Abby Chapman receives prestigious international award for research in Biomedical Engineering
Abby Chapman, a fourth-year UPEI Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (FSDE) student, recently received an Optica Women Scholar 2026 award. This international award is given to 20 women students, based on merit, to empower the next generation of women leaders in optics and photonics. In addition to grant funding, scholars gain access to a global network of mentors and supporting companies.
Chapman is the only Canadian in this year’s cohort to receive this prestigious award—an exceptional achievement at her stage of study, particularly as she was competing against undergraduate and master’s students on an international level. Over the past year, she conducted research in Biomedical Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Sundeep Singh, assistant professor of engineering, and Dr. Bill Whelan, professor of physics. Her dedication, professionalism, and perseverance have been instrumental in earning this distinguished recognition.
“Abby is one of the brightest minds in our undergraduate engineering program at UPEI,” said Singh. “As her research supervisor and instructor, I have had the privilege of working closely with her and have consistently been impressed by her intellectual curiosity, exceptional motivation, and deep passion for translating engineering research into transformative advances in human health. I am immensely proud to see her recognized with this prestigious international honour. It is a testament to her academic excellence, research rigour, and emerging leadership in optics and photonics. I am confident that she will use this opportunity to further advance her research, spark innovation, and make a lasting impact in the field.”
Prior to attending UPEI, Chapman, who grew up in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, graduated from Pearson College, a United World College on Vancouver Island, with an International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma. As a research assistant, she employs experimental and computational modelling techniques to study thermal therapies for cancer treatment. In her work, she has characterized the photothermal properties of polydopamine nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal therapy, including a case study of their use in treating squamous cell carcinoma.
Chapman is currently studying the effect of breast density and power delivery protocol on microwave ablation procedures for breast cancer treatment. Through the development of a patient-specific model derived from the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a breast cancer patient, she aims to advance personalized and precise cancer care. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in the field of biomedical optics after graduation. In her spare time, Abby is the co-president of UPEI’s Ultimate (frisbee) team and rows with the PEI Rowing Club.
“I am incredibly grateful to be named one of the 2026 Optica Women Scholars, and I feel inspired to be joining such a wonderful community of women in optics and photonics,” said Chapman. “My research into improved thermal therapies for cancer treatment is incredibly fulfilling, and I hope to carry this passion forward once I graduate. I am especially thankful for my supervisors, Dr. Sundeep Singh and Dr. Bill Whelan, for their invaluable mentorship and for supporting my research endeavours. I am excited to continue my research and make meaningful contributions to the field of biomedical optics.”
Dr. Whelan congratulates Chapman on her recognition from Optica, the leading global society for optics and photonics research, and for her research contributions and overall success as a UPEI engineering student.
Optics is the branch of physics that studies how light travels, interacts with materials, and is manipulated by instruments. Photonics is a branch of engineering that focuses on the creation, manipulation, and detection of light at the particle level, specifically through the use of light particles called photons.
