Canada — In a remarkable academic milestone, siblings Rayan, Mouaid, and Mogtaba Alim graduated with bachelor’s degrees in computer science from the University of Toronto.

A report by the institution disclosed that each was recognised during separate convocation ceremonies that spanned five days.

The trio was originally accepted into medical school in the UK but changed course, drawn instead by the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) and the chance to study at U of T.

Enrolled in the competitive bioinformatics and computational biology specialist program, they pursued diverse research paths from cancer diagnostics and transplant medicine to climate mobility and data governance.

Their shared journey earned them the University of Toronto Student Leadership Award and placed them at the forefront of AI innovation on campus.

Rayan Alim focused her academic journey on AI’s intersection with public good, conducting research at the Toronto Climate Observatory and as a fellow with the AI4Good Lab.

Her work, which utilised machine learning to predict socioeconomic outcomes using satellite and census data, received recognition from the United Nations Development Programme.

“You could go from a machine-learning lab in the morning to a community roundtable in the evening,” Rayan reflected.

She explained that proximity to researchers, policymakers, and founders within a few blocks forced them to think beyond silos.

For Mouaid Alim, AI became a bridge between technology and medicine.

His double major in computer science and human biology led to AI-driven projects at Toronto General Hospital’s Ajmera Transplant Centre.

While there, he helped develop dashboards for liver transplant allocation and models for predicting organ rejection.

He also completed a capstone project at the Vector Institute, identifying heart failure risk factors, with some of his work published in the journal Gut.

“If one of us achieves something, it’s like we all achieved it by extension,” Mouaid said. “We’re constantly teaching and learning from each other.”

Mogtaba Alim brought his passion for AI into oncology and lab automation.

At the Krembil Research Institute and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, he worked on mapping gene regulatory networks and extracting CT scan data for prognostic models.

He also founded LabGPT, a project leveraging large language models to streamline lab onboarding and operations.

Reflecting on their upbringing across multiple continents, Mogtaba emphasised how cultural diversity shaped their academic and ethical approach to AI:

“Growing up with a diversity of experiences, different cultures, beliefs and ways of life, has translated into our diversity of thought.”

As the Alim siblings turn toward postgraduate research, entrepreneurship, and further study, they remain united by their familial bond and commitment to using AI to address global challenges.

Source: TUKO.co.ke