Supporting student success
2021-22 Award recipients from left: Shweta Mistry, Andrew Lochhead and Roshan Sahu
On March 15, the Yeates School of Graduate Studies (YSGS) honoured three exceptional students with the 2021-22 Jennifer Mactavish Graduate Student Leadership Awards at its virtual Grad Awards Showcase. The awards highlight graduate student commitment to engagement, collaboration and leadership in the graduate community.
Named in honour of Dr. Jennifer Mactavish, the vice-provost and dean who led YSGS from 2011 to 2019, the awards embody her spirit of leadership, collaboration, community engagement and longstanding commitment to supporting graduate student success.
Recipients received certificates, glass trophies and monetary awards of $1,000.
Recipient profiles
Student Engagement and Experience
Shweta Mistry, Biomedical Physics PhD
Shweta Mistry completed her undergraduate studies in materials and nanosciences from the University of Waterloo and is currently pursuing her PhD in Biomedical Physics (CAMPEP) at Ryerson. Her research involves characterizing structural and rheological properties of a unique liquid-crystalline drug delivery matrix. She is an ambassador who bridges physics and chemistry departments through her interdisciplinary research. Mistry is also a recipient of the 2021 Zboralski TA/GA Equity and Inclusion Award and provides superb peer mentoring as vice-president, events, for the Physics Graduate Student Union. She also served as a Faculty of Science graduate student representative for the Dimensions Pilot Program and is currently a graduate student representative on the Dimensions self-assessment team where she works towards identifying barriers to equity, diversity and inclusion in SRC to effect change.
Community Engagement and Experience
Andrew Lochhead, Media and Design Innovation PhD
Andrew Lochhead’s research focuses on how artists in Toronto have helped change the city’s commemorative landscape. Specifically, his work uses creative and collaborative practice to understand how artists from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and experiences have used their skills to challenge statues, street names and other forms of memory infrastructure that celebrate white supremacy and ongoing colonial violence. Lochhead’s interest in this area of inquiry comes from his own background as an internationally exhibited artist, whose work has often engaged with themes of remembrance, identity and urban space. As well, it draws on his experiences as the author of the Let's Rename Dundas Street petition and as a core organizer within the successful campaign to rename one of Toronto’s busiest and longest streets.
SRC Innovation and Impact Award
Roshan Sahu, Ted Rogers MBA
Roshan Sahu is a data analytics specialist with an interest in health-care technology and innovation. He also studied business and computer science at the University of Waterloo and Sheridan College. Recently, he partnered with Dr. Linying Dong to research a business case about the current state of integrated care in Ontario. Sahu recently hosted the podcast “Yonge and Dundas,” where he interviewed Ryerson graduate students, researchers and entrepreneurs about their backgrounds and experiences. Currently, he works as a data analyst in the home health-care industry where his business intelligence team harnesses analytics to support the entire organization. Sahu recently travelled to East Africa where he successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro.