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These eight U of T undergrads were invited to Dublin thanks to their research: global Undergraduate Awards

sgupta — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 14:47:14 +0000

These eight U of T undergrads were invited to Dublin thanks to their research: global Undergraduate Awards sgupta Tue, 10/27/2015 - 10:47

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Misha Boutilier, Roshaan Wasim, Dominic Liao-McPherson, Tim Liu, Raghav Singal, Winnie Lieu, Ira Halpern and Dean McHugh)

Brianna Goldberg

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Brianna Goldberg

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Global Lens

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Undergraduate Education

Dublin

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Global

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Papers explored fuel savings in space, mindfulness and the student experience, pacemaker tech and more

As U of T undergrads, their research explored such diverse topics as the properties of things, fuel-efficient satellites, the role of botany in The Faerie Queene and improved cancer tests.

Their papers, written during their final years of undergraduate study at U of T, were so impressive they made the Highly Commended list at this year’s Undergraduate Awards – the international competition for top students from around the world.

To make that list and receive an invitation to the awards’ Global Summit in Dublin starting Nov. 10, a student's academic paper or research must be ranked in the top 10 per cent of more than 5,000 submissions. The competition is open to students in their final or penultimate year of studies, which means U of T's eight participants are already alumni.

Over the years, U of T students have regularly numbered among this elite group. (Read more about previous Highly Commended U of T alumni)

This year’s finalists and their categories are:

Raghav Singal - Engineering and Built Environment

Dominic Liao-McPherson - Engineering and Built Environment

Xiyu [Tim] Liu - Engineering and Built Environment

Misha Boutilier - History

Ira Halpern - Literature Pre-1710

Roshaan Wasim - Literature Pre-1710 & Literature 1710-Present

Dean McHugh - Philosophy & Theology

Winnie Lieu - Psychology

U of T News profiled all of this year’s Highly Commended alumni in a series on the Undergraduate Awards. Below is a wrap-up of all participants.

RAGHAV SINGAL & WINNIE LIEU

The series began with a look at Raghav Singal's improved model for cancer scanning and Winnie Lieu's work on psychology and student mindfulness.

Singal (right) “I believe in making the world a better place, and cancer is one of the biggest problems faced by us.”

Lieu (left) “I wanted to see what research had been done on mindfulness in higher education settings, given that mindfulness has been gaining momentum in university campuses as a method to better address student mental health needs.”

Read about Singal and Lieu

IRA HALPERN & DEAN MCHUGH

Next, U of T News spoke with Ira Halpern about his paper on botany in the Faerie Queene, and with Dean McHugh about his paper on tropes and properties in philosophy.

Halpern (right) “I found that botanical imagery served as a way of accessing themes in The Faerie Queene such as decay, the transience of pleasure, and death – great stuff for an English specialist.”

McHugh (left) “Some philosophers talk about properties as abstract things (red-ness or atom-ness, for example) existing above and beyond the physical world. But I think that’s a bit too mystical. Theory should strive to be grounded in concrete reality.”

Read about Halpern and McHugh

ROSHAAN WASIM

Roshaan Wasim’s work research was recognized twice by the awards, once for her work on medieval plays and again for an exploration of post-apocalyptic literature.

Wasim “I became interested in [post-apocalyptic literature] after reading about several landmark legal cases in which judges around the world stopped deforestation projects by specifically citing the right of future generations to survive in centuries to come.”

Read about Wasim and her research

MISHA BOUTILIER

Misha Boutilier, commended for his work on foreign policy, roundly thanked U of T supporters including Tina Park, Mairi MacDonald, Robert Bothwell and colleagues from his work with the university’s Canadian Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.

Boutilier “By exploring misperceptions that led to [U.S. involvement with the 1971 India/Pakistan crisis], the essay may shed light on other cases in which great powers support states actively committing mass atrocities for strategic reasons.”

Read about Boutilier and his research

DOMINIC LIAO-MCPHERSON & TIM LIU

The Undergraduate Awards series wrapped with a look at Dominic Liao-McPherson’s research on satellites and Tim Liu’s work on body-implanted electronic devices.

