York Circle Lectures - Environmental Remediation, AI and 3D Printing, Canada's Groundwater Resources, Controlling Inflammation & Arthritis
IN-PERSON PROGRAM
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Time: 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Keele Campus, Life Sciences Building
The 2025-2026 York Circle Lecture Series is presented by York University's Division of Advancement in partnership with our York Circle Chair, Giuseppina D'Agostino (BA ’96, LLB ’99), Associate Vice-President Research (AVPR). Hear from York's leading faculty members on a wide range of interesting topics that speak to some of the key themes that define York University. Join us on Nov. 15 in the Life Sciences Building.
First Sessions at 10 a.m.
Sustainable Technologies for Environmental Remediation (STER)
Speaker: Satinder K. Brar, Professor, Lassonde School of Engineering and the James and Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering
This presentation will explore emerging sustainable technologies designed to remediate contaminated soils, water, and wastewater. Key approaches such as biochar application, enzymatic and microbial bioremediation, and waste-to-resource valorization will be discussed, with a focus on reducing environmental footprints.
From Atoms to Algorithms: How AI and 3D Printing are Creating the Materials of Tomorrow
Speaker: Solomon Boakye-Yiadom, Associate Professor, Lassonde School of Engineering
From airplanes and electric vehicles to medical devices, better materials quietly power the technologies we rely on every day. This talk, will demystify how my team combines machine learning with metal 3D printing to rapidly design and build new alloys that are both ultra-strong and tough—two properties that are normally hard to achieve together.
Second Sessions at 11:20 a.m.
Underground and Underappreciated – Protecting Canada’s Groundwater Resources OR Beneath the Surface – Why Groundwater Matters
Speaker: Magdalena Krol, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering
This presentation will highlight the vital role groundwater plays in sustaining ecosystems, communities, and industries—especially in Canada, where it supplies drinking water to over 30% of the population and represents around 75% of Canada’s freshwater supply. An overview of the challenges we face in managing this resource sustainably and the need for improved monitoring, protection and policy will be reviewed.
Turning Down the Heat: New Ways to Control Inflammation and Arthritis
Ali Abdul-Sater, Professor, Faculty of Health
Inflammation is like a fire in the body, but when it burns too long or too hot, it can damage our joints and lead to arthritis. In this talk, Dr. Ali Abdul-Sater will share how exercise and new treatments are helping to cool that fire down. Viewers will come away with a clear picture of how science is finding new ways to control inflammation and bring hope to people living with arthritis.
Tickets are $5 - Advance Registration is Required... please click here.
The Winter term York Circle lectures will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026
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