Posts Categorized: News

MIE Professor Susan McCahan one of four U of T Engineering professors inducted as Fellows of the Canadian Engineering Education Association

Four U of T Engineering professors have been inducted as Fellows of the Canadian Engineering Education Association (CEEA-ACEG).

The honour recognizes noteworthy service to engineering education, engineering leadership, or engineering design education. The U of T Engineering inductees were among 21 engineering education professionals from across Canada in the association’s inaugural cohort.

They are:

  • Professor Greg Evans (ChemE, ISTEP)
  • Professor Susan McCahan (MIE), Vice-Provost, Academic Programs and Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education
  • Professor Lisa Romkey (ISTEP/EngSci)
  • Professor Jason Foster (CivMin/EngSci)

“It is truly an honour to be included in this group of highly respected engineering educators,” says Romkey. “These individuals have carved out spaces in their own institutions for this critical work, and I am lucky to consider many of the Fellows close colleagues and mentors.”

Romkey’s research interests include teaching and assessment practices in engineering. For example, she has collaborated with McCahan on the development of competency-based rubrics and with Professor Alan Chong (ISTEP) on research into how undergraduate multidisciplinary research projects are assessed.

She also recently completed work on a multi-institutional project on teaching practices in engineering. Her current research uses theory in higher education to better understand the nature of Engineering Science as a discipline, which she hopes will lead to a stronger relationship between program goals, and teaching and learning practices in EngSci. Professor Romkey teaches courses on the social and environmental impact of technology and Engineering Education.

The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have brought key issues in engineering education to the fore for both teachers and students.

“This challenge gives us an opportunity to be creative and to collaborate in new ways,” says Romkey. “It has encouraged important conversations about the purpose of assessment, how to create meaningful learning communities with our students, and how to support each other as instructors.”

This fall, Romkey will be co-teaching an engineering and society course with Professor Rob Irish (ISTEP).

“This is a course built around weekly seminars, which has made it challenging to move online,” she says. “However, we’ll be making good use of educational technology, including synchronous and asynchronous activities, to offer a meaningful discussion experience and broaden student participation.”

Romkey says that the move to remote learning necessitated a deep review of course concepts and activities with a goal of prioritizing what’s important. As Associate Chair, Curriculum, Teaching and Learning for Engineering Science, she’s encouraging all professors to go through a similar exercise.

“We’re supporting instructors in their own planning with an eye to the ‘whole picture’ for our students,” she says. “I’m also working with a group of colleagues from across the country on a CEEA-ACEG initiative called E-CORE (Engineering Collaboration for Online and Remote Education) which includes the development of resource guides and professional development opportunities. It is exciting to see colleagues from across the country come together to support engineering students, teaching assistants and instructors.”

Romkey hopes that as the ranks of CEEA-ACEG Fellows continue to grow in the coming years, they can provide a national community of practice to strengthen engineering education across all institutions.

“Whether you have an interest in research and scholarship in engineering education, or teach in engineering, CEEA-ACEG provides community, an opportunity to showcase innovative work, and professional development opportunities,” she says. “I would encourage our faculty, staff and students to explore what the organization has to offer.”

-This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on June 25, 2020 by Tyler Irving

On becoming an uncle, working, graduating and parenting during a pandemic: U of T Engineering alumnus Nosa Ighodaro’s memorable final semester

Nosa Ighodaro (left) and his wife, Elizabeth Ighodaro, with their daughters (right) at Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga before the pandemic.

As the class of 2020 graduates amidst unprecedented times, Nosa Ighodaro shares his memorable journey to receiving his MEng this spring.

The last few weeks have been a marathon for Nosa Ighodaro (MIE MEng 2T0).

“I successfully graduated from the University of Toronto, while concurrently attending to pressures from the office and singlehandedly managing the needs of my two little daughters, and I became an uncle,” says Ighodaro. “This has definitely been an eventful final semester.”

