Bridging Knowledge and Action for Real Solutions

Convocation is a momentous occasion that honours the dedication and achievements of graduates. Family and friends come together with the University of Waterloo community to celebrate graduating students as they embark on exciting new adventures.

This year, graduate students will take the stage as valedictorians representing the Class of 2024 for the first time during the fall convocation ceremonies.

Waterloo's valedictorians, whose passion and perseverance drive progress, share their personal stories below, along with summaries of their research that have culminated in years of hard work and innovation.

Faculty of Arts

Jillian Adams (PhD '24) completed a PhD in Accounting under the supervision of Dr. Ken Klassen. She chose Waterloo for its reputation as the leading Canadian institution for her tax research interest and for the opportunity to work with Klassen, who is a prominent figure in international tax literature. Her research focused on corporate tax planning and disclosure, especially in the realm of international tax.

"In my thesis, I studied the tax-motivated income shifting behaviour of multinational corporations that privately disclose country-by-country reporting to the tax authorities per the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Base Erosion and Profit Shifting framework and those that voluntarily disclose this information publicly," Adams says.

Reflecting on her time as a Waterloo student, Adams cherishes many memories, from bringing her dog in a Chewbacca costume for Halloween to celebrating her thesis defence at the Grad House with a chalice of beer - a tradition for Waterloo graduate students to celebrate their academic achievements.

"It really means a lot," Adams adds. "I've grown so much throughout the PhD program both personally and professionally, and I've worked so hard. Being chosen as valedictorian is the ultimate recognition of all I've done, and it is such an honour." One of her proudest achievements was receiving the Warren Ober Award for Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student in 2023, an acknowledgment to her dedication to teaching. She also received the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and the RBC Graduate Scholarship in Sustainability Research.

Currently, Adams serves as a professor of Accounting, Teaching Stream, at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, where she teaches undergraduate tax courses while working on her research. Adams advises students not to give up on what they love, adding, "everyone has bad days - choose to wake up and try again tomorrow."

Faculty of Engineering

Sanaz Saadatmand Hashemi (PhD '24) completed a PhD in Systems Design Engineering under the supervision of Drs. Thomas Willett and John Montesano. She chose Waterloo for its strong emphasis on innovation and research excellence, along with the collaborative environment and access to cutting-edge technology.

Hashemi's research focused on developing advanced 3D printable nanocomposite biomaterials for bone repair, specifically targeting critically sized bone defect reconstruction.

"Through experimental and computational micromechanical investigations, I explored ways to enhance the mechanical properties and structural integrity of these materials by implementing innovative advancements," Hashemi says.

Her fondest memories include volunteering and engaging with the University community, which involved facilitating STEM workshops for young girls, organizing biomaterial events as the event manager and vice-president of the Canadian Biomaterials Society, Southwestern Ontario Student Chapter and serving on the board of directors for the Graduate Studies Endowment Fund.

As a piece of advice to other students, Hashemi encourages them to embrace challenges and failures as part of the learning process.

"Graduate studies are a journey of discovery, not just about your research, but also about your own resilience," she says. "Don't be afraid to seek help when needed and always maintain a sense of curiosity and openness to new ideas. Building a strong network of mentors and peers can make all the difference in navigating the ups and downs of the academic journey."

After her PhD defence in the summer of 2023, Hashemi took some time to reflect, travel and explore job opportunities aligned with her passions. This year, she joined the National Research Council of Canada, the country's leading research and technology center, as a research council officer. Hashemi's role allows her to apply her expertise to real-world challenges while collaborating on a variety of projects and gaining valuable experience.

Faculty of Environment

Maryam Mohiuddin Ahmed (PhD '24) completed a PhD in Sustainability Management at the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development under the supervision of Dr. Sean Geobey.

A former human rights and international lawyer, Ahmed's diverse experiences in social innovation span more than a decade and multiple geographies. While searching for doctoral programs, she explored various disciplines, including business schools and public policy, before finding her place at Waterloo through Indigenous scholar, Dr. Melanie Goodchild.

"My research at Waterloo contended that a (re)focus on these Global South frameworks may provide the field of social innovation with the decolonial impetus required to move us towards a paradigm of relationality and regeneration," Ahmed explains.

