The research team, led by Assistant Professor of York’s Lassonde School of Engineering and Laboratory of Advanced Biotechnologies for Health Assessment (LAB-HA), is developing a wearable biosensing device that promises to revolutionize preventative health care.

The non-invasive wearable device integrates microfluidic technology and advanced sensors to offer real-time insights into various physiological states by analyzing sweat.

The project, Revolutionizing Preventive Healthcare: A Wearable Device for Continuous, Non-Invasive Health Monitoring, is backed with $150,000 in funding from the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) Collaborate 2 Commercialize program, with an additional $150,000 provided by project contributor SynHiTech Inc., a biotech incubator. Through WearNovAi, Salahandish and team are aiming to take the technology from the lab to the market in the next couple of years.

Over the next two years, researchers will work to develop, test and bring this cutting-edge technology to market, offering the potential for early disease detection and timely intervention.

“Traditional medical assessments often require invasive procedures like blood draws and laboratory analysis, where our wearable biosensing device will offer a convenient, userfriendly alternative for ongoing health monitoring,” says Salahandish.

“This innovative approach to preventative health care empowers individuals to take charge of their health and has potential for wide adoption across the health-care sector.”

By continuously collecting and analyzing sweat samples, the device can detect subtle physiological changes associated with disease progression, providing early indications of potential health issues before symptoms appear, she explains.

“This makes it a valuable tool for individuals at higher risk of developing chronic conditions or those who wish to proactively monitor their health,” she says.

One of the distinct features of this device is its use of advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to recognize specific patterns in the collected data providing actionable insights tailored to each user. This personalized approach could offer individuals the opportunity to monitor their own health alongside their health-care providers.

 Salahandish says the device combines comfort, accessibility and precision, making it an ideal choice for continuous health monitoring.

“This innovative approach to preventative health care empowers individuals to take charge of their health and has potential for wide adoption across the health-care sector,” she says.  

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Anyone stuck in a jam would agree, and as chunks of the Gardiner Expressway are removed or reconstructed the jam-ups in some spots seem to be getting worse.

Researchers at �첥��Ƶ are working on various tools to make moving through and about cities easier, regardless of mode of transportation. “We need reliable, sustainable, fully automatic traffic analytics systems that continuously provide accurate traffic metrics,” says Professor James Elder, director of York’s Centre for AI & Society (CAIS), and a member of York’s Centre for Vision Research, Vision: Science to Applications and Connected Minds research programs.

He also led the (ISSUM) project from 2017 to 2023, working with colleagues at York, the University of Waterloo and partners, including the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), Esri Canada, Trans-Plan, Peel Region, and York Region, with close to $4 million in funding through an Ontario Research Fund - Research Excellence award. This project has led to several new initiatives to translate foundational research into prototypes and commercial products that have real-world impact.

“We are researching and developing AI [artificial intelligence] technologies for better, real-time understanding of mobility in urban environments and metropolitan areas, for sensing, analysis, simulation and 3D visualization primarily using computer vision to understand traffic flow,” says Elder of York’s Lassonde School of Engineering and the Faculty of Health, and York Research Chair in Human and Computer Vision.

Technologies developed in Elder’s lab use video data to derive accurate 3D geopositioning and classification of road users, including cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians and cyclists. From the raw data, critical mobility intelligence is extracted in the moment, including traffic density, speed and volume, used to optimize traffic signaling and planning, and identify traffic incidents.

Traditionally, traffic cameras are hardwired to the internet to transmit high-bandwidth raw video data to central traffic offices. In contrast, Elder’s team has developed specialized computing technologies that process the video data “on the edge” so only derived anonymized mobility intelligence is transmitted. He explains that this has the dual benefit of only requiring inexpensive and flexible low-bandwidth cellular transmission and preserving the privacy of road users.

This edge-computing approach also allows flexible deployment of traffic analytics systems using temporary camera installations, and increasingly, drone platforms, which have a privileged bird’s-eye view of complex traffic interactions.

“Processing the data in real time allows us to understand traffic flows and disruptions as they’re happening,” says Elder. These disruptions are often the result of major construction projects or sporting events.

“If you're running a FIFA World Cup event, you need to know within seconds or minutes how traffic is changing, so you can adapt – divert this road, open that gate, and so forth.”

His research aligns with CAIS’s mission to collaborate with domain experts and public policy leaders in seeking equitable technological solutions to priority societal challenges while respecting privacy and data ownership concerns.

“What we're working on now is a universal mobility platform that can integrate all three of these different modalities – hardwired and temporary terrestrial cameras and drones – to give a more complete picture toward mitigating congestion and emissions. If we can make traffic more efficient through better traffic analytics, then we can contribute to the economy by making the transit times of people and goods shorter. The big wins for society are more efficient commuting, lower costs, lower emissions and hopefully better safety, especially for vulnerable road users,” says Elder.

“Working with public sector agencies like the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and innovative Canadian transportation engineering companies, such as Trans-Plan, our goal is to translate this research into real products that improve quality of life for Canadians.”

Making the built urban environment accessible for wheelchair users is something Assistant Professor Mahtot Gebresselassie of York’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change is working on. She received a Connected Minds seed grant for her AI and Disability Accessibility in Toronto project as well as a Connected Minds travel grant to work with researchers at Mekelle University in Ethiopia.

She hopes to pilot the project in the Jane and Finch area of Toronto and at �첥��Ƶ’s Keele Campus.

“If you're a wheelchair user or a person with other types of disability, the built environment is not made for you, unfortunately.”

Planners, urban designers and architects don't always think about the user, she adds, and when they do, it is not usually a person with a disability. She should know as an architect and urban planner herself.

“Because wheelchairs require space, it’s really difficult for wheelchair users to maneuver the built environment if it is not made with their needs in mind,” says Gebresselassie.

That’s particularly true for pedestrian sidewalks and intersections where things like electric poles, potholes, or a slope that’s too steep, can become barriers. “Wheelchair users should be able to use pedestrian infrastructure like everybody else, but such barriers make it challenging for them.”

Just how accessible sidewalks are for wheelchair users is one of the main questions of her research. “The ultimate goal is to be able to scale this out where it can be used for different neighbourhoods or entire cities.” Using AI provides a quicker, more consistent and less expensive way to audit different areas of the city than potentially hundreds of human auditors doing it manually.

“We used the City of Toronto’s accessibility guidelines, extracting the information for wheelchair accessibility and any other pertinent data to develop an AI model combining it with an aerial map of the Jane and Finch area to see which sidewalks are compliant,” says Gebresselassie, who received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grant for some of her research. The model would also rank streets based on their accessibility.

“Because wheelchairs require space, it’s really difficult for wheelchair users to maneuver the built environment if it is not made with their needs in mind.”

The next step is to develop a smartphone app for wheelchair users that suggests the best routes for a particular destination based on the model’s ranking system. She is doing similar work in the city of Mekelle in Tigray, Ethiopia where she discovered most sidewalks are inaccessible.

Solving mobility challenges and building transportation systems that are safe, inclusive and sustainable are at the core of Professor Gunho Sohn’s research. He is Chair of the Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering at �첥��Ƶ’s Lassonde School of Engineering and the founding director of the , which brings together researchers, industry partners and public agencies to shape the future of smart mobility.

As director of the , Sohn led the creation of a 3D digital twin of �첥��Ƶ’s Keele Campus, developed in partnership with Esri Canada and the ISSUM team. As a dynamic virtual environment, it enables researchers to simulate the interactions between pedestrians, cyclists and sidewalk delivery robots in shared spaces. “We know our cities will soon include autonomous systems alongside humans,” says Sohn. “Digital Twin allows us to design for safety, accessibility and community benefit before deployment.”

His work also extends to large-scale, real-world transit systems. As a lead researcher in the Ontario Train Autonomy Collaboration with Thales Canada, he helped develop AI-based perception systems to support safer autonomous rail operations. Sohn also leads the 3D Mobile Mapping AI program – a $2.6-million collaboration with Teledyne Optech – focused on helping autonomous systems understand and navigate their surroundings without relying on GPS.

His team has developed mapping techniques that combine camera and laser sensing to allow vehicles to “see” and move safely through roads, pathways and public spaces. This work provides the spatial awareness that autonomous mobility systems need to operate reliably and safely in real-world environments.

Sohn’s newest project, Smart Mobility Advanced Research & Training (SMART), recently received $1.65 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Collaborative Research and Training Experience program to train the next generation of experts in AI-driven, connected and sustainable mobility systems.

AI, digital infrastructure, mobility policy and community health experts will collaborate with the Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) and the Opaskwayak Health Authority in Manitoba to co-create mobility solutions tailored to community priorities.

“We’re tackling urgent challenges in health, transportation and accessibility – including the smart delivery of fresh food from OCN’s vertical farm to households, supporting wellness and food security,” says Sohn.

The SMART program builds on Sohn’s previous work with digital twin systems and includes real-time simulation and testing, AI-driven traffic optimization, sustainable mobility using electrification, data governance, and autonomous driving and navigation.

As more roads and highways are built or expanded, navigating the chaos whether a person, robot or vehicle, can be complicated. Sohn, Elder and Gebresselassie are working on solutions to ensure people will be moving seamlessly and safely.

