Ignite Magazine, V.2.

Positive Energy

With the Fall term upon us and the return to in-person classes, there is a buzz of excitement on campus! Our Faculty prides itself on its exceptional experiential learning opportunities, and now that we are back in person, it is time to take advantage of our cutting-edge facilities and resources. Along with our Innovation Engineering Hub and Design Studio, we are opening our revamped Machine Shop to students, facilitating handson learning and allowing students to acquire knowledge of engineering processes and tools.

There are also changes on the horizon for our Faculty. Since the beginning of Engineering at Ontario Tech, energy has been

at the forefront of our research, and this year saw a restructuring of our programs and the inception of the Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering. This restructuring has allowed us to merge our resources under one umbrella to facilitate more connections among researchers, give students full access to engineering facilities and encourage interdisciplinary interactions among programs.

This new year also has three new programs on the horizon: a Master’s degree in Software Engineering, and two Bachelor of Engineering programs in Industrial and Energy Engineering, which will integrate expertise in electrical, mechanical, and nuclear engineering. The two undergraduate programs will be offered with the corresponding Engineering and Management degrees. We are also rolling out our new Professional Competencies for Engineers course for our co-op program, which prepares students with the communication, networking, and professional skills needed to succeed in the job market. Relatedly, this is the first year students have the opportunity to graduate with a co-op designation on their degree.

As you read through this issue of Ignite, you will learn about these exciting changes.

You will also see a snapshot of some of the innovative research being conducted by our faculty members, and you will find out more about the new research hubs, centres and strategic partnerships designed to contribute substantially to solving the long-term challenges affecting our planet. Further, you will read about our commitments to diversity and hear inspiring stories from our students and alums. I hope that flipping through this issue renews your energy and ignites your interest in Ontario Tech Engineering!

Dr. Hossam Kishawy

Dean and Professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Ontario Tech University

A renewed sense of energy seems to be the theme of this new academic year!

A Look at What’s New

New Faculty Members

Dr. Shabnam Pejhan

Assistant Professor, Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering

Dr. Pejhan was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Ontario Tech University until April 2022; before that, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Waterloo. In 2003, she received her BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology in Tehran, Iran; in 2006, she received her MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, Iran. Later, she started her PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Manitoba, which she obtained in 2017. Her research expertise is in mechatronics engineering, focusing on biomedical engineering applications.

Dr. Mohamed El-Darieby

Co-Op Program Stream

The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science is happy to share that we have launched our new Engineering Cooperative (Co-op) Education program. All of our undergraduate Engineering programs include co-operative education opportunities, providing experiential learning that integrates academic studies with paid work experiences.

Mohamed El-Darieby is an Associate Professor of Software Engineering, with more than 25 years of experience in the field. He led 20+ competitive research and consulting projects funded on provincial, national and international levels and has more than 60 publications in technical conferences and journals, in addition to numerous technologytransfer reports. Dr. El-Darieby is a member of Professional Engineers Ontario, and he has worked for Nortel and Alcatel-Lucent. Dr. El-Darieby holds a PhD in Systems and Computer Engineering from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

Stay Up to Date

Students in the co-op stream who successfully complete three work terms (12 months) will graduate with the co-op designation on their degree parchment. Typically, this extends the program of study by one year.

Students in the co-op stream must pay co-op program fees and complete the preparatory course ENGR1000W: Professional Competencies for Engineers in their second year. This online course prepares students for their first co-op work term.

Co-op opportunities allow students to develop tangible skills and gain valuable work experience while pursuing their undergraduate degree.

Learn more about Co-Op on Pg. 26.

Visit us online and follow us on social media to stay up to date on everything we do at The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Ontario Tech.

A look at new faculty members, programs, and updates in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

Associate Professor, Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering

Exciting New Programs

Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering and Management in Energy Engineering (Honours)

Energy engineers are creative problem solvers who find innovative, sustainable solutions to supply the world with energy. Our new multidisciplinary Energy Engineering program will meet the growing needs of the energy industry and prepare students with knowledge of the broad field of energy and the hands-on experience needed to become successful leaders in this industry. The program will contribute significantly to provincial, national and global objectives of transitioning to low-carbon economies and striving for ‘net-zero’ emissions.

Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Engineering and Management in Industrial Engineering (Honours)

There is a high demand for industrial engineers in Canada and the United States. Our new industrial engineering program will help meet this demand and train engineers to enter the workforce. Industrial engineering is an engineering discipline that integrates several branches of engineering education to optimize and improve complex engineering processes, systems, or organizations. This is achieved by implementing innovative integrated systems of people, knowledge, and equipment with financial effectiveness. Like all other engineering programs, hands-on experience and project-based courses are integral to the industrial engineering program.

Master of Applied Science and Master of Engineering in Software Engineering (MASc and MEng)

Software engineering is a well-established field that will continue to grow as software systems and applications continue to enable everything we do, from video conferencing platforms for telework from home, to autonomous vehicles. This program will expand students’ knowledge of software engineering through intensive state-of-the-art courses, projects, and/or a research thesis in their chosen area of interest. The MASc is a thesis-based program for students interested in research and may wish to continue their education at the PhD level. The MEng is a course-based or a project-based program for working professionals and other students interested in advanced knowledge and skills in software engineering.

Undergraduate Programs

A look at new programs on the horizon.

New Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering (ENE)

The university is a national leader in clean energy and environmental sustainability research within industries and higher education. Recent developments in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science will ensure that we continue providing top-notch research and learning opportunities.

