Building 21

Building 21: Interdisciplinary Idea Lab

building21.ca | Building 21 is an interdisciplinary idea laboratory supporting students, staff and faculty pursuing beautiful, rigorous, and unconventional research.

  1. 29. APR.

    ❓What Happens When a University Shuts Down Its Most Creative Space | CKUT 90.3 FM's All Things Campus ft. Building 21

    What Happens When a University Shuts Down Its Most Creative Space? The biggest thank you to everyone at CKUT Radio for making this possible. On April 27th 2026, fellows Firuza Huseynova (MA Digital Humanities), Nina Zepcan (MISt), Annette Hong Kim (MEd Inclusive Education), and Tamara Pressman (PhD Economics) appeared on CKUT 90.3 FM's All Things Campus, hosted by Karla Stephan. They shared deeply about their fellowship projects, their experience at Building 21, and the essentiality of interdisciplinary third spaces at the university. 👂 Listen to the Official CKUT 90.3FM Episode here: https://ckut.ca/playlists/shows/29279 👀 Read the full transcript on building21.ca here 📝 Accompanying Article here Full credits: CKUT 90.3 FM & Karla Stephan Introduction created by: Firuza Huseynova Edited by: Alex Nicholas Chen

    58 Min.

  2. 19. APR.

    The Distance Between Panels - MTL Cartoonist Michel Hellman's | I'm Not Sure?

    Article here: www.building21.ca/podcast-articles/the-distance-between-panels-mtl-cartoonist-michel-hellman Michel Hellman, McConnell Professor of practice, is a comic book artist, illustrator and art teacher. He is the author of several graphic novels and has participated in numerous residencies and exhibitions. He is interested in the relationship between urban space and comics and, is currently working on a collaborative research and creation project with the CIRM to create a “cartographic" graphic novel focusing on different Montreal neighborhoods and detailing the experiences of their residents. About "I'm Not Sure" Everyone's always talking about what we're sure of: certainties, predictions, facts. Here at “I’m Not Sure”, we take a turn and ask: What are some things we aren’t so sure of? What do scientists, artists, practitioners, experts, and leaders wonder about? What are the questions and curiosities that guide us to explore the smallest particles, the farthest spaces, the deepest mysteries, and our closest relationships? Co-hosted by: Ollivier Dyens & Anita Parmar Produced by: Alex Nicholas Chen Music by: Christian Denis Graphics by: Sophie Wu Learn more: building21.ca

    37 Min.

  3. 11. MÄRZ

    Canadian VC Jim de Wilde — How History May Guide Future Innovation | I'm Not Sure?

    Canadian VC veteran Jim de Wilde talks to Ollivier and special co-host, Anita Parmar, about how history may guide future innovation. Throughout his career as an educator and venture capitalist, Dr. Jim de Wilde has focused on the issues of global competitiveness and the commercialization of knowledge through activities in both the private sector and the public sector.   Since the early 1990's, Dr. de Wilde has also been involved in venture capital activities as President of JdW Strategic Ventures.     In his venture capital activities, Dr. de Wilde served on the Investment Committee of iNovia Capital in Montreal and has been involved in the development of Canadian venture capital capacity since the 1990s. In his teaching activities, he has been on the faculty of the University Of Western Ontario School Of Business (now Ivey) and the Faculty of Management at McGill University.  He has also taught venture capital strategies at the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto. He has a PhD in political science from McGill with a dissertation focusing on the Canadian public policy process and competitiveness in technology sectors. He continues his engagement with global education and selective venture capital opportunities primarily in sustainability innovation. About "I'm Not Sure" Everyone's always talking about what we're sure of: certainties, predictions, facts. Here at “I’m Not Sure”, we take a turn and ask: What are some things we aren’t so sure of? What do scientists, artists, practitioners, experts, and leaders wonder about? What are the questions and curiosities that guide us to explore the smallest particles, the farthest spaces, the deepest mysteries, and our closest relationships? Co-hosted by: Ollivier Dyens & Anita Parmar Produced by: Alex Nicholas Chen Music by: Christian Denis Graphics by: Sophie Wu Learn more: building21.ca

    58 Min.

  4. 2. MÄRZ

    'Can we truly lead without the humanities?' | Dr. Norman Sandridge at Building 21

    Last month, Dr. Norman B. Sandridge gave an exquisite talk at Building 21 on the topic 'Can we truly lead without the humanities?'.  The talk was so good that we decided to share it as a podcast! The handout he prepared for the 2026 Mila-B21 Fellowship cohort can also be found below. "Dr. Norman Sandridge is an Associate Professor of Classics in the Political Science Department at Howard University and co-founder of Kallion Leadership, an organization dedicated to designing and developing learning communities for those committed to leadership development through the study of the humanities. He is also the author of Rise of the Benevolent Octopus: On the Conditions and Practices of Leadership Development, which introduces the metaphor of the “Benevolent Octopus” as a model for cultivating humane and intellectually generous leadership." Handout here Professor Sandridge's substack: https://sandridge.substack.com/ Produced by: Alex Nicholas Chen Music by: Christian Denis Emerged in Montréal, Canada

    31 Min.

  5. 20. FEB.

    Fiction Without Conflict? — Speculative Fiction Writer, Alexander Weinstein | I'm Not Sure?

    Read the article on building21.ca here. In this episode of "I’m Not Sure?", produced at Building 21 at McGill University, science fiction writer Alexander Weinstein reimagines fiction structured by hope, joy, pure celebration. Speculative fiction writer Alexander Weinstein has built a career exploring the emotional and technological fault lines of modern life. Known for his short-story collections Children of the New World and Universal Love, Weinstein examines dystopian futures shaped by intimacy, technology, and loss. One of his stories even became the basis for the acclaimed film After Yang (A24, 2021), launching him into television and screen adaptation.   Yet after years of writing conflict-driven narratives, Weinstein finds himself questioning one of fiction’s most sacred assumptions: that conflict must be the central engine of every story.   About "I'm Not Sure" Everyone's always talking about what we're sure of: certainties, predictions, facts. Here at “I’m Not Sure”, we take a turn and ask: What are some things we aren’t so sure of? What do scientists, artists, practitioners, experts, and leaders wonder about? What are the questions and curiosities that guide us to explore the smallest particles, the farthest spaces, the deepest mysteries, and our closest relationships? Co-hosted by: Ollivier Dyens & Isabella Chiaravallotti Produced by: Alex Nicholas Chen Music by: Christian Denis Graphics by: Sophie Wu Learn more: building21.ca Emerged in Montréal, QC 2025

    28 Min.

  6. 27. JAN.

    Provisional Certainty — Literary Historian, Frédéric Charbonneau | I’m Not Sure?

    Read the article in English here. In this episode of "I’m Not Sure?", produced at Building 21 at McGill University, literary historian Frédéric Charbonneau reflects on a life shaped by curiosity and doubt. From science to Chinese studies to French literature, Charbonneau explores how uncertainty guides research, how ideas of progress reshape our understanding of the past, and why history can never be fully known. Rather than seeking definitive answers, he argues for working with provisional certainty—embracing uncertainty as the condition that keeps thought alive. About "I'm Not Sure" Everyone's always talking about what we're sure of: certainties, predictions, facts. Here at “I’m Not Sure”, we take a turn and ask: What are some things we aren’t so sure of? What do scientists, artists, practitioners, experts, and leaders wonder about? What are the questions and curiosities that guide us to explore the smallest particles, the farthest spaces, the deepest mysteries, and our closest relationships? Co-hosted by: Ollivier Dyens & Isabella Chiaravallotti Produced by: Alex Nicholas Chen Music by: Christian Denis Graphics by: Sophie Wu Learn more: building21.ca Emerged in Montréal, QC 2025

    29 Min.

  7. 29.07.2024

    Meet Michael Lapsley, Founder of the Institute for Healing of Memories | RadicalFutures

    Every story need a listener. Going from personal trauma healing to building a more peaceful and just society. In March, we had the pleasure of a talk from Michael Lapsley, founder of the Institute for Healing of Memories in South Africa. Here we present the introduction of his talk; for the whole event, including questions from students, please visit our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxtHb7K3bPw

    23 Min.

  8. 29.04.2024

    What Does It Mean to Grow Up? Pt. 2 with Dr. Morgan Jackson | QuestionsAlive

    In part 1 of this series, we discussed what it means for a human to grow up. But we're not the only organisms who develop and grow older. And some of the others have much more extreme changes in their lives than even the most awkward of adolescences. Dr. Morgan Jackson and Viola H. Ruzzier discuss insect development, memory, and what growing up means for this very different group of beings.

    50 Min.
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building21.ca | Building 21 is an interdisciplinary idea laboratory supporting students, staff and faculty pursuing beautiful, rigorous, and unconventional research.

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    Building 21: Interdisciplinary Idea Lab
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