Empowering our people with perspectives, tools and knowledge

At Lassonde, our goal is to give our community what they need to grow – time, tools, encouragement and real opportunities to experiment, learn from experience and keep moving forward. Each year, we see how this support helps our students, faculty and staff strengthen their impact in engineering and science, in the classroom and far beyond it. 

National & international recognition for research, leadership and education 

In 2024-25, our people were recognized with some of the province’s and country’s highest honours. For example, Associate Professor Cuiying Jian was named a York Massey Fellow, reflecting her leadership in green engineering and her work to embed equity and inclusion into how we teach and assess future engineers and scientists. Professor Satinder Kaur Brar received an Ontario Minister’s Award of Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and was elected a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering. 

We were also proud to see Lisa Cole, Director of Programming, k2i academy, recognized for her leadership in building STEM pathways for underrepresented youth — work that is shaping national discussions about educational innovation and access. 

Our graduate students are also being recognized with prestigious national and provincial research awards. Winners of the 2024 Thesis & Dissertation Prizes include Lassonde researchers advancing wearable EEG systems for seizure detection, autonomous in-situ bioprinting for skin, groundwater bioremediation and space situational awareness. Lassonde master’s students and recent graduates were also recipients of the Vector Scholarships in Artificial Intelligence, strengthening Ontario’s AI talent pipeline in areas such as autonomous vehicles, computational fairness and data-driven systems supporting public services. 

Research & innovation with global impact 

Lassonde students earned international distinction, showcasing the power of hands-on research and collaboration: 

Teaching innovation that transforms the learning experience 

Empowering people at Lassonde also means rethinking how we teach and support learning. Our block model for first-year engineering and science led to a 70% increase in course success and a 47% decrease in unmanageable stress, while improving top grades and on-time completion. At York’s Markham Campus, the Coding Through Biology and Chemistry model uses spiral learning to ground coding in real scientific problems, and immersive pilots like Bodyswaps VR are helping students build confidence in communication, teamwork and interview skills. 

Experiential, gamified approaches are also taking hold — including virtual-reality drone-flying environments developed by Professor Mojgan Jadidi, helping students safely build real-world technical skills. Meanwhile, new AI tools integrated into eClass provide personalized support that enhances feedback and frees faculty time to focus on teaching and mentorship. 

Real-world learning, co-op and entrepreneurship 

This year’s Co-op Students of the Year delivered measurable industry impact — including contributing to a major turbine project at Ontario Power Generation (OPG) that avoided an eight-to-twelve-week delay and generated $5.6 million in cost savings and strengthening digital marketing operations at a national technology company. 

Entrepreneurial work-integrated learning is also helping students build ventures with real momentum. One recent fellowship recipient launched a platform now supporting families and activity providers across the GTA, while mentoring fellow students and creating entrepreneurial work placements. 

Interdisciplinary collaboration flourished at UNHack 2024, where 450 students tackled UN SDG-aligned challenges, developing solutions from biodegradable oil-spill cleanup materials to AI tools that support academic planning and student success. 

Community support makes it possible 

None of this happens in isolation. It depends on a community of donors, partners, alumni, employers and staff who share their time, knowledge and support. Together, we’re building an environment where people at Lassonde can learn, lead and keep pushing what engineering and science can do for society.