Researchers at U of T Engineering, led by Professor Yu Zou (MSE), are leveraging machine learning to improve additive manufacturing, also commonly known as 3D printing.
In a new paper, published in the journal of Additive Manufacturing, the team introduces a new framework they’ve dubbed the Accurate Inverse process optimization framework in laser Directed Energy Deposition (AIDED).
The new AIDED framework optimizes laser 3D printing to enhance the accuracy and robustness of the finished product. This advancement aims to produce higher quality metal parts for industries, such as aerospace, automotive, nuclear and health care, by predicting how the metal will melt and solidify to find optimal printing conditions.
“The wider adoption of directed energy deposition — a major metal 3D printing technology — is currently hindered by the high cost of finding optimal process parameters through trial and error,” says Xiao Shang (MSE PhD candidate), first author of the new study.
“Our framework quickly identifies the optimal process parameters for various applications based on industry needs.”
Metal additive manufacturing uses a high-powered laser to selectively fuse fine metallic powder, building parts layer by layer from a precise 3D digital model.
Unlike traditional methods, which involve cutting, casting or machining materials, metal additive manufacturing directly creates complex, highly customized components with minimal material waste.
“One major challenge of 3D metal printing is the speed and precision of the manufacturing process,” says Zou. “Variations in printing conditions can lead to inconsistencies in the quality of the final product, making it difficult to meet industry standards for reliability and safety.
“Another major challenge is determining the optimal settings for printing different materials and parts. Each material — whether it’s titanium for aerospace and medical applications or stainless steel for the nuclear reactors — has unique properties that require specific laser power, scanning speed and temperature conditions. Finding the right combination of these parameters across a vast range of process parameters is a complex and time-consuming task.”
These challenges inspired Zou and his lab group to develop their new framework. AIDED operates in a closed-loop system where a genetic algorithm — a method that mimics natural selection to find optimal solutions — first suggests process parameters combinations, which machine learning models then evaluate for printing quality.
The genetic algorithm checks these predictions for optimality, repeating the process until the best parameters are found.
“We have demonstrated that our framework can identify optimal process parameters from customizable objectives in as little as one hour, and it accurately predicts geometries from process parameters,” says Shang. “It is also versatile and can be used with various materials.”
To develop the framework, the researchers conducted numerous experiments to collect their vast datasets. This essential but time-consuming challenge ensured that the datasets covered a wide range of process parameters.
Looking ahead, the team is working to develop an enhanced autonomous, or self-driving, additive manufacturing system that operates with minimal human intervention, similar to how autonomous vehicles drive themselves, says Zou.
“By combining cutting-edge additive manufacturing methods with artificial intelligence, we aim to create a novel closed loop controlled self-driving laser system,” he says.
“This system will be capable of sensing potential defects in real-time, predicting issues before they occur, and automatically adjusting processing parameters to ensure high-quality production. It will be versatile enough to work with different materials and part geometries, making it a game-changer for manufacturing industries.”
In the meantime, the researchers hope AIDED will transform process optimization in industries that use metal 3D printing.
“Industries such as aerospace, biomedical, automotive, nuclear and more would welcome such a low-cost yet accurate solution to facilitate their transition from traditional manufacturing to 3D printing,” says Shang.
“By the year 2030, additive manufacturing is expected to reshape manufacturing across multiple high-precision industries,” adds Zou. “The ability to adaptively correct defects and optimize parameters will accelerate its adoption.”
Mohammadamir (Amir) G. Moghaddam (BME PhD student) has been named the recipient of the 2025-26 Adel S. Sedra Distinguished Graduate Award, recognizing his outstanding academic achievements and leadership. The award, established in honour of former U of T vice-president and provost, Professor Adel S. Sedra (ECE), is given annually to a doctoral student who exemplifies excellence in research and extracurricular leadership in university and community activities. It is administered by the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA).
Moghaddam’s research focuses on Polymer-DNA origami hybrid cancer vaccines. His work has been published in Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews and Biofabrication, and has received over $300,000 in competitive funding and scholarships. He is a Vanier Scholar and a Connaught PhDs for Public Impact Fellow.
In addition to his research, Moghaddam has held leadership roles in student governance. As president of the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU), he was involved in securing a university-wide increase in PhD/SJD funding to $40,000 annually and implementing programs addressing food insecurity. He also contributed to initiatives exploring the establishment of a non-profit housing corporation for graduate students.