Before his memorable final term, Ighodaro’s academic journey at U of T Engineering began two years ago. After many years working in supply chain management for a multinational manufacturing company, Ighodaro decided to pursue an master’s in engineering (MEng) to complement his professional experience and pave a clearer path for his career. He describes his time at U of T as stimulating and challenging. But it was his fifth and final semester that presented the most unexpected challenge — a pandemic.

While at U of T Engineering, Ighodaro and his wife, Elizabeth, both balanced working full–time, caring for their young daughters, and their studies, quickly settling  into a precise schedule. “It was quite hectic living in Mississauga, working in Brampton and being at the St. George campus twice a week,” says Ighodaro. “We planned our day-to-day activities down to the minute.”

When the COVID-19 crisis began in Toronto and forced city-wide shutdowns and university classes to go online, he and his family quickly needed to adjust to their new normal.

“The dynamics of our household daily operations completely changed. I started working from home and I had about one month left to complete my graduate program,” says Ighodaro. “My wife also started working from home and her school switched to online instruction. Our children were now at home with us.”

Ighodaro adapted well to working from home and completing his final courses online. “I only felt the jab when it dawned on me that I would not be feasting my eyes on the beloved U of T scenery during convocation.”

As he and his family got used to the extra time together and their new work-from-home schedule, there was another change of plans —  his brother and sister-in-law welcomed a new baby. With travel restrictions preventing overseas family from joining them, Elizabeth went to help the new parents meaning he’d have to take on full-time parenting of their two kids.

Asked if he had any advice for students who may be continuing their studies online in the fall, Ighodaro highlighted the importance of creating a work schedule, avoiding distractions and staying focused on the end result.

“It is very easy to lose drive and seriousness with online classes. Remind yourself of what lies ahead,” he says. “Students should remember that you are still learning from the prestigious and renowned U of T, just in a different way. They should know that the very best knowledge will still be dished out to them regardless of the teaching style.”

During the June 2 U of T virtual convocation ceremony, Ighodaro celebrated at home with his family and took the opportunity to virtually clink glasses with friends and family via Zoom.

Now having obtained his MEng in Industrial Engineering, Ighodaro will continue to grow in his current position, bringing his expertise and knowledge to improve company operations. He also plans to pursue a PhD in Industrial Engineering, with the goal of becoming a professor in the future. He hopes his academic pursuits will bring him back to the St. George campus he has enjoyed so much.

-Published June 24, 2020 by Lynsey Mellon, lynsey@mie.utoronto.ca

 

Professor Cristina Amon receives Engineers Canada Gold Medal Award

Professor Cristina Amon (MIE), Alumni Distinguished Professor in Bioengineering and Dean Emerita of U of T Engineering, has received the 2020 Engineers Canada Gold Medal Award. This is Engineers Canada’s most prestigious honour, recognizing outstanding engineering achievements and leadership in the Canadian engineering community.

A distinguished scholar in mechanical engineering, devoted educator and innovative academic leader, Cristina Amon served as Dean of U of T Engineering from 2006 to 2019. During that time, she established the U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering as a world leader in multidisciplinary engineering research and education while making incredible strides in advancing gender equity, diversity and inclusion.

Under Amon’s leadership, the international profile of U of T Engineering and Canadian engineering programs rose tremendously; the Faculty is now acknowledged as one of the world’s top public engineering schools in all international rankings. This is in large part due to her unwavering commitment to creating innovative educational programming, establishing structures to ensure student success, fostering multidisciplinary research and strong partnerships with industry, and promoting Canadian engineering internationally.

Amon’s research pioneered the development of Computational Fluid Dynamics for formulating and solving thermal design challenges subject to multidisciplinary competing constraints. She has made ground-breaking contributions to concurrent thermal designs, innovation in electronics cooling, optimization algorithms for renewable energy, design of biomedical devices and, most recently, transient thermal management of electrical vehicle batteries and fast chargers.

Cristina Amon has served the engineering profession with distinction and dedication. She was the founding Chair of the Global Engineering Deans Council and the Chair of the Research Committee for the National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science, and has served in numerous leadership and committee roles both in Canada and abroad.

Amon has been inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Royal Academy of Spain, Royal Society of Canada, and National Academy of Engineering, and is a fellow of all the professional and technical societies in her field. She has received the highest honours for Canadian engineers, including the Ontario Professional Engineers Gold Medal and the Engineering Institute of Canada Sir John Kennedy Medal.

“Cristina Amon has advanced engineering education and the engineering profession nationwide through her visionary leadership. She is indeed an inspiring role model,” says U of T Engineering Dean Chris Yip. “On behalf of the Faculty, my warmest congratulations to her on this prestigious and well-deserved honour.”

-This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on June 11, 2020 by Carolyn Farrell

MIE 2020 Grads to Watch

Each year the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering highlights “Grads to Watch” as selected by their home departments and institutes. These students embody the spirit of U of T Engineering. Their stories illustrate the creativity, innovation and global impact that define our community. Watch their next steps!

The profiles of MIE students featured this year are below – be sure to read the full article to learn about the other outstanding students in our faculty!

Shekhar Kumar (IndE 2T0)

“Being a part of Skule has taught me the importance of taking an active role in the communities that I belong to,” says Kumar. Over the years, those communities have included everyone from student entrepreneurs to the citizens of rural Maharashtra, India’s second-most populous state. 

In his third year, Kumar spent a semester abroad at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. As part of the Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA), he helped organize a field exercise for exchange students to learn about “Pani Panchayat,“ a voluntary activity led by farmers to collectively manage the collection and distribution of groundwater. 

“From this study, I realized the necessity of selfless cooperation when facing a scarcity of resources,” he says. 

Kumar was deeply involved in the Creative Destruction Lab and the Entrepreneurship Hatchery, two startup accelerators at U of T. As a Hatchery Ambassador, he catalyzed relationships between venture capital firms and student startups, including Knowtworthy, which placed second at Hatchery Demo Day. He also led efforts to attract funding for the Cansbridge Fellowship, which will support student internship experiences in Asia. 

After graduation, Kumar will relocate to New York City to take up a position as an analyst at McKinsey & Company.  

“I am a staunch proponent of inclusive technology, and will be spending this fall travelling to the Dominican Republic and Peru, to learn from entrepreneurs working on bringing the benefits of accessible financial services to emerging markets,” says Kumar. 

Asked to sum up his U of T Engineering experience in one word, Kumar chooses the Sanskrit expression anitya, which roughly translates to “impermanence.” 

“From the changes I’ve personally undergone, to the physical changes visible on our campus, my time at U of T has been anything but static,” he says. 

“I would like to thank Professor BirsenDonmez for being an inspiring mentor with an extraordinary ability to help students realize their academic potential and Jen Fabro for her unwavering and compassionate support in my first year.”

Onaizah Onaizah (MIE PhD 2T0)

For her PhD thesis, Onaizah designed a tiny pair of robotic scissors that can be controlled by external magnetic fields using a joystick — no cables, wires or other attachments.

See a video of the robotic scissors in action

“This project was done in collaboration with neurosurgeons from SickKids,” says Onaizah, who was supervised by professor Eric Diller. “This is a promising start for developing completely untethered tools for remote surgical applications in the brain.”

The prototype device is only about one centimetre long, but Onaizah says that the eventual goal is to reduce it to only half this length. It could be used to make minimally invasive surgery, also known as ‘keyhole surgery’, even less invasive.

Onaizah’s research was supported by several prestigious awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship and the Barbara and Frank Milligan Fellowship. She was strongly involved in student government, serving on the Graduate Student Council and the Association of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Graduate Students (AMIGAS), where she cofounded a student seminar series and organized a research symposium.

“I think it’s really important to give students a chance to hone their presentation skills and develop connections, both within and beyond our department,” she says. “Getting involved introduced me to ideas and people that I would otherwise never have come across.”

Following her thesis defense, Onaizah took up a postdoctoral fellowship in surgical robotics at the University of Leeds. She is working with Professor Pietro Valdastri, a leading researcher in the field of medical robotics.

