From supporting those living with disabilities to inspiring a new generation of scientists, our students worked hard in many different ways to make the world brighter this year.  

Here are just some of the ways our inspiring students left a positive mark here on campus and beyond:  

Torch designed by engineering students shines at D-Day commemoration events  

When world leaders gathered earlier this year on Juno Beach in Normandy, France to commemorate the WWII D-Day landings, three McMaster students were there to hold the Canadian Remembrance Torch high.  

The trio, engineering students Kyle De Souza, Vanessa Ho and Greg Desouza, had designed the torch as part of their final-year capstone project.  

The students shared how they created a lighter, brighter and more fuel-efficient torch, and how the experience gave them a new appreciation for active remembrance.    

In the news: McMaster students in Normandy hold high torch they designed for D-Day remembrance  

Students share their love of science and stars ahead of eclipse  

It was a once-in-a-lifetime event that attracted people of all ages: April’s total solar eclipse.  

For 96 seconds, the afternoon sky plunged into darkness as the Moon passed between the Earth and Sun, completely blocking the sun’s rays.  

In the weeks and months ahead of that rare celestial event, a team of McMaster students visited local libraries, schools and retirement homes, helping to educate community members about the eclipse and inspiring a new generation of future scientists.  

Some community members even got an immersive sneak peek at what the event might feel like, thanks to the Faculty of Science’s portable planetarium.  

Greensuits flex green thumbs while helping restore ecosystems  

Over a hundred DeGroote School of Business Greensuits (Welcome Week Representatives for the DeGroote School of Business) chipped in to fight invasive species at a McMaster site off of Cootes Drive.  

Their work, which included the planting of native species, was done in collaboration with Nature at McMaster, and is part of a larger effort to restore the natural environment of the site. It also helped students put the sustainability efforts they’ve learned about to practice in the real world.  

In future, the site will serve as a teaching space and recreational hiking spot. 

Series creator highlights experiences of youth living with disabilities 

Josh Ang wants young people living with disabilities to know they aren’t alone.  

The Communication Studies and Media Arts student is the host and creator of Got Game, a TV and streaming show that features young people with disabilities sharing their stories and lived experiences while playing games. 

Ang shared the personal journey that led him to pitch the show, and how he hopes it helps clear up misconceptions and provide greater understanding.  

Toy-like diagnostic tool aims to better support children in rehabilitation 

A dinosaur-shaped diagnostic device that measures children’s hand grip took the top prize at this year’s Forge incubator’s Startup Survivor accelerator and pitch competition.  

Deena Al-Sammak and Rooaa Shanshal, McMaster students and co-founders of the venture called Power of Play, designed the tool to better support children in rehabilitation.  

The pitch competition was the culmination of a four-month accelerator program at The Forge entrepreneurial hub at McMaster that aims to empower students to solve real-world problems. 

Trainees advance equity in vaccine science through new Global Nexus-Pfizer partnership 

Three young scholars in a new fellowship program are addressing critical health equity gaps in the development and delivery of next-generation vaccines. 

“Health care is most effective when it is accessible to everyone,” says postdoctoral fellow Jessica Breznik. Breznik, along with graduate students Sudeshna Dhar and Joshua Russell, are members of the inaugural cohort of the Global Nexus/Pfizer Fellows.  

The trio shared how their unique experiences and different areas of expertise will help ensure emerging vaccine research considers populations that are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases. 

International and exchange students detail their journeys to McMaster through art installation 

A new on-campus art installation tells the stories of international and exchange students. The installation details their journeys to McMaster and serves as a reminder of the enriching impact they have on our community.  

The series grew out of the desire to make the International and Exchange Student Experience (IESE) space in the McMaster University Student Centre more fully reflect the students who use it. 

Mechanical engineering student represents Canada at Paralympic Games 

Puisand Lai’s academic year started differently than most. The mechanical engineering student represented Canada as part of the Paralympic Women’s Basketball Team in Paris this summer.    

Lai, who was tapped for the national team right out of high school, competed at the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2020 and captained the U-25 national women’s team. 

Before she headed to Paris, Lai shared with McMaster Daily News how the skills she developed on the court are helping her in her engineering studies. 

Student-developed app helps individuals with disabilities navigate event venues 

 WheelBeats, an app created by McMaster engineering students, is designed to improve the experiences of those with mobility requirements and physical disabilities as they navigate event venues, like concert halls.  

The app, which was named the National Runner Up for the James Dyson Award, centralizes accessibility information for event venues and gives users information around details like seating, parking, washrooms and elevators.  

The students behind WheelBeats, Maria Akhtar, Jocelyn Kuntsi, Shayaha Jeyaseelan and Cate Prince, shared how working with an external client living with spina bifida pushed them to be more effective engineers.  

A creek runs through it: Students help set up new outdoor teaching and research lab    

A new outdoor lab is being set up along the banks of the Ancaster Creek, thanks in part to the efforts of students working to install monitoring tech along the waterway, which runs through the Cootes Paradise wetland behind campus.  

Those students are part of the new McMaster Watershed and Ecosystems Living Lab (Mac WELL), which will monitor the health of the creek and help solve major environmental challenges through research, teaching and citizen science. 

The students shared their hopes for the outdoor lab, and how it will provide a unique learning experience beyond the classroom.