Congratulations, Telfer Nation!
We are so excited to be celebrating the outstanding research accomplishments of our graduate students! The dedication, passion, and effort you’ve applied to your research is truly inspiring!
Your hard work and commitment are shaping the future, and today we are elated to be recognizing the incredible impact that you’re already making!
Join us in congratulating our 2026 winners who have earned awards, grants, scholarships and the top rankings in the Telfer Graduate Research Student Thesis Competition!
Scholarships
External funding opportunities are extremely competitive. The following students have received distinguished provincial and federal scholarships and grants:
Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Master Program
Catherine Stone, MSc
Marie-Michèle Fournier, MSc
Naren Lokesh, MSc
Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Doctoral Program
Maryam Mahmoudi Mesineh, PhD
Ontario Graduate Scholarship
Amanda Kutenski, PhD
Subomi Ibitoye, PhD
Manal Chakra, PhD
Ontario Graduate Scholarship - International
Carolina Jiménez Peña, PhD
Patil Yessayan, PhD
Ahmad Hayajneh, PhD
Ontario Graduate Scholarship retro 2025
Asef Upal, PhD
Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology
Tin Pham, PhD
Kimberley Nault, PhD
Nicole Noseworthy, PhD
Canada Postdoctoral Research Award
Danielle Cruise, PhD
Aminat Muibi, PhD
Peter Sheffield, PhD
BMO Graduate Bursaries
Shahryar Moradi, PhD
Telfer Research Awards:
Each year, Telfer offers research awards to students who demonstrate continued commitment to their research and the success of the school:
The PhD Engagement Award recognizes PhD students whose engagement in their program is truly outstanding on many levels. Congratulations to recipients Danielle Cruise, PhD, Carolina Jiménez Peña, PhD!
The Welch LLP Accounting Award, generously created by Welch LLP, recognizes a student enrolled in the PhD in accounting program at the Telfer School of Management who demonstrates academic excellence. Congratulations to the recipient Lizhi Luo, PhD!
The François Julien Doctoral Research Scholarship, honouring his contributions as dean, recognizes a student enrolled in the PhD in management at Telfer conducting research in any of the program’s fields of specialization who demonstrates academic excellence and have successfully completed a thesis proposal defence during the previous academic year. Congratulations to the recipients Danielle Cruise, PhD and Mikaila Ortynsky, PhD!
The Dr. Sheila M. Puffer Scholarship, generously created by Dr. Sheila M. Puffer (MBA ’79), recognizes a student enrolled in the PhD in management at Telfer conducting research in any of the program’s fields of specialization, who demonstrates academic excellence and have successfully completed a thesis proposal defence. Congratulations to the recipient Shaista Jaffer, PhD!
The 2025 Nitrex Telfer DTI PhD Award Competition recognizes a third or fourth-year PhD student in the Digital Transformation and Innovation (DTI) program of the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa who has successfully defended their PhD proposal. Congratulations to recipients Ola Etelbany, PhD (DTI), Yasaman Gheidar, PhD (DTI), Ahmad Hayajneh, PhD (DTI)!
Telfer Graduate Research Programs Thesis Competition:
On February 6, 2026, Telfer MSc and PhD students took part in the Graduate Research Programs Thesis Competition.
They impressed us with their oral and poster presentations. In this stiff competition, six students came out on top and received cash prizes. Congratulations to the following students on their success in this year’s thesis competition!
Oral presentations:
First place: Shaista Jaffer, PhD
Second place: Manal Chakra, PhD
Third place: Danielle Cruise, PhD
Poster presentations:
First place: Maria Adams, PhD
Second place: Yasaman Gheidar, PhD
Third place: Amanda Kutenski, PhD
Congratulations to all our award winners! Your dedication and hard work are paying off!
