2014 TEAM EXCELLENCE AWARDS TECHNOLOGY TEAM Vicki Komisar Vicki embodies many of the values important to the Technology Team. These include a willingness to balance her dual commitments to her PhD thesis project on the optimal design of handrails for fall prevention along with her focus on ensuring the results of her work are translated to the public through policy change and new products. In anticipation of her findings on handrail design, Vicki has begun communication with the committee in charge of defining the national building code. She has also managed the development, testing and creation of marketing materials for two products (the MoveEasy Pole Kit and StandEasy) that are about to be launched on the market. Her hard work on these two products will ensure that easy to install safety poles and clip-on handrails are available for use at home or in hospitals. Vicki also demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting members of her team. Vicki takes her role as a mentor to students in our lab seriously and always takes the time to provide thoughtful guidance and constructive feedback. She is often the first to suggest and organize celebratory events when her colleagues reach key milestones. Vicki is also an excellent ambassador for research at iDAPT. She is regularly asked to give tours of the research facility because of her ability to clearly communicate the importance of our work to the public with a particular focus on younger visitors. For the last two years she was responsible for organizing and running two-week long University of Toronto DEEP (Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program) Summer Academy science sessions for high school students.
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