��ݮ��Ƶ

The University of ��ݮ��Ƶ is proud to welcome a new cohort of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students through the Schulich Leader Scholarship program. Out of 350,000 potential candidates, 100 high school students across Canada have received this award, and 10 are joining ��ݮ��Ƶ this fall.

Students pursuing an engineering degree will receive $120,000, while students in science, technology or math will receive $100,000. The scholarship will cover university expenses and allow students to focus on their studies, research projects and entrepreneurial ventures.

“I am pleased to see another exceptional cohort of Schulich Leader scholars choose the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ,” says Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ. “We look forward to welcoming them to our community of curious, collaborative, innovative and entrepreneurial problem-solvers and leaders who seek to make the world a better place.”

Inspired by his father’s work and background in computer science, Johnnie Chen developed his interest in the same field at a young age. He believes that the development of artificial intelligence is not only beneficial, but crucial for the future.

Chen’s proudest achievements include ranking in the 99th percentile for the Euclid Contest and earning top spots for various trivia competitions. Aside from being a math enthusiast, Johnnie has also taken his interest in sports to the next level by attending Moneyball Academy, a sports analytics program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Chen shares that ��ݮ��Ƶ has always been his “top choice.” He looks forward to meeting new people, the academic experience, and the professional experience he’ll gain from ��ݮ��Ƶ’s co-op program.

“As a Schulich leader, I aspire to create greater societal impact with my efforts; I want to bring greater public awareness surrounding the increasing use of data and computer science in our daily lives.”

Aditya Makkar has always loved mathematics and had a simultaneous passion for technology. In Grade 11,

He attended the Quantum School for Young Students and was exposed to the cutting-edge research and projects ��ݮ��Ƶ was working on. After speaking with researchers and attending Hack the North, he felt confident that ��ݮ��Ƶ’s computer science program would allow him to explore both of his passions.

In his spare time, Makkar joined DECA and the debate team, but the extra-curriculars he enjoyed the most were the ones he started himself. He worked on open-source ASL translations; worked alongside ��ݮ��Ƶ researchers to explore deep-learning architecture and scaled machine-learning wildfire prediction software.

In the future, Makkar is looking forward to working for deep-tech research startups. He wants to gain real-world experience and use his problem-solving skills to create ground-breaking technologies.

Ronak Patel’s journey into the software industry began with competitive programming. After joining the FIRST Robotics Competition, he experienced what software development was really like. Fascinated with using math and computing concepts to engineer real-life solutions, Patel was drawn to the software engineering program at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

After realizing that there were few opportunities for computing contests in Ontario, Patel co-founded one of the few in-person teams. They created a problem set, launched a website and held a successful event with 350 participants. When he’s not coding, Patel flies with Air Cadets and his local soaring club, having previously earned his glider and private pilot licences.

In the future, he hopes to explore sectors that use math and statistics to engineer algorithms so he can be at the forefront of new technologies. For now, he’s looking forward to exploring subjects that he’s most interested in and the co-op opportunities he’ll take part in at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

“From design teams to student life experiences, I’d like to make the most of my university experience.”

Emma Shi found her strength in creativity and critical thinking. The challenge of problem-solving led her to participate in hackathons, where she harnessed her natural curiosity to find breakthrough solutions. After witnessing the success of her older sister, brother-in-law and cousins at ��ݮ��Ƶ, Shi knew that the University’s computer science program was the perfect fit for her ambitions.

Shi shares that competing in Hack the North gave her a sense of belonging at ��ݮ��Ƶ. She developed a decentralized data aggregation platform to enhance AI training data, earning her two awards. Having also served as team captain for three different sports in high school, it comes as no surprise that she is a three-time athlete of the year. Emma looks forward to continuing her athletic journey by joining the ��ݮ��Ƶ Warriors.

“Sports are my go-to outlet. Finding something that can take your mind away is��accessible, and is enjoyable is extremely important to maintain a work-life balance.”

With the goal of using tech for social good, Shi is eager to explore the intersection of finance, sustainability and entrepreneurship during her time at ��ݮ��Ƶ.

Pari Vansjalia’s interest in health care, robotics and arts led her to discover her passion in technology. She knew that software engineering would allow her to learn the skills necessary to make an impact in almost any field, while gaining experience in problem solving and collaboration. That’s why she wants to explore new opportunities to build impactful projects with others.

“Being in an engineering program that brings together ambitious and hardworking students will not only create a conducive environment for collaboration, but it will also be with those students that I build lifelong memories at ��ݮ��Ƶ.”

Eager to make lasting positive impact, Vansjalia spent a summer working at Interac publishing a research paper on how decentralized autonomous organization could create a better workflow for researchers to visualize their work. She has also worked at RBC; participated in various high school clubs, and co-founded EmpowHer, a project to mentor elementary girls through workshops and hackathons on emerging technology. As a classical Bharatanatyam dancer, she also finds the time to practice, supporting her work-life balance.

Becoming a programmer in Grade 8, Daniel Zhang has always had an interest in coding. At ��ݮ��Ƶ, he wants to learn more about front and back-end development as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Aside from participating in competitive programming and extracurriculars in STEM, Zhang is also a badminton athlete. He trains multiple days a week and has won several medals at the national level. ��Zhang also won the 2023 International Economics Olympiad — an annual competition for high school students in the field of economics.

Zhang is excited to join the co-op program at ��ݮ��Ƶ, meet new people and build his knowledge in a research-focused environment. He aspires to become a software developer to create AI software.