2021 LURA and USRA Research at Lassonde
Exploring New Frontiers of Knowledge
In 2021, students are able to have a meaningful research experience, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, with faculty members across all four departments: Civil Engineering, Earth and Space Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering.
This year, students will be conducting much of their work remotely, but some may be able to access campus facilities to conduct laboratory research, depending on regulations.
The goal of the summer program is to provide undergraduate students experience in a professional research environment and inspire them to pursue further research careers.
“For many of us, summer encounters with research can be the spark that ignites a life-long passion for inquiry in engineering and science. Getting to experience how world-class research is actually done provides our students with a sense of accomplishment and the confidence that they, too, can make a contribution to advance knowledge and solve global problems.”
– Dr. John Moores, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies
2021 Undergraduate Summer Student Research Conference Winners
Plenary Presentation Winners
First Place: Scott Watson, Civil Engineering, supervised by John Gales
Project: Methodology for the Non-Linear Thermal Analysis of Structural Cables Exposed to Fire
Second Place: Dhruvi Desai, Mechanical Engineering, supervised by Cuiying Jian
Project: Tuning Mechanical Properties of Graphene by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Third Place (Tie): Jessie Chesal, Earth & Space Science & Engineering, supervised by Isaac Smith
Project: Identifying Areas of Horizontal Wind Shear and Corresponding Cloud Morphologies in the Middle Atmosphere of Venus
Third Place (Tie): Yaniv Khaslavsky, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, supervised by Ali-Sadeghi-Naini
Project: A Software Framework for Rapid Generation of Quantitative Ultrasound Parametric Images
The Student Choice Award: Dhruvi Desai, Mechanical Engineering, supervised by Cuiying Jian
Project: Tuning Mechanical Properties of Graphene by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Video Presentation Winners
First Place: Sara Hajari, Mechanical Engineering, supervised by Eleftherios Sachlos
Project: Developing a Novel Collagen-Based Scaffold that Best Mimics the Extracellular Matrix Composition of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Niche
Second Place: Ellen van Wijngaarden, Mechanical Engineering, supervised by Pouya Rezai
Project: Testing Heavy Metal Toxicity in Zebrafish Larvae Using Microfluidics
Third Place: Walleed Khan, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, supervised by Michael Jenkin
Project: Sentiment Analysis for a Socially Engagement Robot
First Place Student Choice Award: David Tran, Civil Engineering, supervised by Peter Park
Project: Microsimulation Analysis of Truck Signal Priority in the Region of Peel
Second Place Student Choice Award: Ellen van Wijngaarden, Mechanical Engineering, supervised by Pouya Rezai
Project: Testing Heavy Metal Toxicity in Zebrafish Larvae Using Microfluidics
Third Place Student Choice Award: Damith Tennakoon, Earth & Space Science & Engineering, supervised by Mojgan Jadidi
Project: Augmented Reality Sandbox Captures Beyond the Sands Using an Object Detection Approach
Meet the 2021 LURA and USRA Researchers
Abdul Nasir
Effect of climatic conditions on the development of thermal load on a bridge deck
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Rashid Bashir
Award: LURA
Aimen Yousuf
Thermal and Mechanical Performance of Geothermal Energy piles
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Kamelia Atefi-Monfared
Title: Research Assistant
Alyssa Mae Porcioncula
Assessing the Grey Bruce Mass Immunization Hub Using a Microscopic Pedestrian Traffic Simulation Tool
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Y. Park
Title: Research Assistant
Anupriya Ravula
Diverging from Conventional Bioremediation Methods
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Satinder Kaur Brar
Award: NSERC USRA
Ariel Yerushalmi
When Two Worlds Collide: Coupling Flexible Modular Technologies with Fixed Transit Systems to Improve Mobility
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Dr. Park and Dr. Nourinejad
Title: RAY
Bilqees Yousuf
Bus Rapid Transit Service to Improve Mobility of Transit Vehicles on Queen Street
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Y. Park
Title: RAY
David Kim
Feasibility of UV-LED point of use and point of entry technologies for sustainable water treatment in rural and Indigenous communities in Canada: A techno-economic perspective
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Stephanie Gora
Award: LURA
David Tran
Microsimulation Analysis of Truck Signal Priority in the Region of Peel
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Park
Title: RAY
Ginelle Aziz
Student Mode Choice in Toronto and the Impact of Subway Expansion
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Park and Kevin Gingerich
Award: LURA
Humza Ahmed
Climate Change Effects on Permafrost
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Kamelia Atefi Monfared
Title: Research Assistant
Karen Abogadil
Testing the Infiltration Capacity of Permeable Pavement Systems Under Increasing Sediment Loads
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Usman Khan
Award: LURA
Kathryn Chin
Tendency of UHPC and ECC to Spall Under High Temperatures
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: John Gales
Award: NSERC USRA
Luca Cherpillod
Co-boiling Point Determination Tool for Groundwater Remediation Under Various Subsurface Conditions
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Magdalena Krol
Award: LURA
Melissa Spiegel
A study of the relationship between economic activities in informal settlements and fire safety in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Cape Town, South Africa
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: John Gales
Award: NSERC USRA
Mohammadhassan Ebadi
Development of a circular management approach for resource recovery from drinking water treatment plants
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Stephanie Gora
Award: LURA
Regan Gerl
Estimating Vaccine Centre Capacity Using Pedestrian Simulation
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Park
Title: Research Assistant
Sarah Couillard
Modelling Sulphide-Assisted Copper Corrosion at the Surface of Used Fuel Canisters in Canada’s Deep Geological Repository
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Magdalena Krol
Title: Research Assistant
Sasha Latchaev
Using a 3D virtual reality playground to teach visualization and interpretation of topographical and geological information
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Matthew Perras
Award: LURA
Sayli Raut
Reducing the CO2 Footprint of Future Buildings using Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) Concrete
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Liam Butler
Title: MITACS Globalink Intern
Scott Watson
Methodology for the Non-Linear Thermal Analysis of Structural Cables Exposed to Fire
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: John Gales
Award: LURA
Tricia Martinez
Impact of Curb Lane Pedestrian Zone on Pedestrian Physical Distancing
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Park
Award: LURA
Zhuowen Li
Operational Speed Characteristics of Heavy Vehicles on Future High-Speed Highways
Department: Civil Engineering
Supervisor: Peter Park
Award: LURA
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
Adnan Fahad Faizi
Autonomous operation of a sentry robot
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Michael Jenkin
Award: LURA
Anh Pham
Signal Processing for identifying features in shotgun proteomic
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Andrew Eckford
Award: LURA
Anto Nanah Ji
CTL Model Checking of Java Code
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Franck van Bruegel
Award: LURA
Chethana Wickramasinghe
Signal processing for identifying features in shotgun proteomics
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Andrew Eckford
Award: LURA
Daniel Okonma
Creating dynamic route choice scenarios for an online stated preference survey.