Moghaddam’s advocacy extends beyond the university. As chair of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario Graduate Students Caucus and the CFS International Students Constituency, he has represented over 80,000 graduate students across Ontario, contributing to policy discussions on student funding and discounts. He has also worked on programs aimed at connecting graduate researchers with cancer patients and high school students. Under his leadership, UTGSU introduced more than 20 new graduate student employment positions.
Zayne Thawer (EngSci 2T0+ PEY) never imagined the career path his Professional Experience Year Co-op Program (PEY Co-op) at Safran Landing Systems would open up.
“My internship was incredibly enlightening. It introduced me to the world of industry beyond academia,” he says.
“As a systems engineering and architecture intern, I worked with a team of engineers in Canada and France on the development and implementation of a Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) framework using the Systems Modeling Language (SysML). This modeling was derived from the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook and was done for the landing gear architecture and operation of a supersonic jet program.”
Today he is driven by a passion for creating a positive impact on society. As a spacecraft systems engineer at Planet Labs — a satellite imagery and earth data analytics company based in San Francisco — he is dedicated to advancing space sustainability. His work ensures that space remains a viable resource for future generations.
“One area of innovation that I’ve been able to work on is the art of maneuver automation. As space becomes an increasingly dense environment with lots of satellites, debris and objects of all kinds, we are making sure that we are operating in a safe and sustainable manner,” he says.
“Prior to my time at Safran, I did not understand what the field of systems engineering was, and now I work as a space systems engineer on a constellation of Earth-orbiting satellites.”
The PEY Co-op program, offered through the Engineering Career Centre, is a work-integrated learning initiative designed to help U of T Engineering undergraduate students gain paid, meaningful work experience aligned with their individual career goals. With up to 20 months of work experience, PEY Co-op students can engage in long-term projects from inception to completion; while earning a competitive salary and developing a robust professional network and valuable skills they can apply throughout their careers.
Thawer’s PEY Co-op experience gave him the opportunity to work on different projects that enabled him to gain new capabilities. During his time at Safran Landing Systems, Thawer tracked change management for the Bombardier Global 7500 aircraft program, through which he learned how to write and manage requirements, as well as capture validation and verification activities of a broad range of subsystems and components.
Two key skills he honed during his time at Safran Landing Systems were context switching and being a high-level systems thinker.
“The first project I did at Safran Landing Systems had a profound impact on my career trajectory, as it was the first time I was faced with an ambiguous, high-level problem that needed to be broken down into manageable pieces using critical thinking and intuition,” says Thawer.
“This systems-thinking approach to a challenge that did not have one correct answer was extremely rewarding to work on, since it forced me to think creatively about a deeply interconnected system and untangle the complexity,” he says.
“In my current role at Planet, working on the Mission Operations team, there’s always a million things going on at the same time and being able to jump from one project to the next is a skill that I started working on when I was at my PEY Co-op at Safran Landing Systems. It also was a big part of the Engineering Science curriculum.”
As an advocate for space sustainability, Thawer feels fortunate to contribute to systems that account for satellite manoeuvres and fleet management to reduce the risk of collisions in space.
“We have developed systems that proactively identify and mitigate collisions that may be imminent in the coming days,” he says. “I think space sustainability is going to become an increasing concern as we see the rise of the commercial space industry. It’s important that we all consider the impact that our actions are having on the future of the space environment.”
For students embarking on their PEY Co-op journey, Thawer’s advice is to step out of their comfort zones and embrace new opportunities.
“Without the PEY Co-op program’s on-the-job training to develop my skills in analyzing nebulous, multi-disciplinary engineering problems, I would not be on the path I currently tread. But every opportunity I could get to work with another team or project broadened my horizons,” he says.
Looking ahead, Thawer is eager to deepen his expertise in the space industry.
“I think there’s still so much more for me to learn about spacecraft design and operations. I’m looking forward to taking on new technical challenges and becoming a well-rounded engineer at Planet,” he says.
When Laura Thompson (ChemE 1T6), was in her fourth year at U of T Engineering, a simple skincare hack sparked her journey into the world of natural skincare.
“One of my friends introduced me to using coconut oil as a natural makeup remover,” says Thompson, co-founder of Three Ships. “I loved how well it worked, but I found the user experience of scooping it out of a jar and applying it to my face to be bulky and cumbersome.”
Thompson started to research more natural skincare alternatives but was frustrated with companies making questionable claims about being natural and clean — a practice sometimes referred to as greenwashing — as well as a general lack of clarity and transparency around these terms.
“Three Ships was born out of our own frustration,” says Thompson, who, along with her co-founder Connie Lo, invested $2,000 into the creation of the company. “We started by hand-making our products in our kitchen. Our intention was to create truly natural skincare products that are affordable and deliver exceptional results.”
Today, Three Ships no longer makes its products in the co-founders’ kitchen. The company works with three factories in the Greater Toronto Area — and one in South Korea for their innovative biodegradable eye masks — to deliver mostly made-in-Canada products.
“One of the big advantages is that we’re able to have boots on the ground and go and visit our contract manufacturers to ensure quality control,” says Thompson.
“That’s why all our products that we can make locally are made locally. It was a huge decision for us to even start making products in South Korea, but there were no contract manufacturers here that could make that type of technology.”
For Sofia Bonilla (ChemE PhD 1T7), establishing a Canadian company with made-in-Canada products has been a positive experience due to the support she has received, including from U of T Mississauga’s ICUBE — a social entrepreneurship accelerator for early-stage startups.
“It’s incredibly difficult to build a business, so I won’t sugar coat it, but there have been so many people wanting to help us and see us succeed,” she says.
Bonilla is the founder and CEO of ALT-PRO Advantage, makers of next generation pet foods that use environmentally friendly, nutrient-rich insect protein.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Bonilla spent her career in academia. Born and raised in Colombia, she completed a degree in microbiology before moving to Australia to complete a master’s degree in environmental science.
She then completed her PhD in chemical engineering at U of T and pursued postdoctoral fellowships in Toronto and the Netherlands.
“My expertise is in protein. For many years, I was thinking about protein, learning about protein and over time I came to understand the importance of diversifying where we get our protein,” she says.
“Combining my biology background with engineering helped me develop an understanding of manufacturing products. I realized I could use my scientific training to create products that people could buy, helping them transition to environmentally friendly, nutritionally equivalent alternative protein sources.”
ALT-PRO started using insect protein in pet foods due to its commercial availability, as well as its proven safety, palatability and digestibility.
“We see a lot of opportunity in other alternative proteins, and we are even developing our own ingredients that we plan to incorporate in the future using microalgae. We have these cool, proprietary ingredients that will be a source of essential nutrients for pets but also has different applications in other feed and food products,” says Bonilla.
“The company started with just me, but we are now a team of six with research and development based in Halifax. We also have products in 84 stores across Canada.”
Both ALT-PRO Advantage and Three Ships are Certified B Corporations, a designation from nonprofit network B Lab, which indicates that a company meets the highest standards in social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability.
Building a business in Canada has its challenges, says Thompson, noting that accessing capital has been one of Three Ships’ biggest hurdles, especially since many investors and large venture capitalist firms are based in the United States.
But the company is now at the stage where it has a lot of Canadian visibility, she says. Their next goal is to continue expanding and get their products into a major beauty retailer.
“My biggest advice for women in engineering who are interested in pursuing entrepreneurship is to learn how to sell,” she says. “As a founder, you are always selling something: the culture of your team to new employees, the future growth potential to investors and your products to your customers and retail buyers.
“I wish that more women would go into a sales role right out of school and learn those skills before launching their companies. Connie and I both had sales backgrounds before we started, and we learned so much from those experiences, which serve us in entrepreneurship.”
If Bonilla could give her past self one piece of advice, it would be to have more confidence in her vision early on.
“I’m learning to not undersell accomplishments,” she says. “My advice to women interested in entrepreneurship is to trust and surround yourself with people who believe in you and your vision. Don’t be afraid to be authentic and change the way things have been traditionally done.”
Even before he officially enrolled, Jimmy Lu (CivMin 1T0, MASc 1T3) knew that U of T Engineering was for him.
“The summer before my first year, I attended a reception for students who had received an offer of admission, but not necessarily accepted it yet,” he says.
“They had us doing all kinds of challenges, some of which were pretty silly. But they also required you to use math, science and creative thinking to solve problems, which is just what engineers do.”