Liao-McPherson (left) “Unfortunately, it costs fuel to keep spacecraft in a desired orbit. So we looked at ways of reducing the amount of fuel needed by taking advantage of forces caused by the Earth’s magnetic field. The control strategies to accomplish this were the main focus of my research.”

Liu (right) “As a biomedical systems engineer, I am extremely passionate about bringing these implantable devices to life and providing new treatment options for those in need.”

Read about Liu and Liao-McPherson

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Satellites and body-implanted electronics: U of T alumni recognized in global Undergraduate Awards

sgupta — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 06:38:49 +0000

Satellites and body-implanted electronics: U of T alumni recognized in global Undergraduate Awards sgupta Fri, 10/23/2015 - 02:38

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Research from Dominic Liao-McPherson (left) and Tim Liu (right) explores how to save fuel in space and how to make devices implanted in bodies last longer before needing to be recharged

Brianna Goldberg

Author legacy

Brianna Goldberg

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Global Lens

More News

Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate Students

To make it into the ‘Highly Commended’ category a student's academic paper or research must be ranked in the top 10 per cent of more than 5,000 submissions. The competition is open to students in their final or penultimate year of studies. Read more about the Undergraduate Awards.

Over the years, U of T students have regularly numbered among this elite group. (Read more about Highly Commended alumni in previous years.) This year’s finalists and their categories are:

Raghav Singal - engineering and built environment
Dominic Liao-McPherson - engineering and built environment
Xiyu [Tim] Liu - engineering and built environment
Misha Boutilier - history
Ira Halpern - literature pre-1710
Roshaan Wasim - literature pre-1710 & literature 1710-present
Dean McHugh - philosophy & theology
Winnie Lieu - psychology

U of T News has been running a series of articles about this year's Highly Commended U of T alumni. (Read more about Raghav Singal and Winnie Lieu, Ira Halpern and Dean McHugh, and Roshaan Wasim)

In the final instalment of our series, Liao-McPherson and Liu speak with U of T News writer Brianna Goldberg about their ideas for saving fuel in space and ensuring medical devices implanted in bodies can last longer before needing to be re-charged.

DOMINIC LIAO-MCPHERSON

What is your paper about?

My research paper is about controlling the relative motion of two satellites using as little fuel as possible. Fuel is a precious commodity in space and typically the operational life of a satellite is dictated by how much fuel it has remaining.

Unfortunately, it costs fuel to keep spacecraft in a desired orbit. So we looked at ways of reducing the amount of fuel needed by taking advantage of forces caused by the Earth’s magnetic field. The control strategies to accomplish this were the main focus of my research.

I've always fallen firmly on the space side of aerospace. I found the project interesting because it gave me an opportunity to work with satellites and explore control engineering at the same time. I ended up enjoying the field enough to enrol in a PhD program.

What’s next for you?

I'm currently pursuing a PhD in aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan. More specifically, I'm studying how to control systems that have constraints (i.e. collision avoidance, safety limits etc.) with spacecraft and automotive applications.

Any supporters at U of T who helped you along the way?

I'd like to thank Professor Chris Damaren, my supervisor for the project for his help and support. My experience with this project helped convince me to pursue further study. I also wanted to thank Professor Adam Steinberg for his advice and support throughout my time at U of T.

Any other highlights from your time at U of T?

I've been involved with rugby at U of T as a member of the varsity team and as coach for Engineering’s intramural team. I also served as a VP for the Engineering Athletics Association and as mechanical design lead for the U of T concrete toboggan team.

TIM LIU

What is your paper about?

My research paper discussed the design of a wireless power transfer system with optimized power transfer efficiency for charging of body-implanted electronic devices. Body-implanted electronics devices of various functions and sizes have been widely studied in recent years for their potential to provide direct, localized monitoring and treatment on specific tissue and organs. However, current power delivery technologies – transcutaneous wires or batteries – significantly hinder the feasibility of these implantable devices for sustained use. As a biomedical systems engineer, I am extremely passionate about bringing these implantable devices to life and providing new treatment options for those in need.

What are you hoping to get out of your experience in Dublin?

I look forward to the once in a lifetime chance to network with the best and brightest undergraduate students from around the globe and see their fantastic work. From the workshops, I hope to develop new skills and be inspired by other participants which will no doubt further my own growth. I also hope to experience the city of Dublin and its rich culture and history.

What’s next for you?

Currently, I'm working in management and manufacturing for Proctor & Gamble. This allows me to get closer to the products that affect people on a daily basis.

Any supporters at U of T who helped you along the way?

I would like to acknowledge the exceptional guidance and support I received from my supervising Professors Costas D. Sarris and Hans-Dieter Lang. I also have to thank the Division of Engineering Science for their demanding and innovative curriculum which challenged me to become a better problem solver.

Any other highlights from your time at U of T?

I was the president of Tetra Society University of Toronto Chapter. This is a club dedicated to the design, modification and building of custom assistive devices to help people with disabilities.

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U.S. foreign policy and the responsibility to protect: U of T alumnus recognized in global Undergraduate Awards

sgupta — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 14:25:05 +0000

U.S. foreign policy and the responsibility to protect: U of T alumnus recognized in global Undergraduate Awards sgupta Tue, 10/20/2015 - 10:25

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Misha Boutilier graduated from U of T with a degree in international relations and history in June and now studies law at U of T

Brianna Goldberg

Author legacy

Brianna Goldberg

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Education

Eight U of T graduates have been named to the Highly Commended list at this year’s Undergraduate Awards – a competition inviting top students from around the world to take part at its Global Summit in Dublin starting November 10.

To make it into the ‘Highly Commended’ category a student's academic paper or research must be ranked in the top 10 per cent of more than 5,000 submissions. The competition is open to students in their final or penultimate year of studies. Read more about the Undergraduate Awards.

Over the years, U of T students have regularly numbered among this elite group. Read more about Highly Commended U of T students.

This year’s finalists and their categories are:
Raghav Singal - Engineering and Built Environment
Dominic Liao-McPherson - Engineering and Built Environment
Xiyu Liu - Engineering and Built Environment
Misha Boutilier - History
Ira Halpern - Literature Pre-1710
Roshaan Wasim - Literature Pre-1710 & Literature 1710-Present
Dean McHugh - Philosophy & Theology
Winnie Lieu - Psychology

In the latest instalment of our series on this year's recent grads, Boutilier speaks with U of T News about his Highly Commended research paper.

(Read about more Highly Commended U of T alumni, Dean McHugh and Ira Halpern, Winnie Lieu and Raghav Singal and Roshaan Wasim)

MISHA BOUTILIER

What was your paper about?

My research paper analyzed United States foreign policy during the 1971 India-Pakistan crisis and, later, war. I argued that U.S. President Richard Nixon and his National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger made fundamental misperceptions of Indian, Chinese, and Soviet goals that caused them to escalate a regional conflict to risk war with the Soviet Union.

I was particularly interested in this topic because it connects strongly to my interest in the international community’s response to mass atrocity crimes. The 1971 crisis erupted because Pakistan’s military launched a terror campaign involving numerous atrocity crimes in response to Bangladeshi demands for independence. The United States government saw this conflict not through a human rights prism, but through a Cold War prism, leading it to align with Pakistan and obstruct efforts to stop the killing. By exploring misperceptions that led to these decisions, the essay may shed light on other cases in which great powers support states actively committing mass atrocities for strategic reasons.“

What are you hoping to get out of your experience in Dublin?

Most of all, I am really excited at the chance to interact with the other winning students. I think the summit will be an excellent chance to connect with students from very different backgrounds and disciplines. I hope that the exchange of ideas will be mutually enriching and will continue long after the conference! The organizers have also assembled an amazing line-up of speakers from diverse fields. I am sure that they will give me much to reflect on as I return to my legal studies about how I can put my education and skills to work for social good.

Of course as a Canadian with some Irish ancestry who has never been to Ireland before, I am delighted at the chance to explore Dublin and explore the culture!

What’s next for you?

I just graduated with degree in international relations and history in June and I now study law at U of T. I am very interested in learning more about international law, particularly legal issues surrounding ways the international community prevents and responds to mass atrocity crimes. I also have an interest in Aboriginal law.

I would love to work as an international lawyer in the Legal Bureau of Foreign Affairs Canada. I am also interested in pursuing a graduate degree in law or international relations to strengthen and deepen my knowledge of international law and politics. I would also consider a career in legal academia, and am interested in public sector legal opportunities.

Any supporters at U of T who helped you along the way?

Absolutely! In the first place, I would like to credit Professor Vassilis Dmitriadis for helping to inspire my love of international relations. I was undecided about what to study during my first year of university, but the passion and energy he shared teaching Statecraft and Strategy convinced me to study international relations. I am especially grateful for Professor Dmitriadis for his suggestions about this paper, which I submitted for his class on the history of the Cold War.

I would also like to thank Professors Robert Bothwell, Mairi MacDonald, and John English. I was lucky enough to take two seminar courses with Professor Bothwell, and by the time I graduated I had absorbed so much from him about how to approach difficult historical questions in a more thorough and sophisticated way. I met Professor John English during my third year, and am incredibly grateful to him for the fantastic seminar class on Canadian defence policy that he facilitated. I would also like to thank Professor Mairi MacDonald, the Director of the International Relations Program, for the fantastic and timely advice she provided at every step of my academic journey.

Finally, I would like to credit Ms. Tina Park, a PhD student in the Department of History, for all the advice and support she has provided. I got to know Tina through my work with the Canadian Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (CCR2P), an organization that she founded in 2010. Tina was also my TA in my third year. but she became a true mentor and friend. Her guidance was invaluable in my upper years and as I made decisions about what path to pursue after graduation.

Other highlights of your time at U of T?

During my undergraduate studies, I participated in several organizations. At St. Michael’s College, I served on the Student Philanthropy Council. Between 2012 and 2015, I served in various roles with the History Students’ Association, including as President.

I was also actively involved in Model United Nations competitions. I served on the executive of U of T’s United Nations Society for three consecutive years, and was President my graduating year.

Finally, I participated in the work of the CCR2P. Based at the Munk School of Global Affairs, the CCR2P exists to conduct research and advocacy to further the implementation of the Responsibility to Protect principle that the international community has a responsibility to protect vulnerable populations from mass atrocity crimes. I joined CCR2P as a junior analyst in 2012, and currently serve as its Director of Graduate Research.

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Post-apocalyptic life and medieval plays: alumna recognized twice by global Undergraduate Awards

sgupta — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 17:16:29 +0000

Post-apocalyptic life and medieval plays: alumna recognized twice by global Undergraduate Awards sgupta Thu, 10/15/2015 - 13:16

Brianna Goldberg

Author legacy

Brianna Goldberg

Topic

Global Lens

Features

Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate Students

Undergrad

Faculty of Arts & Science

Eight U of T alumni have been named to the Highly Commended list at this year’s Undergraduate Awards – an international competition inviting top students from around the world to take part at its Global Summit in Dublin starting November 10.

But only one grad, Roshaan Wasim, was Highly Commended in two separate categories for literature.

Over the years, U of T students have regularly numbered among this elite group.

This year’s finalists and their categories are:

Raghav Singal - Engineering and Built Environment

Dominic Liao-McPherson - Engineering and Built Environment

Xiyu Liu - Engineering and Built Environment

Misha Boutilier - History

Ira Halpern - Literature Pre-1710

Roshaan Wasim - Literature Pre-1710 & Literature 1710-Present

Dean McHugh - Philosophy & Theology

Winnie Lieu – Psychology

In the latest instalment of our series on this year's Highly Commended recent grads, Wasim speaks with U of T News writer Brianna Goldberg about her winning research papers. (Read about McHugh and Halpern. Read about Lieu and Singal.)

More stories featuring the great work of other Highly Commended alumni are still to come…

Tell us about your papers.

My paper recognized in the “Literature Pre-1710” category proposed a new reading of the 15th century East Anglian Croxton Play of the Sacrament based on an examination of the context and placement of four invocations of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad throughout the play. These invocations had largely been dismissed by scholars thus far as an ignorant conflation of Islamic and Judaic beliefs on the part of the playwright.

I got interested in this topic after noticing the invocations were placed at very specific junctures in the play which seemed to contribute to its overall meaning rather than merely being “mistakes” committed by the playwright.

My second paper, recognized in the “Literature 1710-Present” category, examined the effects of climate change in the Anthropocene – a proposed geological epoch marked by drastic changes in the Earth’s environment and atmosphere due to human activity.

I argued that effects of the Anthropocene are clearly perceptible in society and literature as humans are forced to confront the idea that, for the first time in human history, there may be no future for humanity.

My paper proposed that fictional post-apocalyptic scenarios can help develop a framework to recognize the legal right of unborn generations to survive, which, while not sufficient, is certainly necessary if humanity is to survive the Anthropocene.

I became interested in this topic after reading about several landmark legal cases in which judges around the world stopped deforestation projects by specifically citing the right of future generations to survive in centuries to come.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently applying to law schools both in Canada and in the States. Although it’s a little early to know specifically which area of law I want to pursue, I would eventually like to work in international law, specifically, working with refugees, migrants, and immigrants.

Any supporters at U of T who helped you along the way?

Both of my essays were written in courses with phenomenal professors – Professor Matthew Sergi and Professor Phillip Dickinson. Throughout the semester, as I was working on my papers, I really appreciated their enthusiasm for the subject matter, their guidance, and their ability to encourage amazing dialogue between me and my fellow classmates.

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From cancer research to student mindfulness: global Undergraduate Awards recognizes U of T alumni

sgupta — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:32:58 +0000

From cancer research to student mindfulness: global Undergraduate Awards recognizes U of T alumni sgupta Tue, 10/06/2015 - 10:32

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Winnie Lieu and Raghav Singal were both highly commended for their papers

Brianna Goldberg

Author legacy

Brianna Goldberg

Topic

Breaking Research

More News

Undergraduate Students

To be ‘Highly Commended’ a student's research or academic paper must be ranked in the top 10 per cent of more than 5,000 submissions.

U of T students regularly number among this elite group. (Read about more Highly Commended U of T alumni)

This year’s finalists and their categories are:

Raghav Singal - Engineering & Built Environment

Dominic Liao-McPherson - Engineering & Built Environment

Xiyu Liu - Engineering & Built Environment

Misha Boutilier - History

Ira Halpern - Literature Pre-1710

Roshaan Wasim - Literature Pre-1710 & Literature 1710-Present

Dean McHugh - Philosophy & Theology

Winnie Lieu - Psychology

U of T News spoke with a few of the finalists. (Read interviews with Dean McHugh and Ira Halpern.) More stories featuring the great work of other Highly Commended alumni are still to come…

RAGHAV SINGAL

What is your paper about?

The paper discussed multiple methods that can be used to improve the image quality of Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. CBCT scans are used during radiotherapy treatments in order to evaluate and dynamically plan the treatment. As compared to CT scans, they do not expose the patient to a lot of radiation and therefore are less harmful. However, the image quality of CBCT scans is relatively poor. Professor Dionne Aleman, Professor Doug Moseley and I proposed novel mathematical models that can be used to improve the CBCT image quality.

Why do you care about this subject?

I believe in making the world a better place, and cancer is one of the biggest problems faced by us.

What’s next for you?

I just started my doctoral degree in Operations Research at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Columbia University. It is hard to say where I will end up five years down the road, but academia is a possibility. Regarding areas of research, I am mostly interested in mathematical optimization applied to healthcare, finance, sports and energy.

Any supporters at U of T who helped you along the way?

Professor Dionne Aleman from the department of mechanical and industrial engineering supervised me on this research project. We started in September 2012 and worked on it for almost three years. She was very helpful and patient throughout the project.

How else did you get involved at U of T?

I served as class rep for the Industrial Engineering Club 2013-14 and became the group’s Academic Director for 2014-15. I also served as VP Academic on the Chestnut Residence Council from 2013-14 and as the Council’s Speaker for 2014-15. In terms of volunteering, I provided notes to students with disabilities for over 15 courses.

WINNIE LIEU

What is your paper about?

My research paper was a systematic review that aimed to answer these questions: “How effective are mindfulness practices for university students? How can mindfulness be optimally incorporated to benefit student functioning and learning?”

I wanted to see what research had been done on mindfulness in higher education settings, given that mindfulness has been gaining momentum in university campuses as a method to better address student mental health needs.

Why do you care about this subject?

While it was interesting to read about the importance of mindfulness in research and learn about it in my classes, having an experiential psychology class that guided me through mindfulness exercises was life changing. I highly encourage anyone who has the slightest curiosity to give the practice a try (and try to persist with it afterwards). Speaking from personal experience, practicing mindfulness has helped me be more present in life.

What’s next for you?

Since graduating this year, I have started my master's in occupational therapy at the University of Toronto.

Any supporters at U of T who helped you along the way?

Professor Brenda Toner, who taught me the course PSY408H1 The Psychology of Mindfulness, helped support me while I wrote this paper. Her discussions and insight in class were extremely helpful in helping me learn, practice and evaluate mindfulness. I also want to thank Professor Bill Ju of the human biology department for his continuous support.

How else did you get involved at U of T?

I enjoyed volunteering in hospitals and as a research assistant at CAMH and the Rotman Research Institute. In particular, I extremely valued my volunteer experiences abroad in Taiwan and Guatemala. I was also very involved in the Centre for Community Partnerships at the University of Toronto as an Alternative Reading Week project leader and tutor.

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Nine U of T students invited to Dublin for Undergraduate Awards

sgupta — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 05:53:10 +0000

Nine U of T students invited to Dublin for Undergraduate Awards sgupta Tue, 11/25/2014 - 00:53

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Michael Scarpitti, David Ding and Florence Chan are among the nine U of T students to make the Dublin Awards' Highly Commended list

Liz Do

Author legacy

Liz Do

Subheadline

Florence Chan recognized in two categories

Nine U of T graduates were named to the Highly Commended list at this year’s Undergraduate Awards – a global competition that brings top students from around the world to take part at its Global Summit in Dublin, from November 19-21.

To be named ‘Highly Commended,’ a student's research paper submission must be ranked in the top 10 per cent. This year’s finalists were named ‘Highly Commended’ in the following categories:

Tyler Carson, Cultural Studies
Shelby Challis, Social Science
Florence Chan, Cultural Studies and Psychology (recognized in two categories)
David Ding, Engineering & Mechanical Studies
Arash Ghiassi, Philosophy & Theology
Morad Moazami, Media & Arts
Michael Scarpitti, Education
Behrad Vatankhahghadim, Engineering & Mechanical Studies
Frank Weng, International Relations &Politics

In the past two years, four U of T grads have received medals of academic excellence at the Undergraduate Awards, including last year’s winners, Chelsea Bin Han and Thineshan Kathirchelvan. Winners and highly commended entrants are invited to Dublin to attend the summit. There, students participate in workshops and events geared towards enhancing their personal development, furthering their ideas and research, and strengthening their leadership skills.

“I knew I was in some tough competition because the entrants to the Undergraduate Awards competition are some of the brightest young minds coming from all corners of the world,” said Ding, who is now a master’s student in electrical and computer engineering at U of T.

Ding was among more than 200 entrants in the Engineering category. “For my paper to place among the top 10 per cent, it made me feel that my effort really paid off.”

Scarpitti faced even fiercer competition in his category, which received almost 5,000 submissions. He found out he was a finalist on his first day of graduate school at Queen’s University. Scarpitti, who hopes to go on to medical school, said he thanks U of T for helping him build the skills that he exhibited in his research paper.

“My ability to write and communicate effectively significantly improved over my course of study at the University of Toronto, which was largely due to the intense constructive feedback I received [as an undergrad],” he said.

Chan was recognized in two categories – an exceptional feat that had her questioning if she was still dreaming when she woke up to the news.

“As I started waking up and realised it was for real, I got more and more excited. I checked the website to make sure it wasn't a mistake because I was so shocked that I had been shortlisted. So you can imagine that when I took a look at the list and saw my name twice, I was even more shocked!”

Chan’s first paper looked at the personal narratives of trans individuals, particularly the voices of trans people of colour, while the second paper focused on gender identity disorder (GID).

(See the full list of this year’s winners and finalists.)

Liz Do writes about education issues for U of T News.

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Dublin-bound: undergrad researchers win global recognition

sgupta — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:44:29 +0000

Dublin-bound: undergrad researchers win global recognition sgupta Fri, 10/25/2013 - 06:44

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Alumni Chelsea Bin Han and Thineshan Kathirchelvan are being honoured for research papers they wrote before graduating from U of T

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Alumni

Research

Features

University of Toronto alumni Chelsea Bin Han and Thineshan Kathirchelvan are heading to Dublin next month to receive medals of academic excellence from the president of Ireland and take part in a global undergraduate summit November 13-15.

Han, a Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies major, and Kathirchelvan, who majored in Aerospace Engineering, graduated earlier this year but are being recognized for research papers they wrote as undergraduates. Kathirchelvan won the Engineering and Mechanical Sciences category with his essay entitled ‘Robust Shape Optimization of NURBS Based Acoustic Reflectors using Stochastic Search Techniques.’ Han won the Business and Economics category with her essay ‘Bretton Woods: doomed failure from the beginning?: the interplay of structural and operational factors in the Gold Pool.'

Han and Kathirchelvan will join scholars and researchers from around the world at the 2013 Undergraduate Awards or UA. They’re following in the footsteps of two U of T alumni who last year travelled to Ireland for the same awards. (Read about last year's winners.)

The competition, which began as a national contest in 2008, is now global and brings 60 students from around the world to take part in what organizers call “Davos for students”.

U of T News spoke with Han and Kathirchelvan about their work and their time at U of T.

What did you study at U of T and why?
Thineshan: I studied aerospace engineering as part of Engineering Science at UofT. I chose Engineering Science because I was interested in going into biomedical or aerospace engineering in high school. However, as I discovered after two years of going through the program, Aerospace was a more suitable option for me.

Who doesn't love planes and rockets?

Chelsea: I specialized in Peace, Conflict and Justice Studies, a multi-disciplinary program that facilitated my international academic endeavours. I studied abroad at the University of St Andrews (Scotland) from 2010 to 2011 which strengthened my passion for travelling, researched food security in Ghana through an independent research project, and visited South Korea through the International Course Module in 2013.

What are you doing now?
Thineshan: Currently, I am working at Bombardier Aerospace as an Acoustics and Vibration Engineer. Here, I am exposed to many acoustics and vibration problems being faced in the aerospace industry. My day-to-day role is to make planes quieter, more comfortable, and reliable.

Chelsea: I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Department of International Development at the University of Oxford through support from a Mackenzie King Scholarship. Since Professor Emily Gilbert first sparked my research interests in migration, I am analyzing international refugee law and policy-making process where national security and human rights are both considered.

Tell us about your paper.
Thineshan: Imagine you are sitting in an auditorium listening to a musical performance. The sound that reaches your ears directly from the performer is only a fraction of what constitutes your musical experience. The auditorium you are sitting in actually shapes the sound you hear. By using acoustic mirrors known as reflectors, engineers can redirect the sound to the audience at a given time as well as from a given direction. This is why a violinist playing in your living room sounds much different from one playing at a symphony hall.

