Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik

Bright hues of orange, blue, green, and yellow colour the chairs, ceiling, and cabinets of the Black Student Centre. Cushion-y seats are on the right, a green kitchen is in the back, and students sit in long desks near a row of photos on the left.
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SFU debuts new Black Student Centre

Peak Web March 9, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Content warning: brief mention of police brutality. Last month marked the opening of SFU’s Black Student Centre, a project more than four years in the making. Advocates such as Dr. June Francis first set out to create the space in 2021 after the university signed onto the Scarborough Charter on anti-Black racism and Black inclusion. The charter was born out of a series of forums hosted in 2020 by the University of Toronto, featuring representatives from schools across the country. The product of these dialogues was four principles acting as guiding structures in the pursuit…

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A man and boy bike along a bike road in the suburbs.
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Mapping bicycle infrastructure across Canada

Peak Web February 23, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer How far can two wheels take you? For SFU health sciences professor Dr. Meghan Winters, this is a question worth exploring.  Winters works in the cities, health & active transportation research lab, which focuses on…

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A crowd of people with their backs to the camera hold signs. Three of them read, “big brother is watching you,” “complicity is a choice: tech isn’t neutral,” and “Hootsuite aids fascism” with the Hootsuite owl logo.
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Hootsuite faces backlash following ICE contract

Peak Web February 16, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Recently, Vancouver-based company Hootsuite has come under fire for its contract with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the governmental agency which contains Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection.…

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The Vancouver City Hall building is pictured on a bright, sunny day surrounded by trees and street lamps.
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CUPE Local 15 alleges Vancouver bargained in bad faith

Peak Web February 3, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer A local union is alleging that the City of Vancouver did not bargain in good faith during agreements that were settled in August of last year. Instead, they claim, “the City violated the Labour Relations…

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Five grade 8–12 students sit around a table and smile for the camera as they participate in the 2025 Blackathon at Microsoft Offices.
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Creativity shines at Ethọ́s Lab’s annual Blackathon

Peak Web February 2, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer On February 27, Ethọ́s Lab will host its Black Futures Month Blackathon. The fourth annual hackathon event will build “on a tradition of honouring Black innovation while equipping youth with real-world problem-solving skills.” Past years…

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A student wearing an SFU sweatshirt turns their back to the camera as they stand in the middle of the SFU Stadium stands. The photo is solemn and expresses loss, with the key colour being red for SFU’s Red Leafs.
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SFU moves forward to leave the NCAA

Peak Web January 26, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer On September 17, SFU announced that the university was considering leaving the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the collegiate sports governing body of which Simon Fraser is the only non-American institution. The press release drew…

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A Surrey Police car pulls up beside a white car. The front view of both cars is shown, with the police car’s lights flashing brightly.
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Lack of details in pedestrian deaths sparks conversation on police transparency

Peak Web January 19, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer In December 2025, Surrey police in officer vehicles fatally struck two pedestrians within two weeks of each other. The crashes raised concerns among community members regarding officer readiness and training, but they also rekindled larger…

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The Academic Quadtrangle at SFU is pictured on a cloudy day. The grey tone of the building, sky, and pond stands in stark contrast to the dark green grass.
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January update on SFU’s contract workers

Peak Web January 12, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Students returning to campus this week will be greeted by a new year, a fresh semester, and an updated syllabus. For the university’s contracted workers, however, the push for better wages continues. While the idea…

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Ten people raise their arms in the air in celebration. Some of them sit in chairs, while others stand near the back of the room.
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Community-Engaged Research Initiative celebrates fifth anniversary

Peak Web January 5, 2026

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer SFU’s Community-Engaged Research Initiative (CERi) marks its five-year anniversary of “community-driven research.” The organization focuses on “the capacity of SFU’s researchers and students to engage respectfully and ethically with community organizations, Indigenous Nations, community members,…

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The outside of West Tower (SFU Residence building) stands tall on a cloudy day.
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Environmental concerns lead Burnaby to reject off-campus student residence

Peak Web December 20, 2025

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer Securing housing can be a serious struggle for university students, and those at SFU are no exception. SFU recently broke ground on a new residence building, with the additional 445 beds increasing the university’s housing…

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