PhD candidates Mathew Carias (IBBME), Rhea Liem (AeroE), Matthew Ooms (MechE MASc 1T2), Nika Shakiba (IBBME) and Kim Tsoi (IBBME) are this year’s five engineering recipients of the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.

Vanier scholars receive $50,000 annually for up to three years. Each is selected based on their demonstrated leadership skills, research potential and high standard of scholarly achievement.

The diversity of research of this year’s engineering scholars is astounding, from optimizing future aircraft concepts, to studying – at a nano level – the physiochemical properties of the liver.

For Ooms, the scholarship gives him a chance to further his research in new strategies for producing biofuel.

“To have the opportunity to take up the award [at U of T Engineering], where the diversity of research is unparalleled, it’s something I did not expect, and I am both excited and humbled by it,” said Ooms, who works under the supervision of Professor David Sinton (MIE), Director, Centre for Sustainable Energy.

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, which has been likened to the Rhodes Scholarship, is part of an effort to attract and retain world-class scholars and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. This year, 156 Vanier scholars were announced, 29 of whom study at U of T.

“On behalf of the Faculty, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our five graduate students on this prestigious honour,” said Dean Cristina Amon. “Each year, our doctoral candidates are awarded the Vanier scholarship – a reflection of their promising research, and a testament to the innovative minds our engineering graduate programs attract.”