91��ɫ

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.

Doctoral recipients – dissertation prize

Jie Lin (PhD, biology) examines how phytoalexin biosynthesis is regulated in soybean plants in her dissertation, Identifying missing glyceollin transcription factors in soybean.

Her research identifies and characterizes a network of transcription factors that control plant defence responses and introduces an improved soybean root transformation protocol that supports gene expression studies and research tools to the plant science community.

“Altogether, her work transformed the current views of regulatory networks controlling phytoalexin biosynthesis and introduced better tools that benefited the plant research community at large,” says Associate Professor Peter Cheung.

Matthew Kowal (PhD, electrical engineering and computer science) studies how computer vision models interpret images and video in relation to AI.

His dissertation, Disentangling visual concepts across space and time: from image hierarchies to video dynamics, examines how visual concepts are represented, connected and evolve across data and time. His work introduces new frameworks for analyzing learned representations, helping researchers better understand how AI systems make decisions.

“His dissertation represents an exceptional and cohesive body of groundbreaking work on interpretable and concept-based representations in modern computer vision models,” says Professor Michael Brown.

Congjie Shi (PhD, mathematics and statistics) developed the Information–Cognition–Epidemic (ICE) model, a multilayer network framework that integrates mechanisms of information flow, including rumour transmission and correction. Her dissertation, Integrating cognitive factors in network models of epidemiology with applications to disease control, examines how these dynamics affect disease spread.

The findings show that warning individuals and correcting misinformation can improve epidemic control while accounting for variation in behaviour and access to information.

“In every way – originality, methodological skill, academic impact and relevance to societal challenges – Dr. Shi's thesis surpasses expectations,” says Professor Dong Liang, graduate program director.

Master’s recipients – thesis prize

Yashar Ebrahimi-Iranpour (MSc, chemistry) developed a one-dimensional atmospheric chemistry model to investigate the origin and distribution of nitrous acid, a key factor in air quality.

His thesis, Vertical structure and surface interactions of nitrous acid using a 1D model, integrates surface interactions, meteorology and atmospheric transport to better understand atmospheric processes.

“This thesis substantially exceeds the normative expectations of an MSc degree and approaches the level of our strongest doctoral work,” says Professor Ryan Hili, graduate program director.

In psychology, Patrick Hewan (MA) examines how age-related differences in brain structure affect decision-making in older adults. His thesis, Prefrontal brain microstructural integrity is related to an exploitation bias in older adulthood, explores the relationship between prefrontal brain microstructure and exploitation bias using cognitive neuroscience approaches.

The findings contribute to understanding how brain changes influence behaviour in ageing.

“His committee went so far as to say this was ‘groundbreaking and even paradigm-shifting for the broader field of cognitive neuroscience,’” says Professor Adrienne Perry, graduate program director.

Grace Pawliw-Fry (MA, geography) studies how neurodivergent workers navigate precarious labour markets in Ontario. The thesis, Teetering on the edge of surplus: neurodivergent work, social reproduction and bodyminds in the Ontario labour market, examines the intersections of work, disability and social reproduction.

It contributes to scholarship in labour geography, critical disability studies and workplace accessibility.

“This is a sophisticated and beautifully argued MA thesis, which integrates several literatures with very rich empirical data,” says Professor Alison Bain, graduate program director.

Tags: