Lassonde School of Engineering

Professors Hossein Kassiri and James Elder have each received $1.5 million of funding through York University's Connected Minds Team Grants.

Professor Kassiri is developing a wearable headset that could help people monitor epilepsy from home in real time, while Professor Elder is creating AI-powered technologies to support the health, independence and social well-being of older adults.

Together, their work is helping shape a healthier and more inclusive future.

Read more in York University's Ascend Magazine: https://bit.ly/4g417Lg

Funding the future - Ascend Magazine THROUGH THE YORK-LED CONNECTED MINDS: Neural and Machine Systems for a Healthy, Just Society initiative, five teams from York University and Queen’s University received $1.5 million each to tackle everything from artificial intelligence- (AI) driven communication technologies for Canadians with sp...

Most food waste ends up in landfills. But what if it could become something useful instead? Lassonde PhD candidate Reema Kumar is researching how carefully selected microorganisms can transform discarded food into valuable chemicals, reducing both waste and the energy needed to produce these materials.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4zcOc27

Turning food waste into sustainable chemicals: York study investigates - YFile York PhD candidate Reema Kumar has found a low-energy way to boost production of useful industrial chemicals from discarded food, helping turn waste into a valuable resource.

The future of senior care could include robots that better understand people. Professor James Elder is leading a team developing Psibot, a robotic vision system designed to help robots better understand people, their surroundings and social interactions.

With support from the Connected Minds Prototyping Award, the research is bringing this technology closer to real-world applications, from monitoring mobility and well-being to encouraging social connection and helping older adults navigate care environments safely.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4wLr0Xa

How AI-powered social robots could help older adults live more independently - YFile York University researcher James Elder is developing AI-powered robotic vision technology to help social robots better support older adults and their caregivers.

As AI transforms our world, it's important to make it safer for young people who increasingly turn to it for emotional support and guidance.

Abeer Badawi, a postdoctoral researcher at Lassonde, is investigating how AI chatbots can be made safer and how to prevent over-reliance from eroding independent decision-making.

Supervised by Professors Laleh Seyyed-Kalantari and Elham Dolatabadi, along with Frank Rudzicz of Dalhousie University, and supported through OpenAI's AI and Mental Health Grant Program, her research is helping shape safeguards that encourage AI systems to recognize risk and connect vulnerable users to real human support.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4aZBysX

York researchers explore AI safeguards for youth mental health - YFile AI is becoming a trusted source of advice for many young people. Postdoctoral researcher Abeer Badawi is exploring what that means for their mental health – and how to prevent harm.

For many immigrant families, language can become a barrier between generations.

Research from Lassonde is exploring how AI technologies can help immigrant seniors and their grandchildren communicate, learn each other's languages, and share cultural traditions.

The project is being led by Professor Emily Kuang, alongside Annie En-Shiun Lee and Jia Li, with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

The project's findings will help guide more inclusive AI applications, while working toward strengthening family relationships, preserving cultural heritage, and reducing social isolation among immigrant seniors.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4yZSPg3

SSHRC awards advance York-led community-engaged research - YFile York researchers have received upwards of $3.5 million from federal programs that support early-stage research and new partnerships with community, government, industry and academic collaborators.

Creating pathways into STEM starts with opportunity. This summer, 100 high school students joined Lassonde's k2i academy as paid lab assistants, working alongside faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate mentors to tackle challenges in AI, sustainability, energy, manufacturing, and space technologies, all while earning high school credits in Physics or English.

At the Bringing STEM to Life Symposium, they presented the innovative projects they developed throughout the program, highlighting what's possible when students gain early access to hands-on research and mentorship.

By connecting K–12 learners with university research and real-world experience, the k2i academy is building the next generation of STEM talent while strengthening partnerships with schools, communities, and industry.

Special thanks to Assistant Deputy Minister Giselle Basanta, Ministry of Education and Parliamentary Assistant Mohamed Firin, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, and MPP for York South-Weston for joining us.

Thank you to all our donors, partners, and collaborators, including: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board, Carswell Family Foundation, 407ETR and KPM Power.

Learn more about k2i academy: https://lassonde.yorku.ca/k2i/programs/in-the-community/

Wuxly Defence visited Lassonde to explore the York Microfabrication Facility (YMF), a hub for innovation, connecting industry with specialized facilities, research expertise, and student talent, to help accelerate new ideas.

We also discussed how industry partners can engage with Lassonde through Capstone projects, bringing real-world challenges to multidisciplinary student teams while connecting with emerging engineering talent.

Thanks to Rob Ferrari, Human Resources & Operations Manager and Adharsh Boei, Operations and Supply Chain Manager, for joining us.

Interested in partnering with Lassonde? Learn more: https://bit.ly/40DVviZ

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York University researchers are using AI to help cancer specialists spend less time analyzing medical images and more time caring for patients.

Professor Ali Sadeghi Naini and his team are developing AI tools that can detect, track and measure tumours in MRI and ultrasound scans, while identifying early signs that a treatment is, or isn't, working. That could help patients avoid months of ineffective chemotherapy and unnecessary side effects.

Working with clinicians at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, the team is helping give oncologists and radiologists more time to focus on the patients who need it most.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4fU5Or1

How York researchers are using AI to support cancer care - YFile Can AI help clinicians spend less time reviewing scans and more time caring for patients? York researcher Ali Sadeghi-Naini is developing tools designed to support faster, more informed decision-making in cancer care.

The Google Developer Group (GDG) chapter is back at York University after two years, thanks to the efforts of first-year Computer Engineering student Soroush Baraouf.

The chapter is designed around a builder mindset. Instead of passive speaker events, students tackle real problems through hands-on workshops using Google tools like Firebase and Google Cloud, leaving with portfolio-ready projects and practical experience.

Those efforts culminated in the chapter hosting the Engineering & AI Innovation Case Competition at Google's Toronto headquarters, where students pitched AI-powered solutions directly to Google engineers.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4pyRTe7

Student revives Google Developer Group at York U - YFile Lassonde School of Engineering student Soroush Baraouf has rebuilt the dormant chapter with a focus on providing students across all disciplines with opportunities to enhance technological aptitude through hands-on learning, AI tools and more.