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Kevin Gingerich
Title: Research Assistant
Deenanath Gengiti
SEImageNet: Large collection of images repository for software-specific lexical terms
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Maleknaz Nayebi
Award: LURA
Elim Lemango
One Documentation Does Not Fit All: Expertise Aware Documentation for Machine Learners and Software Developers
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Maleknaz Nayebi
Award: LURA
Erika Tuck
An Exploratory Study on Open Source Data Licenses
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Zhen Ming (Jack) Jiang
Award: LURA
Eva Blainey
Monitoring Eurasian Water Milfoil using an Autonomous Surface Vehicle
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Michael Jenkin
Award: Research Assistant
Eyosyas Andarge
A Computational Study Of Nanoscale Heat Transport In Layered Crystals
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Simone Pisana
Award: NSERC USRA
Faruq Afolabi
Trust Management Machine-assisted, Human-centered Control Mission-control systems
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Robert Allison
Award: RAY
Gian Carlo Alix
Recommendation Models for Mitigating the Risk of Individual Trips
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Manos Papagelis
Award: NSERC USRA
Harsh Patel
Planning for an autonomous surface vessel
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Michael Jenkin
Award: LURA
Hongru Wang
CTL Model Checking of Java Code
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Franck Van Breugel
Award: LURA
Jasleen Chagger
Evaluating HDR Video Compression Codecs for Virtual Reality
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Robert Allison
Award: LURA
Jeet Tilara
Deep Learning for Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication in Vehicular Networks
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Hina Tabassum
Award: LURA
Jordan Malek
Randomized Lock-Free Tree Bag
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Eric Ruppert
Award: LURA
Kevin Yat Hang Hui
Domain Specific Realistic Human Speech Style Transfer
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Suprakash Datta
Award: NSERC USRA
Lixian Liu
Unsupervised Knowledge Graph Generation Using Semantic Similarity Matching
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Aijun An
Award: NSERC USRA
Matthew Walker
CTL Model Checking of Java Code
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Franck van Bruegel
Award: LURA
Morteza Ghafar-Zadeh
Characterization of DNA Retrieval from Hydrophilic or Hydrophobic surfaces for DNA Storage Application
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Anthony Scime, Sebastian Magierowski
Research Type: Undergraduate Thesis
Nina Yanin
Recommendation Models for Mitigating the Risk of Individual Trips
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Manos Papagelis
Award: NSERC USRA
Parssa Khazra
CTL Model Checking of Java Code
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Franck van Breugel
Award: LURA
Quang Hy Le
Toward Optimized and Minimally Viable Software Products
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Maleknaz Nayebi
Title: Volunteer
Shahen Alexanian
Recent Reinforcement Learning Methods in the Context of 8-bit Console Games: Does the Dynamics of the Learning Environment Matter?
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Suprakash Datta
Award: LURA
Syed Ameen Quadri
Rendering Passenger Car Outlines via Sampling from Multivariate Models of Vehicle Dimensions
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: James Elder
Award: NSERC USRA
Walleed Khan
Sentiment analysis for a socially engagement robot
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Michael Jenkin
Title: Research Assistant
Waseefa Ahmed
GitHub Marketplace for knowledge mobilization in Software Engineering
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Maleknaz Nayebi
Award: Research Assistant
Yaniv Khaslavsky
A Software Framework for Rapid Generation of Quantitative Ultrasound Parametric Images
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Ali Sadeghi-Naini
Award: NSERC USRA
Yasser Al Zahed
Creating optimal policies for robotic sanitization in simulated 3D environments
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Michael Jenkin
Title: LURA
Zijiang Yan
Optimizing V2I Communication for Self-Driving Vehicles: A Reinforcement Learning Approach
Department: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Supervisor: Hina Tabassum
Award: LURA
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
Amaldev Haridevan
Developing light-weight Convolutional Neural Networks to perform real-time deblurring on Autonomous vehicles
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Jinjun Shan
Title: Research Assistant
Damith Tennakoon
Augmented Reality Sandbox Captures Beyond the Sands Using an Object Detection Approach
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Mojgan Jadidi
Title: Research Assistant
Ivan Mishev
Investigation of Surface and Subsurface Morphology on the Plateaus of Western Valles Marineris with Imagery, Radar, and Neural Network
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Isaac B. Smith
Award: NSERC USRA
Jessie Chesal
Identifying areas of horizontal wind shear and corresponding cloud morphologies in the middle atmosphere of Venus
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor:Isaac Smith
Award: LURA
Kevin Mi
Cooperative driving between multiple autonomous vehicles at Uncontrolled Intersection based on Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning and Game Theory
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Jinjun Shan
Award: NSERC USRA
Margarita Khramova
Creating Robotic Fingers With Shape Memory Alloy Actuators
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Ryan Orszulik
Award: LURA
Mohammadreza Ashouri
Improving GNSS-R Receiver Sensitivity by implementing Non-coherent Integration
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Sunil Bisnath
Award: LURA
Mubeen Padaniya
Object detection and classification using decision level LIDAR-camera fusion with PIXOR and YOLOv3
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Jinjun Shan
Award: LURA
Pedram A. Poorheravi
Using GNSS-Reflectometry to Determine Soil Moisture
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Sunil Bisnath
Award: LURA
Perushan Kunalakantha
Real-time Camera Control and Image Processing of Resident Space Objects For Space Situational Awareness
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Regina Lee
Award: NSERC USRA
Syed Haider
Enhancing Real-Time Obstacle Detection for Autonomous Systems
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Jinjun Shan
Award: LURA
Tianpei Liao
Autonomous Vision-based UAV Landing with Collision Avoidance using Deep Learning
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Jinjun Shan
Award: LURA
Van Pham
Dual-Purpose Camera Payload Design for Stratospheric Balloon Mission
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Regina Lee
Award: NSERC USRA
Yanchun Fu
Residential Space Object (RSO) Attitude Interpolation Using Light Curves Extracted from Ground Observations.