Global South frameworks found in Indigenous and Traditional worldviews strive for wisdom, emphasizing deeper concepts like embodiment and inter-becoming to decolonize social innovation and systems change. She believes this approach can help humanity and various species avoid climate challenges.

As a Waterloo student, her achievements included designing a national social innovation lab focused on housing and co-designing a participatory mapping of Canada's social finance ecosystem.

Ahmed is particularly grateful for the opportunity to continue the legacy of strong matriarchs in her family, from her great-grandmothers to her mother and now her daughter, Shehrezaad, whom she hopes will nurture the Earth.

She adds, "It's an incredible privilege to have the chance to bring in the voices of communities, elders, wisdom-keepers and friends that I have learned from and with over the course of my research, and more broadly, life."

Ahmed currently serves as a co-steward at the Transition Bridges Project, exploring equitable transitions amid multiple crises. She also teaches social innovation, business, and human rights at Waterloo and OCAD University. She recently began a postdoctoral fellowship with Waterloo's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council partnership project at McMaster University. Alongside the team at Solvable, she is co-designing an international social innovation lab focused on reimagining undergraduate education while actively exploring long-term academic opportunities.

Faculty of Mathematics

David Awosoga (MMath '24) completed a Master of Mathematics in Data Science under the supervision of Dr. Samual Wong. Awosoga was drawn to the Faculty of Mathematics due to its solid reputation and found that the Data Science program perfectly balanced his interest in both academia and industry.

He accepted his offer when his supervisor recognized his interest in sports analytics and proposed a project that combined his expertise in Bayesian modelling and computation statistics.

"My master's thesis focused primarily on developing quantitative methods to model individual player contribution toward team success in volleyball," Awosoga explains. The motivation behind the research was to accurately assign credit to each player for their team's outcome, which can help optimize roster construction, playing time distribution, player development and salary allocation.

Initially, Awosoga had no connections at Waterloo, but a chance encounter with an old friend led him to the Waterloo Chinese Christian Fellowship (UWCCF). The community enriched his experience, allowing him to grow in faith and build lasting friendships through Bible studies, study sessions and countless dinners that became some of his fondest memories as a Waterloo student.

As valedictorian, Awosoga encourages fellow students to embrace opportunities beyond academics. His proactive nature led to his role as assistant coach for the Waterloo Warriors Women's Volleyball team, where he applied his research skills. Awosoga shares that the "prospects of building a sports analytics empire here at Waterloo" inspired him to continue his academic journey and pursue a PhD in Statistics.

"I still desire to work as a technical lead in performing strategy, analytics research and innovation for a sports team or third-party organization one day," he says. "But for now, I'm locked in on taking this dream as far as I can. We'll see where the Lord leads me."

Faculty of Science

Nikhil George (PhD '24) completed a PhD in Biology under the supervision of Dr. Laura Hug. He chose to study at Waterloo primarily to work with Hug, as he was fascinated by her research on microbial diversity, which emphasizes the abundance of "invisible" organisms and their impact on the environment.

"My research was focused on bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect bacteria," George says. "I discovered a multitude of novel phages from understudied contaminated environments, such as municipal waste sites."

During his research, George found that one of the phages had the third-largest phage genome - essentially the complete set of genetic information - recorded to date. He believes these phages could pave the way for molecular systems that could be adapted for genetic engineering applications. His research at Waterloo led him to deliver his first oral presentation at the Canadian Society for Virology's second symposium, held at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"I was quite nervous as I was the only member of my lab attending the meeting and one of the few bacteriophage researchers present - most researchers in attendance studied viruses of humans and other mammals," George recalls.

His presentation was well received, garnering overwhelming positive feedback and providing a significant confidence boost as both a public speaker and scientist. As valedictorian, George feels it's an incredible honour to represent the diverse community of graduates within the Faculty of Science.

"I hope that each one of them hears some part of themselves in the speech I have the privilege of delivering," George says. "This recognition has alleviated much of the imposter syndrome I've struggled with throughout my degree, and it brings immense pride to my family and friends who have supported me every step of the way."

George is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School, where he uses bioinformatics to develop new diagnostics and treatments for drug-resistant bacterial infections. His goal is to continue leveraging his computational biology skill sets within interdisciplinary collaborations to address global problems.