From 3 to 4 a.m. on April 8, physics and astronomy students used the observatory鈥檚 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 Naul 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 York鈥檚 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 York."

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 .

鈥淭his work highlights how York students participate directly in space-related observation, data analysis and telescope operations using on-campus infrastructure,鈥� says Hyde. 鈥淢onitoring mission activity gives students experience with real-time space missions.鈥�

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

Artemis II is part of NASA鈥檚 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 鈥� a community fundraiser to support AICO鈥檚 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 鈥� 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.

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

Researchers set out to test whether AI agents 鈥� each assigned a clinical role 鈥� 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鈥檚 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.

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

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 York, 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.

鈥淒r. Carswell鈥檚 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,鈥� says Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lisa Philipps. 鈥淗is 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.鈥�

Carswell earned his BASc in engineering physics (鈥�56), MA (鈥�57) and PhD in physics (鈥�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 快播视频 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鈥檚 weather station, a mission led by York 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 York, 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鈥檚 philanthropic legacy at 快播视频 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 York鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 快播视频 and beyond," says Philipps.

A celebration of life will be held at 快播视频, 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 York 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 York's rooftop laboratory 鈥� on the Petrie Science and Engineering Building 鈥� to host the research.

Also involved were York 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 York in the U.K.

York 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Young points to why the work is imperative today.

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

With files from Mzwandile Poncana

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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The Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences (CSMB) has elected Pearlman as one of three 2026 CSMB Fellows. The designation honours senior faculty who have advanced molecular bioscience through research and service to the science community.

Over a distinguished academic career, Pearlman pioneered expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis in the single鈥慶elled organism Tetrahymena thermophila. This led Pearlman to be among the first researchers involved in one of the earliest genome sequencing initiatives, the Tetrahymena Genome Project. 

His research examined how cells turn genes on and off and how cells are organized and regulated. Findings from this advanced understanding of genome function has significant relevance to applications in health and biotechnology. 

鈥淚 am very delighted and extremely聽honoured聽to have been chosen as one of the three 2026 CSMB Fellows,鈥� says Pearlman. 鈥淭his is a very prestigious聽honour聽and award that I am humbled to receive. I know and have interacted with the other two elected CSMB Fellows and I am delighted to be聽honoured聽together with these exceptional and deserving scientists.鈥澛�

Pearlman has published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has shared his work internationally and has made significant contributions to science communication and science literacy. 

In addition to research success, he contributed to science leadership and public education when he served on the Council of the Royal Canadian Institute for Science as president, past-president and advisor. 

He was also an associate of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Evolutionary Biology Program. He served with the Gairdner Foundation as associate scientific director, and on its Medical Review Panel, Medical Advisory Board, and as coordinator for its high school outreach programs.

Pearlman retired from 快播视频 in 2008 after a lengthy career in the Faculty of Science but continues to be active in research working with colleagues and students on chromatin biology, as well as RNA biology, studying RNA processing and the origin of life on earth with a focus on the RNA World Hypothesis.

During his time at York, he also held roles as associate dean (1999-2004) and dean (2005-07) of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

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The CFI invests in state-of-the-art research facilities and equipment at institutions across the country, enabling projects that address international challenges and deliver meaningful societal impact.

快播视频 researchers will play key roles in two newly funded initiatives 鈥� one focused on mapping life on Earth, and another on probing the fundamental structure of the universe.

Professor Elizabeth Clare, from the Faculty of Science, is a longtime contributor to the Centre for Biodiversity Genomics (CBG), a global research hub led by the University of Guelph that has received $9,208,765 in funding. Clare has been involved with the centre for more than two decades, since its early development.

The CBG uses advanced genetic tools to identify species through DNA barcoding 鈥� an approach that uses short, standardized gene sequences to distinguish species from trace amounts of genetic material. In doing so, CBG can identify where species occur, estimate their numbers and explore how they interact and will use the data to inform conservation planning and ecosystem protection.

