Contacts

Thinh is a master's student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on constructing a machine-learning model used to predict the adsorption behaviour of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with activated carbon. Outside of school, he enjoys participating in sports and resistance training.

As the GSEF Coordinator, Thinh acts as an ambassador for the fund and assists various GSEF operations.

Hi everyone! My name is Satveer Dhillon and I am a PhD candidate in Geography and Environmental Management. My current research focuses on co-producing, implementing and evaluating a social prescribing pilot for those living with chronic illnesses. I am also currently involved in other research projects related to violence against children and health inequities.

Beyond academics, I enjoy travelling, hiking, knitting and spending time with my family & friends. 

My name is Marjana Chowdhury, and I am a second-year PhD candidate in Sustainability Management at the School of Environment, Enterprise & Development (SEED). With a background in Civil & Environmental Engineering, my current research explores the economic value and environmental benefits of Nature-Based Solutions for enhancing urban resilience in Canadian cities. Before pursuing my graduate studies, I held various roles with the United Nations and Multilateral Development Banks, gaining extensive experience in international development. Beyond academics, I enjoy traveling, photography, and spending time watching movies with my son. As the Treasurer for GSEF, I am excited to contribute to supporting graduate students at the University of Waterloo and fostering a thriving academic community.

Anastasia is a PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences. Her research focuses on patterns of cannabis consumption and related cannabis policies in Canada and internationally.

Sabrina is a PhD student in Kinesiology in the Aging, Health and Well-being program. Her research focuses on understanding fall risk in older adults with a cancer diagnosis. Outside of school, Sabrina likes to be active playing sports and watching hockey!

Adrian Berk Safati is a PhD candidate in Psychology at the University of Waterloo, whose research investigates how people regulate mind-wandering using a range of methods spanning neuroimaging, cognitive tasks, and large-scale data analysis. As the Faculty of Arts representative on the Grad Studies Endowment Fund Project Review Committee, he brings experience evaluating multi-disciplinary research and a commitment to supporting graduate scholarship.

Jisoo is a graduate student in cognitive psychology, with a background in social psychology, psychophysiology of stress, and biology. Her interests lie in the fields of morality, legality, decision making, and biometrics. Throughout her time here, she hopes to study the relationship between morality and the creation and upholding of criminal laws. In her free time, Jisoo enjoys reading, writing, horseback riding, sailing, and talking about her dogs. In her role as a Student Representative on the GSEF Project Review Committee, Jisoo reviews project applications and provides funding recommendations. 

Amirbahador Mansoori is a PhD student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, working with Professor George Shaker and Professor Raafat R. Mansour at the Wireless Sensors and Devices Laboratory (WSDL) and the Centre for Integrated RF Engineering (CIRFE). His research focuses on RF and microwave engineering, radar sensing, and AI-enabled health monitoring systems, with a strong interest in translating research into impactful real-world solutions. He also serves as the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (APS) Chair for the University of Waterloo student branch.

Dongzhuyuan is a Master's student in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research interests include multi-modal large language models and reinforcement learning from human feedback. In his role as a Student Representative on the GSEF Project Review Committee, he is committed to reviewing project applications with a practical and robust perspective and providing funding recommendations.

Geetam is a Ph.D. student at the School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development. He completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Construction Engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, and later completed a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech.
His current research explores the pathways through which innovations diffuse within socioeconomic networks. With an educational and research background in infrastructure and energy systems, his focus now centers on sustainability. In his capacity as the Student Representative for the Faculty of Environment on the GSF Project Review Committee, Geetam evaluates project proposals and offers funding recommendations.

Scott is a PhD student in the Department of Applied Mathematics. He is researching reinforcement learning for the acceleration and optimization of numerical simulations of partial differential equations. 

Beyond school, Scott loves to be active and learn new things. He is currently the captain and assistant coach of the University of Waterloo men’s varsity squash team.

Charlotte is a Master’s student in the Department of Data Science. She studied Computer Science and Data Science in her undergraduate career, and is now a Data Science and Artificial Intelligence - MDSAI student. In her role as a Student Representative on the GSEF Project Review Committee, Chalotte reviews project applications and provides funding recommendations.

Pavithra (she/her) is an international graduate student in the Faculty of Science, since Winter 2025. Her current research in the Radovanovic group explores the magneto-optical properties of hybrid semiconductors. Alongside her academic pursuits, she is passionate about science communication and outreach, working to make scientific research more accessible to the wider community. As a representative of the Faculty of Science on the Project Review Committee, Pavithra collaborates with the GSEF team to enhance the graduate student experience at the University of Waterloo.

Shaheena Fakir is a PhD student at School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo at the Patel Research Lab. Her research focuses on medication management and technology to support older adults with vision impairment.  She is also a Registered Pharmacist in Ontario, with extensive experience in community practice and certifications in Diabetes education, pharmacogenomics and injections. Outside academic and professional work, she loves outdoors in the summer and is a henna artist. 

Tamara is an MSc student in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences. Her research involves the piloting and evaluation of new engagement programs for persons living with dementia, care partners, and community members. Her general interests involve improving the health and wellbeing of others through education, knowledge translation, and community building. 

Maria (she/her) is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies. Broadly, her research interests lie in K-12 education investigating student discipline issues such as educators’ approaches and use of discipline interventions, and students’ experiences with suspensions. Outside of her research, Maria is actively involved in the community through peer mentorship and participation on a school board’s equity advisory committee.

Umar Ali is a PhD student in the Department of Systems Design Engineering. His research focuses on leveraging the rich source of data from photon absorption remote sensing (PARS) to create better systems around medical imaging.
As a Faculty of Engineering representative on the GSEF Board of Directors, Umar helps review/approve recommendations of funding from the Project Review Committee.

Isabel is a PhD candidate in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability. She is primarily interested in competition for shared water resources and how conflict and cooperation can yield sustainable and equitable outcomes. She has a track record of leadership and helping out in her community, particularly on environmental initiatives.

Lucas (he/him) is a PhD Student in the Department of Computer Science who started in Fall 2021. He is part of the CrySP lab where he works on Security & Privacy related to Machine Learning with Professor Florian Kerschbaum.

Max (he/him) is a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry. His research focuses on developing nanoparticles and peptides for the detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Max serves as a Faculty of Science representative on the GSEF Board of Directors, reviewing and evaluating project applications.

During Matthew’s time at the University of Waterloo, he was extensively involved with graduate student advocacy through both the Graduate Student Association and Graduate Studies Endowment Fund. As a former Coordinator of GSEF, Matthew is excited to continue serving on the Board of Directors in the role of alumni representative.

With over 20 years’ experience, Heidi is the Associate Director, Graduate Financial Aid & Awards in Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs. She oversees the administration and decision-making of internal and external award programs for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows that may or may not require University evaluation and adjudication, as well as graduate bursary and loan programs.