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Regina Lee
Award: LURA
Youssef Hany
Cooperative Transportation with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles using Collision Avoidance Techniques.
Department: Earth and Space Science and Engineering
Supervisor: Jinjun Shan
Award: LURA
Alexander Dondish
High-speed digital image correlation analysis of composite panels
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Garrett Melenka
Award: LURA
Alexia Manna
Instrumented Knee Sleeve to Aid in Treatment
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Garrett Melenka
Award: LURA
Dhruvikumari Desai
Tuning Mechanical Properties of Graphene by Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Cuiying Jian
Award: LURA
Ellen van Wijngaarden
Testing Heavy Metal Toxicity in Zebrafish Larvae Using Microfluidics
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Pouya Rezai
Award: USRA
Gabriel Martins Orlando
AI-Enhacned Tactile Feedback Control of Robotic Manipulators For Capture of Space Debris
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Zheng Hong (George) Zhu
Award: USRA
Jay Kamath
Improved Sheet Resistivity in Functionally Graded Graphene for use in Environmentally Friendly Transient Electronics
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Reza Rizvi
Award: LURA
Jimena Diaz España
Techno-enviro-economic assessment of a solar powered cooler for cauliflower storage in Nanded district, India.
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Paul G. O’Brien
Title: Mitacs Globalink Intern
Julia DeLongis
Towards the Design of Graphene Membranes for Efficient Desalination: The Fundamental Roles of Functional Groups
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Cuiying Jian
Award: LURA
Kourosh Toghrol
Vertically Oriented Aeroponics For Automated Microgreen Production
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Andrew Maxwell
Award: LURA
Madison Bardoel
Experimental Investigation of a Porous-Structured Evaporator Fabricated Using Selective Laser Melting in a Two-Phase Loop Thermosyphon
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Roger Kempers
Award: LURA
Prashant Govande
Techno-enviro-economic assessment of a solar powered cooler for cauliflower storage in Nanded district, India.
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Paul G. O’Brien
Title: Mitacs Globalink Intern
Qingqing Chen
The journey of asphaltene aggregation and dispersion in different solvent systems
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Cuiying Jian
Title: Mitacs Globalink Intern
Rashiq Shahad
Mechanistic Insights into the Role of Inhibitors on the Mitigation of Asphaltene Aggregation
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Cuiying Jian
Award: LURA
Ravnik Singh Jagpal
Instrumented Knee Sleeve to Aid in the Treatment of Knee Problems
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Gerd Grau and Garrett Melenka
Title : RAY
Roozbeh Alishahian
Long-Range Transport Mechanisms of Microplastics through the Atmosphere: Effects of the Turbulence on the Settling of Micro Fibers
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Ronald E Hanson
Award: LURA
Sara Hajari
Developing a Novel Collagen-based Scaffold that Best Mimics the Extracellular Matrix Composition of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cell Niche
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Eleftherios Sachlos
Award: LURA
Saravanan Phazhani
Prediction of Composite Material Properties with Artificial Neural Networks
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Supervisor: Reza Rizvi
Award : LURA
