Lassonde prof tackles AI in health care with support from tech giant
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Laleh Seyyed-Kalantari, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, recently received a monetary gift from Google as part of the company’s Research Scholar Program.
Laleh Seyyed-Kalantari
Google’s Research Scholar Program aims to support early-career professors by providing generous funding and encouraging the formation of long-term partnerships. The funding is considered an unrestricted gift to help professors advance their cutting-edge work, ranging from quantum computing to health research.
Seyyed-Kalantari’s research focuses on investigating and improving the fairness of artificial intelligence (AI) models used in medical practice, aiming to ensure they benefit all users regardless of race, age, sex and socioeconomic status. Her laboratory, the Responsible AI Lab, is currently working on many projects, including one tackling the fairness of AI in medical imaging and large language models, as well as AI applications in drug discovery. She is one of many Lassonde researchers working on York University’s multimillion-dollar project Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society.
“After receiving the award, my research group and I met with Google to share research ideas and plan collaborative projects,” says Seyyed-Kalantari. “This will be a great opportunity for my students to work closely with an industry leader and advance our research.”
With a budding partnership and vote of confidence from Google, Seyyed-Kalantari is ready to help to right the future by addressing the challenges of AI in health-care settings through her research.
Government of Canada’s increase to scholarships and fellowships has benefits for York
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The Government of Canada has announced significant new investments to increase the value and number of scholarships and fellowships for master’s and doctoral students as well as postdoctoral fellows. This funding is critical for helping York University scholars advance their research leadership.
François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, and Mark Holland, minister of health, announced on May 31 that students receiving scholarships and fellowships from federal funding agencies will see an increase in the monetary value of the prizes they receive.
Starting September 1, the annual value of all current and new master’s and doctoral student scholarships will increase to $27,000 and $40,000, respectively, and current and new postdoctoral fellowships will increase to $70,000.
“By increasing the value of scholarships and fellowships provided by the government’s research-granting councils, the Government of Canada is reaffirming its support for Canadian research talent,” said Holland. “This will ensure the next generation of scientific leaders remain here in Canada, where their work has the potential to lead to a better quality of life and improved health for us all.”
Announced as part of the 2024 federal budget, the funding increase will come from Canada’s federal granting agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council, all of which look to promote innovation in research and reward academic excellence by offering a number of valuable and prestigious scholarships and awards.
In addition to the increased award values, the Government of Canada’s budget plan for 2024 also proposed to increase the number of scholarships and fellowships provided, building to approximately 1,720 more each year.
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships will continue under their current parameters, with funding of $50,000 and $70,000 per year respectively.
Additional details will be communicated to all award holders – including York University scholars who will benefit – in July.
Information on Tri-Council, provincial and other external scholarship funds available to graduate students at York University can be found on the Faculty of Graduate Studies website.
Three York University scholars named Banting Postdoctoral Fellows
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York University scholars Saba Asaad, Stephen Melly and Lynn Yu Ling Ng have been named among this year’s recipients of the prestigious Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded by the Government of Canada.
The fellowship program aims to attract and retain top-tier postdoctoral talent, develop their leadership potential and position them for success as research leaders of tomorrow. Valued at $70,000 per year for two years, it allows ambitious scholars to conduct their research and devote substantial time to work without the financial pressures that might typically arise.
The successful applicants were reviewed against three equally weighted selection criteria: research excellence and leadership in the research domain; quality of the proposed research program; and institutional commitment and demonstrated synergy between the applicant and institutional strategic priorities.
Below are York University’s three Banting Postdoctoral Fellows for 2023-24 and their associated projects.
Saba Asaad, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering
Saba Asaad
Asaad’s research project, titled “Over-the-Air Federated Learning via Benchmark Wireless Network,” develops algorithmic and analytic frameworks to address essential issues arising in the implementation of federated learning (FL) – a sub-field of machine learning that relies on decentralized data – in practical wireless networks. Asaad’s project proposes an alternative method called over-the-air FL which can address those challenges.
“Federated learning was first designed for ideal communication networks,” explains Asaad. “However, in realistic edge-learning scenarios, the edge devices [which provide a connection between different networks], connected to the parameter server via wireless links, face several challenges due to uncertain wireless conditions and limited resources.”
Asaad’s approach can be leveraged in the development of a large variety of services that deal with the concept of distributed learning.
Stephen Melly, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
Stephen Melly
Melly’s proposed research, titled “Development of the Computational Constitutive Model for Super-soft 4D Bioprinted Materials,” aims to formulate computational models that capture the complex mechanical characteristics of super-soft materials. This research has the potential to enhance the understanding of super-soft materials in 4D bioprinting – which has emerged as a useful tool for biomedical applications such as tissue regeneration – facilitating advancements in the field and the development of reliable and customized artificial tissues that match the specific needs of individual patients.
“Successful design and fabrication of engineered tissues necessitate a comprehensive grasp of the mechanical characteristics of super-soft materials,” says Melly. “This guarantees the efficacy of biomedical applications, as differences in mechanical properties between the engineered tissues and the surrounding biological tissues may result in complications like rejection.”
This cutting-edge project helps to meet the growing demand for accurate computational models that describe the complex mechanical behaviours of super-soft tissues.
Lynn Yu Ling Ng, Department of Politics, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Lynn Yu Ling Ng
Ng’s project, titled “Care for All is Care that Pulls Us Through,” employs an advanced critical intersectional approach to analyze care work and the presence of distinct forms of structural inequality (e.g. age, race, gender, class, nationality) that influence migrant care workers (MCWs) and their capacity to care for elderly persons. The project’s guiding questions are: how do MCWs make sense of caring for the elderly and for themselves; how do they strive to protect these visions of care; and how can these imaginaries of care be accounted for and integrated into care and labour migration policy?
“Eldercare is rarely framed from the perspective of MCWs beyond the common identity debates of race, gender and class,” says Ng. “Neither has much attention been given to their rich migratory experiences and expert knowledge of care work.”
The results of this project are expected to provide a valuable source of information for policy development in the field of eldercare.
Htet is one of 11 scholars from universities around the world who have been awarded $30,000 each in support of their dissertation fieldwork, archival research and writing. This fellowship program is administered by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and made possible by a grant from the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Global, which aims to promote the understanding and interpretation of Buddhist thought in scholarship and society, strengthen international networks of scholars in the field, and increase the visibility of new knowledge and research on Buddhist traditions.
The award builds upon – and looks to advance – Htet’s doctoral research at York which explores the Myanmar government’s attempts in 1958, 1962 and successfully in 1980 to institutionalize the country’s monastics – people who renounce worldly pursuits to devote themselves fully to spiritual work – under a centralized, state-backed authority.
Arguing against the triumph of the state’s political secularism, his work demonstrates the monks’ Buddhist logic and the sources of power within the tradition that led to them finally accepting this centralized authority. He shows how the state’s attempt to regulate religion resulted not only in the monastics being put under state control but the state ultimately being transformed by religion – creating a more orthodox society and resulting in an authoritarian, nationalist Buddhist state and communities.
“I am extremely delighted and looking forward to the field research,” says Htet, “as my work has potential to provide significant theoretical intervention on how the other-worldly ideal of the Theravada [Buddhist] tradition and protection of Buddhist teaching can get entwined with the ‘political secularism’ of the modern nation-state.”
York University partnership supports social entrepreneurship
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A collaboration between York University’s YSpace and Schulich ExecEd, and Toronto Montessori Schools (TMS), is nurturing and supporting the next generation of changemakers. The TMS Schulich Innovation & Entrepreneurial Experience (TSE) program has been empowering high-school students since 2019 to cultivate entrepreneurial skills and a sense of social responsibility.
“We are delighted to partner with TMS and YSpace on the TSE program,” says Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. “Together, we have developed a program tailored for high-school students that enhances their business and leadership skills while guiding them to build scalable solutions to real-world problems.”
Recent participants, high-school students Ayden Lee and Lucas Wei, have been awarded a prestigious Global Youth Action Fund grant of US$3,000 for a project called Crew of Care. They developed it with their teammates Evan Leung and Sheng Yang during their time in the program.
The students embarked on their social entrepreneurship journey during the TSE prototype phase, where they together conceived the idea of a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing medical inequality and fostering reconciliation with Indigenous communities in Ontario. Crew of Care’s mission was to create more inclusive health-care solutions by hosting community fundraising events and educational workshops, and collaborating with larger organizations. The team received valuable feedback and mentorship during the TSE experience in July 2023, further igniting the passion and commitment of two of its founders, Lee and Wei, who continued to pursue the project beyond the program and worked to secure financial support.
The original Crew of Care team – Ayden Lee, Lucas Wei, Evan Leung and Sheng Yang – presenting their idea during TSE 2023.
The Global Youth Action Fund, an initiative of the International Baccalaureate education program, supports youth-led projects aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The Crew of Care project stood out to the selection committee due to its potential impact, collaborative approach and commitment to social change. The awarded funding will provide vital support to Crew of Care as the organization continues to expand its reach and initiatives.
