EQUIT Y STATEMENT + LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT As members of the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union, mutual respect, cooperation and understanding are our goals. We shall neither condone nor tolerate behaviour that undermines the dignity or selfesteem of any individual or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment. It is our collective responsibility to create a space that is inclusive and welcomes discussion. Any form of discrimination and harassment will not be tolerated. Hate speech rooted in, but not limited to, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, sexist, racist, classist, ableist, homophobic, or transphobic sentiments and/or remarks will also not be tolerated. We all have an obligation to ensure that an open and inclusive space, free of hate is established. Any behaviour that does not demonstrate an understanding of these principles and/or creates an unsafe atmosphere will not be tolerated. We work towards ending systematic and institutional violence, by including Indigenous people in our collective decision making for social justice and equity. As settlers in Canada we have directly benefited from colonization and genocide of Indigenous people of this land. In order to engage in resistance and solidarity against injustices inflicted on Indigenous people, it is imperative we constantly engage in acts of decolonization. The first thing is to acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the treaty of the dish with one spoon, the Anishinaabe of which the Mississauga of New Credit peoples are a part of, and the Haudenaasaanee, the people of this tradition territory. We would also like to pay our respect to their elders past and present, and to any who may be here with us today, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
FORWARD Thank you for joining us at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium! The Undergraduate Research Symposium is an interdisciplinary event that celebrates and highlights undergraduate research across the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC). This year’s symposium aims to divert from the restrictive ways of knowing presented in traditional classrooms. As undergraduate students we aren’t traditionally offered opportunities to be recognized for our research contributions. It is important to offer a space to celebrate the community leaders, artists, and thinkers who hold and share valuable knowledge, but are often unseen in academia. Academia should be a space that allows us all the opportunity to thrive. It is important that we question the restrictive atmosphere in which current academia resides in. We as students to should strive to create spaces better than the ones we were offered and build upon the knowledge we have been given. Thank you to our keynote for this year’s Symposium, Adrian De Leon, for exemplifying through his work how positive impact is cyclical and returning to UTSC to begin a new cycle of positive impact on students. Most importantly, thank you to all our amazing presenters for sharing their passions and fantastic research with us. You are the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The fact that the Undergraduate Research Symposium is for students, by students is a vital aspect of how we can change the narrative and divert from the norm within research. Thank you for the doing the work you do. Always, Ayaan Abdulle Vice President Academics and University Affairs
KEYNOTE SPEAKER ADRIAN DE LEON
Adrian De Leon is an Abagatan (Southern) Ilokano writer and cultural educator from Manila by way of Scarborough. A Junior Fellow at Massey College and a Fulbright Scholar, he will complete his PhD in History at the University of Toronto on May 2019. His research examines Philippine indigeneity and migrant labor between Spanish and American empires. In addition, he has published on global food cultures and urban migrant entrepreneurship. His research appears in Gastronomica (2016), Food, Culture & Society (2017), and Radical History Review (2018). Adrian’s first poetry collection, Rouge (Mawenzi House, 2018), was featured on venues such as Metro Morning and The Scarborough Mirror. He has completed his second poetry collection, barangay, and has begun work with fellow UTSC Creative Writing alumni on a pioneering anthology of emerging Scarborough writers. In the Fall of 2019, he will be joining the Department of American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California as Assistant Professor of Transpacific Asian American Studies.
ANDREW SITU Andrew Situ is a fifth-year student pursuing a double major in Public Policy and Sociology. His research interests focus on higher education, community building, and student advancement. Particularly, Andrew examines how we can improve campus life, both inside and outside the classroom, to better meet the needs of students. Outside of academia, Andrew has been heavily involved in student life and leadership since his first year. He has worked in various capacities across UTSC, primarily focusing his efforts in Students of Sociology, the Department of Sociology, the Department of Student Life, and the Academic Advising & Career Centre.
