On Friday, a monument designed and built by U of T Engineering students will be on display on the front steps of the Galbraith building to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
Each year, a group of primarily women Engineering students hosts a memorial to honour the lives of the 14 women murdered in an anti-feminist attack at École Polytechnique de Montréal on December 6, 1989.
This year’s design was inspired by the idea of reflection.
“We wanted to focus on creating the type of reflective space we wish we had when we were first experiencing grief around what happened, and also the fear that comes with remembering this event as a woman in engineering,” says Isobel Arseneau (Year 4 EngSci), a longtime participant on the project.
“They’re very intense feelings to have and they’re not always ones you can control, so having a beautiful space you can move through and where you can feel all of those things was a goal of the design,” says Kaija Mikes (Year 4 EngSci), an organizer of the project.
The space is designed as an open-air structure filled with flowers, highlighting an illuminated “stained glass” feature. The flowers are white roses, which symbolize the day and represent the unfulfilled futures and innocence of the women lost.
In addition to the build, the students have organized a memorial ceremony, set to take place on Saturday, December 6, 2025 outside the Galbraith Building lobby at 5 p.m. The build and a commemorative plaque are set to stand for the week following Saturday’s events.
Thirty-six years ago, a gunman entered a classroom on the campus of Polytechnique Montréal, then known as École Polytechnique de Montréal. Separating the men from the women, he shot all nine women in the room, killing six. He then continued through other parts of the building, killing 14 women in total and wounding 10 more women and four men, before fatally shooting himself.
“One thing that always sticks with me about December 6th is that right before he gunned down those women, he yelled, ‘you’re all a bunch of feminists, I hate feminists!’” says Arseneau.
“Those women were killed because they were trying to make a change. They were studying engineering at a time when that wasn’t as widely accepted.”
Mikes’ aunt, who is also an engineer, was completing her degree at another university when the École Polytechnique massacre took place.
“I want people to understand that this wasn’t that long ago. It’s within living memory for many.”
Working as a team on the memorial has served as a way to build community with the students involved.
“This build connects with people who aren’t typically involved in other events. It resonates with those who may be more creatively minded, and it lets us apply classroom skills in real life,” says Mikes.
The sentiment is shared by Arseneau.
“I think the worst way we can feel as women in engineering is alone, especially on days like December 6th,” she says.
“It’s helpful to have a community where you know you’ll be heard and supported in talking about what you’re feeling. This is one of the only spaces in engineering where I see a large magnitude of women working on a project and growing more confident as engineers.”
The community created in response to December 6th reaches well beyond those involved in the annual build.
U of T Engineering alumna Hanna Sigurdson (EngSci 2T4 + PEY) remembers the memorials from her days on campus.
“While I did not participate in making the sculptures, I was always moved by them when walking past, as I remembered the women who came before me,” says Sigurdson.
Sigurdson, Ashna Jain (IndE 2T4 + PEY, MIE MASc student) and Rabab Azeem (MIE MASc student) were among the recipients of this year’s Order of the White Rose scholarship.
Instituted by Polytechnique Montréal, the program provides funding to 14 Canadian women who wish to pursue graduate studies in engineering anywhere in the world.
“I’m grateful to all of the women with the same impassioned dream who fought for our opportunities,” says Jain.
“The courage of the women who died at Polytechnique Montréal inspires me to keep pushing and believe in my dreams in the name of science, engineering, helping others, and the women who will change the world in the years to come,” says Sigurdson.
When Aaron Tan (MIE PhD 2T4) started his PhD in 2019, he didn’t imagine that just a few years later he would be leading a robotics startup in Silicon Valley.
Today, as CEO and co-founder of Syncere, Tan is doing just that. Together with co-founder Angus Fung (EngSci 1T9 + PEY, MIE PhD 2T4), they are reimagining the future of domestic robots by designing them to feel as familiar and commonplace as a floor lamp.
As graduate students in Professor Goldie Nejat’s (MIE) Autonomous Systems and Biomechatronics (ASB) Lab, Tan and Fung studied how robots could function alongside humans.
“During our PhDs, we focused on the question of how robots could coexist and interact with humans in a way that’s socially acceptable, compliant and safe,” says Tan.
“We always knew we wanted to start a company, but we just didn’t know what it would be until we started testing our ideas.”
The duo first began their entrepreneurial journey building humanoid robots. But after deploying early prototypes in homes and hotels, they quickly learned from customers that they weren’t ready to share their personal space with a system currently designed for industrial settings.
“Many customers shared that existing home robots are too clunky and intrusive,” says Tan.
“So it was important to us that the next product we developed would be thoughtfully designed and blend seamlessly into the home environment so we could reduce barriers to adoption.”
Rethinking the use case and researching consumer pain points led Tan to an unexpected moment of inspiration while watching the movie Beauty and the Beast with his wife.
“There’s this scene in the movie where the furniture comes to life in the castle,” says Tan.
“It got me thinking, instead of bringing industrial-looking robots into homes, why not start with something that already belongs there, like furniture, and work backwards?”
This insight led to Syncere’s flagship product, Lume, a robotic floor lamp that folds laundry.
When not in use, Lume functions like any other floor lamp, but when activated by voice or a smartphone app, it reveals robotic arms and a camera, folds laundry on nearby surfaces and then returns back to its lamp form once its task is completed.
Tan says it’s the first robot of its kind intentionally designed to look like a luxury household appliance.
“We also want to give people back the most valuable thing they have, which is time, without making them feel like we’re adding a robot to their home,” says Tan.
“Like a dishwasher or laundry machine, they all have their place in the home and only act when you want them to — they stay out of the way and aren’t proactive or equipped with general intelligence. With Lume, it’s important to us that the homeowner is fully in control and can decide when they need the robot to act.”
The technology behind Lume uses imitation and reinforcement learning to teach the robot how to fold clothes based on human behaviour. Safety is also embedded directly into the design through compliant motor controls, 360-degree awareness, fabric on joints to avoid pinch points, and mechanical shutters that conceal its sensors when not in use.
These features make sure the robot locks itself in place if it detects a nearby obstruction or activity from a human or animal, and that its working area consists only of laundry before it activates.
“We know that the biggest challenge for robots in the home, is that the home is very unconstrained and unstructured,” says Tan.
“People from all ages and backgrounds coexist in the same space, so what we’re trying to do is structure the problem so the robot is placed in a fixed location in the home, like a bedroom or laundry room. On our office whiteboard, we wrote, ‘a Lume in every room’ — that’s our goal.”
Since launching in mid-2025, Lume caught the attention of Silicon Valley tech magnates, including Apple, Meta, 1x, Tesla, Figure and Amazon, after Tan shared a concept video of the chore-helping robot on X in July, which received over four million views. The success of the video also helped Tan close a $3.5 million USD pre-seed round in under two weeks.
While Lume currently focuses only on laundry folding, the team one day envisions an app store where users can add new capabilities — from gift wrapping and bed-making to ironing, meal-prepping and even healthcare tasks like massages and exams.
“Our mission is to build beautiful, design-forward intelligent robots that blend seamlessly into human-centric environments,” says Tan.
“So we decided to build a robot that is minimally intrusive to people’s space and habits. If it looks familiar and does one application really, really well, people might be more willing to trust and adopt it, and then it becomes easier to add new features.”
While the company is currently based in Palo Alto, California, the team of eight is Canadian, and Tan and Fung have plans to open a Canadian office in Toronto within the next year as demand grows.
“Syncere is very much a team effort and a U of T effort,” says Tan.
“Our team currently consists of U of T alumni from bachelor’s degrees all the way to PhDs working across hardware, software and research.”
The startup is actively hiring in multiple roles, in person and remote, full time and interns, and is looking for U of T students and alumni to join their team.
“If you’re a technical person or a creative person, we want to hear from you — we want to show the world what U of T robotics engineers can accomplish.”
Rayla Myhal has received the Honorary Alumna Award, an Engineering Alumni Network Impact Award in recognition of her significant contributions to U of T Engineering.
“To call my reaction a surprise would be inadequate; I was genuinely unaware that I would be receiving this award. I am profoundly honoured and deeply moved by this recognition, especially knowing I join a small, distinguished group of previous recipients,” says Myhal.
“I hold the Engineering department and all its accomplishments — from the stellar faculty to the exceptional caliber of its students — in the highest regard. It is a true pleasure simply to observe the mentorship and cultivation of these promising individuals.”
Myhal has proved to be an invaluable member of the U of T Engineering community — consistently spearheading projects that advance equity and access to STEM education. She and her husband George Myhal (IndE 7T8) paved the way for groundbreaking teaching and research at U of T Engineering by establishing the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship in 2018. Today, the state-of-the-art facility supports exceptional engineering education and research, providing meeting spaces for students to collaborate and develop the next big startup idea.
In addition to her work in STEM education advocacy, Myhal is known for her ability to bring people together and build community. This past summer, she opened the doors to her Niagara vineyard, Featherstone Estate Winery, inviting U of T alumni to reconnect over good food, fine wine and live music.