Looking ahead, the Crew of Care founders – along with executive team members Vincent Peng, Sebastian Churchill, Shabadleen Sandhu, Amber Kwong and Hussain Ladak – envision partnerships with health awareness non-governmental organizations like Water First, and aim to host city-wide fundraising events and workshops to advance their mission of enhancing health-care access for Indigenous communities.
The TMS Schulich Innovation & Entrepreneurial Experience remains committed to fostering youth-led initiatives aligned with the UN SDGs. The upcoming TSE 2024 program will focus on food security and sustainability, offering students a platform to explore various issues impacting global food systems.
“Since 2019, we have been committed to nurturing the next generation of leaders through the TSE program, cultivating entrepreneurial skills and a deep sense of social responsibility,” says Mayer. “This partnership equips the next generation with the expertise needed to make positive impacts in local communities and to emerge as visionary leaders of tomorrow.”
Lassonde prof honoured with gold medal for engineering excellence
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Professor George Zhu at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering recently received a gold medal from the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) in recognition of his contributions to the field.
George Zhu
The Ontario Professional Engineers Awards honour first-class engineers and members of the OSPE who have made outstanding contributions to their field and broader community. The gold medal represents the highest honour, recognizing individuals who demonstrate exceptional public service, technical excellence and professional leadership.
“Receiving this award will help elevate my reputation among engineers nationally and internationally, while expanding my network and creating opportunities for collaboration with industry partners,” says Zhu.
Currently, Zhu is focused on making access to space more cost-effective by using 3D printing to make spacecraft and other structures in outer space. His forward-thinking research has inspired other innovations, like using intelligent robots for space debris removal and tether systems for space transportation. His influential work has expanded the research capacity of Lassonde and attracted attention from broad scientific communities.
Zhu also co-directs Lassonde’s Manufacturing, Technology & Entrepreneurship Centre, an Organized Research Unit that blends three complementary disciplines to bring innovative technologies to market.
As a gold medal recipient, Zhu plans to build on this accolade by continuing to advance the field of engineering, build academic and industry partnerships, and drive impactful research to right the future.
Two York faculty members receive Minister’s Award of Excellence
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Colored confetti flying on blue background
Professors Pina D’Agostino and Andrew Maxwell have each been recognized with the government of Ontario’s 2022-23 Minister’s Award of Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is given to people within the province’s post-secondary institutions and career colleges who demonstrate dedication and achievement in their respective fields.
Recipients of the Minister’s Award of Excellence are selected based on their accomplishments in teaching excellence, research innovation, student engagement and community partnerships. The award aims to not only recognize individual excellence, but how winners have made an impact in shaping the future of Ontario’s education sector.
Pina D’Agostino
This year, the minister received over 480 nominations. In their award category – Innovation and Entrepreneurship – D’Agostino and Maxwell represented two of the three total winners, demonstrating their, and York’s, leadership in the field.
This year, D’Agostino was recognized – as noted by the award committee – for her “track record of founding leading-edge initiatives … that [have] supported countless startups across the province.” Notable examples are D’Agostino’s founding and directing of the IP Innovation Clinic and the Intellectual Property Law & Technology Intensive Program, as well as being the founding director of IP Osgoode. Through these initiatives, she has helped to provide vital support to hundreds of innovators and startups in Ontario and across Canada, helping advance knowledge and the application of intellectual property (IP) and offsetting over $2 million via pro bono assistance while helping to train the next generation of IP practitioners.
The Minister’s Awards of Excellence additionally recognized Maxwell – a Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship – for his dedication to transforming student educational experiences and driving economic development through pioneering initiatives.
Andrew Maxwell
Those initiatives have included the establishment of the living lab, which fosters collaboration between academia and industry through strategic partnerships. Among collaborations overseen by Maxwell is the prototyping, testing and deployment of the SARIT micro-mobility electric vehicle on campus. The SARIT vehicles are a flagship project for the new Manufacturing, Technology & Entrepreneurship Centre, which has provided students with invaluable opportunities to engage directly with industry leaders and work on cutting-edge technologies poised to impact mobility and the growing electric vehicle industry. Maxwell has also helped secure multidisciplinary research funding from York and the Ontario Research Fund to explore the social impact of the SARIT and enhance its safety and ride experience.
As the director of the Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science & Technology (BEST) Lab at Lassonde, he has also been instrumental in supporting entrepreneurial ventures, enhancing university research commercialization and revolutionizing educational paradigms.
As a professor, Maxwell was also recognized for his efforts to link sustainability, experiential learning and community with innovative pedagogical methods – including weekend hackathons, multidisciplinary entrepreneurship certificates and intense, three-week, experiential international visits.
