With U of T Engineering’s convocation ceremonies on June 20, 2023, our students mark the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
Having enriched the U of T Engineering community as undergraduate and graduate students, they will join our vibrant, global network of Skule™ alumni, where they will continue to address pressing challenges around the world and inspire the next generation.
This year’s 15 Grads to Watch — selected by their home departments and institutes — embody the spirit of U of T Engineering. Their stories illustrate the creativity, innovation and global impact that define our community. Watch their next steps!
Among the 15 graduates our two CivMin grads to watch are:
INNOVATING DATA SCIENCE
Sanjana Hossain (CivMin PhD 2T3)
Hossain will always appreciate the diversity of people and ideas that she found at U of T Engineering.
“I got the opportunity to work with researchers from various backgrounds, teach classes to a multicultural student body and make friends with people from different countries around the world,” she says.
“These experiences have shaped my values and principles and made me more respectful towards others.”
Her thesis, under the supervision of Professor Khandker Nurul Habib, investigated the feasibility of synthesizing travel data from multiple sources to generate more comprehensive and representative information to support disaggregate travel demand modelling.
“This research will help transportation planners, demand modellers and policy makers by producing rich and accurate input data for evidence-based transportation planning in the emerging context,” she says.
During her PhD, Hossain worked as a data science intern on the Policy, Research & Economics team at Uber Technologies Inc.
She was also the recipient of many scholarships, including the Ontario Trillium Scholarship, the Transport Canada Scholarship and the graduate student fellowship from U of T’s School of Cities. In 2021, she was awarded the Jim Davey Award by the Canadian Transportation Research Forum for her paper, which explored the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on bicycle-sharing demand in Toronto.
After graduation, Hossain will be taking up a postdoctoral fellowship at Northwestern University in Chicago, under the supervision of Professor Hani Mahmassani, and supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
“I will be investigating a variety of empirical and methodological research questions, such as what is the potential demand for urban air mobility services in the state of Illinois, what are the long-lasting effects of the pandemic on travel behaviour and demand, and what factors contribute to sample attrition in panel surveys,” she says.
“I hope that these topics will help diversify and extend my research experiences further.”
“I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues at the Travel Demand Modelling group of U of T. They not only provided an engaging and productive research environment but also helped me navigate through the tough PhD journey. They also helped me enjoy my life in Toronto to the fullest.“
MODERNIZING MINING TECHNOLOGY
Alec Gilvesy (MinE 2T2 + PEY)
Gilvesy says his time at U of T Engineering has been a great balance between fun extracurricular activities, academic challenges and hands-on work.
“I have been fortunate to take part in a lot of different groups over my time at the University,” he says.
He was a member of the Min Club, and as president this past year, the team was recognized as Discipline Club of the Year by EngSoc. He was also part of the U of T Canadian Mining Games Team, the Skule ™ Nite Band and the Blue & Gold Committee, and he held the role of vice-archivist for the Skule™ Archives.
As an undergraduate in the Lassonde Mineral Engineering program, he says he had the invaluable experience of getting out into the field during courses such as MIN 225: Introduction to the Resource Industries, CME 358: Survey CAMP and MIN 400: Geology Field Camp.
“All my courses have featured knowledge sharing of state-of-the-art technologies impacting the field of mining, which were delivered by some of the top leaders in the field,” he says.
“It has been exciting to see some of these technologies implemented during my PEY Co-op at Agnico Eagle’s Macassa mine, and I hope to continue to see these innovations shape the field over my career.”
After graduation, Gilvesy will be returning to the Macassa mine in Kirkland Lake, Ont., to work as an engineer-in-training.
“The Macassa mine and Agnico Eagle align with a lot of my personal values and interests,” he says. “The company puts a big emphasis on mining sustainably and supporting the local community, which I believe are crucial for mining companies as we move forward.
“Macassa has been in operation more or less continuously since 1933, so there is a lot of history there that I hope to continue to learn from and apply and adapt it to more modern technology and techniques.”
“I’d really like to thank my team at MinClub for their hard work over the past year: Shaan Hudani (MinE 2T2 + PEY), my VP Social; Peter Anderson (MinE 2T2 + PEY), my VP Finance; Raymond Bhushan, my VP Academic; and Komal Mann (MinE 2T2 + PEY), my VP Industry, and right hand in everything with MinClub this year. You’ve all really made an impact on the students in the Lassonde Mineral Engineering program, and I can’t wait to see what you all do next!“
Story by Safa Jinje & Tyler Irving
This story originally published (with all 15 grads to watch) by Engineering News