2026 Research and Innovation Awards Winners

Three-Minute Thesis (3MT)

From left to right: Graduate Studies Research Excellence Award Winner, Mahsa Jahed, PhD Biotechnology; 3MT Competition Second Place: Rachel Johnson, Master of Environmental Studies; First Place: Tanner Boyle, Master of Science in Computer Science; Dr. Chander Shahi, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies; People’s Choice Award: Nicholas Woolsey, Master of Science in Archaeological Sciences

• First Place: Tanner Boyle, Master of Science in Computer Science with specialization in Artificial Intelligence Candidate (Supervisor: Dr. Garima Bajwa) Title: Explainable Multi-Class Alzheimer's Stage Classification using a Hybrid CNN Vision Transformer and  Imbalance Aware Training 

• Second Place: Rachel Johnson, Master of Environmental Studies Candidate (Supervisor: Dr. Charles Levkoe) Title: Reestablishing Traditional Plant Harvesting Practices through Indigenous Young Adults

• People's Choice: Nicholas Woolsey, Master of Science in Archaeological Sciences Candidate (Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Metcalfe) Title: lnsights bison provide about changing environments 

GRADflix Award

From left to right: People's Choice Award: Do Quoc Anh Nguyen, Master of Environmental Studies; Dr. Chander Shahi, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies; First Place: Ursula Kilbridge, Master of Science in Archaeological Sciences 

• First Place: Ursula Kilbridge, Master of Science in Archaeological Sciences (Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Metcalfe) Title: Seeking Indigenous Guidelines for Laboratory Research on Plant and Animal Remains 
  
• People's Choice Award: Do Quoc Anh Nguyen, Master of Environmental Studies (Supervisor: Dr. Muditha Heenkenda) Title: Digital agriculture: Non-destructive Phenotyping and Disease Symptom Monitoring using a Robotic System

Graduate Studies Research Excellence Awards

Natural Sciences and Engineering Category Winner, Mahsa Jahed, PhD Biotechnology

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Category: Mahsa Jahed, PhD Biotechnology, Supervisors: Dr. Leila Pakzad, Department of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Janusz Kozinski, Faculty of Engineering; Title: How Breathing Interruptions Influence pMDI Aerosol Delivery: A CFD Study in a Realistic Airway
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Category: Casey Oliver, PhD Clinical Psychology, Supervisor: Dr. Dwight Mazmanian, Department of Psychology; Title: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analyses of Clinical Override Use in Structured Risk Assessments: Clinical and Training Implications for Field Practice 

Graduate Student Conference Poster Winners

From left to right, Winner CIHR Category: Ashley Wright, Kinesiology (MSc Candidate); Winner NSERC Category: Rishnika Boteju, Biotechnology (PhD Candidate); Dr. Chander Shahi, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies; Winner Engineering Category: Siddarth Kishore, Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD Candidate); Winner SSHRC Category: Shree Venkateshan, Psychology (PhD Candidate) 

• Winner Engineering Category: Siddarth Kishore, PhD Candidate, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Supervisor: Dr. Farhan Ghaffar); Project: Realizing Smart Antenna Systems Using an Advanced Blend of Microfluids and 3D Printing 
• Winner NSERC Category: Rishnika Boteju, PhD Candidate, Biotechnology (Supervisor: Dr. Wensheng Qin); Project: Optimizing Microbial and Enzymatic Approaches Using Directed Evolution for Sustainable and Alternative Production of Bioethanol and Other Bioproducts 
• Winner SSHRC Category: Shree Venkateshan, PhD Candidate, Clinical Psychology (Supervisor: Dr. Kirsten Oinonen); Project: Does Childhood Adversity Alter the Perceived Valence and Intensity of Facial Emotions 
• Winner CIHR Category: Ashley Wright, MSc Candidate, School of Kinesiology (Supervisor: Dr. Paolo Sanzo); Project: The Effects of Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy on Osteoporotic Changes in a Pre-Clinical Model 