In July 2022, the Faculty of Energy Systems and Nuclear Science was reconfigured as the Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

Ontario Tech offers the only Nuclear Engineering degree program in Canada, and the university works closely with industry partners to create experiential learning opportunities, develop research projects and train highly qualified personnel. This merger provides an opportunity to enhance the university’s prominence within the energy sector. This change will strengthen our capacity for interdisciplinary research, teaching and learning, maximize academic and partnership opportunities, expand industry training, and most importantly, ensure our students have what they need to succeed.

Learn More About the New ENE Department

Initiatives, Hubs and Centres

Clean Energy Workforce of the Future

In October 2021, the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) renewed its support for Ontario Tech University and Durham College with a $5-million investment to train the next generation in clean energy.

“It’s important for us to invest in the next generation of talent to help power Ontario’s energy workforce. This is a dynamic time for the energy industry as we move toward electrification and efficient economy-wide decarbonization. We know this partnership will ensure the right people with the right skills are ready to be the generation to power the future to meet Ontario’s increasing electricity needs.”

Ken Hartwick

OPG President and CEO

The funding will assist in recruiting and retaining students, including those currently under-represented in the industry, such as women and Indigenous people. The goal is to build a diverse population of potential employees for the energy sector in skilled trades, science, engineering and technology.

The funding will be provided in annual installments over five years. The partnership also focuses on research and development to support OPG’s Climate Change Plan and digital data innovation, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and augmented and virtual reality.

Read more about this investment.

Much of this will focus on technology development in the energy sector for climate change initiatives, including:

Electrification, particularly in the transportation sector

New nuclear, including small modular reactors

Renewable generation projects

EaRTH District

A consortium of five leading Colleges and Universities from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) united to develop the region’s clean, green, sustainable technology sectors through research, academic programming and commercialization of advanced technology.

As the global climate crisis accelerates, Ontario Tech University, Centennial College, University of Toronto Scarborough, Durham College and Trent University have joined together to advance clean, green, sustainable solutions, such as net-zero vertical farming and technology to reverse groundwater pollution.

The Environmental and Related Technologies Hub (EaRTH District) will be dedicated to fueling sustainable, resilient communities locally and worldwide. EaRTH District will develop the eastern Greater Toronto Area’s sustainable technology sector through research, academic programming and commercialization of advanced technology. The consortium seeks to work with the public and private sectors and Indigenous communities to develop EaRTH District.

Learn More About EaRTH District.

Dr. Yuping He from the Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering is the project lead on the EaRTH District initiative at Ontario Tech.

Sustainable Energy Research

As a prominent centre of sustainable energy research and because of its strong reputation for expertise and new knowledge creation, Ontario Tech University is designated an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Collaborating Centre, the only one in Canada.

In our 2020-21 issue of Ignite, we announced Ontario Tech’s designation as an official Collaborating Centre in support of the IAEA’s activities on integrated Energy Systems with advanced nuclear power reactors. Since its designation, the Centre has brought together energy experts from academia, industry and international organizations to discuss the future of the energy sector.

The following are some key events that took place over the past year:

Collaborating Centre Launch Event November 2-3, 2021

Ontario Tech hosted an online event with the participation of senior management and experts from the IAEA and Canada’s critical energy stakeholders, including Ontario Power Generation, Bruce Power, The University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, and many others. Over 400 individuals attended. Speakers addressed commitments to renewable energy and diversifying the energy sector.

Seminar on Opportunities and Challenges for Deployment of Advanced Reactors

December 7, 2021

As part of its knowledge transfer and Education and Training activities, Ontario Tech held a special edition of the University Speaker Spotlight, featuring Ramesh Sadhankar, Senior Advisor at Natural Resources Canada. Sadhankar spoke on “Opportunities and Challenges for Deployment of Advanced Reactors.”

Workshop on Integrated Nuclear-Renewable Energy Systems

March 24-25, 2022

On March 24 and 25, Ontario Tech held an online workshop on integrated nuclear-renewable energy systems, with 730 registrants from 78 Member States. The technical discussions examined the future of the energy sector in light of growing interest in integrated nuclear-renewable energy systems and their role in the hydrogen economy.

First Canadian IAEA Knowledge Energy Management School

May 9-10, 2022

Ontario Tech hosted the first IAEA Knowledge Energy Management School in collaboration with the CANDU Owners Group (COG) and the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE). The school aimed to support young professionals in the nuclear sector by enhancing managerial and technical competencies essential for maintaining national nuclear energy programmes.

Learn More About the IAEA.

Diversity and Outreach Engineering Outreach

Engineering Outreach provides accessible, inclusive and transformational learning opportunities that inspire youth to pursue STEM careers.

The mission of Engineering Outreach is to engage with the community, spark curiosity and prepare K-12 students to build critical skills and confidence by making STEM learning opportunities accessible and inclusive to all youth, including those from underrepresented communities in the Durham Region and beyond. The team aims to foster and build a community that

understands the importance of STEM education by developing impactful partnerships with community organizations. The goal is to increase youth’s digital literacy and skills development by delivering hands-on STEM education in schools and community hubs. In addition, the team strives to empower and support teachers and school leaders in their delivery of STEM education.

Learn More About Engineering Outreach.

Teacher Programs

Engineering Outreach is excited to support and collaborate with teachers to deliver STEM programs and lessons in their classrooms. The curriculum now includes the design process, and Engineering Outreach is a forerunner in developing resources that encompass the new curriculum. The programs include in-school workshops, teacher workshops, and professional and skills development sessions. Engineering Outreach supports teachers by helping them navigate STEM learning within the classroom and, by extension, breaks down barriers and helps youth develop the confidence and skillsets required for their future careers.

