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 快播视频-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, 快播视频 researchers, led by CIFAL York, 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 York 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 York 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 York 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 York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, York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, 快播视频 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 York, 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.

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Created in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the initiative brings together researchers, community organizations and international partners to build knowledge and capacity to respond to the global water crisis.

With Shooka Karimpour, associate professor at the , as academic director, the academy supports learning, strengthens global dialogue and bridges water knowledge with decision-making and public policy.

"Water insecurity means different things for different groups and different demographics," says Karimpour.

While some water challenges are shared internationally, she says, the academy also works to highlight local issues 鈥� from changing ice patterns in Canada to the impact of drought on specific communities elsewhere in the world.

That dual focus shapes everything the academy does. Its free online courses are open to learners worldwide at no cost. Offerings include 鈥淥n Thin Ice: The Impacts of Climate Change on Freshwater Ice鈥� and 鈥淎n Introduction to Indigenous Relationships to Water on Turtle Island,鈥� among others.

The courses aim to build practical knowledge of water systems, governance and sustainability at both local and global scales 鈥� whether the learner is a student, a community organizer or a policy professional.

In 2024, the academy engaged nearly 8,000 participants from 147 countries through courses, events and partnerships including United Nations conferences, international research collaborations and public exhibitions.

One of its most recent collaborations illustrates how that work translates beyond the classroom. For World Water Day 2026, the Global Water Academy partnered with the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto to present a Microplastics Discovery Station. This brought York scientists directly to the public to demonstrate how microscopic plastic particles move through aquatic ecosystems. Visitors examined water samples, identified microplastics and engaged with researchers first-hand.

For Karimpour, the event captured something central to the academy's mission: moving water science from the digital space into hands-on, in-person public engagement with communities.

There is also work happening with community-based organizations to surface stories and solutions that connect research to lived experience.

A with water activist Swani Keelson and the non-profit Global Water Promise examined how water insecurity in Ghana affects women's physical and mental health 鈥� and how limited access to clean water compounds broader inequalities, including period poverty and barriers to education.

"We are providing them with a platform and opportunity to share not only global water insecurity issues, but also innovative solutions that have been developed to mitigate this problem," says Karimpour. "Our goal is to raise awareness and ultimately inspire collective action."

That combination of training, storytelling and public programming reflects how the work aligns with York's broader sustainability agenda.

While its mandate is rooted in Sustainable Development Goal 6 鈥� clean water and sanitation 鈥� the issues it engages consistently extend into climate resilience, health, gender equity and governance. The work around the Ghana story advances SDG 5 on gender equality, while the microplastics research supports SDG 14, life below water.

"You can't really confine the impact to one SDG because water availability is such a deep issue," says Karimpour. "It really affects and falls into a lot of other SDGs as well."

Karimpour credits strong institutional support from York, including from University leadership, as central to the academy's growth. Looking ahead, Karimpour says it will continue to build new courses and partnerships, with an emphasis on reaching communities that have the most at stake in global water insecurity.

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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Ciuying Jian (associate professor, ), Trevor VandenBoer (associate professor, Faculty of Science) and Daanish Mulla (postdoctoral fellow, ) are three of 34 delegates selected to engage in dialogue with policymakers during the 2026 Science Meets Parliament 鈥� Ontario Program (SMP-ON).

The event creates opportunities for in-depth knowledge sharing, in which delegates from the academic scientific community gain insights into the legislative process and learn how to effectively communicate research to policymakers.

This is the second year for the Ontario cohort, which is an expansion of the SMP federal program launched by the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC) in 2018. It serves as a non-partisan initiative to benefit scientists, members of provincial parliament (MPPs) and Ontarians.

The three York representatives will bring research expertise in water and energy, air quality and chemical instrumentation, and human movement to the Spring 2026 delegation.

鈥淭his initiative is important because it creates a structured space for direct exchange between researchers and policymakers,鈥� says Jian, a professor of mechanical engineering. 鈥淭his type of engagement helps ensure that decisions are informed by evidence and allows researchers to better understand how policy is shaped in practice.鈥�

Jian鈥檚 research explores innovative ways to use carbon and water more effectively. Specifically, her research examines how to sustainably produce carbon-based functional materials and use them to clean wastewater and improve environmental monitoring and green energy systems. Her lab also uses computer modelling to understand the behaviour of materials and interfacial systems at a microscopic level.

