Latest news with #McMaster
Hamilton Spectator
3 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
These Hamilton women are using newly acquired data science skills to solve real-world problems
Over several weeks last winter, 40 vulnerable patients were discharged from local hospitals to a downtown drop-in centre, instead of the cold streets. The new overnight hours at the Hamilton Hub on Vine Street were piloted last winter through a partnership with local hospitals and the Greater Hamilton Health Network in response to growing emergency department visits among homeless residents. It was Vaishali Vajpayee's team at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton that dug into hospitalization data and started asking questions about repeat visits. 'Patients are coming during winter more often because there is no place for them to go,' she said. 'We discharge them, they go in winter and they are most probably being sick again.' She's proud to use her new data science abilities, acquired through the YWCA's Uplift program, which offers women and gender-diverse individuals an opportunity to upskill or re-skill in specialized technology fields, to address social problems. 'I use all the skills that I learned through the program to help make some impact in improving patient care, patient experience and the quality of care, which is very meaningful,' said Vajpayee, who lives near McMaster. Since its launch in 2021, the Uplift program has drawn more than 900 participants across southern Ontario YWCAs, with 86 per cent making a career transition during or after completing courses through McMaster, Guelph and Ottawa universities, as well as Seneca and the former Brescia colleges. Fields include advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, data science and data analytics. New this year is an automotive program in electric vehicle technology with McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute (MMRI). Vaishali Vajpayee graduated from the first Uplift data science cohort. Vaishali has remained active in the YWCA Hamilton community as a volunteer and guest speaker. 'What we're doing here is not settling for lower-paid, precarious kinds of work or entry-level work,' YWCA CEO Medora Uppal said. 'We're looking to match people's skills and capacity with the training and opportunity for jobs that are going to give them the incomes they need to get to economic independence.' Vajpayee is a former cancer researcher with a PhD in chemistry from Jaipur, India, who came to Canada in 2018 after working in South Korea, France and the United States. Despite a high level of education and experience, finding a job was difficult and she burned through most of her savings. After she was laid off during the pandemic, she decided to pivot to a career with stability and flexibility to also care for her nine-year-old daughter. Enter Uplift. For Shaila Jamal, a geographer and planner who's a current post-doctoral fellow with the University of Toronto, the data science program didn't completely change her career, but it added 'a new dimension,' she said. The course taught her programming languages, statistical modelling and how to deal with big data — techniques she now applies in her research and teaching. She has also taught data science and analysis at Mohawk College and McMaster University. Since taking part in the first cohort in 2021, Jamal, who is from Bangladesh, volunteered to help other learners in the program. 'That reinforced my learning,' she said. Current data science student Camilla Kong, a water technologist with the City of London, joined Uplift to pick up new skills that would support her work in environmental science. 'I don't want to silo myself,' she said. 'There is a big push or trend to learn more about computer science or data science.' All three said they've inspired colleagues and friends to further their careers and education, some through Uplift courses. More than 250 participants were newcomers and nearly 320 visible minorities, YWCA said. Nearly 250 are youth and about 215 have disabilities. Another 192 identify as two-spirit or LGBTQIA. Using existing curriculum components, YWCA worked with the institutions to tailor courses to participants' needs, which involved taking courses traditionally taught in person online, said Khadija Hamidu, vice-president of economic development. 'We call it a living curriculum because we are always trying to change things up,' she said. Mentorship, co-op and labs also add to the student experience. The key to success is the program's low-barrier program that's flexible for participants who may be working a full-time job or caring for family, Uppal said. 'Remote work is critical for women's success,' she said. Current funding for the program, which began as a COVID response, has run out, and it may have to be paused in September while the YWCA works to secure funding sources, including from government contributions and corporate and academic partners, to continue to support it, Uppal said. They're currently seeking support from government and corporate partners, as well as working with partner institutions, to ensure the program continues. The YWCA has plans to submit a proposal to broaden the program and continue to align it with the economy, Uppal said. The rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI) industry is another area of interest. 'As we see industries changing and moving, we're moving with that,' Hamidu said. 'That's the beauty of this program.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Summer hunt for student housing in Hamilton is on as McMaster University reports increase in demand for residence
To get her apartment a 12-minute walk from McMaster University, Roxxannia Wang scrolled constantly through Facebook posts, hoping to spot a suitable listing. If you're lucky, you'll be one of the first to message the landlord and set up a viewing, the incoming engineering physics graduate student said. But 'your heart falls' when there are already dozens of comments from interested students, Sophie Bierer, who is in the same program, added. With less than two months before the start of fall semester, some are still looking for housing in a market students say remains competitive. The west Hamilton university said it received more applications for residence this year than last, 'reflecting strong demand from incoming students,' especially domestic applicants. McMaster's 13 on-campus residences, which have nearly 4,000 beds, are full, and wait-lists are 'fluid and subject to change,' spokesperson Wade Hemsworth said in an email. McMaster University is reporting a slight increase in demand for residence in 2025-26. He declined to share the number of applicants and wait-listed students. 