An investment of $2.1 million, , will fund transformative work examining history, human behaviour, digital technologies and critical infrastructure to better understand and improve well-being, equity and resilience across Canada.

The CRC program bolster research excellence and advances the development of knowledge that benefits society, the economy and the environment.

"Canada Research Chairs drive new knowledge that strengthens Canada鈥檚 global competitiveness and addresses real-world challenges," says Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. "Across 91亚色, this research reflects a commitment to tackling complex issues 鈥� from advancing Indigenous knowledge and addressing addiction, to shaping the future of AI and strengthening critical infrastructure 鈥� in ways that deliver tangible benefits for communities in Canada and beyond."

Alan Corbiere 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Indigenous History of North America (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

An assistant professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of History, Corbiere鈥檚 research focuses on Anishinaabe language, oral traditions and material culture.

Corbiere uses approaches such as the study of treaty negotiations and wampum belts to challenge and reshape historical narratives while supporting the revitalization of Indigenous knowledge and culture.

Matthew Keough 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Addiction Vulnerability (Tier 2)
Faculty of Health

Keough is an associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Psychology, a clinical psychologist and a senior scientist with Homewood Research Institute. He studies the causes of addictive behaviours and develops evidence鈥慴ased treatments with a focus on heavy drinking, cannabis use, concurrent disorders and digital interventions for young adults.

Keough also received $100,000 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation鈥檚 which supports research infrastructure projects through its partnership with the CRC program.

Jennifer Pybus 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Data, Empowerment and Artificial Intelligence (Tier 2, renewal)
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies

Associate professor in the Department of Politics and director of the Centre for Public AI, Pybus studies how social media, mobile platforms and AI use personal data.

Her focus is on strengthening data literacy, supporting informed public debate and examining issues of digital sovereignty and data governance in Canada.

Pirathayini Srikantha 鈥� Canada Research Chair in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems (Tier 2, renewal)

Srikantha, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, develops AI鈥慸riven and transactive energy solutions.

The aim of her research is to improve the reliability, security and resilience of electrical power grids and support the design of trustworthy energy systems.

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The initiative, led by Stephanie Gora, assistant professor at the , received $250,000 from the Government of Canada鈥檚 New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) . The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) program supports bold, interdisciplinary research that tests new ideas and aims for real鈥憌orld impact.

Gora鈥檚 project focuses on drinking water quality in multi鈥憉nit rental housing, where water safety is impacted by the actions of water utilities, tenants, landlords/building owners and regulators.

鈥淭his funding gives us the freedom to step back and take a 鈥榩roblem-first鈥� approach to understanding and improving water safety in rental housing that prioritizes the lived experiences of tenants, as well as building owners and management,鈥� says Gora. 鈥淭he goal is to co-develop technologies and frameworks that address the real barriers to safe water in rental housing."

While Canada has invested heavily in protecting drinking water, quality of water from the tap 鈥� particularly in rental buildings 鈥� remains difficult to assess and address, she adds.

Expertise in engineering, housing and urban planning will come together to examine both the technical and social dimensions of water quality. Gora is joined by co鈥憄rincipal investigator Katherine Perrott (University of Waterloo) and co鈥慳pplicants Judy Duncan (ACORN Canada), Liam Butler and Razieh Salahandish (91亚色), along with Brian Doucet (University of Waterloo) for the project, titled 鈥溾�楥an I drink the tap water?鈥� An interdisciplinary action framework for water quality assurance in multi鈥憉nit rental housing.鈥�

According to Gora, research and policy following the 2000 Walkerton water crisis focused primarily on protecting municipal sources, treatment plants and distribution systems. However, conditions within buildings are a separate risk where aging plumbing, construction materials and maintenance practices can significantly affect water quality by the time it reaches residents鈥� taps.

These challenges are particularly pronounced in rental housing, where tenants have limited control over infrastructure and limited access to information.

Multi鈥憉nit buildings constructed before 1960 are more likely to contain lead-bearing plumbing components and lead solder, but water quality issues are not limited to older housing stock. Newer and high鈥憆ise buildings can also experience problems related to water stagnation and interactions between the water and materials used for plumbing.

In January 2024, more than 200 tenants were evacuated from a newly built student apartment building in Hamilton, Ont., due to poor water quality, highlighting the scope of the issue.

The 91亚色鈥憀ed project responds to these gaps by integrating scientific testing with lived experience.

Researchers will begin by testing water samples and interviewing tenants, building owners or managers to understand how water quality issues arise and how they are handled in real-world settings. The team will test how point-of-use and distributed water quality sensors monitor water safety in real time.

The findings will help the team develop a data-driven water safety framework for multi-unit rental buildings using an approach that considers social, environmental and economic impacts while encouraging collaboration among sector partners to clarify shared responsibilities.

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The program highlights contributions that position 91亚色 as an instutition for research excellence and transformative innovations. 