She plans to highlight to policymakers the importance of supporting both applied and fundamental research and hopes to help build mutual understanding between scientists and MPPs about how each approaches complex decision-making. Jian says she will share insights learned with Lassonde and the wider York community, as well as external partners such as the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering. She will incorporate these new perspectives into her research practice moving forward, she says.

For VandenBoer, the delegation is an opportunity to help ensure that 鈥渟cience is a non-partisan entity in politics,鈥� and looks forward to scientists and MPPs working together to serve Ontarians

Atmospheric and analytical chemistry is the focus of VandenBoer鈥檚 research at York, which develops new tools to track nitrogen from use as fertilizer to grow crops to the air, as well as in the air quality of urban environments including indoor spaces. The research team working with VandenBoer studies how these chemicals travel and change from microscopic interactions at atmospheric interfaces to impacts at a global scale.

VandenBoer notes that by giving MPPs access to experts, and CSPC teaching scientists how to translate research for policy relevance, the program ensures that provincial decisions can be grounded in the best available evidence.

鈥淭he collaboration aims to benefit all Ontarians by bringing a wide range of diverse, expert voices into government to solve real-world problems,鈥� says VandenBoer, adding he plans to maintain relationships developed during the delegation.

Mulla, a postdoctoral researcher with Connected Minds at York, sees the delegation as an opportunity to ensure his research generates evidence that is scientifically rigorous, but also directly actionable for public health policy.

His research investigates how the brain and nervous system control movements. By using advanced computer models, he explores how individuals learn new skills or break old habits, with the goal of finding ways to help people learn physical tasks faster and safely.

"Visible collaboration between researchers and policymakers signals that evidence and governance are working together, not in silos,鈥� Mulla says, adding that he鈥檒l apply what he learns to his teaching and research, and will incorporate findings into lessons about science communication.

By participating in the initiative, York researchers will help strengthen connections between science and policy at the provincial level.

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For 快播视频 student Sadia Tasnim, that moment came while completing her second co-op work term at Food Banks Mississauga as a data administrator. During a shift, Tasnim encountered a client asking for menstrual products. The food bank, however, didn鈥檛 have any available.

鈥淚 felt terrible that I could not help her in that moment,鈥� says Tasnim, an international student from Bangladesh who struggled with the idea of women who do not have access to essential products.

Tasnim knew her expertise in data science could help the organization respond to this need. Through her studies at the Faculty of Science, she has become adept at gathering, interpreting and presenting data 鈥� including using statistical methods, computational skills and data analysis techniques 鈥� and wants to apply that knowledge to create positive change.

鈥淎t York, I鈥檝e learned a variety of unconventional ways to extract and organize data,鈥� says Tasnim, a fourth-year student. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me to use this skill for a meaningful purpose.鈥�

During her Fall 2025 placement at Food Banks Mississauga, Tasnim worked on the agency relations team, helping to coordinate organizations that distribute food and essential items to roughly half a million visitors per year. When she was asked to analyze the organization鈥檚 historical data on female clients between the ages of 18 to 55 in response to the gap in feminine hygiene products available, she was thrilled.

She drafted a report of her findings, which was shared with Food Banks Canada 鈥� the parent organization that provides supplies to community sites. Tasnim says it was rewarding to see her data analysis shared with decision makers and help make a meaningful impact.

鈥淭hat is what pushed me to take on this project 鈥� making sure this need gets met,鈥� says Tasnim.

Addressing real-world challenges has long been a priority for Tasnim. As a teen, she co-founded her own environmental non-profit to plant trees in her home city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, to improve its air quality. She also volunteered for a social enterprise that delivers clean drinking water to underserved rural communities.

Thinking about her future, Tasnim is considering career roles in social finance 鈥� an investing approach that centres societal and environmental impact.

鈥淚 believe we have to use our talents for humanitarian causes,鈥� Tasnim says. 鈥淒ata can help drive smart decision-making in these important matters.鈥�

For Daisy Dang, a fourth-year environmental studies student, housing access is the issue that drives her commitment to work for change. She is completing a full-time paid co-op placement at the Toronto Region Real Estate Board (TRREB), a non-profit organization serving 70,000 realtors in the Greater Toronto Area.

