘slow and steady wins the race.’”

“I think [my] most memorable experience […] was around 2 to 3 a.m.,” Liu said. “I was talking to another hacker, and we had this two-to-three hour talk about bitcoins. That’s [something] that will only ever happen at a hackathon; finding yourself up at 2, 3, 4, a.m. talking about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies with some random person.”

The projects that came out of the hackathon ranged from the educational, to the humanitarian, to the simply practical. This included a financial education app for kids, a loyalty platform for small businesses, and a cost-splitting app that took the grand prize.

Peng Liu, a Computer Science student from the University of Ottawa explained that the opportunity to connect with others who are equally as passionate about development is a major draw for participants. 

“I think [my] most memorable experience […] was around 2 to 3 a.m.,” Liu said. “I was talking to another hacker, and we had this two-to-three hour talk about bitcoins. That’s [something] that will only ever happen at a hackathon; finding yourself up at 2, 3, 4, a.m. talking about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies with some random person.”

These types of connections between developers will often lead to profitable hackathon teams. The winning project, FareShare, came from a group who met at a party close to the day of the hackathon. 

“I knew [my teammate,] Harold [Day] from McGill Engineering,” said Andrew Doyle, one of the members of the winning team. “We used to volunteer together with the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS), and so we decided we wanted to do something at the hackathon. We ended up at a friend’s party, and I started talking to some developers there who are now friends of mine, and we signed up on the spot. And it turns out that I knew one of them from McGill [….] We all came together pretty quickly and haphazardly, but it all worked out.”

[URIS id=36786]

Their team’s app epitomizes the collaborative spirit of hackathons, letting friends split costs.

“If you’re going on a ski trip, someone’s buying gas, and someone else is buying food, and someone else is paying for drinks, and everyone owes everyone else money,” Dan Greencorn, one of the team’s developers, explained. “We’re using MasterCard’s API to let everyone record what they buy, and then split the cost after the trip.”

The runners-up also have a McGill background, featuring two current students and two alumni. Their project took a more humanitarian approach to economic transactions.

“Our app translates your regular daily spending into automated donations to charity,” Bogdan Istrate, a McGill alumnus and one of the designers, explained.

These automatic donations make it convenient for users to give back.

“You pick whichever charity you want to donate, then whenever you go spend money anywhere like Starbucks or the grocery store, you set up a percentage that you want to donate, so if you spend $500 and set the app to 1 per cent, then you also donated $5 to whatever organization you selected from our app,” Xiaolei Liu, another McGill Master’s student and team member, said .

Each member of the second-place team received a $500 MasterCard gift card, while the winning team received an all-expenses-paid trip to San Francisco to participate in the Grand Finale Masters of Code hackathon.

Additional reporting by Wyatt Dougherty.Photos in slider courtesy of Trep Life

a, Science & Technology

Twentieth edition of Soup and Science educates and entertains

by Wanlin Song on

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For an entire week, five to six McGill professors took the stage in Redpath Museum for the 20th edition of Soup and Science. The professors, who were experts in fields varying from physics to geography, offered brief, three to five minute presentations on their work. Created by the Office of Undergraduate Research in 2005, Soup and Science has helped create a platform for students to meet professors and get acquainted with their research.

“We want to connect our students to professors,” said Victor Chisholm, who has been organizing Soup and Science since 2006. “There [are] always interested professors to share research [and] do research with students.”

While presenting ideas in such a short time can sometimes be challenging for speakers—their research is usually highly complex—ultimately, this is not the purpose of Soup and Science.

“Our goal is not to make students understand everything […] in the presentations,” Chisholm explained. “[But] to expose students to the broad selection of research in science.” 

“Our goal is not to make students understand everything […] in the presentations,” Chisholm explained. “[But] to expose students to the broad selection of research in science.”