I C a n De f i n e t h e E x p e r i e n c es I G e t t o L i ve’: T h e o ri z i n g L e a d e rs h i p i n U n d e r g r a d u a t e S t u d e n t s a n d E x t r a c u r r i c u l a r Ac t i v i t y Pa r t i c i p a t i o n Leadership, although broadly understood, does not have a singular definition of what the concept entails. To better understand the concept, I study how leadership manifests through and develops in individuals who engage in extracurricular activities on university campuses. For undergraduate students, this population is of interest as they undertake leadership opportunities while also balancing multiple social roles – such as “student,” “friend,” or “aspiring young professional.” Operating under different social circumstances, differing levels of access and constraint are afforded to each individual as they navigate through an academically intensive space. Using data from semi-structured interviews with 14 undergraduate students enrolled at a mid-sized Canadian university, I explore the experiences and subsequent factors of why these individuals decide to undertake extracurricular leadership positions. My findings indicate that student leaders 1) want to leave a lasting impact at their University, 2) want to contribute back to their community that has supported them, 3) have career-oriented aspirations and want to become ideal future job candidates; as well as 4) emphasize the overall importance of creating extracurricular participation pathways to others discover and refine their passions and interests. These findings are considered in relation to the leadership literature, taking into account the duality of one’s innate ability to be a leader, as well as the role of the social environment as a mediator in building leadership capacity. Importantly, I bring attention to the need of creating pathways between students and extracurricular opportunities. By making such connections, one begins to realize a vision for themselves and the contributions they wish to make toward their communities at large.
E M I LY CHAN Emily Chan is a fifth-year student pursuing a double major in Mental Health Studies and Health Policy. Her research interests include the creation of accessible and inclusive spaces for individuals of all abilities as well as best practices in clinical service provision and advocacy among individuals with disabilities. Outside of academics, Emily has always been an active community leader. From being a student advisor on the Advisory Committee on Physical Accessibility to being a Study Skills Peer Coach, Emily always eagerly seeks out new opportunities to use her lived experience to guide others and to make an impactful difference.
I a m D i s a b l e d , I a m N ot a Ta r g e t : E x p l o ri n g t h e C o m p l ex i t i es o f I n t e r p e rs o n a l V i o l e n c e i n Wo m e n w i t h Phys i c a l D i s a b i l i t i es Disabled women are facing issues of violence. While abuse is a concern for most women, however women with physical disabilities are inherently more vulnerable to experiencing interpersonal violence due to unique circumstances. The existing violence literature strives to understand the exact nuances that leave this population of women particularly vulnerable, however there exists significant gaps in the research. Primarily, existing literature approaches the issue from a prevailing ableist bias. Current research often overemphasizes disability as an explanation for violence, fails to recognize the role of additional risk factors, and overlooks the complexities of the issue. I will argue that a call to action towards more inclusive violence research on women with physical disabilities is necessary to holistically and thoroughly understand the full complexities of this violence problem. I first analyze common reasons in the literature for why disabled women face interpersonal violence. Next, I unpack the specific ways in which the current literature falls short as well as offer a discussion on the preliminary ways these gaps can be addressed. It is vital to learn about the specific ways in which women with physical disabilities are particularly vulnerable to interpersonal violence to begin closing an already large gap between individuals with disabilities and accessible and appropriate service provision.
TASNE EM MEWA Tasneem is in her third year of studying International Development at UTSC. Her academic interests are broad; they fall under the disciplines of geography, anthropology, and economics. In her academic endeavors, she challenges herself to engage in reflexive and collaborative learning processes.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Deve l o p m e n t : Pi t f a l l s a n d A l t e r n a t i ves The rhetoric of domination has continued to operate within development under the guise of righteous goals and ritualized notions of human rights that are justified through mainstream standards of living. Although domination persists in creating paradoxes in development, the discipline is now buried under institutionalization, bureaucratization, and centuries of oppression. It is necessary to note that this paper does not intend to dismiss development thought or human rights, but rather aims to politically theorize its limitations to be better equipped to challenge its hegemonic nature. Hence, since its conception, development has lacked creativity in its’ narrative by telling no story other than one of domination by those in power: this is the source of its greatest limitation. Historically and presently, this limitation is aided by the framework and language of development and human rights, illusory actors, and the insidious interpretation and application of the theories of development.
SARAH SYED Sarah Syed is completing a BSc in Health Studies, Human Biology, and Psychology at the University of Toronto. Alongside her siblings, she founded of the non-profit organization, Global Youth Impact (GYI) that works to empower young people as leaders and change-makers within their communities and around the world. Together, they also use music as a platform for advocacy, professionally writing and performing songs that raise awareness on pressing global issues (YouTube: DEYSofficial). As a singer, songwriter, leader, and activist, Sarah is passionate about combining her interests and experiences to share stories, and make a positive, lasting impact in every way that she can.