“Having spent nearly a decade at U of T, it was hard to imagine leaving,” she says. “It was not always easy as a woman in STEM, which can be isolating, but I had plenty of role models guiding my way and paving a path for me.”

“My supervisor, Professor Eric Diller, was always around to offer support, have meetings and listen to all my experimental struggles. I couldn’t have done it without him. I would also like to thank AMIGAS for all the excellent work it does for the students in our community, and my lab members for creating such a fun and inviting space, and for becoming some of my closest friends.”

Tobi Sogbesan (MechE 1T9 + PEY)

Sogbesan says that his experience at U of T Engineering was not always easy, but that the challenges were connected with personal growth.

“I remember that in my first semester, I struggled to adapt,” he says. “But every year after that, I grew, not only academically but also in the way I think and approach problems in my everyday life.”

After his third year, Sogbesan spent 16 months working at the Molson Coors Brewing Company through the PEY Co-op Program, where he recommended process improvements that led to energy savings of around $100,000 annually. As part of his fourth-year capstone project, he took a trip to Corn Island, Nicaragua to help protect a local freshwater spring from saltwater incursions.

Sogbesan was active in the U of T Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers throughout his undergraduate degree. Most recently, he served as the sponsorship lead for NSBEHacks, securing funding from partners such as Google, Shopify, IBM and Bloomberg.

After graduation, Sogbesan plans to continue working in the energy sector and dreams of one day starting his own company. He believes his education has been as much about ethics as it was about technical knowledge.

“One of the main things I’ve learned is that I have a responsibility to fulfill my duty to the best of my ability without jeopardizing my moral and ethical values,” he says.

“I want to use this opportunity to shout out the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE) and my fellow colleagues for making my university experience better both academically and also socially.”

Janice Zhou (MechE 1T9 + PEY)

Throughout her time at U of T Engineering, Janice Zhou never forgot how to play.

As co-president of the Spark Design Club, she leveraged the design and fabrication skills of her interdisciplinary team to create fun, interactive displays all over campus. She also worked in product development engineering at the toy company Spin Master as part of the Professional Experience Year Co-op Program.

Zhou completed two research terms. With Professor Alison Olechowski (MIE), she analyzed the emotional experience of designers during CAD activities using AI-informed tools. With Professor Fae Azhari (CivMin), she worked on preventing bridge scour, a phenomenon by which fast-flowing water damages bridge foundations by removing sediments. She helped develop innovative sensing and monitoring systems to catch and correct bridge scour before it’s too late.

“The connections I made through all these experiences helped me grow and develop, both personally and professionally,” she says. “I learned that engineering is not just about math and physics, but also problem solving and working with others, and that I can combine my interests and find my own unique way to contribute.”

Following graduation, Zhou is headed to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she will complete a Master’s program in robotics, focusing on robot control and learning. Through her studies and research, she hopes to contribute to the development of autonomous vehicles and assistive robots.

“I am fascinated by the endless possibilities robots provide for improving the quality of people’s lives,” she says.

“I want to thank many of my professors at U of T for their amazing guidance and support, especially Professor Alison Olechowski. Thank you for believing in me, patiently guiding me through many important milestones in my undergrad journey, and always challenging us intellectually while helping us generously.”

– These profiles extracted from the article originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on June 2, 2020 by Liz Do & Tyler Irving.

Four MIE graduate students receive Vector Institute Scholarships in AI

In their pursuit of machine learning and deep learning research at U of T Engineering, 11 incoming master’s students have received Vector Institute Scholarships in Artificial Intelligence (VSAI).

This is the third round of scholarships announced by the Vector Institute, which was launched in 2017 to attract, develop and retain top artificial intelligence (AI) talent in Canada. Five U of T Engineering students were awarded in the second round, and nine in the first round. In addition to receiving a scholarship worth $17,500, recipients gain access to networking opportunities and professional development workshops at the Institute throughout the year.