Future Cities

This year, Engineering Outreach, in partnership with Engineers Canada and Engineers of Tomorrow, welcomed over 1600 youth to participate in the virtual Future Cities Experience Showcase. Students from the Durham District School Board and the Durham Catholic District School Board were invited to share their Lunar designs. Over 80 mentors and judges attended and gave feedback. Joshua Kutryk was the keynote speaker, and he joined in from the Canadian Space Agency. He discussed his journey of becoming an astronaut and shared how his team plans to go to the moon.

The showcase uses the Engineering Design Process as a framework to guide students through creating their future cities. Students use specific project management methods within this framework to keep their projects on track. The structure gives students a real-world learning experience they can apply to future challenges in school, work and life.

Actua

Since 2018 Ontario Tech University Engineering Outreach has been a Network Member of Actua. This partnership has been a key part of the success and growth of Engineering Outreach over the last couple of years. Through this partnership, the youth K-12 within Durham Region have developed confidence and digital skills to prepare them for future STEM careers. We cherish this partnership based on our aligned goals to become leaders for inclusive and accessible STEM education.

IBET PhD Project

A new scholarship opportunity for Indigenous and Black graduate students.

In February of 2022, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Ontario Tech University joined the Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) Project. The IBET Project aims to support and build a network for Indigenous and Black graduate students, two significantly underrepresented groups in both academia and the engineering profession. It is a joint initiative launched by engineering faculties across the country to provide financial support and foster a supportive, equitable and inclusive research environment to increase the presence

of Indigenous and Black academics in engineering and technology.

The program at Ontario Tech is specific to PhD engineering programs offered at the university. It will begin by funding one PhD student in the 2022-2023 academic year, with the potential of adding a second fellowship in 2023-2024. Ontario Tech participants will receive $30,000 per year ($25,000 from the faculty/ university and $5,000 from their academic supervisor), with a further $11,000 being available in the form of a teaching assistantship.

“We all have different lived experiences, and these differences foster new ways of thinking and facilitate new solutions to our most challenging and relevant problems. As we prepare the next generation of Canadian engineers, Ontario Tech University is proud the IBET PhD Project will promote a stronger presence of what is currently an underrepresented group of young scholars and support an environment in creating muchneeded role models for future engineers.”

Hossam Kishawy

Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Learn More About the IBET Project.

Bruce Power Nuclear Engineering Internships for Women

Bruce Power and Ontario Tech University are partnering on an internship program to attract women to pursue post-secondary engineering degrees and careers in the nuclear sector.

Exclusively offering Canada’s only Nuclear Engineering university degree, Ontario Tech proudly announces the Bruce Power Engineering Internships for Women program. This partnership is designed to reach the target of gender equity by 2030 by promoting opportunities for women in traditionally maledominated positions. It will also provide valuable work experience to students pursuing careers in engineering.

Through the program, fourmonth internship opportunities are available to Ontario Tech Nuclear Engineering students who identify as women, with up to 15 students interning each summer. The internship program will help create a diversified talent source, including female-identifying nuclear engineering students and graduates as potential hires for the energy company.

Equal by 30

Equal by 30 is a campaign to take the actions necessary to make gender equality central to the engineering profession by promoting equal pay, enrollment, opportunities and leadership for women. There has long been gender disparity within the STEM fields, and Ontario Tech University is committed to breaking down barriers that prevent femaleidentifying individuals from pursuing engineering. The goal is to strive for equal representation of women faculty and students by 2030.

Learn More About the Internship Program.

Celebrating Success: Faculty

Featuring Our Faculty

Engineering at Ontario Tech is dedicated to promoting a culture of innovation in research and scholarship, and our exceptional researchers drive real-world solutions to complex problems.

Our esteemed faculty members are at the forefront of cutting-edge research. For instance, our Faculty is home to four Canada Research Chairs in Adaptive Aerodynamics, Electric Energy Storage Systems for Transportation Electrification, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Nuclear Fuels and Materials. Moreover, the Faculty has an NSERC-UNENE Industrial

Research Chair (IRC) in Health Physics and Environmental Safety and two university Energy Research Chairs, who focus on renewable energy, research and development.

We seek to foster collaboration and partnerships with diverse communities, industry, stakeholders and the government, and our researchers strive to connect their research with the global community. In doing so, faculty members have attracted significant funding from various sources, including government agencies and the private sector.

Our faculty is also deeply committed to student success. Our professors expose students to research, innovation, entrepreneurship opportunities and experiential learning, thereby preparing our graduates to face the challenges that lie ahead.

Our engineering faculty strives for excellence. In the pages that follow, you will learn more about the cutting edge research currently being undertaken in our different departments, along with the national and international achievements of our faculty members.

Our renowned faculty are committed to excellence in research, teaching and service.

Ignite

Faculty

Engineering

Applied

Pictured (left to right): Dr. Min Dong, Dr. Tarlochan Sidhu, Dr. Hossam Kishawy, Dr. Daniel Hoornweg, Dr. Matthew Kaye, Dr. Scott Nokleby, receiving awards for their contributions and leadership to our Faculty.

National and International Recognition

Dr. Mark Rosen and the RSA

Dr. Marc A. Rosen was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). Recognition by the RSC for career achievement is the highest honour an individual can achieve in the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. Dr. Rosen is the first professor at Ontario Tech to receive this recognition.