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Creative Collectivities: Rehearsing Equitable Futures Through Participatory Technologies

Led by Professor of �첥��Ƶ’s School of Arts, Media, Performance & Dance (AMPD) and Assistant Professor Michael Wheeler of Queen’s University, this team will explore how AI, virtual reality and immersive theatre can reshape social connection and collective behaviour. Collaborating with equity-focused theatre companies and community groups representing Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized and disabled communities, they will co-create experimental platforms centred on diverse voices and expand access to cultural participation.

Wearable EEG for Personalized Epilepsy Management

Current epilepsy monitoring tools can be uncomfortable, inaccessible and limited when supporting real-time care at home. Led by �첥��Ƶ Associate Professor of York’s Lassonde School of Engineering and Queen’s University Professor Gavin Winston, this team is developing a smart, wearable EEG headset device designed for clinical accuracy, long-term comfort and ethical use in everyday environments. The device integrates AI-powered chips to detect abnormalities and forecast seizures in real time, while accounting for diverse anatomical and hair-type differences.

Co-creating Intelligent Neuro-technologies for Healthy Aging (CINTHEA)

Older adults often face challenges related to mobility, cognitive health and social isolation. Led by �첥��Ƶ Professor of York’s Lassonde School of Engineering and Queen’s University Associate Professor Vincent DePaul, the team is developing AI-powered systems, such as lab-grade mobile assessments and socially assistive robots, to monitor the cognitive, physical and social well-being of older adults while promoting independence and connection.

When People Talk, Listen Completely

Canadians with speech impairments face significant barriers to employment, often due to stigma and a lack of accessible workplace supports. A team, led by Queen’s University Associate Professor Claire Davies and co-led by �첥��Ƶ Associate Professor of AMPD, is developing AI-driven communication technologies, educational tools and workplace strategies to improve employment access for Canadians with speech impairments. The team is advancing four interconnected research streams: AI-powered assistive technologies, inclusive workplace design, employer education and long-term strategies for equity in employment.

The Biskaabiiyaang Indigenous Metaverse: Ethical Virtual Environments Rooted in Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous communities face ongoing barriers to cultural preservation and digital sovereignty in spaces often shaped by colonial frameworks. This project is led by �첥��Ƶ Associate Professor , Glendon Campus, a research associate in the Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Languages, and Associate Professor of York’s AMPD and program coordinator of creative technologies at the Markham Campus. It blends Anishinaabe knowledge with immersive technology to create Biskaabiiyaang, an Indigenous-governed virtual learning environment designed to support language revitalization, cultural resurgence and healing. Co-created with Indigenous communities, this project charts a path for ethical innovation that advances Indigenous cultural resurgence, strengthens digital sovereignty and reshapes how technology serves diverse knowledge systems. Chacaby also received Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funding for this project.

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PROFESSOR (Tier 2) CRC in Innovation, Law & Society, Osgoode Hall Law School. His research examines the impact of AI and algorithmic management on labour dynamics, aiming to develop best practices that protect workers’ rights and eliminate the risk of abuses and fundamental rights violations based on the use of AI at work.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR KOHITIJ KAR (Tier 2) CRC in Visual Neuroscience, Faculty of Science. His research focuses on visual neuroscience and uses the findings to develop AI systems that mimic a brain to develop treatment strategies for mental health disorders. He has received funding from the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (Pilot Award), the Brain Canada Foundation Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research program and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), as well as the Ontario Early Researcher Award.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR (Tier 2) CRC in Data, Democracy and AI, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. Her research intersects digital and algorithmic cultures to explore the capture and processing of personal data. She collaborates with FemTech Canada to understand how apps are using personal data, while trying to regulate that usage. She examines social media platforms and third parties in the mobile ecosystem to increase critical data literacy and democratic debate about AI.

PROFESSOR JEFFREY SCHALL (Tier 1) CRC in Translating Neuroscience, inaugural director of the Visual Neurophysiology Centre, Faculty of Science. His work involves understanding the complexities of the brain and the decision-making process through the formulation of new mathematical models of computational algorithms. The research could lead to a more robust understanding of brain function and better diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions like dementia and schizophrenia. His research is supported by NSERC funding.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR (Tier 2) CRC in Reliable and Secure Power Grid Systems, Lassonde School of Engineering. Her research uses AI and transactive technologies in her unique cyber-physical testbed lab to enhance electrical grid reliability for an aging system prone to hackers and design trustworthy energy markets. She received a National Cybersecurity Consortium grant in collaboration with Cistel Technology, Siemens Canada Ltd., Carleton University and Dalhousie University to lead the End-to-End Cyber-Security Solution for the Power Grid project. She also received an NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate grant.