“I liked that mix of being able to have fun, but also to do real things — it just felt right.”
Lu, who was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Toronto, quickly threw himself into all aspects of Skule™. One early highlight was during his second semester, when he won the Ultimate F!rosh competition, one of a series of Skule™ spirit events that take place during what is known as Godiva Week.
“One of the things about being named Ultimate F!rosh is that for the next year, any member of Skule™ can ask you to jump up and down, and you have to do it,” he says.
“People would yell it across campus, or in the hallways. It got to the point where if I heard those words, I just assumed people were talking to me.”
The experience did not tire him out; instead, Lu took on even more roles with the Engineering Society (EngSoc). By April of his first year, he was editing the F!rosh Handbook for incoming students.
In his third year, he was named Mr. Blue and Gold, while his close friend Jenn Eversley (CivMin 1T0, MEng 1T7) was named Lady Godiva. Together, these two characters led many of the spirit activities that take place during F!rosh Week and throughout the year.
Lu went on to serve as the EngSoc’s vice president of student life. In his final year, he was elected president of EngSoc, and helped organize the 2010 Canadian Engineering Competitions.
After finishing his undergraduate degree, Lu went on to complete an MASc under the supervision of Professor Bryan Karney (CivMin). It was during this time that he met his life partner, Lisa Ye, a fellow U of T student in the Faculty of Nursing. They have now been together for 14 years.
From there, Lu moved into a series of roles that leveraged his passion for fighting climate change, including positions at The Atmospheric Fund, an environmental NGO, and at Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.
But in 2023, Lu faced a challenge unlike any he had ever dealt with before. After months of unusual symptoms, he was diagnosed in July with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
“There was about a week between my diagnosis and the surgery to remove the tumour,” he says.
“During that week, all I thought about were my favourite memories, and many were from U of T Engineering. They involved the friends I made there and experiences I had. It felt like I had lived a very rich life.”
Lu says he received an overwhelming amount of support: from his partner, his family, his friends, and coworkers.
His friends from U of T Engineering — led by Eversley — rallied to support him after the operation during his recovery and additional treatments. The care and strength he received from being part of the Skule™ community moved him deeply.
During his treatment, Lu was also struck by the degree to which the tools being used, from MRI machines to surgical devices, were all created and refined by engineers.
By the end of the summer, he had made up his mind to find a way to give back to the U of T Engineering community.
“When I got the call from Jimmy, I remember feeling shocked and saddened that someone so young must face something so difficult,” says Sonia De Buglio (ChemE 9T4, MASc 9T8) Director, Alumni Relations at U of T Engineering.
“At the same time, I felt very touched that in his moment of difficulty, he should be thinking about how he can give back and do something meaningful.”
The call kicked off a series of discussions between Lu and the U of T Engineering Advancement team, which eventually led to the creation of what is now called the Jimmy Lu Jump Up and Down for Skule™ Award.
This new endowed award will benefit students in perpetuity and will be presented annually to recognize the work of EngSoc vice-presidents who embody Skule™ spirit.
“Other than the president, who receives a small stipend, all of the student leaders from EngSoc and the other clubs and teams are volunteers,” says Lu.
“I wanted to find a way to recognize the value of that work, and the ripple effects it continues to have long after graduation.”
Lu’s classmates, along with several former Engineering Society Presidents and VPs, have already contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the new award. In December, Lu himself offered to match donations, helping the endowment exceed $50,000.
The award is just one of more than 600 awards distributed by the faculty to students each year, which are funded by generous donations from U of T Engineering alumni and supporters.
While his health poses ongoing challenges, Lu and Ye continue to live life to the fullest. Even while Lu was undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, the couple continued to travel the world together, and in late 2024, they had their first child.
Lu says that he wants the legacy of his award to be rooted in care and consideration for others.
“Kindness is a very strong focus for me now, because of all the kindness I’ve received, and just because it’s what we all deserve as humans,” Lu says.
“I want for us all to live in a kinder society. I hope that by giving back to Skule™, I can help to make that happen.”
If you’d like to support the Jimmy Lu Jump Up & Down for Skule™ Award, please make your gift online. If you have questions, or would like to learn more about establishing your own student award, please contact Kristin Philpot at kristin.philpot@utoronto.ca
Thanks to a dedicated group of student leaders, Black-identifying members of U of T Engineering’s graduate student community now have more avenues for support and mentorship than ever before.
Though it officially formed in 2024, the genesis of U of T’s NSBE Graduate Student Chapter dates back to the spring of 2023. That’s when ECE PhD candidate Mai Ali travelled to Kansas City, Mo., to attend the Annual Convention of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).
The yearly event brings together thousands of Black-identifying attendees to network among aspiring and professional engineers, pursue development opportunities and participate in competitions and career fairs.
“I was amazed by the community and the opportunities that were available, but I noticed that many events were geared towards undergraduate NSBE chapters,” says Ali, whose trip was sponsored by U of T Engineering’s office of the Vice-Dean, Graduate in collaboration with the Diversity, Inclusion and Professionalism office.
“I realized that Black graduate students need a place where we can meet, discuss our research and celebrate our achievements.”
When Ali returned to Toronto, she got to work establishing a graduate student chapter of NSBE at U of T with the support of the faculty.
She reached out to fellow Black engineering graduate students to gauge interest in forming the new group. The response was positive, and a call was made to form the executive committee, which first met in April 2024. The National Society of Black Engineers was founded in 1975 to promote and support the professional development and academic achievement of students pursing various engineering disciplines.
50 years later, there are more than 600 student chapters around the world with a mission to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who can succeed professionally and positively impact their communities. U of T has been home to an undergraduate chapter of NSBE since 1999.
“One of our goals with the grad chapter is to increase the representation of Black students in engineering programs, whether it’s a graduate or undergrad program,” says Ali, who leads the chapter as president.
“We do this through high school outreach and undergraduate mentorship.”
“NSBE Grad is all about inclusivity,” says Caleb Okechukwu (MIE MEng student), the executive secretary of the organization. “We welcome the experiences of all individuals — not only Black students — whose ideologies align with our mission.”
NSBE Grad has worked with Engineering Outreach’s Blueprint program, BrainSTEM Alliance and has helped undergraduate students gain positive research experience through its Research Connect initiative.
The community is also a place for peers to socialize in a supportive environment where they can share their wins, challenges and their engineering expertise.
“This is a family of Black people that members can count on for support and advice for both academic and financial matters,” says Bethel Unwan (MIE MEng student), vice-president of NSBE Grad.
“I had a very hard time getting support and wouldn’t want anyone to go through the same.”
Ali says that as a Black researcher, she feels a heightened sense of responsibility.Her PhD research, supervised by Professor Deepa Kundur (ECE), focuses on using multi-task machine learning to predict mental health comorbidities in youth.
Traditional machine learning models directed towards mental health conditions often use single-task learning, which requires separate models for different tasks. This means conditions and symptoms such as depression, anxiety, sleep disruption or suicidal ideation are predicted in isolation rather than as multiple outputs at once.
“Mental health disorders are often comorbid, meaning that if you have any one of them, you may have a concentration of others,” says Ali. “If we are able to diagnose the full profile of the mental health disorders a person has, then interventions and treatment outcomes could be improved.”
“There is a lot of bias in machine learning models that are directed towards underrepresented communities, including Black youth,” she says. “More representation across all communities is necessary to both acknowledge and reduce this bias.
“But to increase representation, it’s important for Black undergraduate students and early-career researchers to have support from role models that understand their perspective in the profession. I have been fortunate to have that support in my academic career, especially now with my PhD supervisor, but I know others might not have that same experience.”
“Black undergraduate students who are interested in research should take advantage of NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards,” says Reke Ferdinand Avikpe (BME PhD candidate), treasurer of NSBE Grad.
“Don’t be afraid to reach out and engage with professors to find volunteer opportunities in their labs. I always encourage students to start early, from second and third year, and explore different lab opportunities until you find the research you enjoy most.”
In March, five members of NSBE Grad will be travelling to Chicago to participate in the 50th anniversary of NSBE at the 2025 annual convention.
“We are not only a new chapter but the only graduate student chapter in Canada, so it’s important for us to make a positive impression at the convention,” says Ali.
“So many people have been involved in getting our organization to this point, including all members of our executive committee; our advisor, Professor Philip Asare (ISTEP, EngSci); my PhD supervisor, Professor Kundur; and the faculty’s Vice Dean, Graduate office.”