Dr. Edward Waller and the CRPA Meritorious Service Award

Dr. Markus Piro and the CRC

The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) stands at the centre of a national strategy to make Canada one of the top countries in research and development. Dr. Markus Piro was elected a Canada Research Chair in Nuclear Fuels and Materials.

His research involves using state-of-theart experimental and computational techniques to better understand the behaviour of nuclear fuel and related material. He is looking for ways to enhance the performance and environmentally responsible disposal of nuclear fuels. He is also exploring innovative research approaches and developing a program to train staff in Canada’s nuclear industry.

To do this, he and his research team are using advanced computational research, including developing and executing software supported by high-performance computing. They are also conducting experimental research involving material science techniques, such as the use of an inert atmosphere glovebox, thermogravimetric analyzer, differential scanning calorimeter and X-ray diffractometer. Ultimately, their work will support Canada’s continued use of economical, reliable and safe nuclear generating stations as well as emerging nuclear technologies.

The research will lead to improved performance and safety of conventional and emerging nuclear technologies.

The Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA) nominated Energy and Nuclear Engineering Professor Dr. Edward Waller for the Meritorious Service Award for his overall support and service to the CRPA.

Dr. Atef Mohany’s CSME and ASME Fellowship

Dr. Atef Mohany was honoured with fellowships from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME ) in recognition of his outstanding engineering achievements.

Dr. Scott Nokleby’s ASME Fellowship

Dr. Scott Nokleby was honoured with an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Fellowship in recognition of his achievements in engineering.

Learn More About Our Faculty Members.

Learn More About Our Faculty’s Strategic Research Plan

Research Rundown

Highlighting some of the engaging research taking place in our different departments.

Advancing Information and Communications

The future of mass information access and unified wireless connectivity technologies

With her expertise in signal processing, wireless communication, and optimization theories, Dr. Dong leads her research team on advancing information and communication technologies for unified wireless connectivity and mass information access and sharing in future wireless networks. Her current research projects involve developing massiveantenna transmission techniques and network resource allocation schemes to enable mass information access and distribution in future large-scale wireless networks. In particular, she focuses on high performance, high energy efficiency, and ultra-low complexity signal processing and computational algorithms. Her research team has also been working on integrated edge-device storage, computing, and communication techniques to enable ultra-low latency distributed data access and processing in wireless networks.

Charging Up: The Future of EV

Electric vehicles that charge while driving may be right around the corner!

Dr. Sheldon Williamson’s research in electric vehicle charging was featured in The Toronto Star and across other Canadian news outlets. Dr. Williamson is working on a system to charge electric vehicles wirelessly while they are being driven. He looks closely at dynamic charging, where special metallic inlays under the pavement charge electric vehicles with induction or capacitive electricity. This technology can charge the vehicle while it is stopped or parked, as well as while it is being driven over the surface. Dr. Williamson predicts that wireless charging in various forms will be coming to consumers in the next few years. More efficient EV charging will benefit not just EV owners but all of us, as it will lead to reductions in exhaust emissions and subsequent improvements in air quality.

Hybrid Manufacturing of Reactive Metals

Engineering researchers receive new Canada Foundation for Innovation Funding

Ramona Fayazfar, Ahmad Barari and Sayyed Ali Hosseini received $151,121 in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for their research in adaptive hybrid manufacturing of reactive metals. A Direct Metal Laser Melting machine will fabricate complex parts of reactive metals, such as aluminum and titanium alloys. This project will support Canada’s manufacturing sector by developing the adaptive hybrid manufacturing of reactive metals, and this research will significantly benefit aerospace, biomedical, automotive and power generation industries.

Read more news stories here.

Highly Cited Researchers

Two Ontario Tech professors have made the executive list of Highly Cited Researchers

Dr. Ibrahim Dincer and Dr. Marc Rosen have earned the mark of exceptional impact for making the 2021 exclusive list of Highly Cited Researchers (HRC), ranking in the top one percent of citations by international peers for field and year of publication in the Web of Science. The HCR’s exclusive list represents 6,600 of the world’s leading scientists and social scientists who demonstrate significant global influence through multiple research publications. Professor Dincer and Rosen both lead major research programs focused on clean energy systems and hydrogen technology, and their inclusion on the HCR’s exclusive list demonstrates the significance of their research across the globe.

Colossal Machines

Mammoth machines, large-scale research, and a mass audience

Dr. Sayyed Ali Hosseini appeared in an episode of the television program Colossal Machines, a program produced by Toronto’s Go Button Media and Autentic Media of Munich, Germany. The program explores the inner workings of the world’s most mammoth machines and the state-of-the-art technology and engineering behind them. In the episode, ‘Mammoth Manufacturing,’ Dr. Hosseini was interviewed about his experience in CNC machining, where pre-programmed software dictates the movement of factory tools and machinery. The program airs on National Geographic Channel and Super Channel; it can also be accessed through an Amazon Prime subscription.

Nuclear Decommissioning

Decommissioning nuclear power plants is essential in closing the life cycle for nuclear energy

Dr. Glenn Harvel and his research group focus on decommissioning issues in Canada and around the world to improve processes, reduce dose to workers, and improve the protection of the environment. Already around the world, more than 100 nuclear power plants have started the decommissioning process. Within the City of Durham, the team is examining some of the social and economic impacts of decommissioning on the local community. Globally, they have been collaborating with the Fukui University of Technology in Japan; here, they look at plasma and gel-based techniques for a better understanding of characterizing nuclear waste. The team continues to explore new radiation detection and capture techniques that should reduce the burden on the environment.

