Jun 5, 2025

RSI Research Day – 2025 Recap

By Jessica Boafo

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute (RSI) celebrated the highly anticipated return of its annual Research Day at the MacLeod Auditorium, University of Toronto. This student showcase is like no other, celebrating the recent milestones, accomplishments, success stories, and research findings of the next generation of rehabilitation leaders at the University of Toronto.

Each year, RSI Research Day highlights and celebrates the research conducted by the bright and talented graduate students of RSI through poster and oral presentations. This year was no exception! With over 100 attendees, the event drew a significant crowd for its return. The central theme of this year’s event was Accessibility Research.

The day began on an uplifting note with inspiring opening remarks from Dr. Angela Colantonio, RSI Director, and Dr. Vina Goghari from the School of Graduate Studies’ decanal team. Their warm welcome served as a poignant reminder of the essential role rehabilitation plays in shaping the future of healthcare.

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Dr. Vina Goghari, Decanal Team, School of Graduate Studies

Next, we heard from this year's keynote speaker, Professor Ron Buliung, a U of T Distinguished Professor of Geographies of Disability and Ableism, and a graduate faculty member with the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute. In his talk, “(Re)imagining Disabling Cities,” Professor Buliung shared insights drawn from both lived experience and his research on disability in urban contexts. His presentation explored how ableism is embedded in city planning and design, touching on topics like cycling infrastructure, walkability, the 15-minute city, and more, offering a powerful call to rethink how we build inclusive spaces for all.

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Keynote Speaker, Professor Ron Buliung

During the midday program, guests participated in a dynamic panel discussion on Advancements in Accessibility Research, featuring leading experts from across the rehabilitation field. Special thanks to our panelists for their thought-provoking insights and engaging conversation:

  • Dr. Alison Novak, whose work at KITE and U of T explores barrier-free access for older adults and people with disabilities;
  • Dr. Tim Ross, Director of the EPIC Lab at Holland Bloorview, whose research centers on inclusive planning and childhood disability; and
  • Dr. Jutta Treviranus, Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University, globally recognized for her pioneering work in inclusive co-design and AI accessibility.
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Panelists for Advancements in Accessibility Research Discussion

The day concluded fittingly with the RSI Recognition Awards Ceremony, celebrating the achievements of the RSI community.

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Drs. Kristin Musselman & Nancy Salbach during Awards Ceremony

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

STUDENTS:

Award

Recipient(s)

Research Recognition                         

Miranda Wu, MSc Student
Madeline Wood Alexander, PhD Candidate 

Leadership & Inspiration

Momo Lin, MSc Student
Cindy Nguyen, PhD Candidate  

Community Service                                                                

Jessica Song, MSc Student
V. Armineh Babikian, PhD Candidate                                                                                                                

FACULTY/STAFF:

Award

Recipient(s)

Dr. Dina Brooks Award for Continuing/Sustained Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision and Mentorship

Kristin Musselman

Dr. Patty Rigby Award for Early Career Excellence in Supervision and Mentorship

Andy Kin On Wong

Teaching Award

Sara Hanafy

Peer Mentorship Award

Nancy Salbach

Service Award

Amanda Patterson (Staff)

ALUMNI:

Award

Recipient(s)

Outstanding Leadership Award                  

Mika Nonoyama
Rachel Devitt                                                                                                                                                                               

Outstanding Service Award

Kristina Kokorelias                                                                                                         

PRESENTATIONS:

Award

Recipient(s)

Oral Presentation                                                             

Denise Arnold, PhD Candidate  
Erica Dove, PhD Candidate
Miranda Wu, MSc Student
Eva Di Nallo, MSc Student 
Monique Gill
, PhD Candidate 
Hannah Dudney
, PhD Candidate                                                                                                                       

POSTERS:

Award

Recipient(s)

Judges' Scoring                                                                              

Zackary TsangMSc Student
Amanda Chan​, PhD Candidate                                                                                                            

People's Choice

Sarmitha SivakumaranMSc Student
Renato Barbosa dos Santos, PhD Candidate

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Sadia KhanMSc Student
Jillian Scandiffio​​​​​​​​PhD Candidate

All told, more than 40 posters and oral presentations were made and several faculty, staff, students and family members attended the event online to celebrate the excellent scholarship taking place at RSI. Thank you to all those who attended, to the RSI Research Day Committee and staff for making this year’s event an even greater success!

As always, thank you to our valued sponsors and donors:

For those of you who were unable to join us, we look forward to seeing you in 2026 at our next innovative, informative and inspiring day of research at RSI!