RSI Research Day – 2025 Recap




























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.

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.

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.

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

Congratulations to this year’s winners:
STUDENTS:
Award |
Recipient(s) |
---|---|
Research Recognition |
Miranda Wu, MSc Student |
Leadership & Inspiration |
Momo Lin, MSc Student |
Community Service |
Jessica Song, MSc Student |
FACULTY/STAFF:
Award |
Recipient(s) |
---|---|
Dr. Dina Brooks Award for Continuing/Sustained Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision and Mentorship |
|
Dr. Patty Rigby Award for Early Career Excellence in Supervision and Mentorship |
|
Teaching Award |
Sara Hanafy |
Peer Mentorship Award |
|
Service Award |
Amanda Patterson (Staff) |
ALUMNI:
Award |
Recipient(s) |
---|---|
Outstanding Leadership Award |
Mika Nonoyama |
Outstanding Service Award |
PRESENTATIONS:
Award |
Recipient(s) |
---|---|
Oral Presentation |
Denise Arnold, PhD Candidate |
POSTERS:
Award |
Recipient(s) |
---|---|
Judges' Scoring |
Zackary Tsang, MSc Student |
People's Choice |
Sarmitha Sivakumaran, MSc Student |
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion |
Sadia Khan, MSc Student |
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:
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
- Ontario Physiotherapy Association
- The KITE Research Institute – UHN
- University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union
- Dr. Angela Colantonio
- International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation (ICDR)
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!