“Her empathy, enthusiasm and visionary thinking are what make her an exceptional leader,” says Ines Lucia Fernandez (IndE OT9 + PEY), president of the EAN Council.
“She embodies the values of the U of T Engineering community, and I’m so excited about this award and that we can officially call her an alumna.”
Beyond her work with U of T Engineering, Myhal’s impact as a leader and philanthropist is wide-ranging. Myhal, who serves as vice-president of corporate and social responsibility for Windermere Investment Corporation and sits on the board of directors for the St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation, has made meaningful contributions to the arts, health care and global humanitarian efforts. Notably, through her work as president and director of the Myhal Family Foundation, she helped mobilize support for humanitarian relief in Ukraine. And at the Royal Conservatory of Music, where she serves as vice-chair of the board of directors, she’s unlocked educational and scholarship opportunities for music students, including facilitating the Carnegie Hall debut of the Glenn Gould School student orchestra last year.
“Rayla’s exceptional record of leadership and social responsibility speaks for itself. She thinks like an engineer — rolling up her sleeves to develop solutions to problems communities are facing,” says Dean Chris Yip.
“Rayla, thank you for all the ways you are making U of T Engineering stronger and congratulations on this well-deserved honour.”
Learn more about the other 2025 Engineering Alumni Network Awards recipients:
- Natasha Baker (ECE 0T8) — Rising Star Award
- Rudolf Seracino (CivE 9T3, MASc 9T5) — Research & Innovation Award
- David McColl (ElecE 7T9) — Industry Award
- Jacquelyn R. MacCoon (MSE 1T2+PEY, MEng 1T4) — Citizenship Award
- Michael H. May (ChemE 9T1, PhD 9T8) — Distinguished Alumni Award
U of T Engineering researchers have discovered a new way of capturing carbon directly from the air — one that could offer significant cost savings over current methods.
The team calls their new technique evaporative carbonate crystallization. Because it is powered by passive processes such as capillary action and evaporation, it has the potential to eliminate some of the costliest steps required by existing carbon capture methods.
“We’ve had the technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from flue gases, or even directly from the air, for decades now,” says Professor David Sinton (MIE), Interim Director of U of T’s Lawson Climate Institute and senior author on a paper published in Nature Chemical Engineering that describes the new technique.
“There are even some full-scale plants in operation, but the criticism that the industry always gets — with justification — it that it’s still just too expensive. So, we’ve oriented our team’s approach around radical cost reductions, and that is what this new method of evaporative carbonate crystallization is all about.”
Postdoctoral fellow Dongha Kim (MIE) is the lead author on the new paper. He says that he was strongly motivated by a desire to simplify current state-of-the-art carbon capture systems.
“One way to capture carbon is to use a strongly alkaline liquid, for example, a solution of potassium hydroxide. When air makes contact with this liquid, the carbon dioxide in the air reacts to become dissolved potassium carbonate,” says Kim.
“To speed up the reaction rate, you want to maximize the contact between the air and the liquid. In today’s most advanced systems, this is done by increasing surface area: a thin layer of the liquid is flowed over a porous solid support material, with a honeycomb-shaped structure. Giant fans or blowers are used to push air across this thin liquid layer at about 1.5 metres per second.”
Kim says that in many places in the world, prevailing winds are already faster than that: globally, the average is about 3 metres per second. This led him to think about ways to leverage those existing winds via a more passive system.
The design he came up with uses long strands of polypropylene fibre — essentially string. One end of the string is immersed in a solution of potassium hydroxide, which is slowly wicked up into the fibres.
When wind blows across the surface of the string, it evaporates the water in the solution, concentrating the dissolved potassium hydroxide to extremely high levels. That’s where the advantages of this system come into play.
“Because we have a very thin layer of extremely concentrated potassium hydroxide, the rate at which it reacts with carbon dioxide speeds way up,” says Kim.
“We can capture carbon at a much higher rate than with the more dilute solutions used in today’s systems. On top of that, the potassium carbonate salt that we produce doesn’t stay dissolved in solution — instead it forms a solid crystal right on the surface of the fibres.”
The result looks a bit like rock candy, which can be made from highly concentrated sugar solutions via a similar evaporative process. The fact that the carbon is captured in this solid form leads to another advantage.
“In conventional systems, you need some way to remove the dissolved carbonate from the capture liquid so you can use it again,” says Kim.
“Typically, this is done by adding other chemicals, such as calcium, to create a non-soluble salt, which you then have to filter out.”
