TORONTO, ON — Nov 10, 2025 — The Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Toronto hosted its annual Research Gala and Departmental Awards ceremony last week, bringing together students, faculty, and alumni guests for an evening of recognition and connection. The event celebrated the achievements of outstanding students across research, teaching, and leadership, and featured an engaging alumni panel discussion highlighting the impact of statistical sciences beyond academia.
Celebrating Research and Community
In his opening remarks, Professor Sebastian Jaimungal, Chair of the Department of Statistical Sciences, congratulated this year’s award winners and emphasized the department’s commitment to advancing innovation in research and data science.
Our students and alumni continue to push the boundaries of statistical theory and application, driving excellence both in academia and industry - said Jaimungal.
Alumni Panel: Career Journeys in Statistical Sciences
The event featured an alumni panel discussion exploring how graduates are applying statistical and analytical expertise in diverse professional settings.
Blair Bilodeau, Senior Member of Research Staff at The Voleon Group, and Alex Yang, Director at the Aon PathWise Solutions Group, shared insights on decision-making under uncertainty and how theoretical research translates into real-world financial modelling. The panel highlighted the value of graduate-level statistical sciences education in addressing today’s data challenges across sectors.
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Recognizing Student Excellence
The Department proudly recognized students across all programs for their exceptional achievements in research, teaching, and leadership.
Among this year’s doctoral recipients, Jianhui Gao received the Doctoral Award for excellence in research as a senior PhD student, while Junhao Zhu was honoured with the Donald A. S. Fraser Doctoral Award for distinguished contributions to statistical theory. Emily Somerset earned the David Andrews Doctoral Award for excellence in applied research in statistics and data science. Recognized for outstanding early-stage research, Brandon Tam, Bingqing Li, and Ichiro Hashimoto each received the Doctoral Early Research Excellence Award.
Excellence in teaching was celebrated through the Teaching Assistant Awards, presented to Alex Valencia and Yuan Tian for their dedication and performance in supporting student learning. The Student Leadership Award went to KC Tsiolis in recognition of exemplary leadership and service within the Department, while Junjie Ma received the MSc Academic Achievement Award for attaining the highest academic distinction in the master’s program. Christina (Lezhou) Feng was recognized with the Data Science Award for her excellence in academic, leadership, outreach, and research contributions to data science.
The evening also celebrated the achievements of students in the Master of Financial Insurance (MFI) program. Yi Chen received the MFI Academic Achievement Award for best overall performance in academic coursework, and Sabrina Ameyaw was presented with the MFI Business Acumen Award for her outstanding performance in internship and professional development activities. The MFI Ambassador Awards were awarded to Radu Alexe Padina and Yunqi (Annie) Du, who were recognized by their peers for best embodying the values and qualities of the MFI program.
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| Doctoral Early Research Excellence Awards — Ichiro Hashimoto | Doctoral Award — Jianhui Gao |
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| Doctoral Early Research Excellence Awards — Bingqing Li | Doctoral Early Research Excellence Awards — Brandon Tam |
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| Donald A. S. Fraser Doctoral Award — Junhao Zhu | David Andrews Doctoral Award — Emily Somerset |
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| Teaching Assistant Awards — Alex Valencia | Teaching Assistant Awards — Yuan Tian |
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| Student Leadership Award — KC Tsiolis | MFI Academic Achievement Award — Yi Chen |
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| MFI Ambassador Award — Radu Alexe Padina | MFI Business Acumen Award — Sabrina Ameyaw |
The 2025 Research Gala underscored the department’s vibrant and collaborative academic community. As students and alumni continue to excel across academic and industry pathways, the Department of Statistical Sciences remains dedicated to fostering research excellence, mentorship, and innovation in statistical learning.
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Learn More About Our Graduate Programs
Interested in pursuing graduate studies in statistics or data science?
Explore our programs, research, admission requirements, and upcoming application deadlines:
- Department of Statistical Sciences – Graduate Programs
- School of Graduate Studies – Application Deadlines
- Master of Financial Insurance
- Explore our Research
For questions about program requirements or the application process, contact:
- grad.statistics@utoronto.ca | Statistics Graduate Programs
- mfi.info@utoronto.ca | Master of Financial Insurance