In recent times, curved reflectors are being utilized by engineers and architects to gain extra degrees of design freedom. However, designing a curved reflector is a time-consuming process. An optimization design software, SOAR, was developed to automatically shape a reflector so that sound reflections can be directed to a specified audience area from a given source location. This technique uses stochastic algorithms as well as robust optimization methods to achieve solutions that are not only optimal but also not too sensitive to changes.

Chelsea: In my essay, I addressed various factors that contributed to the failure of the Bretton Woods system, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in 1944. I examined the structural deficiencies of the gold standard, which was a system that defined national currencies according to a fixed amount of gold. In light of the economic recession in 2008, which led to a renewed evaluation of the international monetary order, my essay analyzed how the economic behaviours of countries exacerbated the systematic shortcomings of a financial regime.

Why does that subject interest you?
Thineshan: As I discovered during my University life, aerospace and engineering were not the only things that interested me. Certainly, music was a huge driving force and the gravitational pull of music triggered me to create my own studio, TK Productions, as well as a theatre production company, Nuream Entertainment Inc. These ventures allowed me to bring my musical ideas to life while also allowing me to collaborate with many talented musicians in my community.

Struggling with the choice of finding a career in music or engineering, it was my Professional Experience Year internship with Aercoustics Engineering Limited that fused my pursuit of Engineering to my passion for music. Using acoustic analysis and shape optimization techniques, I helped boost the acoustic characteristics for a variety of performance spaces and recording studios. This experience was so rewarding that I decided to pursue my undergraduate research in bringing techniques from aerospace and acoustics together.

This is how the idea of acoustic reflector shape optimization was born.

Chelsea: As my interdisciplinary education has afforded me an understanding in Political Science, Canadian Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Psychology and Law, my interest in the history of economics has been almost accidental. I wrote my essay in an elective course in hopes of gaining a holistic perspective on economic crises in recent years.

What are you most looking forward to with the trip to Dublin?
Thineshan: I am definitely looking forward to meeting people from all over the world who are passionate about different subjects and disciplines. It is a great opportunity for me to learn about subjects that I have very limited exposure to. As well, I love Irish folk music and so this will be a great opportunity to go see a few concerts in the city. Last but not least, Dublin is known for making excellent beverages. So I will definitely give the factory a visit!

Chelsea: I am looking forward to an intellectually enriching experience where I would be exposed to various perspectives within a global network of promising scholars.

You just graduated this year – can you share some highlights of your time at U of T?
Thineshan: I am grateful to Professor Prasanth Nair for working with me and offering his valuable input and insight to make this project a very rewarding experience. As well, I want to thank my colleagues at Aercoustics for giving me great support throughout the process.

The experience I will never forget is having a laugh over a good dinner after a brutal test and skipping lectures to share a few adventures. Shout out to Shy, Ali, Val S., Robert, Tomas, Joe, Val P., and Matt. I apologize for missing many others. They made my time at UofT roll on the floor laughable, exciting, and a great learning experience. Finally, I want to thank my family for their hard work and support to get me through university.

Chelsea: Professor Emily Gilbert (Chair of Canadian Studies; Geography) has been a guiding light in my academic growth. I researched border security policies in the Research Opportunity Program with Professor Gilbert in the summer of 2010 and my peers and I won an Undergraduate Research Award (Faculty of Arts and Science) to conduct surveys on border security policies in the Niagara Falls region in 2012. Professor Gilbert supervised my independent thesis project on Canada’s immigration and I presented and published my research on migration and human rights in academic journals and conferences. And the Centre for International Experience and particularly Ms. Julienne Lottering (Safety Abroad Advisor, CIE) provided great support for my educational opportunities abroad.

My experiences at the University of Toronto were very rewarding in terms of personal and professional growth: attending public lectures and observing sessions at the Department of Astronomy with a friend, Pegah Salbi (PhD candidate, Astronomy); enjoying recreational activities at Hart House and Athletic Center, improving my public speaking skills at Model United Nations conferences in North America and Europe. I developed life-long friendships through various extra-curricular activities at Loretto College and St. Michael’s College.

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