The Murray G. Ross Award, established in honour of the University’s first president, is awarded annually to a graduating student in recognition of academic excellence and outstanding contributions to undergraduate student life.

“I feel honoured to have received such a prestigious award. It represents years of hard work and dedication,” says Llaguno.

Her path to this recognition began four years ago, when she moved to Canada from Ecuador with the aim of becoming a physicist and gaining experience in the field.

When she was accepted to 91��ɫ, Llaguno received the 91��ɫ Science Scholars Award (YSSA) for her scholarly achievements in high school. The award included a guaranteed summer research position, providing an early opportunity to conduct paid, hands-on work following her first year.

Through that opportunity, she joined the experimental atomic, molecular and optical physics group led by Professor Anantharaman Kumarakrishnan from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. It proved to be formative, she says, noting “It was there that I discovered my passion for experimental physics."

Over the next four years, Llaguno continued to build on that interest through applied work experiences – supported in part by the Earle Nestmann Undergraduate Research Award (ENURA) in her second year and a Research at 91��ɫ (RAY) position in her third – focused on designing and refining laser-based systems used to study the behaviour of atoms.

With guidance from Kumarakrishnan’s group, she presented her work at several physics conferences and co-authored published papers, reflecting the level of achievement she reached during her undergraduate studies.

During her time at 91��ɫ, Llaguno also sought out opportunities to be involved in her academic community and engage in outreach. In her second year, she became a Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) leader, a role she held for two years, supporting first-year physics students.

The experience helped her discover a growing interest in teaching, and her students later nominated her for the Bethune College Academic Leadership and Community Building Scholarship.

She took on other roles across the University, serving on a Tenure and Promotion Committee and working as a science student ambassador, campus tour guide and laboratory tour guide. She also contributed to efforts to strengthen teaching and learning in the classroom, helping revise the PHYS 2020 (Electricity and Magnetism) curriculum for engineering students after the course had shown lower performance compared to its physics-major counterpart.

“These experiences were motivated by my desire to give back to my community and share my enthusiasm for physics with prospective students,” says Llaguno.

That combination of academic work and community contribution has now been recognized through the Murray G. Ross Award.

“This award is also a reminder that my passion has not gone unnoticed,” says Llaguno.

Reflecting on the award, Llaguno credits the significant role her parents played in her journey. “I am deeply grateful to my parents, who have always supported me, prioritized my education and taught me the value of learning,” she says. She also expresses gratitude to her professors, her department and her research group, as well as the scholarships, bursaries and awards she received from 91��ɫ that enabled her to continue her studies as an international student.

Llaguno has already begun the next stage of her studies, joining Kumarakrishnan’s group as a master’s student immediately after completing her bachelor degree. She plans to build on the projects she began as an undergraduate while also mentoring incoming students. But, her ambitions extend beyond her master’s studies. “My long-term goal is to remain in academia and ultimately pursue a career as a faculty member, combining research with teaching and mentorship,” she says.

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The Governor General awards are the country’s highest academic honour for Canadian post-secondary scholars. This year's recipients represent the University's dedication to empowering students to achieve academic excellence across disciplines.

Faisal Ahmed Alakoozi

Alakoozi graduates with an honours bachelor of arts in political science. His academic work in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) explored the intersections of law, policy and social justice. A focus on migration and refugee governance, as well as critical political economy was especially meaningful to him.

“As the child of Afghan refugees, my academic work has been shaped by both personal experience and intellectual curiosity,” says Alakoozi.

At 91��ɫ, Alakoozi found an environment that encouraged critical thinking and intellectual growth. He credits the support of professors and teaching assistants for challenging him to deepen his analysis, while opportunities for research engagement helped him grow as both a student and a thinker.

“Receiving the Governor General’s Medal is incredibly meaningful to me,” says Alakoozi. “It represents not just academic achievement, but a much longer and more difficult journey defined by persistence, discipline and overcoming significant physical and mental barriers.”

He adds that the recognition offers a moment of reflection and a source of motivation to continue pursuing questions of justice, inequality and belonging with even greater commitment.

This fall, he will begin a master's degree in criminology and social justice at Toronto Metropolitan University, where he plans to continue his research on migration, borders and governance.