On Wednesday, Bastien Castagner, assistant professor in The Department of Pharmacology, presented his work on finding a treatment for Clostridium difficile infection. This bacteria causes inflammation and irritation of the intestines and colon, a condition known as colitis. Instead of targeting the infection for treatment, Castagner has been searching for ways to neutralize the poisonous toxins released as byproducts by the bacteria. Because it is the toxins that are responsible for the negative symptoms of the bacteria, if those are neutralized, then the bacteria presents no risk. Humans rely on a complex system of flora and fauna to digest food and finding treatments that circumnavigate the use of antibiotics is very important, explained Castagner.

On Thursday, Anna Weinberg,  psychology assistant professor spoke about the correlation between childhood experiences and anxiety or depression experienced in adulthood. By exploring similarities between mental disorders in terms of onset and vulnerabilities, she’s hoping to tackle the classic ‘nurture versus nature’ debate. 

Students were also offered wisdom on acquiring a research position. Dentistry professor Svetlana Komarova emphasized the importance of being persistent when applying to a lab. Even those with a lot of experience and interest may find themselves waiting a couple of months. However, those who persisted, usually succeeded.

Geography Professor Graham MacDonald, who attended Soup and Science 10 years ago as an undergraduate student, returned on Friday to speak. When responding to how it felt to participate—now as a presenter—he was happy to see how Soup and Science has grown.

“It’s really different […] but a lot of fun,” he said.

Soup and Science welcomes more aspiring audiences to its next edition in January.

a, Private, Student Life

Healthy eating options around McGill campus

by Rachel Summers on

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Navigating through the limited food options on and around campus in the hopes of finding something nutritious and budget-friendly can be tough. Here are some tips to make your search a little easier.

Students spend a significant portion of their day on campus running between classes, studying in the library, or just hanging out with friends. Consequently, it can be difficult to find food options that leave one feeling healthy, energetic and satiated. While there is plenty of pizza across the road on Rue Sherbrooke, and sandwiches at Premier Moisson, Subway, La Prep, and Vinh’s, these carbohydrate-heavy (albeit delicious) options may leave the body craving something more nutritious to stay running longer and healthier.

Organic Campus

 

Conveniently located on the first floor of the Students’ Society of McGill (SSMU) Building, the Organic Campus booth has the perfect fix for a quick bite that will help sustain one through grueling, information-packed lectures. Open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., one can find injera—an Ethiopian staple—consisting of lentils, potatoes, dried tomatoes, dried peppers, herbs, and sea salt wrapped in a fermented flat bread. It is vegan, organic, and the ingredients are sourced from a local Quebec farm. The wrap is high in protein and only costs $2, which means students and their wallets will be full for longer.

Midnight Kitchen

 

Midnight Kitchen is a service that prepares and serves hot vegan lunches every day on the third (sometimes fourth) floor of the SSMU Building. Since student fees finance the service, Midnight Kitchen is available to all students at no additional cost, but donations are welcome. The service is run with sustainability in mind, so it is essential to bring Tupperware and cutlery from home to partake in this amazing lunch. The meal usually consists of a hot soup or stew, a starch, salad, and dessert, which are always nourishing, filling and tasty. Service begins at 12:30 p.m. and continues until 1 p.m., but the line gets long quickly so students should arrive early. It’s a great place not only to grab lunch, but also catch up on readings while waiting, or chatting with friends in line.

The Nest

 

On the second floor of SSMU, The Nest is a great option for grabbing a healthy lunch on campus. The student-run café’s menu has been revamped since last year, and now includes a greater variety to satisfy the hungry student. There are still sandwiches and burritos, but there are also salads, steamed veggies, and healthy stir-fries if you’re looking for something on the lighter side. For $5.75, a great option to keep full for the afternoon is the baked potato with veggie chili that comes with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese and chives. The Nest is a great way to support student-run initiatives while taking care of your body at the same time.

Freshii

 

For students who have time to venture just outside of campus, Freshii, located just south of Parc and Milton, has an extensive menu with many healthy options. There is a set menu of rice and quinoa bowls, salads, and wraps, or students can customize each of these and select their favourite toppings. Everything on the menu ranges from $7 to $10 and the serving sizes are generous. To get the most health value, choose the dressing carefully and opt for balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or teriyaki.

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