Lassonde | Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

Award supports PhD student's autism health care research

qings — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 13:33:49 +0000

A prolific year of student-led Mars research supervised by 91��ɫ Professor Isaac Smith reflects more than academic productivity. It highlights an approach built on giving graduate students the freedom to pursue their own ideas. Through this approach, Smith's students have collectively advanced understanding of some of the most significant unknowns surrounding ice on Mars, such as understanding the distribution of buried ice and the history of climate. The published work was led by graduate students and recent graduates, including Ivan Mishev, Kasra Fard, Jamie Isen, Abi Madden, Chimira Andres, Pruthvi Acharya, Akhila Nair and Rushana Karimova, who explored different aspects of the Martian cryosphere.

91��ɫ study finds smarter way to collect city data

qings — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:18:54 +0000

As cities face growing pressure to manage transportation networks, infrastructure and public services using smart-sensing systems, new research led by 91��ɫ suggests there may be a more effective – and economical – way to collect data. Urban planners depend on data to support decisions ranging from parking management and road maintenance to traffic operations and environmental monitoring, explains Elham Heydari-Gharaei, the study’s first author and 91��ɫ PhD alum. Collecting that information across an entire city, however, can require expensive networks of fixed sensors.

91��ɫ researcher explores safer, more reliable space manufacturing

qings — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:24:10 +0000

As space agencies and private companies explore the possibility of 3D-printing large structures in orbit, new research by Fuhzen Yao, a PhD candidate in the Lassonde School of Engineering, is helping address a challenge that could shape whether those ambitions become reality. Traditionally, spacecraft components such as satellites, antennas and solar arrays are built on Earth and launched fully assembled. That approach limits their size because everything must fit inside a rocket before launch. Those constraints, coupled with advances in 3D-printing technology, have fuelled interest in in-space additive manufacturing (ISAM), a process that uses 3D printing to create infrastructure in space rather than on Earth.

Turning food waste into sustainable chemicals: 91��ɫ study investigates

qings — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:02:04 +0000

What if food waste could be transformed into something useful instead of ending up in landfill? A new 91��ɫ-led study suggests carefully selected microorganisms could help recover valuable chemicals from discarded food while reducing the energy needed to produce them. “When we think of environmental sustainability, we often immediately think about newer energy-efficient technologies. Organic waste treatment becomes rather an afterthought,” says Reema Kumar, a PhD candidate at 91��ɫ's Lassonde School of Engineering and lead author of the study.

AI scholarships highlight impact of grad student research, innovation��

qings — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:13:32 +0000

91��ɫ graduate students at the Schulich School of Business and Lassonde School of Engineering have been named among Ontario’s top AI talent, earning prestigious Vector Scholarships in Artificial Intelligence. Awarded by the Vector Institute, an Ontario-based AI research organization, the merit-based scholarships are support Ontario graduate students advanced studies in fields including business analytics, AI management, and computer engineering and science. In addition to financial support, recipients are given access to networking opportunities with researchers and industry professionals, along with the Vector Institute’s Digital Talent Hub which connects AI specialists with potential employers.

Graduate research at 91��ɫ U drives real-world discovery

qings — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:18:00 +0000

From plant defence in soybeans to epidemic modelling, 91��ɫ graduate researchers are tackling urgent scientific and social questions. The Faculty of Graduate Studies recognizes outstanding research annually through its thesis and dissertation prizes. The annual prizes – valued at $2,000 for doctoral dissertations and $1,000 for master’s theses – honour work defended in the previous calendar year that demonstrates originality, excellence and impact. This year’s awards highlight six projects that explored pressing questions with implications for food security, AI, public health, aging, air quality and workplace accessibility. Together, the projects show how graduate research at 91��ɫ connects scientific inquiry with real-world challenges.

From classroom to career: Lassonde alumna contributes to Canada's space sector

qings — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:46:29 +0000

91��ɫ alumna Randa Qashoa’s journey from the Lassonde School of Engineering to a career advancing space technology highlights the growing impact of women in shaping the future of engineering. Today, Qashoa (BEng ’21, PhD ’25) is a systems engineer at Honeywell Aerospace, where she works on the assembly, integration and testing of quantum communication payloads. While still early in her career, she is already contributing to technologies that could play an important role in the future of secure communications in space. Her path into the industry was shaped by the people and opportunities she encountered at Lassonde.

91��ɫ U celebrates grad students with Governor General's Gold Medals

qings — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:42:05 +0000

Three 91��ɫ scholars have been awarded this year’s Governor General's Gold Medals, honouring exceptional academic achievements among Canadian graduate students. The 2026 recipients are Chimira Nicole Andres, Nicholas Cheng and Joel Landon Prowting. The Governor General's Academic Medals are the highest honour given to outstanding Canadian post-secondary scholars. This year’s awardees represent the University’s dedication to supporting students in achieving academic success.

Three PhD students pursue funded research in Germany

qings — Mon, 04 May 2026 13:21:57 +0000

91��ɫ graduate students Martin Barakov, Massimiliano Muci and Sepideh HajiHosseinKhani may have different focus points for their studies, but they will all pursue research in Germany this year as recipients of an academic exchange grant. DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, is the world's largest funding organization for international academic exchange. Through its Research Grants program, it provides funding to support doctoral students and post-doctoral research at a German university. For Barakov, a political science PhD candidate with a master’s degree from 91��ɫ, the funding will help enhance his dissertation via archival research and interviews with local residents.��

NASA award recognizes 91��ɫ scientists for wildfire air quality research

qings — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:32:28 +0000

Two 91��ɫ chemists are among the recipients of one of NASA's highest honours for their role in a major North American air quality campaign – work that could help improve how wildfire smoke risks are understood and communicated in Canada. Faculty of Science��Professor��Cora Young��and Associate Professor��Trevor VandenBoer��were recognized through the NASA Group Achievement Award for their contributions to the Atmospheric Emissions and Reactions Observed from Megacities to Marine Areas (AEROMMA) campaign, a joint effort between NASA and the The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to study air quality and climate interactions across North America.