In her role as a policy analyst in TRREB鈥檚 government relations unit, she contributed to the organization鈥檚 2026 Market Outlook and Year in Review event. As part of that work, she conducted extensive research on the efficacy of the current private and rental housing supply in the city. She also gathered data on trends and metrics related to housing affordability, residential zoning practices and homelessness.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a need for a greater variety of the right types of housing and more density,鈥� Dang says. 鈥淲e should be building more up than outwards and building more units with two and three bedrooms.鈥�

As a student at York鈥檚 in the Cities, Regions, Planning (CRP) program, Dang is well-positioned to understand and address Toronto鈥檚 diverse urban planning challenges. This interdisciplinary program teaches sustainable, inclusive practices to manage growth, adapt infrastructure, welcome newcomers and mitigate environmental impacts. She has critically examined urban planning through courses exploring sustainable design, regional governance, migration patterns and political ecology.

Dang is also applying her growing knowledge at TRREB in other ways. A core part of her job involves researching housing-related programs offered by the municipal, provincial and federal governments to include as resources on the organization鈥檚 website. Her research also helps shape TRREB鈥檚 advocacy responses in its interactions with government representatives.

Through her combined co-op and academic experiences, Dang has a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics driving urbanization in Toronto and is particularly interested in its impacts on residents who live at the margins of society.

After completing her degree in 2027, she hopes to support municipal government decision-making in addressing housing issues affecting the unhoused and low-income citizens.

鈥淚 think a city works when you put people first,鈥� Dang says.

With files from Sharon Aschaiek

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DHRN launched in April 2025 on the two-year anniversary of the Sudanese civil war, an event that has personal meaning for Merghani whose family is from Sudan and still lives there. Seeing the destruction and hearing from relatives about the suffering, she felt a strong responsibility to help. Her hometown, considered a safe zone, became a refuge for millions of displaced Sudanese fleeing conflict areas.

Late last year, she began raising funds to provide food and medicine to those in camps across northern Sudan, later expanding support to other regions through local volunteers.

Between December 2024 and April 2025, Merghani raised nearly $10,000 through personal outreach and social media and worked with volunteers who distributed food, medicine and emergency supplies. The experience, she says, showed her the power of grassroots solidarity and inspired her to create something more structured.

That structure became DHRN. Since its launch, the network has raised more than $160,000 to provide essential aid to internally displaced people in Sudan, working directly with community organizers on the ground. It is now a federally incorporated not-for-profit in Canada, strengthening its capacity for long-term impact.

鈥淎s DHRN grew, I saw how much trust people placed in our work and realized that impact comes with responsibility,鈥� says Merghani. 鈥淚ncorporating as a not-for-profit created transparency and sustainability, enabling our efforts to grow.鈥� The change allows DHRN to manage funds through an official bank account, build a board of directors, apply for grants and collaborate with universities and NGOs. 鈥淲hat started as a student-led effort has become something much bigger,鈥� she says.

DHRN is an Agents of Change project with York鈥檚 Faculty of Health, offering students opportunities to turn real-world problems into tangible advocacy, research and education. Among its first initiatives is , a student-led blog that highlights stories of displacement, resilience and belonging, creating a platform for dialogue and awareness.

Building on that foundation, DHRN launched its on-campus engagement work this fall with its first event, the DHRN Welcome Event, co-hosted on Sept. 24 with the Centre for Refugee Studies Student Caucus at York's Keele Campus. Facilitated by Merghani, the gathering brought students together for small-group discussions on migration, health and advocacy, and invited participants to share experiences and ideas for collective action.

鈥淭he event offered a safe space to talk about personal experiences relating to immigration, displacement and being a refugee. I am grateful I was a part of this learning experience,鈥� says Ann Kwarteng, a fifth-year global health student and DHRN blog contributer.

For Zamzam Aini, a third-year global health student and DHRN outreach director, the event was 鈥渁 meaningful opportunity to reflect and connect with others who truly care about supporting migrant and displaced communities.鈥�

While Sudan remains at the heart of DHRN鈥檚 work, the network鈥檚 mission has expanded to address displacement more broadly. 鈥淭he challenges faced by displaced Sudanese families are part of a much larger, global story,鈥� says Merghani. DHRN now aims to support uprooted communities globally and within Canada through advocacy and education, recognizing displacement as a global health issue not limited by borders.