Joshua Max Levine

Levine graduates with a degree in statistics, after pursuing his interest in how mathematics is applied to real-world applications. During his studies in the Faculty of Science, he explored differential privacy, an approach that allows researchers to draw insights from data while safeguarding personal information.

He did so, in part, through an Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Award, allowing him to conduct research under the guidance of Assistant Professor Kelly Ramsay.

While Levine was first drawn to the University for its proximity to home and strong student support, he found a wide range of opportunities for academic and professional growth. He was actively involved in the Actuarial Student Association, serving as director of education, and credits his mentors, including Ramsay and Professor Ed Furman, for encouraging him to challenge himself and expand his ambitions.

“It is an immense honour to be awarded the Governor General’s Silver Medal,” says Levine. “I see it as a reminder of what I can achieve with many years of hard work and commitment.”

Levine recently joined Canada Life Reinsurance as an actuarial analyst and is working toward becoming a fully credentialed actuary. Looking ahead, he is eager to continue his learning journey and gain experience across a variety of teams and projects within the actuarial profession.

Vanessa Otello

Otello completed her undergraduate studies in LA&PS, combining coursework in sociology and business with a bachelor of education. As an aspiring educator, she developed an interest in the role of technology and AI in student learning and its impact on educational environments.

Throughout her time at 91��ɫ, Otello found a supportive and engaging community. She credits her professors for inspiring her to continue her studies and pushing her to reach her full potential.

“I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people who supported me throughout my academic journey and inspired me to continue my education,” Otello says.

In addition to academics at 91��ɫ, she was a work-study student for four years, where she connected with peers and contributed to enhancing the student experience. She also received several academic scholarships recognizing her dedication to her studies and involvement in the 91��ɫ community.

“Receiving this award is an honour and a representation of years of dedication, hard work, growth and the connections I’ve built along the way,” says Otello.

This fall, she will begin a master’s of education at the University of Toronto, specializing in higher education. Looking toward the future, she hopes to build a career empowering students in post-secondary settings and remains committed to continued academic exploration.

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Like many universities in Canada and around the world, financial challenges facing 91��ɫ stem from external pressures and public policy resulting in significant strain. Despite this, the University is committed to advancing priority projects that invest in students’ academic experiences – from new programs and formats to improved learning spaces – through the University Fund (UF).

The University Fund was established to support strategic institutional initiatives, provide operating funding support to Faculties where needed, and enable emergency funding.

This year, the UF prioritized Faculty submissions supporting cross-Faculty collaboration and focused on improved teaching and learning experiences for students such as new active learning classroom spaces.

“The UF investment will help convert underused spaces into larger capacity, active learning classrooms that represent an important shift in curriculum delivery that is responsive to the evolving needs of 91��ɫ students,” says Chloë Brushwood Rose, vice-provost, teaching and learning. “These new flexible, technology-enhanced environments will support our mission to foster inclusive, innovative and high-impact teaching and learning.”

The UF is also advancing access to entrepreneurial supports and programming through the YSpace Network, the pan-University innovation hub.

“The network ensures entrepreneurship and innovation at 91��ɫ reach all students, researchers and faculty members with an idea worth building,” says David Kwok, director, entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. "This financial support from the UF will accelerate the development of the YSpace Network, co-designed in collaboration with the , to build a unified and connected voice for entrepreneurship that reaches every Faculty and every campus through expanded activities and initiatives at 91��ɫ.”

In addition to active learning classroom expansion and the YSpace Network, other supported projects include:

• The implementation of the proposed new undergraduate degree framework (pending Senate approval) through funds to support a new degree audit tool, revisions to the undergraduate calendar and the development of advising resources.
• Collaborative curriculum development between (AMPD), Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) and Markham Campus to explore a communications and digital media production degree.
• A collaborative and unified Faculty of Science- approach to a broader pan-University integrated outreach and access program for children and youth that can strengthen student pathways into 91��ɫ’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine and Health programs.
• Hiring of a dedicated Indigenous student recruitment officer.
• Within the , integration of non-degree studies offerings with undergraduate programs to bridge academic and professional learning.
• BorderPass, an immigration management platform to support the study permit process for all incoming international students requiring a Provincial Attestation Letter.
• Modernization of the 91��ɫ booth at the Ontario Universities’ Fair.
• A two-year pilot program to increase the availability of the Markham-Keele shuttle during peak periods to better match service with class start and end times.

