Two members of the 's Class of 2026 have been recognized with the Bergeron Medal for entrepreneurial leadership for excellence in work that spans AI governance and applied engineering research.
John Brown, a BEng mechanical engineering graduate who also completed a certificate in entrepreneurship, and Mehakdeep Singh, who earned a BSc (Honours) in computer science, are the 2026 recipients of the Bergeron Medal.
The award is presented by Lassonde and recognizes top graduating students who have demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurial achievement throughout their studies by applying their ideas through research, design and real-world work.
About the recipients
John Brown
Brown came to the University as a member of the 91ɫ Lions men’s basketball team. Off the court, he explored microfluidics projects, designing devices that produce tiny droplets to mimic cellular interactions. This focus has potential applications in medical and biological research.
“I do all this for a simple reason,” he says. “I want to understand how things work and find a way to leave some kind of impact on society while I am at it.”
After three years on the varsity basketball team, Brown turned his attention to academic efforts, taking on research opportunities, securing grants and stepping into a leadership role with Lassonde Motorsports, a student-led Formula SAE team that designs, builds and competes with a race car. In his final year, he led the body and aerodynamics team as the club built its own chassis for the first time.
Brown finished top of his graduating class while building a record that included two conference papers and a patent filing on polymer science and microfluidic processes.
He also contributed to student-led innovation through initiatives such as TranReality, a virtual reality platform that helps new employees bridge the gap between knowledge and practical, on-the-job training.
Brown credits the scope of his accomplishments to the flexibility of 91ɫ’s learning environment. “91ɫ gave me room to be a few things at once,” Brown says. “Not many schools would have let me be an athlete, a researcher and a builder at the same time.”
He says balancing these roles wasn't always easy, making this recognition especially meaningful. “I am honoured to receive this,” Brown says of the Bergeron Medal. “I think it reflects the effort I put into leaving a small mark on Lassonde, through seasons that ended in losses, research that failed more than it worked and plenty of late nights that went nowhere.”
Brown sees the medal as a starting point rather than a culmination, saying it “points toward where I am headed next, and I am at the start of that path, not the end. That is the part I am most excited about.”
Now a mechanical engineering specialist at Ekstera, an early-stage energy startup, Brown hopes to learn firsthand about how companies are built. While he is also working toward his professional engineering licence, his longer-term goal is to found a company of his own.
Mehakdeep Singh
Singh joined 91ɫ with an interest in AI and machine learning. Through his studies, he became increasingly focused on how these systems often operate as “black boxes,” where the inner workings and decision-making processes are not easily visible or fully understood by non-experts.
“This sparked my interest in understanding how AI systems function and how governance, accountability and transparency can be strengthened to support their responsible development and use,” he says.
Singh explored these questions through a combination of research opportunities and experiential learning, including collaborating with other students during UNHack to apply his ideas to today's challenges. His academic achievements were also recognized through scholarships, including the Lassonde Entrance Scholarship and several continuing student awards.
“These experiences allowed me to grow both academically and personally while building skills that will continue to serve me in my future career,” he says.
Singh credits access to opportunities and an academic environment that enabled practical learning and professional development for his accomplishments at 91ɫ – and for this award.
“Receiving the Bergeron Medal is a tremendous honour for me,” Singh says. “The award reflects not only my individual efforts, but also the support and mentorship I have received from faculty members, family and fellow students.”
The award, he notes, has motivated him to pursue a master’s degree exploring AI governance and policy as evolving technologies continue to influence regulation and use. He hopes to develop frameworks that guide the responsible use of AI while balancing innovation with transparency, fairness and public accountability.