Re i m a g i n i n g De m e n t i a : A S oc i a l Mod e l o f D i s a b i l i t y A p p r oa c h Typically, the course of aging and the associated decline in memory and mental processes including dementia, are negatively viewed and understood within the context of culture and society. Culture and society have a critical role in ‘disabling’ bodies as well as creating and maintaining the societal perspectives on memory loss. This research seeks to challenge this view to instead, a complex difference that requires exploration through alternative paradigms such as the creativity offered by the health humanities. The song, “No Sign” was composed to challenge the common Western medical-model view of people with dementia as stigmatized or deviant. In order to avoid treatment disparities, and to provide quality care, it encourages the need for understanding disability through a social model. The intersection between art and research communicates ways to effectively approach dementia and the human experience to medical practitioners, and society at large.
HAZELMAE VA L E N Z U E L A Hazelmae Valenzuela is a city builder passionate about community building and engagement, using human-centered design for social change. Currently, in her final year of undergraduate in Public Policy and City Studies studies, her research interests are building an inclusive city for everyone in terms of design+accessibility, spatial justice, inclusion of all communities and voices. Driven by her passion for cities, Hazelmae is currently a Fellow with the School of Cities at University of Toronto and is working on a community-based research project focused on co-designing what is an inclusive city with Scarborough youth.
C h a l l e n g i n g t h e G e og r a p h i c I m a g i n a ri es o f S c a r b o r ou g h t h r ou g h N u i t B l a n c h e’s S c a r b o r ou g h ex h i b i t “S T Y LL” After Nuit Blanche’s expansion to Scarborough in Fall 2018 with the exhibit “STYLL” (Nuit Blanche, 2018), media reportings of Scarborough’s artistic and cultural landscape have shifted from Scarborough as an “unlikely site for arts” (Parris, 2017) to celebrations of Scarborough’s “cultural vibrancy” (Freeman, 2017). This paper conducts a media analysis of articles written on Nuit Blanche’s Scarborough Exhibition “STYLL” focusing on media reportings which highlight Scarborough’s existing “geographical imaginary” (Gregory, 2009) as a racialized suburbia. While these geographical imaginaries include romanticized descriptions of the diversity, openness and large immigration population of Scarborough, this paper critiques these geographical imaginaries and argues that in fact, they are actually superficial celebrations of diversity based on “othering” and difference. Using an anti-racist feminist geographies framework, this paper critiques the media reportings’ superficial celebrations as essentializing and naturalizing the ‘racialized’ (Kobayashi, 1994) identity characterized of Scarborough, reproducing difference through social constructions of gender and race and thus, resulting in the ‘queering’ (Oswin, 2010) of Scarborough. This reinforcement of difference is produced through the power and privilege evident in the emphasis placed in the articles which situates the journalists’ positionality as “arts critics” in turn, shaping social constructions of race and gender in discussion of “typical” artists. In the concluding discussion, this paper analyzes the ways in which, The Discourse, an alternative local media sources rooted in community reporting, capture the resilience and resistance of the Scarborough community of internalizing these stereotypes and false narratives portrayed in mainstream media.
RAJPREET SIDHU Rajpreet Sidhu is third year undergraduate studying International Development Studies co op and Geography at University of Toronto Scarborough. She situtes herself in exploring the in betweens of academia, race and feminism. She contributes to Women’s Writing Circles, Hart House programming and governance boards. As a settler in Canada, she is also actively working for decolonization and reducing her space. Follow her twitter here: @rajpreet_ks
G i v i n g Vo i c e t o t h e ‘Good Pu n j a b i W i f e’ This paper is about investigating the forms of gossip and examining the framing of gossip as a tool or micro-mechanism. Situated in Punjabi diasporic households in Canada, factors such as migration, domestic work and gendered violence are all considered in this paper. The literature review is context specific of articles based on individual actions and scale jumping to larger processes of neoliberalism. The methodology is autoethnography, from an introspective perspective, answering key questions about a personal experience with gossip. The research findings are positioned in past literature and a close analysis of impacts and motivations behind gossip with strong critical reflection.
