91ɫ students are delivering research-driven solutions to complex social, environmental and technological challenges, with hundreds of capstone projects translating academic inquiry into tangible outcomes for industry and communities.
More than 480 students developed and tested projects in collaboration with external partners across two distinct programs – the interdisciplinary Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4) and the ’s ENG 4000 Capstone course.
While separate cohorts, both groups engaged in projects that advance work ranging from sustainable energy systems and health technologies to responsible uses of AI, with an emphasis on applied research focused on real-world solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The outcomes of this collaborative approach highlight the role of partnership-driven design in accelerating innovation. Students worked directly with organizations to refine project scope, test feasibility and consider pathways to implementation.
Students in both cohorts showcased their work to faculty, partners and peers during two separate Capstone Day events. Lassonde students shared their innovative ideas, spanning disciplines and real-world applications, from developing an autonomous EV charging robot to a system that provides data to satellites about resident space objects or space debris.
“What makes Capstone especially powerful at Lassonde is seeing students evolve from early-stage engineering design into confident engineers capable of designing, building, integrating, testing and communicating complex solutions that address meaningful societal and industry challenges,” says Edris Hassan, Lassonde capstone course director and teaching team lead.
Students in the interdisciplinary C4 cohort developed solutions focused on community wellness, decentralized clean energy, ethical supply chains, campus accessibility and more – projects that underscore meaningful solutions to complex challenges. “C4 offers students the opportunity to move beyond theory to address real-world challenges – and the results show how interdisciplinary collaboration can generate solutions with real impact,” says Richard Hornsey, co-academic lead for the C4 program. “These projects demonstrate the value of bringing together different perspectives to create practical, community-focused solutions.”
Several projects were recognized with awards for their potential impact:
Lassonde Capstone Day Awards
Class Favourite (design, creativity, presentation)
Team 1 – LaunchLab
Autonomous Pickleball Launcher
Team: Adam Hallag, Doluwamu Olubiremi, Dominic Igumbor, Leonard Gladzah, Mohammed Abbas Jega, Sarimah Chindah
Supervisor: Kai Zhang
Engineering Capstone Prize (impact on human well-being)
Team 20 – VitalSense
Rewearable Health Monitoring
Team: Ayesha Shahid, Dave Hiralall, Jakub Przystupa, Maria Ahmed, Muhammad Zafar, Ossama Benaini
Supervisor: Peter Lian
Y-Space/SmartTO Mobility Award (innovation in mobility solutions)
Team 29 – Team PE⇌KE
Drop-in Regenerative Braking for Bicycles
Team: Eugene Park, Hassan Dannyal, Mohammed, Faizaan, Raiyyan Husein, Vincent Hasbun, Yunus Akcor
Supervisor: Thomas Cooper
C4 Spring Capstone Awards
Best Project Award (Quanser) (creativity, inclusion, community impact)
3.0-credit: Team A1 – Seasons of Wellness: Outdoor Programming for Peel Region Youth
Team: Quratulain Alvi, Jessie Enokela, Zarin Hasan, Mihai Puscas, Catalina Tulcan Meza, Gadion Woldemariam
Partners: TRCA; Jack.org
6.0-credit: Team C19 – Go Green: Decentralizing Electrical Energy in St. James Town
Team: Rajendra Brahmbhatt, Steven Chen, Aahana Dube, Nicolas Madronero Martinez, Nisha Panai, Junting Wang
Partner: Engage
Innovation Award (YSpace) (market readiness, creativity)
3.0-credit: Team C12 – Project Walkway: Weather-Protected Areas for the Hangar District
Team: Mohamed Abdel Rahman, Danielle Burnett, Shuwayne Fyne, Haytham Hassan, Akshar Jadhav, Anthony Pham, Shami-uz Zaman
Partner: Northcrest Developments
6.0-credit: Team B10 – Clicking with Conscience: Digital Tools to Combat Forced Labour in Supply Chains
Team: Dimitri Arjoon, Alannis Hopkinson, Dhruv Kapadia, Tony Mendoza Sanchez, Gabisan Sritharalingam, Daniel Vinitski
Partner: International Justice Mission
Sustainability Award (Honda Canada) (SDG impact)
3.0-credit: Team C11 – Cultivating Continuity: Co-Creation in Parks and Open Spaces at YZD
Team: Harsha Bonthagorla, Sina Heidari, Ben Petlach, Nathan Pillinger, Alessandro Policicchio, Deepanjali Syal, Camilo Vargas Cardenas, Nicolas Vargas Gonzalez
Partner: Northcrest Developments
6.0-credit: Team B15 – UNITY: Understanding Needs and Inclusivity Throughout 91ɫ
Team: Prabhjyot Grewal, Abigail Laverick, Mazha Memon, Ariana Ram, Asad Rehman
Partner: Open Architecture Collaborative Canada
People’s Choice Award
Nrup Patel – 91ɫPulse: 91ɫ’s Verified Student Community Platform
See more moments from the day in the .
The Lassonde Capstone team welcomes project proposals for the 2026-27 academic year. Industry partners, community organizations and alumni are encouraged to submit ideas that give the next cohort of engineering graduates a meaningful challenge to solve. Reach out to capstone@yorku.ca to learn more.
C4 is preparing for courses in fall (3.0 credits), winter (3.0 credits), and a full-year fall/winter (6.0 credits). Contact c4class@yorku.ca to explore partnership opportunities.