Financial Times ranks Schulich ExecEd among world’s top executive education providers
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The Financial Times of London has ranked York University’s Schulich ExecEd among the world’s top 30 executive education providers. The result marks a significant milestone for Schulich ExecEd as it continues its upward trajectory on what is widely regarded as the world’s premier executive education ranking, climbing an average of 17 spots in four years across the Open Enrolment and Customized programs categories.
In the Financial Times’ 2024 executive education ranking, Schulich ExecEd ranked 27th in the world, its highest-ever rank in the annual survey, in Open Enrolment programs – non-degree programs open to professionals looking to expand their skills and on-the-job responsibilities. Among North American executive education providers, Schulich ExecEd ranked third in the Open Enrolment category and sixth in the Customized programs category – non-degree programs for employees from the private or public sector, commissioned by senior managers to address specific training needs. Schulich ExecEd also earned the No. 1 spot in Canada for customer satisfaction in the Customized programs category.
“We’re honoured to achieve our highest ranking to date and once again be recognized by the Financial Times,” said Rami Mayer, executive director of Schulich ExecEd. “This acknowledgment is a testament to our exceptional instructors, the talented team at Schulich ExecEd, and our dedicated clients and participants. We remain committed to delivering innovative learning experiences across all programs and are very excited for our next transformation in executive education.”
York University Professor receives community research award
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York University Assistant Professor Marsha Rampersaud, who teaches law and society in the Department of Social Science in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, has received a prestigious award from Community-Based Research Canada (CBRCanada) in recognition of her work with marginalized youth.
The Emerging Community-Based Researcher Award is among the top honours given out by CBRCanada, recognizing excellence in community-based research. The organization selected Rampersaud as its winner this year among a list of 18 other high-calibre nominations from across Canada.
Marsha Rampersaud
Rampersaud received the award as a recognition of her research engagement with marginalized youth and their communities, working toward societal change in the criminal justice system.In particular, she combines insights from the critical race, punishment, and abolition theories to examine issues of racial and social justice, the purpose of punishment and the impacts of societal structures on differently situated groups.
Rampersaud’s approach as a socio-legal researcher, whose approach is firmly rooted in practice, collaborates closely with the communities that inform her research to cultivate projects from the ground up.
Her community-driven research approach has led to impactful work, like a report she co-authored, titled “Half the Time I Felt Nobody Loved Me,” which has been praised for its examination of youth “aging out” of state guardianship in Ontario and the tangible and intangible costs associated with inadequate support. The report offers policy suggestions to enhance outcomes for youth and society.
Her extensive work in the field has also helped shape programming at StepStones for Youth, an organization she is involved with that supports youth in and from the foster care and group home care systems.
During a virtual awards gala, CBRCanada presented Rampersaud with a $1,000 cash prize to support her future community-based research projects. “This generous funding from CBRCanada will help support a Social Work Symposium this fall, hosted by StepStones for Youth, that will bring together international experts to tackle current issues in child protection,” she says.
York students recognized for impactful leadership
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Eleven York University students were recently honoured with the Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award, which recognizes students whose leadership has contributed to the growth, development and vitality of the University.
“We are impressed with the calibre of student leaders we have and the many ways they make contributions to the York community throughout their years with us,” says Yvette Munro, assistant vice-provost, student success. “Whether their leadership role supports students across the University, in their Faculty or with a community of students with whom they share common interests or backgrounds, their contributions make York a better place.”
Now in its 12th year, the award was created in honour of Robert J. Tiffin, who served as York University’s vice-president, students, for nine years. University community members nominate individuals who demonstrate leadership and make valuable contributions to York.
“It cannot be overstated that the recipients of this award have played a vital role in shaping the student experience at York,” says Tiffin. “Their active engagement in so many aspects of student life has served to unlock their own leadership potential and empower their fellow students to create more engagement opportunities for future students.”
The winners were celebrated at an on-campus event on May 15.
This year’s Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award recipients with Robert J. Tiffin at the awards ceremony. Top row, from left to right: Dulce Martinez, Ginelle Aziz, Luca Filippelli, Robert J. Tiffin, Meaghan Landry and Taline Apelian-Sutor. Bottom row, from left to right: Madison Hartley, Nicole Dimitrova and Clifton Grant. Not pictured: April Cole, Ali Bashar and Jennifer Bromberg.
This year’s Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award winners:
Taline Apelian-Sutor, bachelor of science (honours) in biology Apelian-Sutor has been actively engaged in York’s student life. As a member of the York University Alumni Board, she works with staff and alumni to enhance York’s reputation, encourage philanthropy and increase community engagement. As a President’s Ambassador, Student Alumni Ambassador and Science Student Ambassador, Apelian-Sutor has collaborated with others to promote the University and voice the student perspective. She has also contributed to York’s legacy project that helps address food insecurity on campus.
Ginelle Aziz, master of applied science in civil engineering Aziz has left her mark on the Lassonde community through her involvement with various organizations, including as the president of Engineering Without Borders and by helping thousands of students during Lassonde’s Social Orientation Weeks between 2017 and 2022. Aziz says her most impactful and empowering contribution at York was as a graduate representative for the National Day of Remembrance on Violence Against Women in 2022, where she discussed the importance of representation of BIPOC women in education and engineering.
Ali Bashar, bachelor of science in biology While at York, Bashar has raised more than $20,000 during his tenure as the event chair for York’s Canadian Cancer Society chapter. He also serves as the vice-president, finance, of the Bethune College Council and as an elected member of the Science Student Caucus. As a caucus member, Bashar advocated for positive change and student needs during the COVID-19 pandemic by co-authoring a letter to the dean’s office. Some of the considerations were incorporated into the Faculty of Science 2021-25 strategic plan.
Jennifer Bromberg, bachelor of arts (honours) in psychology Bromberg’s commitment to positively impacting the York community is apparent through her work as the creator and facilitator of the workshop Taking Care of Your Brain: Study Strategies that Work, which she now runs monthly. She has actively pursued leadership roles and has been active in Calumet and Stong colleges, working as a course representative for five courses to date. Bromberg is also an active member of the Faculty of Health Student Caucus and supports numerous college events.
April Cole, bachelor of science (specialized honours) in kinesiology and health science Throughout her degree, Cole has been giving back to the York community as an orientation leader, where she created a welcoming experience for incoming students throughout six Orientation Weeks. As the orientation director for Stong College Student Government (SCSG), she volunteered at student panels, chaired social committees, trained council members and facilitated Orientation Week, Frost Week and Mental Health Week. Cole’s role as an outreach director with SCSG also involved planning multiple charity events, including the Cross-College Food Drive to address food insecurity.
Nicole Dimitrova, bachelor of arts (specialized honours) in psychology As a student leader, Dimitrova continuously advocates for accessibility across campus. She has served as the co-president of the Undergraduate Psychology Student Association (UPSA), where she ensured their services were accessible to all students. Dimitrova also played a pivotal role in the mentoring department of UPSA and has contributed to new student success initiatives. She is also the co-creator of Disability Allyship Training, which focuses on equipping peer leaders with skills and knowledge to better support those with disabilities.
Luca Filippelli, bachelor of engineering (specialized honours) in computer engineering Filippelli has been actively involved in academic committees and councils for the Lassonde School of Engineering and has served as the president of the Lassonde Engineering Society since May 2023. During his time as president, he has increased student engagement and leads a team of 50 volunteers in organizing events and initiatives. Filippelli also represents Lassonde’s student body on three Faculty committees, where he helps to amplify Lassonde’s student voice in decision-making processes.
Clifton Grant, bachelor of arts (honours) in law and society During his time at York, Grant has served on multiple committees, campus groups and organizations. He has been a peer mentor with the Atkinson Centre for Mature & Part-time Students and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS). He is also the president of the York University Mature Students Organization and a member of the LA&PS Black Inclusion & Advocacy Committee. Grant consistently advocates for students across campus and contributes to building a community where they can grow and succeed.
Madison Hartley, bachelor of engineering in software engineering Hartley helped create safe and inclusive spaces for students through the foundation of York’s EngiQueers chapter, which helps to promote awareness, education and advocacy for the Lassonde School of Engineering’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Hartley has also made an impact as the chair of Lassonde’s Orientation Week and as a member of the Undergraduate Student Advisory Council, where she contributed to discussions about campus life, academics, and decolonizing, equity, diversity and inclusion issues on campus.
Meaghan Landry, bachelor of arts (bilingual specialized honours) in psychology Landry is a champion of 2SLGBTQIA+ student rights and a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion at York. They served as the co-coordinator and treasurer of the Glendon Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Queer + Organization, where they worked to strengthen the queer community and advocated for the needs of queer students. Landry also raised awareness about food access on campus while serving as the vice-president, finance, and co-president of the Glendon Cooking Club.
Dulce Martinez, bachelor of fine arts (honours) in music Martinez has been an active leader in the Music Department, where she advocated for diversity in York’s curriculum by successfully petitioning to create the course MUSI 1056 – Private Lessons in Gospel Voice. She has also made many contributions to the York community while serving on the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee, the Chair’s Leadership Council and the Creative Arts Students Association. Through these roles, Martinez has advocated for improvements in student study spaces, communicated student concerns and drawn attention to accessibility challenges.
