Lassonde faculty honoured at York’s annual Research Awards Celebration

This story originally appeared in YFile

A diverse group of York University faculty members, including 13 from the Lassonde School of Engineering, were recognized for their academic and creative achievements over the past year at the 2024 Research Awards Celebration.

The annual event, hosted by the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation on September 19, celebrated the successes of the University’s research community in 10 categories, including the four winners of the President’s Research Awards.  

“York colleagues continue to strengthen our impact on an array of complex, global problems, working across disciplines and countries to create urgently needed space for positive dialogue and the exchange of diverse perspectives, ideas and mutual understanding,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton in her address to the honourees. “You are not only enhancing the reputation of York and advancing the goals set out in the University Academic Plan, but you are contributing to a future that is more equitable, innovative and sustainable.”  

The 68 faculty members were honoured for a multitude of achievements, including major grant wins, book prizes, or prestigious appointments such as Canada Research Chairs, fellows to the Royal Society of Canada or officers to the Order of Canada.  

“As brilliant scholars, artists and innovators, our faculty have all demonstrated a level of excellence and creativity that they should take great pride in,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. Speaking at the event, he also told the honourees in attendance: “Your success is the University’s success.”   

The President’s Emerging Leadership Award (PERLA) recipient at Lassonde is Aleksander Czekanski, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering department. The PERLA recognizes two full-time faculty members – one in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and one in the social sciences, humanities and arts – within 10 years of their first academic appointment, who have had a notable impact on their field and made a contribution to advancing the University’s international reputation for research excellence while significantly and positively contributing to one or more aspects of the York community’s intellectual life. 

Czekanski is a mechanical engineer whose research interests include the design optimization and development of lightweight structures for aerospace and automotive systems, material characterization and artificial intelligence. He serves as the co-director of the Manufacturing Technology & Entrepreneurship Centre at York, and previously held the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada Chair in Design Engineering. 

Additionally, Satinder Kaur Brar, a professor in the Civil Engineering department was recognized with the President’s Research Excellence Award (PREA). The PREA recognizes senior established, full-time, active faculty members at the rank of professor, with distinguished scholarly achievements, who have had a notable impact on their field(s) and made a significant contribution to advancing the University’s international reputation for research excellence while significantly and positively contributing to one or more aspects of the York community’s intellectual life. 

Brar is a civil engineer and the James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering at York. Her leading expertise is in environmental biotechnology and sustainability, including research on antibiotic resistance, wastewater treatment and waste valorization. Brar’s work with biopesticides and biofertilizer using wastewater has been applied worldwide. She is also the director of OneWATER, one of York’s newest Organized Research Units. 

Learn more about all faculty members honoured at the annual Research Awards Celebration.