Professor Nicolas Papernot (ECE) has been named the 2025 recipient of the Steacie Prize, one of Canada’s most prestigious early career research awards, for his groundbreaking work advancing the security, privacy and trustworthiness of machine learning algorithms. The Steacie Prize is given annually to one engineer or scientist, 40 years of age or younger, who has made notable contributions to research in Canada.
Papernot is a pioneer in the development of adversarial examples in machine learning (ML). These are specially crafted inputs that force an ML model to make an incorrect prediction, also known as an “attack.” His research made clear that attacks against ML models were not just a hypothetical threat.Papernot also introduced several techniques that are now widely used to evaluate defences against attacks. This work has been so influential that the resulting research area now has a dedicated conference — the IEEE Conference on Secure and Trustworthy Machine Learning — which Papernot helped create and establish.
Papernot was recruited to join U of T Engineering and the Vector Institute in 2019 as part of Canada’s Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. Soon after, his group released a paper on “machine unlearning,” which was a milestone in defining how ML models could be made to forget some of their training data. Papernotbuilt on this research to develop a set of techniques for accounting and auditing in ML, allowing companies and institutions to provide verifiable privacy guarantees to their end users. For example, his group proposed a way for institutions to prove to a user that their ML models have “unlearned” the user’s data.
Papernot is a key contributor to the global discussion around the ethics and societal impact of ML. In 2020, he was invited to meet with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to discuss the implications of ML on the privacy of individuals whose data is analyzed by governments and private companies. In 2024, he appeared before the House of Commons to comment on Bill C-27, which sought to regulate AI and data privacy. That same year, he chaired the Royal Society of Canada’s Task Force on Data Security and was named co-director of the Canadian AI Safety Institute Research Program at CIFAR.
In 2022, Papernot was named a Sloan Research Fellow and in 2023, he was elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. His many other recognitions include the AI2050 Early Career Fellowship from Schmidt Sciences, and the Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award from the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Security, Audit and Control.
“While still early in his career, Professor Nicolas Papernot has already made an extraordinary impact through his leadership in addressing the security and privacy challenges around machine learning and AI,” says U of T Engineering Dean Christopher Yip.
“On behalf of the faculty, I congratulate him on being recognized as one of Canada’s most promising science and engineering scholars.”
New ice detection technology developed at U of T Engineering could speed up the de-icing process for planes and other aerospace vehicles.
In a paper published in Advanced Materials, researchers from the Durable Repellent Engineered Advanced Materials (DREAM) Laboratory, led by Professor Kevin Golovin (MIE), describe their new triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) sensor device.
They demonstrate the TENG’s ability to detect ice forming, melting and detaching on surfaces, and to provide information in real time using little energy.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first triboelectric ice-sensing system of its kind to be described in scientific literature,” says postdoctoral fellow Kamran Alasvand Zarasvand (MIE), lead researcher and author on the paper.
“The TENG sensor consists of two layers: a metal electrode and a thin dielectric plastic coating,” he says.
“When another material makes contact with this coating and then separates, they exchange a charge, producing a sharp electrical signal. The signal changes depending on what event occurs — so ice forming generates one signal pattern, while ice melting and detachment create a different one.”
Currently, most ice-sensing systems can only detect ice at a localized level — meaning if ice forms a few centimetres away from the sensor, the system misses it. Alasvand Zarasvand says that since their triboelectric sensor forms a continuous layer over the surface, it makes ice detection more reliable.
“It’s extremely lightweight, just two thin layers, simple to fabricate and can be applied to any surface, even complex geometries, such as aircraft wings or wind turbine blades.”
The sensor can also detect ice cracking or detaching from the surface among other features.
“Based on the signal and temperature, we can also distinguish between types of precipitation, such as rime ice — a type that forms as planes fly through fog or clouds — or freezing rain, which is the most dangerous for aircrafts,” he says.
“Ice can damage vehicles like planes in a number of ways, leading to them being grounded or needing maintenance, and to increased costs and delays for travellers.”
The versatility and light weight of the coating means that it can go on multiple surfaces, including small drones where Alasvand Zarasvand sees the technology as particularly helpful.
“Drone crashes in cold weather are common. Drones used for commercial inspections of power lines or delivering aid to remote regions need reliable ice detection,” he says.
“Our system responds in less than a millisecond, so drones can land before icing causes a crash.”
Because researching the impact of ice on drones is a newer concept than on planes or helicopters, many studies haven’t yet accounted for real-world weather conditions.
Alasvand Zarasvand says that most drone blade testing for icing is done under simulated conditions. The blades are attached to a rotary hub in an icing wind tunnel where they accrue ice on the entire surface of the blade, but that doesn’t match real flight conditions.
“A drone is highly sensitive to icing and will crash long before that much ice builds up.”
To more accurately test the impact of ice on a drone and the effectiveness of the sensors, Alasvand Zarasvand flew the drone in front of a nozzle system that sprayed water at known temperatures while the environment was kept below freezing. Once ice began to form, it didn’t take long for the drone to crash.
“One of the surprises in our research was just how vulnerable the drones were under cold weather conditions. Even a very thin line of ice on a drone blade caused crashes.”
Another element that sets the new sensor apart is it’s heating potential. He hopes that the electrode layer can also act as an electrothermal de-icing system to melt ice when it’s detected.
“Once the system detects ice forming, a heating function could be switched on until the sensor detects that the ice has melted,” he says.
“It’s an energy saver, not having to constantly have heating on.”
Currently, de-icing planes with fluid is both costly and time consuming. Wintertime travellers often find their flights delayed while the aircraft is coated in de-icing solution, which is toxic to wildlife.
Alasvand Zarasvand hopes that his system can save airlines and passengers time and money, all while providing an environmentally-friendly and safe way to detect and remove ice.
“If we can avoid the need for emergency landings for aircraft vehicles and the need for de-icing fluid, then it’s a real impact,” he says.
More research is planned for this coating, including testing it on drones in outdoor conditions, integrating heating and sensing, and adapting the system for different applications.
“With something like a drone, you really have to focus on making the sensors lightweight, whereas if you’re creating the coating for a wind turbine, that isn’t as big of a concern,” he says.
“What we have is the first step, and now that we know this system works, it will be exciting to take it further.”
The excitement at NordSpace is ramping up, as the Canadian space company prepares to launch the first suborbital flight of its Taiga rocket. If successful, it will mark the first Canadian commercial rocket launch from a private Canadian spaceport.
An earlier attempt in September was delayed due to a technical challenge with the rocket’s cryogenic propellants.
“Building the most complex commercial rocket developed in Canadian history, in less than a year, on a fully self-funded budget and a small team has been an incredible experience,” says Rahul Goel (EngSci 1T6, UTIAS PhD candidate), CEO and founder of NordSpace.
“We can’t wait to get back to our spaceport in Newfoundland and launch Taiga to close this chapter.”
Goel founded NordSpace in 2022 with a goal to build and launch rockets from Canada, part of his vision for a sovereign Canadian space program. The company is also developing larger rockets — the Tundra and the Titan — and is working on the launch of its first satellite next year.
“We have so many other missions running at the same time. Taiga is just one of several projects that we’re excited to be working on,” says Goel.
“Our first launch attempt gave our team the information and experience to move on to our orbital launch vehicle, Tundra.”
During his time at U of T, Goel has been able to nurture his passions for both aerospace and entrepreneurship.
After graduating from Engineering Science with a major in Aerospace Engineering, Goel is currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, studying under Professor Jonathan Kelly (UTIAS).
Goel also credits U of T for support in launching his first established company, PheedLoop, which provides end-to-end solutions for event management. The company has been operating for more than a decade and has a long list of clients in academia, government and the private sector.
Early in PheedLoop’s development, Goel connected with The Entrepreneurship Hatchery, U of T Engineering’s startup incubator that helps students turn ideas into ventures. He says that the organization played a key role in helping him build the initial business case.