Route for the Home Team

An effective snow-plowing strategy is a crucial challenge for the economy – and an Ontario Tech researcher is here to help!

Delays in snow clearing, even slight ones, can lead to the formation of ice and make a bad situation even worse. Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science researcher Dr. Jaho Seo is working with local and international partners to help municipalities find optimal routes for snowplows and waste collection. Dr. Seo is applying technology to help communities find ways to maximize snow clearing efficiency and safety while also saving on operational factors such as travel time and fuel consumption. His main objective is to optimize plowing routes in residential areas.

Research and Teaching Awards

Our 2022 FEAS Research and Teaching Awards go out to faculty members making exceptional contributions in their fields and positively impacting our students. Dr. Xianke Lin from the Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering (first image, far left) and Dr. Akramul Azim from the Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering (first image, far right) were the recipients of the 2022 FEAS Research Awards (the early career category). Dr. Murat Aydin from the Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering (second image) was this year’s 2022 FEAS Teaching Award winner.

Celebrating Success: Students

Student Achievements

We’re proud of the continuing success of our students and are happy to highlight some notable accomplishments from our current student body and our alumni!

Fostering the success of our students is central to our mission in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. The high value we attach to student achievement requires that we take the necessary steps to provide students with opportunities and resources to learn and grow.

Our Academic Advising team plays a substantial role in this mission. Our advisors guide students on how to combine their diverse interests and talents and translate these into career paths, and they help students find the confidence they need to reach their dreams. New this year, we saw the adoption of a centralized model for our Academic Advising team, allowing for institutional effectiveness while maintaining a direct line with our faculty. As Associate Dean, Academic, Scott Nokleby puts it, “Our Academic Advising Office is divided into First Year Advising and Upper Years Advising to provide targeted support for our students. Our Academic Advisors are dedicated to the success of our students and are there to help.”

Along with our academic advisors, our supportive faculty and staff also make a significant difference in the lives of our students. From supervising innovative Capstone projects to helping students find co-op and internship opportunities, our faculty and staff are pivotal to the success of our students.

And succeed, they did! From placements to co-ops and internships to competitions, awards and scholarships, the students at Ontario Tech are champions in the classroom and out. The past year saw many challenges as we adjusted to a hybrid style of education during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Still, our students have risen to the occasion and continue making an impact in our university community and beyond! In the following pages, we have provided a round-up of just some of the many student success stories to celebrate!

Learn More About Academic Advising.

Capstone Highlights

Excellence in research, design and innovation was on full display as Ontario Tech Engineering students participated in the annual Capstone Exhibition and Competition.

Capstone Design provides students the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained throughout their program. For eight months, students work on devising innovative solutions to real-world problems and, at the end of the second semester, students showcase their research and discoveries at the annual FEAS Capstone Exhibition and Competition.

Here are the winners for the 2021-22 Academic Year:

First Place

Winning Project: Pneumatic Radial Propulsion System

Team Members: Alaeldin M. Khari, Spencer R. Lytle, Seyawash Nairow

The Department of Automotive and Mechatronics Engineering & The Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

Second Place

Winning Project: Collaborative Human-like Robotic Arm

Team Members: Mashaal Jawad, Hayden G. Kelso, Noor Khabbaz, Sam H. Lovett, Carlee J. Rogers

Third Place

Winning Project: Actively Controlled Wings for Increasing the Safety of HighSpeed Vehicles

Team Members: Marco A. Nitti, Christopher Proietto, Kishoane Sriganesh, Greg Vrantsidis, Tim Xu

First Place

Winning Project: SMR Resign for Remote Mining Community Winning Student: Michelle Hoffman

The Department of Energy and Nuclear Engineering

Second Place

Winning Project: Design of TRISO Fuel Winning Student: Petru Obreja

Third Place

Winning Project: Design for Plant Decommissioning Winning Student: Bader Alhilawani

Most Influential Project

Winning Project: Design and Development of a Smart Metering Infrastructure for Distributed Management Systems

Team Members: Oliver Gaus, Matthew Oinonen, Tristan Pereira, Aman Walia

The Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering

Most Technical Proof of Concept

Winning Project: Design and Development of a Machine-Learning-based IoT Application for Reducing Carbon Footprint

Team Members: Taha Hashmat, Cassidy Linhares, Austin Page

Most Innovative Engineering Design

Winning Project: Design and Development of a Remote Doctor Assist System

Team Members: Neithan Dutt, Nan-Rong Hui, Abhay Kaushik, Jesse-Turinayo Mutabazi

Robomasters

The Ontario Tech Ridgebots competed valiantly in the America RoboMaster University League (RMUL)!

RoboMaster is an annual competition founded by the Chinese tech giant DJI and consists of several teleoperated and autonomous challenges. This year, the Ridgebots, a newly established RoboMaster team at Ontario Tech, had the opportunity to compete in the North America RoboMaster University League (RMUL), which was held at Texas A&M University in College Station in June. The competition, sponsored by local academic institutions and universities, aims to promote regional exchanges of robotics technology and helps students further develop their engineering skills and careers.

This year, teams were tasked with developing a group of three different robots to attack and capture their opponent’s base while also defending their base from their opponent’s fleet of robots. To inflict damage on their opponent’s robots and base, the robots must launch small, paintball-sized plastic projectiles at their enemy’s armour modules, consisting of several illuminated plates mounted on their exteriors.

The Ontario Tech Ridgebots, participating in the 1v1 and 3v3 RMUL competitions and partnered with McMaster University and Georgia Tech, managed to proceed into

the first round of the 3v3 playoffs. After three consecutive tiebreakers in a best of 5 round, the Ridgebots fought hard but were ultimately defeated. Regardless of the outcome, the team was incredibly proud of their accomplishments at their first match, especially with a severely-limited build season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The competition was a gratifying experience and provided many opportunities to meet like-minded peers from other institutions worldwide. The Ridgebots hope to expand the team and recruit enthusiastic members for the upcoming build season in September to help prepare the robotic fleet for the 2023 competition!

Learn More About Robomasters.

Racing Toward Success

Ontario Tech University prides itself on its exceptional experiential learning, and the Ontario Tech Racing Team provides one of the best opportunities for students to apply their skills in a collaborative, exciting environment.

Using state-of-the-art equipment and class-leading software, students on the Ontario Tech Racing Team develop hands-on experience by devising and building an electric race car from scratch and competing on the world stage to showcase their design.

This year, the team competed in their very first competition,

the 2022 Formula SAE competition held at Michigan International Speedway from June 15 to 18 in the electric racecar division and placed 33rd out of over 80 registered competitors. Formula SAE (short for Society of Automotive Engineers) is a series of international competitions that challenges teams of university undergraduate and graduate

Learn

Ontario Tech Racing.

Ignite

Success:

students to conceive, design, fabricate, develop and compete with small, formula-style vehicles. The competition allows teams to demonstrate their creativity and understanding of engineering principles.

Not only does this experience help students hone and apply their engineering knowledge, but it also allows students to broaden their skills in many other areas. Students are responsible for all aspects of the competition, and team members leave the experience with an expansive array of hard and soft skills in engineering, business management, leadership, communication, fundraising and recruitment.

The strong foundation students gain from this experience, along with the networking opportunities that come with being part of an internationally recognized competition, means that team members are highly competitive and able to win the best internship and professional job opportunities. Take, for instance, the team’s Mechanical Director, fourthyear Mechanical Engineering student Fiona Man, who will be interning with the Formula 1 Alpine Team starting in Fall 2022 as an aerodynamics intern. Then there is the 2022 Team

Manager and recent Mechatronics Engineering graduate Deven Edison, who was recently hired at Tesla in California to support diagnostics and troubleshooting. You can learn more about their stories in the “Current Student Success Stories” and the “Alumni Profiles” section of this magazine on pages 25 and 32, respectively.

For the 2022-23 academic year, Mechatronics Engineering student Joseph Caruana will be taking over as Team Manager. In the previous year, Joseph was the lead Electrical Director for the team and was pivotal to the team’s success in manufacturing a functioning electric vehicle. Joseph describes the experience as essential for preparing students for the workplace: “School provides you with the fundamentals, but this real-world experience is so critical. We can experiment and explore, and it shows you what it takes to be a professional engineer.” Interested students across Ontario Tech are invited to join him in this supportive environment united by a passion for cars, racing and engineering!

Student Spotlights

Fiona Man and the Formula 1 Alpine Team

Fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student Fiona Man accepted an internship placement with the coveted Alpine Formula One (F1) Team in Enstone, Oxfordshire, England, from September 2022 to September 2023.

F1 is the top echelon of single-seat, open-wheel and open-cockpit professional motor racing, which is governed and sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation. It is considered the highest technical level of motorsports racing, and many technological innovations in automotive design have come from F1.

F1 cars are the fastest regulated road-course racing cars in the world, owing to design achievements in aerodynamics. Therefore, Fiona’s role as an aerodynamics intern is pivotal; along with her team, she will be conducting testing and collecting data in the wind tunnels to optimize and make the car faster while ensuring the driver’s safety.

Fiona grew up with machining. Her grandfather was a mechanic, and she was raised tinkering with her dad in the garage. At Ontario Tech, Fiona has gained significant theoretical and hands-on experience. Her classes helped her develop the foundational knowledge to be a professional engineer, and her experience working at the ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel prepared her with aerodynamic testing experience. Further, her time on the Ontario Tech Race Team provided direct experience working on vehicle design and stirred her passion for working closely with a team of engineers. We wish her luck!

These stories shine a light on some of our current Ontario Tech engineering students and their outstanding accomplishments.

Success in the Lab and in the Ring

Reeda Awan is a third-year Electrical Engineering student and past president of the Women In Engineering (WiE) society. She’s been doing Muay Thai for over 6 years and recently competed at the 2022 WAKO National Tournament held in Niagara Falls from June 3-5th. She competed in the -56kg K1 Senior Females Division and won the national title belt! Now she qualifies to try out for Team Canada and hopes to go on to represent the country at the WAKO Panam Games in November.

Co-Op Corner

students on co-op and internship as of September 2022

Our students have received co-op and internship placements at companies around the world. Here is a snapshot of some of the participating companies:

Bell Canada

Bruce Power Clean Valley CIC

Honda of Canada Mfg.

McMaster University

Nelson Industrial Inc.

Ontario Power Generation

Stackpole International Toronto Hydro TS Tech Canada, Inc.

York Region Transit

Learn More About Co-Op and Internships.

Hydro One Women in Engineering Scholarship Recipient

Third-year Electrical Engineering student, Isabel Smith, is an honoured recipient of the Hydro One Women in Engineering Scholarship. The scholarship is part of the company’s ongoing commitment to increasing the representation of women in engineering within Hydro One and the electricity industry.

Hydro One is a leader in electricity distribution across Ontario, and this award will help Isabel move forward in her education and gain meaningful industry experience. Isabel is incredibly proud to be standing alongside the other equally hardworking and passionate female recipients of this award and she looks forward to making significant contributions to this field alongside them.

CSME National Student Design Competition

PhD student Wing Yi Pao and Automotive Engineering undergraduate student Long Li won the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) National Student Design Competition under the prize category of “Technical Prowess in Mechanical Engineering” for their project “Wind-Driven Rain Simulation System.”

For this project, the team developed a rain simulation system for use in wind tunnels that more realistically simulates natural rainfall than traditional pressurized spray nozzles, allowing for more accurate testing of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

Submit your story here and you may be featured on our social media accounts and in our next issue of Ignite.

Are you a current Ontario Tech engineering student with a success story to share?

Three Minute Thesis Finalist

Kavian Khosravinia, a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering, was one of the 2022 Ontario Tech 3MT® finalist. Khosravinia’s presentation centred around his research in electric vehicles and his speech was titled “Healthy Fast Charging Strategy for Electric Vehicles Using Deep Neural Networks.”

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP)

IDEEA Competition

The fourth IDEEA Forum and Student competition was held in Puebla, Mexico, from July 30 to August 4. IDEEA (the International Design and Engineering Education Association) is an educational organization formed in 2019 with 22 member universities. This year, the competition topic involved designing and developing mobility solutions for African farming and rural communities. Six Ontario Tech engineering students participated.

Masters student Yvonne Lin was one of 110 female students from around the world selected to receive a scholarship under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP). The Fellowship offers young women an opportunity to pursue studies toward a Masters degree in the nuclear field by providing financial support and practical experience.

As Yvonne puts it, “My time at OntarioTech has allowed my passion for nuclear sciences to flourish and I am grateful to have such a supportive network of professors and peers. I believe the IAEA MSCFP will have a transformative impact on my educational and career goals, which include pursuing a PhD program after earning my MASc. The scholarship will mean the opportunity to attend international conferences and exchanges, where I can get immersed in nuclear sciences and the non-proliferation efforts. In addition to facilitating my academic ambitions, MSCFP will also enable me to participate in Women in STEM organizations and charities so that I too may foster the interest in nuclear sciences and engineering among other young women.”

Alumni Updates

Our alumni may have graduated, but their journeys are far from over. Here, we profile some of their amazing accomplishments!

C. Acar

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2016

Dr. Acar works in the Thermal Engineering group within the Engineering Technology faculty and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Twente. Her current research focuses on integrating renewable-based hydrogen energy systems into the built environment. Dr. Acar is making a tremendous impact in academia, winning many awards and publishing 40 international peer-reviewed journal papers, 12 book chapters and 20 international conference presentations. Recently, she was the Track Coordinator of “Hydrogen Production: Thermochemical and Photonic Methods” during the 23rd World Hydrogen Energy Conference (June 26 and 30, 2022), leading the discussion on clean hydrogen production using renewables.

Clarissa Branje

BEng, Software, 2022

Cassidy Linhares

BEng, Software, 2022

Clarissa was involved with Women in Engineering (WiE) as the VP of Marketing and was on the Engineering Outreach Team. Now that she has graduated, she is working as a software developer at Innovative Automation Inc., a company specializing in automation assembly and production services.

Cassidy’s biggest takeaway from her undergrad was the internship opportunities! Thanks to this internship experience, she was hired full-time with Mark43, a company that supports the entire public safety ecosystem.

Program (EDP) at Honda of Canada Mfg., where he completed his internship! His favourite part of his undergrad experience was the knowledgeable professors who helped accelerate his understanding of what it means to be a professional engineer.

Johnny To

BEng, Mechatronics, 2022

Carlee Rogers

BEng, Mechatronics, 2022

Ashwin Shanmugam

BEng, Software, 2022

Johnny interned with General Motors in their Manufacturing Engineering - Design and Implementation team. He stayed on part-time in his final year and was offered full-time employment at General Motors before he finished his last year. He has now graduated with distinction and is having a blast in his full-time job.

Carlee is now working for ABI Ltd., a company that specializes in manufacturing and integrating automotive baking equipment. She completed a 14-month internship with the company in her third year and was offered a full-time position after graduation!

After graduating from Ontario Tech, Ashwin was hired as a Software Developer at Scotiabank through a new graduate technology program called Spark. He is now part of a global engineering team working on global initiatives to develop safe, reliable, and industryleading banking experiences for customers around the world.

Sohaib Nadeem

Celebrating Success:

Sydney Smith

BEng, Software, 2022

While at Ontario Tech, Sydney was part of the Engineering Students’ Society and the Student Life Peer Leader team, and she spent time at different club events, like Women in Engineering (WiE), Engineers Without Borders, EngiQueers, and so many more. After graduation, she joined the Ontario Tech Engineering Outreach Team as a Program Coordinator.

Jamieson graduated as a Software Engineer in April 2021. Jamieson is currently located in San Francisco, California, working as one of the core Software Engineers within Uber’s Metadata Platform. He contributes to Uber’s data discovery tool called Databook, allowing users to view, discover, and manage their datasets at Uber. Jamieson received a grad offer with Uber after completing a successful internship in 2020.

Benjamin’s MASc opened doors to opportunities such as working in collaboration with a major US Nuclear Lab (SNL), attending and presenting at industry conferences, and performing hands on experimental work. Post graduation, he is now working for General Electric Hitachi at their Wilmington location as a Thermal Hydraulics Engineer in the LOCA and Containment Group.

During her undergraduate degree, Noor was involved in Women in Engineering, Toastmasters and Engineering without Borders. Her favourite memory from her program was building a robot with her team as part of her Mechatronics Design class in her fourth year. Noor’s journey is continuing at Ontario Tech, where she is now completing her Master’s degree and furthering her education in the field of robotics!

Noor Khabbaz

BEng, Mechatronics, 2022

Jamieson Leibovitch

BEng, Software, 2021

Benjamin Breeden

MASc, Nuclear, 2022

Deven Edison

BEng, Mechatronics, 2022

In June 2022, Deven moved to the Santa Clara / San Jose area of California to work for the Tesla factory and in the design studio. Founded in 2003 by a group of engineers, Tesla strives to prove that people don’t need to compromise on electric vehicles (EV); EVs can perform better and offer greater environmental sustainability than gasoline vehicles.

Deven works in the area of electrical diagnostics and troubleshooting. If an issue arises with a vehicle, his team determines what is going on and figures out how to resolve the problem. Deven’s degree at Ontario Tech has helped prepare him with the problem-solving skills needed to troubleshoot, and his time spent as Manager of the Ontario Tech Race Team has provided significant hands-on experience in electric vehicle design.

This opportunity will help him build a stronger foundation for how the EV systems work on the current industry standards and will provide significant opportunities to grow and network. Ultimately, he hopes to move into the design space and is looking forward to seeing where this opportunity will lead.

Owen Davis

BEng, Nuclear Engineering and Management, 2021

During his undergraduate degree, Owen was actively involved on campus, serving as the President and CEO of the Ontario Tech Student Union for the 2019-2020 term. He sat on over 15 committees and was the Student Representative on both the Board of Governors and Academic Council at Ontario Tech University, and was an executive of several student clubs. Owen’s journey is continuing as a Business Development Analyst and Technical Project Engineer at Kinectrics, while maintaining extracurricular involvement as the Canada-Regional Lead of North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN), and others such as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at Kinectrics.

The Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering (CSME) presents the Gold Medal to the top-performing student for their outstanding academic achievement in Mechanical Engineering. Sana Umerwadia was this year’s recipient. Sana is pictured here (centre, left) alongside Min Dong, Associate Dean, Academic (far left), Atef Mohany, Department Chair of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (centre, right), and Hossam Kishawy, Dean (far right).

Electrical Engineering graduate, Matthew Oinonen was this year’s Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO) Gold Medal recipient for the highest GPA. Matthew also won the Faculty Medal and the Governor General’s Silver Medal for academic excellence.

CSME Gold Medal Winner

PEO Gold Medal Winner

Ignite v02 Celebrating Success: Students

Yusuf Bicer

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, 2017

Lowell Bower

Dr. Yusuf Bicer is an Associate Professor in the Division of Sustainable Development at the College of Science and Engineering at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar. His research focuses on solar energy utilization in various processes, such as effective cooling in greenhouses through innovative approaches, the development of renewable-based integrated energy systems, and clean fuel production, including hydrogen and ammonia.

Lowell Bower graduated from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science in 2017 with a Mechanical Engineering degree specializing in Energy Engineering. He is currently researching molten salt reactors through a part-time MASc in Nuclear Engineering with ONTechU’s Nuclear Fuels and Materials Group under Dr. Markus Piro. When not working on his MASc, he works full time with

Ontario Power Generation New Nuclear Design Engineering, supporting the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP). This project has the goal of constructing a small modular reactor at the Darlington site using the BWRX-300 design from General Electric Hitachi. As an Oversight Engineer, Lowell supports DNNP by providing oversight for the design of the fuel and refueling systems. Both the undergraduate and graduate degrees helped Lowell prepare for a career in the Canadian nuclear industry, whether through the strong technical focus in these programs or strong connections between ONTechU and the nuclear industry.

Hassan Iftekhar Ahmed

MASc, Mechanical Engineering, 2016

Share Your Alumni Success Story

Hassan is currently working as a Faculty Member at National Textile University, Faisalabad (Pakistan’s Leading Textile Institute), and he is a PhD Scholar at COMSATs Univerity Lahore. He is also a National Center of Composite Materials (NCCM) member. His research areas are in composite materials, 3D Printing, Rubber Blends, SmarTex, AuxTex, PROTEX (Protective Textiles) and numerical modelling.

BEng, Mechanical, 2017

Ignite

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

Our undergraduate programs:

Automotive Engineering

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Learn More About Our Graduate Programs.

Electrical Engineering Energy Engineering Health Physics and Radiation Science

Industrial Engineering

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Mechanical Engineering Mechatronics Engineering

Nuclear Engineering Software Engineering

Our graduate programs:

Automotive Engineering Masters Program Electrical and Computer Engineering Masters Program Electrical and Computer Engineering Doctoral Program Engineering Management Graduate Diploma

Engineering Management Masters Program Mechanical Engineering Masters Program Mechanical Engineering Doctoral Program

Nuclear Design Engineering Graduate Diploma

Nuclear Technology Graduate Diploma

Nuclear Engineering Masters Program

Nuclear Engineering Doctoral Program Software Engineering Masters Program UNENE Graduate Diploma in Nuclear Engineering UNENE MEng in Nuclear Engineering