News archive for June 2011

The presence of potentially harmful foreign substances in our food has long been a source of worry for many Canadians. Thanks to researchers from Concordia University's Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, detecting those substances just got a little easier.

Professor Muthukumaran Packirisamy, with invaluable help from his dedicated team, has spent the past two years perfecting a tiny device that can be used commercially to detect the presence of bovine growth hormones in milk. This microfluidic biosensing device was developed with the support of Quebec's Ministère de dévélopment économic, innovation et exportation (MDEIE) and local company Gestion Valeo.


Having recently completed the prototype for the groundbreaking device, Packirisamy and his colleagues from the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, as well as from Concordia's Office of Research, invited representatives from Gestion Valeo to Concordia's downtown campus for a special presentation. Dr. Sabin Boily, the company's President and CEO, was happy to attend and happier still to be able to hold the new device in his hands. "It is a privilege to receive the prototype, which is the result of two years of hard work by Dr. Packirisamy and his team," said Boily during the afternoon reception.

With its mandate to enhance the commercial exploitation potential of university research results, Gestion Valeo was the perfect partner to help bring the device all the way from conceptualization to actualization. Boily was happy to note that the project was well received during a recent presentation to potential industrial partners in Boston. One representative from NASA's mechanical engineering group was particularly interested in the device, seeing the potential of this small, light, portable and safe device to be used to detect such contaminants as bacteria and pathogens in future space missions. With such a positive reception, it seems like there is nowhere for this device to go but up!

Concordia University recently played host to the 2011 CANEUS / IEEE 2011 Fly-by-Wireless workshop, which saw leaders from the aerospace industry and researchers from academia come together to discuss advances in the use of wireless technology in aircraft. The three-day meeting was held from June 14-17 and resulted in defining the requirements of the aerospace community and investigating how wireless technologies of today and tomorrow can meet these needs. Workshop delegates from 11 countries spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia,  and Africa, and representing technology providers, technology end users, academia, and government agencies met to present their visions of wireless technologies and worked throughout the 4 days of the workshop to bring these vision to life.


The core premise of the FBW11 Workshop was that a multi-national, shared effort would be established to promote cooperation, trust and interdependence for the mutual benefit of all potential partners. Because complementary skill sets and resources from across the world are needed to rapidly and cost-effectively transform emerging wireless concepts into tomorrow's aerospace and aeronautics industries, meetings like FBW11 are invaluable.

By reviewing the progress of previous projects, forming new project teams, and coming up with funding and execution plans, the participants of FBW11 were able to meet their goals of establishing milestones from which to gauge success of current and future projects. To this end, participants representing the end-user and stakeholders helped formulate 8 projects that will be led or driven by the leadership from companies and organizations including NASA, Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney, Bombardier, Airbus, Meggitt, Goodrich, Boeing Space Exploration, DLR, Genetlab, and DRD Canda. 

For more on these projects and on the Fly By Wireless workshop, please visit the CANEUS website at www.caneus.org.

The only Canadian to be awarded a Grant-in-Aid grant from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) during its 2011 award round is one of ours!

Caroline Hachem is studying the effects of building shape, site layout and orientation on the design of net-zero energy solar neighbourhoods. She already holds master's degrees in architecture and building engineering and is currently a PhD candidate in the Department of Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering at Concordia University's Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. ASHRAE only awards 10 to 25 Grant-in-Aid grants annually to graduate students pursuing research in ASHRAE-related technologies. Congratulations, Ms. Hachem!

For more on the story, visit http://www.dcnonl.com/article/id44926

Concordia's newest Engineering and Computer Science graduates were in for a special treat during their convocation ceremony on June 22, 2011: a rousing speech by Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computers and deserving recipient of an honorary doctorate.

Before the hundreds of graduands walked across the stage at Montreal's Place des Arts to receive their hard-earned degrees, Wozniak (or "The Woz," as he's often called) took to the stage to receive his diploma and deliver an inspirational commencement address. "This degree is as meaningful to me as anything I've gotten in my life," he said with obvious warmth and sincerity before speaking of his experiences as a computer scientist and engineer, and giving invaluable advice to the entrepreneurs of the future.

Then it was time for the now-former students to take the stage and receive their diplomas. Of particular note were the winners of the graduate prizes: the Doctoral Prize in Engineering and Computer Science went to Jad El-Najjar (Electrical and Computer Engineering ); the F.A. Gerard Prize (M.A.Sc. & M.Comp.Sc.) went to Saeid Jafari (Electrical and Computer Engineering); and the F.A. Gerard Prize (M.Eng. & M.Appl.Comp.Sc.) was awarded to Seyedeh Yasaman and Molazadeh Haghighi (Computer Science).

Once the last graduand had crossed the stage, valedictorian Thomas-Antoine O'Neill took to the podium, telling his classmates he was both honoured and humbled to be there. Concordia's President, Fred Lowy, wrapped up the ceremony, calling the morning's events "absolutely marvelous" and inviting Concordia's newest graduates to give the parents and loved ones who had crowded into the huge hall a well-deserved standing ovation. Congratulations, graduates!

To view the archived webcast of the convocation ceremony, including Steve Wozniak's rousing speech, please visit Concordia's Convocation website.

Concordia University has named a highly regarded innovator with extensive industrial experience to serve as director of the Concordia Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation (CIADI).

Since 2009, Dr. Robert Fews has held the position of Aerospace Special Advisor at Concordia. This role was established within the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science in order to build on the existing aerospace program and make it more relevant to the current needs of industry. The position provides an industry interface to stimulate collaborative research for both student and faculty development in a relevant aerospace environment. Since 2009 Fews, through his knowledge of the aerospace industry, has created important research opportunities, including the development of an aerospace related Senior Industrial Research Chair. Aerospace is a signature area of the Faculty and Fews's mandate has been to expand industry exposure, enhance curricula, create student research and employment opportunities and develop the backbone for a full grown aerospace institute. During his two years as Aerospace Special Advisor, a role which will continue, Fews has made important inroads into the aerospace program development and played a vital role in promoting the Faculty's aerospace-related activities and programs internally and externally.

Says Dr. Robin Drew, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, "Dr. Fews has played an important role in the renaissance of CIADI. As the Faculty's Aerospace Special Advisor, he helped expand and solidify our relationships with industry leaders, both locally and internationally. Under his direction, I am confident that CIADI will blossom into a North American centre for academic and industrial innovation, research and teaching."

Dr. Fews has had an impressive career spent entirely within the aerospace industry: after completing a five-year apprenticeship with British Aerospace Ltd., he went on to work as a structures engineer on the Concorde SST. He then pursed a PhD in Aircraft Design at Britain's Cranfield Institute of Technology.  Dr. Fews then came to Canada in 1978, when he accepted a position as Senior Staff Specialist at Canadair Ltd. in Montreal (later Bombardier Aerospace). In 1984, he joined Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, where he served as Manager of Technology until 2002, when he became Director of Research for the company, a position which he held until coming to Concordia in 2009.

About CIADI
The Concordia Institute of Aerospace Design and Innovation promotes awareness and provides leading edge know-how among engineering students in aerospace design and innovation. CIADI's approach is multi-disciplinary in nature and its efforts are focused on ever-evolving aerospace technologies. As an integral part of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, the Institute provides excellent training opportunities for students seeking a career in the aerospace industry. Student members, selected from among the top undergraduate students in the Faculty of Engineering & Computer Science, participate in collaborative, industry-driven design and research projects, supervised by aerospace industry engineers and Concordia professors.

Plans are currently afoot to transform CIADI into a full-blown aerospace institute with an ambiance created by collocated staff and onsite lecture room facilities. The institute will maintain and grow the current undergraduate internship program as well as developing aerospace related research and curriculum for three cycles of aerospace degree.

Research and innovation are both key words for Concordia, so it is fitting that NSERC-Quebec gave the University special recognition for just that, during Association for the Development of Research and Innovation in Quebec (ADRIQ) "Célébrons Le Partenariat" soirée.

The Concordia team from left to right: Bob Fews, Shelley Sitahal, Suong Van Hoa, Dora Iordan, Jonathan Farber. Photo courtesy of André Bazergui

Present at the event, held at the Marché Bonsecours on May 26, were some 300 researchers and entrepreneurs, including VPs of Research from various universities and colleges, representatives from government organizations; legal and financial counsels; commercialization specialists and many more. Suzanne Fortier, President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), also attended as a guest of honour, representing the national funding body, which was a co-sponsor of the event.

Joining these delegates were representatives from Concordia's Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science and Central Office of Research: Professor in Mechanical Engineering Suong Van Hoa (who was himself recognized for a special research partnership with McGill University), Aerospace Special Advisor and Director of the Concordia Institute for Aerospace Design and Innovation Robert Fews, Associate Director for Research Partnerships Shelley Sitahal, Research Facilitator Dora Iordan, and Technology Transfer Officer Jonathan Farber.

When Pierre Bourassa, Manager of the NSERC Quebec Regional Office, honoured Concordia with its special award in recognition of the University's impressive success with the NSERC Engage grants this year, it was quite the surprise for the delegation. While it has been a point of pride for the University that it has received 16 of these grants, a number unprecedented for a single institution in Quebec, no one expected that Concordia would be singled out during the soirée. Hopefully this honour forecasts further success for these exciting partnerships!

The NSERC Engage grants give Canadian companies the chance to foster the development of new partnerships with researchers at Canadian universities. The grants provide up to $25,000 over 6-months, and support short-term research and development projects aimed at addressing a company-specific problem in the natural sciences or engineering fields. Recipients are chosen based on the creation of new collaborative relationships; research competence as collaborators; industrial relevance; contribution to technology transfer; and benefit to Canada.

Related Links:

·         Faculty engages with industry through federal grant program - http://www.encs.concordia.ca/news-and-events/entry.php?a=2011/03/faculty-engages-with-industry-through-federal-grant-program.php

·         ADRIQ - Célébrons le Partenariat - http://adriq.com/language/en-CA/ACTIVITES/Celebronslepartenariat.aspx

·         NSERC - Engage Grants program - http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/Engage-Engagement_eng.asp