Scholarship Recipients
Congratulations to the 2023 WTS Toronto Area Chapter Scholarship Recipients!
Khairunnabila Prayitno – Graduate Scholarships
My name is Khairunnabila (Nabila) Prayitno and I am a fifth-year PhD Candidate at the School of Planning, University of Waterloo. My dissertation project incorporates the lens of ‘justice’ and ‘care’ in the way we design, plan, and facilitate public transit. Together, the concepts of ‘justice’ and ‘care’ expand future imaginations of urban mobility to include narratives of marginal voices.
Besides research, I volunteer as a board member of Focus for Ethnic Women – an organization that aims to empower and support immigrant and ethnic women in the Region of Waterloo. My work is guided by aspirations of a society that allow for self-reflection, and thus self-determination. Planning that is more just and caring, that illuminates the human aspects of daily life and provides people with agency in shaping policy based on their values.
Bahar Dehqani Viniche – Graduate Scholarships
Bahar Viniche is a third-year Ph.D. Candidate at York University and a researcher in the Transportation Lab at the Lassonde School of Engineering. Her research is centred on developing sustainable last-mile delivery processes through the use of cutting-edge technologies in multi-echelon delivery systems. Her academic background spans multiple disciplines, including aerospace engineering, air transportation, transportation engineering and operational management, reflecting her diverse expertise. Supported by her co-supervisors, Mehdi Nourinejad (York University), and Dr. Opher Baron and Dr. Oded Berman (Rotman School of Business, University of Toronto), she has presented her impactful research at top-tier conferences, including the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and INFORMS Annual Meeting. Beyond her research, Bahar's commitment to education is evident as she has volunteered as a teacher for students from underserved families and has taken on substantial teaching responsibilities at the university, earning her a nomination for the Best Teaching Assistant Award. Committed to fostering learning and inclusivity, she has served as a Graduate Representative on the EDI Committee, and she currently holds this role in the Learning, Curriculum & Students Committee at the Lassonde School of Engineering.
Zeinab Harb – Undergraduate Scholarships
Zeinab Harb is currently in her final year of Civil Engineering and Society at McMaster University. Over the course of her studies, Zeinab has been developing a career centered around transportation and advocating for women in STEM. Zeinab has completed an internship at Hatch under the transit group which allowed her to work on several projects for Metrolinx, specifically under RER2 and RER3.
Zeinab was also a research assistant for a project funded by Transport Canada, which focused on analyzing pedestrian behaviours at critical intersections in the City of Hamilton. To continue her involvement in research in the transportation sector, Zeinab is currently completing an independent study in transportation alongside a Civil Engineering faculty supervisor. Aside from technical advancements in her undergrad, Zeinab is a Women in Engineering Ambassador and Mentor under the McMaster Engineering Society. Zeinab’s experiences throughout the past years have laid out a basis for the career path she intends to pursue and the areas she wants to leave an impact on in her community.
Jennifer Khuu – Undergraduate Scholarships
Jennifer is an undergraduate student at Toronto Metropolitan University studying urban planning. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Jennifer has interned with the City of Brampton, MapYourProperty and Halton Region in the fields of environmental planning, affordable housing, and climate change response and sustainability. She is passionate about community involvement and has previously volunteered with Urban Minds, the Hot Potato Initiative Foundation, and Secure the Food Mississauga. Her interests include sustainable and public transportation, specifically policy development, service planning and coordination, and community engagement. Jennifer is very excited to continue learning and developing her skills as she pursues a meaningful career in transportation planning. She is extremely honoured to be one of the recipients of the WTS Toronto Area Chapter 2023 Scholarship Award, and looks forward to promoting gender inclusion in the transportation industry. After graduating, Jennifer hopes to become a Registered Professional Planner. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, baking, and knitting.
Adriana Ceric – Focused Undergraduate Scholarships
Adriana is a Civil Engineering student at the University of Waterloo and is currently a Transit Technology Intern at Arcadis IBI Group. Within the Transit and Mobility Data Team, she is actively involved in the development of TRANSIT-data-tools, a platform designed to empower transit agencies in the efficient management of their transit data. Adriana's contributions also encompass the creation of accessible and multi-modal trip planning applications for transit agencies across North America. In addition to her professional work, Adriana is a strong advocate for accessible global transit data standards, actively participating in global conferences and workshops and engaging at events at the UWaterloo ITE Chapter. She has previously volunteered as a Growth Coordinator at Urban Minds, where she focused on creating platforms to inspire youth in Toronto to create sustainable city-building solutions within their schools and communities. Moreover, she has held the position of UWaterloo Women in Engineering Committee Director, where she volunteered at events to encourage incoming students to pursue civil engineering and hosted a podcast to promote diversity within the engineering field. Adriana's hopes to lead diverse teams within the transportation technology industry. Outside of school and work, Adriana enjoys exploring transit systems worldwide, painting, and riding her e-bike.
Emma O'Reilly– Indigenous Scholarships
Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Emma completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Calgary in Urban Studies with an embedded certificate in Sustainability Studies. Her three internships over the duration of her undergraduate degree was focused on Indigenous Engagement and Community Planning at an Indigenous owned planning firm. As a proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Emma is passionate about exploring urban planning related challenges in Indigenous communities across Canada. Emma is a current candidate for the Master of Arts in Planning from the University of Waterloo and her research is focused on the topics of geographic information technologies, transportation and how Indigenous traditional knowledge at the local planning level can help grow urban Indigenized spaces.