UNB Engineering News

In a recent milestone for two graduate students at the University of New Brunswick, Sara and Leonard placed first and second, respectively, in the Graduate Student Poster Competition. This event evaluated graduate students’ designs on both presentation skills and research innovation.

For Sara, the first-place win was a thrilling surprise. “This was the first academic poster I’ve ever designed, so winning the award was unexpected,” she shared. Now, with $2,000 in travel funding, Sara has the chance to present her research to a broader academic audience and connect with experts who can “offer valuable insights,” further shaping her academic journey.

Sara’s research addresses a significant gap in our understanding of the seabed. “Currently, we only have data on about 25% of the world's seabed, and since 75% of the Earth is covered by oceans, that leaves a large portion of our own planet largely unknown. This information is critical for applications like oceanography simulations, which require complete seabed data. The current method used to fill in these data gaps is interpolation, but interpolation often oversimplifies the complexity of the seabed. My research aims to explore a new approach, using AI and a convolutional neural network (CNN), specifically PointConv, to predict the depths in these gaps. PointConv works well with point cloud data, making it a promising method for this type of seabed reconstruction.”

Reflecting on her journey, Sara added that although there are parts of her research that are challenging, the biggest challenge she faced was staying motivated: “Research can be demanding, and sometimes the progress feels slow. Keeping myself driven and focused was the toughest part. Winning this award has given me a huge boost in motivation; it was an instant success that made me feel more energized and cheerful about my work.” Sara extends her thanks to her supervisor, Dr. Ian Church, who has been incredibly helpful throughout the entire process: “He consistently provides guidance not only with the research itself but also with advice and support in so many other areas. His mentorship has been invaluable to me.”

Leonard’s second-place award includes $1,000 for conference travel to present his research in the field of nuclear energy. Leonard explained, “New Brunswick is conducting research, development, and future deployment of new nuclear power plant projects, and small modular reactors are major options. One type of selected reactor is the molten salt reactor. It's a generation IV nuclear concept with enhanced safety features.” His work, focused on the “compatibility of molten salt with potential structural materials, corrosion effects, and corrosion prevention methods,” will help ensure safer development of these energy solutions.

Reflecting on his journey, Leonard shared that “Being brave, enjoying research, and being passionate about the field you research is a motivation for my efforts.” He looks forward to presenting at both domestic and international conferences, viewing this as a valuable opportunity to share insights and gather feedback to refine his work: “This opportunity will be a valuable addition to my academic and career journey. The future conference attendance will be a wonderful opportunity to present my research and discuss it with other professionals.” He adds “My time at UNB has strengthened my foundation of knowledge, research skills, networking abilities, and overall approach to learning. These skills and attitudes will undoubtedly support my future endeavors and professional growth.”

Winning these awards is a pivotal moment in both students’ academic journeys. “Having a conference to prepare for gives me an exciting goal to work towards as I refine this part of my research for the presentation,” said Sara, eager to continue refining her research. Leonard, too, is looking forward to building his network and advancing his skills, seeing future conferences as a key part of his professional growth.

Sara and Leonard’s achievements not only highlight the diversity of research within UNB’s graduate programs but also showcase the resilience of its students, who are driving forward innovations in oceanography and nuclear energy. For them, this recognition means more than an award; it provides an invaluable opportunity to advance their research and engage with leaders in their fields.