2017 in focus: 13 of our favourite photos

From server rooms to squirrels, selfies to swimmers – University of Toronto photographers captured them all in pixels 

Here is a selection of some of our favourite pictures in what was another big year for the university:

University Professor and Google researcher Geoffrey Hinton, a.k.a. “the godfather of deep learning,” strikes a relaxed pose in the server room of the machine learning group, in U of T's department of computer science. Photo by Johnny Guatto.

Swimmer Vithusha Coomaran in action at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Photo by U of T Scarborough staff photographer Ken Jones.

Before hitting the books, U of T Scarborough students hit the streets for orientation. Ken Jones used a wide angle lens to capture the excitement. “This is a rare situation where I think the distortion lends something to the picture,” he says. “It gives it a more dynamic feel.”

Convocation is a time for flowers, smiles and, of course, selfies. Photo by Ken Jones.

One of the many perks of studying at U of T Mississauga? Spotting white-tailed deer. Photo by Arjun Yadav.

Richard Marsella is the executive director of the Regent Park School of Music and a PhD candidate in music education at U of T. The school, U of T faculty and Turning Point Youth Services run a program to help kids in detention learn to play an instrument and discover music. Photo by Romi Levine. 

The 150^th anniversary of Confederation was not just a cause for celebration. For Cree artist Kent Monkman, it was time to think critically about Canada's history of colonialism and the country's future. Staff photographer/videographer Lisa Lightbourn portrayed the artist at work before his exhibit at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto.

One of the qualities that sets U of T apart from many other universities is its location at the centre of a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. Nothing says that better than staff photographer/videographer Laura Pedersen's image of the CN Tower reflected in the doors of University College.

Noura Al-Jizawi was in the thick of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from the start. She organized pro-democracy protests, ran a subversive blog and posted pictures of victims of repression. She came to U of T this year through Scholars at Risk, a program for graduate students and academics fleeing war or persecution. Photo by Laura Pedersen.

While taking part in an annoucement with Sidewalk Labs about a new mixed-use, connected community on Toronto’s eastern waterfront, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with 20 girls in Grades 4 to 6, all aspiring engineers, who were designing the neighbourhood of the future at a workshop held by U of T Engineering's outreach program. Trudeau made several trips to U of T in 2017. Photo by Roberta Baker.

After it was announced that Bernie Sanders would give a speech a U of T's Convocation Hall, tickets sold out almost immediately. But the folksy senator from Vermont didn't leave his fans disappointed. He and U of T President Meric Gertler (first from left) greeted students in the rush line before Sanders took the podium. Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville.

After six people were killed in a Quebec City mosque in January, U of T responded to the tragedy by coming together in front of University College to remember the victims and denounce Islamophobia in all its forms. Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville.