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Lassonde staff member recognized for creativity, commitment to students

Gold trophy, stars and confetti on a yellow background

Chantel Thompson, a student success and academic advisor at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Lynda Tam Guiding Light & Legacy Award from the Advising Community of Practice and Peer Leader Community of Practice. The award recognizes Thompson’s unwavering commitment to students through her creativity and excellence in academic advising.

Chantel Thompson
Chantel Thompson

“Receiving the Lynda Tam Award is extremely meaningful to me,” said Thompson. “It means that the work that we do as advisors is important and impactful. It means that advisors like myself can be recognized for the incredible work that we do in supporting student success.”

The annual award was established to honour Lynda Tam, who served as the first assistant dean of students in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. By shaping student services, advising and peer mentoring programs at York U, Tam had a profound impact on student experience. She was also a founding co-chair of the Peer Leader Community of Practice. Through her creative and imaginative approach, Tam developed programs and initiatives that helped students excel and reach their academic, personal and professional goals. She exemplified student service excellence across the University and was a coach and a guiding light to students, staff and faculty.

Praised for her creativity and dedication, Thompson embodies many of Tam’s qualities. According to her nominators, she has significantly contributed to building an engaging and student-centred advising practice at Lassonde. She has been a driving force behind Lassonde’s innovative approach to University-wide pop-up advising fairs, incorporating activities such as trivia games, prizes and Faculty mascot appearances. The initiatives she has spearheaded, such as the student appreciation pancake breakfast and the new student handbook, have profoundly impacted students’ academic journeys.

Thompson’s nominators – all colleagues from Lassonde – feel strongly that this recognition is well deserved.

“Chantel continuously demonstrates creativity and imagination in her work,” said Caitlin Hicks, a student success and academic advisor at Lassonde. “Her passion and creativity are infectious, making her an inspiration to her colleagues and a valuable asset to our student community.”

Althea Smikle-Brown, manager of student advising at Lassonde, had this to say: “Chantel’s dedication to student success is evident in her proactive approach and her ability to think outside the box. Her empathetic approach and genuine care have positively impacted countless students.”

Lauren Hall, advising co-ordinator at Lassonde, added, “Chantel speaks up on behalf of students and her colleagues. She is committed to social justice and advocates for equality and inclusivity at every turn.”​

As part of the award, artwork was commissioned by Paria Shahverdi, a master’s student from the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. The piece, named Path to Light, was inspired by Lynda’s essence – her warmth, grace and nurturing spirit – and symbolizes the tranquility she embodied and sought. “This painting exemplifies the light, imagination and hope Lynda illuminated for those around her,” said Karen MacKinnon, a member of the selection committee.

The award and accompanying artwork were presented to Thompson in a surprise meeting that included her colleagues, members of the selection committee and her nominators – Smikle-Brown, Hicks and Hall.

Reflecting on the importance of the award, and her role in student outcomes, Thompson had this to say: “The concept of ‘student success’ is complex and nuanced – encompassing more than just academic success,” she said. “It’s about a student’s ability to put their mind to anything and see it through, regardless of the challenges and barriers they may encounter. This award shines a light on all those who contribute to transforming those complexities into all of the beautiful outcomes they may be.”

Read more about Tam’s legacy in YFile.

Professor recognized for exemplary lifetime contributions to the study of Earth

View of the Earth from space

York University Professor Spiros Pagiatakis received the Canadian Geophysical Union’s J. Tuzo Wilson Medal, which recognizes a Canadian scholar’s outstanding contributions throughout their career to the geosciences – the study of the Earth – and counts as the highest national honour earned by those in the field.

“I am deeply honoured and privileged to be awarded the highest accolade of geosciences and join the previous 45 laureates,” says Pagiatakis of the medal, which was given to him in recognition of a lifetime of contributions to the advancement of knowledge and education in Canadian geosciences. He is only the third York-affiliated person to receive the award.

Spiros Pagiatakis
Spiros Pagiatakis

Pagiatakis joined York U in 2001, after already having made a nearly decade-long impact in the field as a lead senior research scientist for the federal Department of Natural Resources Canada. In both his professional and academic careers, Pagiatakis has dedicated himself to the study of the Earth as observed from terrestrial and space platforms, with highly innovative work and discoveries starting from the Earth’s inner core motions. He has specialized in measuring and understanding the planet’s geometric and physical shape, and how its internal forces – like plate tectonics – bend form, deform and more, as well as how its atmosphere and gravity operate.

Pagiatakis has tackled innovative research questions across the spectrum of geodesy and Earth sciences, with groundbreaking findings that led to the recent recognition.

Among Pagiatakis’s innovations in the field, he pioneered a better understanding of deformation of the Earth due to the dynamics of ocean tides, as well developed the first map of Canada and the U.S. showing how gravity changes with time due to the rebounding of the Canadian land mass due to climate change and the melting of the ice since the last ice age glacial maximum, some 23 thousand years ago.

Since joining York U, his interests have shifted to space science, which has led to important discoveries highlighting how dynamics in the Earth’s lower and upper atmosphere influence, impact and shape climate science.

Pagiatakis’s work has been recognized and funded by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada, the GEOIDE National Centre of Excellence, the Carbon Management Canada National Centre of Excellence, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Innovation Trust and Natural Resources Canada.

Pagiatakis’s impact has also extended beyond research by influencing future generations in the field, notably at York University. He was one of a handful of pioneers who created the first engineering programs and accreditation at York U, which ultimately led to the founding of the Lassonde School of Engineering, where he served as the inaugural associate dean of research and graduate studies for five years. He has also led the development of innovative methods of teaching in a virtual classroom environment and in blended course delivery to university students and engineering professionals before online teaching became commonplace.

A lifetime of efforts aren’t limited to the administrative, however. Pagiatakis has been a passionate teacher, deeply invested in collaborating and supervising graduate students to help guide the next generation of pioneers in the field of geophysics. Former students – many of whom now work for top organizations like NASA, the European Space Agency and the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, and in academia in Canada and abroad – credit him for providing high-quality graduate education, training and mentoring opportunities in an equitable, safe, welcoming and encouraging environment built on trust, where acceptance, openness, motivation, enthusiasm and curiosity have been paramount.

For his part, Pagiatakis is reluctant to take too much credit for what he has accomplished. “My graduate students are the heart, the soul and inspiration of our research; without them nothing would be possible” he says.

Nonetheless, as one of his J. Tuzo Wilson Medal nominators emphasized, Pagiatakis “is one of those exceptional scientists who do not shy away from various administrative and organizational duties someone has to undertake in order to keep science healthy.” His dedication to doing just that – keeping his field of science thriving with his career, academic work and mentorship – are what now have earned him the recognition his students would agree he’s long deserved.

Discover York Academics to be integrated with Faculty websites

Discover York Academics YFile banner

York University’s new curriculum vitae (CV) tool, Discover York Academics, will enter its latest phase this summer following its launch earlier this year, enabling Faculty websites to adopt Discover York Academics’ enhanced electronic profile format, transforming how faculty profiles are displayed and updated.

The system integration – which includes an interface for users to edit their data and continuous updates through automation and aggregation features, among other improvements – is an opportunity to centralize and unify faculty profiles across the University and create a single source for content updates. Converting faculty profiles over to the Discover York Academics system will also save time and the resources needed for manual data entry.

“Joining Discover York Academics and setting up a public profile allows faculty to streamline their digital presence and maintain one online profile to showcase their professional and scholarly activities more comprehensively than ever before,” said Jennifer Steeves, associate vice-president research and a professor in the Faculty of Health. “Leveraging this tool can help capture the outstanding achievements and research excellence of York faculty in their entirety, making their leading work in their respective fields easier to search, access and share.”

“Discover York Academics is an exciting, career-enhancing opportunity for York’s researchers, scholars and creatives to more widely share their public expertise and their local and global efforts to drive positive change,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “By using this tool, our faculty members gain a bigger platform to network, strengthen their visibility and grow their work’s reach, influence and impact.”

If faculty need assistance setting up a profile, they can register for Laptop & Learn drop-in sessions organized by the Research Commons throughout the summer.

Faculty can also book a one-on-one training session online or in-person, or email their CV to dyahelp@yorku.ca for direct help. Training resources, guides and technical support are available on YU Link.   

To join and learn more, visit Discover York Academics on YU Link.

YSpace participates in federal program supporting prospective immigrant entrepreneurs

YSpace

By Elaine Smith

This month, as one of the designated organizations in the Government of Canada’s Start-up Visa Program, YSpace – York University’s entrepreneurship and innovation hub – is welcoming a group of entrepreneurs from 10 startup companies based outside of Canada who are seeking to expand their businesses here. Advancing global entrepreneurship through initiatives like this one, in both Canada and overseas, is a priority of York U’s Global Engagement Strategy.

The federal government’s Start-up Visa Program targets immigrant entrepreneurs with the skills and potential to build innovative businesses in Canada that will create jobs. As one of the program’s selected partners, YSpace, which has a long history of assisting startups seeking to enter the North American market, works with these potential immigrant entrepreneurs to familiarize them with the Canadian business landscape.

“There are a limited number of designated organizations and it’s a highly coveted label,” said David Kwok, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. “We are one of the few at the university level.”

YSpace received its formal designation last August and has since shepherded a pilot cohort and a full cohort of entrepreneurs through the program – 15 companies in total, primarily originating from South America and Asia. The team is planning to promote the program to European entrepreneurs next.

YSpace's Jason Muloongo (right) with John Beluca, a participant in the Start-up Visa Program and founder of Gipo.
YSpace’s Jason Muloongo (right) with John Beluca, a participant in the Start-up Visa Program and founder of Gipo.

Each Government of Canada-designated organization creates its own process for the program and chooses its own entrepreneurs to mentor. YSpace’s Start-up Visa Program focuses on innovative technology companies across all sectors but has gained the most traction with artificial intelligence (AI) ventures. It accepts applications throughout the year and invites a selection of companies to participate.

YSpace’s process begins with Blueprint, a six-week boot camp where entrepreneurs assess the Canadian market and do a feasibility study for their business. Upon successful completion of Blueprint, participants become eligible for the Launchpad program, a year-long coaching and mentorship experience designed to provide strategic advice while ensuring consistent progress. YSpace works with the startups – up to five people from each company – to create and execute their business plans and facilitate opportunities to meet potential customers and buyers.

The businesses the Start-up Visa Program assists are not new ventures, but ones that are already operational in their home countries.

“We help them adapt their existing strategy to new markets,” said Ellen Kim, Start-up Visa Program officer. “It’s a new way to support industry looking to come to Canada and seeking a way to explore the market.”

For instance, the Korean company Kloser recently launched its AI-powered referral marketing tool in Canada after working with YSpace. The innovation hub is also working with Brazilian entrepreneur Milo Andreo to help him launch an English version of his successful piano learning app.

“These companies want to tap into the AI talent here in Canada and leverage the English-speaking local talent to adapt their products to the North American market,” said Jason Muloongo, Start-up Visa Program advisor.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), based at the Korean Consulate in Toronto, has placed a company in each of YSpace’s Start-up Visa Program cohorts to date and encourages its startups to work with YSpace.

“The partnership between YSpace and KOTRA Toronto has been beneficial for us,” said Miki Cho, deputy general manager of KOTRA Toronto. “Our collaborative efforts have provided invaluable resources and support, enabling Korean entrepreneurs to thrive in the Canadian market.”

When it comes to assisting startups, YSpace has a proven track record. Through its wide array of programs, it has supported 985 ventures to date, which have collectively generated $277 million in revenue, raised $143 million in funding and created 1,493 jobs. This federal program involvement will allow YSpace to further solidify its reputation as an industry-leading incubator for entrepreneurs and innovators alike.

“The growing interest in YSpace’s Start-up Visa Program is an indication of YSpace’s success in moving towards the goal of building York University into a global brand for entrepreneurship and innovation,” said Kwok. “The recent success has led to an increased interest in our soft-landing and market discovery programs from trade agencies across the world.”

Professor advances understanding of animal consciousness

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A major new declaration co-initiated by York University professor and philosopher Kristin Andrews affirms there is strong scientific evidence that not just mammals and birds, but potentially all vertebrates and many invertebrates, possess conscious experiences.

Kristin Andrews
Kristin Andrews

The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness, unveiled on April 19 at a conference at New York University, states that the empirical evidence indicates “at least a realistic possibility” of conscious awareness in reptiles, amphibians, fish, cephalopod mollusks like octopuses, decapod crustaceans like crabs and lobsters, and even insects. Andrews co-initiated the declaration along with Jeff Sebo from New York University and Jonathan Birch from the London School of Economics.

“Recent research has shown stunning evidence of consciousness-related behaviours in a wide range of animals,” says Andrews, a professor in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. “The declaration affirms that we can no longer assume these creatures are insentient or incapable of feeling.”

The declaration – which has already been signed by more than 80 leading scientists and philosophers across disciplines – focuses on the most basic form of consciousness – the subjective experience of being an organism and the ability to feel sensations such as pain, pleasure and hunger. While higher-order consciousness involving self-awareness is not attributed, the statement says it would be “irresponsible to ignore” the possibility that these animals can have positive and negative experiences.

For Andrews, the York Research Chair in Animal Minds who has studied animal cognition for more than 30 years, the evidence from recent studies on seemingly conscious behaviours in creatures including bees, crayfish and wrasse fish is compelling.

“We’ve seen bumblebees exhibiting placid, playful behaviours for no apparent reason other than enjoyment,” she says. “Crayfish show anxious behaviours that change when given anti-anxiety medication. Wrasse fish seem to recognize bodily markings when shown a mirror.”

Such findings challenge the assumption that invertebrates and cold-blooded animals are insentient automata. The declaration argues that when there is a realistic chance an animal has conscious experiences, we are ethically obligated to consider its welfare interests.

“It doesn’t mean we can’t ever eat them or use them,” clarifies Andrews. “But it does mean we need to recognize they likely can feel pain and pleasure, and minimize the negative experiences we impose on them.”

While the declaration doesn’t prescribe policies, Andrews hopes it will prompt wider consideration of how human activities impact invertebrates. She points to the need to include cephalopods and crustaceans under animal welfare regulations in Canada, alongside chickens, pigs and fish.

More profoundly, Andrews sees an opportunity for new scientific insights by studying consciousness across a broader range of organisms. “If even simple animals like worms or flies are conscious in some way, they could provide a revelatory model for understanding the fundamental nature of consciousness, without the confounding factors like language that make human consciousness so complex.”

By expanding our “circle of moral consideration,” as Andrews puts it, the declaration opens perspectives on the richness of subjective experiences pervading the natural world. “It offers the possibility of feeling a wider, deeper connection to all the creatures around us.”

Andrews and her colleagues hope The New York Declaration will be an impetus for more research, greater ethical deliberation and, ultimately, a heightened societal valuation of the experiences of non-human minds.

YSpace alum triumphs at startup pitch competition

Asees Kaur, VoxCell’s business operations co-ordinator and the winning pitcher at Collision 2024's PITCH competition.

Victoria-based startup VoxCell BioInnovation, winner of the YSpace Technology Accelerator program’s Demo Day in 2021, were recognized in this year’s Collision conference PITCH competition, which took place last month in Toronto. The annual technology conference – one of the biggest of its kind in North America – attracts startups, investors and industry leaders from around the globe.

VoxCell offers what it calls a Universal Bioink Kit, which promises to innovate the 3D bioprinting field by replicating the extracellular matrix of living tissues to assist with drug screening.

VoxCell co-founder Karolina Valente (left) and VoxCell’s business operations co-ordinator and the winning pitcher, Asees Kaur (right), after being announced as the PITCH winner at Collision 2024 in Toronto. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Collision via Sportsfile.
VoxCell BioInnovation’s mechanical engineer Megan Chisling (left) and business operations co-ordinator Asees Kaur (right) after being announced as the PITCH winner at Collision 2024 in Toronto. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Collision via Sportsfile.

“VoxCell’s journey is deeply inspiring as they drive towards revolutionizing the industry,” said Nafis Ahmed, associate director of entrepreneurship at YSpace. “We take great pride in the team’s achievements and eagerly await what the future holds for them.”

For VoxCell’s team members, they say the competition win gives them a welcome boost in confidence, purpose and exposure.

“It reaffirms our mission to revolutionize drug development,” said Asees Kaur, VoxCell’s business operations co-ordinator and the winning pitcher, “and has further increased our brand awareness as we focus on commercializing our Universal Bioink Kit and securing partnership contracts with pharmaceutical companies for the use of our cancer tissue models as advanced drug screening platforms.”

YSpace’s Technology Accelerator program, which VoxCell benefited from in 2021, nurtures innovative startups through comprehensive support, including mentorship, resources and networking opportunities. It supports startups in executing go-to-market strategies, acquiring customers and preparing for fundraising.

“VoxCell’s recent success is a testament to their relentless innovation and commitment to excellence,” said David Kwok, director of entrepreneurship and innovation at YSpace. “We are incredibly proud to see our alumni making such a profound impact on the global stage.”

Living wall at Student Counselling, Health & Well-being office promotes tranquility

Wellness centre yfile BANNER

A new automated biofilter living wall – comprised of 260 plants of varying species – has been installed in the Student Counselling, Health & Well-being (SCHW) office to promote tranquility, wellness and better air for visiting students and office staff.

As part of SCHW’s pivotal role in offering essential mental health and wellness resources to students, it has been undertaking projects that reflect its commitment to well-being in its physical environment.

“Pursuing projects that reflect the commitment to well-being in the physical environment has been an important effort for SCHW because we believe that a positive and welcoming atmosphere enhances the overall experience for both students and staff,” says Lori Walls, executive director of student counselling, health and well-being. “Investing in these initiatives reaffirms our commitment to creating spaces that promote well-being.”

Living wall at the Student Counselling, Health & Well-being office
Living wall at the Student Counselling, Health & Well-being office.

The nearly seven- by 10-foot living wall – made up of a range of species, including dracaena and ficus – is the latest example. Supported by a hydroponic system, a technique for growing plants using water-based nutrient solutions rather than soil, the installation features a 67-gallon irrigation setup that eliminates the need for soil, conserves water and maximizes growth.

While the wall has aesthetic benefits – notably, creating a tranquil environment for students and staff – it has other notable perks, too. Hydroponic systems facilitate microclimates by maintaining optimal humidity levels, fostering the growth of beneficial microbes that play a crucial role in breaking down pollutants and purifying the air indoors. In the process, it helps increase the overall air quality, which is known to improve cognitive function and health.

At the same time, SCHW hopes the new wall will realize its incorporation of biophilic design principles, a building concept that looks to increase the connection between people and the natural environment – in this case, by bringing the natural into SCHW. It aims to create spaces that are not only physically healthier but more emotionally supportive and invigorating.

In many ways, those hopes are already being fulfilled. “The living wall has made immediate impacts for the students visiting our centre. Both students and staff have shared positive feedback, noting that the plants create a welcoming atmosphere,” says Walls. “We recently conducted a survey to gather feedback on our space and I’m pleased to say the overall response was that our space is calming and tranquil.”

The living wall serves as a visible sign of Student Counselling, Health & Well-being’s commitment to the well-being of York University’s students, underlining the importance of a holistic approach to health that encompasses academic, emotional and environmental factors.

York University scientists, engineers receive more than $3.3M from NSERC

idea innovation thought bubble

Fifty-four researchers from York University have been awarded more than $3.3 million combined from the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in support of ongoing research programs across multiple disciplines, including biology, geography, physics and more.

The latest NSERC funding, announced by the Government of Canada on June 14, includes Discovery Grants, Discovery Launch Supplements, Sub-atomic Physics (SAP) Discovery Grants, Northern Research Supplements, and Research Tools and Instruments Grants.

“NSERC’s latest investment in York University’s research excellence strengthens the institution’s leading position in the natural sciences and engineering and reflects the high-calibre talents of our researchers,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “York continues to increase its annual research revenue on a consistent basis and this year’s NSERC Discovery awards are the highest in the University’s history. Congratulations to all of York’s recipients, especially to the 15 early career researchers, for their dedication to advancing new knowledge and shaping the future of their fields.”

Forty-six researchers from York U received Discovery Grants, totalling $2,043,366. Some of the research programs awarded include: studying the genomics and social evolution of bees, by Sandra Rehan in the Faculty of Science ($65,000); building computer systems to control and guide spacecrafts, by Zheng Hong (George) Zhu in the Lassonde School of Engineering ($99,000); and investigating how the human brain manages breathing during physiological stress, by Devin Phillips in the Faculty of Health ($33,000).   

Four researchers from the Department of Physics & Astronomy in the Faculty of Science received more than $1.4 million in SAP Discovery Grants, including Nikita Blinov, Deborah Harris, Eric Hessels and Randy Lewis.

A full list of recipients across the country can be found on the Government of Canada’s website.

For a complete list of York University’s recipients, see below.  

Discovery Grant (including Discovery Launch Supplements and Northern Research Supplements) recipients:

Andrew Donini, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Salt and water balance in aquatic insects
$47,000 per year for a five-year term

Gordon Fitch, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Tritrophic interactions in a changing world: understanding how urbanization shapes plant-pollinator-parasite interactions to influence pollinator health and pollination services
$38,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Katalin Hudak, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Regulation and activity of plant ribosome inactivating protein
$48,000 per year for a five-year term

Kohitij Kar, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Probing the mechanisms of primate visual intelligence
$38,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Terrance Kubiseski
Regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans Stress Response
$40,000 per year for a five-year term

Raymond Kwong, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Understanding the homeostatic regulation and neurophysiology of essential trace metals in zebrafish
$39,000 per year for a five-year term

John McDermott, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Nucleolar Regulation and Function in Myogenic Cells
$48,000 per year for a five-year term

Eryn McFarlane, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
The interplay between genetics and the environment on hybrid fitness
$29,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Sandra Rehan, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Integrative genomics for pollinator health and social evolution
$65,000 per year for a five-year term

Gary Sweeney, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
Examining cellular consequences of excess iron on skeletal muscle
$33,000 per year for a five-year term

Yongjoo Kim, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Methods to Create Mutations in Cells to Understand and Improve Protein Function
$37,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Arturo Orellana, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Modern Approaches to Electrocyclization of Heptatrienyl Anions
$36,000 per year for a five-year term

Derek Wilson, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Advancing Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry to Explore the Dynamic Origins of Protein (mis)Function
$36,000 per year for a five-year term

Cora Young, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Characterizing the abundance, sources, and fate of fluorinated gases in the atmosphere
$62,000 per year for a five-year term

Tao Zeng, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Theoretical studies of vibronic and spin-vibronic couplings: methodological development and applications in materials science
$36,000 per year for a five-year term

Michael Bazzocchi, Department of Earth & Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering
Intelligent and Autonomous On-orbit Robotics for Inspection, Assembly, Manufacturing, and Servicing
$32,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Sunil Bisnath, Department of Earth & Space Science, Lassonde
Resilient satellite-based precise positioning and navigation
$43,000 per year for a five-year term

Jianguo Wang, Department of Earth & Space Science, Lassonde
Intelligent Data Fusion Methodology for Multisensor-Integrated Kinematic Positioning and Navigation
$43,000 per year for a five-year term

Joann Jasiak, Department of Economics, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Advances in Inference Methods for Stationary Martingales and Non-Gaussian Processes
$11,966 per year for a five-year term

Elisabeth Burjons Pujol, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lassonde
Online Algorithms with Reservation and Preemption
$25,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Viet Hung Pham, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lassonde
Leveraging Model Interactions to Improve the Reliability of Machine Learning Systems
$24,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Ali Sadeghi-Naini, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lassonde
Smart ultrasound platform for tissue characterization and monitoring
$41,000 per year for a five-year term

Ping Wang, Department of Electrical Engineering, Lassonde
AI-empowered Intelligent network management for next generation wireless communications networks
$55,000 per year for a five-year term

Jennifer Korosi, Geography, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change
Lakes as sentinels and agents of environmental change in rapidly thawing discontinuous permafrost peatlands
$43,000 per year for a five-year term
*Northern Research Supplement ($15,000)

Joshua Thienpoint, Geography, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change
Reconstructing disturbance regimes and aquatic ecosystem impacts of permafrost thaw slumping
$26,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Supplement ($12,500)
**Northern Research Supplement ($15,000)

Ali Abdul-Sater, Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health
Exercise mediated training of tissue resident macrophages
$40,000 per year for a five-year term

Tara Haas, Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health
Regulation of angiogenesis in skeletal muscle and adipose tissues
$33,000 per year for a five-year term

Devin Phillips, Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health
The neural control of breathing during physiological stress in humans
$33,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Dan Palermo, Lassonde School of Engineering
Resilient and Sustainable Concrete Structures: Mitigation of Residual Displacements and Concrete Damage
$43,000 per year for a five-year term

Nantel Bergeron, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Quasisymmetric varieties, Schubert polynomials and other algebraic combinatorial systems
$27,000 per year for a five-year term

Miles Couchman, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Turbulent mixing in stratified flows
$26,000 per year for a five-year term
Discovery Supplement

Ilijas Farah, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
K-theory reversing automorphisms of the Calkin algebra. Disintegration of von Neumann algebras
$48,000 per year for a five-year term

Xin Gao, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Statistical learning methods for multi-task and network data
$27,000 per year for a five-year term

Jane Heffernan, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Towards an immuno-epidemiological framework: Tradeoffs between biological detail and mathematical complexity
$31,000 per year for a five-year term

Paul Skoufranis, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Linearization in Bi-Free Probability
$24,000 per year for a five-year term

Jianhong Wu, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Delay Differential Equations: Theory of Global Dynamics with Applications to Public Health of Zoonotic Diseases
$60,000 per year for a five-year term

Kaiqiong Zhao, Mathematics & Statistics, Faculty of Science
Novel statistical methods for complex data-enabled learning and causal discovery
$23,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Paul O’Brien, Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
Development of Photothermal and Radiative Cooling Surfaces and Structures for Environmental Sustainability
$32,000 per year for a five-year term

Zheng Hong Zhu, Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
Computational Control Framework and Application for Flexible Spacecraft
$99,000 per year for a five-year term

Scott Beattie, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Optical Frequency Combs and Atomic Clocks for Frequency and Time Metrology
$19,900 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Charles-Eduoard Boukaré, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Solidification Dynamics of Rocky Planets Interiors
$28,500 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Eric Hessels, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Tests of Fundamental Physics Using Atoms and Molecules
$61,000 per year for a five-year term

Matthew Johnson, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Fundamental Physics from Microwave Background Secondary Anisotropies and Quantum Simulation of Vacuum Decay
$75,000 per year for a five-year term

Rahul Kannan, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Modelling high redshift structure formation and reionization
$39,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Adam Muzzin, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Resolving Galaxy Growth with Canadian-Built Astronomical Instrumentation
$50,000 per year for a five-year term

Paul Scholz, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Revealing the nature of Fast Radio Bursts and unlocking their potential as probes of the Universe
$33,000 per year for a five-year term
*Discovery Launch Supplement ($12,500)

Sub-atomic Physics Discovery Grant recipients:

Nikita Blinov, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Three Directions Toward the Discovery of Dark Matter
$55,000 per year for a five-year term

Deborah Harris, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Paving the way for Neutrino Oscillation Measurements at DUNE
$300,000 per year for a three-year term

Eric Hessels, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Probing PeV-scale physics: Measuring the electron electric dipole moment using barium monofluoride embedded in an argon solid
$165,000 per year for a three-year term

Randy Lewis, Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science
Lattice gauge theory on classical and quantum computers
$90,000 per year for a five-year term

Research Tools and Instrument Grant recipients:

Zheng Hong Zhu, Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
Ground Experiment System of Free-Floating Dual-Arm Space Robot for Autonomous On-Orbit Service
$150,000

Christopher Perry, Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health
A core high-frequency ultrasound imager for non-invasive measures of cardiac structure and function as well as muscle structure in mice
$150,000

Richard Murray, Psychology, Faculty of Health
Display calibration for virtual and augmented reality
$148,410

Ronald Hanson, Mechnical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
Camera System for Particle Image Velocimetry with Upgraded Stereo Measurement Feature
$127,979

Marina Freire-Gormaly, Mechnical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
Fast Mobility Particle Sizer Tool for Effective Particulate and Aerosol Emissions Characterization
$150,000

Two York faculty members receive Minister’s Award of Excellence

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.

Giuseppina (Pina) D'Agostino
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.

D’Agostino is also the inaugural co-director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Society and played a critical role in securing York University’s historic $318-million Canada First Research Excellence Fund award for the Connected Minds: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy and Just Society project, where she served as its co-principal investigator and was named its inaugural vice-director. As of March 1, she has also been promoted to director of Connected Minds.

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
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.

Further information about the Minister’s Awards of Excellence can be found on the Government of Ontario website.

York partnership supports entrepreneurs of Italian descent

YSpace

YSpace, the innovation hub at York University, and Schulich Startups, led by the Innovation Office at the Schulich School of Business, have partnered with the Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association (CIBPA) to enhance the Italia360 incubator program.

Italia360 is an eight-week, part-time program designed to nurture the entrepreneurial aspirations of first-generation Canadians, individuals with Italian heritage and newcomers to Canada. Now in its second year, this groundbreaking initiative aims to equip aspiring student entrepreneurs with essential tools to develop and market their business ideas.

David Kwok
David Kwok

“We’re excited to join forces with CIBPA and DMZ [the startup incubator at Toronto Metropolitan University] to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs through the Italia360 program,” said David Kwok, director of YSpace. “At YSpace, we’re committed to providing comprehensive support to promising entrepreneurs, and this partnership further strengthens our mission to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within diverse communities.”

Students selected to participate in Italia360 will benefit from a range of resources provided by YSpace, including joint workshops with DMZ, tailored mentorship sessions, access to the YSpace learning community and physical office space at YSpace’s Markham location. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to engage in exclusive networking events hosted by Schulich Startups and YSpace, gaining exposure to industry leaders and potential collaborators.

Giuseppina (Pina) D'Agostino
Giuseppina (Pina) D’Agostino

“As an associate professor at York U and an active member of the CIBPA community, I am so excited to see this partnership between CIBPA and YSpace come to life,” said Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Giuseppina D’Agostino, a CIBPA board member and recent winner of the CIBPA Women of the Year Award. “The Italia360 program is about training up the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs with Italian heritage and newcomers to Canada, and the new YSpace component will provide even greater support to these participants to bring their ideas to life.”

Building on the success of its inaugural year, the second edition of the Italia360 program will further elevate participants’ entrepreneurial journeys by offering additional opportunities for selected student teams, including fast-tracking to YSpace’s accelerator programs. With a focus on supporting both tech and product-based companies, Italia360 continues to pave the way for aspiring entrepreneurs to thrive in today’s dynamic business landscape.

For more information about Italia360 and to apply for the program, visit the CIBPA website and the DMZ website.