ANAM RASHID My name is Anam Rashid and I am currently pursuing a co-op Specialist in International Development Studies with a minor in Critical Migration Studies and Anthropology. I am very interested in further researching about displacement and migration patterns, while specifically looking at the impact these patterns have on the health and well-being of refugees displaced individuals. Through my volunteer, work, and research experiences in social activism, I have developed a strong passion for engaging in advocacy work, going beyond the classroom to translate theory into practice, and being a supportive ally where I can.
A C ri t i c a l A n a l ys i s o f E n b ri d g e’s L i n e 9 : I n j us t i c e, S t r e n g t h , & Res i l i e n c e Enbridge, a Canadian energy and pipeline company, has been running a pipeline known as Line 9 from Sarnia, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec since 1976. This analysis will explore the points raised in my research question: In what ways has the approval of Enbridge’s Line 9, a settlercolonial capitalist endeavor, exacerbated the inequities faced by the AFN and COTTFN communities and through what means have these two communities advocated against the project? I will argue that Enbridge’s Line 9 has intensified the socio-economic inequities faced by the Aamjiwnaang First Nation (AFN) and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation (COTTFN) communities by directly infringing on their land and treaty rights; imposing on their traditional land practices; as well as threatening their environment, health and overall livelihoods. Through the alienation of these communities from their land, Line 9 can be seen as a capitalist endeavor that furthers the settler colonial narrative in Canada and advances the corporate quest for extractive resources and capital. Throughout the Line 9 review process, the Crown failed in their duty to meaningfully consult and engage the AFN and COTTFN communities regarding the potential adverse impacts of the pipeline, further demonstrating the relational failures that exclude Indigenous perspectives from the Environmental Assessment process. Despite this systemic discrimination, these two communities have continuously pushed for their perspectives to be heard, as demonstrated through their persistence in submitting written evidence to the NEB, as well as holding demonstrations at Enbridge worksites. With that being said, I will be focusing on their strategies of resilience and community-based activism in resisting the pipeline.
ARETINA CHAN Born in Toronto, Aretina Chan is a fourth year student studying Health Policy, Health Humanities and Art History at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Her main topic of interest has been the potential of integrating art and artistic expression into healthcare policy; however, it wasn’t until her third year that she discovered another growing interest, this time in medical anthropology, the study of how one’s well being is mediated by his or her social environment such as culture, belief and religion. In this symposium, Aretina will be discussing her anthropological research on obstetric violence— the appropriation of the female body and the reproductive process by health workers—and how it is shaped by historical and contemporary processes in the context of the Western medical system. Please be advised that triggering terms related to harassment and nonconsensual interactions may be discussed.
Violation of Rights: The Impact o f O bs t e t r i c V i o l e n c e Violation of Rights: The Impact of Obstetric Violence examines how obstetric violence, the mistreatment and dehumanization of the female body and reproductive processes, is influenced by biomedical frameworks of thinking and understanding the body in the context of Western society. This research concludes by examining how alternative modes of healthcare such as midwifery, can be used alongside medical institutions to promote a more humane framework for treating the bodies of women.
ANJALI RUPARE LIA Anjali Ruparelia is a fourth-year student at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Anjali is completing a double major in Mental Health Studies and Health Studies (Population Health). Anjali’s main research interests include understanding the dynamic between various factors that shape the lives of women and girls in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Anjali takes a critical approach in understanding various gendered practices around the world and how they impact the health of women and girls. Upon graduating Anjali hopes to pursue further education at the graduate level.
T h e S oc i o - C u l t u r a l S h a p i n g o f Fe m a l e G e n i t a l M u t i l a t i o n i n A f ri c a : A H u m a n R i g h t s A p p r oa c h Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a practice that constitutes the partial and/or total removal of the external components of the female genitalia for non-medical purposes (World Health Organization, 2018). FGM is a gendered practice described as an extremely violent and degrading form of abuse embedded in patriarchy and cultural ideals of femininity (Odeku, Rembe & Anwo, 2009). FGM is a culturally-shaped tradition practiced in various countries within Africa, but recently it has been under scrutinization for violating basic human rights (Odeku, Rembe & Anwo, 2009). This paper seeks to examine how the human rights framework to understanding health provides a sufficient approach to unpacking the various gendered experiences that women with FGM experience in Somalia. The political economy of health and intersectional approach will be analyzed as they inform one another in unmasking the socio-political, structural and cultural factors that shape the lived experience of women with FGM.
