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Access status: Open Access ,
Hamiltom's Rule Re-thought
(2026) Kanbar, Amir; Zheng, Bryan; Sultani, Ahmad; Khaliq, Mohammed Abdul; Muhtasin, Rayan; Fitzpatrick, Mark
Our group has chosen to explore altruism, with a focus on Hamilton’s Rule (rB > C), where r represents the coefficient of relatedness, B is the benefit to the recipient, and C is the cost to the donor. Instead of simply illustrating the rule, our goal is to critically examine its limitations by applying it to a realistic survival scenario where additional factors influence decision-making. Our chosen medium is a comic strip, which allows us to communicate complex altruistic concepts through visual storytelling and humour. Using illustrated characters (mice), the comic is designed to be accessible to a broad audience regardless of scientific background, while still accurately representing key ideas from evolutionary biology. The comic follows Albert, a pink mouse living in a den with his brother Bob (purple) and a doctor mouse (grey). Their den is surrounded by predatory hawks, and there is only enough food for one individual. Albert initially applies Hamilton’s Rule combined with the Gene’s Eye view, comparing relatedness values (r) to decide who should receive the food. However, as the story progresses, he critically analyses the effects of Hamilton’s rule, before critiquing it based on the factors of recipient usefulness to the donor and subsequent competition of the recipient to the donor. Ultimately, Albert goes against Hamilton’s rule and altruistic behaviour in order to preserve their own survival. Through this conflict, this comic intends to demonstrate how Hamilton’s Rule can be insufficient when ecological context and competition are considered. Ultimately, Albert's choice to prioritise self-preservation critiques Hamilton’s Rule’s strict gene-centred reasoning.
Access status: Open Access ,
How a Cold-Sore Can Change Your Sexual Health: A Policy Brief
(2026) Avison, Olivia-Maria; Stutz, Sterling
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one of the most prevalent yet neglected sexually transmitted infections in Canada. There are two types of HSV: HSV-1, which causes oral herpes, and HSV-2, which is associated with genital herpes. Despite its high prevalence, HSV-2 is typically excluded from routine sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing panels. These panels refer to the standard group of laboratory tests—such as those for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV—that clinicians routinely order when screening patients for sexually transmitted infections. The absence of HSV testing in these protocols contributes to underdiagnosis, asymptomatic transmission, neonatal complications, increased susceptibility to HIV infection, and significant psychological and social distress. This policy briefing note, prepared for HLTC42 Health Politics and Policy, asks Ontario to mandate the inclusion of HSV-2 in standard STD testing protocols alongside structured post-diagnosis psychosocial support, such as counselling, stigma-informed education, and referral to appropriate care. Drawing on epidemiological evidence and policy analysis, I compare Ontario’s current STD testing framework with a reform option requiring routine HSV testing and standardized provider training in stigma-informed communication and referral pathways. The policy brief combines public health evidence, clinical literature, and health systems analysis to assess feasibility, equity, and long-term outcomes. Findings suggest that mandatory inclusion would improve early detection, reduce transmission and HSV-related HIV risk, and strengthen public health monitoring of infection patterns. Integrated counselling supports would also help mitigate stigma and emotional harm following diagnosis. This issue matters because testing policies shape whose is seen, treated, and supported within the health system; excluding HSV reinforces inequities in sexual health, increases chances of comorbidity, and normalizes silence around a highly prevalent condition. The implications extend beyond diagnostics. Embedding HSV into routine panels reframes it as a manageable public health issue rather than a moralised sexually deviant condition. It advances health promotion through normalization, early intervention, and stigma reduction. Ultimately, this reform would modernise Ontario's sexual health strategy by integrating testing with psychosocial care, promoting a more equitable and compassionate model of health promotion.
Access status: Open Access ,
The Deceiving Petals
(2026) Nalainathan, Kanusha; Rajaratnam, Sharubiya; Nathan, Kreshni; Parekh, Kushali; Fitzpatrick, Mark
For this project, as part of our evolution course, our group decided on the topic of mimicry. We created a visual art piece using a 3D textured painting medium to show how organisms imitate other organisms for survival advantages. Specifically, we chose the orchid mantis, an organism that mimics orchids to attract prey, such as bees. To communicate the concept of mimicry, we designed an interactive canvas painting that allows viewers to engage with the artwork physically. The painting initially appears as an orchid flower, but the audience can pull down a curtain or “mask” to reveal the hidden orchid mantis beneath. We did this by painting on two canvases. On the upper canvas, we showed the mantis hidden within the orchid, carefully blending its shape and colours with the petals. When the viewer pulls this canvas down, a second canvas underneath reveals the mantis more clearly in its true form. This layered design reinforces the idea of mimicry and deception. This action demonstrates how the mantis conceals its true identity until it becomes advantageous for itself. The prey are drawn toward what they believe is a harmless flower, only to realize later that it is a predator. By making the artwork interactive, we wanted viewers to experience that same moment of realization. The physical act of uncovering the mantis mirrors how mimicry functions in the wild. What seems ordinary at first glance may serve a hidden purpose. Overall, the piece aims to illustrate the fascinating ways in which mimicry can serve as a survival strategy in the animal kingdom, highlighting both the creativity of evolution and the power of visual deception.
Access status: Open Access ,
Enhancing Experiential Learning in Chemistry through Immersive Virtual Reality
(2026) Singh, Armandeep; Gnanachelvan, Thishana; Thavarajah, Nirusha
Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) offers a novel approach to teaching complex chemical and environmental processes that are difficult to visualize using traditional methods. This project focuses on arsenic mobilization in agricultural soils in Punjab, India, integrating scientific modelling with immersive simulation. A BioRender-based conceptual model was developed and translated into a Unity-based IVR environment to allow students to explore processes such as competitive adsorption, redox transformations, and groundwater transport. The IVR module will be evaluated using student interaction, engagement metrics, and feedback from first-year chemistry students. This approach aims to enhance conceptual understanding, engagement, and long-term retention of complex scientific processes.
Access status: Open Access ,
Odds Are - A Poetry Collection
(2026) Athanasyar, Jessica; Ells, Louise
This poetry collection has been an exploration in my life as a Tamil student at UTSC, living with immigrant parents with varied experiences, and examining how luck, privilege, and worldview inspire not only ways of life but the way people view their own stories. Luck and culture have played such a huge part in my life, and I feel like this collection reflects who I am, where I came from, and the luck of the draw that comes with being born to parents from a diaspora.