The 鈥渘etwork鈥� in DHRN鈥檚 name reflects both its student team at York and its partners abroad. On campus, students lead advocacy, communications and research efforts that connect global issues with local action. Internationally, DHRN collaborates with volunteers, health professionals and community organizers in Sudan and neighbouring regions who help deliver aid and assess needs.

Looking ahead, DHRN plans to expand its initiatives through projects like the Displacement Health Resource Library and the Sudan Advocacy Toolkit 鈥� digital resources that provide information and practical ways to take action. The network is also developing partnerships with organizations such as the Migrants Resource Centre Canada and hopes to collaborate with researchers who study displacement and health.

Merghani says DHRN ultimately seeks to engage students, educators and community members who want to learn, act and make a tangible difference. 鈥淎t its core, the network is about solidarity and creating meaningful connections between those affected by displacement and those who want to be part of the solution.鈥�

She adds, 鈥淥ur goal is to bridge compassion and action, to remind people that displacement is not a crisis happening elsewhere. It鈥檚 about humanity, solidarity and the right to health and dignity for all.鈥�

Students, faculty and community members are invited to join future events, collaborations and advocacy efforts. To learn more, visit the , send an email or follow the network on and for updates.

With files by Sarah Merghani

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Sixty-five students 鈥� including nine international participants 鈥� had an opportunity to share innovative discoveries and research pursued over the summer during Lassonde's annual Undergraduate Summer Research Conference.

The students鈥� projects were supported through the Lassonde Undergraduate Research Awards and the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada鈥檚 Undergraduate Student Research Awards, which provide competitive funding to enable full-time research experiences. Aerospace company Pratt & Whitney partnered to provide support for student reserach as well.

Research inquiries spanned a broad spectrum of fields, including computer science, AI, health, robotics, energy, space, telecommunications, water and transportation. Unique contributions to research included AI-driven software design and gamified tools to ease the transition to high school, to analysis of gender bias in academic citations and innovations in cancer survivorship care.

Students shared their research and findings in a poster presentation competition evaluated by faculty members, postdoctoral fellows and senior PhD students. Three winners were selected for their innovative ideas and impactful outcomes.

Poster presentation winners and research highlights

First place: Shervin Tangestanian (Mechanical Engineering program)
Tangestanian developed machine-learning models to predict how droplets behave when striking solid surfaces. Using a large experimental dataset, his models outperformed traditional correlations in accuracy and scope, while also identifying key physical parameters influencing impact outcomes.

Second place: Felix Bourget (Mechanical Engineering program)
Bourget looked at how adding a special protective coating (made of silane) to water-filtering membranes can enhance their effectiveness in turning seawater into drinking water. The coating creates a thin shield that helps stop dirt and other materials from clogging the filters, so they stay cleaner and last longer, ultimately improving efficiency and reducing energy demands.

Third place: Mariam Jasim (Civil Engineering program)
Jasim demonstrated how pairing the microorganisms Rhodosporidium toruloides and Chlorella vulgaris could increase production of colourings (carotenoids) and fats (lipids) for use in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and biofuels. Because the two organisms support each other鈥檚 growth, this teamwork approach offers a scalable and cost-effective alternative to traditional monoculture methods.

The winners, as well as competition and conference as a whole, reflect Lassonde and York's ongoing comittment to providing hands-on learning opportunities where students apply technical knowledge to real-world challenges.

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Pharmaceuticals are also slipping through wastewater plants, while heavier rains are pushing flood systems to their limits.

快播视频鈥檚 One WATER Institute is at the centre of the response. Acting as a trans-disciplinary hub, the institute connects researchers, students and municipal staff to address the region鈥檚 most urgent water challenges.

鈥淲e focus on research that matches what municipalities actually need, from detecting contaminants to building flood resilience,鈥� says Farshad Dabbaghi, research associate at One WATER.

Collaboration is central to One WATER鈥檚 approach. Research themes are co-created with municipal partners during round-table sessions, ensuring that priorities 鈥� from flood mitigation to watershed health 鈥� reflect real community needs. 鈥淲e build partnerships through joint proposals, lab visits and working groups,鈥� Dabbaghi says.

