The Forefront: Ideas for cities Toronto Metropolitan University

Smoke, noise, disorientation— when firefighters are inside a burning building, the ability to get out safely is a challenge.
In this episode, we speak with Michael Stanfield, a former Toronto fire chief and co-founder of IFTech, and Alex Ferworn, Director of the Computational Public Safety Lab at TMU, about the “As Real as It Gets” suit, which utilizes virtual reality video game technology into potentially  life-saving technology for firefighters. 

The job market is changing at a rapid speed, making it difficult for both those looking to get hired and for those doing the hiring. How can we address this skills gap?
In this episode, we speak with Matt McInnis, an educational technology leader, and with Gary Hepburn, dean of The Chang School, about microcredentials: a skills-based training and certification program developed in partnership with industry to help workers master the skills that employers need.

More than 50 per cent of Canadians report that their mental health has worsened since the beginning of the pandemic. And while treatments like therapy and medication can help, they can be hard to access — and expensive. 
In this episode, we speak with the team behind a music therapy app called LUCID: Aaron Labbé, who turned to music as a source of comfort during a mental health crisis, and Frank Russo, a TMU professor and neuroscientist. 

A lot of things about being a breast cancer patient can feel dehumanizing, but one thing that can change is what patients are given to wear on their chest. 

In this episode, we speak with patient advocate Jennifer Schultz and Jessica Mudry, director of the Healthcare User Experience (HUE) Lab at TMU, about applying humanities thinking — like fashion design — when it comes to finding patient-centred solutions to health care challenges.

In 2018, hackers got hold of TMU alumna Erin MacDonald’s personal information and began a tsunami of purchases — affecting her credit rating and causing profound stress. 
In this episode, we speak with Erin about the theft of her identity, along with global information technology leader Claudette McGowan and TMU-based computer scientist Javaid Zahid, who are creating a quantum wallet to better secure our information. 

Our award-winning podcast is back for another season! This time we’re exploring human-centred innovation, from designing a post-surgical garment for breast cancer patients to employing robotics to help first responders.