UWindsor physics students came out on top at the Canadian Association of Physicists annual congress, held virtually June 7 to 11.

Graduate student Layale Bazzi (BSc 2019) took first place in the division of Physics in Medicine and Biology for Best Oral Student Paper with her presentation, “Mapping Magnetic Field Around Metal with Pure Phase Encoding Magnetic Resonance Imaging.”

Bazzi, who serves in the lab of physics professor Dan Xiao, works on magnetic resonance imaging methodology development with a focus on high quality quantitative imaging around metal, such as those used in implants.

Metal severely distorts the magnetic field, leading to significant artifacts in conventional MRI. Bazzi says they are trying to develop novel methods so that MRI diagnosis is possible around metal implants.

“We have presented methods to reliably image around metal as well as simultaneously quantify the effect of metal on the magnetic field,” she says.

“This will enable the development of more advanced, non-traditional imaging techniques that are applicable in a clinical setting.”

Recently graduated Emma Blanchette (BSc 2021) took second place in the division of Physics in Medicine and Biology for Best Poster Student Presentation for a poster entitled “Quantification of Sensitivity and Specificity in a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Diagnostic Assay for Pathogenic Bacteria Detection and Classification.” Blanchette works in the lab of Steve Rehse, and is a former recipient of the 2020 Lucjan Krause Scholarship. She begins her graduate studies at UWindsor in the fall of 2021.

Graduate student Jake Stephen, from the lab of TJ Hammond, took second place in the division of Atomic and Molecular Physics – Canada for Best Poster Student Presentation for his work, entitled “Simple Measurement for Field Reconstruction.”

Dr. Rehse, head of the physics department, says it is great t see these students win recognition.

“These student competition results at the national and international level show that the UWindsor physics department absolutely contributes at the highest level of Canadian physics, having more prize-winning student contributions than many other departments of comparable or larger size,” he says.

“The research supervisors should also be commended for their tutelage and mentorship of these students, as well as their constant encouragement and their dedication to preparing the students for careers in science by supporting their participation in national conferences like this.”

Bazzi advanced to the finals on June 17, where she competed against other division winners and earned an honourable mention.