Earlier this year, One WATER convened 11 research clusters with York Region staff to focus on operational challenges including urban flood modelling, ultraviolet disinfection, climate resilience, nutrient recovery and the removal of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and microplastics. Through faculty presentations and roundtable discussions, this work is already informing policy, guiding infrastructure upgrades and helping to design pilot projects for local water systems.

Graduate students across 快播视频 are driving much of this progress. At the , Pratishtha Khurana explores how pharmaceutical residues 鈥� antibiotics and antidepressants among them 鈥� persist in treated wastewater, shaping new strategies to protect public health. In the same spirit of inquiry, Gaurav Bhardwaj investigates the impact of microplastics on the microbial communities essential to wastewater treatment, providing practical guidance for upgrading treatment plants.

York researchers are also tackling water challenges in some of Canada鈥檚 most remote communities. In Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, York PhD candidate Caroline Duncan recently completed a multi-year, community-based study on water safety, combining quantitative monitoring with local engagement. Her findings have informed subsequent research on microbial water quality, microplastics and climate impacts in northern communities, now being advanced by York alumni Audrey Tam (MASc), 脡lan Chalmers (MASc), Mohammed Ibraheem (MASc) and Victoria Carroll (PhD).

In Ontario, PhD candidate Michael De Santi, MASc candidate Maranath Hormiz and PhD graduate Ahmed AlSayed are applying machine learning to boost water system efficiency for the Ontario Clean Water Agency, working under the guidance of Professors Usman Khan and Stephanie Gora.

By aligning academic innovation with municipal needs, One WATER equips communities to navigate water complexities with science-based solutions.

鈥淲e want to help municipalities manage complex water issues with solutions they can use,鈥� Dabbaghi says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the difference York can make.鈥�

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Syed Imran Ali, Director of the HWE Lab and Fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute, and his team recently travelled to Uganda to launch two new research partnerships aimed at improving public health in communities affected by humanitarian crises.

The first initiative took Ali and his team to Gulu University, where they met with faculty from Gulu's School of Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and the Environment, and Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies. Together, they defined and formalized a new collaborative research program, marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions.

Located in a region recovering from prolonged civil conflict and home to a large refugee population fleeing unrest in neighbouring countries, Gulu University will work with the HWE Lab on projects addressing communicable disease control, maternal and child health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in emergency contexts.

Supported by York International鈥檚 Global Research Excellence Seed Fund, the first joint projects will focus on water and health in refugee settlements in northern Uganda. Over time, the partnership aims to expand into additional priority areas in humanitarian health and bring in new partner institutions from neighbouring countries, contributing to a broader vision for a humanitarian health research network across the African Great Lakes Region.

Ali and his team also visited the Kyaka II refugee settlement in western Uganda to initiate a second research collaboration with the Nsamizi Training Institute of Social Development. A key implementing partner for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Nsamizi is responsible for delivering WASH services at the settlement.

Supported by a Connected Minds Seed Grant from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, this project will use machine learning to develop predictive tools linking water quality to health outcomes. The goal is to address a long-standing challenge in the humanitarian WASH sector: enabling timely health risk forecasting without relying on costly, large-scale disease surveillance studies.

Over the coming year, the HWE Lab will work with Nsamizi to strengthen water system monitoring, provide technical training, and support the development of proposals for future water and sanitation programs at Kyaka II and other refugee settlements in Uganda.

Together, these two partnerships mark a significant step forward in the HWE Lab鈥檚 mission to deliver practical, innovative solutions to urgent global health challenges through close collaboration with local institutions.

With files from Syed Imran Ali

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The 2024 prize winners are six early-career scholars whose work advances knowledge in their fields and tackles urgent global problems, proposes creative solutions and imagines a better, more sustainable world.

From developing a wearable brain-monitoring headset and tracking hazardous space debris, to uncovering the power of caregiver-infant bonds under socioeconomic stress, these students demonstrate what鈥檚 possible when bold questions meet rigorous research.

The annual prizes 鈥� valued at $2,000 for doctoral dissertations and $1,000 for master鈥檚 theses 鈥� recognize work defended in the previous calendar year that demonatrate originality, excellence and impact.