CFI funds will support modernization of the centre鈥檚 infrastructure. 鈥淭he funds will allow the renovation and expansion of the CBG building, meeting the critical need for additional laboratory space,鈥� says Clare. 鈥淚t will also allow acquisition of advanced sequencing and computational hardware required to provide support to the Canadian and international biodiversity science community.鈥�

Increased capacity will help position the centre for its next major initiative: Planetary Biodiversity, an ambitious effort aiming to document every multicellular species on Earth by 2045.

York will contribute to a second CFI-funded initiative focused on particle physics. Wendy Taylor, a Faculty of Science professor, is a collaborator on the ATLAS Tier-1 Centre and Distributed Computing project, which has received $5,376,964 in funding and is led by Simon Fraser University.

The project supports Canada鈥檚 role in the ATLAS experiment at CERN鈥檚 Large Hadron Collider (LHC) 鈥� one of the world's largest scientific collaborations. The experiment studies high-energy proton collisions that recreate conditions just moments after the Big Bang, offering insights into the fundamental laws of the universe.

At the core of this work is a powerful information infrastructure. ATLAS generates vast amounts of data, which are processed and analyzed through a network of high-performance computing centres. Canada鈥檚 Tier-1 Data Centre, located at Simon Fraser University, is a key part of this network and is operated by a national consortium that includes 快播视频.

鈥淭his data storage and analysis centre is a crucial Canadian contribution to the global ATLAS experiment,鈥� says Taylor.

With the new funding, the facilities at Simon Fraser will undergo a major expansion to upgrade Canada鈥檚 ability to store, process and analyze LHC data. 鈥淭his funding means that 160 researchers across Canada can continue to contribute to the world-class particle physics research program,鈥� says Taylor.

Taylor is a contributor to the ATLAS initiative and the Tier-1 Data Centre, helping advance the experimental and computational research. She has been involved in developing the Inner Tracker detector, a critical component that records the paths of particles produced in collisions. Her team uses the Tier-1 Data Centre to run simulations and analyze the enormous datasets generated by the experiment.

Taylor's work helps guide computing infrastructure needs while enabling team members to search for rare and elusive particles, including magnetic monopoles 鈥� hypothetical particles that could fundamentally reshape our understanding of the universe.

鈥淎t聽快播视频, we believe discovery happens when聽collaboration聽meets bold vision,鈥� says Amir Asif,聽vice-president,聽research and聽innovation. 鈥淭hese projects聽reflect the power of our researchers, students and partners coming together to push the boundaries of聽knowledge聽聽鈥撀爁rom聽revealing the full diversity聽of聽life聽on聽our planet聽to聽unlocking聽the聽deepest mysteries聽of the universe. By聽investing聽in people, ideas and world-class聽infrastructure, we聽are聽not only advancing聽Canadian research聽but helping shape a more sustainable, informed and innovative future for the world.鈥澛�

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快播视频鈥檚 Master of Biotechnology Management (MBM) program provided an answer. One of a kind in Canada, the program offers students training in biotechnology theory and practice, a diploma in business management and two to three terms of paid internship experience. The double credential offered at York鈥檚 Markham Campus allowed Fazeli to maximize career options by adding business to her STEM background.

What she didn鈥檛 yet know was the MBM program would give her multiple meaningful points of access to the biotechnology industry. Hands-on projects, immersive technical training and mentorship from a York alum during her internship shaped Fazeli鈥檚 confidence, skills and career exploration.

鈥淢BM is designed with sustained industry interaction throughout the student journey,鈥� says Jade Atallah, graduate program director, biotechnology. 鈥淭hrough internships, interdisciplinary capstone projects and industry-centred work-integrated learning experiences, students graduate with partner collaborations on their CVs, an expanded professional network and professional credibility that strengthens future employment outcomes.鈥�

Capstone and experiential learning projects in the program鈥檚 curriculum give students a chance to build a practical foundation while engaging with real-world initiatives. For Fazeli, this included a work-integrated learning project during her first term at York exploring regulatory frameworks for alternative proteins.