“U of T Engineering and the Hatchery gave me discipline and structure in my life, and mentorship. I think those things really helped make me into who I am today,” says Goel.
“The Hatchery has developed a unique methodology that encourages student founders to think big and act big,” says Joseph Orozco, mentor and the executive director of The Entrepreneurship Hatchery.
“Rahul’s entrepreneurial journey truly embodies that spirit — understanding value creation and executing a vision. We are proud of his accomplishments so far, and excited for those still to come. The Hatchery continues to support current student entrepreneurs inspired by his journey.”
Goel’s long-held passion for space took a business turn when he noticed how Canada’s lack of sovereign launch capability pushes many engineers to work overseas.
“I started noticing that Canadian talent was leaving, and commercial space companies in other countries were racing ahead and pushing their nations further, whereas Canada was not paying attention to this,” says Goel.
“My anchor was always space because it was cool and unexplored, and there was adventure and risk in it, but now I’m very focused on it from the perspective of jobs, economic development, national security and Canada’s reputation in the world.”
Goel says he has always had a knack for trying to solve problems nobody else seemed to care about.
“I’ve always been in these positions where I’ve had to start initiatives because no one else was doing it,” he says.
“I’m the type of person that really struggles when I see something that should be done, not being done. I just have to do something about it and that sort of gave me that entrepreneurial spirit.”
Goel has a detailed plan to build NordSpace into a sustainable commercial business.
In June 2026, NordSpace aims to launch Terra-Nova, its first satellite. This mission will also test the company’s Athena bus, its Zephyr-EP propulsion system and its Chronos edge-AI camera in orbit.
“Our goal is to be an end-to-end space missions’ company,” says Goel.
“We’re building our own spaceport for the first time ever in Canada, we’re building our launch vehicles here and we’re building the stuff that’s going to go in the rockets as well. All so we have this full-cycle company.”
Another aim for the company is to help solve problems on earth from space.
“We’re launching satellites next year that help monitor Canadian forests and wildlife because that’s important,” says Goel.
“That’s why we do what we do. We want to focus on things that help life on earth.”
Goel says that one of the critical skills required in building viable businesses is to be comfortable with failure. As an example, he says that he originally tried to start NordSpace right after completing his undergrad in 2016.
“Investors weren’t lined up to give millions of dollars to a recent graduate to build rockets,” he says.
By waiting to launch NordSpace after the success of PheedLoop, Goel was able to create a company that is over 90% self financed, with recent support from the Canadian Space Agency and others contributing to technology development.
“In the Hatchery, we thought failure was a good thing. It teaches you how to figure out how to do something better. Rahul understands that idea,” says Professor Jonathan Rose (ECE) who mentored Rahul while he was a student in the Hatchery.
“He gets that when you’re going to start a company: it’s got to have value to someone who’s willing to pay money for it. It’s inspirational that he’s pursued his passion for space, but in a commercial way.”
In between running NordSpace and working on his PhD, Goel is still finding ways to give back to his U of T community. This past September, he spoke to a crowd of future entrepreneurs at the Desjardins Speaker Series as part of U of T’s Acceleratorfest.
“Make your idea exist first, then make it better,” says Goel.
“Just start.”
Professor Amy Bilton (MIE) is launching a new initiative to empower the next generation of engineers in tackling complex international development challenges.
The new project, entitled Sensing, Data, and Analytics for Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDA-for-SDGs), has secured $1.65 million in funding through an NSERC CREATE grant over six years.
The Sustainable Development Goals, created by the United Nations (UN), are a set of 17 interconnected objectives aimed at addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change and access to clean water and education. Adopted by all 191 UN member states, the SDGs are intended to be achieved by 2030.
The SDA-for-SDGs project offers engineering graduate students and post-doctoral fellows an opportunity to navigate the entire innovation lifecycle of transformative technologies — from design and development to deployment. The program is specifically designed to enable participants to reach beyond the traditional research silos, which can otherwise hinder innovation.
Participants will benefit from joint training modules, research mobility programs and internships supported by a global network of 19 collaborators from organizations such as Engineering for Change, the UN Institute for Water and Environment and Health. The list of collaborators includes government laboratories and universities across Canada, India, Mexico and South Africa.
Earlier this year, Bilton was named a 2025 Fellow of the SDGs@UofT Scholars Academy. SDGs@Uof T is an Institutional Strategic Initiative (ISI) that aims to catalyze research on sustainable development at the university.
A novel feature of the program is its focus on technology commercialization. Drawing on Bilton’s experience in launching research-based ventures, trainees will receive guidance, from partners such as U of T’s Creative Destruction Lab and Engineering for Change, on identifying customers, crafting value propositions and building relationships with funders.
“Right now, most new technologies are created for developed world markets,” says Bilton.
“But you can’t achieve the SDGs by simply making those technologies available to everyone, because they don’t work in every context. Sustainable development requires us to think about how people in different regions actually use products — as opposed to how the designer intended them to be used — and to consider things like how they will be repaired or maintained.
“Increasingly, that also means embedding sensors and using data and analytics to understand real-world usage patterns, environmental conditions and maintenance needs over time. Also, to make technologies accessible, that often requires thinking about the implications of policy. Those are the skills that participants in this new program will learn.”
The SDA-for-SDGs project arrives at a critical moment.
Meeting the SDGs by 2030 is increasingly uncertain — the most recent United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report found that progress has been significantly hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability and worsening climate change.
SDA-for-SDGs directly addresses the need for accelerated cross-disciplinary efforts to bring SDGs back on track.
“Engineering is a more global discipline than it has ever been before,” says Bilton.
“By using the SDGs to focus our efforts, we can give the next generation of engineering leaders a truly global perspective that will pervade and inform all their work. That will have positive knock-on effects for decades to come.”
Renovations are officially underway in the basement of the Sandford Fleming Building, with the promise of breathing new life into the Pit, one of U of T Engineering’s most iconic spaces.
Dating back to the 1960s, the Pit has served as a meeting ground and backdrop for treasured U of T Engineering traditions, including F!rosh and Godiva weeks. It’s become a place where students form lasting friendships and create unforgettable memories.
To pay tribute to the space, its legacy, and its role in shaping countless U of T Engineering journeys, faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends have stepped up to support this exciting transformation project. Recently, the Engineering Society (EngSoc) pledged a generous $1 million gift in support the Pit revitalization project.
Rebecca Cheung caught up with EngSoc President Ken Hilton (Year 4 CompE), about why the Pit is so important to students and community building, what he’s looking forward to with the renovation and his favourite moments in the space.
In many ways, EngSoc has championed the Pit renovation project. Can you say more about why the Pit is so special to U of T Engineering students?
As any current or recent Engineering student will know, the Pit is our main third place — a space outside of home and school where we can connect and build community. It’s the site and centre of a plethora of different student activities, from annual traditions such as Godiva Week to casual assembly of builds to regular daytime studying and schoolwork. Its location in the heart of the U of T Engineering precinct and the fact that it’s home to our commercial operations — including Suds, the Hard Hat Café and the Engineering Stores — as well as the EngSoc offices, are also key reasons that the Pit is the hub for Engineering student life on campus.
In recognition of that value, EngSoc has committed a $1M gift towards the Pit renovation project to revitalize the space and make it more welcoming and accessible, lowering the barrier to participating in all of our traditional Pit activities.
Many U of T Engineering alumni and upper years remember the Pit as the go-to place to hang out. Why do you think it’s important for students to have spaces on campus to unwind and relax?
Simply put, if there are no spaces to unwind and relax, then there will be no unwinding nor relaxation. Skule™ is a tight-knit community, and it takes a village to raise a village. Spaces like the Pit allow us to build that community and those relationships that prevent our academics from driving us up the wall. During this temporary unavailability of the Pit because of the renovation, there’s been a partial sense of disconnection that EngSoc is making efforts to mitigate. It’s shown us just how crucial a central place to come together and chill is to our mental health and wellness.
There’s a lot to be excited about! The new-and-improved Pit will be accessible and feature comfortable seating lounges and study halls, a green wall, dining options and a well-lit atrium. What are you most looking forward to about the new space?
Others will have different answers to this, but I’m most looking forward to seeing how Suds makes use of the new A/V lighting system that’s being installed. Previously, the audio and lighting relied on portable units, which, to their credit, are effective, but I’m excited to see how this new system is integrated into the space and improves the events we run.
Additionally, the Sandford Fleming and Galbraith buildings, in which the Pit resides, require accessibility upgrades. Though those buildings have a ways to go, I’m looking forward to the installation of an accessible ramp into the Pit. Stairs present a challenge or barrier to some members of our community, and the ramp will allow more people to be included in builds, dancing and many other Pit traditions, and feel more connected to the Skule™ community.
What’s your favourite memory of hanging out in the Pit?
There are too many to call one a favorite, but one that sticks out in my mind is an extended, semi-philosophical, late-night conversation I had, while sitting on the edge of the Pit, with a number of friends, about how neurodivergent we all were. It was comforting and fun to explore the topic in a setting that I knew was a safe space.
Several friends of U of T Engineering, including alumni, have stepped up to pledge their support for the Pit renovation. Their support is helping make this renovation possible. What would you like to say to them?
I cannot overstate the Engineering Society’s gratitude to you for your support for what will be a genuine improvement to our student lives. If we cross paths in the renovated Pit, as I hope we do, drinks at Suds are on me!
Learn more about how U of T Engineering is transforming the Pit to meet the needs of the next generation of thinkers, builders and leaders.
Professor J. Paul Santerre (BME) has been elected fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (NAI). The NAI fellows program honours the achievements of outstanding academic inventors who have successfully translated their research into tangible commercial technologies that significantly enhance society.
Santerre is a professor in the Faculty of Dentistry and the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, and the Baxter Chair for Health Technology and Commercialization at the University Health Network. He is a listed inventor on 79 patents in the areas of medical polymers and drug delivery. Santerre’s research has led to five start-up ventures, most notably Interface Biologics Inc. (IBI), which he formed in 2001 to commercialize his Endexo™ technology, a unique compound of surface-modifying macro-molecules that are added to plastics during the manufacturing of medical devices. The special coating helps reduce clotting when the devices are used to treat patients, greatly reducing the risk of adverse reactions and potentially deadly complications.
Santerre was the president of IBI from 2001-2004 and the chief scientific officer until earlier this year. Under his leadership, the company grew to more than 30 employees and annual revenues of more than $5M while developing an extensive international patent portfolio. IBI forged agreements with several global production partners and extended into access ports, dialysis catheters and central venous catheters. The technology was subsequently purchased by Evonik Inc., a multinational materials company.
Currently, Santerre is director of the Health Innovation Hub (H2i), an accelerator for young entrepreneurs at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Since 2014, H2i has trained more than 850 entrepreneurial health venture teams. Those early-stage ventures have gone on to generate more than $660M CDN. H2i has created a network of 160 industry mentors, and 155 funding and resource-sharing partners, that help deliver 145 activities annually from the early ideation phase to market launch.
Santerre is an international fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, and a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His many awards for innovation and technology transfer include the Julia Levy Award from the Canadian Society for Chemical Industry, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Synergy Award for Innovation, the Manning Innovation Award, and the Governor General’s Innovation Award.
“Professor Santerre has made outstanding contributions to innovation in the biomaterials field through the invention and commercialization of new technologies and the mentoring of up-and-coming inventors and entrepreneurs,” says Christopher Yip, Dean of U of T Engineering.
“On behalf of the faculty, sincere congratulations to him on this well-deserved honour.”