AI that helps clinicians monitor brain tumours, a low-cost tool for improving heat transfer systems and 3D-printed materials to support food production in space are among the research projects undertaken by students at 91ɫ’s this summer.
The projects highlight the breadth of undergraduate research taking place at Lassonde, where students are contributing to solutions for challenges in health care, energy systems and future space missions through hands-on research experiences.
More than 70 students participated in summer research projects supported through the Lassonde Undergraduate Research Awards (LURA) and the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Undergraduate Student Research Awards.
The programs provide opportunities for students to pursue full-time research alongside faculty members. Outcomes of these research initiatives were presented during Lassonde’s annual Undergraduate Summer Research Conference, which celebrates creativity, innovation and academic excellence.
Projects spanned topics such as wastewater monitoring, satellite technologies and trustworthy AI.
“The research demonstrates the important role undergraduate students can play in advancing discovery while gaining experience that prepares them to become the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers,” says Suprakash Datta, associate dean academic and students at Lassonde.
Among the projects recognized by judges was the first-place research project by Diego Romero Rincon, an electrical engineering and computer science student. Working in the QUANTIMB Lab, Rincon developed an AI-assisted platform designed to automate the monitoring of brain tumours following radio therapy treatment.
The cloud-based system integrates advanced AI models with MRI imaging analysis tools to help clinicians track tumour changes over time. It is designed to automatically identify and monitor tumours of varying sizes, classify treatment outcomes and generate reports, reducing the time required for assessments while improving consistency in clinical decision-making.
Second place was awarded to mechanical engineering student Simone Ferrara for research focused on improving the measurement of two-phase flows, which play an important role in technologies such as heat pumps and thermosyphons.
Ferrara's project investigated a low-cost, non-intrusive method for estimating void fraction, a key parameter used to predict pressure drop and heat transfer performance. Using near-infrared lasers and photodiode receivers attached externally to a flow channel, the system offers a potential alternative to more complex and expensive measurement techniques, with applications across a range of heat transport systems.
The third-place prize went to Tina Ly, an electrical engineering and computer science student whose research explored advanced manufacturing solutions for space agriculture.
As space agencies plan for longer-duration missions, reliable food production systems are becoming increasingly important. Ly's project examined the feasibility of using commercially accessible 3D-printing technologies to fabricate nutrient-delivery structures for hydroponic plant growth systems. The research demonstrated that customized agricultural components can be manufactured using adapted material systems and standard additive manufacturing processes, supporting future efforts to produce equipment on demand during space missions.
“These projects reflect how undergraduate researchers at Lassonde are applying engineering and scientific expertise to address complex challenges with potential impacts across multiple sectors,” says Datta. “Through hands-on research experiences, students are contributing new knowledge, developing practical solutions and building the skills needed to advance solutions to complex challenges today and in the future.”