The project was a collaboration with York's Co-op & Career Centre with support from a Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL Canada) grant.

Fazeli also participated in a project to design a business case for a smart-model prototype for a health care equipment company, offering her meaningful exposure to regulatory frameworks. She notes this knowledge and experience were relevant to subsequent work she undertook with a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

The capstone experiences reconfirmed her interest in working at the intersection of science, technology and business as she began her search for an internship, a second foundational component of the MBM program. The competitive process inspired Fazeli to network, attend conferences and actively pursue opportunities.

At York鈥檚 Markham Campus, internship placements are supported by faculty members and a dedicated employer partnerships team that works closely with organizations to align students with roles that support their goals.

鈥淚 submitted my resume and cover letter through the portal. It was easy,鈥� she recalls. 鈥淎 coordinator got back to me quickly and connected me with the employer.鈥�

That employer was Dalton Pharma Services and the hiring manager was Saif Mia, a 快播视频 alum who is the associate director, informatics and technology services at Dalton Pharma Services, a CDMO that leads pharmaceutical development and manufacturing services for the biotechnology industry.

Mia graduated with a BSc in chemistry from York and says his degree was an entry point to the biotechnology and biomanufacturing industry. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be in this industry if I didn鈥檛 study chemistry,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he technical foundation I learned at York still applies now.鈥�

Today, he passes his support and expertise forward by mentoring 快播视频 students who are entering the field. Mia and his team engage students in collaborative, problem-solving roles that expose them to the complexities of a highly regulated environment. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our goal to shape future science students that are entering this field during their work terms with us,鈥� says Mia. 鈥淥urs are typically short-term projects, which are well supported by York鈥檚 co-op program since it offers a flexible hiring timeline.鈥�

In May 2025, Mia hired Fazeli as a digital systems implementation and data migration intern to support his team with implementing a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and to work closely with the organization鈥檚 Electronic Quality Management System (eQMS). She worked with Mia and Huyen Bui, senior specialist, QMS and lab informatics, to help design and troubleshoot workflows, migrate data and translate calibration forms.

Fazeli says she was thrilled to benefit from mentors closely connected to York and committed to developing student talent.

鈥淢entorship played a significant role in shaping my experience,鈥� she says. 鈥淲orking at a CDMO is very dynamic 鈥� there was always something I had a question about. Huyen and Saif always met me with guidance and support. I鈥檓 grateful for such a collaborative and supportive team.鈥�

Mia echoes gratitude and says the benefits go both ways. 鈥淣ot only do York students like Ida bring value to Dalton Pharma, but we also learn from them, based on the new teaching methodologies and techniques they鈥檙e getting from their curriculum.鈥�

鈥淪tudents come into their roles very curious, which is important,鈥� adds Bui. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l ask questions that inspire us to think of things in a different way, resulting in a process improvement or a modification in the way we do things.鈥�

Early in her role, Fazeli was invited to join four other York students for a week in Montreal to participate in the CASTL BioBridge Co-op Training Program. Delivered by the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL), the program provided hands-on training in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)-simulated facilities to boost students鈥� technical and compliance skills. It gave her another access point to industry and expert instruction in the field.

鈥淭here were many connections to my work experience, including the chance to go into the labs and see the cleanrooms,鈥� Fazeli recalls. 鈥淲hile I鈥檇 come to understand regulatory processes in my job, I got to experience them first-hand at the training facilities.鈥�

Now in her final semester of the MBM program, Fazeli is preparing to graduate with both a professional master of biotechnology management and a graduate diploma in management. She comes away with career-defining insights, confidence and professional connections gained from her mentors and industry experiences.

Programs such as BioBridge, and support for students like Fazeli, advance the Co-op & Career Centre and Markham Campus鈥� commitment to developing industry-ready talent and delivering value to employers.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a win-win,鈥� says Mia, of experiences like Fazeli鈥檚. 鈥淲e gain fresh perspectives from the students and they get a head start experiencing cross-functional collaboration on the job. In class, everyone studies the same thing. Coming into an environment where there are different departments working together on challenges is a great advantage and an opportunity to learn.鈥�

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Sadia Tasnim (data science) and Brianna Nguyen (digital technologies) have been named 快播视频鈥檚 Co-op and Work-Integrated Learning students of the year.

The鈥疌o-op Student of the Year award鈥痳ecognizes an outstanding student who has made a significant impact during a co-op work term in the 2025 calendar year. This year marks the inaugural launch of the award as an institution鈥憌ide competition, and invited nominations from students across all programs.

The Work-Integrated Learning Student of the Year award recognizes an outstanding student who has made significant impact in an activity defined by (CEWIL) as work-integrated learning in the 2025 calendar year.

Both awards acknowledge students鈥� ongoing efforts to promote work-integrated learning within their campus, communities and industry.

Sadia Tasnim: Co-op Student of the Year

鈥淔or as long as I鈥痳emember, I鈥檝e noticed how numbers quietly dictate what the world pays attention to,鈥� says Tasnim, a鈥痜ourth-year data science student.

Long before entering York鈥檚 Data Science program in the Faculty of Science,鈥痵he marvelled at the figures she saw in news鈥痟eadlines. She reflected not just on the鈥痳esponse they generated, but鈥痮n the hidden work behind them 鈥� who collected them, how they shaped decisions鈥痑nd how they drove outcomes.鈥��

When she decided to pursue co-operative education鈥痑s part of her undergraduate degree, instead of working at a鈥痩arge tech company, financial institution or consulting firm,鈥疶asnim鈥檚 work term took her to an鈥痷nexpected place: a local鈥痜ood bank.鈥���

Working first in鈥痑gency relations and then as a data administrator,鈥痵he joined Food Banks Mississauga on a growing data team and found a space where her鈥痶alents at鈥痠nterpreting鈥痑nd presenting data鈥痑ligned with her desire鈥痜or community impact.鈥��

Among four student hires, she was one of two selected to鈥痗o-lead鈥痶he organization鈥檚 largest annual initiative: the Annual Visitor Survey.鈥疭he led鈥痑 team of 20 volunteers responsible for collecting data from food bank鈥痗lients, assessing service satisfaction and gathering demographic information to help the organization better understand its community鈥檚 needs.鈥��

One of her鈥痬ost significant contributions鈥痗ame as鈥痶he result of an鈥痷nexpected鈥痗hallenge, when she鈥痜aced鈥痶he sudden鈥痙eparture鈥痮f a direct supervisor. Tasnim welcomed the opportunity to lead her team to the project鈥檚 completion on time.鈥疭he helped compile and analyze the data to produce鈥痑n exceptionally detailed report that her鈥痙irector鈥痙escribed as 鈥渢he first of its kind鈥� for the organization.鈥��

Tasnim also showed initiative by attending external workshops hosted by non-profits鈥痶o understand鈥痟ow data鈥痗an鈥痓e communicated effectively. By the end of her co-op term, she had completed nine reports, including a comprehensive organizational analysis, and presented her findings at a board meeting.

The鈥痬ost rewarding鈥痯art of her experience, she says, was knowing she had contributed to key food security insights that may guide future programs and resource allocation.