York’s newest Research Chairs integrate AI into their work

PROFESSOR (Tier 1) YRC in Reliable Artificial Intelligence, Lassonde School of Engineering. Her research is on advanced topics in data mining, machine learning and natural language processing, with projects aimed at optimizing big data systems and enhancing domain-specific AI systems, supported through collaborations with IBM and iNAGO Corp. An has received NSERC and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funding.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR (Tier 2) YRC in Safe AI for Health Equity, Faculty of Health. She studies innovations in foundation and generative AI to advance human-AI complementarity in health care. Her work aims to evolve these models into dynamic, adaptive tools for enhancing health through iterative learning, safety alignment and equity-centred design.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR (Tier 2) YRC in Artificial Intelligence, Data Governance and the Law, Osgoode Hall Law School. His research lies at the intersection of law, technology and human rights, with an emphasis on emerging technologies like AI, machine learning and automation.

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“As the world continues to address urgent global challenges such as climate change, global health crises and political polarization, and their impact on people and the planet, it is critical now more than ever for York to support novel interdisciplinary research collaborations that drive innovative solutions to these grand challenges,” says York President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “�첥��Ƶ is home to some of the brightest researchers in the world, and I am inspired by the talent, drive, and commitment of our researchers to making the world a better place.”

“York is pleased to invest in interdisciplinary research clusters that will continue to amplify York’s world class research excellence,” says Vice-President Research & Innovation (VPRI) Amir Asif. “The CIRC program brings together talented researchers from across disciplines and faculties, supporting research that will help address complex global issues identified in the UN SDGs, and driving positive change in our local and global communities.”

Seven projects will receive $150,000 per year over three years:

Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research Cluster for Detection and Remediation of Water Contaminants (CIRC-DRWC)
UN SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation 

Led by Satinder Brar, Lassonde School of Engineering, with co-Principal Investigators (PIs) Pouya Rezai, Lassonde School of Engineering, James Orbinski, Faculty of Health, Sylvie Morin, Faculty of Science, and Ali Asgary, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS)

Catalyzing Collective Action at the Intersection of Global Health and the Arts
UN SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being 

Led by Caitlin Fisher, School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design (AMPD) with co-PI Steven Hoffman Faculty of Health, and Sharon Hayashi (AMPD)

From Colonial Genocide to Just Relationships
UN SDG 16: Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions

Led by Luann Good Gingrich (LA&PS) with co-PI Heidi Matthews, Osgoode Hall Law School

Technologies for Identification and Control of Infectious Diseases (TICID)
UN SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being

Led by Sergey Krylov, Faculty of Science

Geomatics for Analyzing Climate Change Effects on Ecosystems and Human Populations
UN SDG 13: Climate Action

Led by Tarmo Remmel, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC)

Translating Brain Signals Across Scales, Species, Sex and Lifespan
UN SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being 

Led by Jeff Schall, Faculty of Science with co-PI Shayna Rosenbaum, Faculty of Health

Designing Sound Futures: Inclusive Design and Transdisciplinary STEAM Learning
UN SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

Led by Kurt Thumlert, Faculty of Education with Co-PI Andreas Kitzmann (LA&PS)

In addition, six other proposals that were highly ranked by external reviewers will each be awarded two-year funding of $100,000 per year for two years for a total of $200,000 each. These proposals include:

Biomedical Engineering Cluster (BEC)
UN SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being

Led by Alex Czekanski, Lassonde School of Engineering with co-PI Peter Backx, Faculty of Science

Towards Inclusive and Accessible Data Visualizations and Analytics
UN SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

Led by Enamul Prince (LA&PS)

Overcoming Epidemics: Transnational Black Communities’ Response, Recovery and Resilience
UN SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being

Led by Mohamed Sesay (LA&PS) with co-PIs Sylvia Bawa (LA&PS) and Oghenowede Eyawo, Faculty of Health

Research Cluster on Data Economy, aligned with UN SDG: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure
UN SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure

Led by Xiaohui Yu (LA&PS) with co-PIs Giuseppina D’Agostino, Osgoode Hall Law School, and Jennifer Pybus (LA&PS)

*Social and Business Implications of Introducing Micro-mobility Vehicles (at York) Implications for Disruptive Technologies and Experiential Education
UN SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

Led by Andrew Maxwell, Lassonde School of Engineering with co-PIs Marina Freire-Gormaly, Lassonde School of Engineering, Pilar F Carbonell (LA&PS), Manos Papangelis, Lassonde School of Engineering and Jose Etcheverry, (EUC)

*Towards Sustainable Extraction in the North, aligned with UN SDG: Responsible Consumption and Production
UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production

Led by Laura McKinnon, Glendon College with co-PIs Kamelia Atefi-Monfared, Lassonde School of Engineering, Gabrielle Slowey (LA&PS), Zachary Spicer, (LA&PS)

“We would like to acknowledge the members of the internal Adjudication Committee: Professors Rosemary Coombe, David Hood, Jane Heffernan and Dan Zhang, who have helped the Office of the VPRI support research excellence in ways that are equitable, diverse and inclusive,” adds Asif.

*Conditionally approved, subject to additional review. 

More about the Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research Clusters Program

The Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research Clusters (CIRC) program funds research excellence for interdisciplinary projects, crossing the mandates of at least two of the three federal granting councils, with the core team of at least five researchers for each project including members from at least two faculties and at least one early career researcher.

Modelled to replicate the success of interdisciplinary research clusters, the initiative empowers clusters to achieve research excellence and secure large-scale funding through highly competitive national programs, such as the Canada Excellence Research Chair, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund and the New Frontiers in Research Fund – Transformation stream. The CIRC program will scale the development of research teams and clusters to position the University as a key node in national and international networks in strategic areas of interest, while enabling impactful contributions towards the University’s Strategic Research Plan, the University Academic Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

All proposals received were subjected to expert external peer review, with final decisions informed by an internal adjudication committee comprised of senior York researchers with additional representatives from the Office of the VPRI. 

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Below are some highlights from this year’s Glendon Research Festival:

Centre for Research on Language and Culture Contact (CRLCC) 

A key part of the festival’s programming focuses on the work produced by the Centre for Research on Language and Culture Contact. The CRLCC brings together the research activities of faculty members and students at York who investigate various aspects of language contact at both societal and individual levels. Language contact includes topics that can include second or multiple language acquisition, minority language maintenance or loss, or the linguistic and cultural dimensions of translation. 

Curve of the Earth: Album Reflections, Pedagogical Connections

Retired Glendon professor and musician Brian Morgan released a new album, Curve of the Earth, in December 2022. The album was inspired by his experience as an English teacher in Chongqing, China in the late 1980s. In his festival presentation, Morgan discussed the making of album and his research on becoming a critical language teacher, English language teaching biases, and teacher identity as pedagogy.  

Student Exhibition

The festival featured a full day dedicated to oral presentations from student researchers at Glendon Campus. The research presentations covered an array of topics, including research on self-identification preferences in York’s Disability community, quantifying memory transformation, and Yugoslavian rock ‘n roll history.

Principal’s Excellence Research Awards

The festival also included the announcement of this year’s recipients of the Principal’s Excellence Research Awards, which recognize Glendon researchers who have made an outstanding contribution to research over the past five years. This year’s recipients include:

Professor Amanda Ricci (History), Emerging Researcher

Professor Radu Guiaşu (Biology), Established Scholar

Professor Kevin Reynolds (Linguistics and Language Studies) 

Marc Dupuis-Desormeaux (Biology), Contract Faculty. 

Le campus Glendon célèbre l’excellence en matière de recherche lors d’un festival annuel

Chaque année, le Bureau de la recherche de Glendon — le campus bilingue de l’Université York — organise un événement de trois jours visant à mettre en valeur les réalisations de sa communauté en matière de recherche grâce à des conférences, des lancements de livres, des expositions étudiantes, des présentations, des prix, etc. 

Voici quelques faits marquants du festival de la recherche de Glendon de cette année :

Centre de recherche sur le contact des langues et des cultures (CRCLC) 

Une grande partie de la programmation du festival est axée sur le travail produit par le Centre de recherche sur le contact des langues et des cultures. Le CRCLC regroupe les activités de recherche des enseignants et étudiants de l’Université York qui examinent plusieurs facettes du contact linguistique sur le plan sociétal et individuel. Parmi les domaines qui en font partie, on peut mentionner : l’acquisition des langues secondes, troisièmes, etc.; le maintien ou la disparition des langues minoritaires; et les dimensions linguistique et culturelle de la traduction. 

Curve of the Earth : Réflexions sur l’album, connexions pédagogiques

Brian Morgan, professeur retraité de Glendon et musicien, a sorti un nouvel album, Curve of the Earth, en décembre 2022, qui tire son inspiration de son expérience en tant que professeur d’anglais à Chongqing, en Chine, à la fin des années 1980. Dans sa présentation au festival, le professeur Morgan a parlé du processus de création de l’album et de ses recherches pour devenir un enseignant critique des langues, ainsi que des préjugés quant à l’enseignement de l’anglais et de l’identité pédagogique de l’enseignant.  

Expositions étudiantes

Le festival comprenait une journée entière consacrée aux présentations orales d’étudiantes-chercheuses et étudiants-chercheurs du campus Glendon. Ces présentations couvraient un large éventail de sujets, notamment la recherche sur les préférences en matière d’auto-identification dans la communauté des personnes en situation de handicap à York, la quantification de la transformation de la mémoire et l’histoire du rock’n’roll yougoslave.

Prix du Principal pour l’excellence en recherche 

Le festival a également été l’occasion d’annoncer les lauréats et lauréates du prix du Principal pour l’excellence en recherche, qui récompense les chercheurs et chercheuses de Glendon ayant apporté une contribution exceptionnelle à la recherche au cours des cinq dernières années. Les lauréates et lauréats de cette année sont :

Professeure Amanda Ricci (histoire), chercheuse émergente

Professeur Radu Guiaşu (biologie), chercheur établi

Professeur Kevin Reynolds (linguistique et sciences du langage)  

Marc Dupuis-Desormeaux (biologie), chargé de cours. 

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“With IPON’s financial backing, we will be able to streamline and develop a full-service IP and commercialization pathway for our faculty, students and our partners, and strengthen York’s pursuit of licensing and research partnership opportunities,” said Jennifer MacLean, assistant vice-president of innovation and research partnerships. “Our goal is to triple the number of disclosures and double the number of patents filed by York students and faculty per year, while supporting licensing and partnerships that move York’s great ideas forward.”

The fund will help create two new staff positions – an assistant director for the IP Innovation Clinic and a business development and commercialization manager for OVPRI – and increase business and commercialization impact for IP holders in Ontario.

“This investment is just one example of how IPON is supporting our province’s postsecondary institutions and innovators, by providing them with the funding, tools, knowledge and connections they need to harness the value of their IP,” said Jill Dunlop, minister of colleges and universities. 

“Initiatives like this are helping our province’s innovators benefit from IPON’s expertise and ensuring the economic and commercial benefits of home-grown innovation remain right here in Ontario.” 

Commercialization of research outputs can mean bringing a new product or service to the market. An invention by a researcher can solve a problem faced by consumers or businesses or help make life easier or more efficient. Commercialization can also extend the positive reach and impact University research has on society by driving revenue growth through sustained market opportunities. 

“The IPON funds will be invaluable to help scale the many successes of the IP Innovation Clinic working with Ontario’s startups,” said Pina D’Agostino, associate professor at Osgoode Hall Law School and the founder of the IP Innovation Clinic. “With these resources we can serve many more clients who do not have money to pay for expensive legal fees. We are also able to train many more law students to be IP and business savvy to protect key assets in the disruptive tech economy.” 

York is among 10 universities and colleges in Ontario to receive funding as part of the provincial agency’s pilot project to strengthen Ontario’s knowledge economy. 

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�첥��Ƶ’s Board of Governors appoints Kathleen Taylor as Chancellor

Kathleen Taylor began her three-year term as York’s 14^th Chancellor on January 1, 2023. An accomplished York alumna and business executive, Chancellor Taylor holds a Master of Business Administration from Schulich School of Business and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was the first woman to chair the board of a major Canadian bank and is the first woman to serve as York Chancellor. 

�첥��Ƶ appoints Mike Layton as inaugural Chief Sustainability Officer

Mike Layton joined �첥��Ƶ in March 2023 as its first Chief Sustainability Officer. The former Toronto City Councillor is a York alumnus and holds a Master of Environmental Studies. Layton will lead York’s Office of Sustainability, play a key role in the development of the University’s new Sustainability Strategy, and drive new initiatives through the University’s Sustainability Innovation Fund. The Chief Sustainability Officer advances York’s contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

�첥��Ƶ appoints Alice Pitt as Interim VP Equity, People, and Culture

Alice Pitt, a long-serving York community member, was appointed interim vice president equity, people and culture on April 1 for a term ending on December 31, 2023. Pitt first joined York in 1995 in the Faculty of Education where she became dean, and then served as vice-provost academic from 2012 to 2020. Equity, People and Culture is a recently formed division at York and includes Human Resources, Labour Relations including Employee Relations and �첥��Ƶ’s Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion. 

Funding Annoucements

�첥��Ƶ awarded $1.65M NSERC grant to develop future pharmaceutical technology

In April 2023, a York research team led by Distinguished Research Professor Sergey Krylov received $1.65 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) grant funds the Technology-Enhance Pharmaceutical Discovery (TEPD) program, which will mentor and train graduate students to become highly qualified personnel and enhance Canada’s global competitiveness by fueling innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. Students will graduate with industrial and academic research expertise, ready to be leaders in Canadian pharmaceutical research and development.

New professorship in Modern Spanish History funded with $1M donation

A $1 million donation announced in March 2023 from the Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund establishes an endowed professorship that supports scholarship, research and teaching in Modern Spanish History. Officially named the Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Professorship in Modern Spanish History, the professorship helps York continue its long-standing scholarship and instruction on the role the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion played in the Spanish civil war. The new faculty position is scheduled to be in place by mid-2024.

Markham Campus receives $5M from York alumnus

In February 2023, the building’s frame for York’s Markham Campus was completed with a “topping-off” ceremony and the announcement of a $5 million donation for capital construction costs from Metropia, a real estate development company founded by York alumnus Howard Sokolowski. In honour of Sokolowski’s generous gift, the first and second floors of the new building will be named the Metropia Student Success Centre. Markham Campus will offer academic programs and conduct research related to technology and entrepreneurship. The campus is slated to open in spring 2024.

Research partnerships

�첥��Ƶ named academic lead for UN’s new global Water Academy

�첥��Ƶ, in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), announced the launch of the Water Academy at the UN Water Conference in March 2023. The Water Academy will bring together several academic institutions and business executives from the five largest beverage companies in the world and advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As an education platform, the academy will deliver innovative training on pressing water-related issues, develop scientifically based water solutions to inform water policies and programmes, and forge skills, knowledge, and awareness for sustainable water management.

�첥��Ƶ partners with Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce to support economic growth for Black-owned businesses and social enterprises 

In March 2023, �첥��Ƶ signed a memorandum of understanding with the Canadian Black Chamber of Conference to boost economic opportunities for Black-owned businesses and social enterprises. The MOU commits both organizations to share knowledge and best practices with one another to help break down barriers and creates a pathway for CBCC members to fast-track applications in York’s first-of-its-kind Social Procurement Vendor Portal. The portal supports York’s commitment to community economic development, vendor diversity, and the innovative drive to change how the University buys goods and services. York was the first university in Ontario to open its procurement process to non-third party certified diverse vendors and social enterprises. 

�첥��Ƶ signs five-year MOU with Town of Newmarket to create positive change

In September 2022, �첥��Ƶ signed a memorandum of understanding with the Town of Newmarket, located a half hour drive away from Keele campus. The MOU is a five-year agreement that formalizes the partnership and focuses on three main areas: exploring new opportunities for the Town of Newmarket to host or develop programming, experiential learning opportunities for York students in the town of Newmarket, and research collaborations and community education opportunities between both parties.

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The Fellows receive $7,500 as stipend, with a quarter of the funds earmarked for research activities like prototype testing, proof of concept projects, or validation studies. They also participate in workshops and seminars that focus on various topics related to commercialization, including design thinking, intellectual property, licensing, and partnerships. Additionally, Fellows work at and receive advice on patent searching, industry outreach, and pitching.  

“The Fellowship provides a valuable opportunity to support and train the next generation of innovators and supports them on their entrepreneurial
journey,” said Suraj Shah, associate director, commercialization and strategic partnerships.

Ascend spoke with the four Fellows about the program and their products.

Kajanan Kanathipan
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Modular single-stage step-up photovoltaic (PV) converter with integrated power balancing feature 

Kanathipan’s doctoral research focuses on the development of new extraction techniques for renewable energy, particularly solar power. Solar energy can be tricky to harness for power due to varying atmospheric conditions, like cloud cover.  

Kanathipan is determined to find a way to circumvent this issue and build a device that not only streamlines the conversion process, but can maximize power extraction under all operating conditions.

Solar energy starts with sunlight, which is made up of photons. Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert the sunlight into electrical currents. This is then converted to electricity that supplies power for machines, homes and buildings to run on. It’s a two-step process involving different converters. 

Kanathipan’s idea would reduce the power conversion to a single step, using the same converter. This converter would also be able to better balance and store power from the PV panels to not stress or drain one converter more than the others. 

The invention would allow the entire conversion system to safely operate under different weather conditions. This would reduce equipment costs and produce a greater amount of energy for PV plants.

“We are looking to design and control photovoltaic conversion well enough that it provides an innovative solution in the solar technology industry,” says Kanathipan, who works out of the Advanced Power Electronics Laboratory for Sustainable Energy Research (PELSER) and is supervised by John Lam, associate professor at the Lassonde School of Engineering.

Kanathipan says the fellowship program has provided education and training not found in the lab, like the workshops on how to protect your intellectual property, build business partnerships, or how to determine a potential customer.

Right now, Kanathipan is working on a scaled down prototype, a key component of his dissertation.

Kanathipan is a PhD student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering.