'We've begun notifying students farther down the list that space will not be available so they have time to explore other housing options,' Hemsworth said in an email. One Reddit user said in late June they were 744th on the wait list for McMaster residence, and wondered whether they had a chance of getting a bed or should start looking for off-campus housing. Several others had similar concerns, sharing they were concerned about securing housing before September. Nearly 26 per cent more undergraduates accepted an offer to McMaster in 2025 than in 2017, according to data from the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). 'McMaster's rapid growth, while positive for the McMaster community, has contributed to a housing crunch,' McMaster Students Union (MSU) president Piper Plavins said in an email. Meanwhile, the average monthly rent for a room in student housing was $800, up from $450 in 2021 and 2016, according to a 2025 MSU student survey. The MSU's education department has advocated for the city to encourage affordable, multi-unit developments near campus and public-transit routes, she said. The construction of Lincoln Alexander Hall on Main Street West, which will add 1,366 beds and allow the university to accommodate all first-year students, 'is on track and going well,' Hemsworth said. The building is set to open in fall 2026. The McMaster University residence at 10 Bay St. S. First-year students who didn't get an on-campus bed were offered accommodation at 10 Bay St. S. as an alternative, Hemsworth said. The new off-campus building was plagued by construction issues when it first opened in 2023. 'We are currently on track to be fully occupied in September as interest in 10 Bay continues to grow,' Hemsworth said. He declined to share the building's occupancy rate for 2024-25, but said it has 'fluctuated' throughout the year. The university has struggled to fill the downtown residence, where rates start at around $1,400 a month. It was expected to be about 40 per cent full last September. McMaster also offers support for students seeking off-campus housing, including a roommate matching tool. Mohawk College, meanwhile, says demand for residence has declined since last year. The Mountain institution said it received 503 applications for residence as of July 3, down from 604 the previous year, spokesperson Trish Loomis said in an email. She added it is expected the lone on-campus residence building will be full by the start of the academic year. The college attributes decreased demand for housing to declining international student enrolment, Loomis said. Domestic enrolments, meanwhile, have 'remained steady,' she said. The college is also closing its second residence building, downtown's Linden Hall, after about a year due to low occupancy. Linden Hall, a Mohawk College student residence on Catharine Street South, closed to students in April amid a sharp decline in international enrollment. A July 8 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) report suggests the international student intake cap has taken some pressure off the housing market in Ontario, which has seen a decline in work and study permits. Rents in west Hamilton and on the Mountain, where Hamilton's two largest post-secondary institutions are located, dropped slightly in October 2024 compared with the previous year, according to a late 2024 CMHC report . Bierer remembers lining up to view apartments as a second-year undergraduate student in 2020, only to find out leases had been signed before getting inside. Since then, the 24-year-old has mainly found housing through friends and word of mouth. Bierer and Wang say many students sign leases as early as November for the following school year. The graduate students say competition remains stiff in the annual race to secure affordable housing, especially for early-career students who don't have experience and connections. 'The demand has always been high … but the prices have gone way up,' Bierer said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette launches 2026 gubernatorial bid, touts Trump ties
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has kicked off her bid for governor in 2026, highlighting several years of what she considers pushing outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster's agenda, and an already-formed connection with President Donald Trump. Evette, first elected as McMaster's running mate in 2018, spoke to hundreds of supporters Monday evening shortly after she released a short video confirming her run, news outlets reported. 'I stand before you as a mother, a conservative businesswoman and a fighter who is ready on day one to continue that conservative legacy as your next governor,' Evette said in her speech in Greenville. The announcement video included earlier footage of Evette being praised by McMaster, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, and by Trump, for whom Evette has spoken at his rallies. 'With President Trump back in the White House, South Carolina needs a governor who has his trust, a governor who doesn't need to build a relationship, a governor who can pick up the phone and get things done for South Carolina, because that relationship already exists,' Evette told supporters. Four-term Attorney General Alan Wilson and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell have already entered the race for the Republican nomination. Others, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, are expected to join them. An endorsement by Trump, who won South Carolina's electoral votes in 2024 by 18 percentage points, could go a long way toward winning the primary, which isn't until next June. South Carolina hasn't had a Democratic governor in more than 20 years. The general election is in November 2026. Evette entered Republican politics as a businessperson with no previous political experience — a trained accountant who cofounded a payroll, human resources and benefits firm with her husband. Evette on Monday promoted a record while working with McMaster that included supporting law enforcement, tightening state immigration policies and backing abortion restrictions. She also pointed to barring transgender women from participating in women's sports. She said her top priorities as governor would include expanding school choice, eliminating income taxes and enforcing Trump's immigration agenda. Evette also vowed in her speech to eliminate 10 regulations for every new one created and to fight 'woke corporations' on the 'radical left' that she said were trying to 'transform our state.' 'I'll follow the playbook that made South Carolina so successful,' Evette said. Evette, from Travelers Rest, is the state's first female Republican lieutenant governor. She and McMaster were the first team ticket jointly elected in state history after a change in the law.
San Francisco Chronicle
15-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette launches 2026 gubernatorial bid, touts Trump ties
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has kicked off her bid for governor in 2026, highlighting several years of what she considers pushing outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster's agenda, and an already-formed connection with President Donald Trump. Evette, first elected as McMaster's running mate in 2018, spoke to hundreds of supporters Monday evening shortly after she released a short video confirming her run, news outlets reported. 'I stand before you as a mother, a conservative businesswoman and a fighter who is ready on day one to continue that conservative legacy as your next governor,' Evette said in her speech in Greenville. The announcement video included earlier footage of Evette being praised by McMaster, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, and by Trump, for whom Evette has spoken at his rallies. 'With President Trump back in the White House, South Carolina needs a governor who has his trust, a governor who doesn't need to build a relationship, a governor who can pick up the phone and get things done for South Carolina, because that relationship already exists,' Evette told supporters. Four-term Attorney General Alan Wilson and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell have already entered the race for the Republican nomination. Others, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, are expected to join them. An endorsement by Trump, who won South Carolina's electoral votes in 2024 by 18 percentage points, could go a long way toward winning the primary, which isn't until next June. South Carolina hasn't had a Democratic governor in more than 20 years. The general election is in November 2026. Evette entered Republican politics as a businessperson with no previous political experience — a trained accountant who cofounded a payroll, human resources and benefits firm with her husband. Evette on Monday promoted a record while working with McMaster that included supporting law enforcement, tightening state immigration policies and backing abortion restrictions. She also pointed to barring transgender women from participating in women's sports. She said her top priorities as governor would include expanding school choice, eliminating income taxes and enforcing Trump's immigration agenda. Evette also vowed in her speech to eliminate 10 regulations for every new one created and to fight 'woke corporations' on the 'radical left' that she said were trying to 'transform our state.' 'I'll follow the playbook that made South Carolina so successful,' Evette said. Evette, from Travelers Rest, is the state's first female Republican lieutenant governor. She and McMaster were the first team ticket jointly elected in state history after a change in the law.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette launches 2026 gubernatorial bid, touts Trump ties
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has kicked off her bid for governor in 2026, highlighting several years of what she considers pushing outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster's agenda, and an already-formed connection with President Donald Trump. Evette, first elected as McMaster's running mate in 2018, spoke to hundreds of supporters Monday evening shortly after she released a short video confirming her run, news outlets reported. 'I stand before you as a mother, a conservative businesswoman and a fighter who is ready on day one to continue that conservative legacy as your next governor,' Evette said in her speech in Greenville. The announcement video included earlier footage of Evette being praised by McMaster, who is term-limited from seeking reelection, and by Trump, for whom Evette has spoken at his rallies. 'With President Trump back in the White House, South Carolina needs a governor who has his trust, a governor who doesn't need to build a relationship, a governor who can pick up the phone and get things done for South Carolina, because that relationship already exists,' Evette told supporters. Four-term Attorney General Alan Wilson and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell have already entered the race for the Republican nomination. Others, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, are expected to join them. An endorsement by Trump, who won South Carolina's electoral votes in 2024 by 18 percentage points, could go a long way toward winning the primary, which isn't until next June. South Carolina hasn't had a Democratic governor in more than 20 years. The general election is in November 2026. Evette entered Republican politics as a businessperson with no previous political experience — a trained accountant who cofounded a payroll, human resources and benefits firm with her husband. Evette on Monday promoted a record while working with McMaster that included supporting law enforcement, tightening state immigration policies and backing abortion restrictions. She also pointed to barring transgender women from participating in women's sports. She said her top priorities as governor would include expanding school choice, eliminating income taxes and enforcing Trump's immigration agenda. Evette also vowed in her speech to eliminate 10 regulations for every new one created and to fight 'woke corporations' on the 'radical left' that she said were trying to 'transform our state.' 'I'll follow the playbook that made South Carolina so successful,' Evette said. Evette, from Travelers Rest, is the state's first female Republican lieutenant governor. She and McMaster were the first team ticket jointly elected in state history after a change in the law.