鈥淔rom the moment I interviewed Sadia, what stood out most was that her values and integrity drive the work she does,鈥� says Nicole Norris, director of programs and agency network, Food Banks Mississauga.鈥�淎s a food bank, our organization has evolving data needs and seeks talented鈥痠ndividuals to elevate our data approach.鈥疕er combination of technical鈥痚xpertise, leadership potential and commitment to the organization鈥檚 mission made her an asset to our team and left a lasting positive impact.鈥濃��

In addition to making a difference through her co-op role,鈥疶asmin is an active leader in鈥痗hampioning and contributing to WIL. She attended the 2025鈥疌EWIL Canada鈥疧ntario Regional Conversation, where鈥痵he鈥痟elped surface鈥痗hallenges in the landscape of WIL鈥痺ith peers and leaders. She also represented York鈥檚 co-op program as an ambassador during the Ontario Universities Fair, where she shared her experiences with prospective鈥痀ork鈥痑pplicants.鈥��

Tasnim also demonstrates leadership in her program as鈥痶he founder鈥痮f鈥痀ork鈥檚 Data Science Club.鈥� In this role, she has鈥痚stablished鈥痑 membership of more than 120 students and secured sponsorships from local organizations to provide financial support for鈥痶he club's growth.鈥�

In recognition of her achievements and her work inspiring鈥痽oung women to pursue careers in technology,鈥痵he鈥痟as been鈥痭ominated鈥痜or CS-CAN-INFO-CAN's W. Powley Woman of Inspiration Award.鈥�

Brianna Nguyen: Work-Integrated Learning Student of the Year

鈥疦guyen, a second-year digital technologies student at York鈥檚 Markham Campus鈥痑nd a Dev Degree intern at Shopify,鈥痟as distinguished herself through initiative, persistence and a commitment to community impact.鈥�

Her academic,鈥痯rofessional鈥痑nd creative pursuits demonstrate鈥痟er engagement and advocacy for WIL as a tool for empowerment, innovation and growth.鈥��

In the fully work-integrated鈥疍igital Technologies program鈥痑t Markham Campus, Nguyen dedicates 80 per cent of her time to working full-time at Shopify, and 20 per cent to completing her academic courses in intensive five-day blocks.鈥��

鈥淚 chose digital technologies because it offers a work-integrated experience unlike any other program,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hrough this immersive program, I was pushed to take initiative, apply my knowledge in real-world settings and step into meaningful roles.鈥�

As a Dev Degree intern, she has spent the past鈥痵everal鈥痬onths contributing to technical projects within Shopify鈥檚 Activation team. Her work helps support new merchants鈥痑s they onboard and begin to use the platform.鈥��

Early in her internship, she helped build back-end functionality for Shopify鈥檚 new Retail Yearly subscription, gaining foundational experience in shipping production code.鈥�疻ith more experience, skill and confidence, Nguyen moved to more鈥痗omplex challenges involving AI.鈥疭he proactively sought opportunities for 鈥減air programming鈥� with senior engineers, data scientists and product managers 鈥� a practice in which one developer writes code and another provides review and feedback. This initiative accelerated her learning, she says, and grow her relationship with different members of the organization.

Nguyen is proud to have鈥痗ontributed to development of Shopify鈥檚 AI-powered voice assistant, as well as a new tool that enables non-developers to quickly test prompts across AI models, reducing iteration time and improving鈥痺orkflows.

Nguyen's manager acknowledged her performance, noting she exceeded expectations in her role.聽Despite being a first-year intern, her performance聽was recognized as demonstrating聽capabilities聽equivalent to a full-time junior developer.

Beyond her technical skills, Nguyen has shown leadership by building inclusive spaces for peers. She has hosted Lightning Talks for Shopify staff and interns, presented openly about overcoming imposter syndrome, mentored new Dev Degree cohorts and served as a student executive for ElleHacks, Canada鈥檚 largest hackathon for women and non-binary students.

She also鈥痳epresented York and engaged in meaningful connection-building at the conference where she was鈥痵ponsored by鈥疻omen in Science and Engineering (WISE) at 快播视频.

Her achievements reflect her advocacy for inclusive innovation and her belief in the power of WIL to build confidence and community.

鈥淲ork-integrated learning has been an integral part of my university experience and a model that I have continued to promote,鈥� she says.

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