“But because we have this highly concentrated solution generated by passive evaporation, we can go straight to the salt. We don’t need to add calcium, and we don’t need to filter it out; instead we can just wash it off with water, producing a highly-concentrated potassium carbonate solution.”
From here, an electrochemical process converts the potassium carbonate salts back into pure CO2 gas while simultaneously regenerating the potassium hydroxide, which can be reused. The CO2 gas can be stored, injected into underground wells or further processed into carbon-based fuels and chemicals such as methanol, ethanol, ethylene, etc.
In the paper, the team carried out a techno-economic analysis to evaluate how cost-competitive the new system might be if scaled up to industrial levels. They found that while the operating costs were similar to existing systems, the capital costs could be reduced by up to 40%.
“If you tour an industrial-scale carbon capture plant, the two biggest things you’ll see are the air contactor, with the fans and blowers, and the chemical plant used to regenerate the capture liquid,” says Sinton.
“If you can eliminate both of those, you can save a lot of money.”
There are still hurdles to be overcome. One is humidity: Kim says that the process is more efficient in dry air, rendering it more suitable for some environments than others. And more challenges may arise as the team works to build a pilot-scale plant to further validate the technology.
Still, the team feels that the current study demonstrates proof-of-concept, and that further refinements could continue to enhance its economic feasibility.
“It’s hard to predict the ultimate cost, but what we do know for certain is that polypropylene fibres are already cheap and plentiful, and that passive processes are inherently simpler and less costly than active ones,” says Sinton.
“Combine that with the scientific surprise, which is that our system creates a very thin layer of a super-concentrated solution that kicks the carbon-capture reaction into a higher gear, and it all adds up to a very promising approach.”
A reception held November 20 at the new U of T Engineering Partnerships Office at 800 Bay St. celebrated the past, present and future of collaboration between the University of Toronto and its partners in industry, government and the non-profit sector.
More than 200 guests attended the event, which was co-hosted by the Engineering Partnerships Office, the university-wide Blue Door partnerships office and Toronto Global. Presenters included Adriano Vissa, Executive Director of Partnerships at U of T Engineering, Professor Alex Mihailidis (BME), U of T’s Associate Vice-President of International Partnerships and Daniel Hengeveld, Toronto Global’s VP of Investment Attraction.
The unique space at 800 Bay St. provides companies with opportunities for flexible co-location and collaboration that put companies closer to the innovation and talent driving future-forward solutions. More than half a dozen different entities, including the AGE-WELL network and several companies launched by U of T Engineering alumni, call the space home.
“What we’ve seen over the past year are the incredible opportunities that co-location can open up, both for us as a research-intensive university and for our partners,” says Vissa.
“Whenever you put smart, talented people in a room together, you can’t help but spark new ideas, new ventures and new business models. Tonight is a time to celebrate our track record of success in doing that, and to catalyze even more of those types of collaborations for the future.”
Volunteers are at the very center of the university community, generously donating their time and insights to everything from mentorship, speaking, governance and student clubs. The Arbor Awards are the University of Toronto’s highest recognition for exceptional, long-standing volunteer service.
“Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our university community. They share their expertise, open doors for students and strengthen the connections that make us who we are. Their impact is felt every day — simply put, we couldn’t do this without them,” says Shannon Osborne (IndE 0T6), Manager of Alumni Relations at U of T Engineering.
Established in 1989, the Arbor Awards honour alumni and friends whose loyalty and dedication have significantly enriched the U of T experience.
Among this year’s 11 U of T Engineering recipients is Eva Lau (IndE 9T2). Lau has mentored hundreds of student-entrepreneurs at Rotman and U of T Engineering and is a champion for Canadian innovation. She also generously shares her time and expertise as a volunteer, guest speaker and panellist for multiple faculties at the university and serves as a member of the Defy Gravity Campaign Steering Committee.
“Our volunteers are catalysts for change. By sharing their knowledge and networks, they empower students, strengthen partnerships and help shape a bold, thriving future for our community,” says Osborne.
The 2025 U of T Engineering Arbor Award recipients include:
Liane Catalfo (ChemE 0T9, MEng 1T0)
Catalfo’s volunteer leadership with U of T Engineering has strengthened student and alumni engagement and advanced the faculty’s strategic goals. Her roles include membership on the Engineering Alumni Network Board, including a term as president, as well as representing alumni on the executive committee of Faculty Council and at the U of T Alumni Association Council of Presidents. Catalfo has also made a guest appearance on Tell Me More: Coffee With Chris Yip, the official podcast of U of T Engineering.
Oluwatobi Edun (ChemE 1T8)
As an engineering alumnus, Edun has participated in a rich variety of volunteer activities at U of T. In 2020, he took part in a program whereby alumni send encouraging notes to current students. Since then, Edun has stepped up in other ways, including as a mentor to students, serving as a speaker and panellist at events and helping to judge competitions. Most recently, he joined U of T Engineering’s Faculty Council, a key governing body.
Joelle Javier (MSE 1T0)
Javier has left an indelible mark on U of T Engineering and its students of the past, present and future. As an alumni assessor, Javier has evaluated applications from aspiring students. For currents students, she has generously delivered guest lectures about her work in amusement park safety. For alumni, Javier has rallied her peers for reunion events as a class ambassador and helped roll out a revamped awards program as chair of the Engineering Alumni Network Awards Committee. She appeared on Tell Me More: Coffee With Chris Yip In 2022.
Andrew L. Kidd (EngSci 1T9)
Kidd’s enthusiasm for U of T Engineering has continued unabated since his graduation. His enthusiasm for students and the curriculum is evident in his volunteerism, which includes engaging with undergraduate students in seminar courses, helping select recipients for scholarships and research awards, and sharing his experience as a mentor. Kidd’s additional contributions include serving as an alumni representative on Faculty Council and providing opportunities for students by helping his firm organize recruitment events.
Eva Lau (IndE 9T2)
Lau has contributed greatly to U of T and its thriving innovation ecosystem. A prominent venture capitalist, Lau has mentored hundreds of student-entrepreneurs at the Rotman School’s Creative Destruction Lab and The Hatchery at U of T Engineering. She has also generously shared her expertise as a volunteer, guest speaker and panellist for Massey College, Rotman and Engineering. More broadly, Lau supports the university’s top priorities as a member of the Defy Gravity Campaign Steering Committee. She was a guest on Tell Me More: Coffee With Chris Yip in 2024.
Sanjay Malaviya
Malaviya has been a diligent and generous champion for the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering for over ten years. He has made major contributions to the evolution of engineering leadership education, which integrates complementary skillsets in leadership, communications, business, entrepreneurship and other areas. Malaviya has contributed countless hours and wise counsel, as well as significant financial support, and has served as a model of engineering leadership through his personal, inspiring example.
Pino Mancina (CivE 9T3)
Mancina has played an integral part in shaping the Engineering Alumni Applicant Assessor program. Now in its 11th year, the program engages engineering alumni to help assess applicants to the undergraduate program. Mancina has volunteered for eight years, dedicating countless hours to helping improve the program, with astute, ongoing feedback that has enhanced the admissions assessment process for U of T Engineering as well as the volunteer experience that the program provides for alumni.
M.G. Venkatesh Mannar
Mannar has been a dedicated supporter of the Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Science for some 30 years. In his current role as adjunct professor, he mentors students and regularly participates in research meetings and thesis committees. He also promotes the department’s research findings to his high-profile international network. Further, Mannar has been integral to U of T’s work in fortifying salt with iodine, iron, vitamins and zinc helping reduce anemia and a range of health disorders in women and children worldwide. Other contributions include serving on the board of advisors of the Centre for Global Engineering.
Cassandra Rosen (EngSci 1T5)
Rosen inspires undergraduate engineering students to apply their skills to make a positive impact. As a guest speaker and career interviewee, she has motivated hundreds of students to consider non-traditional career paths by sharing her journey from engineering graduate to government energy policy advisor. She has also given back to the engineering community through five years of involvement in the Engineering Alumni Mentorship Program, participating in the letter-writing campaign for newly admitted students, and reviewing Engineering Science Research Opportunities Program applications.
(Janet) Zhao Ping Tang (CompE 9T9)
Tang is an exceptional volunteer with U of T Engineering who promotes equity and opportunity in her role as chair of the Alumni Network Nominations and Governance Committee. She has developed equitable processes that place volunteers in over two dozen leadership positions across the university. In addition, as an alumna in the Asia Pacific, Tang’s efforts have strengthened ties in this important region and expanded volunteer activity, greatly enhancing community and inclusivity.
Timothy S. Zeng (MSE 1T1)
Zheng’s commitment to students and fellow alumni at U of T Engineering is extraordinary. Since 2018, he has advised countless students as part of the Alumni Mentorship Program, offering valuable guidance through one-on-one and speed mentoring. Zheng has also made critical contributions as an admissions assessor, reviewing student applications with a view to shaping a diverse, high-achieving class of future engineers. His unwavering dedication and far-reaching contributions have left an indelible mark on the Skule™ community.
See the full listing of Arbor Award recipients from across U of T: