Ibrahim Ogunsanya receives Connaught Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers award

Ibrahim Ogunsanya, an assistant professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, has been recognized with a Connaught Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers award for 2025-26.

Given by U of T’s Connaught Fund in partnership with the Black Research Network, a U of T institutional strategic initiative, the annual award provides up to $250,000 to strengthen Black scholars’ research programs and help foster partnerships, create training opportunities and enhance competitiveness for external funding.

The award will support Ogunsanya's research on the electrochemical-microscope-driven design of materials resistant to radiation and coolant degradation in small modular reactor and fusion reactor systems.

Broadly, his research program explores how engineering materials deteriorate and how they can be made more durable and sustainable. His work focuses on metals, cement and concrete, with an emphasis on reinforced infrastructure and the effects of corrosion, helping identify material combinations that can extend the lifespan of structures in harsh environments.

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