Post-Doctoral Fellow Excellence Award

Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President, Research and Innovation with Post-Doctoral Fellow Excellence Award winner, Dr. Mohamed Ahwiadi, Department of Mechanical Engineering 

Dr. Mohamed Ahwiadi, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Supervisor: Dr. Wilson Wang

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research Award

Presenter, Anne Klymenko, Director of Research Services with Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research Award winner, Dr. Mirit Grabarski, Faculty of Business Administration 

Dr. Mirit Grabarski, Faculty of Business Administration, Project title “ADHD and career sustainability: A sustainable career ecosystem perspective”

From left to right: Indigenous Partnership Research Award winners, Dr. Jill Taylor-Hollings, Department of Anthropology and Dr. Martha Dowsley, Departments of Geography and the Environment and Anthropology with Presenter, Denise Baxter, Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives 

Dr. Jill Taylor-Hollings, Department of Anthropology, and Dr. Martha Dowsley, departments of Geography and the Environment and Anthropology

With Partners:

• Chief Clifford Bull, Lac Seul First Nation
• Elder Raymond Angeconeb, Lac Seul First Nation
• Gerald Kejick, Lac Seul First Nation 

Project title “Lac Seul First Nation Manomin ("Wild" Rice) Research, Resilience and Restoration" 

From left to right: Indigenous Partnership Research Award winners, Dr. Keira Loukes, School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism; Dr. Leigh Potvin, School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism; Larissa Speak, Bora Laskin Faculty of Law with Presenter, Denise Baxter, Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives 

• Larissa Speak, Bora Laskin Faculty of Law
• Dr. Leigh Potvin, School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism
• Dr. Keira Loukes, School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism
• Monique Woolnough, Bora Laskin Faculty of Law
• Brandon Chevrier, Master of Education Student 

With Partners:

• Jean Marshall
• Shelby Gagnon
• Charlotte Marten
• Andrew Mandamin 

Project title “Weweni Zhichge: Building community research together through hide tanning" 

Community-Engaged Research Award

From left to right: Presenter Anne Klymenko, Director of Research Services; Dr. Amanda Maranzan, Department of Psychology; Janet Paterson, representing the Canadian Injured Workers Alliance; Lauren Reynolds, Clinical Psychology PhD student 

Dr. Amanda Maranzan, Department of Psychology

With Partner: Canadian Injured Workers Alliance 

Project title: “Identifying and understanding the stigma experienced by injured workers through a systematic scoping review and advisory team focus group engagement”

Building Research Capacity Award

From Left to Right: Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President, Research and Innovation with Building Research Capacity Award winner, Dr. Nandakumar Kanavillil, Departments of Biology and Sustainability Sciences; and Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor 

Dr. Nandakumar Kanavillil, Departments of Biology and Sustainability Sciences, Lakehead Orillia

New Canada Research Chair Recognized

Dr. Christopher Mushquash, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction 

Dr. Christopher Mushquash, CIHR Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences 

Canada Research Chair Renewals

From left to right: Dr. Alla Reznik, Canada Research Chair in Radiation Medical Imaging Physics and Dr. Lindsay Galway, Canada Research Chair in Social-Ecological Health

• Dr. Alla Reznik, NSERC Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Radiation Medical Imaging Physics, Department of Physics
• Dr. Lindsay Galway, SSHRC Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Social-Ecological Health, Department of Health Sciences 

Research Support Award

Morgan Ellis, Technologist, Department of Civil Engineering

Morgan Ellis, Technologist, Department of Civil Engineering

Research Excellence Awards

Left to right: Research Excellence Award Winner, Dr. Michael Rennie, Department of Biology; Dr. Langis Roy, Vice-President, Research and Innovation; Research Excellence Award Winner, Dr. Sarah Olutola, Department of English, Lakehead Orillia; and Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor 

• Dr. Michael Rennie, Department of Biology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Category
• Dr. Sarah Olutola, Department of English, Social Sciences and Humanities Category