October 14, 2020
Four brilliant researchers join Waterloo on fellowships
AMTD Scholars are the first recipients of a postdoctoral fellowship created by a Waterloo alumnus-led foundation
Four world-class academics pursuing research to improve society are the inaugural recipients of the AMTD Waterloo Global Talent Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Waterloo.
The five-year program was made possible by a generous donation from the AMTD Foundation, led by Waterloo alumnus Calvin Choi (BA ’01).
“In what has been a difficult year for so many of us, the process of meeting and getting to know these incredible scholars has been absolutely inspirational,” Jeff Casello, associate vice-president, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, said. “The postdoctoral community at Waterloo has been and continues to be transformative. Mr. Choi’s generosity has allowed us to attract the unmatched talent of these exceptional postdocs which will accelerate the University’s transformative work.”
Meet the inaugural recipients of the AMTD Waterloo Global Talent Postdoctoral Fellowship:
Oluwakemi (Kemi) Amodu, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
Oluwakemi Amodu’s research examines the accessibility of reproductive health resources for women in Nigeria who have been internally displaced due to terrorism by Boko Haram. She believes that “without health care for all, there’s no health care at all.” Her objective is to promote an intervention program that is situated within the context of cultural knowledge, with broader applications for global health-care systems. Amodu will be working with Craig Janes, professor and director of the School of Public Health and Health Systems. An outstanding scholar who completed her Bachelor of Nursing in Nigeria and her Master of Nursing at the University of Alberta, she became a registered nurse in 2018. Amodu has presented her work to the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development and holds numerous scholarships and awards that recognize her academic achievements and community service. In addition, she placed first at the University of Alberta 3MT and second in the 3MT event for Western Canada. She leads several community initiatives including the Health and Community Wellness Working group and serves as an advisory committee member for Gradual Rising of Women (GROW), a group that seeks to educate and empower immigrant women. During her time at Waterloo Amodu is also interested in connecting with the graduate student community about methods for advocacy in research and policy. Read more about the work that Amodu will be exploring on the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences website.
Rhea Hoskin, Faculty of Arts
Rhea Hoskin is an outstanding scholar examining the role of anti-femininity as a catalyst for violence and discrimination. Hoskin’s research will address how anti-femininity manifests itself and results in violence and decreased health outcomes for all. Hoskin completed her PhD at Queen’s University and was the recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal. She currently holds the Ontario Women’s Health Postdoctoral Award. She has received numerous awards for her academic achievements, having produced 26 publications, numerous contributions to national and international conferences and has been covered in the media, including Psychology Today and International Business Times UK. In addition to her research, Hoskin has taught courses as an adjunct professor at St. Francis Xavier University. While at Waterloo, Hoskin will be working with professors Toni Serafini (Department of Sexuality, Marriage, & Family Studies at St. Jerome’s University) and Andrea Quinlan (Department of Sociology and Legal Studies), to examine her research questions using an interdisciplinary approach. Hoskin said her research has the “capacity to disrupt and shift the way scholars and activists mobilize around gender-based violence.” Read more about the work that Hoskin will be exploring on the Faculty of Arts website.
Alex Krolewski, Faculty of Science
Alex Krolewski’s research focuses on fundamental questions in physics and astronomy and aims to address the cause of the accelerated expansion of the universe. His work, in collaboration with professor Will Percival in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, will utilize the DESI survey (an international collaboration aiming to produce a 3D map of the universe) and the Simons Observatory (SO) survey to examine gravitational light lensing of galaxies in the early universe and will transform our understanding of galaxies and our universe. Krolewski has an outstanding academic record. Krolewski completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard, his MA in Astrophysics at the University of California, Berkeley and has recently completed his PhD at Berkeley. Krolewski has published eight papers and given talks at numerous prestigious institutions including Princeton, Stanford and his previous institutions, Harvard and Berkeley. In addition, he has worked on curriculum development for a Virtual Reality (VR) depiction of the sky for an after-school program for middle school students. While at Waterloo, Krolewski will interact with the newly formed Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics and the Perimeter Institute, contribute to making the University a center for DESI survey activity. Read more about the work that Krolewski will be exploring on the Faculty of Science website.
Edris Madadian, Faculty of Engineering
Edris Madadian is a leading scholar in biofuels, particularly the reuse of waste biomass to the creation of energy in carbon-neutral ways. Madadian’s research, overseen by David Simakov, professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, will stimulate high impact multi- and inter-disciplinary research on major environmental and societal problems, creating a sustainable future and enhancing our world through technology. Madadian’s scholarly record is exceptional. He completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in his home country of Iran. In 2013, he began his PhD studies at McGill University in bioresource engineering. After completing his PhD, he stayed at McGill to serve as a postdoctoral fellow and in 2018, Madadian was awarded a prestigious Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship at Dalhousie University where he has continued his research program. Madadian joins Waterloo having produced 40 refereed publications and memberships in multiple professional societies in Canada and internationally. He also has an outstanding teaching record, having taught graduate seminars in his area of research, as well as multiple courses in mathematics at all undergraduate levels. During his time at Waterloo, Madadian will continue his interactions with government and industry, exploring the potential for funded research and the possible commercialization of his research work. Read more about the work that Madadian will be exploring on the Faculty of Engineering website.
