Innovation Hub Team Lead Hiring Fall-Winter 2023-24

We're Hiring Design Research Team Leads


Are you interested in design thinking, qualitative research, leadership, and project management? Are you wishing to create change and improve the campus student experience at U of T? The Innovation Hub is hiring Design Research Team Leads to support the growth and development of many campus initiatives, and you can play an integral role in them! We are seeking innovative, insightful, determined leaders to join our wonderful team!

Making Ideas Concrete: Sketching Helps me Communicate my Thoughts

Paul smiling against the backdrop of a lake with rocks

Written by Paul Kaita, Senior Project Assistant, Master of Education, Higher Education 

The design thinking process is never straightforward. In fact, it’s usually a bit messy. Paul shares how he uses sketching to prototype ideas, share them with others and refine along the way. 

Meet the Summer 2022 Team!

As we begin to barrel into a new and exciting term, the Innovation Hub is thrilled to welcome our Summer 2022 Team! Filled with some new, and some familiar faces, the Innovation Hub has continued to expand our team to work on new and ongoing projects at the University of Toronto. We are grateful to support the diverse and thriving community at U of T, and continue our own growth at the Innovation Hub. 

What’s Your Why: Co-Creation

Photo of Vlada
Vlada Gorchkova

This blog post is the fourth installment of What’s Your Why, a new blog series aimed at highlighting the importance of connecting back to the “why” that drives you and the work you are involved in. Our digital storyteller, Vlada, reflected on her work and process that entails designing visuals for the Innovation Hub. We hope this story inspires you to take a moment to reflect on your own individual “why”.  

We’re Hiring Great Leaders at the Innovation Hub!

Are you interested in communication, collaboration, leadership, and project management? Are you wishing to create change and improve the campus student experience at U of T? The Innovation Hub is hiring Team Leads to support the growth and development of many campus initiatives and you can play an integral role in them! We are seeking innovative, insightful, determined leaders to join our wonderful team!

The Art of Active Listening

Written By Betelehem Gulilat, Content Writer

Illustrated By Vlada Gorchkova, Digital Storyteller

Part of what makes us human is the need for forming connections that make us feel truly heard and understood. There is a sense of belonging that comes with feeling supported that allows us to deeply understand ourselves, one another and discover what we find meaningful in our lives. This wouldn’t be possible without the help of active listeners. Through the art of active listening, a simple conversation can inspire change, strengthen relationships, and lead to innovation.

Active listening is fundamentally the ability to attentively understand the meaning behind the words of the speaker without the intrusion of your own thoughts, opinions, and judgment on the matter. Unlike the simple act of listening to words, active listening involves understanding why the person may be feeling a certain way, where they are coming from, and the message you are receiving. (1)

Researchers Reflect: The Power of Empathy

This blog post is the first of Researchers Reflect, a new series where we embark on the journey of a design researcher at the Innovation Hub. Each post will spotlight a different design researcher sharing their stories, experience and learning moments throughout the course of their research.

Amal is wearing a jean jacket, smiling towards the camera with a whit ebackground.

Written by Amal Yusuf, UTQAP Research Coordinator  

Since 2019, I was given the privilege and trust to listen to students’ stories and experiences throughout a variety of projects, such as the Presidential and Provostial Task Force for Student Mental Health, Food Insecurity on CampusLet’s Talk About Failure Project, Student Experiences at Rotman Commerce, and much more! Being a part of this work has been a real growing experience for me. Today, I will be sharing a bit about this journey and how it has made an impact in my area of work and studies.