L I L LY PAGLIACC I Lilly is a third year co-op student specializing in international development studies with a minor in human geography. Her primary research interests focus on environmental governance and justice issues in Canada. More specifically, her work looks to explore the use and implications of contemporary colonial ideology within land and environmental policies.The piece she will be presenting is titled The Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion; Colonial Sentiments of “Public Interest�.
Tr a ns Mou n t a i n Pi p e l i n e E x p a ns i o n , t h e h i d d e n d e f i n i t i o n o f “p u b l i c i n t e r es t ” The Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion not only cuts through our physical landscape, the project contains embedded power relations within our cultural, social and democratic spheres as a nation. It evokes great tension and questions of integrity in regards to democratic representation, and consultation, particularly of Indigenous communities, within the realm of environmental governance. As a colonial settler nation state, natural resource infrastructure projects such as the KMTMP is intended to disproportionately benefit the non-Indigenous population of Canada economically, culturally and socially.The National Energy Board is held responsible for conducting thorough consultation processes to determine if the expansion would be in the best “public interest” of Canada. As a settler Canadian, I want to explore my own position in the colonial framework of environmental consultation. My goal is to recognize the processes and systems that work benefit settler identities, and moreover, identify preliminary systematic steps one can take in dismantling contemporary colonial structures. This paper argues the term “public interest” is a silencing tool, produced within colonial framework to verify, and legitimize, the so-called benefits of large scale extractive resource projects (such as the Trans Mountain Pipeline), and environmental assessment and consultation processes. Indigenous consultation, consent, and autonomous environmental governance is further alienated by the term “public interest”, as it homogenizes Indigenous social, political, and cultural context as congruent with non-Indigenous citizens. Ultimately, this term is used to create an imaginary of public (setter identities) support in regards to the project, and therefore complacency in the exploitive neo-colonial relationship with the environment and Indigenous people, on behalf of Canada’s federal government through the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion.
AISHAH CADER Aishah is in her final year of undergraduate studies at UTSC where she is studying English and Human Biology. One of the highlights of her undergraduate career was completing a capstone project on how the graphic novel genre can respond to the narrativization needs of trauma victims. Previously, she presented research papers at her department’s annual conferences and SCSU research symposiums. This year, she will also be presenting at an international convention hosted by the English honour society Sigma Tau Delta. Her professional experience on campus includes working with the Department of English at UTSC to restructure their undergraduate curriculum. Off-campus, she helped start a medical clinic in Toronto where she is now the Office Manager. In the future, she plans to use a humanities-based approach to reduce disparities for vulnerable groups in education, healthcare, and beyond.
Powe r Re l a t i o ns i n a G l o b a l C o m m u n e: A n E c oc r i t i c a l Re a d i n g o f Te r r y W i l l i a m s ’ “C l a n o f O n e - b r e a s t e d Wo m e n” a n d t h e 2 018 A n t h r o p oc e n e Exhibit It is commonplace to begin a critical conversation about environmental change by considering how humans contribute to it. Within literary studies, the field of ecocriticism is concerned with precisely this. Ecocritics focus on “the relationship between literature and [the] environment conducted in a spirit of commitment to environmental praxis” (Buell qtd. in Milne, “Ecocriticism”), in a wider response to what the field terms a “global environmental crisis”. Because of the salient nature of their work, many ecocritics typically engage in activism with the goal of impeding and repairing environmental degradation. Although there is a common understanding between ecocritics that humans have unprecedented environmental impact, the exact nature of human agency in this process is left undefined. What is the relationship between individuals and groups when addressing anthropogenic environmental change? This essay considers how two ecocritical works respond to this question. The first work is Terry Williams’ essay, “The Clan of Onebreasted Women”, which revisits disinformation campaigns in the wake of the revelation that government testing in 1960’s Utah caused cancer in surrounding populations. The second work I analyze is the 2018 art exhibition, Anthropocene, currently showing at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Unequal power relations in both works seem to suggest that individuals have insufficient power to address the sources of environmental change. However, as this essay will go on to argue, because individuals can influence public perception of major anthropogenic agents, such as governments and corporations, grassroots activists have the power to protect the environment. Such a reminder may be particularly relevant to practitioners of ecocriticism wondering how to contend with the enormity of human impact on the environment.