Research contributed by more than 60 faculty members reflect the breadth of the University's research strengths, spanning sustainability, law, AI, chemistry and the social sciences.

"I am exceedingly proud to be part of an institution that contains the kind of excellence we are celebrating," says Lisa Philipps, interim president and vice-chancellor. "91亚色 is an institution that offers educational experiences to our students that are informed by this deep research, scholarly and creative excellence; and a place where we also make it part of our mission to reach outside the metaphorical walls of the University to share and collaborate with communities, industry, policy-makers, the media and the wider public."

The recipients demonstrate the purposeful research that is fundamental to real-world change, says Amir Asif, vice-president, research and innovation

The annual awards program serves as an opportunity to recognize the excellence, creativity and ingenuity of 91亚色' research community.

Awards

President鈥檚 Emerging Research Leadership Award (PERLA)
Christopher Caputo, associate professor in the Faculty of Science, received this award for his contributions to sustainable chemistry and materials science. His research advances the use of Earth鈥慳bundant elements as alternatives to rare and precious metals, addressing key environmental and sustainability challenges while influencing catalytic and materials science.

A Tier II Canada Research Chair and recipient of the John Charles Polanyi Prize in Chemistry, Caputo has secured more than $4 million in research funding. His work has resulted in 21 patents and strong industry engagement, demonstrating the translation of discovery into application.  

The President鈥檚 Emerging Research Leadership Award was also awarded to Emily Kidd White, associate professor at , for her pioneering scholarship at the intersection of law, emotion and constitutional theory. Her work applies the philosophy of emotion to legal analysis, examining the gap between formal legal reasoning and the lived realities of legal practice, particularly in international law. 

Her research has shaped scholarly conversations across disciplines and established her as a thinker of global influence, strengthening 91亚色鈥檚 research profile and academic mission. 

President鈥檚 Research Excellence Award
Presented to Jimmy Huang, professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, this award recognizes his contributions to information retrieval, data mining, AI and natural language processing. A Tier 1 91亚色 Research Chair and founding director of the Information Retrieval and Knowledge Management Research Lab, Huang has played a leading role in shaping the future of AI research, including some of the earliest systematic evaluations of large language models.

Huang has secured more than $7 million in external research funding and his work has influenced practice across industry and health care. His mentorship record includes supervising 16 postdoctoral fellows, 23 doctoral students and 32 master鈥檚 students, many of whom have gone on to academic careers.  

President鈥檚 Research Impact Award
Kerry Kawakami, professor in the , received this award聽for the influence and reach of her scholarship on unconscious bias. Her research has reshaped how systemic inequality is understood across academic,聽legal聽and institutional contexts, extending well beyond the聽post-secondary聽sector.

Kawakami鈥檚 work has informed legal practice and judicial decision鈥憁aking, including professional development programs for the Law Society of Ontario, expert testimony and keynote addresses. Her research has been cited in multiple U.S. Supreme Court decisions, demonstrating its impact on public understanding, policy and the pursuit of justice. 

The awards ceremony also highlighted faculty in other categories. 

Book Awards, Literary and Artistic Achievements
Six honourees received this award for their books, creative works and exhibitions that received national or international recognition from peers and leading cultural institutions. 

Major Grants
Recognition for researchers leading significant, externally funded research initiatives that advance knowledge and address complex societal challenges was awarded to seven honourees. 

Other Learned Societies, Fellowships and Awards
91亚色 awarded 12 honourees with this award for their leadership and contributions that have been recognized through election to learned societies, prestigious medals, professional fellowships and national or international honours. 

Outstanding Early Career Awards
Four honourees earned this award to recognize the notable achievements of 91亚色鈥檚 early-career researchers whose work shows strong promise and leadership within their fields. 

Significant Knowledge Mobilization &Impact Awards
For knowledge mobilization and impact outside of academia, 14 honourees were recognized with this award. 

91亚色 Research Chairs, Canada Research Chairs and Distinguished Research Professors
Fifteen honourees were celebrated for these appointments that support research excellence and scholarly leadership at the highest level in their respective fields. 

Royal Society of Canada & Governor General Awards
Two honourees earned this distinction, recognizing faculty who have made remarkable contributions in their research pursuits related to science, humanities and the arts. 

View the slide deck below to see a full list of recipients. 

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Now in its 14th year, the award honours Robert J. Tiffin, who served as 91亚色鈥檚 vice-president, students, for nine years. University community members nominate individuals who demonstrate leadership and make valuable contributions to 91亚色.   

This year鈥檚 recipients represent a wide range of disciplines and leadership pathways, says Yvette Munro, vice-provost, students. 

鈥淭he depth and breadth of leadership shown by our students is remarkable and we continue to see the meaningful ways they contribute to 91亚色," says Munro. 鈥淲hether they are supporting students across the University, within their Faculty or in groups built around shared interests or lived experiences, their leadership helps strengthen the 91亚色 community.鈥� 

Recipients of the award play a vital role in shaping the 91亚色 student experience and enhancing the character of 91亚色, says Tiffin. 鈥淭hey have led, not because they were asked, but because they cared enough to step forward. Through their contributions they have nurtured a 91亚色 tradition of a university that embraces new ideas and innovative thinking.鈥� 

The winners were celebrated on May 6 at 91亚色鈥檚 Keele Campus. 

2026 Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award recipients

Devonte Ellis, bachelor of education

Ellis has made extensive contributions to 91亚色's Music department and the Faculty of Education. He has been a festival coordinator, president of the Music Education Students鈥� Association and previous Chair of music's leadership council. He is also the founder and director of the Lions drumline and marching band. Additionally, Ellis has worked in student governance across the University in multiple positions and says one of his most impactful achievements has been as president of the Faculty of Education Students鈥� Association.

Isabella Gouveia, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in history and concurrent education

Gouveia has been actively involved in student engagement at 91亚色. She began as an Orientation Week lead captain for Founders College, followed by the Orientation director of partnerships and integration. In this role, she built relationships with various departments and staff and supported transitioning students across the University. Her orientation involvement also led her to serve as president of Founders College Student Council for two years.

Anaum Fatima Iqbal, bachelor of education

Iqbal has been a long-standing active participant of Calumet College and is now president of Calumet College Council. She actively spearheads new initiatives for the council, including converting one of the college鈥檚 spaces into a multi-faith prayer space and tacking food insecurity by providing free monthly breakfasts to college members. Iqbal has also been the vice-president of athletics and a student success mentor lead for the college.

Dipanpreet Kaur, bachelor of arts (honours) in English and professional writing

Kaur has been involved across campus since her first year, with involvement across the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and 91亚色鈥檚 international community. She is the president of the International Student Association of 91亚色, a council member of the Dean鈥檚 Circle of Student Scholars and was the marketing director for Peace by PEACE. Kaur says her most meaningful contribution has been supporting international students as they adjusted to university life, which inspired her to step into larger leadership roles.

Rubaljeet Kaur, bachelor of commerce (specialized honours) in accounting

Kaur is dedicated to creating spaces at 91亚色 where others can feel seen and have their voices heard. She is the founder and president of the Asian Women in Commerce Association, a community of more than 30 members that addresses representation gaps in business leadership, and hosts the Women in Law Association podcast. Kaur also holds leadership roles with the Social Work Students鈥� Association, LA&PS, 91亚色 International and 91亚色's Asian Youth Network.

Jaryeon Lee, master of science in kinesiology and health science

Lee鈥檚 passion for health sciences is apparent through her leadership in the field. As president of the Kinesiology and Health Sciences Graduate Student Association, Lee expanded outreach, strengthened the academic and professional community within the department and launched a new mentor-mentee program. She was also a graduate student representative on the Academic Council of Kinesiology and Health Science and is currently a representative for the Kinesiology and Health Science Curriculum Exercise meetings.

Nikan Movahedi, bachelor of science (specialized honours) in kinesiology and health science

Movahedi has led numerous initiatives at 91亚色 focused on health research and education. He is a coordinator for the largest health-oriented conference dedicated to undergraduate researchers in Canada and established the 91亚色 Blood Initiative, 91亚色鈥檚 first structured transportation system to local donation centres. Additionally, Movahedi is a student health ambassador and a student representative for the and has been both a volunteer research assistant and mentor.

Simone Elizabeth Pimenta, bachelor of business administration (honours) specialization in marketing and strategic management

Inspired after attending Orientation Week in her first year, Pimenta decided to serve as an Orientation Week executive the following year, followed by Orientation Week Chair for the Schulich School of Business. Pimenta has been heavily involved with the as the current president of the Undergraduate Business Society, as a former mentor for Schulich Women in Leadership and as a senior advisor for the Schulich Business Law Association.

Tariq Salim, bachelor of electrical engineering

Salim has been very involved in the throughout his degree. He has served as a WeekZer0 leader and vice-chair, where he executed programming and created an inclusive environment for new students to feel comfortable and confident. Salim has been an electrical engineering program representative within Lassonde, advocating for student concerns, and is currently the Lassonde representative for Bethune College Council.

Cheyenne Schmidt-Harlick, bachelor of arts (honours), double major in psychology and Indigenous studies

Schmidt-Harlick has made a lasting impact on Indigenous student support and representation across the University. During her time as president of the Indigenous Students Association at 91亚色 and as a student success mentor for Indigenous Student Services, she created welcoming spaces through advocacy, programming and relationship building. Additionally, Schmidt-Harlick held roles as a marketing coordinator for the Undergraduate Psychology Students Association and as a student health ambassador.

Amy Yeung, bachelor of science in kinesiology and health science

Yeung, a kung-fu practitioner for more than 16 years, revived and rebuilt the Martial Arts Club at 91亚色, which now has more than 75 members. Through the club, Yeung shares cultural traditions, community building and provides an accessible space for physical activity. Inclusivity is at the forefront of Yeung鈥檚 leadership practices within the Martial Arts Club, where the needs of women, 2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC and differently abled members are continuously advocated for.

Niemat Yusuf, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in psychology

As president of Black Students in Psychology, Yusuf successfully restructured the organization and scaled the executive team from six members to 24. She also expanded cross-campus partnerships and launched a peer mentorship initiative to support upper-year Black psychology students. Yusuf has volunteered in peer advocacy and mentorship roles for the Centre for Sexual Violence, Response, Support & Education, the Black Student Mentorship Program and the Undergraduate Psychology Student Association.

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The $1.3-million funding was awarded through CSA鈥檚 Flights and Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST) program, which backs research at Canadian universities that contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge and space technologies.

A key goal of the program is to give students and early鈥慶areer researchers hands鈥憃n experience, helping strengthen Canada鈥檚 space sector by training highly qualified personnel and equipping students with practical, job鈥憆eady skills. Through applied, interdisciplinary research and exposure, students learn to navigate space career challenges in everything from instrument testing and system design to fieldwork and advanced manufacturion.

That combination of scientific advancement and experiential learning is evident across the FAST鈥慺unded work now underway at 91亚色.

鈥淎s a result, the project will develop, in our students, more specialized scientists who can go on to operational roles not only with our project, but with space exploration missions and space agencies around the world,鈥� says John Moores, associate professor and grant recipient.

Those four projects and their associate professors are:

John Moores, associate professor

Project: Mars Atmosphere Gas Evolution 鈥� Flying Localization Investigation (MAGE鈥慒LI)

Moores received $436,500 to lead an initiative improving how scientists detect and understand rare gases in the atmosphere of Mars. The work relies on a highly sensitive instrument, called an ICOS spectrometer, that can measure tiny amounts of specific gases.

The research focuses on gases such as methane, which may be linked to possible microbial life below the planet鈥檚 surface, and chlorine, which can be associated with volcanic activity. The project aims to shed light on what may be happening beneath Mars鈥� surface and how the planet continues to change.

鈥淭he support of the CSA and the Canadian government is critical to my research. It funds the specialized equipment we need to test our instruments and make more precise measurements," says Moores.

Before the instrument can be used in space, the team will test it in the lab using gas mixtures and soil materials similar to those found on the planet. In the final year of the project, the instrument will be taken to Iceland and mounted on a drone to see how well it can detect gases released from the ground. 鈥淚n doing this work we鈥檙e demonstrating what this instrument is capable of," says Moores, adding the results will help guide how similar tools could be used in future planetary missions.

Nima Tabatabaei, associate professor

Project: Molecularly Imprinted Opto鈥慒luidic Platform for Ultra鈥慡ensitive Detection and Quantification of Biomarkers in Space

Tabatabaei received $288,090 to create compact health monitoring technology designed for use during space missions. The goal is to help astronauts monitor their health in real time using simple, non鈥慽nvasive measurements, even in the challenging environment of microgravity.

The research, conducted with co鈥慽nvestigator Professor Pouya Rezai of George Mason University, combines several technologies into one small, modular system. It includes a device that automatically collects and processes saliva samples, materials that selectively capture health鈥憆elated molecules and a highly sensitive sensor that can detect extremely miniscule changes in those molecules.

The platform is designed to track biological markers linked to stress, inflammation and exposure to radiation, which are key concerns for astronauts on long missions. Together, these measurements could help inform earlier health decisions and reduce risks during space travel.

鈥淭his grant gives us the chance to start a new area of space鈥慺ocused health research,鈥� says Tabatabaei. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also an opportunity to contribute Canadian technology that could advance future human spaceflight.鈥�

Beyond exploration, the technology could also be adapted for health testing in northern communities on Earth, where access to traditional medical facilities may be limited.

Gerd Grau, associate professor

Project: Food Production in Space: 3D鈥慞rinted Capillary Hydroponics with Integrated Sensing

Grau received $291,000 to advance new ways of growing food during long鈥慸uration space missions.

Growing plants in space presents unique challenges, including how to deliver water and nutrients to roots without gravity, manage limited resources and reduce the amount of equipment that must be launched from Earth.

The initiative will advance technology that uses 3D printing to create precise channels that guide water and nutrients to plants. Designed to be manufactured directly in space, the system aids hydroponic food production and can be adjusted for different types of crops. Built鈥慽n sensors will help monitor plant health and detect problems early, improving efficiency and yields.

鈥淭his grant allows us to take a body of work we鈥檝e been developing for years and apply it in a completely new context,鈥� says Grau. 鈥淚t opens up research directions that wouldn鈥檛 be possible without space鈥慺ocused funding from the Canadian Space Agency.鈥�

While the research is aimed at supporting future space travel, the approach could also benefit food production in remote regions on Earth, including northern Canada.

Cuiying Jian, associate professor

Project: Pixelized, Flexible Sensing Network Using Laser鈥慖nduced Graphene for Health Monitoring

Jian received $291,000 to develop a lightweight, flexible sensor technology that can monitor human health in space and in remote environments on Earth.

Working with co鈥慳pplicant Professor Razieh (Neda) Salahandish, Jian鈥檚 team is using a form of graphene 鈥� an ultra鈥憈hin, conductive material 鈥� to create wearable sensor patches that can measure temperature, movement and moisture across different areas.

鈥淭his grant allows us to explore graphene in these new ways,鈥� says Jian. 鈥淭here鈥檚 real potential here to create tools that are both scientifically innovative and widely accessible.鈥�

Unlike traditional devices that monitor just one part of the body, the system is designed to collect data from multiple locations at once. This could make it possible to build a more complete picture of someone鈥檚 physical condition.

A key part of Jian鈥檚 project is also closely aligned with one of the broader aims of the FAST program: student training and hands鈥憃n learning. 鈥淭his grant enables the recruitment and training of emerging researchers,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 aim to create an environment where the next generation not only learns how to conduct research, but also understands the underlying principles. Both the 鈥榟ow鈥� and the 鈥榳hy鈥� are essential.鈥�

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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鈥檚 degree from 91亚色, the funding will help enhance his dissertation via archival research and interviews with local residents. His thesis compares urban outcomes across 35 years of state socialism and 35 years of capitalism in the cities of Berlin, Germany and Sofia, Bulgaria. He will be hosted at Humboldt University in Berlin, working in coordination with the Georg Simmel Center for Metropolitan Studies. Following his time in Germany, he will do similar research in Sofia.

鈥淚 plan on visiting a variety of different archives specifically with the aim of understanding East German approaches to urban planning, as well as conducting interviews with local residents,鈥� says Barakov.

Muci, also a political science PhD candidate, will be based at the Center for Post-Kantian Philosophy at the University of Potsdam for the first half of his time abroad, before relocating to the University of M眉nster. He will further his research on Marx and Marxism in Berlin by examining original sources related to the philosopher's doctoral dissertation at the University of Berlin from 1837-41, including letters from editors of a journal with which Marx collaborated.  

鈥淚'm looking at the origins of this conception of the world in the only philosophical work by Karl Marx 鈥� his dissertation with which he graduated at the University of Jena in 1841,鈥� explains Muci, whose work is supervised by 91亚色 Professor Marcello Musto. 鈥淚'm interested in broadening the genesis and I need the archives to do that.鈥�

HajiHosseinKhani is a computer science graduate student with a master鈥檚 from 91亚色, which she earned following an undergraduate degree in her home country of Iran. She will be joining the Institute for Data Science, Cloud Computing and IT Security (IDACUS) at Furtwangen University for a project that will focus on developing a comprehensive decentralized finance dataset. The project will then develop a self-defending AI architecture that will resist adversarial attacks, with stress-testing of the model to follow.

鈥淭he goal of this project is that we want to design a secure transformer-based AI model to detect and mitigate the malicious activities in the decentralized finance sector,鈥� says HajiHosseinKhani.

She notes this collaboration follows another that she participated in with the Polytechnic University of Madrid. Her supervisor, Professor Arash Habibi Lashkari, was also a DAAD scholar for his postdoc and helped HajiHosseinKhani design a collaboration with Professor Christopher Reich that saw her start at 91亚色鈥檚 Behaviour-Centric Cybersecurity Center (BCCC), and finish the final seven months at IDACUS.

Political science Professor Heather MacRae is a DAAD ambassador at 91亚色. She is also Barakov鈥檚 supervisor and a past DAAD scholar who did graduate fieldwork at the University of Freiburg. She is thrilled to have had so many successful applications from 91亚色 students.

鈥淭his is amazing. To my knowledge, after 15-plus years in my role, it鈥檚 the best record we鈥檝e had,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t really speaks to the way that 91亚色 International has been promoting the opportunity and working with people in our community. It helps put 91亚色 back on the radar for German scholarly communities as well.鈥�

MacRae notes the DAAD network is very active in Canada and provides opportunities for future funding.

Muci, who has spent time in Germany doing a joint degree with the University of Bologna in Italy and the University of Bielefeld, is looking forward to knowledge exchange with the research group.

Barakov says the DAAD funding has provided the means to advance his dissertation research.

鈥淭he longstanding tradition of academic exchange between Germany and Canada more broadly has very much played a foundational role in securing the possibility to actually go to Berlin in person, conduct work there and engage with their research community,鈥� he says.

Faculty members and students interested in learning more about the DAAD programs and funding available to support research and study in Germany can contact goglobal@yorku.ca.

With files from Suzanne Bowness

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When Ibrahim Rfifi joined Lassonde Motorsports 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 student-led Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) team at the 鈥� in his first year, he expected to find the kind of hands-on program common at many engineering schools, where students design, build and compete with a race car while applying concepts learned in the classroom.

Instead, he found a group still building the structure needed to make that possible. Despite attempts since Lassonde opened in 2012, the team had never completed a vehicle or entered a Formula SAE competition.

Rfifi, along with fellow Lassonde student Michael Rozenfeld, decided to change that.

As president of the group in early 2025, Rififi, now a third-year mechanical engineering student, led an effort to rebuild the organization. He emailed hundreds of students across the Lassonde community inviting them to help relaunch Lassonde Motorsports.

He made a passionate case for renewed commitment to the program and outlined a plan to guide the group toward developing a competitive Formula SAE vehicle through two core principles: consistency and organization. He also stressed the value the group could provide in practical experience, where students could apply classroom concepts while developing skills valued by employers.

Rfifi and Rozenfeld, the club's vice-president, received more than 100 expressions of interest from students across a range of engineering disciplines. Membership was narrowed down to roughly 70 students, prioritizing those most willing to commit to an organized, accountable engineering program built on sustained contribution. That approach, Rfifi says, was essential to the team鈥檚 long-term viability and ability to build a complete vehicle.

Attention then shifted to organization. Members were divided into five groups, each focused on a specific subsystem of a Formula SAE race car, creating clear divisions that reflect how a vehicle is built in the real world. Leadership within each group was split between two student leads, a framework intended to ensure progress and accountability. The groups looked after powertrain, vehicle dynamics, body and aerodynamics, and research and development.

With organization and membership in place, the program shifted its focus to training. 鈥淢ost of us had never worked on a car before,鈥� Rozenfeld says. 鈥淗onestly, we all started at practically zero on the skill scale.鈥�

Workshops and weekly design sessions led by team leads and more experienced members became a core part of skill development for newer recruits. Sessions focused on computer-aided design, simulation and how components were prepared for fabrication, were designed to reduce barriers while steadily building technical capability.

Learning extended beyond the University through research lab visits, industry nights and technical tours that connected students with engineering environments and the aerospace, energy and advanced manufacturing sectors.

For Rfifi and Rozenfeld, these opportunities fulfilled a broader goal. 鈥淭hese hands-on learning experiences show students what engineering looks like outside of textbooks,鈥� says Rfifi.

With restructuring, committed membership and ongoing training in place, 2025 was spent working toward the milestone that had defined its revival: completing its first Formula SAE race car.

University teams from around the world build race cars specifically for Formula SAE competitions, a global student engineering series where vehicles are evaluated on both design and real-world performance.

Guided by an entry deadline, Lassonde Motorsports set its sights on the Formula SAE Michigan 2026 competition, held each May, as its first competitive entry point. The group is in the final stages of its project, which will ship to Michigan to compete against more than 100 other universities.

While expectations are measured 鈥� Rfifi says even passing technical inspection would be an accomplishment 鈥� the team feels it has already achieved something significant given its journey. 鈥淛ust getting to the competition with a completed vehicle is already a huge achievement,鈥� Rfifi says.

Whatever the outcome, he and Rozenfeld sees Lassonde Motorsports as the beginning of a longer-term program and has set a goal to make the group a lasting fixture within the engineering school. Future plans include expanding into additional competition categories, such as electric vehicle development, alongside creating a more permanent operational structure that can be passed from one cohort of students to the next.

鈥淎 first-year student should be able to come in and find a thriving motorsports team,鈥� Rfifi says. After leading its rebuild, he hopes the result is a program that offers students experiential engineering experience, structured learning and a place to apply their skills in a real-world setting.

鈥淭here are people waiting for an opportunity like this,鈥� says Rozenfeld.

The post How Lassonde Motorsports built its first race car in 15 years appeared first on YFile.

Several times a month, a small drone rises above the trees at Swan Lake, following a precise path over the water. Parkgoers who enjoy walking, jogging or birdwatching might assume it鈥檚 there to capture scenic footage. Instead, the drone is part of a 91亚色-led effort to understand 鈥� and help restore 鈥� the health of an urban lake under pressure.

Swan Lake, a former gravel pit transformed into a stormwater pond and community green space, faces ongoing water quality challenges. As rainwater flows into the site from surrounding roads and neighbourhoods, it carries excess nutrients, road salt and other pollutants. Over time, this can fuel frequent algae growth, cloud the water and reduce oxygen levels, stressing fish and wildlife, limiting recreation and, in some cases, raising public health concerns.

Since April 2025, 91亚色 researchers, led by CIFAL 91亚色, have been turning concern about the lake鈥檚 health into measurable data and practical action through the Swan Lake Citizen Science Lab (SLCS Lab). The initiative brings together 91亚色 research centres, including ADERSIM and the One WATER Institute, with local partners such as Friends of Swan Lake Park, a community鈥慴ased volunteer organization dedicated to protecting and improving the area鈥檚 ecological health.

鈥淐ommunities often know when something is not right with a local ecosystem, but it鈥檚 hard to act without clear, comprehensive and consistent information, as well as meaningful community engagement鈥� says Ali Asgary, director of CIFAL 91亚色 and professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 鈥淭he goal of the lab is to support those concerns with reliable data that can guide real decisions.鈥�

"To assess a lake is to assess ourselves," adds Satinder Kaur Brar, director of the One WATER Institute and professor at the . "Its health card is a mirror of our environmental stewardship."

One way the lab is assessing the lake is through advanced technology, such as the use of multispectral and thermal drones operated by 91亚色 research teams.

Equipped with special cameras that capture different types of light 鈥� including some invisible to the human eye 鈥� the drones can detect potential algae growth and subtle changes in water clarity as they scan the lake from above. Flying low and on demand, they provide detailed, up-to-date views of trends across the entire water body, offering a clearer picture than satellite images and a broader perspective than scattered and spot鈥慴y鈥憇pot water sampling.

The drones have already yielded valuable insights, recently shared in a 91亚色鈥憀ed, under-review study that monitored patterns from spring through fall 2025. By flying the drones roughly once a month and analyzing the findings over time, researchers were able to pinpoint where algae forms, how blooms shift across the seasons and how changes in water cloudiness are driven by biological growth rather than stirred鈥憉p sediment.

The findings confirm what many residents and park managers have long suspected: the lake is rich in nutrients and prone to recurring algae growth. The drone data, however, also reveal something new.

Conditions vary significantly from one area to another, suggesting that targeted, location鈥憇pecific interventions may be more effective than broad, one鈥憇ize鈥慺its鈥慳ll treatments applied across the entire lake. Knowing where problems emerge helps guide chemical treatments, shoreline naturalization projects and future restoration efforts 鈥� and provides a better way to measure whether those interventions are working. "Interconnecting drone data with on-ground water quality can turn ecological signals into informed action that is vital for communities," says Brar.

鈥淲hat the data made clear is that this isn鈥檛 a uniform problem,鈥� adds Asgary. 鈥淲hen conditions vary so much from one part of the lake to another, it changes how you think about solutions. This kind of information allows us to be more precise, more proactive and more strategic in environmental management.鈥�

In addition to monitoring Swan Lake, 91亚色鈥憀ed teams are working to make the data easier to interpret and use in planning. Researchers are developing AI tools to identify patterns in the drone imagery, anticipate conditions such as algae outbreaks and translate complex trends into clearer insights.

Other teams are using virtual reality and simulation to help users visualize the lake over time and explore how different interventions might affect conditions. Meanwhile, geographic information system (GIS) specialists are turning the results into interactive maps and dashboards that help the public and those involved in lake management understand what is happening across the site.

A core goal of the Swan Lake Citizen Science Lab is to encourage meaningful community engagement and shared stewardship.

鈥淔rom the start, this was never about researchers working in isolation,鈥� says Asgary. 鈥淭he goal of the Swan Lake Citizen Science Lab is to create a shared process, where community knowledge and scientific tools come together.鈥�

Local partners are not just observers; they are active partners in the research. Residents take part in field checks, help interpret findings, attend workshops and contribute to outreach efforts that share findings. Alongside them, 91亚色 students gain hands鈥憃n experience applying classroom learning to a real environmental challenge, working with researchers and resident members in a local setting.

For CIFAL 91亚色, which is affiliated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the work at Swan Lake is a pilot that could inform other communities facing similar pressures on small urban lakes and wetlands.

鈥淭he impact here is very tangible,鈥� says Asgary. 鈥淭hrough drones, data and collaboration, we鈥檙e building a deeper understanding of how this ecosystem functions and how it can be protected over time. That kind of shared knowledge is what allows stewardship to last.鈥�

Find out more about the SLCS Lab, and see it in action, in the video below.

The post How 91亚色 is helping to restore an urban lake appeared first on YFile.

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.

The award is reserved for those who have made exceptional contributions to NASA's mission and scientific endeavours.

AEROMMA combined aircraft, ground-based measurements and satellite observations to study how contemporary emissions from cities and oceans affect air quality and climate. NASA and NOAA approached 91亚色 to lead the Toronto supersite, one of several measurement hubs established in major North American cities to contribute to the campaign's airborne data.

Young served as scientific lead, coordinating a team of 25 to 30 researchers; VandenBoer served as logistical lead, overseeing the physical transformation of 91亚色's rooftop laboratory 鈥� on the Petrie Science and Engineering Building 鈥� to host the research.

Also involved were 91亚色 colleagues Mark Gordon, associate professor at the , and Rob McLaren, professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry.

Collaborators came from across Canada and internationally, including Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the University of 91亚色 in the U.K.

91亚色 graduate and undergraduate students had the opportunity to work on the project with those visiting researchers.

"Our ability to bring together this strong team of researchers allowed us to ensure it was worthwhile for AEROMMA to include Toronto," says Young. "Otherwise, we would have missed out on this unprecedented opportunity to learn about modern air quality here."

The 2023 summer AEROMMA project unfolded during a period of intense wildfire smoke across the region, an unplanned development that offered a rare opportunity for study.

"Wildfires will exacerbate air quality issues," says VandenBoer. "Understanding the chemistry of wildfire plumes arriving in the city is going to be critical to informing the public on when and how to protect their respiratory health."

The existing Air Quality Health Index is not well-suited to wildfire conditions because the smoke differs from the other drivers of urban air pollution.

One of the first papers to emerge from the project, now in its final round of peer review, found that wildfire smoke changed chemically as it travelled, changing how health and climate impacts are understood and communicated.

91亚色 researchers have also been in dialogue with the team behind ECCC鈥檚 2024 Study of Winter Air Pollution in Toronto (SWAPIT). Together, the summer and winter datasets create a year-round picture of urban air quality in Canada鈥檚 largest city that could inform policy on everything from wood-burning smoke to the atmospheric impacts of road salt.

The work also validated NASA鈥檚 TEMPO satellite, a space-based instrument tracking air pollution across North America. Measurements from 91亚色鈥檚 site, alongside NASA research aircraft and ECCC sites, were essential in confirming the satellite鈥檚 early readings, helping move the tool into practical use for ongoing air-quality monitoring and research.

For 91亚色 graduate students, the initiative created opportunities to build international networks. VandenBoer says students helped host collaborators by familiarizing them with 91亚色鈥檚 facilities and procedures, and in some cases were involved with operating, maintaining and responding to issues with visiting researchers鈥� instruments.

Those connections continued beyond the project. Graduate student Yashar Ebrahimi-Iranpour later spent two weeks collaborating at NOAA鈥檚 Chemical Sciences Laboratory, while graduate student Na-Yung Seoh went on to join an international University of 91亚色-led campaign in Cape Verde.

AEROMMA involved a range of 91亚色 collaborators, including facilities staff, operations teams and University leadership.

"It's a 91亚色 community undertaking," says VandenBoer. "A lot of people wanted to support us, and for no other reason than that's just the type of community that we have."

Young points to why the work is imperative today.

"There are a lot of chemicals being emitted into the environment we can't see or smell or taste," she says. "Just because we can't detect them with our own senses doesn't mean they're not a problem. We need to keep on top of it."

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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Announced March 27 at 91亚色鈥檚 Markham Campus, Natural Resources Canada will invest $28.9 million in 12 projects across the country to build and deploy clean energy technologies through its Energy Innovation Program.

These investments support efforts to reduce emissions and modernize Canada鈥檚 energy systems as clean technologies advance.

91亚色's project, led by Associate Professor Marina Freire鈥慓ormaly at Lassonde, is one of four initiatives funded in the Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage stream which supports early research on capturing, moving, story and reusing carbon dioxide.

Freire-Gormaly will focus on developing a carbon capture technology that replaces heat鈥慽ntensive systems with electrochemical and light鈥慸riven processes. By using advanced materials, the technology aims to cut energy use, reduce operating costs and improve performance.

鈥淭his funding allows us to move promising carbon capture ideas from the lab and scale them up, closer to real鈥憌orld use,鈥� says Freire鈥慓ormaly. 鈥淚t supports 91亚色鈥檚 role in developing practical, low鈥慹nergy solutions that can help reduce emissions.鈥�

The project, titled 鈥淒evelopment and scale-up of novel solid C02 capture photoelectrochemical active sorbents,鈥� began in 2023 and will continue until March 2027 with a focus on creating and testing new solid materials that absorb carbon dioxide when exposed to light and electricity, instead of through thermal processes.

Freire鈥慓ormaly and her team of researchers 鈥� including co-applicant Assistant Professor Solomon Boakye-Yiadom and other collaborators at 91亚色's Faculty of Science 鈥� have developed new electrode materials using copper, aerogels and specialized coatings to improve performance.

Researchers are using a small, custom-built lab to accurately measure how much carbon dioxide is captured. Findings will help evaluate costs, environmental impacts and carbon emissions, and help determine how sustainable and practical the innovative solvent-based pathway would be at an industrial scale.

鈥淭hese innovations are crucial towards a net-zero energy transition for all Canadians,鈥� says Friere-Gormaly.

Tim Hodgson, minister of energy and natural resources, says the project reflects Canada鈥檚 goal to scale up clean energy and responsibly grow the nation鈥檚 conventional energy industry.

鈥淲e are investing to provide reliable, affordable and clean power across the country that will propel our economic growth, protect affordability for Canadian families and make Canada a low-risk, low-cost, low-carbon energy superpower.鈥�

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