Doctoral Dissertation Prizes

Linn Bi枚rklund (PhD, geography)
鈥淢oving, Waiting, Searching Across Borders: Gendered Geographies of Violence, Disappearance and Contestation in Southern Mexico鈥�

With deep compassion and scholarly precision, Bi枚rklund鈥檚 dissertation investigates the lived realities of migrant women navigating the violent and often invisible systems of state-bordering in southern Mexico. Her feminist, participatory approach sheds light not only on trauma and disappearance but also on resilience, collective care and political resistance.

鈥淭his dissertation is an innovative feminist examination of everyday state-bordering practices as experienced by classed and racialized migrant women who are collectively searching for the disappeared,鈥� says Alison Bain, program director. 鈥淏i枚rklund鈥檚 work is original and leading for its politically-relevant production of new knowledge about invisibilized gendered spaces, actions and relations that span national borders.鈥�

Alireza Dabbaghian (PhD, electrical engineering and computer science)
鈥淢odular High-Dr Artifact-Resilient Wearable EEG Headset with Distributed Pulse-Based Feature Extraction And Multiplier-Less Neuromorphic Boosted Seizure Detection鈥�

Dabbaghian鈥檚 research is transforming the future of brain-computer interfaces. His work led to the creation of a next-generation, portable EEG (electroencephalogram) headset that鈥檚 robust, artifact-resistant and suitable for real-time health monitoring and seizure detection. With a U.S. patent pending, his work is already gaining momentum in both clinical and consumer neurotechnology.

鈥淒abbaghian鈥檚 dissertation represents an outstanding contribution to biomedical circuits and systems, well exceeding the expectations of a typical PhD thesis,鈥� says Manos Papagelis, program director. 鈥淭heir research demonstrates rigour, depth and originality, positioning it at the forefront of its discipline.鈥�

Muhammad Salman Chaudhry (PhD, earth and space science)
鈥淒evelopment of an Autonomous In-situ Bioprinting System for Skin鈥�

Imagine a future where wounds can be treated instantly by printing healing tissue directly onto the skin. That鈥檚 the bold vision behind Chaudhry鈥檚 autonomous bioprinting system, which enables on-site tissue regeneration with remarkable precision.

鈥淐haudhry exemplifies the best of our students as an exceptionally competent and curious researcher who has achieved much over the course of his studies, but clearly still has great things ahead of him,鈥� says John Moores, program director. 鈥淗e was able to translate his work into nine journal articles and eight conference papers, an exceptional number for a PhD dissertation in our program and more than any other nominated student in our program.鈥�

Master鈥檚 Thesis Prizes

Ana Badal (MA, psychology)
鈥淎ssociations between Socioeconomic Stress, Engagement in Joint Attention, and Infant Neurodevelopment in 24- to 36-month-old Infants鈥�

Can a parent鈥檚 eye contact help protect a child鈥檚 brain from the effects of stress? Badal鈥檚 thesis explored how joint attention 鈥� shared moments of focus between caregiver and infant 鈥� can potentially buffer the negative effects of socioeconomic stress on early brain development.

鈥淎na is a thoughtful and conscientious scientist through every step of the research process in a manner that far exceeds her career stage,鈥� says Adrienne Perry, program director. 鈥淭his study with secondary longitudinal data on a sizeable sample of women and their infants enabled Ana to go beyond what would be possible for a typical master鈥檚 thesis.鈥�

Diego A. Hernandez-Ospina (MASc, civil engineering)
鈥溈觳ナ悠� of a Bacterial Coculture for Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene Degradation鈥�

As environmental threats to groundwater grow, Hernandez-Ospina is helping lead the charge in sustainable remediation. His research developed a breakthrough bioremediation strategy using bacterial cocultures to efficiently degrade toxic BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) compounds, offering a low-cost, scalable method to protect water supplies.

The examination committee highlighted Hernandez-Ospina鈥檚 thesis as an example of academic excellence, innovation and societal responsibility. By advancing affordable, scalable solutions for groundwater protection, his work transcends disciplinary boundaries and positions York as a leader in sustainable engineering.