Stephanie Cheung
Faculty of Education

VoteBetter 

Cheung created the VoteBetter app, a SaaS (software as a service) product, which aims to drive civic engagement in student politics. The application operates as a virtual election space for post-secondary student constituents, candidates and incumbents, and provides a central source for locating, contributing to and comparing campaign priorities. Users can view candidates’ profiles, submit questions, and view, rank and comment on crowd-sourced campus issues. Once the election is over, the app tracks the campaign promises of elected representatives and serves as a community forum.  

Under the supervision of Natalia Balyasnikova, assistant professor in the Faculty of Education, Cheung’s master’s research examines contemporary trends in political participation on diverse campuses in the Greater Toronto Area and explores how undergraduate student election voter engagement and turnout might be improved. The idea for the app was inspired by her research and Cheung’s own experience in student politics,
in addition to a former role as a public servant with the provincial government.  

“VoteBetter can be used as a tool for students to deepen dialogue and focus more on the substantive issues their communities face than surface-level politics,” Cheung says. “Student groups can wield hefty budgets and their constituents deserve well-informed leaders who understand pertinent issues and are equipped to pursue sustainable change.”  

Cheung says the fellowship program has offered structure and guidance as she works through her research and development phase. She says she is interested in the commercialization of her master’s research not for profit, but to extend the impact of her academic work.   

“I am often asking myself how research can live off the page,” she says. “And I’m interested in my work facilitating opportunities for co-constructing knowledge and bridging theory to practice.”  

Currently, Cheung’s VoteBetter app is being validated with end users.  

Cheung is a part-time master’s student in the Faculty of Education and full-time staff at York where she works as manager, student success and stakeholder engagement at Calumet and Stong Colleges in the Faculty of Health.

Mehran Sepah Mansoor
Mechanical Engineering

A method of fabricating one-dimensional photonic crystal optical filters  

Mansoor works out of �첥��Ƶ’s Advanced Materials for Sustainable Energy Technologies Laboratory. His research at the AM-SET Lab has led to him inventing a novel fabrication method for a photonic crystal optical filter, which can transmit sunlight over a broad range of wavelengths.  

Mansoor, under the supervision of AM-SET Lab’s founder Paul G. O’Brian at the Lassonde School of Engineering, believes the invention could have several applications, but it could be particularly useful to improve thermal energy storage systems, particularly those that store solar thermal energy.

Thermal energy storage involves preventing losses via heat conduction, convection, and radiation. Mansoor’s photonic crystal filter more effectively controls solar radiation and thermal losses simultaneously and can transmit sunlight to be absorbed and converted to heat in a thermal storage medium.  

The filter can also reflect radiative heat from the medium, which has longer wavelengths than sunlight, minimizing heat losses. The stored energy can then act as a power source later when sunlight is no longer available.  

“The innovation is the way the materials in the photonic crystal filters have been fabricated and the treatment applied to them to achieve the optical properties needed to refract or bend light in a desired manner, as well as the way we have been able to stack all of the materials together,”
said Mansoor. “Our method eliminates unwanted energy absorption in the photonic crystal while improving the energy transmission of the filter.”

Mansoor cites the program’s design thinking workshop as a highlight of his time as a Fellow. He says the fellowship also provided him a greater understanding of how to patent technology. This invention marks his first patent.  

So far, Mansoor has completed simulations of the invention and has some preliminary results. He is in the early stages of creating a prototype.  

Mansoor is a second-year master’s student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering.

Abbas Panahi
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

A novel portable platform based on field-effect transistor integrated with microfluidics for biosensing applications 

Panahi’s academic work studying biosensors – a device to detect and target molecules – grew stronger after a PhD internship at Mitacs. Now in his fourth year as a PhD student and under the supervision of Professor Ebrahim Ghafar-Zadeh at the Lassonde School of Engineering, Panahi has invented a new biosensing platform that can detect disease.  

The platform uses sensor technology that can be used on a portable device, like a smartphone, to analyze the specific concentration of RNA or any biomarker in a saliva sample.   

“This technology has huge potential for medical application,” Panahi says. “The device could be used in hospitals for non-expert users to run clinical tests and help detect viruses quickly and easily.”  

The portable sensor was developed entirely at �첥��Ƶ’s Biologically Inspired Sensors and Actuators (BioSA) Laboratory – from the testing and modelling, to all the engineering – by a team of students and research associates under the direction, guidance and conceptualization of Ghafar-Zadeh. The development process involved a variety of tasks, including in-house testing, modelling and engineering design. 

For Panahi, the fellowship program gave him a complete education for what it takes to start a science-based venture. He says the fellowship allowed him to fully consider every aspect of the commercialization process and develop a strong business model. He also says the program’s teachings on how to match the technology with market needs was invaluable.  

Currently, Panahi is working on technology market matching, and readying the device to undergo clinical tests in the next year.   

Panahi is a fourth-year PhD student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Lassonde School of Engineering.

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