SYNAPSE is an undergraduate-led club based at the University of Toronto (Scarborough Campus) whose mission is to promote discussion, inspire interest, and bring awareness in the field of neuroscience.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
If you're keen on staying in the loop about all things neuroscience, research, and SYNAPSE events, look no further! Subscribe to our mailing list for a monthly scoop on volunteer opportunities, insightful tidbits, and the latest happenings in the world of neuroscience. Your inbox is about to get a whole lot more interesting—don't miss out! 🧠📬
JOIN OUR DISCORD SERVER
Looking to connect with fellow NEURO students, seek advice, and expand your network? What are you waiting for? Join our Discord server! Whether you're dissecting brains or dissecting textbooks, we've got the perfect camaraderie you crave. 📚 🤝
SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK
We value your input! Take a moment to share your thoughts through our anonymous feedback form. What topics pique your interest? Any specific initiatives you'd love to see on the horizon? Your insights matter, so please let us know how we can make your experience even better. We're all ears—figuratively, of course! 🤓
Equity Statement
SYNAPSE believes that every student is entitled to respect and understanding. As a student-run organization operating under the principles of equity, social justice, and anti-oppression, we have a responsibility to our fellow students to create a welcoming and inclusive space for open conversation. We commit to directly addressing issues of discrimination, intimidation, hostility, and harassment in an effort to dismantle the oppression in our community. SYNAPSE mandates a space that is free of all types of violence and harassment including but not limited to sexual assault, non-consensual behaviour or attitudes, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, racism, sexism, gender discrimination, homophobia, queerphobia, ableism, intolerance of religious affiliation, or any other behaviour or language that may perpetuate oppression or discrimination. Any violation of the above statement will not be tolerated.
Land Acknowledgement
The traditional territory on which the University of Toronto operates is home to the Huron-Wendat and Tionontati, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. It is subject to the Dish With One Spoon treaty bound in 1701 between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Anishinaabeg Nation to allow for independence and diversity on one land through upholding values of sharing, responsibility, and promoting peace.
As settlers on this land, we directly benefit from the violent dispossession, genocide, forced assimilation, and colonization of Indigenous peoples. Indigenous communities, both urban and rural, have endured institutional and systemic oppression and inequities as a direct failure of non-Indigenous members to honour their responsibilities within the Dish With One Spoon treaty.
Canada is responsible for the colossal levels of injustice that Indigenous peoples have faced historically and continue to face today, such as the indoctrination and abuse of children in residential schools, inadequate investment in the infrastructure of Indigenous reservations, medical racism, erasure of Indigenous culture, and the residual trauma from hundreds of years of oppression. In order to dismantle past and present injustices, we need to make concrete changes through the decolonization of education, media, beliefs, government systems, and create space for the reconnection of Indigenous peoples to Land-based teachings.
Indigenous culture, traditions, and values are celebrated across the over 600,000 Métis, 1.7 million First Nations people, and 50,000 Inuits through which this land flows. Canadian sustainability and development is shaped by the contributions and ideas of Indigenous elders, leaders, teachers, scientists, community members, and students.
This territory acknowledgement is the first step that SYNAPSE is taking to reconcile with Indigenous communities and Land-based education. We have included resources on our website to help support and amplify Indigenous leaders and causes. We hope that through this and your own research, you are able to recognize your positionality and privilege, and take action to support Indigenous communities.