“The innovative, new curriculum development project between AMPD and LA&PS is a top priority that has the potential to support more students in a program that will position them well for the future,” says Brandon Vickerd, AMPD dean. “91��ɫ has long been recognized as a leader in interdisciplinarity, and this new collaboration, along with other cross-faculty projects like the Science-Lassonde collaboration also funded this year, builds on a strong foundation that supports today’s and future students.”  

The UF does not spend funds directly but, through the Fund Council’s advice and recommendations, allocates them to Faculties and divisions in support of time-specific strategic initiatives.

Visit 91��ɫ’s University Fund website for more information.

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For decades, bird flu, a virus that affects avian species’ respiratory and digestive systems, has been treated as a problem related to poultry farms and migratory birds, says Moyles. In recent years, however, it has spread beyond those boundaries, appearing in mammals, infecting dairy cattle and, in some cases, humans.

That shift requires better understanding of how the virus is evolving and circulating. “Avian influenza needs to be monitored carefully, as its ability to adapt and move between species raises concerns about its outbreak potential,” says Moyles, who teaches in the Faculty of Science's Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

As with other infectious diseases, researchers rely on mathematical models to explore how bird flu might spread in situations that are difficult – or impossible – to observe directly, including rare spillover events where the virus jumps from one species to another.

These frameworks help decision-makers estimate how quickly a virus spreads, which species are most at risk and how effective control measures might be. Their accuracy can directly shape how outbreaks are monitored and managed. While bird flu is not currently transferring easily between people, its growing ability to infect a wider range of animals has raised concerns that it could increase risk for humans.

Moyles and his collaborators, however, noted that as bird flu was identified in new species, including dairy cattle in 2024, there had been little review on whether existing models capture emerging risks.

“This prompted us to perform a modern systematic review of mathematical modelling literature related to avian influenza to identify gaps,” says Moyles about the work now published in .

The research team examined 30 peer‑reviewed studies published between 2023 and mid‑2025 on how bird flu spreads to assess whether current approaches reflect how the virus behaves today. The work was grounded in a “One Health” perspective, which looks at connections between human, animal and environmental health.

What they found is most frameworks rely on a single, dominant approach. Nearly 90 per cent of the studies used compartmental models, which group populations into simple categories – for example, those who can catch the virus, those who are infected and those who have recovered. These models are relatively straightforward to work with and are often used to estimate whether an outbreak is likely to grow or fade.

The problem, researchers say, is many of these models are still based on earlier assumptions about how bird flu spreads, when infections were largely confined to wild birds and poultry. Since 2023, the virus has presented widely in birds, been detected in dozens of mammal species and, notably, has affected dairy cattle. Human infections remain rare, but are increasingly linked to contact with livestock. Despite this shift, most models overlook livestock almost entirely, limiting how well they capture bird flu transmission data and related emerging risks.

Studies using agent-based models, which simulate how individual animals or farms interact, and network models, which map how connections like trade or movement spread disease, was far less common. While these approaches can better capture real-world complexity, such as how poultry movements or farm networks influence transmission, they also require more detailed data and computing power.

The review also found broader gaps in how these models are built and tested. Many rely on assumptions or data from older studies, rather than being grounded in current outbreaks. Important features of the virus – such as how long it incubates, how immunity works or how it persists in the environment – are often simplified. Perhaps most striking, notes Moyles, is that very few models are tested against real-world data. Only two of the 30 studies compared predictions with actual outbreaks, raising questions about the reliability of the methods for predicting virus behaviour.

Models that leave out livestock, oversimplify immunity or fail to incorporate real evidence may give a false sense of certainty, especially when used to guide policy in fast‑moving outbreaks where the virus behaves differently than in the past.

“A lack of understanding of the multi-host transmission and spillover of avian influenza creates gaps in surveillance capabilities,” says Moyles.

To address this, the researchers recommend a shift toward more biologically grounded and data-driven modelling by accounting for livestock, incorporating data on how immunity works, including antibody responses and testing model predictions against real-world outbreaks. They also suggest using multiple approaches together, rather than relying on a single forecast, and call for better surveillance data and greater transparency in how models are built and reported.

“We hope that this review will motivate more One Health mathematical modelling studies and the collection and use of data that support them. This will improve the ability to design meaningful intervention strategies,” says Moyles. “In the long term, the goal is to develop models that better capture spillover risk, including early warning signs of the virus emerging in new species and its potential to cause outbreaks.”

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The program highlights contributions that position 91��ɫ 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��ɫ 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��ɫ' research community.

Awards

President’s 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‑abundant 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’s 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��ɫ’s research profile and academic mission. 

President’s 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��ɫ 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’s students, many of whom have gone on to academic careers.  

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

Kawakami’s work has informed legal practice and judicial decision‑making, 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��ɫ 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��ɫ’s 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��ɫ 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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The annual Canada’s Greenest Employers list recognizes organizations across Canada that demonstrate a strong culture of environmental awareness, embedding sustainability efforts throughout their institutional DNA.

For 14 consecutive years, adjudicators have selected 91��ɫ for its successful and proactive leadership in reducing environmental impact across teaching, research and campus operations.

“91��ɫ is proud to be recognized once again as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers,” says Narin Kishinchandani, vice-president, finance and administration. “This continued designation reflects the work taking place across the University and our deep institutional focus on climate action initiatives.”

The reasons 91��ɫ was again named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers this year were: campus projects that have been supported by the Sustainability Innovation Fund to advance climate action; the Faculty of Science’s ongoing development of a Sustainable Labs certification program that will ensure eco-friendly practices amongst lab teams; and reduction of infrastructure footprints through solar air heating, green roofs, solar panels, rainwater collection and more.

Adjudicators also highlighted the Office of Sustainability and Human Resources’ sustainability orientation module for employees, the ’s sustainable campus walking tours and the University’s support of the Sustainability Champions Network, a peer mentoring program that fosters environmental action on campus.

These initiatives are part of a broader suite of institutional efforts. Among them is the ongoing commitment to the Sustainability Strategy 2030: Positive Change: Connecting People, Planet and Purpose which includes a focus on reducing direct and indirect emissions by 45 per cent by 2030. That work has supported 91��ɫ’s accelerated goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 – a full decade ahead of its original target.

Across its campuses, 91��ɫ also continues to lead in environmental responsibility through efforts such as the upcoming annual  a�Ի� .

The University’s inclusion on Canada’s Greenest Employers adds to a growing list of accolades for 91��ɫ.

Last year, 91��ɫ was designated a Living Campus by the World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) for the second year in a row. The designation recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate leadership in engaging their communities in conservation action and education.

The Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 placed 91��ɫ second in Canada for its contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production. 91��ɫ was also recognized in the  among the top academic institutions in the world for its impact with environmental leadership, education and research.

Nicole Arsenault, program director in the Office of Sustainability, says 91��ɫ’s continued recognition reflects a collective effort across the University.

“Students, faculty, instructors and staff all play a critical role in advancing 91��ɫ’s sustainability goals,” she says. “Through their engagement in teaching, research and campus operations, they help strengthen the University’s impact and support long-term progress on new and existing initiatives aimed at accelerating climate action.”

As 91��ɫ continues to advance its sustainability priorities through both new and ongoing programs, the University remains focused on building a more sustainable institution. That work spans infrastructure, academic leadership and community partnerships, with a shared goal of strengthening impact across its campuses, local communities and beyond.

“Building a more sustainable institution – across our buildings, research, teaching and community partnerships – strengthens 91��ɫ’s leadership and delivers lasting benefits locally, nationally and globally,” says Kishinchandani.

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From 3 to 4 a.m. on April 8, physics and astronomy students used the observatory’s one-metre telescope to image Orion as it travelled back toward Earth after looping around the moon. The capsule carried Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

The observation was led by graduate student Sunna Withers and supported by Nakul Sethuram Ramjee, an undergraduate student. Ramjee also completed the data reduction, animating the images to produce a short movie showing the spacecraft moving against background stars.

"I worked on processing the Artemis II data using Siril (an astronomical image processing software)," says Ramjee. "I uploaded the sequence of images and applied auto stretch to enhance the brightness and contrast, and then converted the sequence into a video to visually capture it's movement over time."

Because Orion appeared low on the horizon, the imaging capture pushed the limits of the telescope. The team used a Mallincam camera mounted on the one-metre telescope at 91��ɫ’s Keele Campus to capture the historic mission.

Elaina Hyde, director of AICO and associate professor in the Faculty of Science, says this kind of telescope access and training is rarely available to undergraduate students. Having the largest telescope on any Canadian post-secondary campus, she notes, "is quite a boon to any space fan at 91��ɫ."

She adds that certification to use the telescope is open to all undergraduate students.

Withers describes the event as "very exciting." Because the capsule was barely visible against the stars, it took careful comparison of multiple images to identify its motion. "It was a great feeling once I spotted it," says Withers. "Artemis II is a historic mission, especially with a Canadian on board, and its amazing that we were able to get a glimpse of it through the one-metre telescope."

A video of the spacecraft imaging, along with a technical discussion of the observations, is available for public viewing on .

“This work highlights how 91��ɫ students participate directly in space-related observation, data analysis and telescope operations using on-campus infrastructure,” says Hyde. “Monitoring mission activity gives students experience with real-time space missions.”

Alongside astronomical research, the observatory tracks satellites and space missions connected to human exploration programs.

Artemis II is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program that is preparing for a return of astronauts to the moon in 2028.

AICO supports both research and public engagement and offers free weekly public tours on Wednesday evenings, featuring its 60-centimetre and one-metre telescopes. This summer will also host the 2026 AstroFair – a community fundraiser to support AICO’s programming. More details will be released ahead of the Aug. 29 event.

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The study, published in , tested a multi-agent system built with large language models (LLMs) to simulate the work of a liver transplant selection committee – a multidisciplinary group that decides which patients are placed on transplant waitlists.

Using real-world transplant registry data, the AI system demonstrated high accuracy in identifying patients who are likely to benefit from a liver transplant and those for whom transplantation would be unlikely to help.

“Liver transplantation is a rare case in medicine where access to a life-saving treatment is limited by organ availability,” explains co-senior author Divya Sharma, assistant professor in the Faculty of Science. “Decisions about who is waitlisted are complex, and committee deliberations can be subject to unconscious bias where a clinician's own background or identity may subtly influence their judgement, even when national guidelines are in place.”

Researchers set out to test whether AI agents – each assigned a clinical role – could support more objective decision-making. To test the approach at scale, researchers evaluated the system against transplant outcomes data.

The study analyzed 20 years of data from more than 8,000 adult liver transplant recipients in the U.S. using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. A simulated group of patients with known contraindications was also created to test the system’s accuracy in flagging cases that should be excluded from transplant consideration.

Results show the AI committee predicted one-year post-transplant survival with 92 per cent accuracy and six-month survival with 95 per cent accuracy. Contraindications were identified with an accuracy of more than 98 per cent, thereby identifying transplant candidates efficiently.

The research team also examined where errors occurred to better understand where the AI system works well, and where it needs careful oversight and improvement. The authors caution that continued monitoring is needed because transplant data can reflect broader inequities in access to health care.

“Our work positions LLM-based multi-agent AI systems as potential clinical decision-support tools, rather than replacements for human judgement,” says Sharma. “While AI shows promise in making liver transplant decisions more objective, it’s crucial to emphasize that the final responsibility must always remain with transplant teams and human oversight is critical to address ethical considerations.”

Sharma says while more research is needed to test the AI tools in real-world settings across different health systems, AI-supported committees have potential to help standardize complex medical decisions where resources are limited.

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At 91��ɫ, his impact was immeasurable and will continue to enrich the lives of students and scholars for generations to come. His legacy at the University spans his influential research in physics, decades of teaching and leadership, and transformative philanthropy that strengthened scholarship across disciplines.

“Dr. Carswell’s passing marks the loss of a pioneering force in physics, a devoted builder of institutions and a generous supporter of education, health care and the arts,” says Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. “His prolific career reflected a rare combination of scientific excellence, entrepreneurial vision and profound commitment to the public good, leaving an indelible mark on Canadian science, higher education and community life.”

Carswell earned his BASc in engineering physics (’56), MA (’57) and PhD in physics (’59) from the University of Toronto, which he followed with a postdoctoral research position at the Institute of Theoretical Physics at the University of Amsterdam. It was there that he focused his career on high-power lasers and the emerging field of laser radar, now known as LiDAR (light detection and ranging).

Nearly 58 years ago, Carswell joined 91��ɫ as a professor of physics. During his tenure, he pioneered LiDAR applications for remote sensing, environmental diagnostics, and atmospheric monitoring (including Arctic ozone layer observation). He was internationally recognized as a founding figure in LiDAR technology, and his research innovations revolutionized Earth and planetary mapping, atmospheric science and space-based environmental monitoring.

Most notably, LiDAR technology developed through his research was later deployed by NASA as part of the Mars Phoenix Lander’s weather station, a mission led by 91��ɫ scientists and work that led to the first observation of falling snow on Mars.

His career at the University spanned three decades. He was named professor emeritus in 1998.

In 1974, Carswell founded Optech with his late wife, Helen Carswell, who played a formative role in the company’s growth. Initially operating the business out of their family home, the company bridged the gap between academic research and real-world, deployable technologies. Under Carswell’s leadership as founder and president (1974-2000), Optech evolved into a global leader in high-tech laser systems. Operating today as Teledyne Optech, the company’s technologies have been deployed on all seven continents, in space and on the surface of Mars.

Beyond research and entrepreneurship, Carswell was a prominent leader in Canada’s scientific community. He served as Chair and member of the National Science & Research Physics Committee (1977-81), Chair of the committee on Laser Atmospheric Studies of the American Meteorological Association (1984-86) and president of the Canadian Association of Physicists (1985-86).

He was also a founding member and board director of Ontario’s Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science (now CRESTech), where he served as principal investigator who oversaw LiDAR atmospheric observatories in Toronto and the Canadian High Arctic.

Inspired by Helen, Carswell and his wife began their philanthropic journey with a $1,000,000 gift to establish a program at the East General Hospital where Helen had trained as a nurse.

After retiring from 91��ɫ, he assumed the role of president of the Carswell Family Foundation where he supported causes across education, health care, science, engineering and the arts. Carswell’s philanthropic legacy at 91��ɫ was profound.

Over decades of sustained giving, Carswell supported scholarships, observatory infrastructure, public science outreach and three endowed research chairs across the Faculties of Science and Health, and the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design.

His support was the driving force behind 91��ɫ’s Allan I. Carswell Observatory, home to the largest telescope on a Canadian university campus. The Helen Carswell Chair in Community Engaged Research in the Arts (2016), the Allan I. Carswell Chair for the Public Understanding of Astronomy (2018) and the Helen Carswell Research Chair in Dementia Care (2019) were established to promote research excellence, community engagement and knowledge mobilization.

In 2019, the Helen Carswell STEAM Program for Women was launched to honour Helen’s legacy as a nurse, entrepreneur and co-founder of Optech.

In recognition of his contributions to science and society, Carswell received numerous honours. He was inducted into the Order of Canada (2005), the Order of Ontario (2021), the University of Toronto Engineering Alumni Hall of Distinction (2006) and the Canadian Academy of Engineering (2011).

He received the John H. Chapman Award of Excellence (2006), Ernst & Young Ontario Entrepreneur of the Year (2009), the Volunteer Award from the Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists (2010), the C.D. Howe Award from the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (2010) and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).

He was also appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (1984) and a Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (1982). In 2022, he was named Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Throughout his long and distinguished career, Carswell exemplified the integration of academic excellence, innovative leadership, public service, and philanthropy.

"He made exemplary and lasting contributions to Canadian science, technology and society at large and remained an enduring inspiration for future generations of scientists, innovators and community leaders at 91��ɫ and beyond," says Philipps.

A celebration of life will be held at 91��ɫ, in the McEwen Auditorium, Schulich Executive Learning Centre, 111 Ian Macdonald Blvd. at 1:30 p.m. on April 19 with a reception to follow.

Click here to view the .

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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��ɫ 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��ɫ's rooftop laboratory – on the Petrie Science and Engineering Building – to host the research.

Also involved were 91��ɫ 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��ɫ in the U.K.

91��ɫ 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��ɫ researchers have also been in dialogue with the team behind ECCC’s 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’s largest city that could inform policy on everything from wood-burning smoke to the atmospheric impacts of road salt.

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

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

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

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

"It's a 91��ɫ 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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