This year’s VSAI scholarship winners are:

  • Hengrui Jia (ECE)
  • Shichen Lu (UTIAS)
  • Philippe Nadeau (UTIAS)
  • Raj Patel (MIE)
  • Jingxing Qian (UTIAS)
  • Daniel Severo (ECE)
  • Sophie (Sijie) Tian (MIE)
  • Rachel Wong (MIE)
  • Yuchen Wu (UTIAS)
  • Meng (Katie) Xu (MIE)
  • Zhaocong Yuan (UTIAS)

Vector scholar Daniel Severo will focus on understanding the potential and limitations of AI in order to apply more real-world AI models, safely, in critical domains.

“Deep learning has proven its effectiveness in multiple applications, but we still don’t exactly know why it performs so well,” he explains. “The lack of theoretical guarantees hinders its deployment and potential impact in areas like health care, where there are deep concerns around data privacy.”

Severo, an international student from Brazil, will work under the supervision of Professor Ashish Khisti (ECE) this Fall. He says choosing to pursue his AI research at U of T Engineering was easy — as an undergraduate, he received an exchange scholarship that enabled him to study at ECE for one year.

“The experience has made me feel at home at the department ever since. I’m looking forward to collaborating and learning from some of the top researchers in my field,” he says.

U of T Engineering now has 25 VSAI scholarship recipients conducting research, adding to a rapidly growing list of AI-related activity at the Faculty.

In December, professors Angela Schoellig (UTIAS) and Gennady Pekhimenko (Computer Science, ECE) were named Canada CIFAR AI Chairs, appointments that will bolster their respective research into autonomous robotics and memory hierarchy designs. And last Spring, the Faculty launched the Centre for Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Engineering (CARTE), which will drive research collaboration between faculty, graduate students and industry partners.

-This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on May 21, 2020 by Liz Do

Three MIE faculty members honoured by the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering

Each year the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) recognizes deserving mechanical engineering professionals who are members of the CSME with honours and awards. This year, Prof. Sanjeev Chandra (Robert W. Angus Medal), Prof. Patrick Lee (G.H. Duggan Medal) and Prof. Edmond Young (CSME Fellow) are being honoured by the society. The awards ceremony will take place during the CSME International Congress in Charlottetown, PEI in June 2021.

Sanjeev Chandra is the recipient of the 2020 Robert W. Angus medal in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the management and practice of mechanical engineering.  He is known internationally for his research on the dynamics of droplets and sprays and is one of the founders of the Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies. Prof. Chandra has published over 280 papers in referred journals and conference proceedings in the areas of fluid mechanics, heat transfer and materials science. He teaches courses in thermodynamics and heat transfer and has served as visiting professor at universities in the UK, Germany, France, Korea and Singapore.

A fellow of the CSME, Sanjeev has written an undergraduate textbook on thermodynamics and several chapters for books on the subjects of thermal spray coating, heat transfer and sprays. He has been awarded the Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research and the Jules Stachiewicz Medal for outstanding contributions to heat transfer.

Patrick Lee is being honoured with the G.H. Duggan medal for the best paper dealing with the use of advanced materials for structural or mechanical purposes. He is an Assistant Professor and a founding director of the Multifunctional Composites Manufacturing Laboratory and co-director of  the Microcellular Plastics Manufacturing Laboratory. Dr. Lee’s major expertise is in the area of polymer foam processing/characterization, and processing-structure-property relationships of nanocomposites. He has 45 journal papers, 113 refereed conference abstracts/papers, 2 book chapters, and 17 filed/issued patent applications. He is the Principal Investigator or co-PI on domestically and internationally awarded grants from various government agencies and industries.

Among his honors, Dr. Lee received the AKCSE Early Achievement Award in 2019, the US National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career Development Award (NSF CAREER) in 2018, the PPS Morand Lambla award in 2018, the Hanwha Advanced Materials Non-Tenured Faculty Award in 2017, and 3 best paper awards from the Society of Plastics Engineer.

Edmond Young will be inducted as CSME Fellow (FCSME) in recognition of his excellence in mechanical engineering and contributions to the progress of their profession and of society. Prof. Young established and now directs the Laboratory for Integrative Biology and Microengineered Technologies, focusing on research and development of biomicrofluidic systems for cell biology research.

Prof. Young obtained his P.Eng. in Ontario in 2016, and was the recipient of the MIE Early Career Teaching Award in 2015, and the Ontario Early Researcher Award and Connaught New Investigator Award in 2016. He currently holds a Dean’s Catalyst Professorship at the UT Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

 

– Published May 26, 2020 by Lynsey Mellon

COVID-19: A ‘last resort’ breathing machine prototype heads to clinical trials

U of T Engineering professor Kamran Behdinan (MIE) and a team of researchers at the University Health Network (UHN) are designing a life-saving device they hope never has to be used.

The team’s prototype of a low-cost breathing machine — known as a high acuity, limited operability (HALO) ventilator system — is now undergoing clinical testing and could be deployed if Toronto hospitals run out of ventilators for COVID-19 patients.

The device automates the squeezing motion needed to operate a ventilator bag, which is normally done by hand.

“This device should be used as a last resort,” says Behdinan. “But we wanted to make sure that hospitals have something to fall back on, if they are overwhelmed with patients in critical need of ventilation.”

Patients with severe cases of COVID-19 experience respiratory impairment that requires ventilation support. However, general-purpose ventilators are in limited supply in Canada and around the world, as manufacturing shortfalls are common due to their complicated design. A 2015 study estimates that there are about 15 ventilators per 100,000 people in Canada.

“In the time of a pandemic, ventilator shortages become a critical problem,” says Behdinan, who collaborated with Toronto-based Mackenzie Health and machine-shop staff at the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE) to design a preliminary proof of concept in mid-March.

Early prototype of an assisted-bag ventilator, built in the Machine Shop at the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at U of T. (Photo courtesy of Kamran Behdinan)

The initial prototype was based on a double-fulcrum design, where two “arms” pivot around a hinge on each end. To press down on the ventilator bag, the ends of the arms are brought together by a pulley located at the centre of the supporting base. A sensor then sends feedback to an Arduino microcontroller that adjusts the pressure on the ventilator.

Preliminary tests performed in the MIE Machine Shop showed that the device could produce up to 25 breaths per minute and provide a volume of approximately 450 mililetres, meeting key respiratory parameters.

Behdinan has since connected with a team of physicians at the Toronto General Hospital to assess, prototype, test and refine the HALO design to allow for more rapid manufacturing and deployment. The result is an advanced and streamlined HALO prototype that is now headed for clinical trials.

“Once we get through these trials, then the goal is to manufacture enough to quickly deploy to hospitals,” says Behdinan. “Hopefully they save lives. But hopefully they don’t have to.”

– This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on April 27, 2020 by Liz Do

U of T Engineering team develops redeployment tool to optimize hospital staffing amid COVID-19

U of T Engineering researchers have developed Redeploy, a tool that optimizes and automates the matching of available staff to jobs that need to be filled throughout the hospital.

As the COVID-19 pandemic reaches its peak in Ontario, staffing needs in hospitals in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) have rapidly changed. Researchers, nurses, and other hospital staff may need to be reassigned to areas of urgent need. For example, in many hospitals, door screener positions — staff screening for symptoms at hospital entrances — have been created, while COVID-19 research has quickly risen to the top of the priority list, and more workers are needed in critical care.

Instead of a person reading through staff profiles and job descriptions to make matches, Redeploy uses mathematical optimization techniques, taking into account shift hours, skills, human resources requirements, and staff preferences.

“Redeploy allows for urgent needs to be met and places staff into roles fairly and equitably,” says Professor Timothy Chan (MIE), who is leading the project with a team of graduate students. “For example, the tool can be tailored to only place a staff member on an overnight, weekend shift once a month and spread out those less-desirable hours amongst staff.”

“The tool processes all of the data and can complete complex matches much more quickly and, potentially, more accurately,” adds Chan.

Leveraging the longstanding relationship between the Data Science Program at the University Health Network (UHN) and U of T’s Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering (MIE), Chan and his team of graduate students were able to quickly begin building Redeploy at the end of March.