FARIHA HOQUE Fariha is a 5th year student who is majoring in International Development Studies and double minoring in Sociology and Public Law. She was an active member on campus by formerly being VP of Academics of International Development Studies Student Association 2016-2017 and was a delegate associate for the International Development Conference in 2015-2016. Also, she participated in Sociology Research Day in 2016 and presented her research findings amongst students and facilities. She is currently doing her own directed research with a professor from the IDS faculty. On her off days, Fariha enjoys writing short stories and spending time with friends and family.
S ex , L ove, a n d AI Ds : T h e H I V/ AI Ds E p i d e m i c i n B a n g l a d es h a n d Ta nza n i a HIV/AID is one of the main causes of death in developing countries besides tuberculosis. It first emerged in the late 1950s as a single strand virus that stemmed from a chimpanzee version of the immunodeficiency virus in West Africa. The disease targets the immune system and weakens it so that a person affected with the disease will not be able to fight any other diseases. During the 1980s, when scientists and public health officials had discovered this unknown disease, they declared it as HIV/AIDs infection because it was influenced by the same factors which promoted transmissions of other infectious diseases. Although, understanding the origin of the disease is important, but rather finding and understanding the social root causes of the disease is crucial. This paper aims to argue the social root causes of HIV/AIDs between the two developing countries that are, Bangladesh and Tanzania, compare and contrast their commonalities, and provide future preventions that should take place to help minimize the exposure of the disease and concluding with the overall findings of HIV/AIDs in both of the countries.
LEEZA GHEER AWO Leeza Gheerawo (she/her/they/them) is a third-year undergraduate completing a Co-op Specialist in International Development Studies and a Sociology Minor in Critical Migration Studies. She is a firstgeneration, Indo-Caribbean student who is actively involved in her university community through holding the positions Board of Director for the Scarbrough Campus Students’ Union Centre for Critical Development Studies, Board of Director of the UTSC Women’s and Trans Centre, and past executive of the International Development Studies Student Association. Leeza’s research interests include examining issues in the Caribbean, migrant workers’ rights in Canada, and the effects of neoliberalism.
M u l t i c u l t u r a l B a r ri e rs o f Ra c i a l i ze d Fi rs t - G e n e r a t i o n C a n a d i a ns This paper examines the identity struggles of racialized first-generation Canadians. This community is denied the autonomy of their own identitymaking because of the underlying racism that multiculturalism creates in Canada. In addition, the notion of ‘whiteness’ which is challenged by Canadian society to force first-generations to identify with their ‘traditional culture’ thus ‘othering’ them.
MARC DENZELL LOPEZ, M A RWA H S A DAT, YA S A M I N SADEGHI, & ALEX ANDR A VA S I L I U Alexandra, Marwah, Yasamin and Danzell are third year students studying molecular biology and neuroscience. In light of Cannabis legalization, they aimed to address gaps in literature pertaining to Cannabis horticulture. Although they’ve been working individually in labs and within different research fields, they aimed to create an interdisciplinary solution that improves Cannabis crop yield, using genome testing.
E x p l o ri n g t h e e f f e c t a n d r o l e o f U V- A a n d b l u e l i g h t wa ve l e n g t hs o n t h e p r od u c t i o n o f c a n n a b i n o i d s a n d g r ow t h i n C . s a t i va Legalization of marijuana in Canada has led to increases in demand that the industry is struggling to meet. As such, great focus is being put in ways that researchers can maximize cannabis crop yield and cannabinoid content. Cannabis sativa is a strain of Cannabis often used among recreational users for its higher THC content, which gives the user a “high� feeling. Light quality and intensity has been shown to be important in the accumulation of cannabinoids and growth of Cannabis. Specifically, this experiments seeks to explore the effects of UV-A and blue light wavelengths, which have shown potential to work synergistically, on cannabinoid synthesis and Cannabis growth pathways using RNA-sequencing technology. We hypothesize that if UV-A and blue light wavelengths positively effect CBG accumulation, then Cannabis grown under UV-A and blue light conditions should lead to high levels of transcription in the cannabinoid and growth biosynthesis pathways, and as such produce maximal levels of growth and cannabinoid levels.