Congratulations Aya, good luck with all your future endeavors.

Sofia Balaceanu just completed her first year as a TA with Math and Stats, with assignments in Business Statistics I and Linear Algebra for Engineering and Physics. Her students praised the learning environment she created in tutorials, commenting on the student centeredness聽of her presentations and ensuring the material was presented in an accessibly at a pace where students learning needs and understanding of material was always given space to be addressed. Her marking consistently contained valuable feedback to help students learn from any mistakes, and was always completed ahead of schedule. Her supervisor was so impressed with her performance that he was compelled to nominate her for the award, the first time in he had done so in his 26 years at 杏吧原创.

Congratulations Sofia, we鈥檒l be happy to see you again next year.

Date:聽 Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Time: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Location: 4351 Herzberg Laboratories, 杏吧原创 University

For more information and to register, please visit the

CANDIDATE: Hugo Teixeira

/math/wp-content/uploads/PhD-Teixeira-April-9-2026.pdf

CANDIDATE: Sara Haroon

/math/wp-content/uploads/Haroon-Committee.pdf

Throughout the week, he led 鈥淢ath Week鈥� at Attagoyuk High School, offering three to four classes per day for students in Grades 6鈥�12.

These sessions combined accessible explanations with hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and confidence in mathematics. Topics ranged from the mathematics of cryptography鈥攅xplored both in English and in Inuktitut 鈥� and binary numbers to the geometry of regular polyhedra, the algebra behind the Rubik鈥檚 cube, and the topology-inspired puzzle known as Conway鈥檚 Rational Tangle.

Students enthusiastically participated in all activities: writing and decoding secret messages in two languages, learning to compute in binary, discovering winning strategies for the game of Nim, and building paper models of Platonic solids. Older students learned how algebraic ideas can guide the solution of the Rubik鈥檚 cube, and the week concluded with the lively Rational Tangle 鈥渞ope dance鈥�, where students practiced untangling knots using the mathematical ideas behind the puzzle.

Professor Billig noted that many students demonstrated strong aptitude in mathematics and science. Equally impressive was the dedication of the teaching staff at Attagoyuk High School. The school boasts an exceptional group of caring and dedicated teachers, as well as an array of after-school programs that keep the building open well into the evenings and on weekends so students can participate in sports and community activities.

The visit was a resounding success, and plans are already underway for continued collaboration between Attagoyuk High School and the School of Mathematics and Statistics. The experience highlighted the tremendous enthusiasm and talent of northern students and strengthened connections that will support future learning opportunities in Nunavut.

Title: Climate Change Is Burning A Hole In Canadians鈥� Wallets: The Causal Effect Of A Canadian Wildfire On The Distribution Of Financial Deb
When: 16-DEC-2024
Time: 1300
Location: 4369 Hertzberg Laboratories
CANDIDATE: Cristina Agatep

/math/wp-content/uploads/Agatep-MSc-Dec-16-2024.pdf

/math/wp-content/uploads/Powers-Committee.pdf

/math/wp-content/uploads/ONeill-MSc-Jan-7-2025.pdf

When: 19-JUL-2024
Time: 10:00 am
Location: 4351 McPhail, Hertzberg Laboratories

CANDIDATE: Toma Diaconescu-Grabari, 杏吧原创 University 2022

/math/diaconescu-grabari-msc-2024-19-07/

Brian Lin is currently working on his PhD, hoping to complete his program in 2026.聽 Brian received several nominations from students and instructors for his work in several first-year classes, and a very challenging 2^nd year class.聽 He was praised for his patience and positive, encouraging attitude in the classroom made clear by his enthusiasm for the subject matter, the level of detail he provided to students in his feedback. He enhanced the presentation of course content with useful material that is otherwise beyond the scope of the course where that sort of instruction stimulates the students’ curiosity in the subject matter. One professor highlighted his “remarkable ability to breakdown difficult concepts, to analyze important consequences, and to provide succinct and comprehensive explanations” while harmonizing ideas from different subjects to give the students a deep appreciation and understanding of algebra.

Ryan McPherson will walk the stage in June 2024 with his B.Eng, and will continue his studies in a Master鈥檚 program at U of T next year.聽聽 Ryan received an unprecedented number of nominations from 31 students, praising his positive attitude and student-centred support in the classroom during tutorials and exam review sessions, his useful and timely assignment feedback, and the consistent and thoughtful responses he gave them through his email communications. A phrase that popped up in a number of nominations was “I would not have passed this class without his help” which indicates the significant contribution he made to the students’ success over the last year.