Chan and his team are currently partnered with UHN and Unity Health Toronto. Pilot testing is expected to commence soon and Chan is hopeful hospitals will be able to begin integrating Redeploy into their reassignment processes shortly thereafter.

“As we may be faced with a second wave of COVID-19, I am hoping that this tool will be highly beneficial,” said Eric Beaudoin, Director, People Strategy & Innovation at UHN, “Outside of our COVID-19 response, Redeploy will allow for a quick turnaround in the future when it comes to larger redeployment of a group of staff, for example, when opening a new unit, augmenting staffing ratios or when faced with an immediate request for a group of specialized resources.”

Redeploy could also play a critical role in Ontario’s COVID-19 action plan for long-term care homes. As long-term care homes emerge as the frontline in the fight against the virus more resources are needed. With minor modifications Redeploy could find available health-care workers and place them in long-term care homes with urgent staffing needs.

“It’s nice to know that the work you are doing will be used to mitigate some of the stress that the health system is currently feeling, and hopefully allow for better care during these times and going forward,” says Frances Pogacar (MIE MAsc candidate).

“The best thing about Redeploy is that our team can help in a way that lends itself to our own skill set as engineers, says Craig Fernandes (MIE MASc candidate), adding that the tight deadlines and urgency of the project made it a challenging but very rewarding experience. “We all have a part to play in fighting this virus and I currently have the privilege of playing a small part in helping optimize health-care operations.”

Visit www.redeploy.ca to view a demo or to learn how to partner with the Redeploy team.

– This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on April 23, 2020 by Lynsey Mellon

MIE Professors among fourteen engineering professors and staff members honoured for excellence by the Faculty

Fourteen Engineering faculty and staff have been honoured for their outstanding contributions to the Faculty with teaching, research and administrative staff awards.

These awards recognize exceptional faculty and staff members for their leadership, citizenship, innovation and contributions to the Faculty’s teaching, service and research missions. The recipients would normally be recognized at the Faculty’s annual Celebrating Engineering Excellence reception, which had to be cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m grateful to have this opportunity to acknowledge the amazing contributions made by our faculty and staff” said U of T Engineering Dean Christopher Yip. “On behalf of the Faculty, warmest congratulations to the awardees, and my heartfelt thanks to all our faculty and staff members for their hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence.”

The award recipients from MIE are:

McCharles Prize for Early Career Research Distinction – Eric Diller

Recognizing exceptional performance and distinction in early career research, typically on the part of a pre-tenure member of the Faculty.

Eric Diller’s research focuses on developing miniature robots which can be wirelessly controlled just like full-sized robots. His goal is to enable a radically new approach to medical procedures and create an entirely new set of scientific tools. Diller shrinks the mechanical and electrical components of robots to centimeter, millimeter and micrometer length. As these miniature components are too small for batteries or microchips, he then develops novel ways to wirelessly control them, using magnetic fields and smart materials. He is developing the fundamental and applied devices and methods towards real implementation for diagnosis and surgery. Along with his academic, clinical, and industry partners, Diller is making strides towards trials and commercialization. His work has been recognized with several of the top awards for early career researchers in both robotics and mechanical engineering.

Early Career Teaching Award – Amy Bilton 

Recognizing an early career instructor who has demonstrated exceptional classroom instruction and teaching methods.

Amy Bilton has served as Director of the Centre for Global Engineering since 2018. Through this role and her classroom teaching she has created unique opportunities for our students to work with international partners in the area of engineering for global development. Most notably, she has developed international capstone projects for students in the mechanical engineering and multidisciplinary capstone design courses. These allow students to travel abroad and work with community members in the developing world to address local challenges using their engineering design skills. Due to the extremely high demand for these projects, Bilton has significantly expanded the initiative in recent years, providing opportunities for students to work with NGOs in Kenya, Guatemala, and Rwanda, as well as the Canadian far north. She has successfully fundraised and recruited the support of other faculty members to further develop this program.

Faculty Teaching Award – Tim Chan

Recognizing a faculty member who demonstrates outstanding classroom instruction and develops innovative teaching methods.

Tim Chan is a talented and dedicated teacher who has developed new courses and new ways of teaching operations research. He developed the course Analytics in Action, a case-based introduction to data analytics that has proven hugely popular, and led the creation of the popular MEng Emphasis on Analytics. One of the ways Chan’s teaching is unique is his use of games to explain difficult concepts – he has developed a game modelled on the TV show Deal or No Deal to explain decision making under uncertainty which has been used in engineering and MBA programs in several institutions, including Duke and MIT. Chan has published on his teaching methods and presented at international conferences. In addition to being a great mentor to his students, Tim makes a point of training and mentoring his TAs, both to ensure his courses are well-taught and to pass on his exceptional teaching to the next generation of engineering educators.

See all of the U of T Engineering staff and faculty recognized with a Faculty award on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering News Site.

– Award recipient excerpts were originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on April 22, 2020 by Carolyn Farrell

MechE students work to protect freshwater spring in capstone design project

Tobi Sogbesan (Year 4 MechE) had been in Nicaragua for three days when he finally realized what was at stake with his latest engineering project.

“We had the chance to sit down with some of the oldest women on the island,” says Sogbesan. “The conversations were so informative and interesting. I came to understand why the spring water was so significant to the people, and why it needed to be preserved.”

The island is Big Corn Island, which along with Little Corn Island supports a population of about 7,400 people. For hundreds of years, the freshwater spring has been used to supply water for cooking, cleaning, bathing and drinking. It was also a key place for members of the community, especially women, to socialize, trade and strengthen their community.

But the spring is located near the coast, and in recent years, residents have noticed that during high tide, ocean water comes in contact with the spring’s freshwater. Although freshwater can still be obtained from other sites, the spring’s historical and cultural significance are high, so the community began to look for a way to preserve it.

Several partners came together to help with the project including Seeds of Learning, Students Offering Support, and the University of Toronto’s Centre for Global Engineering (CGEN). The project became part of a fourth-year capstone course for engineering students, which is where Sogbesan and his teammates, Monica Pramanick (Year 4 MechE) and Milan Crnjanski (Year 4 MechE) got involved.

“Never in a million years did I think I would actually get the opportunity to travel to the island!” says Sogbesan.

Over the course of eight days in November of 2019, Sogbesan and Pramanick visited Big Corn Island to learn more about the local community, while also doing the groundwork that would inform their design.

Monica Pramanick (Year 4 MechE), along with Julian Gavarez from Seeds of Learning, takes water samples to inform the design of a freshwater protection system for a spring on Big Corn Island, Nicaragua. (Photo: Monica Pramanick)

“Our days usually began with taking soil and water samples, touring similar water projects elsewhere on the island, or learning about the availability of construction materials,” says Pramanick. “In the evenings, we were able to play with the neighbourhood kids, learn about the island’s history and visit nearby beaches, fruit stalls, and more.” 

 With an improved understanding of the social impact of their work, Sogbesan and Pramanick set about designing a physical barrier made from locally available volcanic rock that would protect the spring from the incursion of salt water. They also designed a pumping system that can be used to remove the any contaminated water from the spring before taking the clean water for personal use. 

“Since our trip, we’ve narrowed down the geometry/structure of the barrier, construction materials and processes, and conducted more detailed studies on the human factors and cost analyses,” says Pramanick “We are also developing a prototype to be exhibited at the design fair at the end of the semester.” 

Pramanick and Sogbesan say that the experience has had a lasting effect on them. In part, this was because of the way they were able to put their technical skills to work to address a practical challenge. But the opportunity to meet and understand the people that would benefit counted for even more. 

 “My experience at Corn Island was so good that I plan on going back again after I graduate,” says Sogbesan. “It is an experience I will never forget, one that will stick with me for life.  I would advise students who have this opportunity to grab it with both hands.” 

– This story was originally published on the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering News Site on April 20, 2020 by Tyler Irving

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