Perushan Kunalakantha (MSc, earth and space science)
鈥淩esident Space Object Tracking for Space Situational Awareness鈥�

Space is getting crowded 鈥� and dangerous. Kunalakantha鈥檚 thesis focuses on tracking objects in low Earth orbit to prevent satellite collisions and reduce space debris. His algorithms enhance the ability to monitor fast-moving satellites and other debris that threaten essential systems like GPS and weather forecasting.

鈥淜unalakantha exemplifies the best of our students as an exceptionally competent and curious researcher who has achieved much over the course of his studies,鈥� says Moores, 鈥渂ut clearly still has great things ahead of him.鈥� With four peer-reviewed papers already published, his contributions are both timely and important.

For more information about the prizes and how they are awarded, visit the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.

The post Transformative grad student research earns 2024 Thesis & Dissertation Prizes appeared first on YFile.

Looking back, Krol didn鈥檛 anticipate she would go nuclear.

While working toward degrees in civil and environmental engineering from Western University, Krol was interested in exploring groundwater remediation 鈥� the process of treating water that has been contaminated from, for example, oil spills.

When she moved on to doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, however, she encountered the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), which implements Canada鈥檚 plan for the safe, long-term management of spent nuclear fuel.

She learned when spent uranium dioxide from nuclear reactors is disposed of, it is first typically stored in concrete dry storage canisters (at reactor sites) and later, eventually stored deep underground. To ensure long-term safety of the project, NWMO works with researchers to investigate if and how underground conditions might impact the long-term stability of the containers. These underground conditions were something Krol was familiar with.

鈥淚t didn鈥檛 occur to me that hydrogeology is needed in that field,鈥� Krol says, referring to the area of geology concerned with movement of groundwater, a field of study Krol specializes in. 鈥淥nce you take spent nuclear fuel and put it underground, you鈥檙e now in my area of expertise.鈥�

Krol began working with NWMO and others, becoming a leader and partner in efforts to better understand the safe handling and disposal of used nuclear fuel. Her efforts have been recently advanced with significant funding for two major collaborative research projects focused on the safe handling and disposal of used nuclear fuel.

The first project, led by Western University and Krol鈥檚 longtime collaborator, Professor James No毛l, was awarded nearly $5 million from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to advance research on small modular reactors (SMRs) 鈥� a new generation of compact, portable and highly efficient nuclear reactors. SMRs, Krol explains, rely on tiny uranium-based particles encased in ceramic layers that allow them to operate at high temperatures on a much smaller scale than traditional reactors.

The NRCan-funded project, in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, is part of a larger national initiative to advance knowledge of SMRs to ensure its eventual safe deployment. Krol鈥檚 role in this initiative is to contribute research that proactively considers how SMRs can be responsibly decommissioned without contaminating the environment. 鈥淲aste management typically comes later. But, in this case, because it鈥檚 a new type of fuel reactor, we can look at it from the beginning and end right away, before we even start using them,鈥� Krol says.

Krol is involved with another project 鈥� this one a four-year Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Alliance-Mitacs initiative in partnership with NWMO with a similar goal. For this project, she will study how water and chemical compounds might move through the bentonite clay that encases copper-coated waste containers storing used nuclear fuel underground. The findings will help assess whether corrosive compounds could eventually reach and compromise the containers, creating an environmental risk.

The project鈥檚 shared mission to ensure safe nuclear waste disposal aligns closely with Canada鈥檚 and Ontario鈥檚 increasing reliance on nuclear energy. As Krol notes, nuclear power generates about 15 per cent of Canada鈥檚 electricity 鈥� and about 50 per cent in Ontario 鈥� without the carbon emissions of fossil fuels.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important for Canadians and the world to invest in clean technology to get our electricity from and nuclear is a great option for that,鈥� says Krol.

Equally important, she notes, is investing in research that ensures the use of nuclear energy will have no future environmental repercussions. 鈥淒oing research to ensure safe disposal is really important because we have to make sure disposal of nuclear fuel is safe for generations to come,鈥� Krol says. That鈥檚 why the recent NSERC and NRCan funding 鈥� and the growing number of projects she鈥檚 involved in 鈥� give her hope for the future.

鈥淭he funding is significant, but so is the message it sends,鈥� says Krol. 鈥淚t shows that Canada is investing in clean energy innovation and in making sure we鈥檙e doing it safely.鈥�

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